After soaking the shaped bits of batting off the white wholecloth, I went to use some fresh sateen. I measured it against the master paper pattern, doubled the length, added a bit more and tore off the length. Then I discovered the other sateen I hoped to use wasn't wide enough. At this point I realise this quilt is fighting me more than any other. I had planned to wash out the original and use it perhaps for backing this (backing hasn't been decided yet). Too impatient to order more, or even to wash out the remainder of the marking pens, I'm just using it as is. I know it will wash out when (if?) this quilt is finished but it's not too pretty to look at whilst I'll be quilting it.
Here I'm showing you what I'm using on this particular quilt to hold it still whilst I'm marking. Because the sateen is only semi opaque I can trace through without using the light table. If you look carefully in the bottom left you can even see some of the design in the photo. The paper pattern is held onto the table with several of the white clips you see on the right. They are made to hold tablecloths on outdoor tables (very Martha Stuart, but I have a life). I use these and the other clamps to hold the fabric in place over the master.
Not wanting to get that bl**dy grid wrong a third time (or is it fourth?). I resorted to marking it out on the bedroom floor (you can see to my shame, I haven't got round to making the skirt for the new bed). Firstly I pinned the fabric to the carpet but soon discovered this fouled the ruler. I use the word ruler very loosely, it is a length of cable trunking from a diy store. This was the longest straight edge I could find..I ended up using masking tape. Our thick carpet present yet more problems. If I crawled over the fabric, it distorted into the pile. You can't see but in the foreground to the right it buts right up against the bottom of the wardrobes. This meant for each end of each line I had to climb over the bed. There are 64 lines in each direction. At this point I'd only traced the outer square and the outer circle. I put a little cross in alternate diamonds to make absolutely sure this time, it WILL work!!!!!
And I've been contemplating my Heide Stoll Weber fabrics. I have several ideas, just want to see which fabrics would work with each idea. These two on the right might well be another strippy (or they might not, nothing is written in stone until they are cut)
And because they are so very different from each other, I need to be able to see a goodly amount of each one to make a decision. These stayed like this on the bedroom floor for 3 or 4 days, until I took pity on DH trying not to tread on them when he's been getting ready for work. I do wonder if he ever thinks he could have married someone more 'normal' but then 27 years later, I think he must have got used to it by now.
Not wanting to get that bl**dy grid wrong a third time (or is it fourth?). I resorted to marking it out on the bedroom floor (you can see to my shame, I haven't got round to making the skirt for the new bed). Firstly I pinned the fabric to the carpet but soon discovered this fouled the ruler. I use the word ruler very loosely, it is a length of cable trunking from a diy store. This was the longest straight edge I could find..I ended up using masking tape. Our thick carpet present yet more problems. If I crawled over the fabric, it distorted into the pile. You can't see but in the foreground to the right it buts right up against the bottom of the wardrobes. This meant for each end of each line I had to climb over the bed. There are 64 lines in each direction. At this point I'd only traced the outer square and the outer circle. I put a little cross in alternate diamonds to make absolutely sure this time, it WILL work!!!!!
And I've been contemplating my Heide Stoll Weber fabrics. I have several ideas, just want to see which fabrics would work with each idea. These two on the right might well be another strippy (or they might not, nothing is written in stone until they are cut)
And because they are so very different from each other, I need to be able to see a goodly amount of each one to make a decision. These stayed like this on the bedroom floor for 3 or 4 days, until I took pity on DH trying not to tread on them when he's been getting ready for work. I do wonder if he ever thinks he could have married someone more 'normal' but then 27 years later, I think he must have got used to it by now.
Sorry about the quality of this photo, I took it with my phone and forgot to put the anti shake on. I did want to show you how difficult the simplest of quilts was to pin. The fabric is my favourite Heide Stoll Weber hand dyed cotton sateen. This fabric just glows but my goodness it does have a lot of stretch. Keeping those seams straight when pinning was a major achievement.
Another shot to show you how well that backing fabric goes with the front. Notice how I haven't closed the pins, it's so much easier to close them later when sitting on the sofa watching TV.
And this is 3 evenings work cutting away the trapunto on the hand coloured quilt. I think I put in my entry form for Birmingham that it had no trapunto and realised that half way through stitching with the water soluble thread. Thank heavens this show gives you an opportunity to correct your entry information.
In the magazine is report from the Festival of Quilts and a photo of 'When Heide met Sally'. I'm very very happy to see one of my quilts in a foreign publication. I suppose it sneaked in because of my use of Heide Stoll Weber's fabric.
The chicken stock is set on 'simmer' and now I have time to go up into my sewing room/studio to play......
Never mind, I still have to wash out the guideline marks. Yet again the Heide Stoll Weber fabrics absolutely refuse to photograph their colours well.
This one is larger and I made it simply because I could reach this size of canvas. It's got to be washed too but it's photographed folded over the canvas to give you an idea of what it will look like.
This is the back before the extra stitching was added. I've included this photo because the very bright teal is closer to the real colour.
This is the first piece of Heide's fabric. Like when Heide met Sally it also refuses to be photographed in it's full glory. It has bronzes, greens, iridescent blues, magenta and reds.
And a much paler one.
These are to go in DD's bedroom to go with her quilt on her wall and the Cath Kidston stuff on her bed.
This is a fabulous piece of reproduction Dutch fabric which goes with the Tree of Life in a previous post. Also expensive stuff. I was very disappointed when I got it home and found it's glaze felt like a plastic coating. Glazes were applied to fabrics to help them not getting dusty. Luckily the glaze was not a modern one and most has come out with just a warm rinse.
Thank you to Donna in NH who took these photos of Nostalgia for me at the World Quilt Show in New Hampshire. It's good to see it didn't arrive creased. A big thank you to Christine Porter who coordinated the UK entries and looked after our quilts so well.
And Donna sent me this photo of my very first American ribbon! You notice how I said first, like I imagine there will ever be another one (grin)?
Here's glimpse of one of my FOQ entries, 'When Heide Met Sally' named because the gorgeous fabric dyed by Heide Stoll Weber (Large contemporary). Beau Bramald is the beautiful creature asleep on it. Sadly he was run over when he went hunting a lady friend. My fault entirely. I wanted to wait until her got a proper Tom Cat head before getting him castrated. I will never forgive myself for his needless end.
