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Thursday, 9 May 2013

Bee blocks & more FMQ practice

I enjoy being in a Bee but I do feel the pressure of getting my blocks done and dusted asap.  These are April's blocks for Kate, and are called Converging Corners - here is the link to the online tutorial.

Kate wanted to use up scraps from a green quilt she had been making so here are my 2 blocks:
converging corners quilt bee blockconverging corners quilt bee block
 Apologies for the big creases running down the middle - I had packaged them up for sending before remembering that I hadn't taken a photo!

I have also been having another go at FMQ - this time a paisley / clam shell type design:
FMQ beginner practise
One of the things that I am finding hard is keeping the shapes big - I thought it would be harder to do smaller shapes but actually it's the other way around.

Still lots of things on the back burner - Pervalong, Amelia dress, my PP'd February block that I need to knuckle down and do.  I have half the binding machined down on my daughter's Dolce quilt so hopefully that will be a nice thing to hand sew in the evening once I get the other half machined on.

I have also been doing a lot more reading recently.  Earlier this year I read Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, which is just a superb book.  I think Bring up the Bodies has just come out in paperback so I am going to get that one to carry on the story.

wolf hall hilary mantel book groupbring up the bodies hilary mantel book group 
Another good book I read this month was The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh - little spoilt girl gets sent to South Africa - another good read.
fever tree jennifer mcveigh book group
Any book recommendations gratefully received!  I am getting to the point where I am too old to waste my time with rubbish books.  I only have time for good ones!

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11 comments:

  1. Charlotte9 May 2013 at 04:12

    I know what you mean about FMQ. I always end up doing teeny stippling!

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  2. Nathalie9 May 2013 at 04:44

    Have you read Light between Oceans (Stedman)? I loved that book. I completely agree that we don't have time for rubbish books anymore.

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  3. Chris Dodsley @made by ChrissieD9 May 2013 at 05:31

    The phrase 'Duck to Water' springs to mind when it comes to your fmq'ing! Can't agree with you though on 'Wolf Hall'. I read it years ago, the moment it was published - I was crazy wanting to get my hands on it because Wolf Hall is in the village where I live in England, the Seymours are from there and buried in our village church - but the book really disappointed me, I couldn't bear Mantel's overuse of pronouns, turning back through the pages to try to calculate who was speaking when, it drove me to distraction. I'm interested to hear what you think of 'Bring Up The Bodies' and if I should give Mantel another go! :)

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  4. moira9 May 2013 at 05:42

    omg your fmq is gorgeous!

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  5. Celtic Thistle9 May 2013 at 05:58

    I can't imagine why you were worried about fmq'ing Gertie you are a natural!

    Got to agree with Chrissie on Wolf Hall. Bring up the Bodies is gathering dust on my bedside table whilst I work up the nerve to try it.

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  6. Joanne9 May 2013 at 08:29

    Your fmq is brilliant! I know what you mean about too small, when I tried just a stipple, I kept feeling like I had to fill up all the space and it was denser than I wanted!
    I'm reading Clare Balding's book, My animals and other Family. It a good easy read.

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  7. Pippa Parsons9 May 2013 at 13:32

    ohhhh gorgeous FMQ, its fab but yes I struggle to go big lol :)

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  8. QuiltCandy10 May 2013 at 12:01

    Your FMQ is gorgeous! You have taken to it so well. Not attempted Wolf Hall partly due to the fact that it resembles the Bible in size and partly due to some bad reviews, including my dear friend Chrissie D's! I would recommend 'The Help' by Katherine Stockett and anything by Sarah Waters :-)

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  9. Sarah11 May 2013 at 05:45

    Yeah, like all above said, your fmq skills are MAD! I find my small stippling is much more neat and even too. I think I feel out of control if I'm going bigger. I haven't read any of those books so I shall have to check out if our library can get them for me. Have you read The Help? I loved it.

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  10. Di11 May 2013 at 13:26

    You have definitely got the FMQ gene. You are going great guns. Di x

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  11. Allison21 May 2013 at 17:15

    your FMQ is great! I find if I start big, I have a tendency to get smaller as I go along :)

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