Letting Go of the Reins: A Quilter's Journey into Mystery

Quilting is my therapy, my creative outlet, and usually, my personal challenge. I've always been drawn to the art of designing my own quilts—from creating the pattern to choosing fabrics to sewing each intricate piece together. It's a process that brings both joy and a fair share of stress, but that's the thrill of the creative journey, right?

However, my quilting routine recently took an unexpected turn when I found myself grappling with a new dilemma: letting others take control. For someone who thrives on the challenge of crafting my own designs, it was both liberating and, admittedly, a tad terrifying.

Typically, I steer clear of patterns—not because I don't appreciate the myriad options available, but because I relish the challenge of navigating the creative chaos and finding my own path. Isn't following a pattern, selecting fabrics, and stitching the quilt challenging enough, you ask? Well, yes, it is. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, I couldn't resist the allure of the 2024 Murder Mystery Quilt.

Here's how it works: they provide a colour palette, and each month, a new block arrives along with a chapter of a murder mystery book. All I have to do is select fabrics that fit the palette, sew, and read. It sounded like a quilter's dream—someone else doing the hard work, leaving me with the joy of the craft.

So, is relinquishing control liberating or terrifying? The answer, it seems, lies in the delicate dance between the two.

Liberation Through Creativity: There's a unique joy in allowing someone else to guide the process. Choosing fabrics within a set palette is a delightful challenge on its own. It sparks a different kind of creativity, forcing me to think outside my usual colour schemes and fabric choices. It's a refreshing departure from my usual routine, liberating me from the self-imposed pressure of perfection.

The Element of Mystery: The murder mystery aspect adds an intriguing layer to the process. Each new block brings not only the excitement of stitching but also the anticipation of unraveling the mystery. It's like sewing my way through a gripping novel—one stitch at a time. The element of surprise keeps the creative energy flowing, making each step a revelation.

Terrifying Unknowns: Yet, there's an undeniable fear in not knowing the end result. When you purchase a pattern, you have a visual guide—a picture of the quilt, showcasing how the dark and light fabrics harmonize to create a cohesive design. With the mystery quilt, I'm left to wonder about the final product. Will the colours align with my taste? Will the finished quilt sing for me?

The Verdict: Embracing the Journey: For now, I've chosen to embrace the mystery. The uncertainty adds an element of excitement to the creative process. Will I like the finished product? Will the colour palette resonate with me? Will I successfully solve the mystery? These questions linger in the background, but the joy is in the journey itself.

Quilting has always been about more than just the finished product; it's a labour of love, a dance with creativity. Whether liberating or terrifying, relinquishing control has opened a new chapter in my quilting story—one filled with surprises, challenges, and the joy of going with the flow.

So here's to the unknown, to the liberating terror of creativity, and to enjoying the process, stitch by stitch. After all, isn't that what quilting is all about?

#QuiltingJourney #MysteryQuilt #CreativeChallenge #EmbraceTheUnknown #QuiltingCommunity #StitchingStories #2024MurderMysteryQuilt

My top 5 holiday prep tips.

A little prep goes a long way

I am not really an App kind of person BUT these two I find just so helpful when prepping for holidays.

1.    PackTeo. This App suggests things you might need to pack under various heading eg documents, clothing, hygiene, first aid kit, electronics. You can also put items into the “Carry On Bag” section. There is a packing for children suggestion list too. You can personalise the list by add items to the lists as you think of them leading up to the time of actually packing. As you pack you tick of each item ensuring you leave nothing behind.

2.    Ulmon. Offline maps you can access when travelling. In the weeks leading up to departure you pin all the places of interest you want to visit on the city map. Then you can see the proximity of all the attraction so you can plan each day so you don’t miss a thing. Pin the attraction in each city and you are ready to go. Thank you, Heather, for introducing me to these two Apps.

3.    I like to buy a new scarf/wrap for my trip. The scarf can be a light blanket on the plane, a quick shoulder or head cover when going to a church or mosque or a wrap to jazz up a plain t shirt or little black dress. I tend to buy one with a few colours in it so it goes with everything.

4.    I like to prep my travel handbag early, then it is once less thing to do as the trip gets closer. Now I know everyone has their own idea about what constitutes a good handbag, but I will tell you what I love about mine. It has lots of pockets for starters. I always carry my passport in the outside pocket next to my body when I am at the airport. There are two smaller outside pockets on the other side, the top one always has lip balm, tissues, nail file and a small tube of hand cream. The bottom one has two pens, for filling out all the airport paperwork, and some zip ties for our suitcases. We are zip tie people rather than locks. In the main centre compartment of the bag I have my phone, book and glasses. My bag is starting to look a little worse for wear but as I have not found a replacement for it yet it will be coming with me on my next trip next month.

