Elm Grove Patchwork

Just The Binding To Sew

Life is certainly strange living in this new world of Covid-19. Who would have thought we would be faced with anything like this. Shops closed, office workers working from home and even the petrol prices dropping. I hope you are all safe along with your loved ones. It certainly is a nasty virus, I sure hope it doesn't find my loved ones or myself.

The basket quilt is nearly done. Just the binding to sew on.

I have used the lovely blue Ashridge Dutch Heritage fabric to border the blocks. I was going to use a Baptist Fan pattern for the quilting, but at the last minute I changed my mind. I saw this pattern used on another quilt on Instagram. When I looked up the details of the pattern, I discovered a smaller version of the pattern was called Onion Skin.

My husband often bursts into singing a song called Onion Skin by Boom Crash Opera from the 80's.....

Oh, oh, onion skin
Walking around with
Your heart caved in
When you start to roll
Your skin flies off
And the teardrops flow

It is a crazy song, but it is funny hearing my husband singing it. I've had so much fun with this quilt I could not resist using the onion skin pattern for the quilting.  Quilt making has to be fun, and I have enjoyed this quilt.

I nearly have the pattern completed. I like to illustrate most steps in my patterns, but it takes a long time for me to do this. I won't tell you how long it took me to draw that basket and it's still not perfect.

 

I have to decided on a name, something I find rather hard at times. So far it has just been called The Basket Quilt. Hopefully I can come up with something more unique.

On the farm our cows are just starting to calve. There has been a rush to get seed sown, fertiliser spread and fencing jobs finished before the full onslaught.  

With all work and no play, we rewarded ourselves with a take away tea. Socially isolated, in the paddock while we admired the new fence.

Stay well and happy stitching.

Felt Boards

I continue to make basket blocks. I've only a handful left to make before I lay them all out and muse over which blocks I will put where in the final layout. I really love that stage.

To make my blocks I like to prepare 5-6 at a time and piece them together with chain piecing. When I cut each block, I lay the pieces out on a felt board.

Do you use felt boards?  My friend Barb introduced me to these some time ago and I find them wonderful. They are simply made with a sheet of Templastic, and a rectangle of felt. The felt I purchase is from a general craft store, it's rather stiff and about 1/8th inch thick. Using double sided tape, the felt is stuck onto the Templastic. The felt I use is slightly smaller than the sheet of Templastic so there is a little trimming to be done. My boards finish roughly 16 x 12 inches.

Back view of felt board

 

What do I like about the boards? The fabric pieces cling to the felt and are less likely to move about compared to just placing the block pieces on a table top and the board is easy to move from table to machine, or machine to iron. What I like best though, is that having the smooth Templastic bottom, you can stack multiple boards together and the fabric pieces will not move out of place. Multiple blocks can be prepared in advance.

Boards stack together without dislodging fabric pieces

 

If you're travelling from home to a sewing day, you can secure multiple layers together with bulldog clips and the pieces will stay together without moving. They have certainly helped me become a lot more time efficient with my piecing. 

And just another little hint, if you make these, you will need one of those cheap sticky fabric rollers that remove fluff and loose threads, the boards do hold little fabric fibres and threads. I have one sitting on my sewing bench and after each block I roll it over the board to keep it thread and lint free. 

Hope you're finding time for sewing, back to baskets for me.

Lenora.

Making Basket Blocks

Funny how our tastes change. When I made my first quilt, which was a sampler, I omitted the basket block because I saw nothing appealing about a basket. I was in my early twenties. Now as I am in my later forties, I'm starting to develop a thing for them........I guess I am getting old.

So my new project has baskets. I'm trying to see how many I can make without repeating fabrics.

They are quick and fun, and I can cut them out while watching the Australian Open Tennis. 🎾......last night I sat up until 1.00am, it was such a great game, with Roger Federer winning the fifth set tie breaker.  It was not so good when the alarm went off at 5.30am and I had to go and milk the cows. 

Hope you are enjoying some sewing time too.