Let me start at the very beginning of this project. First off I am not a sewer and have only the most basic hand sewing skills. Secondly last summer (2013) my neighbour popped around to show me a fabulous patchwork quilt she had made in her twenties. It was made from odds of fabric including a dress from her mother and all hand sewn! I loved it and thought it was a great that she still had it after all these years.
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| My fabric collection |
A few days later she sent me a text saying to pop over. As there is often a glass of wine included in these visits I said I would be round! To cut a long story short she had made up a little pack to get me started on my own quilt, including a template identical to the one used on her quilt, some assortments of fabric, pins and a needle and thread (I insisted that I had my own thread but she is a very organised person who thinks of everything!). So off I started on my own quilt in her lounge with a nice glass of red. And it started there.......
Over a year later I am embarrassed by how little progress I have made. While my fabric collection has grown through donations, charity shops, Mr D's shirts and the odd off cut purchased, the quilt has not grown to the same extent! So far I have made a grand total of....... 13 segments. In July I sewed together the segments I had made so far. I decided its a bit like sewing in ends and if you don't do them as you go along you end up with loads which makes it a chore.
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| My progress so far! |
I get a lot of satisfaction and enjoyment from completing a segment despite stabbing myself with the little pins and muttering under my breath. So here we are; I'm hoping that by making my quilt public it might spur me into picking up some of the bits of fabric and adding to my small completed pile a bit more often than I currently do!
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| My most recent segment |
What is you longest ongoing project? Any motivational tips?
My mum used to do patchwork like this and I remember making a cushion cover at school. Embarrassed to say that my longest running project is a cross stitch Winnie the Pooh birth sampler that I started when my son was born. He turned 12 last week!! I think I need some motivational tips too x
ReplyDeleteThat is a long running project! Maybe an 18th birthday present......... :-) I think I should have aimed for something smaller than a double bed sized quilt. A cushion cover would have been much more sensible.
DeleteI have projects that are over 5 years in the making! That is not an easy patchwork for a start but hand stitching can be a lovely way to relax. I find that if I keep my knitting or hand work on the table, I am likely to pick it up while watching TV. I have tried joining challenges to finish things too. Mostly I just try to enjoy the process and not worry about the product.
ReplyDeleteI think you have hit the nail on the head! My knitting is always out somewhere in the house where as my quilt is in a box due to the pins and bits fabric. Out of sight out of mind!
DeleteMy longest project was the Vegan Caveman Blanket, a patchwork blanket made with eyelash yarn (basically a fur rug made of polyester!) - it took me 8 years! I only ever worked on it in the winter months, and it was mostly a project for when I wanted to slump in front of the TV with a glass of wine and not have to think about counting stitches or purling.
ReplyDeleteWhen I finally finished it, I gave it to the ferrets, it keeps them lovely and warm in the cold weather!
I try to always have a similar easy project on the go....... alcohol and counting just don't go very well together! They are some very spoilt ferrets although who am I to say living with Fizz!
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