A London Quilt - Block 9

I saw this inspiration block today and thought a re-creation of the front doors of the houses we have lived in during our time in London would be a fun addition to my London quilt.

So, I started with my current front door...

I wasn't sure how to create the pear wreath, so I left that part out.

Fabrics chosen...

Starting to piece...

All done. Not as crazy about the finished produce. I may re-do this block at some point.

A London Quilt - Block 8

I found my inspiration here - http://fredashive.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/dreaming-princess-quilt-pattern.html?m=1

She sells the pattern for this gorgeous quilt, but again, hard to justify the purchase for only one quilt block. So, once again, I decided to create my own.

I folded some tracing paper in half and sketched out my crown. For once, I got lucky and only had to do it the one time!

I picked my fabrics, and left it to be completed another day.

I cut out the crown and decided to roughly zig zag it down as an appliqué.

Next... Some bling!

A large turquoise ric rac was topped with a dainty pale pink velvet ric rac, and the edges folded beneath the crown.

Hand sewn buttons complete the bling.

A London Quilt - Block Seven

Since the free handed piecing of the teacup block went so well, I decided to try a fox.

I am including a fox in my UK quilt because there are estimated to be somewhere around 50,000 foxes living in London. I see them creep across the top of my garden wall, I've been awakened from a dead sleep from their obnoxiously loud mating noises, and I've seen them strolling down the street during my morning school runs, they are literally everywhere!!

I read this article last year and thought it was a hilarious comedic take on what it is like with the foxes here!

http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/simon-jenkins-they-may-look-cute-but-urban-foxes-are-a-growing-menace-10260964.html

I began it one afternoon and then picked it back up another day. Compare the picture above and the one below - see my oops?

Like the teacup, I looked at a picture and just winged it!

All done!

Here is the inspiration block:

http://redredcompletelyred.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/fifty-shades-of-fox.html?m=1

A London Quilt - block six

I have an inspiration board on Pinterest for possible UK quilt block ideas, and what UK quilt wouldn't be complete without a teacup?

So, I found my inspiration here - http://piecebynumber.com/tea-and-coffee-cups-free-paper-pieced-quilt-blocks/ - which is a paper piecing block. I've not yet attempted paper piecing, so I decided just to freehand it and see how that worked out.

I'm not sure why, but I didn't take pictures in process of this one.

A London Quilt - block 5

Somehow, I have gotten out of order, but I'm going to call this block 5 to get back on track!

I did a Union Jack block and it was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be!

I used an awesome tutorial - found here:

http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/queens-jubilee-and-union-jack-tutorial.html?m=1

The tutorial is very specific in cutting and measurements - which I loved!

The first part of St. Andrew's Cross

Whoops - should have overlapped that a bit more!

That cut made me very nervous!

St. Andrew's Cross complete and lined up pretty well, I thought!

Another scary cut!

Almost done...

And... It's done!

A London Quilt - Block 4

So, I finished another quilt block today. And I have to say, it may be my favourite so far!

Here is my inspiration:

I found it here:

http://fredashive.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/london-2012-blocks.html?m=1

Sadly, no instructions, so I just sort of winged it and pieces it together.

Almost finished - and it came together pretty quickly!

My next block is in process and will be a teacup!

A London Quilt - Block 3

I have completed another quilt block - yay me!

This one is an umbrella quilt block, since everyone knows that you must have a brolly with you at all times in London! 

My inspiration is here- http://camilleroskelley.typepad.com/simplify/2013/10/yep-april-showers.html

This talented quilt designer has created a pattern for an entire umbrella themed quilt that looks adorable. Since I am only doing this one block, I decided to wing it and see what I could create - freehand!

I sewed some fabrics together and used a jar lid to trace a circle - used a sharpie, all fancy like! ;)

Then I used another, smaller circle shape and a pencil to trace the bottom edge until I got something I liked. I left it a little larger than I wanted the finished product to be, since I am going to press the edges under.

All cut out.

And a few steam burns later, all pressed.

Pinned down with an umbrella handle in place. I plan to just zigzag the handle down.

One more umbrella, and all pinned and ready for sewing.

Complete!

A London Quilt - block 2

As I mentioned in a previous post (http://asoutherngirlmovestolondon.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/a-london-quilt.html?m=1), I have begun what will likely be a loooong process of making a quilt to commemorate our time in the UK.

Here is block number 2:

It's hard to tell from this picture, but it will be a house. 

Here is my inspiration block:

And more in process:

And here it is complete!

I have already begun work on block 3, which will be one of several union jacks to adorn my quilt.

Wish me luck!

A London quilt

I was inspired by a quilt I saw on Pinterest that had been made to honour the 2012 Olympics and started pinning some ideas for quilt blocks to commemorate our time in London.

I started work today, although, I anticipate that this quilt will be a labor of love and take a loooooong time to complete.

For my first block - Queen Elizabeth tower and Big Ben. Most of us just know it as Big Ben, but that is actually just the clock. The tower is called the Queen Elizabeth tower. 

Here is my inspiration block - 

I found it on Pinterest and it is on this blog- http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/2014/06/bees-knees-april-june/

No instructions were included, so I decided to wing it!

I gathered some fabrics together. Quite a few are strike offs that I used to create something for Barij, from her first fabric collection. (http://barijdesigns.com)

And I started cutting and sewing...

I'm not quite finished, but it is coming along nicely, I think!

All done!