Slow Going

I have been working on projects, but don't seem to have a great deal to show for my efforts. However, it's been four weeks since my last post, so it's time to show you what I've been up to. The blue batik quilt has been around for ages, but it does now look as if it might be finished this year! The motif I chose fits nicely together and gives a good all-over level of quilting. One day I'll count up how many motifs there are, I've done about half, but there are a lot more to do! I've been using the Golden Threads quilting paper which works very well, but does take a while to remove once the stitching's complete. The motifs on the dark whirls are sewn in a dark blue/green King Tut variegated thread, all the rest are in a pastel variegated Robison-Anton thread which has worked very well. If you click on the pictures you'll get a larger photo which hopefully shows the detail a bit better (and all the ends that need sewing in!).



The hand project has no deadline, it's just an enjoyable way to spend an evening, and it's progressing surprisingly quickly. I've now finished the central motif and all the rays, I reckon I've done about a quarter of it so far.

Quick Shopping Bag

It's my Gran's birthday this coming week, she'll be 93, she still lives alone and is an inspiration to us all. Her birthday pressie is all sorted, I've just renewed her subscription to the Radio Times, but it seems a fairly impersonal present. In a fit of creative inspiration this morning I found a picture of a shopping bag on t'internet, unfortunately there was no pattern, so I drew one up myself. I think my version has ended up a bit shorter than the original and the handles could also do with being a bit longer, but I'm pretty pleased with it. If I made it again it wouldn't take long at all, it's just two layers of fabric, no wadding or other stiffening, so it folds up neatly. The original design was just one layer of fabric finished off with an overlocker and with a pouch that it folded down into, but I wanted mine to look a little nicer and be reversible. Pink and green, of course :o).