There's plenty of news to share, I just haven't had the time to commit to blogging this month. I look forward to resuming in May, I hope! I've got a little more to finish on my daughter's quilt in the meantime...
Click to enlarge
This part is taking longer than the actual piecing of the wolf, because I've got no pattern to work from. I'm making it up as I go, by laying it out. Then I had to decide what colours to introduce. Orange had to go in, of course, because it features heavily in the "Twilight" realm. The time between day and night!
I've actually finished the lower section of the quilt now, and just have four more strip panels, to go up top! It sounds doable, only there's another public holiday, next week, which means she'll be home, and I can't work on it. In effect, I've only got 4 more days to finish!
A piece in the quilt puzzle
I designed these little squares, within squares, which I had to pull out of my head. No Youtube tutorials. The theme in the background is based on the Twilight Realm, too - so they're pixels. As the main character in the game, regularly gets sucked into a pixelated portal, to travel to different realms. I thought it would make a relevant background.
So, that's where all my spare time has been going. I hope to be back to blog more regularly, sometime in May.
Your daughter is going to love that quilt, Chris. Isn't the cooler weather lovely and it actually is quite nippy on top of the hill today as it is drizzling. See you in May when blogging resumes. You might get a few visits from the Homemakers Forum as I linked to your sourdough tutorial as some members have just about finished getting their new starters estsblished.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chel. It was drizzling here too in the morning, and was such a lovely overcast day, that I just had to get out in the garden! Being a weekend, with my daughter home, I can't work on the quilt. Thanks for letting me know about the link, and I hope it's of some help to new sourdough makers. They're on a noble quest to bake the best bread in the world. :)
DeleteIt's looking great, Chris....you are so creative. Am I to understand by your writing that she doesn't know she's getting it? So you only do it when she's at school? I made s shirt and knitted a jumper for my husband once...same deal. He left for work earlier than me so it was rush, rush, rush in the mornings to get a bit done. I could take the knitting to work to do in my lunch hour, but a sewing machine was an impossibility!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's right Bev. I try to have it all packed up in the afternoon, by 4pm, when I'm due to collect her from the bus. Although, she did catch the picture I printed out from the internet, which I forgot to pack away one day. Her dad was picking her up after work, that day, and he forgot to call me they were coming home.
DeleteI acted extremely embarrassed when she asked what it was for, and made a hasty retreat. Her dad told her in private, I was making her a birthday card, lol. So that was a close call! I'm so glad to hear you got to surprise your husband in a similar manner. In your description, I imagined you trying to hide a sewing machine in your handbag, at work. ;)
Wow, how clever are you! That quilt will be fondly cherished Chris. I have a fond memory of coming home from school one day, I think I was about 14 and mum and my older sister had re-directed my room. Including creating a dressing table in one corner and a desk and book shelves in another corner of my room. It must have been weeks or even months in the planning. That is the sort of gift that keeps on giving because the memory of it lives on in your heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sherri. You know, my secret plan behind my secret plan, is to encourage her to make her bed. ;) Permaculture teaches us to have more than one purpose for a design element, lol. I also want her to feel like I'm hugging her, when she goes to bed.
DeleteWhat a lovely surprise to have been given by your mum and sister. That WOULD have taken a lot more secret planning. How wonderful you remember it so fondly. I remember the gifts my mother made, from her own hands too. It's lovely to be treated like you're important, to go to that much trouble. :)
Are you sure you haven't done lots of quilting? This quilt is simply brilliant! You are a very clever lady and you have one lucky daughter.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jane. :) I laughed when I read that first sentence, as I've only recently stood back to appreciate what I've accomplished. I didn't realise I could do it, until I did! Each step has been doing the research and applying the theory - never really knowing if "I" could do it. A lovely experience of discovery along the way, and I appreciate the vote of confidence from another quilter. :)
DeleteWhat a treasured gift this is going to be, Chris. Something handmade, that reflects her interests, that's been so carefully made with lots of love. I'm sure you daughter will be so surprised! Meg:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Meg, I hope it will be received well. Her love of this game has stayed with her, despite the others which came along. So I figured it would be safe to commit to a quilt. Kids can change their tastes as they mature, but I think she will always have a soft spot for Zelda, Twilight Princess.
DeleteI have a special message I want to put on the back too, if I have time. If I don't, I'll just write it on a piece of paper, and pin it to the back - and work on a more permanent message after her birthday.
Good job Chris, so nice to feel you are making good progress, quilt tops always take forever when you are designing as you go, fabric choice also sucks your time into a black hole.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing quite like a handmade quilt especially made by your Mum, so it will be cherished for years and you should be very proud of all your hard work.
Are you going to quilt it yourself or send it to a professional?
I know the feeling of the black hole time gets sucked into. A day can feel like an hour! But I do manage to get a lot done, surprisingly, and gratefully. Thanks for the vote of confidence too. I hope she will like it. :)
DeleteOh yes, and thanks for the help you offered about quilting cotton. I did get some - 600m worth in the main colour. I hope it will be enough! The plan is to machine quilt it myself. I've been watching a lot of Youtube videos, and bought extra backing, so I can make a few smaller, practice sandwiches (that sounds funny) first.
DeleteThe wolf is wonderful and the quilt is going to be marvelous! I need to set aside some time for some handwork. Quilting was a first love so it would be logical! Too busy in the garden at present, however. Looking forward to your news and updates.
ReplyDeleteThat is a serious quilt - nice work.
ReplyDeleteThanks Leigh and David. :)
ReplyDeleteI've learned Leigh, you can't rush a quilt, lol. I'd like to, but it wrecks the final product. Plus I hate ripping stitches to start again. ;) Little pieces, over time though, are more manageable.
Thats just fantadtic Chris! I love your fabric choices too. I always have found piecing to be generally easy and quick, fabric choice more challenging and finishing the most time consuming. But you've got this:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda. Sorry I didn't reply straight away - we were cutting it short with time, to get the recent party ready. Definitely, finishing was the most time consuming, because you have to quilt so close together. Got there in the end. ;)
DeleteNever a problem Chris!
ReplyDelete