As I was stitching the purple back border on the square I thought about the contents of the quilt and the memories it held – here are my thoughts .
Cork and the pink vinyl fabric bought at the Stitching show because I was romanced by the thought of a handbag made of Cork (prompted by memories of wandering round a Spanish craft market). Blue and red with gold ribbons from a Christmas cake band, the gold of “Merry Christmas” on the blue ribbon just peeping through. The homemade cake was decorated as a centre piece with no need for royal icing as nobody liked it. Not eaten at the feast, later enjoyed with some cheese.
The white lacy bit with the buttons and another piece elsewhere part of a top bought during a break to look presentable for a conference. Warm weather came early and had no smart cool tops with me. Much used and worn thin was consigned to the scrap bag, much repurposed in dyeing projects during the first lockdown.
A strip off-cut from a log “cabin block” part of the soya wax dyeing project the February before lockdown made with recycled shirts.
Felt made from purple green and yellow roving wool used in summer crafts for kids at the Old Royal Naval College Greenwich. The art of wet felting was hastily learnt before presentation to the public. We all made a piece or two cleaned up the work stations ready for the families to arrive and then like experts we proceeded to give our profound knowledge and wisdom so that they could all make a piece to take home.
A white and yellow experiment using bought felt, fabric printing and journey to Wickes for a dust suit to cut up.
The yellow net was bought for a rag rug project seduced by a demonstration at a wool show locally. Not so easy – too much cutting and pulling the rag strip made was not much use so it bit the dust and I was left with some yellow net.
Black and silver ribbons leftover from clothing labels kept thinking they would come in handy – at last they have.
Who can resist a rummage through a bargain fat quarters box hence the very sixties black and white circles should have gone for the jars of honey! The sparkly sequins were given to me by my friend a leftover from making kids costumes.
Flowers in a woven ribbon, many years old left over from decorating dresses for a rag doll. When a few of my friends had baby girls I made them rag dolls and still have a pair of plastic shoes not used. The hardest part on the doll was getting the lines to make fingers and neatly sewing in the ends of the machine stitches.
Lace ribbon bought to outline a Valentines card – lost and long gone – a glimmer remains in this quilt!!!
The yellow velvet and other ribbons where bought in the shop ‘TIGER’ , full of interesting things that you’ve just got to have and good for craft stuff. My advice is not to take the kids with you then you can indulge your inner child.
A ribbon saved from a pampering gift, brings to mind the scent of spring, bubbles and a time to relax in warm soothing, fragrant water. And finally an off-cut from flower paste work, a sticky messy part of lockdown zoom classes and some lovely comments from my fellow classmates on the piece made.