My Next Quilt.

My next quilt is underway. Another scrappy one, to use up all those I Spy fabrics I have left. I didn't have sufficient pastel plains for the background blocks though, so after P & Q last Friday I went to my local for the first time in months (been trying not to buy anything! ) to get a few.

This project came to mind while I was making the last quilt ( got the binding fabric for that too ) and is also a continuation of the hearts quilt I made last year. It uses the same basic ,very easy, technique.In the photos I have shown the steps taken.

1. Cut background 7 " squares in a variety of light / pastel shades.

2.Make a free hand template of a basic flower shape or outline.( I did 2 different ones )

3.Cut out, using the template, flower shapes of bright fabric you wish to use up. ( all different - but doesn't have to be )

4. Centre the flower shape on a background block; pin; machine sew around the shape about 1/4 of an inch from the raw edge.

5. Turn block over and from the back fabric carefully cut a circular shape from inside the sewing line - taking card to pinch the background fabric away from the front so you only cut the one layer.

6.When you have lots of blocks made, mix the circles up so they don't match the background and pin one to the front centre of each flower.

7. Sew the centres on - consider if you wish to leave them plain or do you wish to include some embellishment at this stage? I am going to use a variety of methods for different centres:-

Buttons ( sewn on at the end stage ); embroidery; ribbon; Angelina fibres ( see one in the photo ) and anything else I can come up with to jazz the flowers up a bit.

I am still making blocks at the moment so will show more as I progress. How many blocks I am making , I'm not sure yet....maybe enough for a single bed size.

Thank you to all those who left such lovely comments on my last 2 posts; I was very glad to meet some new bloggers - melinda; and mariajaan I tried to leave you a comment at your blog but my Spanish is extremely limited! I was also delighted that Viv hadn't vanished from the face of the earth or met with some awful happening. There is another friend on my side bar list, who has been missing for months - it does make one wonder if they are okay?

New Zealand is getting RAIN! In the far north far too much, causing flooding, but luckily for us in the BOP it is now steady, beautiful, replenishing, much needed rain. 20 mls by early this morning and another 20 mls since and still going. When you grow things ( fruit vegetables , trees or animals ) for your living it is the first requirement really. ( not too much or too little )

That's all I have time for now. I'll do the book meme soon okay.

I was delighted ( and also a bit worried - cause now I will have to be extra careful what I say ) to know the at some local P & Q friends have found and are now reading my blog! Sorry if I made you waste computer time (LOL) but hey that's why we blog ; to reach out to others and learn about them as well as communicating our own thoughts and projects. Keep smiling everyone! ( it's raining ; it's pouring )