Thursday 11 August 2011

Squares and more squares

I only wish today had been as sunny as Sunday when I enjoyed a coffee at The New Dowse with my son.  We actually sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine.

There is a beautiful basket of flowers in my hall which I shall photograph tomorrow to share with you, so many different kinds but most of them with perfume - and that's why I have them.  They were a gift to my friend from her English relatives  - but she is allergic to the perfume so she has taken a photograph and I shall give her back the basket - later!

When I started quilting using left overs from dressmaking it was sensible to tidy up the pieces into more usable sizes and shapes - so I cut strips as long as possible, then squares ranging from 4" down to 1.5.  These I kept in tins - all ready!  The day came when I sat enjoying a coffee, on a high stool, gazing across the road to a block of offices and there, on a board outside was a drawing of a business card for one of the companies and it intrigued me, so I made a sketch which I used to piece this small quilt.


I'm not sure what has happened to the colour, there are definitely no blue squares in this quilt!  You can see how the design sort of loops under and over and interlocks - which is why it is no bigger!!


All pinned up and ready to quilt - which I did with straight lines on my machine.

A friend suggested we sew squares into twos instead of using starters and enders when we pieced quilts, so I did, then I made them into four patch - and the four patch blocks got larger and larger until I had a decent sized top finished.


I still have a large number of these squares, so am joining more into twos - not sure what I shall finish up with, maybe nine patch - and then what?

I have made a few four patch, so I think a change is indicated -


This next one is destined to be included in the next batch Wellington Guild donates to the Women's Refuge.



And perhaps this one with it, though it is too small for a bed quilt - and the colour looks a little odd.


I have also quite a fondness for a straight out checker board design - 

I am not going into the prison this Saturday as I have been asked to teach my 5" inch square class for Pinestream Quilters.  I am really looking forward to the day and I wonder what new twists will show up this time.  It happens every class, someone puts a block together in a different way - not a mistake, it's a new block - or they have a suggestion about using the block in a another layout.  The class is always evolving - I must remember the camera!!

Well what about that - the quotation  for the day is "He begins to die that quits his desires." George Herbert

Nice chatting with you again,
Regards, 
June

1 comment:

Jenny said...

Have a good day on Saturday with all those quilters, June. I'm sure it will be a fun time.