THE NEW PROJECT - La Passacaglia

I thought it was time I started a new English Paper Piecing project.  There were several candidates in the ring, but The Passacaglia by Wyllyne Hammerstein has won.  I thought this was a good project to use my stash, completely massacre it with some fussy cutting, as well as leaving the option open to buy fabric that was considered 'essential' for the project when out and about.  Naturally I was slightly influenced by Wendy's divine interpretation.  Here is my progress so far.  The colour choice seems to be infinite and I have changed my mind so many times already.

Back in the summer I purchased the book and the templates from Sew and Quilt.  There are only five shapes for the whole quilt which keeps it simple, but allows you to stroke fabric all day whilst choosing your colour combinations.  I don't have a particular colour scheme in mind, it will be dictated by my stash and therefore I expect it to grow organically.

Sew and Quilt Acrylic Templates - La Passacaglia

 So there you go. I think the most difficult challenge will be not losing the acrylic templates!

Joining up with Kathy at Slow Stitching Sunday!

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block BR2 Leigh's Wood

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block BR2 Leigh's Wood

Have you seen this one before?  I don't think you have.  It is the last block that I have to show you as part of my Dear Jane quilt journey.  It is Border block BR2 Leigh's Wood.
My head still has settled on the next project.  It has been over 4 weeks since I had a hand piecing project to haul about with me and I am still suffering from cold turkey.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 31 pieces

Rainbow Scrappy Challenge - March 2017 Red

Rainbow Scrappy Challenge - Red

We are three months into this challenge and these blocks don't seem to be getting any easier.  I finished this month's quota in the evenings this week and will be waiting patiently for the reveal of April's colour.  If it is red again, that will be fine as I have still have plenty of red scraps.

Rainbow Scrappy Challenge - Red

This pattern involves a lot of pressing and cutting to get accurate squares, so plenty of time stood at the ironing board.

Hope to be linking up with So Scrappy this weekend!

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block TR2 Australian Pines

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block TR2 Australian Pines

Here is Border Block TR2 Australian Pines from the Dear Jane quilt.  I haven't got any further removing the papers from my Dear Jane.  It seems like a job you would do when you have nothing more important to do.  At the moment there are plenty of important things to do, so my Dear Jane is sitting quietly in a cupboard.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 20  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block TR12 Jane's Oak

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block TR12 Jane's Oak

I haven't neglected the last few Dear Jane blocks and I will post the remaining three over the next few days.  This is Border Block TR12 Jane's Oak.  For me this was the most challenging block.  Just 4 pieces, but that appliqued oak leaf was a struggle.  I pretty much had the whole quilt together before I had a second attempt at this block.  Give me tiny pieces any day!

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 4  pieces

Jane Pizar Quilt at Cheltenham Art Gallery, UK

Detail - Jane Pizar Quilt

Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museums

I have been on a special trip out today.  Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museums were holding an event 'Quilty Pleasures', where a group of us had the opportunity to look at some of the quilts held in their collection. It was just a short visit, but we got to see three very interesting quilts including this one, the Jane Pizar quilt, which I have also heard be called the Cheltenham Quilt.  This quilt is not on regular display and so it was a rare treat to see the staff unroll in front of our eyes.

Detail - Jane Pizar Quilt

Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museums

The quilt is understood to be made by Jane Pizar between 1850-1860 in Ireland.  Looking at the front and the back, the majority looked (IMHO) to be English Paper Pieced.  How could I see the back?  Well this quilt is not actually quilted, like many of us, Jane perhaps preferred the piecing to quilting! 

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block BR12 Jessie's Stained Glass

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Block BR12 Jessie's Stained Glass

Miracle of miracles! I actually took a photo of this border block, BR12 Jessie's Stained Glass.
I have seen many, many Dear Jane attempts which never go the full stretch because the triangles look difficult.  This one has just 18 pieces and as in the case of most of the triangles, there are less pieces than some of the 4.5" blocks. Have a go.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 18  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 57 - Border Triangles TR2, TR12, BR2, BR12

English Paper Piecing - Dear Jane Quilt

Here is a view from the back of my Dear Jane quilt as it is in its current status.  It is all together, just another border and the papers to remove.  This photo shows it in all its English Paper Piecing glory.

The photo is also to distract you from the fact that I did not do a collective photo of Draw 56, the little square orange blocks and that I swiftly moved on to Draw 57 - the FINAL one, which is a set of border triangles.

Draw 57
TR2 - Australian Pines
TR12 - Jane's Oak
BR2 - Leigh's Woods
BR12 - Jessie's Stained Glass

This Draw will be in Red

Rainbow Scrappy Challenge - February Sea Green

Rainbow Scrappy Challenge - February Sea Green

It is the end of February and I am just about managing to keep up with the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge at So Scrappy.  It is only now that I realise how prolific these Scrap Challenge quilters are.  I have managed sixteen blocks this month in colours which stretch from the blue and green end of sea green.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M11 Rickshaw

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M11 Rickshaw

I am scraping together the final blocks of my Dear Jane quilt.  This one is M11 Rickshaw.  As I said before, the photo is taken with the block sewn into the quilt, the paper and basting stitches still in, so it looks a little peculiar.

The next job with this quilt is to add up the number of pieces, maybe I should have done as I was going along ....

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 29 pieces