FAL Q2 Scrappy Arrows

Awhile ago I started  a quilt using scrap triangles from the Tula Pink Quilt.

The quilt made it onto the FAL Q1 list, but I didn't manage to complete it! It then went onto FAL Q2 list... and it is finished!

It is made up of scrappy triangles sewn straight onto a white background. The seams are open to able to fray!

It did start out rectangular, but when I had finished quilting I realised that backing did not match up anymore!

So I took a rotary cutter and started cutting the edges into free hand curves!

 I have never bound a curvy quilt, so it I set off adding the binding quite nervously.... how was it going to work?

Turns out it worked a treat!

I quilted the quilt with pebbles, snail shells, swirls and feathers!

It was great fun and adding loads of texture to the quilt.

I love the back just as much as the front!!

So the last finished of FAL Q2 was a fun exploration into more curves and FMQ textures!

Quilting the curves!

On Boxing Day 2012 I experimented with curves and made a more grown up quilt for my near 11 year old eldest monster. He had chosen fabrics with city scape's and we turned them into curvy buildings.

Please excuse the bad photo!

It was great fun and challenge that I had not tried before - plenty of starch was used!

It has been basted using some basting spray - my thoughts on that tomorrow - and sitting on my 'please quilt me pile' for a couple of months. He is now getting upset that work design/paperwork and my Swoon quilt have taken precedence over his lovely new quilt. So it was put onto my FAL Q2 list and I have decided to not leave to the last minute!

I had outlined one of the curvy towers and started to FMQ swirls and pebbles in co-ordinating thread, but I had not really thought beyond that block....

Today I have a little spare time between prep for a class tomorrow and housework so I have outlined the next curvy block with some Aurifil in a pale grey (2615) which goes well with the white and grey blocks.

I am thinking of only quilting details into the windows, but not sure!

The pieces above each curvy building block are going to be quilting with swirls and pebbles in co-ordinating thread, which means I have had to order some neon orange - I hope it matches!

I will be honest, beyond that I am not sure.... it is going to be an adventure!

What are working on? I would love to see!

Linking up with Free Motion Quilting Friday over at Free Motion Project.

Boxing Day Quilt

It has become a tradition that I sit and sew a new quilt on Boxing day. The last 2 Christmases all of the boys have gone to visit their fathers for Boxing Day so I have a peaceful house to sew in. This year mini and midi aren't able to see their father so it was sewing with kids!

I mentioned before that maxi, being 10 years old, felt a fish tank quilt was too babyish and he had selected the fabulous Velocity collection by Jessica Hogarth for a new quilt - that was way back in the summer.

So yesterday I set up in the kitchen, sewing machine, cutting mat and iron...

 

 

The starting point for the design was this quilt in Quilting Modern by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen which has off centre blocks and curvy waves:

 

 

I had never sewn curves before, so whilst I was keen to give the design a try, the curves did kind of intimidate me! 

 

Luckily the book has a really good techniques section for each design, so I sat a read through it a few times and tried it on some scraps. Then I took the plunge!

 

 

 

It's not too hard, but it is fiddly and you do need to concentrate whilst cutting - que shouts of please leave mummy alone for 5 minutes!

 

I am pretty pleased with the curves, the first one is slightly dodgy though!

 

 

 

I decided to build the quilt as I went, so added a column at a time and then hung it up to think about the next one. No design wall in the house so a door had to do!

 

 

 

It grew really quickly and I love the bright colours of Tangerine and Glacier from Kona Solids, I got mine from Simply Solids.

 

The finished quilt has curves on the top and bottom - the top one is very wavy!

 

 



I am pretty pleased with my first attempt at curves.

I did discover a problem with edge on the left hand side, which isn't straight so will have to be sorted before I add a border.

Maxi hasn't been home so he hasn't seen it yet, I am hoping he will love it too!