Wednesday 4 November 2015

Joy

Where is the joy in patchwork for you? Is it the shopping for fabrics? The accuracy of the work? The steady preparation? The reveal of the pattern as the blocks come together? For me it is the using up of scraps. To me, that is what patchwork is all about.That is where I get the joy.



How small are your scraps? I sort mine into boxes which I also glean great joy from too. These little ones are a bit longer than my finger and I was contemplating why I was hoarding them.



The plastic box holds large scraps and the cardboard box holds teeny scraps - enough to get say, one hexi on at a time. I started my eight pointed star quilt on the premise that I couldn't get the lids on the boxes anymore. It is going well, I have made 11 blocks and when they are all together they are quite eye popping. I have a long way to go though. I will need to re cut the solid borders and have another measure up before I decide about backing and binding.



This project has come together quickly because I have used a sewline glue pen to insert the papers - a must have patchwork item in my book. They are from simply solids and eliminate the need to tack all the papers in. You just glue them (it's temporary) and get sewing the actual block, so much more fun.



I also bought my diamond papers from Lina Patchwork. I had custom cut diamonds sent to me in the post and she was the most delightful person to spend my money with. She also sent me a little Chysanthemum kit as a thank you. 




I will now have a new little project to use up all those teeny strips. I wonder if I can find 16 different fabrics in my box for the petals. Now there's a challenge and a whole heap of joy to be had!

Thanks for stopping by. Jo xxxx











10 comments:

  1. The teeny tiny flower is a great idea. I get joy from sorting out my scraps too. I will eventually do a little blog post about my scrappy patchwork. But yours is coming together beautifully. Love those colours. How do you get the papers off if they are glued?

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    1. It is a temporary glue pen. It is waxy, you draw round the papers, fold over the fabric, then it dries and the papers lift out - truly brilliant.

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  2. For me the joy is mostly gathering the fabric. I never seem to get around to make anything with them... but retirement is only 20 years away so there is hope. Love your diamond flower blocks and hurray for glue! x

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  3. It's looking good. :)
    Clare xx

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  4. How satisfying to use up your scraps. What beautiful work, I wouldn't have the patience for quilting.

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  5. I have been collecting small pieces of fabric for over ten years with the goal of hand stitching a patchwork quilt, but so far have only hand stitched a nine patch pillow. I dread the cutting of the material, but have been reading more about paper piecing and am wondering if that method would work better for me. The fabric glue pen sounds very helpful. Thanks for posting, Jo! xx

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  6. Oh, this is lovely, Jo! I also like working with scraps, both of yarn and of fabric. It is more challenging and you are (usually) pleasantly surprised by the result.
    Amalia
    xo

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  7. Those stars are beautiful! And I couldn't agree more about the sorting--I love me a good bit of order, and it looks like you do, too! :) xoxo

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  8. How beautiful, Jo! Wow, I love everything about it. I'm very much into the process of creating patchwork myself. I really love choosing fabrics, cutting them, sorting the pieces, laying them out in patterns - it's just so much fun and so peaceful and happy-making for me.

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  9. I'be just spent a happy evening paper piecing hexagons using leftover scraps. I agree that it us immensely satisfying. I also cut my own paper hexagons from waste heavy paper. I hope I can keep going with this for a bit, it is very slow going but I would love to have enough make a hexagon flower quilt. I may have to invest in ready cut papers and possibly even a glue pen if I'm ever to achieve my goal!

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