An overdue thankyou!

 I have been thoroughly spoilt this winter,

words fail me...the generosity of online folk is astounding!

I do of course participate in the giving...

but always feel like I get way more in return!!

So a big thank you to..

 Mary aka MollyFlanders

 Susan aka Patchwork n Play

 and AdaBea aka VintageSheetAddict

I really cant thank you ladies enough

you spoil me xxx

optimism and a new year

 Hello dear readers and a happy new year!

Its been a while hasn't it?

I've been lost in the world of instagram,

which I know annoys some,

so I shall try to stop by here at least once a week.

To be truthful I needed a break from the blog,

I do find blogging sucks up so much of my time,

and with instagram I can find more time to be creative

with a needle and less keyboard action.

I feel 2015 is a year for optimism,

I've languished too long in the land of 'what ifs'.

So less self deprecation

and a little more unashamed cheering!

Clare xxx

firecracker quilt reveal

 This must be some kind of record for me

three quilt reveals in one year?!

My camera does not like red

apologies if my pictures burn your retinas!

Enjoy...you know the protocol..

 The juicy bits.

Firstly I'm shocked that I finished this all in one year

especially as its hand pieced and hand quilted!

This quilt began after I had a purge on all my scrap fabrics.

Some how I had all these heavy woven fabrics

rather than throw them out I decided to make something from nothing.

The red and the cream were given to me by my Mum (as they do).

The denim was a skirt that I ripped.
The turquoise was a curtain from my last home.

The navy floral was a junk shop find

and the stripes came from another quilt back.

The quilt backing is a vintage sheet from the same junk shop.

Quilt measurements 75" x 60" 

diamonds 8" at the widest point. 

Quilted with cream anchor perle cotton 8.

I quilted lines that exploded out from the middle star

to add extra fireiness.

Lastly the name.

I soon realised as I began this quilt that I was going to keep it 

red white and blue.

As my birthday was a big one this year

I started to call it my celebration quilt.

But then my friend Mary

told me that people whose birthdays fall near July 4th

are called lil firecrackers.

And so I found the perfect name!!!

ps. this quilt is so heavy...man!

back in the hoop

 For a couple of weeks now I've been 

quilting quilting quilting!!

I first hand basted the quilt sandwich with my favourite
heirloom 80/20 cotton blend wadding

and a perfect vintage sheet from my stash.

I find it works well to roll my quilt like a scroll when I'm basting

so I'm not distorting the layers by kneeling on them.

 Painted that wall mustard in summer!

 I have returned to the hoop.

I was a renegade for awhile...that was until

I realised it was okay to have more than one thread on the go!

I'm also using masking tape to guide my lines,

I'm not looking for perfect spacing

but straight lines are a must for this quilt.

 Multi threads (Lucy!)

I have chosen to exaggerate the explosiveness of the design

with the perle cotton 8 

I hope I made the right decision.

It reminds me of that White Stripes

Seven nations army video.

four cornered firecracker

What a perfect day for a quilt shoot!

This is my english paper pieced firecracker quilt top.

As its a heavy doodeee piece I was worried the quilting may be tough.

But no worries, this little sample was easy enough.

I have found the perfect backing

from my stash (of course)

Its a vintage sheet

not one of those soft over washed ones

but quite a heavy draped one....

love it when a plan comes together

especially without leaving the house!

The wadding is 80/20 cotton blend which I get from the cotton patch.

And the animation was made at gifmaker.me

summer exhibition

  Autumn is in the air today

lets look back to my mini exhibition

in my garden!

Can you spot the falling quilt?

Celebration, firecracker or magic carpet?

 Wow its been awhile since I've shared any progress of this project.

Another quilt made entirely from scraps,

this time I'm using heavy duty fabrics.

 I had been putting off making the corners of this quilt,

but I've done it, no biggie!

 As I mentioned this quilt is entirely made with remnants,

so I stumbled for a while trying to find the last piece.

I tried the floral above, but found it lacking the punch.

 So I stuck with a solid heavy canvas

which adds more strength!

I still have some way to go...

as they say...'Rome wasn't built in a day'!

And so to the name?

It began as a celebration quilt but then my pal Mary 

said that my birthday in July made me a lil firecracker....

..but now I think it looks like a magic carpet!!