Skip to main content

Planning a Quilting layout



After much fiddling and generally farting about - this is the layout I've decided on for my bed runner.

I've given up on the idea of puffs......  once I realised how many squares it would take!  I would have been well and truly out of puff by the time I finished.  Does everyone take as long as me to decide on what's going where?  Blimey - if I hadn't been so precious about it, I could have sewn half of it together already.  I'm going to do simple squares.  I don't want to overdo it, and take away from the pretty bedding I want to compliment. (though I may have to add a button or two).

I've worked out that I need 76 x 5 inch squares to make the runner.  It's the closest I can get to the width of a super king quilt - leaving me a couple of inches to do an edging or binding of some sort.  I would love to add a big bobble trim, but the cat would have a field day with it - so that's a no-no.  Plus, anything on the bed has to be capable of chucking in the machine.  Perhaps jumbo ric-rac if I can find a teal colour? 

Amazingly, I cut so many squares for my Puffy Pillow - I had enough for the runner, with some to spare (I must have gone mental with the rotary the other day) - though the choice was running out desperately by the end...... hence lots of jiggling to make it look even.  I've checked, and re-checked and don't think I have any two the same touching diagonally or in the same vertical row.

So - no guessing for what I shall be doing tomorrow.  In the meantime, the door will stay firmly shut, or the cat will be learning how to fly.

 
Couldn't resist taking a pic of this.
Such a dark and dingy day -
It's helping to brighten up the corner of the room.
 
Happy Sewing x

Comments

  1. No matter how much you plan, it seems there are always two the same touching. Murphy's law! Beautiful choice of fabrics.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha - that's what I keep thinking, but despite frequent perusing - I seem to have managed it. I'm pleased with how the fabrics go together, as they're all pulled from my stash and none are from the same range.

      Delete
  2. Wow, I've just had to bookmark this page as I'm doing my first quilt and assumed you just had to spread them all over the floor but you've overlapped them. I wouldn't have thought of that! It's looking great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's easy to overlap these as they're just squares. When it comes to a range of shapes, I draw it out on paper - with a code (I try to remember) for each fabric. Good luck with your first quilt.

      Delete
  3. The planning process is all part of the project, sometimes it takes me ages to fiddle about, if it is getting to fiddly in my head, then I leave it for a while. Rushing on, often means I regret it afterwards. I see the creative process as different from manufacturing where time is money. This'fiddly stage' where it seems I will never be satisfied enough to start, causes stress, I feel I lose my confidence and have to keep the inner critic at bay, who is often shouting at me 'haven't you made your mind up yet? or Hurry up, you are dithering'

    Suddenly my 'ready' feeling happens when I know it has come together.

    I think the colours work beautifully, randomness is very hard to achieve but I think this has the makings of a lovely runner that will be treasured for years to come.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Oh - go on! It's so lovely to receive messages, and I really do appreciate it.

I always do my best to reply to messages - both here on the blog and personally (as long as I can see an email address)

Popular posts from this blog

Hexagon hand-towel

A super quick make this afternoon - a hand towel for the kitchen.  I had no idea I was going to do this until I was rummaging through my fabric stash and found this piece of heavy linen that has been forgotten for years.   It's the perfect weight for a hand towel and I've managed to use up a few more scraps to match the colours of my kitchen. The little piece of aqua fabric is one of my favourites.  Had it for years and my supply has been dwindling, finally down to the last little piece.   It was a quick pin-down and run along with the machine. As you can see, a close inspection of my hexagon shows rather uneven stitches.   I blame it on my eyesight (and sewing whilst watching the TV).  Pinned into place and then edged around carefully with the machine.   I've even managed to add a little loop which is the tiniest scrap of ribbon I spied in the corner of my sewing table just as I was stitching to the corner.... I'll have that...

Hillarys Blinds - Country Crafts Competition

A vision in Teal - front view Towards the end of February I saw a competition advertised on Twitter by Hillarys Blinds .  I can't remember the exact wording, but it was along the lines of "would you like to receive some material and enter our competition?" Of course I would! After sending an e-mail, I was delighted to hear I'd been chosen to take part.  I was able to pick from 3 fabrics.  I opted for the peacock print as I adore teal.  About a week later I received a packet from Hillarys containing a metre of my chosen material.  I wish I could get the colours to come out properly.  I don't think any of the photos I've taken do the fabric justice.  The background is a light cream, with the branches and blossom in subtle shades of brown and pale yellows.  Sitting on the branches across the fabric are a selection of beautiful peacocks.  In shades of teal, they are quite wonderful. A Vision in Teal - back view My ...

Once upon an Embroidery

This story takes place many years ago. Imagine we are at a time in the gentle years before the Great War. In a time where the motor car was a recent invention and a plaything for the very rich, seldom to be seen on a public road. This was an era when people worked hard and expected little. An era when life was lived at an altogether slower pace. Let me introduce you to Alice. Alice is a gentle soul. She has never strayed far from the village where she was born. She has spent her adult life living in the same little cottage she moved into with her husband as a newlywed when she was 19. At one time she was surrounded by family, but over the years they have all passed on or drifted away. Her husband died shortly after his retirement three years previously, and her only remaining sister lives half the country away. They correspond regularly by weekly letters, but haven't seen each other in years. It would be possible to travel by train, but it's altogether too expensiv...