Fabric Postcards for Easter

I thought I'd give you a break from my reports on the QGBI Conference and show you what I've been making.  This is a set of fabric postcards for the BQLPC Easter swap and I'm quite pleased with them.  I love the way a set of cards looks when put together as a patchwork too - must put something similar on my to do list!

The design is based on a stained glass window I photographed when I was in Jerusalem with DS in 2009.  I always thought I would translate it into a fabric project and these Easter cards seemed ideal.

I tried to make the colours using fabric crayons and adding lace for texture but wasn't very happy with my first attempt:

so I raided my stash for a brilliant blue fabric, a batik and also a gold metallic fabric for a bit of additional texture.  NB There's an article by Chris Hammacott in this month's British Patchwork and Quilting magazine about texture in patchwork, very interesting.
Here's a quick "how I did it" in photos:

Mark the design on the background fabric in pencil

 Mark the lines with a Hera marker onto the fabric to be applied (below the background)

 Cut just beyond the marked lines

 Position the pieces and attach with fabric glue or bondaweb

 Pin bias tape into place around the awkward bits and iron into position

 Add the rest of the bias tape, iron to hold and then stitch it all in place 

(preferably while sitting outside in the sunshine as I was able to)

I backed the cards with calico and pelmet vilene, 

cut them to size 

and machine buttonhole stitched around the outside.

I couldn't manage the Hebrew text from the window

so added the words "Alleluia" in Pigma pen and

voila!

I've been alternating making these cards with short sessions in the garden today.  It's been so glorious and the weeds seem to be growing at a massive rate.  I sat and pulled the weeds and moss out of the cracks in the patio and then DH and I had lunch - including yummy asparagus and herbs from the garden -outside on a very tidy patio and admired our work, bliss.  I hope you've all had a good weekend too.

Been Stitching

I'm shocked to see how long it is since I last wrote a post.  I have several excuses, would you like to hear them?  No? Oh well, fair enough!
I haven't done a lot of stitching but what I have done has been of the extremely noble kind - I've been working on my UFOs/WIPs.  I do seem to recall promising that I would finish one project for each new one I started....
So, I've been working on journal quilts from my trip downunder earlier this year, I'm making good progress on a quilt for my daughter and I've done another block for my sampler quilt.
As far as new projects - I've joined the BQL postcard swap group.  I had lots of information from Sue about this group and decided to go for it as the swaps are small (7 other people maximum) and optional - so no pressure.
I have nothing much to show you but I can't do a post without a photo so how about this one?  Wouldn't these tiles in Jerusalem be a great design for a quilt?

I'm just back from a brilliant trip to Jerusalem with my son, we saw and did some wonderful things and had a wonderful time. No quilting but I did spend time in a bead shop and also saw some wonderful embroidery. My mind is buzzing with inspiration, how about these tiles on the Dome of the Rock for a starting point?

Time to catch up

Well, with the lovely weather we've been having (between very generous showers) I seem to have spent most of this week in either the garden or the greenhouse and not had much time for quilting.
I've also had a lot of time with my scrumptious grandson this week which has been delightful - but I haven't finished his Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt. In fact I was very impressed with myself, I only have the top and bottom border to sew on, they're already pieced and ready to go but I was really tired at that stage and I thought that although it's only two seams I'd be likely to do something wrong and so I stopped sewing for the day, how much self control is that?!!
I did finish my BQL trapunto challenge quiltlet and although I really enjoyed doing it, and would try the technique again, I'm not pleased with the result so won't be putting a picture up (unless it looks a whole lot better once it's washed)!
I seem to have a lot of things to finish off - quilt labels to sew on, borders to handsew etc so I've packed up a bag of projects to take to Norfolk for the holiday weekend. I'm not taking my machine so I won't be able to start anything new - other than at the planning stage, I always have a notebook with me.
I'm off to Israel in just over a week for a holiday with my son. Hoping to get some inspiration for a quilt for him while I'm there. At the moment I've just got a list of what he doesn't want - blue and white but not shades of various blues, definitely not log cabin or pinwheels, not too many blocks, not regular, maybe a central panel with borders...
watch this space.