I was hoping to have completely finished one block by now but other sewing with deadlines has got in the way, I’m nearly there though. This is a SAL by Natalie Bird of The Birdhouse Patchwork Design, it’s being published in the Homespun magasine which unfortunately takes weeks to reach the UK, so many on the facebook group have finished all of month two and I’m still on the first one, it’s nice seeing all the colourway ideas though.

Three weeks ago I was stitching the embroidery for the first block…

These embroideries have 1/2″ hexagons all round the edge and there’s quite a few embroidered blocks, so whilst watching the coronation last weekend I set up a tray and a little production line for mini hexies. I made half a dozen or so from each fabric and also made some coffin blocks which are for the other blocks in this month’s magasine. I’d bought the pre-cut papers for the quilt, definitely a wise move! The fabric is then glued round the paper template with as little glue as possible, it’s fabric glue which washes out.

Once the embroidery was stitched I could then arrange the hexies round the embroidery. They were to fit within a 7″ circle, when I first laid them on I thought it was outside the ring and even then I didn’t think I could fit twenty round, but stitching them into a chain did make a big difference, though I’ve still only got nineteen!

To start with I chose one hexie from each fabric, but some just didn’t sit well, their styles were just too different or they were too light. In the end I decided that the main hexie I would repeat was the one whose colours was the inspiration for the fabric choice, a teal/jade background with big pink and peach flowers, others just had one or two hexies. Having arranged them they then needed stitching on, and that’s where I’m at now, I did do a few whilst watching the Eurovision Song Contest, so hopefully it won’t take long now to finish.

I’ve also started the second of the embroidered blocks, this will also have twenty-ish hexies round it. Then I’ve just got four blocks to make using coffin wheels and mini hexies, they shouldn’t take as long in theory! I’m hoping that the other fabrics will work well together in these blocks

Hopefully for my next update I’ll have a few more blocks completed.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and Connie

I’ll also be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, please follow the links to see what everyone has been stitching.