5.    Sewing of course, I am a patchworker after all. I sew at airports, on plane and trains. I like to take enough hand sewing so that I still have some for the flight home. Choosing the blocks and fabrics and cutting out the pieces can take some time so start early. I take all my blocks laid out in a Jen Kingswell Block Wrap so they are nicely contained and ready to be sewn.  Remember no scissors in your carry on but I have never had a problem with needles or pins.  

I love to travel and have missed it over the last two and a half years. In fact I had sort of forgotten how to prep for travel, writing this blog has reminded me that the prepping and anticipation of travel is half the fun.

Remember to “Travel with open eyes, an open heart and an open mind and you will be reward with unforgettable unique memories and experiences.”

Margaret

Same, same but different.

Really? No.

What do COVID and patchwork have in common????

Here we are in our 3rd year of COVID life, COVID restrictions and COVID same,same.

COVID has taught us how to be flexible, compassionate, and tolerant. But what do COVID and patchwork have in common you ask? Well let me explain.

1.      Reduced food intake.

COVID - one of the symptoms of COVID is nausea, it reduces your food intake.

Patchwork – you can get so involved with a project that before you know it is 4pm and you haven’t had lunch.

2.      Staying at home.

COVID – has kept us all at home for short and long periods over the last 2 years. Some of those stay-at-home periods have been because our government has restricted our movements, others have been self-inflicted to safeguard our health and others have been because unfortunately, we have had a close contact or worst we have had COVID.

Patchwork – when you are really into a sewing project you just want to stay home and sew, sew, sew.

3.      Use what you have at hand.

COVID – at times we have not been able to get to the shops, so we have had to make do with whatever is in the pantry and fridge.

Patchwork – a good size fabric stash came in very handy when the patchwork shops were closed ie using what you have at hand.

4.      Increased energy and enthusiasm.

COVID – in our first and second lockdowns I took the opportunity, and was enthused, to clean out draws and cupboards, wash curtains, do a good “Spring” clean. I really achieved.

Patchwork – at the same time I took the opportunity to finish a few UFO’s, start a couple of, and finish, some new quilts and use up some of my stash.

5.      It is here to stay so we learn to live with it.

COVID – unfortunately I think COVID is here to stay for a bit longer.

Patchwork – once you have the patchwork bug is very hard to shake, if you want to, which I do not. My family has had to learn to live with fabric in various rooms in the house, quilt tops laid out on beds, late dinners because I can’t stop sewing and holidays designed around patchwork shop’s locations. They may complain about it all but they never complain about the finished quilt that suddenly appears on their bed to keep them warm on Winter nights.

As a patchworker I hope you can relate. Happy sewing, stay safe and stay healthy.

Margaret

To press or not to press, that is the question.

To press or not to press, that is the question.

Up until recently I had always thought it was best to press your sewing as you went along. But I think I have been on the wrong track.

I think if you are machine piecing it is a good idea to press as it makes it easier to match up points and seams.

I do a lot of hand piecing and I have only just realised it is best to leave the pressing until the block is finished (a small iron is very handy for this job). If you do this it allows you to spin your seams which reduces the bulk at points. If you are not sure what I mean by this I have included a photo. It also means you can press a seam open if that will give you a better look on the front of the block.

Which brings me to the old rule” always press to the dark side”. A great rule but not always practical. For example if spinning your seams, as mentioned above, you may well be pressing half of the seams to the dark side and half to the light. So there is a decision to be made , stick to a rule or have less bulk and a flatter, crisper block. Sometimes you get a better result, on a straight seam, if you press the seam open.

It really all comes down to minimising bulk and what gives you the best result on the front of the block.

Have a play, see where you sit re press as you go or wait till the block is finished. Whichever you decide remember when it comes to patchwork you are pressing not ironing, ironing can stretch your fabric and thereby change the size of your block, even by only a little but it could be enough to make life difficult when piecing finished blocks together.

We are only a few days to Christmas 2021 and still life and the World is topsy turvy with Covid and it’s latest variant. I hope you have a safe festive time and may 2022 be a year of sewing and creativity.

