See Spot Grow

Little Spot is getting bigger. It was rainy here yesterday for the first half of the day so I sat down with my coffee and passed the time with it. I had 10 new blocks in hand using the new white-on-white fabric so I decided to add two rows now rather than wait to have a full round of blocks.

The combination of the two whites is turning out to be a good decision. The white-on-white is just a little creamier and adds a nice bit of interest.

I'll have to start using the white-on-white for the wider sashing between the blocks now as I'm down to the last 2 pieces of my original white.

It's about 27 x 45" now and after I add a row along each edge it will be about 36 x 45", which I think will be the finished size. But you never know...the Official Cookie Tester really likes this one and suggested that it would be nice in our bedroom. He's not wrong, but we'll have mom's Dresden Plate for the bed as soon as I bind it, and I don't want to make this one that large. Spot will be for a little tyke....M

Beautiful Handwork

If you spend any time at all online looking at quilt blogs or checking out Pinterest posts you know that there is in no way a shortage of talent in this world that loves to interpret needle and thread into beautiful and functional quilted works. The combinations and interpretations are constant, varied and always interesting. But every now and then you see someone's work and it just stops you in your tracks. You pour over it, examining every little detail.

Last week I had one of those moments. Linda, from Quilts in the Barn, shared images of Nathalie Méance's work from the recent Pour L'Amour du Fils show that she attended in Nantes, France. She has kindly let me share one of her photos with you (you know, a little eye candy to get you interested), but don't stop here - check out all the lovely shots that she took and be certain to click on the images so that you can see them in greater detail.

Nathalie's work is amazing. The combination of embroidery and pieced blocks creates a richness, depth, sophistication, and a softness that is hard to describe. They don't shout at you but they do draw you in to spend time exploring each and every little seam and embellishment - they exude a love for the craft. You can see a patient layering of fabric and thread and ribbon and beads, coaxing each to a new and lovely interpretation.

Her book The Embroidered Quilts Fairy Pirouette, is published by Quiltmania and includes all of the projects that she had at the show. Might need to add it to your reading list....M

Spot's Back

While I was digging into my basket for more strips to cut hexies for Minnie I came across a baggie with pieces from Spot that I started last summer and decided to pick it up for a while as my hand stitching instead. I remember why I had put it on the shelf for a while - I was coming to the end of the white that I am using and needed to figure out how to transition to a new white.

I had enough to make 4 more blocks with the original white so they are all done now. I've also decided to use a little white-on-white print for the rest of the blocks.

The quilt is currently 5 x 6 blocks so I toyed with putting each of the 4 new blocks on each corner along with a white border the same width, but it just wasn't doing it for me so I'll still use the 4 for the corners on this round and the white-on-white blocks for the rest of blocks. When I see how big it is I'll decide if it needs another round or not.

This is what the original white looks like...

and this is the white-on-white (the blocks aren't pressed yet).

It's a subtle difference but once it comes together I think the difference will be more obvious. I think that I have 7 or 8 of the second type/colour made as well. Much as I love the little hexies it's been nice to have longer runs of fabric to stitch....M

Pillow Problems and a Dancing Pumpkin

My quilt-as-you-go scrappy pillow top is now finished and sewn to a backing but when I stuffed the form the corners were all wonky. After I played with it a little while I took the form out again and realized that it was really poorly filled - there really weren't any corners to it at all. What to do?

I had seen a technique recently where you taper the seam allowance a little more generously into the corners so that they sit better when turned right side out and had done that, but things still were not right. So, I have a bag of fiberfil that I use to stuff my little felt birds with and I tucked a handful of it into each corner. It did the trick and it looks much better now.

So it's all stitched up and on the love seat in our spare room. I started this as a project to give away but I think that I might just keep my first effort. I think that there are 3 other pillow forms the same size in the sewing room so I'll check out their corners before I stuff my next attempt.

I loved this process - it's not that far from how I assemble the journal covers - and the dense machine quilting leaves such a great texture. It's also nice to see a collection of fabrics that you love all in one little place. Happy, happy, happy.

In the midst of my re-stuffing I happened to look out the window and couldn't help but notice a giant pumpkin dancing in the driveway next door. Not giant, giant, but about 4 feet tall...maybe I was channelling the Great Pumpkin by finishing my Pumpkin Patch at Midnight table topper? Turns out the little girls on our street had discovered a discarded Halloween decoration and decided to use it as a costume. It was great watching the little feet dancing merrily at the bottom of this big, orange pumpkin. Interesting to see its careening path as well, since there were no eyeholes cut out :)  ...M