The Wool Palace

Migratory behaviour

March is my month in the FQR Bumbling Honeys Bee, so I thought I'd do a post about the block I would like my lovely bee mates to make for me.

I was going to ask people to make random arrangements of flying geese, but then I saw Charlotte's Migration block tutorial and knew that it would be perfect.

I'll be sending out a selection of teal, orange, grey and black fabrics

and a mix of low volume for the background.

If you get either of the two fabrics shown on the left in your envelope, please use them in reverse, as shown on the right, ie wrong side up, as otherwise they are a little dark for my low volume scheme.

I will do most of the cutting for you, as I am doing this all from stash so need to make sure that I have enough fabric.  And trust me, there is a lot of cutting!

 

 

 

I will send enough fabric for two blocks.  The blocks are quite large at 16 in square, but I'm hoping that as most of the cutting is being done for you, it will be manageable.  Of course, if it is an issue for anyone, then just send back the fabric and I will make up the blocks myself.

Any questions, just let me know.  I'm excited about this quilt!

 

 

 

Wouldn't it be fab to go?  Toby says, sure, no problem, as long as he can go climbing in the Dolomites.

Maybe if we win the lottery...

Scooby Doo

I love the extra time half term brings.  The children are past the age of needing to be taken out on trips, and they can usually get themselves out and about if they do decide to emerge from their pits bedrooms.  This leaves me free to enjoy a more leisurely morning routine and plenty of time to mess around with fabric.  The downside is that when I do venture out of the house, I invariably realise, too late, that I am covered in thread, but hey, I can live with that.

I've been on a bit of a spring cleaning tip with my sewing this week; trying to finish up current projects and clear the decks for some new ideas.  Yesterday I tackled my scraps.

It took some doing but after several hours I was covered in thread (again) and I had the luscious pile of selvedges you see above, and my scrap boxes looked lovely and neat.

 

Large bits all folded neatly and smaller squares and strips all tucked away nicely in ziplock bags.  Of course, I forgot to take a before shot, so you will have to trust me when I say this is a HUGE improvement.

And last but by no means least, I have a mountain of strings.

Photo bombing cat for scale.

I know I'm meant to be finishing things, but I definitely have plans for these!

Rocky road

It's been tough times at The Wool Palace over the last few months.  I have had to watch both my children go through terrible pain, one dealing with emergency surgery and post op complications and the other with some pretty major mental health issues.  Physical injuries heal quickly on young bodies, but the road to mental health is a long one and it's been a dark and scary time for all of us.

Things are by no means back to 'normal', indeed I think we will have to find a new 'normal', but there are signs of recovery and I can allow myself to relax a little.

I found myself wanting to make a quiet quilt, with not too much going on in it. 

I chose Kona solids in 4 main neutral colours - Oyster, Putty, Parchment and Ash.  I cut strips and improv pieced them into various squares and rectangles and added in little bits of a few other neutrals for variety.  I pieced them all together, then put in a couple of lines of flying geese for some extra interest.

I'm very happy with how it turned out - it looks pretty much like the picture I had in my head, which is always good.  I am mulling over quilting and backing options at the moment, so it may be a while before it is completely done.

I'm working on something a little brighter now, which I hope is a sign of good things to come.