Margaret

Why is patchwork so popular?

Antique quilt

Why oh why is patchwork so popular.

Very good question. Is there a definitive answer? I don’t know but here are my thoughts.

It was popular years ago because it filled a domestic need, to keep you warm on cold winter’s nights in a home that possible was very drafty. Quilts were made from left over fabric from worn clothes, seed bags etc so cheap to make and all the requirements were on hand. Necessity made it popular.

Fast forward to today. Quilts still fulfil their primary purpose, keep us warm but they do so much more now. We now buy fabric specifically for a quilt, we have access to patterns, batting and sewing machines. So yes we can, if we choose, make them quicker and easier that our for-fathers but why do we still make quilts when we could go out and buy them.

We, like those patchworkers that have gone before us, want to express our creativity. A lot of what we do, on a daily basis, we repeat over and over again eg we wash dirty clothes, hang them on the line, fold them, then they are worn again and need washing again. On and on and on it goes. We make a quilt and it stays made. Our creativity, talent and love is there for all to see. There is a saying “ it’s cheaper than therapy” and yes it is and you have a quilt to comfort you, win, win.

Patchwork is mindful, calming, fulfilling in a time when we all seem to be busy, rushing around chasing our tails. Maybe it’s popularity stems from a need to slow ourselves down, enjoy the moment and be mindful and if anyone asks ”you are sewing” and that is being productive, not wasting time or being self-indulgent. Oh if only they knew how totally self-indulgent half an hours sewing really is, just me and my fabric, priceless.

So why is patchwork so popular? Because it is the perfect self-help, me time, share with like-minded friends craft, that results in a functional item of home decor. Do you think the husband will buy that explanation when I next come home with new fabric to add to my already extensive collection? Probably not but as long as I have the patchwork bug/passion I will continue to make quilts and give quilts because they are beautiful and functional, but most importantly beautiful.

 

Marg

Do I have enough? Just one more?

I recently listened to an American Patchwork and Quilting podcast about how patchworkers travel, and it got me thinking. In the podcast they talked about buying fabric, at your destination, that reflects the destination, about taking sewing with you to do in the car, plane and at the destination and about planning your holiday around quilt shops.

Ahh travel, a thing of the past thanks to COVID but I am hopeful to be able to travel again next year even if only within Australia.

As I have mentioned in a previous blog I have made several quilts about holiday destinations I have been to but there is still a problem I ponder each time I am getting ready to go on holiday, “how much sewing should I take or need?” The last thing I want to happen is to run out of sewing and find myself on a 6 hour train journey and no sewing.

Is the calculation 1 block per day or per week or 1 per plane trip or 1 per train trip. I know what you are saying “you can never have too much so just prep more”. But there is the issue of packing it and keeping it organised when you are packing and unpacking when traveling.

So what do I do? Firstly the calculation very much depends on what sort of a holiday you are going on, but I would usually prep at least one block per day and 2 to 4 for the travel to and from. When we Australian’s travel overseas we are usually on the plane for many hours.

When it comes to packing and keeping it all organised, I have a secret weapon, Jen Kingswell’s Block Wrap, https://www.jenkingwelldesigns.com/jens-block-wrap . It has room to lay out 6 blocks, keeps them tidy and ready to be sewn. As you finish a block take if out and lay out the next block therefore you always have 6 blocks at the ready.  The rest of my block pieces I keep in letter size envelopes, well labelled and held together with a sturdy bulldog clip. Needles, tiny cutter and pins are all in a small needle wallet. I then put all these into a well labelled packing cell, neat, tidy and very easy to find in the suitcase.

I have photos of me sewing in all sorts of holiday destination eg Machu Picchu, Antarctica, Uluru. I have had to go into the hotel laundry to iron my block while staff watched on and I have finger pressed many a block until I could access an iron. It has all been fun and I think of all those experiences and places when I look at the blocks.  

I hope this has given you some ideas for your next trip.

Here’s to travel and prepping our sewing and packing it lovingly ready for the big day, departure day.

Happy sewing wherever you are

Margaret

I sometimes cheat, do you?

I sometimes cheat, do you?

I love tips and hacks that make my life easier, whether it’s cleaning, cooking and especially sewing. I believe if there is an easier way of doing something that gives you the same result embrace it. Is that cheating or just being smart with your time? I think definitely the latter.

I also love patchwork blocks on point, like the one below. I love the different pattern that is created when you flip a block onto it’s point. But there is a little more maths involved in this layout than a straight horizontal layout.

