Regaining my Quilting Mojo

I've been very off the pace lately with my stitching - and I've been really missing it. So over the last month or so I've been taking concerted actions to get back behind the machine and moving on.
I started slowly - went to a few quilt events, tried to find some inspiration among the fabric - and low and beyold its starting to reap dividends.

I'm pleased to say that Frida Kahlo is finally finished - and even better it is currently gracing my bed and keeping me warm as the cold weather hits. Of course once I pulled finger it really didn't take that long to do - funny that! It's simply quilted with mostly vertical lines in a verigated red thread.

I'd chosen this thread almost before the quilt was even begun because red thread is a amulet worn in a number of cultures. So it adds another layer of meaning, and protection, to my quilt which is already loaded with protective amulets. If it is to be taken away to university with my daughter then a quilt of protection and motherly love will be just what she requires - of course we are yet to see whether it actually makes it off my bed!  I'm quite pleased with the back too.... if I do say so myself!

As part of the grand plan to get me going I went to my first ever weekend quilt retreat with our Guild and spent a whole weekend sewing, laughing and doing more sewing. It was great and definately got me moving onto my next project - my next kimono fabric quilt.

I started off with the idea of doing nine patch quilts with a off balace cross cut into these with a cream fabrics - my dear quilt friends kindly told me it looked like masking tape.

 

They were right - it caused more laughter, but then I came up with these... I cut very thin strips and stitched them staight over the top with three rows of my exceptionally useful red verigated thread.

Much better. At this stage the plan is that they will be alternated across the quilt with solid blocks of kimono fabric. They need the space I think otherwise it all looks a bit frenetic. Here they are just pinned on top of a few strips of kimono fabric - it was my experiment to get a feel for how it might look.

I'm very pleased with how it is all shaping up - just need to get myself up into that sewing room to keep up the good work.

Thanks for perservering with me and dropping by to see if I am still around - I'll endeavour to keep you posted.....