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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Black and Grey with a touch of Raspberry

The dice rolled 5 again so I’m working on my black and grey nine patch blocks for the second week in a row -  I knew this would happen sooner or later.  And no, I wasn’t tempted to have another roll of the dice, that would be cheating, and I can’t do that.  So project 5 it is again.  Although I am champing at the bit to get back to my Amandajean apron, and the Little Letters quilt which is now all pinned up ready for machine quilting.  But I’ll just have to be patient and wait till they get their turn.

I didn’t manage a great deal of sewing time last week, with all sorts of other commitments, and this week will be much the same.  With our 60s Up meeting in the morning, and visitors in the afternoon, yesterday was a write-off as far as any sewing time was concerned.  So I was determined to make the most of a day at home today. 

The first job was to carefully trim the embroidered horse head blocks to the size of the 9 patch blocks.  After I’d cut the first couple, I was seized with a terrible thought.  Had I actually measured the 9 patch blocks, or was I just presuming I knew the size?  You know that wise old saying – measure twice and cut once.  Thank goodness I had the correct size in my old grey head, so a catastrophe was averted. 

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Horse head blocks, trimmed to size and pressed

Sashing strips were next, and I stitched, and stitched, and stitched some more, until I had a nice pile of 9 patch blocks with a sashing strip stitched down one side.  And I used the “leader and ender” technique to sew black squares on the end of sashing strips to go between each row of blocks.  I rather like the touch of raspberry with the black and grey blocks - what do you think?

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The results of several hours at the sewing machine

I’m always rather intrigued with quilters in the Northern Hemisphere who lay their new quilts over snow to take a photo.  Doesn’t all that precious work get wet and grubby?  No snow down here in my part of paradise in New Zealand, but I can share grass and sunshine instead.

8 comments:

nestki said...

I do like the raspberry, and I like your particular selection of raspberry.

Jenny said...

Thank you very much - I felt the quilt needed a little extra colour.

Jenny

Razzle Dazzle Quilter said...

Looking good. Love the touch of pink.

Jenny said...

Thank you Linda - still a long way to go.

Nancy J said...

Lovely choice of fabrics, Pink with your blacks is great, and yes, quilts on the snow, I am always stunned at how wonderful they look.If only we could do that down here,. If we EVER get snow right here, I will dash out with a quilt, any quilt, and get heaps of photos, maybe just to prove we can do the same as those up North. I had to use grass 2 weeks ago, and I thought it just wasn't as pretty.

Marsha Cooper said...

For the number of projects I have going I'd have to have about 4 dice LOL
I sure like that idea though on rolling the dice and I too would be really tempted to change from the roll.
I made a daily schedule of what I want to work on, leaving Thursday open for any UFO.
I kept it up for a few weeks but can't seem to get back to it now.

Jenny said...

Love the way you roll the dice to choose what to work on, and the fact you don't cheat Lol
Horses are a love of mine, your heads are gorgeous and that touch of pink- perfect

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

I think the pinkish colour will add a bit of splash to the whole look of the quilt. You are so good at measuring and cutting. I'm terrible at that part of the process.