I started another dyeing class at QU this last weekend. It’s called Quilter’s palette and I’m learning to dye fabric in earthy / organic colours for use in landscapes and portraits. Up to now I can’t say that I really want to make pictorial quilts. Although I can admire those that others make, it isn’t an area of quilting that appeals to me. I have some ideas fermenting in my head, on how I would like to use the fabrics I’m dyeing, but they aren’t matured enough yet to get an airing here.

One of my main reasons for taking the course was because we are also learning how to use black dye to make shades. That is something that has been missing from my dyeing skills up to date. Although I do like bright colours, you can have too much of a good thing and the addition of some more muted colours to my stash won’t do any harm.

Here is a photo of the first set of fabrics dyed by the stuff and dump method. There are 2 of each colour, apart from grey, because there is one piece of pure colour and one using adding black dye to create shades. The difference is not that easy to spot in this photo except for the greens.

Having finished the appliqué I’ve moved onto the hand quilting. Although I had originally thought I would just start on the Hawaiian block, having read how you are supposed to form the stitches in hand quilting, I did eat humble pie and do some practice first. Just as well too

OK my stitches still aren’t perfect and the top (in the photo) looks considerably better than the bottom, but I got bored of practising (just like I never had any staying power with scales and arpeggios in my piano practice) and have switched to the “real thing”.

I have finished all the hand appliqué on my hawaiian ulu fruit quilt block now. As the weather has been so hot I’ve been sitting out in the garden in the evenings sewing. The light is also much better outside, which makes threading the needle much easier It’s a pleasant activity to finish off the day with. For once I seem to be doing a course at the right time of year.
Here are a couple of photos showing the progress.

Happy 50th Ingrid!
I “knocked off” this birthday card on Saturday, but of course I couldn’t post it until today - just in case Ingrid is keeping a close eye on my blog. It was fun to make something in just one sitting and be able to see the finished results so quickly. I could get into these small quilts. Instant gratification

The final bursting has been added to the centre of my quilt. I didn’t use all the different bits that I bought, but I bought enough to have the right choice for the centre. I constructed the centre burst from wired blue marbled ribbon, orange and white feathers, bronze coloured cord and the butterfly before attaching it to the quilt with the button. This is so that it is possible to wash the quilt should it ever be necessary. Finally I added some of the seed beads used outside the burst to cover the cotton on the button. It was a lot of fun deciding on the things to burst out.
And here it is…

Bursting out (colour a bit off)

Showing the bursting in more 3D

Close up of the burst and the beading
It’s smaller than any other quilt I’ve made so far being 28 x 19 inches.
I do actually have one last job to do and that is to print the label. I have an new Epson ink jet printer waiting to be christened. Another toy that I’ve not had time to do any experimenting with yet. And then of course the label has to be sewn to the quilt. And then it really is 100% finished.

I have started another new class at QU. It’s more suited to the summer I think because I can sit in the sun and do the hand appliqué and later the hand quilting. The design we are using is of the breadfruit (the Hawaiians call it “ulu”). They believe that if you make your first quilt using an ulu pattern, you will be assured of much enjoyment and future creativity in your quilting endeavors. Well it’s not exactly my first quilt but it is the first one with hand appliqué and hand quilting so I am hoping that the belief holds true in my case.

Here is my ulu basted onto the background fabric. The ulu is using some of my hand dyed cotton. The background is a Debbie Mumm print which is cream on white but looks white here.

I’ve also sewn the binding onto the “Bursting Out” quilt (notice new name!). I have to hand sew it down on the back, then I can start on the fun stuff of embellishing it. Yesterday we went into Frankfurt and braved the Brazilian football fans. I bought loads of different things to audition for the center burst. BTW the new name is more positive than the old name and I am feeling very positive about this quilt, so I thought it should be reflected in the quilt name.

I’m also taking a Crazy Quilting class at QU in parallel - why do I keep doing this to myself? I’ve not been a diligent student there. I’ve not done any of the homework yet. Somehow I just can’t seem to get started. I want to make journal page using CQ, but I think I have too many UFOs around right now and I feel I should be working on finishing them. My Mariner’s quilt top is still waiting patiently for its backing and quilting. It’s maybe a good thing that I’ve not started the quilting yet though. Having seen the quilting at the exhibitions in Lyon I’m thinking about revising my ideas on how to quilt it.