Scrappy Trip Along Quilt

...well, I thought I would join in and have a go at making this quilt. I have seen so many lovely scrappy trip quilts out there in blog land, all looking so very different and all using very different fabric. It looked fun to try and would be a bit different from my usual large squares.

I had a good look through my fabric and found that I had lots of green fabric of differing shades that would go with some yellows and orange and some brown. Quite a fresh spring like combination to help brighten up the drab days we have been having.

So I have been busy cutting out the strips...

...and have made 16 blocks so far, with a further 8 blocks that are at the stage of just having the strips sewn together. I'm quite enjoying seeing the random pattern that is emerging when I lay the blocks out. I think I am aiming for 36 blocks in total - but making the blocks is quite addictive so it could become a big quilt! It will take me a while to complete, but I'm in no rush.

I've also been working on my socks and am now just at the toe decreasing stage. For this pair I have used a very small circular needle, normally I use double ended needles. I have found the circular needle great for the long stretches from the cuff to the heel and on the foot - but I had to swap to the double end needles when turning the heel and I will change again for the toe. So the first foot is nearly finished!

I'm also so looking forward to my Amaryllis flowering - it's almost there!  The bulb was a gift last Christmas and it had two beautiful blooms last year. I've looked after it all year and have watched it shoot up again this year - hopefully tomorrow it will flower again.

I'm out tonight at my screen printing course - so looking forward to it.

Finally finished my first quilt

At last I have finally finished my first quilt!

I started this quilt in 2008, it was made for my daughter M's 18th birthday that year. I managed to keep it a complete surprise for her and she really loved it and all the colours and fabric used. However, I was so rushed to keep the deadline that I didn't really finish it properly but promised that I would when I had time. So over the last Christmas break when she came home (with the quilt) I got around to adding more lines of quilting and re doing the binding, the only thing I need to add now is a label!

Now I look back it was really quite ambitious for a first quilt, well size wise anyway as it was for a double bed, but the actual patchwork top was fairly traditional with 9 inch squares. It was made using mainly Kaffe Fassett material with a few plain patches added in and then backed with Kaffe Fassett with a plain blue binding.

I have since made other quilt, a double for my other daughter C for her 18th birthday. Again, fairly traditional with 6 inch squares this time in blues and pinks with a boarder and backed with a spotty blue fabric. C came with me to choose the materials so it wasn't the big surprise that her sister had, but she was really delighted with the finished quilt.

I think for my next quilt I will try something a little more adventurous and try making a few blocks out of all the scraps I have left over. Perhaps make a lap quilt, so I can wrap up warm while reading or knitting!