Something Special

Been a very busy month at school - parent interviews - assessment - reports - planning - meetings etc etc.

I did manage a little bit of sewing. I wanted to make a special gift for a special friend. It is a memory wall-hanging.

After sharing my thoughts with my Quilting Buddies back in March, I had decided to make a wall hanging with squares of different blue fabric around the selected photos. 

 Quilting Buddy, Rhianon, had published on her blog, some lovely placemats using the strip method to make blocks. I have been doing this technique for years, but only as a 'crazy' type block, not as a border or part of another larger block.

So, the plan was drafted.

Next was the cutting of the many strips of blue material - I now have a 'bucket' full of blue strips.

 Using paper piecing was something that I learnt in the Orca Mystery Quilt Project. Prior to this I had sewn random strips together. 

This paper piecing technique I really like. I cut paper 7" by 11" and proceeded to sew each strip.

I had to make sure each section was different from each other, and that I used a variety of materials.

Once finished I had to peel all the paper from the back. 

 I used my $10 mini iron from Missouri Quilting to set the fabric.

Next was the cutting of the 3.5" square individual blocks.

 

I made more than I needed as I wanted a variety of different blocks for the quilt.

I was so happy with the way they turned out.

 Next was the setting out. I had used freezer paper to iron the plain fabric onto for printing the photos. 

Then stitched each section together.

 

Next the background was cut. I had so much trouble trying to work out what colour fabric the background should be. With Peters help we decided on this light blue.

Next was the pinning of the binding.

I'm still not so good at mitred corners, so watched a couple of you-tube videos, and I must say, although not perfect, I am happy with what I did. 

 

I had printed the label. I wanted to put a lovely poem that I had found, but wrote it on an envelope, which of course I couldn't find. I now have a notebook close by the computer for jotting down verses etc. 

 There wasn't much hand-sewing, but I like to place the label on before quilting as the quilting keeps the label in place a little better.

 

I like using a large stippling, almost a meandering, as a quilting stitch, as it suits most patchwork. 

It looks good and is quick and easy.

 

I have been working on lots of different types of ways to hang wall hangings. 

This time I am working on the rod pocket type. I cut the fabric double, to allow for seams and thickness.

 This was also a hand sewing part.

It took me almost three months of planning, and changing, and sewing to create this wall hanging, and I am so happy with the way it turned out. 

The look on my friends face when I gave it to here was worth a million dollars!

Happy Sewing