Vacation Time

I’ve started a new Block of the Month (BOM) with Pat Sloan, it’s called My Secret Garden and the first block was a big flower, I’ve managed to complete it just in time before the next one is released on Monday. I must admit to procrastinating a bit over this one, mainly because it looked quite complicated, what with all those triangles…with Pat’s instructions I need not have worried!

I made a quilt last year through Pat Sloan’s BOM, it was called Vacation Time and I learnt loads sewing it, how to do half square triangles, flying geese… I was really please with it when I finished it, and so were my in-laws who received it for Christmas! I find it a good way to learn, there’s lots of support, encouragement and inspiration on her facebook page, she does podcasts too as well as her website, so there is lots of support if you need it.

I decided to do Pat’s BOM quilt again this year. I looked through my stash of quilting fabrics, which are mainly fat quarters and pulled together a few purples, greens and creamy golds which seemed to blend ok. I knew I would need more fabric so I kept a look out for some more purples and found some in Samuel Taylors and also in Viking Loom in York. In an effort to  be organised I’ve put all the fabrics together in a storage box. I did this last year and it worked very well, everything from fabric, thread, pattern and completed blocks goes in the box, it means I’m not spending half my time trying to find everything the following month!

I bought the boxes at TK Maxx, they’re fairly inexpensive I think for such sturdy, pretty boxes. I’ve got quite a few now, for sewing projects, over-locker thread, buttons, beads…I’ve started using one for current dress-making projects as I was getting a bit fed up of mislaying pieces, I put everything in the box!

Anyway, my BOM…it’s gone together pretty well! I used my die-cutter to cut out all the squares and it was a godsend for trimming all the half square triangles down to size! As Stuart Hillard of GBSB said, your 1/4″ seam can be as accurate as can be, but if the piece isn’t a perfect size, the quilt will still be out! I think my points are a personal best since I started quilting, I’m well chuffed with them! One block done, eleven to go!!

My Secret Garden

I’m doing two BOM’s this year, I hope I haven’t taken on too much! I’m really excited about my other one. Last year I saw Lynette Andersons quilt ‘Journey of a Quilter’ and fell in love with the whole concept of embroidered and appliqued quilts. I’ve even been collecting embroidery patterns to potentially use…then I got an e-mail from Coast and Country in Cornwall, Lynette is releasing a new BOM called Andersons Farm. the sneaky peep we were given looked gorgeous. We get the pattern and a special button for each block once a month, the first one should arrive in mid February. It’s not cheap, I’m giving up Costa Coffees and sewing magazines to cover it! I’m so excited about it I can’t wait for it to arrive!