Challenge number 7

Over the last few days I've been working on my hand quilting. I'm enjoying the stitching but my stitches aren't always as even as I would like. I decided to hand quilt so I could try the  experience of the quilting process as it was before the invention of sewing machines. I chose the quilt I made last year as a mystery quilt. A mystery quilt was also a new experience for me and although I enjoyed making the quilt I don't think I will do another one. I like to have a good idea of what I'm making and how it will look before I start the quilt. Okay, so you are right I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to things I'm making. It's my hobby and I do it for pleasure so I like to have control over what I'm making. Anyway back to the hand quilting. Here is a photo of the quilt blocks. I can't find the photo of the complete quilt top..

There are 9 blocks and when I started the quilting I started on the middle block. I thought the middle would be the most difficult to do so start there. I also started using a quilting hoop but I found this quite difficult to use. It is easier to quilt on the table. The fabric is now all scrunched and creased where I've held it but so far I haven't caught in any fabric in the stitching by accident. The creased back looks like this.

I pleased with how it looks on the front. I'm using a variegated thread that picks up the colours in the quilt. Here it is from the front but it is difficult to see the stitching on the photo.

 

So this quilt will be a work in progress for a little longer. Meanwhile I needed to get on with the August Chookshed challenge. On my challenge list this was to start the Garden quilt. The person who wanted this quilt had changed their mind and asked for a smaller garden quilt for a child. Now they want the garden quilt again! Friends are really difficult when they ask 'can you make me a quilt' as they seem to change their minds a lot. I will start the quilt and it will probably be this month but as far as the challenge is concerned I have started the Christmas quilt that I am making as a gift. When I posted about this on 17 August I had cut quite a bit of the fabric but I needed to work out the fabric required for the stars. 

This morning I cut all the remaining fabric and started to sew the half square triangles for the stars. I have a lot of the HST's done but they need to be pressed and trimmed. Tomorrow after work I'll finish making the rest of them. Once the stars are made this pattern goes together very quickly. 

I'm enjoying this week. Today in the England we had a bank holiday, tomorrow and Wednesday I'm working, on Thursday I'm on annual leave and I don't work on Friday. A two day working week sounds amazing. Next week I'm busy at work but I've moved my none working day from Friday to Monday. That means that when I finish work on Wednesday evening I have 5 days off. Lots of sewing time and time to work on the next phase of the dolls house. The weather is due to become wet and miserable later in the week, so perfect for getting on with various projects.

Take care

Lyndsey