I haven't blogged for over a week, and the world has not come to an end. I was trying for a finish, but it hasn't quite worked out yet. I thought I had finished the flimsy of my Bubbles Quilt. Last mention in despatches, I had eleven bubbles and was working on the rogue red.
The red bubble was actually finished last week, and the flimsy completed on Thursday, ready to blog on Friday. I have no idea where the last few days have gone, I would have thought the blogging was the easy bit.
I am not looking forward to picking off all the remaining papers on the back. I really am not a scab picker!
On Sunday I laid it out over our bed, and I am just not happy. No. I am not happy. Twelve bubbles are just not enough, neither long enough nor wide enough. Now, to explain, our bed is kingsize. This is not for our bed. It is for me watching tv and blogging on the sofa. So, not too big and not too small is the required size. Sort of big enough to cover a 5' blogger. I do however want this to double up as a standard double bed quilt when my son and his fiancƩe come home at Christmas. It is just a smidgeon too small for that, at 60" square. I feel I don't have the stamina to make another bubbles, much as I like them.
Monday morning I went to buy some klona, the poor man's kona fabric. I hate borders. Both in the quilting world and metaphorically! Take walls down, don't build more. This time, borders it will be. I want very much to keep the plainness of this, so I am going with a 3" white strip, a 2" black strip then another 3" white strip. As I am definitely not having joins in these borders, my particular pet hate, I had to buy 2 metres of each to get continuous strips. That is why it is klona and not kona, apart from the fact I can't buy kona locally. The actual bubbles are such a mix of fabrics, the stiffer, looser thread count klona will be fine. When it is quilted and washed, it will all blend in.
I have a few ideas about the quilting. Wait for it ......... I might try circles. That's straight quilting but in the round? Isn't it? Round quilting in the bubbles, and straight line quilting in the background in different directions, taking in the borders. It may end up with minimal quilting and further quilting added after Christmas!
Just in case you are interested on what I have been up to. I have been so behind in blogging,, it has been go go go here. Last week we went to see the display of poppies commemorating those who died in the First World War. This is a travelling exhibition and Belfast is lucky enough to have it for a while. That same day I met up with a real life quilter, Suzanne from the Modern Quilters Ireland, who was visiting Belfast with her husband gorgeous little boy. We forgot to take a photo of this momentous occasion, we were so busy chatting.
Monday, I was feeling all Narnia, a cousin and myself went to see the Narnia sculptures. CS Lewis who wrote the Narnia chronicles, was a Belfast boy. Belfast has finally got its act together and is starting to appreciate those who have done great things and to celebrate them.
Aren't you tempted to go through the wardrobe?
Mr Tumnus the faun.
Aslan the lion.
And today, we were on the genealogy trail again. We visited the church my husband's great grandparents married in, in 1864. And, as you do, we got talking to a man in the churchyard, who knew exactly what family we were talking about and was able to direct us to the old family homestead!!! Only in Ireland!
In between times, I have made 3 Christmas stockings, 1 1hr basket for a gift, and made 2 further baskets with my daughter. No photos, it is her secret sewing!! She actually said, this is quite relaxing. I think she may have got it.
Today I noticed how red our maple tree is in the garden. If its not raining tomorrow and the leaves don't all drop over night, I will hopefully get a photo taken tomorrow. If I wait until the quilt is finished, there won't be a leaf left on the tree!
Helen x
linking up with Beth and Cooking Up Quilts and Lorna Sew Fresh Quilts
The red bubble was actually finished last week, and the flimsy completed on Thursday, ready to blog on Friday. I have no idea where the last few days have gone, I would have thought the blogging was the easy bit.
I am not looking forward to picking off all the remaining papers on the back. I really am not a scab picker!
I think my daughter was struggling to hold the quilt up in the breeze.
On Sunday I laid it out over our bed, and I am just not happy. No. I am not happy. Twelve bubbles are just not enough, neither long enough nor wide enough. Now, to explain, our bed is kingsize. This is not for our bed. It is for me watching tv and blogging on the sofa. So, not too big and not too small is the required size. Sort of big enough to cover a 5' blogger. I do however want this to double up as a standard double bed quilt when my son and his fiancƩe come home at Christmas. It is just a smidgeon too small for that, at 60" square. I feel I don't have the stamina to make another bubbles, much as I like them.
Monday morning I went to buy some klona, the poor man's kona fabric. I hate borders. Both in the quilting world and metaphorically! Take walls down, don't build more. This time, borders it will be. I want very much to keep the plainness of this, so I am going with a 3" white strip, a 2" black strip then another 3" white strip. As I am definitely not having joins in these borders, my particular pet hate, I had to buy 2 metres of each to get continuous strips. That is why it is klona and not kona, apart from the fact I can't buy kona locally. The actual bubbles are such a mix of fabrics, the stiffer, looser thread count klona will be fine. When it is quilted and washed, it will all blend in.
I have a few ideas about the quilting. Wait for it ......... I might try circles. That's straight quilting but in the round? Isn't it? Round quilting in the bubbles, and straight line quilting in the background in different directions, taking in the borders. It may end up with minimal quilting and further quilting added after Christmas!
Just in case you are interested on what I have been up to. I have been so behind in blogging,, it has been go go go here. Last week we went to see the display of poppies commemorating those who died in the First World War. This is a travelling exhibition and Belfast is lucky enough to have it for a while. That same day I met up with a real life quilter, Suzanne from the Modern Quilters Ireland, who was visiting Belfast with her husband gorgeous little boy. We forgot to take a photo of this momentous occasion, we were so busy chatting.
Monday, I was feeling all Narnia, a cousin and myself went to see the Narnia sculptures. CS Lewis who wrote the Narnia chronicles, was a Belfast boy. Belfast has finally got its act together and is starting to appreciate those who have done great things and to celebrate them.
And today, we were on the genealogy trail again. We visited the church my husband's great grandparents married in, in 1864. And, as you do, we got talking to a man in the churchyard, who knew exactly what family we were talking about and was able to direct us to the old family homestead!!! Only in Ireland!
In between times, I have made 3 Christmas stockings, 1 1hr basket for a gift, and made 2 further baskets with my daughter. No photos, it is her secret sewing!! She actually said, this is quite relaxing. I think she may have got it.
Today I noticed how red our maple tree is in the garden. If its not raining tomorrow and the leaves don't all drop over night, I will hopefully get a photo taken tomorrow. If I wait until the quilt is finished, there won't be a leaf left on the tree!
Helen x
linking up with Beth and Cooking Up Quilts and Lorna Sew Fresh Quilts
I think your idea for the quilting sounds perfect for the quilt. I do hope you have fun with it if you choose to go that way! Adding borders to bring it up to a double size makes sense so that the quilt can be practical for guests. Now I'm off to go Google klona....
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of klona. Adding borders to get the desired size is a necessary evil.
ReplyDeleteI don't hate borders...there is a place and time for them! And you have the perfect place to use them. With the added black in the border, I think it will enhance the design and give those bubbles a beautiful frame!
ReplyDeleteI really really like the idea of the round quilting in the circles and the lines in the background. Like really like it :)
ReplyDeleteTook me a minute, but I get the klona joke :) I have several pieces of it myself. Sometimes it's just fine and other times I want the real thing, so I wait and wait for sales and free shipping.
ReplyDeleteBorders are a bit of a pain, but I think you'll be happier when the size of Bubbles is just right. Circle quilting in the bubbles will look great!
I think circles will be lots of fun and think the borders will work really well!
ReplyDeleteKlonaš¤£
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a great adventure. Sometimes blogging has to come in second place, and that's okay.
ReplyDelete