Wednesday, December 29, 2010

keeping it random

Im working on this quilt for a customer from the recent market.
Only its not quite large enough yet so I have to add more pieces and I thought id pop in here to show you how I add pieces after ive already got the placement and rows worked out for most of the quilt.
It needs two more rows at one end and two more on one side.

Of course I want to merge in these new pieces as they are all fabrics not yet in the mix.

I have used roughly three pieces (sometimes more if its a favourite) of each fabric which is the rule as I understand it for one of these postage stamp quilts.
Apparently the eye does not pick up the repeats if you do this.
So what I do is a trick ive seen on a gardening show when planting bulbs to get a random self sewn effect.

I throw three objects in the air (I prefer to use leaves of course) and wherever they land is the square I remove and place towards the outside of the quilt to make up the extra rows I need to make it the correct size.
Oh ! Its a single bed size this time. Not queen.

Ive started sewing the rows together and its looking really gorgeous.
Shame I wont be keeping this one.
Ive got to learn to let them go if im going to offer these for others.

5 comments:

Kate said...

Yep, I do that with bulbs.
Its going to be gorgeous. I am tempted to add 'make a quilt' to my list of things I want to achieve in 2011 but I'm not sure I have the patience or the exactness.

Kelly Ingram said...

The quilt is looking full of loveliness Wendy. Fantastic way to decide which fabrics to swap..love it! Look forward to seeing it finished x

willywagtail said...

I thought that it had just been sitting there for so long waiting for you to work on it that the leaves had accumulated on it. lol only kidding. It's actually a great way of picking radom squares because you really can't aim a leaf. Cherrie

melissa said...

It looks gorgeous! These are my favourite type of quilt. I love how you 'arrange' your squares, i will remember that great tip , thanks Wendy. What size are your squares?

Catherine said...

I love the idea of a "self sewn" quilt... if only it really did sew itself! it looks lovely...

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