Dabbling
There was a time when I used to do a lot of quilting. I bought a copy of Quilting for Dummies one summer when I was doing field work up North, and read it in a tent in the middle of nowhere. By the end of the summerI was just itching to get back to civilization to buy some fabric and try it out. There's nothing like a good two months stuck out in the bush looking at beautiful scenery to provide inspiration.
I still dabble in quilting from time to time, and actually finished up a long-languishing quilt for my brother for Christmas this year. (Wouldn't you know it, in the rush to get it wrapped, I forgot to take a photo!)
This week has been particularly cold, so a few afghans have appeared on my couch and I have been forced to acknowledge just how ugly some of those blankets are (I won't provide the graphic details, but think polar fleece with loons - pure Canadiana). As long as I've been quilting, I've actually given most of the results away as gifts. It's high time I had my own quilt. Or in this case, a small lap quilt to snuggle under while I knit in front of the tv. (Maybe I'll build toward the larger goal of a big bed quilt soon.)
This is how far I've gotten on the quilt top:
There are still some more border pieces to go on. I'm totally making this up as I go along, pulling out leftovers and scraps in general themes of blue and yellow/brown. The block is a traditional one called "churn dash". I've never made it before this, but it's actually a pretty easy variation on a 9-patch.
At least I have a sewing machine now. Back in my grad school days, I completed my first two full bed-size quilts completely by hand - both were wedding gifts. It's so much faster now. While I really prefer the look of hand quilting over machine, I don't think I'll ever be able to go back!
Labels: quilting