Craftsy April BOM - English paper piecing

Finally one month late, I made the Craftsy April Blocks. I have done this kind of quilting before, so it was quite easy to do. I also realised how much I loved doing it!!!

Bookmarks!

This came out my wonky log cabin block that I made today. I noticed that once I squared off the block, the side bits made interesting strips so made 2 book marks! I 'cleaned' up the lines and ironed them on to the 'bakram' one gets with one sticky side, and there they were, 2 wonderful bookmarks!

While I was still in the mood, I made another wonky square, and this time cut the whole square into book marks. I know Viveck and the kids will love them! Unfortunately the other side is a stark white, so will have to think of a way of changing that!

May BOM for Crafty's

Here are my 2 blocks for May for Crafty's BOM. The wretched Iron packed up just as I finished, so of course I couldn't iron them totally flat, so they certainly look a bit crushed....not the best way for a block to look! I LOVED making these.  I have realised that I really prefer making these kinds of blocks, and enjoy them much more than making those that are very precise. That's why I love the crazy quilting. So will possibly stick to these. I am all set to start a quilt with the wonky log cabin block!

Floor cushions!

Finally my 2 floor cushions are ready!  I love scrappy quilts. Besides my resolution is that I am going to use up most of my scraps and the fabrics i already have, before buying any more! One lesson learnt overall,  was that casement is not a good background fabric. The weave is too loose and loses shape ever so quickly. Since these were cushion covers and I wasn't planning to quilt them, I wanted a thicker fabric so tried casement.  I made the top, then put a lining of a thin mulmul (fine cotton fabric used for lining) , and held that together with the hand stitching, then made it into a cushion. The lining added as a of backing without the actual inner batting, and protected the seams.  I am participating in a BOM for Crafty's and both designs were originally learnt there.
The green and red one was the first one I made. I am happy with the results, the combination of  colours and the way I have matched them seems to have worked. The sewing has also been accurate as most points have matched, and thats a great feeling!

The second one looks attractive, but I am not overly happy with it. The colours haven't been coordinated well, and the darker strips seem to stick out in a random manner. Although there is no planned manner in which the fabrics have to be used, there certainly needs better merging of colours. Also the points haven't matched at all well. I realise that I will have to change the sewing lines on the blocks!

Went looking for inner lining batting for my quilts, down Bhendi Bazar in Mumbai! Didn't find the batting, but spent the afternoon walking down small lanes, taking in the intoxicating smells of kebabs and 'chaap' and biryani being cooked, hot jelebies being fried, and listening to a philosophical discussion on how pure cotton is unavailable as it has become so expensive, besides this being the 'jamana' of 'nakli' synthetics; burkha clad women with arms full of glass bangles, old men in pristine white kurtas and crocheted skull caps walking to the mosque for namaaz! Took me back to my college days. Nothing much seems to have changed since then! What an amazingly old country we live in!
Wish I'd carried my camera!

Desi Quilters

I went to the India Modern Quit Guild's 1st  meet in Pune with so much excitement and anticipation. The FB group had been going so well and I was really looking forward to meeting all the people who had become friends! However it turned out to be a real damp squib, as, besides having been really badly organised, the very reason why we had thought the meet was being organised, differed so much from the organisers. However not a single regret for going as I met and made friends with a number of like minded quilters. all with a singular love for quilting! We have decided to start another FB page and have kept it as a closed group, to ensure we get the kind of people we want on the group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/233721996728443/?bookmark_t=group

Sufi's birthday clown!

I enjoyed making this clown for Sufi....used up a lot of my scraps of wool as well! I am amazed at the generosity of people who post free patterns. I got this from http://www.enfys.me.uk.