Monday, October 21, 2013

A Ruby Quilt Finish & a Catch Up!

It's been a while since I posted; life has been a bit chaotic around here in the last month, and I have not been well for the last couple of weeks after a horrible allergic reaction to some medication which landed me in A&E, and left me very shaky. I have managed a small bit of sewing, but apart from snapping pictures of what I was working on and posting them on Instagram, I haven't been able to manage to find the time to blog, or even to read my friends' blogs - something which I'm hoping to rectify tonight with a big catch up! You'll know that I really have not been myself when I tell you that I finished this Ruby quilt on the 2nd October - 3 weeks ago, and am only sharing it with you here today. I think that might be some kind of record for me - normally I am out taking photos of a finished quilt as soon as it comes out of the dryer.

So here she is, though, and I think she was worth the wait - my Ruby quilt! 



I really, really love her and she is getting lots of use. I've made so many quilts for other people this year, its nice to keep one for myself. I used the Crazy Nine Patch Lattice tutorial from Oh, Fransson! for this one, sizing it up to a nice generous lap size of 56" x 72". It uses a Ruby layer cake, plus 3 extra squares I took from my Bliss scraps, plus Klona white. The blocks are 8" finished.

The colours are a bit dull in the top picture, thanks to a very grey Irish October, but you get a better idea of the vibrancy of the fabric in the next one.




I didn't manage to get a good picture of the back as both times I tried, it started lashing rain as soon as I got the quilt hung. This is the best I could get:


 


The back is a print from Aneela Hoey's Walk in the Woods line, and I really love how it works so well with the front of the quilt. I had 2 blocks left over, so I pieced them into the back. I rarely make a pieced back but I'm so glad I made the effort here, the 2 blocks look so nice pieced into the grey.


 It's quilted with a meandering stipple. After the previous quilt I made, which was extremely difficult to quilt with problems with skipped stitches etc, I was dreading quilting this one. But this was as easy and fun as the previous one was difficult. I flew through it and was done before I knew it. I pin basted this, as I wondered if my basting glue was one of the issues I had the last time - it had got a bit old and not as sticky, so I had to use bigger quantities - and I have to say I loved not having all that sticky glue on the edges etc. I think I'm going back to pin basting now.


As I said, this quilt is getting lots of use and is permanently in residence on our sofa. I might be guilty of hogging it myself quite a bit!

I'll catch up on Wednesday on other projects I have in progress at the moment. I'm back to work after maternity leave on Thursday. Eeek. I've been gone for a whole year, as I was out sick on bed rest for the last 3 months of my pregnancy, so it will be a big shock to the system to have to go to work again - I hope I manage to fit in some sewing before collapsing into bed in the evenings. Wish me luck!



12 comments:

Lucy | Charm About You said...

A beautiful quilt! Hope you're feeling much better and good luck with the return to work!

Leanne said...

I love your quilt, it is so pretty and cheerful. I hope that you have licked the recent problem and that you will have a gentle return to work.

Anonymous said...

Lovely lovely quilt! I wish I have those colours. Get well soon and good luck with the work!

Lynda said...

Oh Fransson has great patterns, I am currently making New Wave quilts, so easy and quick to put together. Your quilt is a great quilt to be used for a very long time - don't you love it when you have no issues using a quilt.

Cheryl said...

Such a beautiful quilt! Ruby is my all time favorite fabric collection, I still have a layer cake I am hoarding for that perfect project.

Katy Cameron said...

Urgh, sorry you've had a crappy few weeks, hope you're all better for your return to the grind on Thursday!

Love the quilt anyway :o)

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Talk about adding insult to injury, having to go back to work!!! Good luck xxx

The quilt is beautiful; make the most of the snuggle time xxx

Judith, Belfast said...

Aw chick, what a rough time of it you've had lately! I hope the return to work isn't too daunting. Be gentle on yourself, and lots of evening snuggles under your beautiful quilt. Jxo

Lorna McMahon said...

Sweet and scrappy! Love the improve style and happy colours!

Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts said...

Oh I'm sorry :( I hope you're all better now! But what a fabulous quilt to cheer you up! I love the wonky nine-patch contrasting with the clean, neat lines of the lattice!

Shirley said...

Glad you are feeling better! The quilt is so pretty and the extra effort on the back was worth it! Beautiful! Still have my Ruby fat quarters waiting for the perfect pattern!

pandchintz said...

Such a lovely quilt!! Hope you're feeling much better very soon.....and all the best for going back to work...you're right - eek!! Fingers crossed!