Inspiration...

I've been catching up with my blog reading this week and I've seen so many pretty and inspiring things that I now have a great longing to sit and sew a while.

I've been catching up on Indigo Blue's , block making. I love the pinwheel and the log cabin style block with the different width 'logs'

I also came across this wonderful tutorial by SewChistine for baby slippers, aren't they adorable but I've noone to make those for.

Then there was this, a quilt that Helen (Anharad Handmade) has made for her son. I really love it. I can completely identify with the sentiment she expresses... there really is something special about a house when you've put such a stamp of yourself on it. Your own handmade, handcrafted bits and pieces are what make it home.

I think that's what I need at the moment to spend some time creating something for home. My attraction to Helens quilt and to Indigo's blocks has been so strong I think it's going to have to be a quilt or a quilted cushion cover at the very least.

Having got that far in the ideas process I need to decide exactly what. Getting down to specifics is never something I'm not good at...

Last week however, seemed to be full of conversations and blog related e-mails about charm squares and jelly rolls. Charm squares, jelly rolls and what to do with them.

It has all set me thinking....

It's possible to make some of my favourite blocks with charm squares and jelly rolls but I've been just a little slow in grasping just how useful they can be. I mean you can create all kinds of four patch and nine patch blocks without thinking too hard and then there's the disappearing nine patch block. (One of my favourites!) Then you can start cutting them into triangles and combing squares and triangles.... even more possibility - endless possibility and I intend to start exploring some of them.

I've had these Moda Charm squares in the shop for a while....Twiggy and '9' both designed by Sanae

But Rowan don't do pre-cuts of my favourite fabrics so I'm guessing that'll have to carry on doing them myself.

So, I'm cutting some 5 inch charm squares out of these;

...pretty fabrics from Amy Butler's Daisy Chain fabric - the Aquatic palette....

..... and my take on a 'jelly roll' out of these.... (Jelly rolls are a Moda product - pre-cut 2 1/2 inch fabric strips cut widthways across the bolt.)

....fabrics from Anna Maria Horners - Garden Party collection - I love the bright. bold colours and patterns in these.

Just a thought but have you ever looked at Moda Bakeshop blog. There's a wealth of interesting patchwork projects on there, not just quilts but bags, purses, skirts, pincushions, journal covers all kinds of pretty things. If the projects use any of their jelly rolls, layer cakes, charm squares or any the other bakery related named pre-cut fabrics, the dimensions of each are given in the sidebar. So you can cut your own if you wish and use up some of that 'stash'.

Now, I need to make something out of these, just to get to understand their potential a little better . Have you ever used fabric pre-cuts and 'cos I'm nosy inquisitive what kind of things are you made out of them?

Comments

[Kelly]

i've just chopped into my first charm pack, to make a little nine patch quilt - going well so far!

[Helen]

I love the Anna Maria Horner 'jelly roll' - lovely!

Thanks so much for the kind words about my quilt! I definitely see precuts in my future, though I haven't used any to date. For some reason, jelly rolls always seem very appealing. Now that I've got the quilting bug, I'd like to try all sorts of different patterns.

Have fun!

[Christine]

Thank you for the mention of my toddlers slippers. They are cute and easy to make. They'd look good in either A M Horner or A Butler fabric shown on your post.

[dottycookie]

I've just been using a jelly roll to make a top for a coins quilt. It's is looking very pretty, but now I need to do the quilting which for me is always very slow!

[Penny]

I cut my own layer cake and charm pack from scraps to make a quilt from Pam Nicky Lintott's latest book. It was a good way to use up a whole load of autumn coloured scraps I had accumulated. I also regularly read the Moda Bake Shop blog, there's loads of inspiring projects to make. The last one I did was a grocery bag dispenser which used only 16 charm squares - I cut my own again from scraps- the whole thing only took a couple of hours.

[Andrea]

Many thanks for your lovely words about my quilt blocks. I have really enjoyed the quilt challenge as it has progressed. I am working on a couple which say they are for beginners, but we shall see. Any questions, help etc please do email won't you. I can even send you copies of my templates if you like. I have a Moda charm pack which was very kindly given to me by Lise at Chocolate Cat as a thank you for the Christmas Swap last year (very generous, I nearly fell over when I opened it!) and know I have taken part in the quilt challenge I am going to make something from these. Possibly a project bag so I see and use it all the time.
x

[Marianne]

I have only just cut into my very first Moda charm squares today. They've never had them in my local quiltshop, but for their show and tell just before closing down for the summer holidays, they had a few for sale and I was one of the lucky ones to get a packet of Spring Magic by April Cornell. I used some of the squares for a wonky block for a card and most of the rest I've started cutting into 1/4 circles for Drunkard Path blocks; a block I've only just started to get to grips with. I think it's a great invention; I can't cut very much in any one go because of neck and back problems so this way I can go straight to sewing. I certainly hope the shop will have more when they re-open after the hols.
Love the aqua coloured fabrics very much btw

[woollywotnots]

Love your inspiration list. The fabric photos are just dreamy! :-)