Rainy days and quilts

The weather has turned miserable again in Cornwall, one minute we have blue skies, the next torrential rain.  Although I really need to get on with cutting down and pulling out things in my garden, frankly it's too flipping cold.  Yes, I am a fair weather gardener.  I was also hoping to get out for a walk on the beach, but again rain stops play, so indoor pursuits it is.

Like many quilters, crafters, dressmakers, ragruggers etc. I have a room full of UFO's - unfinished objects.  So many in fact I can't decide which one to get on with, the picnic quilt I'm making out of my sons old jeans, the Australian fabric quilt/bag/or something else that I can't make up my mind about.  None of them are floating my boat at the moment, but I really can't start something new.......can I?

I have come very late in life to anything that involves sewing.  My mother was a tailor and dressmaker and made beautiful clothes, she tried to get me interested but I was having none of it.  I was a tomboy and didn't want to wear the beautiful dresses she made for me.  I never even learnt  to sew on a button as I would just get my mum to do it for me.

A few years ago however I decided to join a quilting group, I don't know why as I didn't know a quilt from a tablecloth, but I went along a loved it.  I'm not one for straight lines and perfect cutting, I admire people who are, but I don't have the patience, if I had to rip something out to do it again, I would lose interest.  I also want to make things that are going to be used everyday and not just looked at.  My quilts include new fabric, but I try to use as much recycled fabric as possible, especially clothing from my family.  I look at the quilts and remember my boys wearing those shirts or shorts that have been cut up and included. They are a mixture of hand/machine pieced and quilted.

I thought I would share some of my favourite quilts I have made over the last few years.  Perhaps it will inspire more people to join the world of patchwork and quilting.  If I can do it anyone can.

                                    This cot quilt was made for our granddaughter

I started making this for my son when he lived at home. It took me so long he moved out before I finished it.  So it became a house warming present, he uses it as a throw over a chair he doesn't like the colour of.

                           I wanted a little hand stitching project I could take out and about, I really enjoyed                    
                                                                 making this.

This quilt is very special to me.  When my dad died I had the difficult task of clearing his house.  I kept one of his shirts to include in a quilt.  I also included my partners, sons and one of my shirts, it is my memory quilt.  When I'm poorly I wrap this around me and its like having their arms around me.

The first big quilt I made for our bed, we then changed the colour of the room and bought a bigger          bed!

The King size quilt for our new bed, I wanted it to have a 'retro' feel to it.  When I cleared my parents house I found fabric left over from my mums dressmaking so have included it in this quilt.

A dear friend was moving away, far away!! so I wanted to make something to remind her of Cornwall, and guess what her favourite colour is.  I having quilted things that are personal to her and Cornwall, so have included a samba drum and a Cornish pasty

The cot quilt I made for our grandson

Any quilters, patchworkers out there?  

                               Chickpea xx