My Crazy Quilt With Grandmother’s Fans Is Home!

 Just about to do some repairs on my Crazy Quilt With Grandmother’s Fans. A new back and new bound edges. 

There’s a big back story. A bewildering, odd saga that has brought it back to me and to my family. Welcome home! I’ve missed you. 💕 

Here’s some of the story via this link.

Now, with great generosity, eccentricity, typical unpredictability... with the... hmmm... not flippancy, but maybe the unconcern, or ability to not be concerned about finances, the buyer has returned the quilt to me at a fraction (and I mean fraction) of its sale price. Because she thinks I should have it.

That’s what’s filling out the crazy carpet bag in previous posts and to tell the truth, that bag has had no purpose since I made it! Ha!

Thanks Ruby!

My daughter gave me some gorgeous handspun, hand dyed alpaca/merino for my birth in June. I just had enough to make these lovely warm cuffs. The pattern I adapted from a freebie on Ravelry (follow the link to Rav). 

New Handles On The Crazy Carpet Bag

 At last I fixed the handles! It’s only been an hundred years. I used some from a bag my mum had been making, sentimentally. Mind, she’s in all the sewing I do, she and Grandma.

Look to this post for the details of construction, if you want to make one yourself. I had a class where we did all of the various stitches. These and more. It was heaps of fun and I miss those times with the gals. Maybe after I retire...

I made this to demonstrate a thicker style of stitching to my big crazy quilt, which juxtaposes heavy and very fine work. Contrary to what you might think, it whipped up fairly quickly.

I've carried around these tan velvets since I was 17 or so.

'A fair little girl sat under a tree

Sewing as long as her eyes could see

Then smoothed her work

and folded it right

and said Goodnight dear work

Goodnight, Goodnight.

(by Richard Monckton Miles)

Very Nearly Completely Finished!

I can’t believe it’s finished! After 5 years! I really let it sit in the cupboard for a very long time, now made a concerted effort to finish.  

I followed Hazel Tindale’s method and picked one stitch per row along the front steeks, for the bands, but didn’t reduce the numbers in the first row. I’m a tight corrugated rib knitter anyway. 
I ignored Meg Swanson’s good advice and did the whole rib band in one hit. Meg suggested I do the fronts and neck in one go, then add the waist as I wanted it twice as long. It would have been neater. But... I thought I’d give it a try in one go, so I did the waist, broke off yarn, started again and did a second row. Then turned with a double increase and ribbed up the front, double increase to go around the neck and the same for the other front… Then turned to do the waist for the third time, and on to go all the way around again. Lastly broke off yarn and did another waist. That is, for each row of front and neck banding I did 2 rows of waist. 
I had to pick up a couple of stitches to cover it. 
You can see in the pictures that I ought to have taken Meg’s advice! It’s a bit wonky as I said, but I’m very happy with it anyway and doubt I’ll notice it after a bit. 
The ribbon was in my stash, from at least 20 years ago. Vintage ribbon that is so perfect I couldn’t believe it. And with only a few centimeters spare! 
So, the original pattern was to be a jumper, but it was a bit small so I steeked it to become a cardigan, thus making it both bigger and oddly proportioned. 
I haven’t tried it on yet but it looks ok.

 

That’s It!

I’m amazed at how much difference the binding makes. So I’m finished. 24th  May 2015 until 29th July 2020. You won’t have to look at my incessant progress reports anymore!

220cm long x 112 cm wide.
Is binding the absolute worst part or what!

I’ve placed it forward f my last try out. Looks better but I think it will be for  my bedroom or front hallway, when we get one?
Thanks to my rug hooking friends comments too. Much appreciated!

I’m not going to think about it anymore. Just need to bind it up and bung it under the chaise. Not thinking... 

Like... yes, I know the colours don’t directly relate to the chaise, it’s a separate stand alone. Goes with the cushions. And I’m already imagining a swirling mass of Pompeii style gold octopus or frolicking deer and flowers picked out from the upholstery... hmm, sounding good... That would compliment the beautiful piece of furniture better. Sigh.

And if the background was a green grey, rather than duck egg... Or golds with a subtle sky at the top/back...

And let’s face it, a rug at least a metre longer and wider... which wouldn’t fit in the house by the way.

I Thought I’d Be Finished This Weekend! But...

Apart from the binding, I really thought I was nearly there... and I am, in the scheme of things. But laying it out shows I have a way to go.
So, to decide:
Do I like the oval shape? I guess I won’t know for sure until it’s in situ. Bit meh at the minute. Too... clean lined or something. Pukey?
Still not completely sold on the apricot either but same, situ will tell. I will change it if I don’t. None of this ‘Oh Well‘ business when you’re looking at it for evermore.
It’s a bigger! I could lay down and stretch my arms up in the air and still be on it just about. And I’m 5’7”.
I feel like the flowers along the sides work (like the green) to make a textured fabric (visually) rather than dominate. Hubby pointed out that I tend to use similar values together in patterns. I’m not sure if he thought it a good thing (as in, you hardly notice it). I hadn’t pondered it before but, wanting a large, neutral background, it can be a bit boring if you do it all the same, even if it’s mottled.
My friend Chris made a large rug, shown (badly) below, and you can see her excellent background. It’s subtle but very effective.

Anyhow, here I am. I think if I decide to make it a rectangle, I’ll do the corners in the same orange dots of the centre. Hmm, that sounds like a bit of a plan?