Hazel

More writing: yesterday I had another idea for my SOC, Mike (at this rate he'll be nabbing the POC spot! Maybe that's what he's got his eyes on. Hmm... lol!) Where was I? Oh yes, writing. I got out another 1500+ words, mostly outline and dialogue but I broke out into descriptive work where the idea was 'live' in my head--well, it makes sense to me! lol

And now more picspam. Here is the 99% completed commission that I shall commit to the hands of sundry postal services tomorrow.

I call it 99% finished b/c the block with the padded hand quilted saddle requires a name, as in, X's Horses, where X is the name of the commissioner, withheld for privacy. It doesn't show but the log cabin blocks were stitched in the ditch, all the horses were hand outline quilted and other strips had feature hand quilting.

The back. Yes, those are words FM quilted on that strip. They say 'oats carrots oats'.


Oh yes. Tomorrow. Ugh, now we're on BST. So did not want to get up this morning.

Also on the 'and more' theme. More baking. Despite the Banana-and-walnut loaf cake, and Spiced Apple (and calva!) crumble I made y/day, today I made star shaped triple chocolate muffins. Want?

Since I finished these mini hangings (McCalls Quilting Dec 07) in November

Holly and Poinsettia. 15" X 9".


(or was it the end of October??) I've fancied a companion piece depicting another seasonal plant; mistletoe. However, if I wanted one, I'd have to design the pattern myself as I haven't seen anything of the kind in my web trawls. To this end, I collected images of mistletoe and let the creative process mull at the back of my mind until I had some time to sit down with paper, pencil and rubber.

This afternoon, the light having gone, I duly sat and began designing. I originally intended the mistletoe panel to be of the same size and same orientation but having drawn it out, I Like It Not. So, I'm going with an offshoot idea, which is to have a longer panel, landscape orientation and two sprigs of mistletoe. Now I have to decide whether I want the twigs to meet/cross in the centre, (does that provide a design opportunity? A pertinent symbol?) or the other way round.

Best sharpen the pencil, then! À bi!

The wallhanging I talked about in yesterday's post. The blocks finish at 5".



The quilt just visible in the edge of the picture is Spring Madness, a pale kaleidoscope block wallhanging waiting for marking, layering up and hand quilting.

And that's me for today.

'Winter'
A wallhanging that can also double as a table runner. Made from a charm pack plus a little extra yardage for a feature fabric, backing and binding, it goes together very quickly. I didn't realise it at the time, but those charm packs aren't accurate cuts, hence the compounded errors that crept in. [heads desk] I was more watchful making up 'Instant Sunshine', which used the same format but different fabrics.

Anyway,
'Winter' is from the fabric line of the same name by Minick and Simpson for Moda. 16" by 40". Free-motion quilted lines of a holly leaf and three berries.


The feature fabric background I free-motion quilted in small bubbles to make the poinsettia flowers 'pop' forward.


Not the best day for photography and some colour compensation has been attempted. The colours are much richer and clearer in life than they appear here.

A photo of the 19" x 21" wallhanging that greets visitors seiz-mé.

( picspam )

It doesn't look it but the corners are square - that's what photo manipulation does; straightens one edge and squiffs another. Ah ça. Made from 2 fat quarters and scraps, it features fused letters and my first free motion quilting. What else should I tell you? Oh yes - it bids you 'make yourself at home' in Jèrriais.

x-posted to calicocats