Quilting the quillow has started!

It's just gone seven and all is quiet.  Soon I'm going to have a cup of coffee and a cinnamon and raisin bagel. One of my weekend luxuries is making the start of the day topsy turvey.  Normally I get up, have a shower, make breakfast and load or unload a machine (washing, dishes etc).  Then I listen to the news, get dressed and then out to work by 7.20am.  At the weekend I still get up at 6am but I come downstairs and indulge myself with whatever project I'm working on. Then after about an hour I make something to eat. After that I go and have my shower.  It's saying to myself "You can get ready when you feel like it - or stay in your jammies all day if you want." (Ultimate luxury)

Today I'll be mainly quilting.  My aim is to finish one of my quillows to show how it is all put together at the next Mavis and Gladys session.  I did two blocks yesterday after returning from painting on the hill.


Ahh - the little strawberry hen has some legs! Knobbly knees!!  Painting on Saturday morning is the best way to start the weekend.  I go in stressed and come out chilled - who could ask for more?  When I eventually get a camera that is better designed for close up work you may be able to see more detail on the pictures.  The hen has little pips painted with a dotty tool - first some inky dots for the shadows and then some dark antique gold for the pips. Unfortunately no camera on earth will be able to compensate for my lack of photography skills....

Alison and I went to Dainty Supplies where I bought some 6oz polyester wadding to make some padding for my cushions.  The welcome cushion I made this week is 21" x 17" so I have folded some 6oz wadding to use as a cushion pad.  Think I might put another layer though - it's a bit skinny.  I'll be using some more to pad out the quillow cushion.  (It'll be constructed a bit like a pillow case so you can take the cushion pad out before washing - cushions never come out the same shape when they've been washed do they?).  I've loved doing the stitchery on the Welcome cushion.  The fabric is painted with my acrylics but with the addition of some fabric painting medium to keep the paint flexible.  It's very effective.  The design is then outlined with back stitch.  In this case I've used green around the letters and the elements of the letters (the carrot and the beehive).  The other bits are darker shades of the paint colours.  I've done a few cushions like this and they wear quite well although I do tend to keep them away from the chairs where the boys sit.

During the week (it's half term so I am a bit more flexible with my time at work), I went to Whitley Bay to visit my lovely and talented friend Barbara at Ring-a-Rosie.  I bought some backing fabric for the quillows and lo! and behold! only three fat quarters managed to find their way into my purchases! I must be getting strict in my old age.  Barbara still keeps some fabrics despite being mainly wool (and what wool!). These are new fabrics - Primitive Gatherings -

Stars and pumpkins on rich deep autumn colours - heaven!

I have only small amounts of housework on my list today as I've been keeping on top of everything during the week so I can quilt until my fingers can take no more. Oh and watch the Canadian Grand Prix too.  Multi-tasking Gladys style!