Celebrate!

Hi there again folks - especially hello to those people who have looked at my blog for the first time today. I must start this entry by saying a big thank you to Jennifer Trollope, who did the Twisted Tiffany boxes today at Step by Step. I have had a look at the explanation I gave in my last entry - and I hope that I haven't given too much detail about the technique - I think it is reasonable but not too much! I'm sure you will let me know Jennifer if it is too much.

Today was great - I got to show off the pieces that featured in the previous entry - and Jennifer even said that my kimonos were as good as hers! What more can a gal ask for? We were all looking for the Jacobean Garden fabric panels - but to no avail. It just goes to show that you have to buy the fabric when you see it.

I used a piece of Erté inspired fabric from Woodrow Studios, in the red / yellow / orange / purple colourway for the box today. However - as the design is quite intricate, and I wanted a lot of different coloured threads on the piece, I haven't got anywhere near finishing it yet. It will not remain unfinished for long, and it certainly will not be a UFO. What I do need to do is find somewhere where I can get more shot organza - apparently there is a shop in Barnstaple - on the ring road bit. I shall have to go and investigate!

So - this post - entitled Celebrate! What is the quilt about? Let me show you a photo to start with:

This quilt is based on a pattern in the Patchwork and Quilting magazine, August (I think) 2008. The fabric is mostly pastel colours - pale green, blue, pink and cream. The pattern shows cakes, chocolates - and glasses of champagne. The photo shows the whole quilt spread out on our bed. I've said that the quilt is based on a pattern, as I have adapted the pattern to make it bigger; I used four panels in the centre, rather than one, and then I included an extra border of flying geese units.

I really enjoyed the the fabrics, and once I had seen the pattern in Patchwork and Quilting, I knew that I wanted to make the quilt. However, the pattern in the magazine was really for a lap quilt, and I wanted a bigger quilt - I have a number of lap quilts already. That is why I decided to make the quilt bigger. I also pieced the back of the quilt. However - the back of the quilt is a very random affair, without any measurements at all. I used my quilting frame to quilt the piece - I forget which wadding I used. However - I used pastel YLI threads, and also pastel Coats Star Magic cotton (the Star Magic cotton is not readily available in the UK, but some USA websites supply it at a very good price) to quilt the piece. I free-motion quilted it with hearts and stars on a 'ribbon' - I suppose the hearts could look a little like ivy leaves on a vine. The stars are five pointed stars, with the lines crossing each other.

I really can't explain the delight I have in this quilt! It is so good to have it on the bed, and to be able to snuggle up under it. I can also take it down to my sewing room, and wrap myself up in it - something I haven't been able to do with any of my other quilts - which have been lap sized quilts. I shall let you into a secret now - when I took the photo, the quilt was not finished. There were a few threads left to tie / sew in, and I hadn't added the label either. However, the quilt is finished now - including the label.

So, that is all for this post. New visitors - remember, you can leave comments . I can also moderate the comments. But just to finish this post, I shall show you the remaining Jacobean Garden panels - I suspect that quite a few people will be searching for them high and low for some time to come!