Friday 5 July 2013

Too Hot to Quilt


And that isn't something you hear too often in the UK!

This little owl is my only finish for the week.  I spotted him first here on Jackie's Blog and she got the pattern from here.  I fussy cut the fabric for his head and wings (the other side of the wings is the spotty fabric).  He is supposed to be a pincushion with a pocket for tools, but I can't bear to stick pins in him so he is sitting on my bedside table mostly - just making me smile.


I have made some progress on my cubic hexagons.  I tried to sew them together as they were in the last post, but that didn't work.  Trimming them was going to be a problem though as they really wanted to have sides of 5 and 3/8 inches.  Anyone got a template that size? No? Thought not. 

I ended up printing off a load of paper hexagons the right size and using them as templates.  I had to use lots as I kept slicing off a sliver of paper with the fabric.  Once I thought they had been sliced too much, I just started on another template.


 
 
I also used those templates to cut the white for the border.  As you can see it was a bit of a jigsaw!  Sewing it together was fun (not).  I am officially over hexagons - too many y seams by half.   However I am completely sold on trimming blocks now.  I have never done it before as I didn't want to waste fabric, but it is SO worth it.
 
Having carefully pieced that big white border, I will probably cut it right back now so that the hexies take centre stage.  I am thinking of a dark binding, grey or black?
 
 Does anyone else associate songs with their sewing?  All the time I have been sewing this I have had 'Just an Illusion'  by Imagination going round in my head (and yes, I am that old). 
 
Today is Friday so it is the next stop in the New Blogger blog hop hosted by Plum and June.  It has been so great to be part of this and get to know so many other quilters.  I have followed lots of famous bloggers for years but find it is much easier to build friendships with the newer bloggers.  Today's stars are:

Friday, July 5
Christa @
Christa Quilts!
Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce
Anna @ The Crooked Banana
Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After
Stephanie @
Quarter Incher
Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs
Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness
Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom QuiltsMy Quilt Infatuation and Live a Colourful Life.
 
 Then I'm off to sit in the garden with a cold drink and the telly turned round to show Wimbledon.  Come on Djokovic! (edited to add: That worked, so Come on Murray!)
Ali
 


16 comments:

  1. This is looking great Ali, love it against the white background, really sets off the block colours! :O)

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  2. This is beautiful and so totally worth all your efforts. I think I'm over hexagons without starting, though. I like your owl!

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  3. OMGosh! Owlie is sooo adorable. I may have to make one for me!!!

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  4. Your owl is adorable! No wonder you don't want to stick pins in him. He made me smile too :)

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  5. Your little owl is SOOOO cute! And all the lovely solids of your hexies just make my heart beat a little faster...

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  6. The owl turned out way cute :) Love the fabric! And WOW on the hexi's. Great job piecing those. Yes, I would be totally over them too :) Ha!

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  7. Gorgeous tumbling blocks and the owl is so darling - particularly love his fussy cut head and wings. Wimbledon was just fabulous for words wasn't it?!!! :)

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  8. love your little owl! he is so cute. Also, those tumbling blocks are really awesome! I know they are a lot of work! Thank you so much for sharing at Needle and Thread Thursday!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  9. How does one describe how wonderful the hexie quilt is? You go girl!!!

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  10. ooh does mr. owl have a name? he's adorable :) and wow oh my goodness those hexagons - speechless!!!

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  11. Love your hexie quilt!! I can only imagine how much of a puzzle it to put together but it really is worth it as is very neat! Mr owl is super cute too!!

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  12. Love your owl Ali!
    I'm just south of Gloucester!

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  13. It may be too hot, but you seem to be on a roll! That owl is sweet and your hexi quilt is beautiful. It will look awesome when you get her bound!

    Lorna:)
    http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com

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  14. that little owlie is adorable

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  15. Your cubic hexagons are lovely! Nice to meet you on this hop!

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  16. This is so cool! I love trompe l'œil in anything, but I haven't often seen it in quilts. Also, the color palette is delicious.

    Would you be interested in joining Kollabora, an online makers' community, and posting this to the quilting group? There isn't much on there as yet, and I'm trying to find people with cool projects to fill it with.

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