Phew! What a week

Last week I commented on a coming heat wave, thinking I was probably putting the scuppers on it, but it certainly arrived.  Although I longed for some sun, it has been very warm here so plenty of excuses to sit in the shade and do something undemanding, physically undemanding that is.

Last Friday I registered for the next Module in my City and Guilds Creative Quiltmaking course - and my heart sank a little when I saw it was nearly wholly devoted to patchwork, which is not really my 'thing'.  However not one to be put off by a challenge I used a couple of templates to create these little pieces of mosaic patchwork using the traditional English paper piecing (See how I can throw in all this jargon now).

Although quite fiddly I enjoyed sewing these and rather liked the tiny hexagons, there was an even smaller template, but I think this is small enough for me.

As I have to produce a small patchwork mosaic I had to choose a colour scheme.  I must say that the Keshalls' course gives their students a wonderful free choice of subject matter, so I chose a photomontage that I had made from one of my orchid photographs as my starting point and gathered together some fabric swatches.  I even had another dyeing session as I was a bit short of greens.

I used Koh-i-noor intense watercolours and Inktense pencils for the colour

It was then time to choose what shape and size of patches to use.

I went for the triangles, and as you can see I have made a start on them.  I sat in the garden stitching some of them one afternoon.  It doesn't take long to accumulate a little stash.

When I got bored I started stitching them together - my stitches are about as even as I can get them at about 1mm apart.

I am aiming to make a sample about A4 size - I don't think I would want to tackle anything larger with this size patch.  I can also feel the unaccustomed exercise in my fingers and wrists. You have to grip them quite hard to get the needle though the layers. I am hoping to watch some of the Olympic opening ceremony this evening which will be an ideal time to create some more triangles, unless it is so good I can't take my eyes of the screen.*

I thought I would also take this opportunity to share a couple of  A4 sketchbook pages done in the garden this week.

The shield bug was very obliging and landed on my page.

I'm off to the Isle of Wight for a few days next week to visit my dad,  leaving Marvin the cat to look after Mr T (or is it the other way round?). I have also booked my ticket for the Festival of Quilts on Thursday 16th of August.  Will any of you be there?  I'm especially looking forward to seeing some of the Kemshalls' work - I have never been before.

Well that's me done for the week, and I guess I have managed to achieve quite a bit - but it has been much too hot for gardening or housework!

I hope you have a great weekend and I will see you soon - and it is August next week, new calendar page needed.

Jill

*Footnote: I stayed up to watch Danny Boyle's Olympic opening ceremony and I didn't take my eyes off the screen, it was that good, so no more triangles, yet.