Something new, something old

A new sewing bag

made using a new pattern (designed by L'Uccello  and bought on my April visit to Melbourne)

...and old fabric from the stash. The large floral is 'Bon Voyage' from French General - not that old really as it is still available online.

pattern from L'Uccello 

It was not a quick project but the trouble taken was well worth it in the detail and the finish. 

First there was the sandwiching and individual quilting of the panels - just using the machine walking foot. It's been a while since I've done any machine quilting but not difficult with these relatively small pieces.

Then preparing piping and binding

Something old - recycled belt loops for handle hardware. I didn't have four the same but two different pairs did the job fine:

Binding the seams for a neat finish - just like the edges of a quilt:

The pattern called for some ribbon to decorate internal pockets. I had nothing suitable, but I did have something that might do - something very old lurking in the sewing cabinet:

...so I finally put them to good use (it had to happen one day didn't it? ) - an old technique but a good one

I love the detail in this pattern - reminds me of the old days of dress making in my heady youth! 

The base is stiffened with template plastic so the whole thing is washable. That's if it ever gets dirty - and I'd have to use it first to get it dirty wouldn't I? At the moment it's far too 'good' to use haha! Give it a week or two and no doubt I'll have forgotten the pain of labour and be dragging it around like my old sewing bags...

Something else that is new and my most favourite book of the moment - 'Meanderings of a Quilt Collector' by Jane Lury. She had some of her collection on display at Pour L'Amour du Fil in Nantes this year - how wonderful it must have been to view them. But the book does not disappoint - so many superb quilts. In fact I'm convinced she had my taste in mind when she collected. 

I ordered the book from Quiltmania online and it arrived virtually overnight. How is that even possible to Australia? It is a large book and fairly pricey but is superb quality, includes three patterns, and is well worth it IMHO. 

  

And this is my favourite quilt in the whole book - and has inspired a quilt of my own. As you can see by the graph paper and sketches the planning has started.

What do I love about the quilt? 

• the sense of movement in the wreaths and baskets
• the rather random placement of lengths of vine and applique stars
• the surprising element of a patched plaid border amongst a delicate design, and it works so well
• the massive amount of applique (as you might know, I do love applique!)

The quilt in the planning won't be a copy or reproduction of this lovely 1840's English coverlet, but it will be inspired by it and borrow major elements. It needs a name so I'm going for Posies and Plaid since it is all about flowers and has that plaid border. 

And for something 'old' I am trying to use fabrics from my stash - some desperately need to be used before they reach antique status. Here's an idea I'm toying with -  cream background and green plaids with an old English-looking blowsy floral in the middle. And there's clearly room for some purple in there - not a colour I commonly use but doesn't it look lush in this old floral line by Windham (Remember Me by Mary Koval) ? 

On this quilt I'd like challenge myself to mix some modern fabric lines in with the reproductions but not sure how I'll go with that...hard to teach an old girl new tricks!

OK, back to the drawing board...