October 30, 2021 by katechiconi

Bee, Myself & I #54: Parterre Block 21

Gosh, it’s been an age!

Lots of things have got in the way of the smooth roll-out of these blocks. But I’m finally back at it. One shown below, and another in the pipeline. Block 21 is a nice bright, graphic version once again. I do need the more muted ones to create a bit of visual contrast, but these bright ones are my favourites 😊 Nine more to go, and I can start considering how I’m going to put this quilt together.

I’m sorry the light on this one isn’t very good for some reason, but the colour reproduction isn’t too bad. Don’t you love the contrast between the very linear pink and white fabric with the formal leaf design on the other one? Completely non-obvious as a pairing, but to my eye at least, it just works!

Bee, Myself and I is a forum for ‘selfish sewing’; any stitchery which is purely for pleasure and not to a deadline or for anyone else. The original concept belongs to Carla of Granny Maud’s Girl. To find out more, you can click through on either her blog link, or using the button a fair way down in the left hand column of this blog.

See you next month, hopefully!

January 31, 2021 by katechiconi

Bee, Myself and I #51: Parterre Block 18

Didn’t think I’d get a block done again this month, but I squeaked in!

Block 18 is back to my bright, colourful preferences. Some might say too bright. I’d say they were fuddy-duddies. What’s wrong with multicoloured paisley mixed with bright green on bright turquoise, with a pink and purple flower? It makes me smile.

I really do need to set them all out some time soon to check for colour-gaps. I know, I know, I said that last time, but I really have had one or two other things on my plate.

Until next time…

September 29, 2020 by katechiconi

BM&I #49: Parterre block 16

I absolutely love this one!

Deep, rich dark blue and bright colours, one a huge blowsy floral and the other a cute, folksy print, but with very similar colour values. I adore the contrast of scale and the similarities of colour.

Here’s Block 16 of the Parterre quilt:

Until next time…

August 30, 2020 by katechiconi

BM&I #48: Parterre block 15

Finally, Block 15, after missing Bee, Myself and I completely last month.

Blues, for a change. It’s quite a striking block, combining as it does not one but two high-impact prints. The one on the left is from a quilt I made at least 12 years ago, and may be the last significant piece of that fabric I have left. No scraps left behind in this household…

Here’s Block 15 of the Parterre quilt:

Until next time…

June 30, 2020 by katechiconi

BM&I #47: Parterre block 14

Here’s Block 14. I love this one!

It’s becoming apparent that my bright colour fabrics tend towards the warm side of the spectrum. It may be time to do a spot of fabric shopping, so isn’t it lovely that Covid-19 restrictions are slowly lifting, despite a recent flare up down south ;-D

Here’s Block 14 of the Parterre quilt:

And because I may be almost halfway through making the blocks, here’s a fun little collage of where I’ve got to so far. The blocks are, of course, the same size as each other in real life. Visualise them joined by narrow black sashing, perhaps with a brightly-coloured cornerstone at each intersection. Does anyone feel there’s a gap in the colour scheme, a colour missing from the line up? All suggestions considered (but not necessarily acted upon!). I know it’s hard when they’re all different sizes. And I think I’ve come as close to brown as I’m going to. Just sayin’.

Until next time…

June 1, 2020 by katechiconi

BM&I #46: Parterre block 13

Block 13, and a day late, sorry!

I have no idea why I couldn’t have got a couple done this month, but laziness took over. And mending. And hand stitching the Anemone quilt. And so on. I really love the bright greens, combined with yellow on one side and with turquoise on the other. And the scrap I used for the flower was begging to be paired with them! I mean, they both sing at the tops of their voices, right?

So, Block 13 of the Parterre quilt:

Until next time…

April 29, 2020 by katechiconi

BM&I #45: Parterre block 12

Block 12, finally.

I’ve been slacking a bit with my BM&I posts for no particularly good reason, only making one at the last minute instead of the two or three I could easily manage each month, so I couldn’t allow myself to let it slide once again.

I was going to make another more subdued block to go with last time’s. But to be honest, I looked at the rather quiet fabrics I’d pulled, and thought “Nah. Not happening”. So, as you can see, I got straight back on the train to Brightsville. You’ll recognise the leaf fabrics as leftovers from a couple of recent additions to the Anemone quilt, so a slight reversal of the usual situation, where Anemone uses the scraps from my appliqué blocks. The flower is a scrap from a blue and white quilt I made 12 years ago, so its scrappy bona fides are impeccable!

So, Block 12 of the Parterre quilt:

Until next time…

March 30, 2020 by katechiconi

BM&I #44: Parterre block 11

Block 11, now that I have no more excuses!

We were away on holiday last time, and this particular block needs my big sewing machine, to do all the blanket stitch, not to mention a large number of assorted supplies. So this time, I had to get a block ready, because, well, isolation = no excuse. (I told myself I’d post more often while I was confined to barracks, and so far, it’s been 5 for 5, not bad going for unplanned, spontaneous posting).

I don’t love this block, but looking at the rest, I decided we needed some quieter ones amidst all the hectic colour. This one and the next are a little more subdued. After that, I’ll crack on with the brights again. I have the fabrics sorted for the next block, but I had other things on and couldn’t quite get a second one done. By other things, I mean domestic concerns that are a bit too mundane to make interesting reading, before you get excited about new projects.

So, here we are:

And while I think of it, today is our copper or wool anniversary, depending on which country you live in. Happy Anniversary, Husband ❤

Until next time…

December 31, 2019 by katechiconi

BM&I #43: Parterre blocks 9 and 10

Blocks 9 and 10, ready on time this time!

After running late last time and making a rather dodgy job of it due to the eye problems (all better now, I’m glad to report), I thought I’d better make a bit of an effort. It’s a good job the Husband’s working day shift this New Year’s Eve – we have to go to bed at 8.30pm – or I might have had social plans. Not.

Some favourite scraps used here. The oldest piece is nearly 20 years old; it’s that yellow flower head in the top photo, a scrap left over from a baby quilt I made for a great nephew in about 2001. I really hate throwing fabric away….

Now, the next one is due on my birthday, so I might bring the posting day forward a day, or postpone it, depending on what’s on.

Until then…

November 30, 2019 by katechiconi

BM&I #42: Parterre block 8

Block 8 really has progressed at a snail’s pace.

I had the fabrics and ribbon selected and some of the pieces already cut when my eye problem blew up. It’s only in the past few days that I’ve been able to sew at all. First on the agenda was getting the Opal panels finished, and then I could turn my attention to this.

It’s not the most contrasty or striking version of the block, but I really wanted to use these greys together, and I’m glad I did. I think it works well, and it’ll integrate into all the brighter versions if I place it correctly in the finished layout, probably as a little quiet space between some more hectic prints.

The fabrics are both by Philip Jacobs for Westminster Fibers; the feathers are an old print and the peonies are more recent. It’s a pity that the photo isn’t colour accurate and I can’t seem to adjust it to match the reality better. The very wonky (because eye) centre of the flower is actually a bright fuchsia pink, not red, and the ribbon is a strong, bright orange.