V&A Quilting Exhibition

On Sunday I went to the V&A with middle sister. We were off to see the quilting exhibition which is on until sometime in July. Sorry to not be more specific.

It is a very lovely exhibition full of items which made me do a slight intake in breath at their intricacy. The exhibition is not too huge, and sister and I are quick exhibition goers, none of this loitering and staring for us...

There are a few pieces which stick in my mind, one is made by a soldier of the tiniest hexagons and is amazing. Another was made by prisoners at Wandsworth prison and is so very moving. I loved the idea of using quilting to get the prisoners to create a community and express their feelings.

But most of all it inspired me to keep on trying with the quilting to push on to finish the second and start a third. And to think of new ways to use them. I would like to make some cushion covers and also to try some new shapes. I have always loved Arabic geometric patterns and think I could acheive some pretty spectacular patterns and colours using quilting. Perhaps this is all for a time when I have less work and more time but it's nice to feel inspired.

It did also make me realise how much happens in London which passes me by. So this weekend J and I plan on going to Tate to see their Rude Britannia exhibition. We shall see if we make it!

Apologies for the lack of pictures, I wasn't sure I was allowed so took the safe option of keeping the camera in my bag!

Quilting Part 2

The leadership debates and bank holiday weekend have allowed me time to crack on with the quilting project I started a while back... The plan is to make two smallish quilts, one for each of my sisters and their new little ones (when they arrive).

So below is number 2, very similar to number 1 but slightly brighter in th greens I used.

And here we have both quilts side by side. I'm pleased with how they turned out and now just need to buy the backing material and sew them all together, for which I shall be using middle sister's sewing maching hopefully next weekend. And then we shall have some finished quilts (fingers crossed) which I will of course show you.

Hope you've been having good and productive long weekends. M x

Quilting - Part 1, half way through

Yesterday I dragged J into central London with me to try and find some fabrics and equipment for making a quilt. As I mentioned a little while back I have decided to try and make two quilts for my new nephews/nieces who are due later this year. After a fruitless search around Soho we headed off to John Lewis and ended up in Liberty. Here I found a treasure trove of quilting paraphenalia all ready to spend too much money on and attempt to make something vaguely quilted. Above is the haul I bought home. With a reel of V&A for Liberty printed fabrics with some great patterned fabrics.

So I set to, measuring, cutting and then hand sewing my squares together. I don't have a sewing machine so needle and thread was the only way forward... And below is my first attempt at quilt number 1! The patterned squares are both the V&A design fabric.

Now I need to purchase the backing and wadding and put it all together to make a finished quilt, hence only being halfway through. And of course to make the next one...