So with that in mind I decided to spend a little bit of time now to save time later. I have created a free downloadable cheat sheet for the set-in-triangles and corner triangles for on-point quilt layouts. I have done the maths from 4-inch blocks to 14-inch blocks.

Head over to the “Cheat Sheets” page, on my website, to download the chart for free, I keep mine in a resource folder as well as on my computer, so it is at hand whether I am at home or on a sewing weekend away.

I hope you find the cheat sheet helpful.

Happy sewing

Margaret

Help the rabbit has got my quilt

Help the rabbit’s got my quilt.

As each of our 3 children approached their 21st birthday I started making them a quilt. I don’t think any of them actually received their quilt on their 21st but that is my MO, start late, finish late.

Our daughter is a Marine Biologist, so her quilt was an under the sea scene. Our youngest son was in the Army loading and unloading aircraft and doing a bit of jumping out of aircraft too so his quilt was called “Props” as it depicted propellors. Our middle child, another boy, was heavily into downhill mountain bike and dirt bike riding so his depicted hills, sky and sandy soil.

I am getting to the rabbit don’t worry. So as they each went their separate ways in life they took their quilts with them, all good they were made to be used. Our middle child partnered, bought a house and yes a rabbit, Storm, and then had a child of his own. So what did the rabbit do you ask. Well the rabbit died when their son was about 18 months old, very sad. Months later I noticed my son’s 21st birthday quilt in his son’s room, I was so happy to see it being used. When I commented on this fact my son and daughter-in-law both went very quiet and looked at the floor. Alarm bells started going off in my head, what have I said to evoke this response, what is wrong with the quilt?

Son finally made eye contact and told me that Storm, the rabbit, had eaten a hole in the quilt. Ok breathe Margaret breathe, it will be fixable, difficult to do considering the design but doable. “How big is the hole” I asked. Again son’s eyes went to the floor “pretty big, it goes all the way through”. I took a deep breath and decided now was not the time to take a look, I needed to get my head around the fact that I may not be able to repair it or if I can it might be very intricate and very time consuming.

So here I am 6 months down the track from that awkward conversation and confession. I have asked for a photo of the quilt damage as we are still in a COVID lockdown and I cannot go and see it in person.

Well the photo arrived. Is it as bad as I had imagined, yes and no. Is it fixable, yes it is but how it will look I don’t really know. I will have to introduce new fabrics as I don’t have any of the fabrics anymore I don’t think.  How am I to attack this repair job. How did one cute, fluffy bunny do so much damage.

With son number two getting married April next year I am busy making a Wedding Ring quilt and I am determined to have it finished for the wedding, I will not be following my usual MO. The repair job might just have to wait until after April, it could be my Winter project.

The lesson to be learnt is; quilts are made to be used and when you use something there is always the potential for damage.  So I will take that deep breath and come to terms with the fact that this might be the first but it will not be the last quilt that I will need to repair.

I will always look at this quilt and think of my son aged 21 on his mountain bike with his mates having the time of their lives but I will also think of Storm, the rabbit, and the love she gave my family and the headache, of a repair job, she has given me.

Wish me luck and patience.

Happy sewing and stay healthy

Margaret

Achieving in lockdown

So, what to sew during an extended lockdown.

I need no excuse to start a new quilt but I love when someone actually gives a me a reason to. We have a family wedding in April next year and my soon to be daughter-in-law has requested a Wedding Ring quilt. I am really enjoying the process of foundation piecing the arcs and have set myself the goal of 4 arcs per day, which of course is very achievable.

So as I started this new quilt I got thinking about the quilts I have made/finished during our previous lockdowns. I have enjoyed doing some relaxing hand piecing as well as some quick machine piecing. I have spent time designing and sewing new blocks as well as visiting some tried-and-true old favourites. One of the big challenges of lockdown, for me, is the fact that the patchwork shops are closed. I know this really shouldn’t be an issue as I do have a large stash of fabric, but you know how it is sometimes you just need a particular colour or design or size print that is not in your stash.

I have found lockdown to be a great time for scrappy quilts. One of the elements of scrap quilts that I really like is fussy cutting centres of blocks, I love getting my grandchildren to find the flowers or animals scattered around the quilt. Talking about grandchildren the pink quilt in the top left corner is my granddaughter’s first quilt, I have called it Pretty in Pink. The free pattern is available on my website and it is a quick and easy quilt to make.

