"Kicking Up The Leaves"

"Kicking Up The Leaves" is the name of the quilt I made for my mum this week. And because I really wanted it finished in time for her to take into hospital, it was made in a mega-sewing 4 day marathon.
I used a pattern in a book called Spectacular Scraps, the one on the cover in fact. It's a quilt that made up entirely of half square triangle units. Meshell very kindly offered to help so we set to work.

First step was to choose two fabric groups of different values and cut them up into 4 inch squares. The two groups we chose were the light group of greens/tans/mustards, and the dark group of oranges/terracottas/burgundys/browns - basically the autumn colours that mum loves. We used fabrics from our stashes that we felt had significance or meaning.

Then I started on the 320 half square triangle units needed. To me there is nothing worse than sewing along the edge of a triangle... the fabric stretches and warps and it's a pain in the bum. So instead I used this method - take a square of light and dark fabric, put them right sides together, and rule a diagonal line on the back of one of them.

Then sew a 1/4 inch seam on either side of the ruled line.

Then cut along the ruled line.

Then unfold each side and iron the seams (thanks for ironing them Meshell!) Ta-dum - 2 half square triangle units!

Then, following the pattern, position all the pieces the correct way round and magically a pattern appears! At that point I started sewing the squares into rows.

Quilt top finished - do I look pleased or what!

Next step is to make the quilt sandwich. I used cotton batting and this gorgeous backing fabric. Isn't it pretty, and it's really soft and smooth... very strokable.

I did fairly simple machine quilting as I didn't have much time, so I just quilted around the diamond shapes.

Then I made the binding which I machine stitched to the front of the quilt and that darling Meshell hand sewed it to the back of the quilt while I was at work - there was a deadline looming!


And here is the finished article, folded and fooffed up pretty with a ribbon. Mum was a bit stunned! And she loved it, and wore it wrapped round herself for ages. And kept coming and asking about the different fabrics. And it was all good. Love ya Mum!