Wednesday 1 January 2014

"No Quilting Regrets"

“No Quilting Regrets” is my buzz phrase for 2014.

So with this resolution promise of lots of beautiful quilts, projects and fabrics in store, I hope you will pop by and share this creative journey with me.

High on my list of quilting resolutions promises for 2014 are some of the gorgeous projects featured in my  favourite quilting  magazine of 2013.  Fat Quarterly is an e-zine with a fun approach to tutoring quilting skills and a delightful use of trendy fabrics that had me just itching to sew some strips together and create something, anything.  
    
Their lovely book - Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters features 60 lovely modern blocks and of course some stunning quilts.  My resolution aim is to play with a one block a week (secretly I'm aiming for two).  My chosen fabric for the first sets of blocks is Jenean Morrison's  Powerpop collection – which I just love – and a selection of grey fabrics from Westminster Fabrics' stylish designers for co-ordinates.





Here is my first block (I am not doing them strictly in order of the book) - "Windowpane" by Brioni Greenberg. I love the symbolism of the window in the anticipation of what's in store for the new year. Plus I wanted to fussy cut some of the delightful little motifs in Jenean's Cornflower design.
Sometimes working with individual motifs can be very problematic, but I must say that the high quality of the printing of these little quilting collections made piecing the block an absolute pleasure. The motifs I chose to fussy cut for this block were all exactly 2" squares, making the construction a cinch. The block with seam allowance finishes off at 12.5" - just perfect to stitch together in a quilt project down the line.

I just love the way the quilting motifs frame the flower as seen through the 'windowpane'. I am thinking of calling this quilt "Daydreams".




Here is a close up of the fussy cut motif in the centre of the right side of the windowpane. This gives you an idea of how beautifully these fabrics have been printed - hats off to Westminster Fabrics:




And they lined up so nicely:




One down - 59 to go…

§ Dorothy §


To celebrate the launch of my blog I am giving away one of Dot’s Quilts' oh so popular Designer Stash Packs - (10) x 15cms strips of designer collection fabrics, 1.5m in total.  The giveaway selection will be from Jenean’s Powerpop range. And all you have to do is become a member of Dot's Quilts Blog - click on the link on the RHS sidebar…

Tuesday 31 December 2013

All my life I have loved to create



Hi!! 
I’m Dorothy; proudly South African and all my life I have loved to create.  
My mother was an outstanding tailor and needlewoman and seated at her side at the warm Oregon pine kitchen table I would lovingly fondle the soft pastel threads of angora and pure wool whilst knitting needles clicked and crochet hooks sped through the air producing fluffy soft cardigans and intricately cabled Aran and Fairisle jerseys that gently folded into her lap as she read one Mills and Boon Romance novella after another and I would gaze in wonder as these luxurious handiworks yielded under her soft and beautiful hands with such seeming ease.  
But it was the magic of her sewing needle that really took my breath away when an utterly enchanting dress would gently be drawn over my head.  
My arms were raised in a benedictional offering to the soft eggshell blue flawless cotton creations of cut on the bias A-line dresses embossed with silky threads whose every patterned stripe perfectly matched at the seams.  
Oh the wonder of the flared from the waist birthday dress created out of a charming fabric of buttery yellow daisies interspersed with spring green shoots and tiny cream roses that accompanied yellow gloves embroidered with the tiniest of cream roses; and hand knitted cotton socks lovingly placed next to the matching bag & shoes.  
Standing on a kitchen chair with hands newly washed with the gentlest of Lux soaps I would softly stroke the finest of beautifully patterned chiffons as they were lovingly laid out on the patina of the pine table.  Chiffons that were too fine to be pinned were held down with the softest of weights fabricated from doctor’s flannel.  My mother expertly cut and manoeuvred the silks and satins for the linings that precisely fitted into the creations of my sister’s evening dresses that rivalled those of Cinderella.  Creations of chiffons so fine that they had to be sewn together between layers of soft tissue paper caused great anticipation with the knowledge that these would always be followed by a miniature creation especially crafted for myself.  
And at night after all this plethora of wonder, I would cuddle up under a quilted blanket of the most bejewelled fabrics and fall into a contented and dreamfilled sleep as my hands continued to stroke the wonders of my mother’s creations.  
It is no wonder that my devotion to the finest and most beautiful of fabrics was born in the moments when the senses of a little girl were guided by a fabric sorceress to encounter the serendipity of subtle aromas of immaculately crisp fabrics that continue to delight and to bear forth a never-ending stream of happy memories. 

§ Dorothy §