Stringing Along!

Well now after too long a break from blogging I've been scratching the surface of modern quilting, looking at peoples' work and generally searching the internet to see what is happening in the world of modern quilting.  Christa Watson's work has been a huge encouragement and eye-opener and I also watched Elizabeth Hartman's video "Inspired Modern Quilts" on Craftsy giving me a window into what I find to be quite exciting.  Oh goodness, after 26 years or so of traditional quilting it is going to be a completely different mind set to get around, but....  I think I'm going to be hooked!  Well I tried my hand at a string quilt which is not really "modern" as string quilts have been around for yonks, but definitely a move from the traditional. 

My first "modern" String Quilt

Being quite an "orderly" gal, I felt that I had to have some kind of uniformity by keeping the gold colour strips the same width and in the same place in all the blocks, while the rest of them were cut all different widths and sewn randomly onto the newsprint squares which were cut to finish at10 inches square.  It was a great opportunity to destash and I must say quite liberating to sew.  Yes, I could go for this!

String Quilt showing backing

I used a hand dyed backing fabric from Amafu Fabrics and as it was not quite wide enough at 150cm, I learned from Glenda how to do a diagonal seam to save fabric.  A great idea I must say!

Showing fmq design

I finished it off with an all-over design which I frequently use on my quilts and finally bound it with the same backing fabric.

I love how this single size bed quilt turned out and it will probably head off to a grandchild.

Thanks for visiting.  I have another modern quilt in the pipeline......

Happy quilting,

Strippy Table Runner

Wonky Piano Table Runner (37x15 inches)

Well it's a new year and to start it off I have joined in a group called "Project Quilting" where every week a challenge is set to be completed within a week!  My original thought was, "Wow this could prove a bit hectic", but then realizing that we are not necessarily thinking bed quilts but a smaller project that can be finished comfortably within the week.

This weeks' theme was "String Along With Me" with a suggestion to "think out of the box".  So okay, that rules out squares so I then decided to cut strips of newspaper about 4 inches wide and started adding strips of different widths and also making them "wonky".  After sewing and adding and sewing and adding until I thought the strip was long enough, I then started another and then another.

Cutting the strips different widths

Sewing them onto strips of newspaper

3 strippy sets

It occurred to me then that they looked like piano keys, but wonky ones so at least now with a goal in mind I continued with adding a thin strip of purple for the sashings.

Adding purple sashings

Now for the quilting....

Securing the 3 layers by stitching in the ditch

The first very necessary step is to secure all 3 layers by stitching in the ditch; I only did the lengthwise strips as it would have been too fiddly going across as well and seeing that it is quite a small project I did not bother.

Quilting the sashings

Seeing that I had visualized a wonky piano, I quilted a sort of Bass Cleff in the sashings (you have to use your imagination here) and trying to keep the music note theme I quilted Jesters' Hats over the keys.

 

Jesters' Hats

I love quilting this pattern learned from Ivory Spring.  I pictured Jesters dancing over the keys - Serendipity you understand!!!

Close-up of completed quilt

So here is my entry in this weeks' String Quilts challenge in Project Quilting run by Kim at Persimmon Dreams.  You can go here and read all about the year-long challenge and join in with us.

Thank you for visiting and happy quilting in 2014,