A new addiction ?

I think I have found a good way to relax in the evening when I'm back from work, when I have finished working on the renovation or in between two coats of paint.

Making hexagons is definitely very addictive and fun.

What am I going to do with them ???

After some hesitation and the desire of starting a quilt from Brigitte Giblin's book, I have decided to use them to turn an old UFO into a quilt.

I have 5 star-in-a-square blocks.  (On the photo two blocks are completely finished)

So I am thinking of making a medallion quilt with alternate appliqué blocks. This will be the center.

Then, I will have hundreds of hexagons for the borders... I might even make fkying geese or something else. I will decide what to do on the design wall as I go...

I will only use Japanese fabric scraps from my stash.

Fine cotton fabrics....

... as well as textured  fabrics...

This will be my very first personal creation... and I hope this is not another step into UFO land...

I made a plastic template to cut the fabric to size and I baste without piercing the cardboard.

This is new for me but I got the right rythm very quickly after just a few hexagons.

This is perfect for when I cannot work in my workshop and have only half an hour ahead of me while some paint is drying ;-)

Until later,

My Cottage Sewing Box

My house is completely upside down and I am very happy to have put aside some of my quilting stuff.  Because I had access to it,  I have  managed to finish my Cottage Sewing Box.

Do you remember the class I attended with Reiko Kato a month ago ? This class was to make this lovely box. I am really happy to have finished it! As usual with Reiko's creations, it needs some attention but worth the time spent making it, in mho.

It is now stored away with the other Reiko Kato quilted objects I made... until I can once again display them in the house.

The renovation is going well... Thank you all for your good wishes ;-)

Until later,

Edit  19/05/2012 :

I have decided to take off the decorative country stitches on each side of the roof  for a neat finish. I prefer it this way ;-)

 Here are the photos :

3 fantastic books and a bit of frustration in the coming months...

Today, I'd like to show you the three books I have on my nightstand. They are all VERY inspiring.

This book by Annette Gero is a real treasure : stunning photos, never before seen quilts, full of information about Australian patchwork quilts from convict times to 1960.
It also has patterns of 29 of the heritage quilts designed by Kim McLean. It is definitely a must-have!

This book by  Brigitte Giblin is also very inspiring with many reinterpreted traditional quilts. The exhibition in Nantes was wonderful and I keep looking at the quilts in the book. Some of them have made their entry in my to-do list ;-)

 And finally Kathy Doughty's book. Not only are the quilts amazing but the book is also filled with tips about color, designing a quilt and many stories about the birth of each quilt.

I made the Sunburst block in class with Kathy. This will be a small wall hanging. I will next make the big Sunburst quilt. I also dream of making the quilt on the cover.

As I mentioned in the title, I am a bit frustrated these days. All my quilting stuff has been packed 10 days ago because I have started a major home renovation. So there are piles of boxes everywhere and I have neither space nor time for any quilting or stitching these days... and it's going to last a little while. Not mentioning the dust and noise!! As I am doing part of it myself,  I know that most of my summer vacation will be spent painting!!! It is fun though and very nice to do the last part of my house renovation and to know that it is going to be just as I dreamt it would be.

Yet, I'll try to get some sewing done when I feel like it. So, my plan this weekend is to sort a few WIPs  and store them with my sewing basics into one box I can have access to and if I have still some energy in the evening, I'll grab my fabrics and needles.

I will not be posting a lot in the coming months but will be reading your blogs from time to time. And if I manage to have a few blocks finished, I'll post a few photos.

Until later,