flowering snowball quilt a long

Remember this blast from the past?

This is a flowering snowball pattern

one that I first spied over at my pal Marys blog

 Well now Mary is having a little flowering snowball quilt a long

and has asked me to share my epp technique.

 I'm rubbish on the machine 

which is why I prefer to hand sew.

And its because of that reason why I like big templates.

Less fuss and quicker to sew!

However if you want to learn how to sew curves with your machine

hop on over to MollyFlanders

she'll see you right!

BIG!

 I used printouts from Marys blog.

To begin with

I scaled up each of the templates to the size I wanted.

For the main template I drew round the printout four times

and stuck them together to make the shape below.

For the other I did the same but just used it twice.

I've drawn lines on my cardboard templates so you understand?

 Tacking down the first piece to its paper template.

When you begin sewing the curves,

I found it helpful to pin the two templates together

at the end and in the middle so you end up with equal amounts of fabric

when you finish.

If you dont do this you could end up over shooting 

which wouldnt work at all!!

 One block.

A few more.

 Finished piecing minus the background and filler squares.

I left the edge papers in place so I could applique
to the back piece.
I cut the excess backing fabric away after
so I could remove the papers.

 Appliquing the top to a polka dot background.

 Finally deciding what colour to fill those holes in.

My first fmq attempt. 

And we're done!

For my tutorial on the basics of english paper piecing click here.

For more pictures of my finished flowering snowball click here.

For Marys flowering snowball quilt a long click here.
I chose to make my quilt in subtle colours
which made a change from the riot of combinations
I had previously used.
*The main fabrics are from sweetwater.

good things come to those that wait...

 Over the weekend I resurrected an old friend.

I'd forgotten how tough hand sewing heavy fabrics is,

I would rather be getting on with my Liberty shell project

but I'm not quite set with the final design.

I started this quilt to use all the old fabric that has lingered here for too long.

Therefore the quantity of fabric I have dictates which one 

gets used next.

I have decided to keep with the rounds,

 I think it already looks like something from a western

so I'm avoiding a cliche star quilt.

Earlier in the year I bought a washable glue pen

with the intent of making my life easier.

Being a traditional girl I have resisted

until now...

Instead of basting my fabric with thread

 I've stuck the template to the fabric as seen in the middle pic.

The glue seems quite a weak solution

I guess so you can wash it out and remove your papers

without difficulty.

I will let you know how it goes.

Anything to save my fingers would be great

especially with these heavy weights!

just me and the bees...

I feel like I need to clear some things up regarding an anonymous (genuine not spam) comment I received today on my joining instagram.

Now that everyman and his dog seems to be blogging

it's all too easy to forget that generally 'we' the bloggers are 

real people with feelings.

The term blog is short for web log

which is short for an online diary.

I am a childless/petless 39er 

who is more often than not in a melancholic state of mind.

I'm not selling anything
I dont make money from blogging

I'm not asking for anything other than your friendship

 (and sometimes your fabric)

so please think before you leave comments

because it will gnaw away at me.

Also please don't tell me to 'not to take it personally'

duh if this was a paper diary you just wrote all over it,

how can I not.

At the end of the day I understand that I am open to your words,

but it is my life

If and when I choose to stop blogging

it will be my choice.

ps. 

Don't hate on me 

I am not a Kardashian 

I'm just me.

Life is far from perfect....just to prove it.

 here's a big heap of weeds

 broad bean plants that should have been planted months ago

reason #badback

 just a small arrangement of the vast amount of plants I raise from seed.

Lets leave this post on a lighter note.

I planted this rambling rose last year.

Its called Veilchenblau

and has an exquisite fragrance

and the bees seem to love it too.

Yay for single open flowering roses!

*other rose is young lycidas

ps. Thankyou all so much for your lovely comments
I'm really not that upset anymore,
sometimes a good vent is whats needed.
I did realise that the comment in question was
someone else venting,
it just didnt need to be aimed at me.

In an effort to move on I have now closed comments on this post xx

so I've joined instagram....

I know for those of you that don't/can't instagram

this post will be a pain.

Firstly before you think shes gone and spent big money on an apple product,

I have not. I was given an old broken iphone

that my husband installed instagram on.

This new pocket buddy of mine is purely for sharing my thoughts and images 

as they happen.

 You can find me here

I shall do my best to keep blogging,

but instagram is well...instant!!

Chatting directly to you all is the fun part too xx