Round and Round I Go

2014 is really the year for trying new things for me. Having joined the Irish Modern Bee, done one month and  survived, I felt bold enough to join their QAL Medallion Quilt. As usual, I am a bit late to the party but am catching up. I think by this stage most people are on border 4, I have just finished border 3, so not too bad.



round 3, 21.5 inches

I went to the recommended tutorial for inspiration/know how and decided to do the Ohio Square as my central square. I have always loved this, I would have done a square linked to Philadelphia but have yet to find one.  After completing round 1 I kind of decided to do my own thing, I felt it would be more mine. But in all honesty, I  know  my finished measurements will in all likelihood never tie up with the recommended medallion, so it is better to head off into the sewing wilderness and make it up as I go along.

I have seen a sudden resurgence of red and white quilts recently and they seem particularly suited to medallions. Of course I have no red fabrics, except for Christmas fabrics,  not very ho ho in the summer. As I wrote  recently, we were in London a few weekends ago and I headed off to Peter Jones to check out their haberdashery department. ~They only have the standard fat quarter bundles stocked in big stores, but I bought the red one. Ok, it is not from a quilt shop, but London is close to our hearts and I love Peter Jones, the King's Road, and the whole shebang. Perfect for what I want. At that stage there was a big danger the medallion would join the rest of my non finishes so this would be fine. But, I am on a roll here and having fun, this will be finished, sometime.

round 2, 19 inches
 

My second plain border is Cardinal Kona fabric. And if my sister is reading this, sorry, this is my nephew's red fabric mark 2 for his rugby quilt. The first lot was too red and I used it for Christmas cushions. This is the second lot and it is too dark, just like the three bears the next red will be perfect. Has Kona got a colour called Ulster Rugby red? It doesn't look that dark next to the white, but paired with the black it was an entirely different red altogether. The next round is 2 1/2" half square triangles from the Peter Jones pack. For the first time in my life these 1/2sq triangles have worked and are as near damn perfect as they will ever be. Susan, a Canadian Abroad, told me to measure, cut, iron . This seems rather obvious, but I ironed, measured, cut, sewed, ironed, cut again and measured. And you know what it worked. Less haste more speed seems to be the answer here.

So, after round 3 it measures 22". Next round I will continue with the cardinal red and then a small checkerboard design. Then the cardinal red and then maybe I will try some flying geese. Flying geese, something I have never properly mastered before. Flying geese have reduced me to tears. This is my time.

One last random unrelated thing, excuse me whilst I have a small rant. My last post about the prawns was subtitled "not as green as I am cabbage looking". Today I went into our local cheapy card shop to buy a token anniversary present for my aunt and uncle. They will be married 55 years next week and they are having a small get together of their brothers and sisters. They will be marking it with donations to the Marie Cure Cancer Foundation. As I am a niece and hence will not be there, I felt I could buy them a his and hers mug set. At all of £4.99. Naff but sweet. The box was torn and I asked if there would be another in stock. The answer was no, but she would see what she could do. I imagined this would be a £ off or so. No.........If I chose to pay an extra pound they would gift wrap it in cellophane to hide the tear. Did she think I came up the Lagan in a bubble? I am not as green as I am cabbage looking!

Helen