So, if you haven't already, this week we need to:
- choose a quilt design
- get your materials
- get your fabric (which as we all know is, like, the BEST bit!)
It's pretty hard to resist the gorgeous girlie embroideries in the book, but I've decided to do a boy's quilt - you could do a gender neutral one too, and pick greens and yellows - and the pictures that you like the best from each quilt. But I'm getting ahead of myself - one quilt at a time!
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| "And everything nice" quilt - photo from book shown with Kristyne's consent |
If you want to do your own ABC embroideries, don't feel constrained by the book designs - do your own. That would be awesome (I'm not that talented!). Lucy - I'm looking at you!
I got my materials from Spotlight - cheap and cheerful - one 4" wooden embroidery ring (it was a couple of dollars) and a marking pen. I got one that air fades - so I can't mark up my embroideries in advance. You might want to chose one that's more permanent. The book has some ideas on marking pens.
As for embroidery floss - I have a box of bits and bobs that Mother gave me years ago. It is mainly DMC and Anchor. I have just chosen some colours I like - mainly blues, oranges and browns, with some touches of brighter colours. If you want more specific guidelines, the book has specific floss details for each quilt.
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| Boy thread colours. Brown is okay, really. |
I've decided on a different quilt pattern than in the book - I'm going to trim each block back to 4.5" square and border it with 2.5" strips to make a 8.5" finished blocks. I'm going to alternate blue and orange prints. Who knows what it will look like when it's finished - but it's best not to agonise over these things or you will never get started.
Here are my six prints all cut up and ready to go - I don't want to be cutting once I'm back at work, so I've done it now. For my embroidery fabric I've picked a white on white dot, for a bit of texture. If you get a yard of your embroidery fabric, that will be heaps - you will be cutting 30 blocks 6" square.
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| Robots, zig zags, man stuff. |
- 30 blocks 6" square of my white on white fabric for the embroidery (standard quilting cotton)
- 60 strips 2.5" wide x 4.5" long (various colours)
- 60 strips 2.5' wide x 8.5" long (various colours)
This should yield one quilt 40" wide x 48" long. When I've sewn it up, I may add some borders. We will see what it looks like.
So I'm pretty much ready to go - you don't actually need much stuff which is a pleasant surprise!
Go to it, quilty friends. We'll link up next Sunday and you can show us what you've chosen. The following week we will find out if I can embroider or if the whole thing needs to be cancelled because my block is too ugly to show (just kidding - you'll see it warts and all!).
Is there anything I've missed that you think I should mention? Let me know. And don't forget to visit Kristyne's blog - but don't blame me if you explode from the gorgeousness of it all. Just saying.
Is there anything I've missed that you think I should mention? Let me know. And don't forget to visit Kristyne's blog - but don't blame me if you explode from the gorgeousness of it all. Just saying.
*so excited*
PS - Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is having a great giveaway - you should pop over and have a look (except know that I'm going to win, okay).
Linking up at Sew Many Ways - Sew Crafty.
PS - Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is having a great giveaway - you should pop over and have a look (except know that I'm going to win, okay).
Linking up at Sew Many Ways - Sew Crafty.
13 comments:
Such fun! I'm just going to watch like a weird stalker haha because I'm not big on embroidery. But I think it is important to have someone on the sideline to raise a glass and celebrate each little milestone along the way. I'll make sure the wine rack is fully loaded ;-)
still waiting for my book to arrive but thanks for the tips on how much fabric is needed - I can start gathering my supplies :-)
Hi I decided to join couldnt wait so I just ordered via Kindle for my iPad so hope that works but there are copies in Australia by mail order if that is not so easy to use.
I like the fabrics you've got going on for a boy! So cute!
:) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
I am very tempted to order the book and join. How big are the quilts?
Ooooh it's beginning! Looking forward to seeing the results!
I ordered the book from Connecting Threads is was half price!
What a great idea. That quilt is adorable!
I'm in! I'll wait until after my birthday to order the book, just in case, but when you mentioned robots I remembered that I have a set I fat quarters and strips that would be perfect for this quit - embroidery on dark grey, here I come (my nephew is being born in November, but he'll get his quilt a bit late I think)
Sarah
off to a great start! I like your color selection and those bots are dang cute. =) best of luck, group leader!
I'd love to join in ABC quilt along, thank you so much for starting it, it just the project I need to fill the gap at the mo. Eggs xx
Really don't appreciate blogs that make me impulse buy - but how could I resist this? Love it. I'm in. Thanks for getting this going.
I LOVE this idea!!! I have bought the book (which I adore) a while ago, have cut out all my fabric already, done about four squares, and lost the ooomph!!! I would love to be involved in this, doing a square a week. They are truly teensy wee squares with a very small amount of easy embroidery - absolutely perfect if you're a beginner or never done embroidery before. It's so satisfying to see them finished!
thanks for doing something like this :)
Barb from UK (really from New Zealand, but living her until January) hmmm must get a move on and finish this quilt before I have to pack up and move home!
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