Thursday 9 July 2015

Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room

Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room
Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room
For the past few months I have been a bit late completing my BOM, but this month The Quilt Room were slightly delayed themselves, only posting the details of the Miniature Block of the Month for July yesterday.  Today I have had a bit of time to get it done and it came together quite easily.
Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room
Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room

I find flying geese blocks quite easy with the foundation method, but  it doesn't look as if I have been very generous with the seam allowance at the edges of this one.

Nearly Insane Quilt borders, with Suzi the cat
Nearly Insane Quilt borders, with Suzi the cat
Meanwhile, progress is being made on the Nearly Insane Quilt borders.  They are all together and I am slowly applying them to the main quilt.  This Nearly Insane progress is due to the 2015 Tour de France.  I love to relax and stitch, whilst I watch the cyclists work up a sweat in the French countryside.  I might be 'nearly insane', but those cyclist have to be 'completely insane' to endure 3 weeks of relentless cycling. 

As you can see all that effort on their part has completely exhausted Suzi the cat.

Saturday 4 July 2015

4th July Independence Day Patriotic Mug Rug

4th July Mug Rug
4th July Mug Rug
Happy Fourth of July!  OK, so I am in the UK and naturally it is not one of our Public Holidays, but I love the colour scheme of red, white and blue and I felt the urge to make something quick and easy. As part of the Mini Doll quilt swap, I had received a lovely selection of Civil War reproduction fabrics from my swap partners, and in my stash I had a lovely blue starry fabric, which fits the patriotic quilt theme perfectly.

Patriotic fabric scraps
Patriotic fabric scraps

Just by using a few squares of fabric I had enough to cut strips for three scrappy mug rugs, two for my swap partners in the Mini Doll quilt swap, and one for myself.
Foundation Piecing - Carol Doak paper
Foundation Piecing - Carol Doak paper

I used my Electric Quilt software to draw up a simple log cabin pattern and I printed it out onto the Carol Doak foundation paper I bought a few weeks ago.  It is working great in my laser printer, I just have to remember to replace it with normal paper once I am finished(!).

Foundation Paper Piecing - Pressing with the iron
Foundation Paper Piecing - Pressing with the iron

Foundation paper piecing is very satisfying when it is going well.  With a log cabin pattern I was only working with straight lines and with a quick press with the iron at each stage, the block was coming out a dream.
Quilting a Log Cabin block
With narrow strips and thick seams I kept the quilting simple by stitching in the ditch and in the centre square I stitched out a star.  Mine is currently sitting in front of me by the computer with a cup of tea - yes, the same stuff that started the American Revolution!

Fourth of July Mug Rug 6" x 6"
Fourth of July Mug Rug 6" x 6"