In my sewing room this week....

This week I have had quite a busy week in my sewing room and it has been a lot of fun!!

I didn't manage to get the next row of my Metro Tiles Quilt (designed by Susan Claire of Gourmet Quilter) completed and added to the quilt but, I have been working on it.  I layered and basted all the blocks for the next row.

In addition, I layered, basted and quilted all the setting and corner triangles that I am going to need to complete the section of the quilt that I have chosen to make (I only have enough of the fabrics I have chosen for this smaller section but I may make a bigger quilt later).

As well as working on the blocks for the Metro Tiles Quilt, on Saturday I attended a virtual workshop organised by Region 3 of the Quilters' Guild. The workshop was given by Jo Avery and was great fun.

We started the day by making a very simple 'improv house block' which had no windows and which Jo called a 'shed'.  

We then went on to make a 'house' block which was very similar to the shed but included some windows.  After a break for lunch we were given the option to make an even more complicated house block which Jo called a 'bungalow'.  I opted not to make this third block, choosing instead to layer, baste and start quilting my house block which I want to make into a small wall hanging. After the workshop Jo gave a talk about her life in textiles which was extremely interesting and which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Later still in the afternoon I joined another virtual talk this time organised by Region 10 of the Quilters' Guild given by Deborah Boschert.  As I have owned a lovely book by Deborah Boschert for a little while, I was very interested to hear her talk about her work and I was not disappointed!!  All in all a lovely, quilty day!

Since then, I have been busy working on the house block that I made in the workshop and have now nearly finished quilting it.  I have also added some appliqué for interest and intend to add some hand stitching too.  So far I am very pleased with how it is looking.

Hope you've had chance for some creativity this week! Until next time 😊 xx

More new tiles....

This week I have had a few pockets of time here and there when I have been able to prepare a couple more tiles for my version of the Metro Tiles Quilt designed by Susan Claire of Gourmet Quilter.

The first two I appliquéd this week are the block shown above and the block shown below. 

These have joined the two that I had already prepared and showed you last time. 

Above is a photo of the four of them together.

Since then I have managed to add another four blocks to the pile of blocks waiting to be basted and quilted.

It has been so enjoyable choosing the fabrics and then fusing these appliqué designs to the backgrounds.

I am looking forward to having time this week to baste them to their batting and background fabrics and then to quilting each block.

I am hoping that by the end of the week I will have another row finished but we shall see!

Hope you're all having a creative week! Until next time..... 😊

Since my last post....

Just popping by to show you what I have been working on since my last post.  Firstly, I have managed to add some more of the 'grouting' between the tiles of my 'Metro Tiles' project designed by Susan Claire of Gourmet Quilter.

I have also prepared and fused onto the background two more tiles ready for basting and quilting.

As I was away a few days this past week, I took some hand work with me to work on.  I finally finished the back of the 'Trio of Alliums' embroidery designed by Anne Brooke of HanneMade and now have it hanging on the wall.

I also started a new embroidery project.  This is called 'Sea Hollies' and is a kit from Beaks and Bobbins.

I am hoping that I will have some more time over the next few days to work on both my quilt and embroidery projects but I have a mountain of washing to do first!!

Have a lovely week and until next time .....😊

Happy November and a new project.....

I am finding it hard to believe that we are in November but, it seems that we are.  Over the weekend we had dreadful weather where I live but that gave me the opportunity to start a new project!

I bought and downloaded a QAYG pattern for a quilt called 'Metro Tiles' which was designed by Susan Claire of Gourmet Quilter.

It is a different type of quilt as you go pattern in as much as not only do you quilt the blocks as you go but, you also construct the quilt top as you go too as the sashing is also appliquéd to the quilt top.  

It is an appliqué quilt which uses the fusible appliqué method.  The pattern suggests a free motion raw edge finish to the appliqué but I have decided to finish the appliqué pieces with a narrow zig zag stitch. (Given the complexity of some of the appliqué designs, I might be regretting this decision but we will see how I get on!)

The pattern doesn't call for any quilting in the setting triangles at the end of each diagonal row of blocks but I decided that I would add some straight line quilting to them.

This decision was partly made because the pattern uses fusible batting (wadding) but I didn't have any so I have been basting the block fronts to the batting and backing before quilting instead.

I thought some quilting in the triangles would help stabilise them as I put the blocks together.

So far I have completed the first block and put it together with the side setting triangles and corner triangle.

I have fused the next three appliqués to their background fabrics and basted them to the batting and backing ready to be quilted.

I am hoping to get to work on this next row this afternoon.

Hope you all have time for some creativity this week.  Until next time..... 😊