The Quilt!

For years I've loved quilting shops - the way they display their fabrics, the gorgeous quilts on display and the colours! If only all fabric stores looked liked that, it might inspire more home sewists. But I never thought I'd actually make a quilt. I wasn't sure I had the patience it seemed to require to cut every piece just so, and to keep everything lined up and symmetrical. I know sewing, in general, requires patience and attention to detail, but this seemed one step too far for me.

Until...my brother and sister-in-law shared their happy news that they were expecting their first baby! I could have knitted something for them, but given that this baby has two expert knitters as grandmothers, it seemed pointless. Then, just by coincidence, I discovered this great post on the Miss Make blog. Finally a quilt that didn't have straight lines! I really liked the wonky pieces and the freedom to use any fabric I wanted. So began my search for just the right pieces of fabric that would have meaning for my brother and sister-in-law and would tell a little story. In the end, I got most of my fabric in the UK from Stone Fabrics and Tikki Patchwork, and a few pieces from Sing Mui Heng in Singapore. Given how much time I spent drooling over fabric online, it's a really good thing I didn't have time to visit Stone Fabrics and Tikki Patchwork in person this summer!

The Miss Make tutorial took me as far as finishing the front of the quilt. For the rest, I consulted a good family friend who makes wonderful quilts. I admit I'm being slowly drawn into the quilting world, and may just try my hand at another quilt. I'm just not ready to invest in a free-arm quilting machine yet!