Keeping up a blog relies as much on habit as it does on making things to show but sometimes, the time it takes to write up a blog post, is lost to fun things like visiting family home for a month, secret sewing projects for new classes & workshops, designs for publication and guild work and the not so fun things like cleaning the house, reactions to the flu jab and ironing the clothes!
Having said all that, I feel the pull to the blog very strongly every now and again as the act of writing about WIP's and design ideas, things I've explored or learned and the desire to express that, gives me a sense of satisfaction and joy in sharing. And there has been lots going on!
As Chairperson for the Irish Patchwork Society (IPS), there was the AGM where afterwards the guest speaker was Janice Gunner from the British Guild of Quilters. We learned all about the different Japanese textiles made from Shibori techniques and got to see samples Janice had created (images above). If anyone has or knows of some good books on Quilt History and Textiles I would be really interested in learning more - so far I have found very little in depth books that you could settle in by the fire and a strong cuppa tea and spend an hour or two devouring so suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
There are a pile of quilt tops and WIP's ready to be worked on, a new website for the IPS with lots of members only content planned and in progress, 4 new designs in various stages which will need pattern testing at some point and a pile of fabric waiting for cutting!
In the midst of writing about log cabins for the new IPS website I created these illustrations to show improv log cabins and now want to drop everything and make them so last weekend I uploaded the images to Playcrafts palette builder and bought a bucket load of solids from the Limerick Quilt Centre. Thinking of a one block quilt in green for our brown leather sofa! Nice and bright for the winter - should be cheery!
Another idea that came from the Elements of a Modern Quilt Class I am preparing for the IPS next March is this Triangle play quilt. Really like the orange and blue with Kona Coal on this one so bought the fabric for that too, this time from Plush addict!
I had been without my large sewing machine for 3 months too as it was getting repaired - remember the bother I had with it for North South East & West? Well turns out there was a teeny tiny spring gone in the bottom and we think that may have been catching the thread as I moved my hands in the 10 O'Clock position!
Lastly I have had this quilt on the design wall since August when we had to say goodbye to Wilbur and I just didn't feel like getting on with it. Time is right now so I have two versions of Home is Where the Dog Is on the go. I pieced in a day this minimalist one inspired by Wilbur's Kennel! A finished Quilt top feels like progress. Now to get on with the quilting! I'm hoping to quilt the text in relief with straight line quilting around the shapes!
Linking up to Let's Bee Social, Needle and Thread Thursday and the Friday Finishes!
