Welcome Popcorn

 

Popcorn

I have just realised that I have not introduced Popcorn formally on my Fabadashery blog.  He joined us in June and has just had his 6 month birthday.

Nearly Insane Quilt - resurrected

Red and White Scraps left over from my Nearly Insane quilt

These two jars of scraps have been looking at me since I finished my Nearly Insane quilt top back in July 2015. This holiday weekend I decided to sort them out and make them into their own fabric.

New fabric made from the white scraps

The white scraps made this pretty piece which measures about 15" x 15"

New fabric made from the red scraps

For some reason the red scraps were bigger and ended up making a piece which was 25" x 22".  No plans for them yet - I may combine them, I may leave the red one as it is.  This project has reminded me of other 'bags of treasure' I have squirrelled away, which I was going to do something with one day.  Maybe the one day is very near.

New fabric made from the red and white scraps

There are some pieces which are too small for even me to tackle, along with trimmings.  These bits are not thrown away.  I have a large bag of  small scraps which I fill up and take to the local charity shops where I believe they can recycle them into 'shoddy' felt.

Fabric trimmings for recycling

Weaver Fever quilt

Weaver Fever quilt with Be Mine quilt pattern

My Farmer's Wife quilt has been put on the back-burner for the time being whilst I ruminate how I want to put it together.  Also, over the past few years I have been working towards my City and Guilds Patchwork qualification with various assessments to complete.  I haven't shared any of them online as I was waiting for our 'final exhibition' which is due at the end of August - so don't hold your breath.  Luckily, the lockdown gave me the time I needed to finish all the work off and now I am free to sew what I like!

Weaver Fever quilt with Be Mine quilt pattern

First on my list was this Weaver Fever quilt which I started at a workshop with Judi Mendelssohn last summer.  My pink and green  quilt colour choice was guided by some amazing flamingo plush fleece which I picked up at the Fabric Guild in Leicester.  I have made several fleece quilts before and I have a healthy stash of it, mainly picked up when I am in fabric shops in France.  The pink and green fabric was purchased just over a year a go from Hannah's Room and Kaleidoscope Quilts at the Malvern Quilt Show in 2019.  There is also a debate whether to put anything in the middle of a fleece quilt. I like to put something, varying from a brushed cotton sheet to normal wadding.  On this occasion I have put 100% Hobbs Polydown.  I hope to use it in our campervan, so I want it to be warm and cosy.  It is certainly that.

Weaver Fever quilt with Be Mine quilt pattern

I quilted it on my APQS longarm machine using a pretty pattern called Be Mine, which if I am honest, I bought especially for this quilt.Really looking forward to using this quilt.

 'Be Mine' designed by Patricia Ritter and Leisha Farnsworth for Urban Elementz. 

Farmer's Wife Quilt - Easter 2020 update

Farmer's Wife Quilt - 111 blocks complete

As promised, here is the Easter 2020 update on my Farmer's Wife quilt blocks.  The news is that all 111 blocks of the 1920's Farmer's Wife blocks have been completed.  As you may remember I have reduced the size from the original 6" and brought them down to 4.5" square.

Farmer's Wife Quilt - 111 blocks complete

As usual I have enjoyed seeing these little blocks come together, but now they are all done I need to decide what layout I want them to be in. With the smaller blocks, obviously the overall quilt would be a lot smaller than the original, so I need to put a bit of time to think of the options.  Naturally, I have a bag of fabric left over, so the options are quite open.

Farmer's Wife Quilt - 111 blocks complete

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 68 Postage Stamp

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 35 Flower Basket

Believe it or not, this is the last block.  This is he Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 68 Postage Stamp.
This was the last block I cut out because I wanted to make it up from the scraps which I had left over.  I also saved it until last ans I knew it would be my favourite block to do,.  Each piece is 11/16th (18mm) square, a lovely size to work with.
Although the blocks are all done, I don't intend to join them in the prescribed layout and need a bit of time to decide what I want to do with them.  Look out for a full reveal in the next few days!

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 35 Flower Basket

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 35 Flower Basket

This is the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 35 Flower Basket. I almost completed this little block over a year ago and intended to put something in the basket, but on my final analysis, it was going to look to heavy, so I went back to the original and stuck a handle on it.  In my opinion, there were way too many basket blocks in this quilt - they are not my favourite.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 99 WCTU

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 99 WCTU

This is the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 99 WCTU.  I am guessing the WCTU is like the WI? 
Once this was finished it looked a bit wobbly.  I gave it a good steam, but it is going to take removing the papers and sewing it to the final quilt to make it work.
Only 3 to go!

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 106 Wild Rose and Square

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 106 Wild Rose and Square

Is this my first outdoor shoot for 2020? I think so.  This is the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 106 Wild Rose and Square. Very pretty.
The countdown is close as there are only 5 more to go and then I will give you all a BIG REVEAL of the blocks I have done so far.  But then what?  The final layout has not been worked out and I don't have another set of blocks waiting int he wings (but I do have plenty of books with some in!).

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 80 Single Wedding Star

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 80 Single Wedding Star

Today I am presenting the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 80 Single Wedding Star.  The current situation is allowing these to progress at an alarming rate - alarming because I don't know if I have enough to keep me quiet for the next week. I am SO near the end.
Personally I am feeling overwhelmed by the number of Quilt-Alongs and projects that seem to be currently thrown at me from all directions.  As if I don't have enough projects of my own to tackle! At the moment I am taking the situation to take breath and take the opportunity to live a less frantic life. I have plenty of projects waiting in the wings for when the moment takes me.
Joining with Slow Stitching Sunday

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 82 Spider Legs

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 82 Spider Legs

There are 44 pieces in this 4.5" Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 82 Spider Legs.  There is always a little panic when I see such small pieces, but once they are sewn to the next one, it is already a bigger piece, so the worry soon goes.
Current circumstances have meant that I have pulled out my Farmer's Wife bag to do at home.  Usually I save it for trips or waiting rooms, but that won't be happening for a while ....