Friday 15 October 2010

Pairie Queen Block

I have another block to show you.  If you come for the knitting, I'm sorry, but I'm really enjoying my quilting course and want to document my progress.  This block is called Prairie Queen and I do believe it is my best block yet.  It's by no means perfect, but it is getting to the point where I don't feel embarrassed showing the block to the tutor.


I think I am also getting faster at piecing, mainly because my cutting is getting faster.  I was really nervous about wasting fabric when I started, but I'm a bit more bold now.  My seam allowances are a lot more even as well, which makes for slightly less wonky blocks.  I really like this block, and I think a quilt just in this block would look lovely and really show off the fabrics well.

I'm using two new fabrics in the this block, that I bought on a recent trip to The Bramble Patch.  I felt I was running short on fabric for this sampler quilt and that a couple of extra fat quarters couldn't hurt.  I bought the light and dark fabrics that are in the above block, both of which I adore, and a medium shade as well.  I think they will blend in fairly nicely with my existing fabrics.

I was pretty good on my shopping expedition and only bought the three extra fat quarters I wanted for this quilt, 2m of flannel which was also on my list to buy, and only ONE more fat quarter that was too pretty to resist.  Are you impressed?  I was, until we went to Heart of the Shires, that is just up the road, for our lunch.  I hadn't factored in the lovely little craft shop there, called Crafts & Quilts.  They have a nice selection of fabrics there and they sell 4 fat quarters for £9.00, so you have to buy 4, don't you?  And then I fell in love with a Tilda fabric that I just had to have.  So all my hard work resisting the lure of fabric was blown out of the water.  I think it is because I relaxed too soon!  However, if you are a lover of gorgeous fabric, a little trip to the Bramble Patch, followed by a jaunt up the road is highly recommended, but you will blow your budget, especially as there are lots of other lovely little shops on the site as well.

I am supposed to be doing another block this week, for my homework, but I don't know if it will get done.  I have decided that trying to keep up with everything is not going to help my health at all.  So, I am going to try and do at least part of the homework each week, so I can see if I am doing the right thing, and then catch up at the end.  If I have fewer blocks than is recommended for the quilt, it doesn't matter.  I can either do some more at the end of the course, or I can make a smaller quilt.  This is only meant to be a quilt for on the sofa, so it doesn't need to be huge.  I think taking it more slowly means I will enjoy the process a lot more and not fall out of love with quilting.  My tutor agrees with me.

If I have a burst of energy later this week, you may see another version of this block, but don't hold your breath!

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