Whoops.

Didn't realise it had been so long...

But at least I've been busy!  The lovely Karen at Fiddlesticks Fabrics asked me to write up some designs for patterns for the Festival of Quilts!

And now I'm trying to quilt this:

which is so easy!  This too will be a pattern.  Really it is very easy, and very fat quarter friendly, but this one uses some half-yards... Maybe I'll do a full fat quarter version and do a tutorial on it.  First time I've tried this particular way of quilting, I really like it.

As my internet has slowed to the speed of something snail-like, I'm wrapping up for now!



My nemesis...

This has been my nemesis for the last fortnight.

Looks harmless enough, doesn't it?  Wrong.  My own machine is being repaired, and I was loaned this.  I can't make it do a single stitch.  Threaded, rethreaded, bobbin checked, you name it.  So instead I have been pre-washing

and in the case of this washing and washing again and cutting.  I hate cutting.  Hate it.  But in the absence of anything else...  This is a fraction of the cutting I managed.  I get my machine back tomorrow, so let's see how long it takes to sew all together!

An introduction

I really should have introduced myself, shouldn't I?  I'll try to keep this brief...

My name is Eleanor.  I live on a farm, something I hadn't really intended.  I tutor French, another thing that was unanticipated.  I have been living at home now for about 5 years, and while in some aspects I am quite content, in others less so.  I have found patchwork to be a great release factor, and I sincerely think it has helped me stay sane - it is having something to do, and creativity.  I hope this continues.  A few 'I am's...

I am flighty.  I rarely work at one thing until it is finished, but instead flit around as I am easily distracted.

I am not fashionable.  Generally speaking, I can't afford the newest ranges as and when they are released, and that's if I can get them.  I only ever buy new ranges if I really fall in love, and even then I try to limit myself.  Besides, it can take me a while to think what I want to do with them.

I am unsure how I would describe myself.  I am pretty much anything goes when it comes to material, but I am more drawn to more intricate piecing or clever placement of colour.  So while I love 'fresh' material, I'm less sure of what to do with it.

I am a lover of gadgets.

I am a foreign magazines junkie.  I have subscriptions to several, and I love seeing the different styles all over the world.  I try to draw inspiration from all of them...

I am trying to design.  I rarely stick to a pattern, so now I'm trying to make some of my own.  As I said, I'm drawn to more intricate piecing, but I'm trying to design easier things to teach.

I am trying this for a second time.  I tried blogging before, but missed blogging things, and it just piled up without ever being published.  This is a new start.

To cut or not to cut...

I decided to make a qwillow from these materials:

I wanted something pretty easy that could be taught in a day workshop.  I'm thinking of squares.  4 patches surrounded by some of those blacks on the left and alternated with 16 patch blocks.  The squares would be 3 inches finished.  But look at these: 

The pattern is so big!  Here's a photo with my 6 1/2 inch ruler beside it:  

So, to cut or not to cut!  I think these two would be wasted if I cut them the planned size.  So I think instead of putting 4 patches, I might put 8 inch squares of these materials.  Now to see if I have enough in the fat quarter to fussy cut that gorgeous flower....