Journal quilts 2019, January, Brexit 1

A new year, a new stitching challenge. A4 size, four quits to be made with a sewing technique, four to be made with fabrics other than just cotton, four to be made using a different technique to make a background. The first sewing technique was an opportunity to re-visit appliqué of bias strips, something I have not done for years.
Initial sketch

In development, tea-dyed Union Jack fabric, and very useful, very short appliqué pins. Bias strips ( 1/4 inch) made using a bias strip maker, not essential, but saves burnt fingers.

Sewing down the strips, background is a piece of blue satin from my recent pantomime costume-making. Strangely appropriate for this piece.


Finished and quilted with FMQ, bound with satin stitch.

Does this look like my initial sketch? Mostly yes, but I made these changes

• the twisted chain was too complex in a piece of this size and with this width of strips. It would work on a larger scale
• the strip representing the UK went off the piece to the left in the initial sketch. With everything that is happening in the UK, it was a better representation that it went off to the far right
• final piece of the UK strip is tattered and fractured, linked together by a thin thread
• FMQ on the left is swirling and co-operative, FMQ on the right, where the UK strip is heading,  is a maze of never connecting boxes
• FMQ in the centre is dense and closely connected

Reflections from a winter walk

December bling, with golden eagle

The last journal quilt of the year, in a nod to seasonal bling, is golden eagle.

Three layers of wadding in the trapunto, and I think this is the most successful amount to use to give volume without distorting the appliqué shape.

November went past in a flash.....

…. but a colourful one, with this interpretation of the beak of a puffin.

Four layers of wadding in the trapunto on this one, but really difficult to see when the piece is photographed flat. There is a better impression of the volume in the next photograph.

October, in December

Journal for October was an interpretation of the beak of an avocet.

Two layers of wadding in the trapunto shape.

Dashing through the quilts.......not the snow

With the panto’ commitments over, I’ve returned to finishing off my journal quilts for this year.  Continuing on the theme of abstracted birds, the last four concentrate on beaks.

Crossbill.

Abstract birds, this series of four is about beaks.

 

Hand-dyed cotton fabrics. Experimenting in this series with increasing thickness of machine trapunto using water soluble thread. Very difficult to photograph the trapunto as a flat photo. One layer of trapunto wadding here.

Anticipation of the solstice

When the amount of daylight is so meagre, it is good to brighten up the everyday in anticipation of the light to come after the solstice.

Superb laces in lots of colours from here.