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Sunday 15 September 2013

Don't Just Consume, Create.

It seems quite probable that I can only be considered supremely uncool as I like to spend my evenings making and creating. However, I AM OKAY WITH THAT. Ha! Perhaps a true sign that I am over my teenage years (er, at almost 26), I do not give two hoots what others think of how I spend my time, my housemates can give me funny looks and entertain themselves with pointless football, I shall make things. So there.

Well I suppose the point is I am incredibly pleased with myself because I have just completed my first patchwork quilt. It is not by any stretch perfect, but those imperfections are because I hand-crafted it and it is beautiful and I love it :)

Just in case anyone is interested, here is a quick run through of what I got up to. See also this great blog and also this one for some great tutorials and lots of inspiration. I spent a few hours searching the good old net and then I was away. I love the internet, and all the wonderful bloggers that put out amazing information for curious people like me.


This selection of tools makes life significantly easier, though of course a ruler and scissors would do. I went for a very simple design of lots of half-square triangles, made up from 10 different colours and patterns of fabric. I got half a metre of each fabric to make a double bed-sized quilt. There are plenty of tutorials for HST out there so I won't bore you, I cut 6.5" squares of each fabric (the size of the grid ruler!) for mine, then trimmed to 6" when I had sewn then into HST. I made up a whole load of squares, then laid them out on the floor to concoct a design. I went for 13x13 squares because I'm awkward :)

Make sure you label the rows when you gather them back up! I just piled them up left to right then pinned a row number to the top of the pile and kept them together in a plastic sleeve.

I stitched all the squares in each row together, then stitched the rows together. Trimming and pressing as you go makes life significantly easier. All the sewing done on my trusty £3 1946 handcrank Singer 99k, sewing machines do not need to be expensive!


Top done!

Then it was time to do the actual quilting. I made a sandwich with a double sheet (cheaper than fabric and no joining!), and the wadding/batting, then used curved safety pins to hold it all in place. And I finally got my 'new' sewing machine serviced, it is a beast! It is a Singer 401G, 1965, works like a dream and does loads of fancy stitches, unlike my 99k which will only go straight.

Sexy sewing machine :)

Border time! I probably did it in a completely unconventional way but I like how it looks :)

The final product. Like I say, I am just a little bit pleased with myself!

Also, I made a damn tasty dinner of stuffed squash, so I am one happy bunny :)


4 comments:

  1. Katrina - oh sew cultured16 September 2013 at 00:11

    Fantastic work on the quilt, it's really well coordinated across the colours.

    My housemates don't get it either. They've "caught" me doing something creative, don't totally know how to react and always say "It's good to have a hobby". Always makes me smile.

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  2. Thank you :) Yes the housemates are funny, they like to ask daft questions!

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  3. Brilliant Julia :)

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