Monday, August 4, 2014

My goodness time flies.........

.....when you're having fun....and it seems even when you are not!! It's been a li'l while since I last put fingers to keyboard but I have been buried under this blasted floor to floor, queen size hexie quilt that I am stitching for someone. It's taken an age to put together and I fear I have oodles more to stitch. I hereby make a solemn pledge to never, never, NEVER make a quilt with LARGE hexies consisting of fabric other than 100% cotton and definitely, no, no, NO satin backing ever again. There it is........in writing....so I will have to abide by my affidavit now!!  I have signed it with blood from my pin-pricked, calloused finger!!

Of course, this oath doesn't include little hexie 100% cotton 'quilt as you go' quilts. I am chomping at the bit to start another little hexie quilt.....but not just yet...perhaps in another life!



Of course, if this hexie was the only 'pretty' that I had been stitching these last couple of weeks I would have gone quite simply, stark, raving mad. Coming up for air at intervals, I have for the sake of my sanity, filled small moments of time filled with bright, happy and fun stitching.

Last week, whilst out and about, I bought some Moda Playtime 30's itty bitty charm packs. I adore 1930's fabrics and I adore scrappy quilts where one doesn't have to give much cerebration into the design and stitching of these quilts. I love scrappy quilts where you randomly place itty bitty squares all together. I couldn't resist these sweet fabrics....love, love, LOVE!!



As well as the charm packs I decided to cut 2.5" squares from remnants of doilies from my dowry of cloth. I save every fragment of my embroidered lovelies as there is always some stitching project for them to prettify, as I skip down my yellow brick road of stitching. Of course I won't have enough of the 30's Playtime charm packs so I am adding oodles of scraps from my melange of fabric scraps to the mix.





I have stitched these pretties here and there to mix it up a little.



Though I admit that I am drawn to quilts that present a wee bit of a challenge, there are times when I love to stitch row after row of pretty fabrics with not much thought other than making sure that the corners align. It really is like child play and doesn't overwork the brain pan.

Square after square, row after row of sweet fabrics, my postage stamp quilt is flourishing into an assemblage of happy, bright colour. I haven't made up my mind as to the size....perhaps a throw, or perhaps a bed size quilt....either way I am having fun playing with this pretty quilt.

But for now......it's back to my giant hexi quilt.

A happy week to you, filled with oodles of stitching!







21 comments:

  1. Hello Kim.
    Hope you enjoy the last stretch of stitching with the slippery hexie quilt, you are game to make such a big quilt with those sorts of fabrics, make sure you use it all up!
    Love how you are adding the little bit of stitchy goodness to the squares.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

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  2. Those hexies are so beautiful. They look like they would drive me nuts to sew though (particularly as I have zero experience with hexies!)!! What a stunning quilt they will make. The black borders defining each piece of beautiful fabric are very striking. And I love your 2.5" bitty square quilt top! Your embroidered doily squares fit perfectly with the 30's fabrics. I think you should cover a bed with this one; the bigger the better. It's so lovely!

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  3. A Happy Week to you too, Kim! Your giant hexi quilt is going to be amazing and perhaps once your fingers heel you'll forget just how much hard work it was...And I LOVE the mix of scrappy squares with embroideries - so pretty :)

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  4. oooh lovely 1930s fabric interspersed with dainty embroideries- pure yumminess. I think your giant hexi will work out fabulously but understand your frustration at handling the slippery little suckers...good luck , looking forward to seeing the finished product

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  5. That's as it should be. If we aren't enjoying the process , it's hard slugging. All your projects look lovely once again and clever you for putting snippets of embroidery in with the scrappy squares. It will be a beautiful quilt when done.

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  6. The big hexie quilt looks lovely. I'm still sewing my small ones although I don't know what I will do with them. The charm pack fabrics are pretty too and a good idea. We can't get them here.

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  7. I can see where all those giant hexies could get a bit tedious. Those small squares are wonderful! Adding the embroidery work in there is so much fun. I do love the retro repros also.

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  8. I love working with charm packs and that is a pretty one. I never thought of cutting up doilys and using for quilts. That is a great idea. I have passed up on some that were stained at yard sales, but now I just may start buying them for this purpose.

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  9. Love, love love your post. I really like the idea of "saving" those bits of embroidered runners and such that are not able to be saved otherwise. As USUAL you nailed it with this absolutely fantastic idea. Now I shall have to "steal it" from you.... hehehe
    Beth

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    1. You are most welcome to "steal" from me Beth...but it might cost you a tea cup or two. ;)

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    2. Oh Kim, wish you could stop by for a cuppa!

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  10. Love the little mini charms and the idea of cutting up your embroidered pieces to use in a quilt! Now whoda thunk...but you did! Your large hexie quilt is going to be fabulous.

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  11. It's going to be a beautiful quilt kim and worth all the agro, I love all your pretty fabrics and I wish I was able to quilt, one day maybe I will learn. :)

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  12. Two masterpieces in the making. It's a joy to have a variety of projects to work on. Including those stitchery snippets adds something very special to your new quilt.

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  13. I am making a queen size hexie quilt too with 3/4" hexies, that is such a project. We will both finish this one day. Have to have some variety in the meantime :)
    Your embroidery is so beautiful! I LOVE the embroidered blocks mixed in with the charm pieces. So pretty!

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  14. I really really LOVE those little squares with an embroidered vintage surprise here and there!!! I must say I can relate to the tension caused by using non-cotton fabrics, and I've made that same vow myself. Long live cotton quilts!!! ;)

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    1. With my hand on my heart, Amy, I will never, never, never stitch a satin-backed hexie quilt again! ;)

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  15. The big hexie quilt is going to look fabulous when it's done and I love the mix and match of your embroidery with the charm squares! :)

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  16. oh my! I now know what to do with all the damaged tablecloths/pillowcases that I can't throw away because they have beautiful embroidery on them. What a great idea!

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  17. What a beautiful idea to mix the squares of embroidery with the mini charms! I love how you combine things that make you happy!
    Susie

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  18. So pretty. 30s fabrics and vintage stitcheries...what can be nicer?

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