I think I have made about 9 quilts during lockdowns, 7 of which are in the photo above. The blue, black and white quilt, middle top, was a mystery quilt designed by Laundry Basket Quilts, https://www.laundrybasketquilts.com/. I am in a sewing group of 5 so we challenged ourselves to make this quilt during lockdown 1. All 5 look a little different.

Middle row on the left is a panel I bought from Bella Fabrics, https://www.bellafabrics.com.au/, just before lockdown 2. I always like to cut up a panel and challenge myself with the maths of reconstructing it in another way.

The central, yellow quilt is a pattern I bought at a quilt show, ahhh remember them, from Sommerset Cottage, https://www.somersetpatchwork.com.au/. I love the cheeriness of the yellow background. I hand pieced this one and machine quilted it myself using our group’s quilting machine.

Bottom right is a section of my Cross Roads quilt another free pattern on my website. Again a quick and easy scrappy quilt.

The rectangular photos are very scrappy quilts. The bottom one all started with a block designed by Jen Kingwell, https://www.jenkingwelldesigns.com/, Mega Star. I made about 5 of the Mega Star blocks and then started designing my own blocks and the quilt just grew like topsy turvy. From that quilt I jumped into designing blocks for the other quilt, right hand side. This one has blocks named Beach Ball, Towel, Sea Star etc so I just had to name the quilt Summer.

I may be in lockdown but it does not mean I have to be glum or inactive or negative. Lockdown has given me time to finish quilts, start new ones and do some block designing. In years to come these lockdown quilts will comfort and warm family and friends and might even have them thinking about these difficult times and be thankfull that we all got through them.

Happy sewing and stay safe and healthy

Margaret

6 Inspirational Patchwork Shops

It is so important to support our local patchwork shops. There was a time a few years ago when shops were closing because patchworkers were turning to the internet for fabric because the Aus $ was almost equal to the US$. I was guilty but I soon found that the colour was not quite what I thought or the quality was not as good as I would like. There is nothing like touching fabric and auditioning fabric in person.

We are in a COVID lockdown in Melbourne at present and there is nothing like a lockdown to make you appreciate how lucky we are to have great patchwork and quilting shops. I am really missing being able to pop into my local shop, have a chat to the ladies and pick up some new fabrics to play with. I thought I would share with you some shops I like to visit whenever possible.

 Amitie Textiles: 2 hours from home but worth the drive. They have a fantastic range of fabrics, quilt block patterns, sewing projects, yarn and patterns and homewares. And after the long drive their coffee shop is oh so inviting, their cakes, yum.

Bella Fabrics: this one is truly local, I can walk to the shop from home. They have lovely bright fabrics, interesting patchwork patterns, both large and small, books and gifts. They run classes  covering quilting, dressmaking, appliqué, embroidery, EPP, crochet, to name a few.  They also have “sit and sew” two mornings a week, a great way to ensure “me” time in our busy lives.

Nuno Nuno: I am so luck I can walk to this shop too. They have textiles for quilting, clothing, crafting, patterns, haberdashery and handcrafted giftware & accessories. A small shop but very inviting. I love their homewares, they are fresh and a little bit patchworky.

Cutting Cloth: Another bright, fresh Melbourne patchwork shop. They have an extensive range of fabrics, wool, patterns and haberdashery. They also have a large classroom at the back of the shop where they conduct their many classes. Don’t forget to check out their bag pattern range too.

Now I head out of Victoria and spread my wings a bit, something we are not able to do at present but hopefully very soon.

The Patch Works: Hobart, Tasmania. What I love about this shop is that they offer FREE classes to beginners to get them on their patchwork journey. What a great idea, more shops could do this, great PR and you just might have a customer for life.

Den Haan & Wagenmakers: I have really spread my wings for this one, it’s in Amsterdam. My husband found this shop for me when we holidayed there in 2015. The steps up to the front door add to the anticipation. Once inside you are greeted by beautiful fabrics, books and patterns. But there is more, stairs lead to the second floor where you will find quilts lovingly displayed and more fabric.

That is just a small selection of great and inspiring patchwork and quilting shops the world has to offer. I would love to hear about your local shop so when I am able to travel, I might drop in and pick up some fabric to remind me of my adventures.

Two places I am longing to visit are Canada and the USA so please Canadian and American patchworkers help me put together a list of must visit shops for my travels by adding your favourite local shops in the comments.

Happy sewing

Margaret