Intermittent light rain has meant it is too damp to do orchard work, SO I have achieved many things inside.Yesterday morning I did a huge amount of cleaning in the lounge - Spring cleaning in Autumn...you know, turning chairs and sofas upside down and moving everything. ( it needed it )Then without guilt I could sew!
On Monday I had been to the city on other matters and had visited "The Barnhouse," my local quilt shop and purchased, 50/50 bamboo/ cotton batting; some blue fat quarters for the denim quilt and found the black background fabric for DH ( R's ) Jewelled Bird Quilt. ( I had had to put it aside till I got the background sorted )( I didn't want a mat black so got some NZ fern fabric that still looks black. Black is what R wants.)
Yes, I am working on 2 projects at one time - but can handle that .
Now I need some help please. I have never used iron on bias tape before (and found out what temperature to use by trial and error)and I want to know what I do next. This is going to be a quilt to use not a wall hanging, so, do I now stitch the tape down? ( By hand with neat sewing stitches that don't show? By machine on either side or down the middle? ) The reel of tape gives few instructions ( but in many languages - lol ). If any of you have used this Clover product or similar could you advise me what you did.
My next task is to sort out the ends of the quilt to make it the right shape. At the moment it is wide not long....so needs some borders, mostly at the top and bottom but a couple right round. I have plenty of all the coloured fabrics used on the bird and some more black. Some trials and auditions will be needed.
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*Thank you Granny K( Lynda), so far the rain has been very gentle.
*Gudrun - Yes the chestnuts are inside the very prickly cases while hanging on the tree - then split- but you need thick cloves to handle them as they really prick.I will take a close up photo of a walnut case to show you the difference.( most nuts grow on the tree in a protective outer case which splits open to drop the nut in it's shell.)
*Meggie, I will be getting back to the denim quilt shortly and will take some more step by step photos and tell you what I am doing.
Challenge is supposed to be good for us. It is how one grows - stepping out of ones comfort zone - guess that's right - I am doing 2 quilts using techniques not used by me before! So far so good. There is some puckering on the bird's wings - I must have stretched the fabric a little I think - but will live with it. If that is the only problem I will be pleased with my efforts.
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^ I hope you ALL have a safe and memorable Easter.l
I will be thinking of all the ladies who have travelled down to Wellington to the Quilt Symposium. Have a safe journey and a wonderful time. ( you lucky people ! )
