Progress on Raindrops are Falling on My Head

My hand pieced Raindrops quilt is coming along nicely. I've been experimenting with other fabric combinations because I don't want all of the blocks to be the feature fabric.  

I'm not sure if all of these rosettes will make it into the final quilt, but I need to see all the options before I start joining the blocks.  

The plainer blocks are good because they give our eyes a resting place.  However, I can see that the dark green in the centre rosette might be too dark. 

Last week someone asked me how I calculate how much fabric to buy for a quilt like this.  There are few factors that come into that decision:

- how big do I want the quilt to be?

- how many rosettes will I need to make it the desired size?

- how many pieces can I fussy cut from each motif in the fabric?

- how many motif repeats are there per metre or yard? 

Originally I only had about 1 metre of this fabric.  I bought it in Sydney two years ago, not knowing what I would do with it, but it looked exciting and full of possibilities.  

When I decided to use it for Raindrops are Falling on My Head, I went in search of more, and was lucky to find two more metres online.  However, now that I'm adding plainer blocks to this quilt, I don't know if I'll need the full 3 metres.  I guess I could use it in a border, or even on the back if I end up with leftovers. 

The motif on this fabric is large so I can cut a number of different pieces from it, but I will need 8 repeats of each motif to complete a full rosette for the quilt, unless the flower at the other end is identical. I'm getting seven different pieces out of each motif, and could possibly get nine.

I draw the cutting and stitching lines on the back, not the front.

Here's now the pieces might look in the quilt:

I'm not sure if that explanation helped or just confused you! But, the answer is that the quantity of fabric required depends on a number of variables.  

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  What have you been up to this week? Feel free to link up a recent blog post below. 

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Everybody Wants to Rules the World

My quilt is finished and I've called it "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", after a favourite song by Tears for Fears. Click here for a trip down memory lane - or to hear something new.

The colours and stars in this quilt remind me of flags; the Union Jack from the UK, the Star-Spangled banner from the USA, and our own New Zealand Ensign. 

The USA and NZ both held elections last year, and the UK left the European Union, so "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" seems appropriate at this time.   

I machine quilted this quilt with both red and white Aurifil.  I didn't want white stitching showing on the red stars, and I didn't want red stitching showing on the centre blocks.  So I used both colours and I quilted alternating cross hatch patterns.  

This quilt is made from Willyne Hammerstein's Bont en Blauw pattern in Millefiori Quilts 4.  I hand pieced my quilt and used templates from www.paperpieces.com.  The also sell paper pieces for this quilt if you prefer to English Paper Piece.  There are only two shapes in the whole quilt.  The interest is generated by the use of colour.  

You can read my earlier posts on this quilt here:

Something new 19 Feb 2021

Lost in Translation 26 Feb 2021

I started this quilt in November, but as you can see from the top photo, it's not very big.  I made it as a sample so I could experiment with the pattern.  It could be a wall hanging, or a cot quilt.    

Finished size: 25" x 30"     64cm x 75cm

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  What have you been up to this week?  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below:

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Smoyg

I've made a lot of progress on my Smoyg embroidery this year, and the end is now in sight.  

The top half:

The bottom half:

There's just two and a half blocks to finish now.  The big black ones (which get a bit boring), and the diamond one just below half way - which shouldn't take long at all.  

I love the multicoloured blocks, but the black and white blocks look very effective too.  I love it all - especially when viewed from a distance.  

I've really enjoyed working on this sampler, and I'll be sad when it's finished.  But I have Yvette Stanton's book and I could make something else with all the left over threads.  

So that's what I've been up to this week.  

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  What have you been up to this week? Feel free to link up a recent blog post below.  

  

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Raindrops are Falling on my Head

Firstly - You may have heard about some strong earthquakes off New Zealand, and associated tsunami risks.  Fortunately I didn't even feel the earthquakes, and I don't live in the risk area for the possible tsunamis.  Many people have spent the morning on high ground, but the risk of tsunami has now passed thankfully. I don't think any buildings have been damaged.

Back to quilting.  

I've made a small start on Raindrops are Falling on my Head from Millefiori Quilts Book 4 by Willyne Hammerstein.  

I bought this beautiful Art Gallery fabric from Material Obsession in Sydney back in June 2019 - almost two years ago.  I've been waiting for the right project to come along, and now it has.   

When I start a new quilt I just cut a few pieces of the feature fabric to see what I think.  When I'm happy with how it's developing, I cut a few more.  

I squeeze as many pieces out of my fabric as possible. My template is hollow because I'm going to hand piece this quilt.  

I plan to incorporate some of these fabrics above into the quilt too.  

So, I'm continuing my plan of making a number of quilts from Millefiori Quilts Book 4.  Hand piecing really has become my preferred method of quilting.  I enjoy it even more than machine piecing.  

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below.

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