Blue Stripes Finished

I’ve finished this a couple of days ago but didn’t have the time to write this entry. As you may know, I’m always struggling with getting my housework done but I’m now trying out a new routine and it seems to work so far. This is my second ‘crafts only’ Sunday as I managed to get everything else done during the week. This morning, I’ve picked some fabrics for a couple of UFOs from my list as well as making the border strips for Blue Tiles, choosing the backing fabric and ironing it.

I had another strange experience when I made the back for Blue Stripes. I laid out the remaining and freshly ironed fabrics to see how they could be pieced together. It turned out it was easier than I had imagined. Only a couple of seams and it was done. There was enough fabric left to make matching binding strips.

No idea why I called it Blue Stripes. ‘Strips’ would have been more like it. Maybe because the word for ‘stripes’ and ‘strips’ is the same in German – ‘Streifen’.

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UFO Lottery #11 – Blue Stripes

Again one of the smaller ones. 🙂

I bought the fabrics a couple of years ago – in the days before the internet – from an American company. They were called Homespun Medley or something similar. Five fat quarters in different blues with a soft flannel-like back. I simply love them!

The pattern is one of mine and I remember I did a bit of calculating to make the most of the fabrics. I’ve already decided how to finish this project. After cutting the border strips I will have to piece the back from what is left – something different for a change. I’ve only done this once before with Arnold’s Shirts.

Homespun Medley

But first I need to finish the last four strips for Seams Crooked.

Artifacts

On Friday I was looking for some fabrics for a cut and sew project I wanted to do. Didn’t find what I wanted, but one of my project bags had caught my attention.

I don’t remember where these fabrics came from. Must have bought them on a market. This is not my usual choice of fabrics, I think I bought the collection for the strips. I also used this projects to gain some experience in machine piecing.

The collection contained four 5″ strips of a fabric called Artifacts designed by John Flynn for Benartex and a couple of swatches in earth tones (plus one each in squeeky green and sulphur yellow, respectively).

Artifacts strips

When it comes to cutting fabric I have this little problem. I’m always hesitant to start because I think there might be a better use for those fabrics. This was especially the case with the Artifacts strips. Should I maybe use single motifs for an ‘archaeology’ project? Where to cut? I decided to be brave, took a deep breath and just cut squares. I got nine out of each strip – 36 in all, 12 x 12 cms.

fabric swatches

Then I chose these ten fabrics. Using only the top five and without calculating the amount of fabric needed, I began to cut strips 4 x 12 cms for the sashing. I didn’t want to use the reddish fabric at first but had to because I didn’t have enough of the other ones. After I had done the sewing and pressing on the blocks I cut some more strips 4 x 14 cms for more sashing. Sew, press, done.

Artifacts top

If I’m continuing to produce patchwork tops at this speed, I may have a slight chance of getting rid of my stash in, say, 10 years.

(Despite some editing the pictures do not show the true colours on my screen. Maybe they do on yours.)

Fixed! Friday 04

Welcome back to another Fixed! Friday.

As I had a day off work today, I went to shop for some storage containers for the UFO Garage (aka The Boudoir). So if you saw a pile of translucent boxes with a pair of legs sticking out underneath walking the streets – yes, that was probably me. Anyway, I’m home now, and after filling some of the boxes already I’m in my corner of the sofa as usual. With a steaming mug of coffee on the table, I’m trying some new cake – chocolate with an apricot filling. Blasting through the speakers are Dan Baird’s Love Songs For The Hearing Impaired.

Shall we begin?

Kairo (Cairo)

The pattern is from the prayer niche in the mausoleum of Qalawun in Cairo, erected 1284/85. I found a picture in a book about Islamic art. If I see something like this I’m instantly hooked.

No need for designing the templates this time, as they are already provided by the artist/s who made the tiling. Just a little drawing and cutting. Using my beloved ‘crash fabrics’ again, this is the fifth project made from them.

Made between January 2002 and January 2003, this piece measures 69 x 77 cms, is sewn from 570 pieces and took 59’15 hours to make.

Next week on Fixed! Friday: Arabische Fliesen (Arabian tiles)