Penrose Tiling!

Posted on 25 January, 2015 by patchworkfairy

Penrose tiling – what on earth has that got to do with crafting you may ask?! Well DH recently bought me a quilting book called Geometrical Quilts by Pat Store which is full of quilts all based on – you guessed it! – geometrical patterns! They are all beautiful but some are more complicated to make than others. So while I am going to my weekly patchwork class but not able to carry heavy things like a cutting board and templates etc, I thought I would try one of the quilts which is based on English Paper Piecing (EPP) method.

My choice was the Penrose Tiling quilt – the book describes this as “two differently shaped diamonds (36 and 72 degrees) to make tesselating shapes based on a regular pentagon or decadon which do not otherwise tessellate” [Storey In practice this has meant drawing lots of paper diamonds and covering them with fabric in the traditional EPP technique

cutting out paper diamonds and covering them with fabric

covering the paper shapes

Of course before I started I had to choose my fabrics and plan out which colours would go where in the design. I chose a fat quarter pack of various shades of purple as well as the lovely green batik fabric from my stash! I chose these as there is a photograph in the book of a quilt which I really liked and so I have based my design on this.

arranging the shapes to build up the layers

trying to get the pattern right!

It’s quite hard working out how all the diamonds fit together and deciding which fabric to use for each round of shapes. At each round I have to keep trying out the pattern!

arranging all the layers

So although this Penrose tiling is quite complicated and tiring it is a good project for when you can’t walk/carry/machine sew any much at all. (Boo sciatica – how I loathe thee!) This as far as I have got at the moment but I really hope to show you the progress to a mini quilt over the next couple of weeks!

Now I am going to link up with Handmade Monday as usual but over on it’s new home at Lucy Blossom Crafts Thank you to Vicky for taking over the hosting!

Granny Squares and Ponchos!

Posted on 18 January, 2015 by patchworkfairy

In keeping with new year and new resolutions/ways of working etc I am trying to finish all my WiPs before I start anything else! This was been going well as I have finished my small granny square blanket and am getting well on the way with my Simply Crochet Poncho! However today I have had great news!!!! News I have been hoping for but trying not to get too fixated. ….. So … Well – after two grandsons I am now going to get a granddaughter!

So now it’s pink pink pink all the way! Pink Quilt! Pink Blankets Pink Dresses! I won’t make everything in pink as my daughter is not a pink fiend at all but it will be so nice to make some things in pinks and purples and flowers and hearts!

Here is my Granny Square blanket – it is now going to be a pram blanket!

Half completed poncho!

And here is where I am up to with my Simply Crochet Poncho – the cowl neck is quite loose which is what I wanted and the length is now the finished length according to the pattern but I am going to make it longer. I hope to be able to show the finished item by next week! Just need to decide on the remaining colours! So that leaves me with the difficult path of finishing off the poncho before crocheting a little baby dress! Will I manage it? No idea – but next week I should have something done to show anyway

Over now to Handmade Monday and it’s quite sad as I have just read that it will be the last one! I have enjoyed being part of this and will miss it! Hope to see some of you around in blogland though!

Winter Sparkle ATC swap!

Posted on 7 January, 2015 by patchworkfairy

Happy New Year!

I’m starting this year with a post about the Winter Sparkle ATC swap which I took part in towards the end of last year! These Artist Trading Cards (ATC) swaps are organised by another Ali – over at VeryBerryhandmade. The theme was Winter Sparkle and we had to design the ATC to a standard size 2.5 x 3.5 inches and it had to be predominantly textile.

It it took me ages to decide what to make ! Part of the problem was my ongoing sciatica which is very painful and makes standing and moving difficult and the necessary drugs which tend to dampen down the creative processes! Eventually as the posting deadline loomed I was forced to actually start work as I couldn’t bear the thought of some poor person waiting for her mystery packet which then never arrived!

My favourite background for these cards is one of my lovely 100% wool felt bought from Wonderwool last year – it makes a pleasing firm background and the edges don’t fray so no need for fiddly binding!

After much deliberation around the sparkle aspect I suddenly thought of how the roads look at this time of year – all the houses lit up with twinkly lights! Our family doesn’t go in for dressing up our own houses that much but we really enjoy travelling round our area to where there are roads and cul-de-sacs with several houses which are completely bonkers over the top with lights and figures etc! Using these for inspiration I began sewing on my little houses from scraps in my stash. I used my textile iridescent paint for the night sky. I love how it looks clear in the tube but becomes twinkly and sparkly on dark fabrics! Finally I used silver embroidery thread to look like rope lights on the house roofs and to make a couple of stars by using just one strand of the thread.

Sparkly Mid Winter Madness!

So that’s my Winter Sparkle ATC. My partner sent me a lovely thank you email so I think she liked it!

If you fancy joining in one then take a look at the Very Berry blog and have a look at all the amazing cards created. Also the next swap will be in February so keep a look out!