Underscoring the week was a start on a new quilt – a wedding gift for a nephew. I made a quilt for both of Tim’s brothers when they wed.<\/p>\n For the first couple, Dan & Rachel, I sent them online to look at various works I have made. They liked ‘Every Man must have his shed but my man’s still waiting”<\/p>\n So based on the look of that quilt I made them a large bed quilt that had their ‘bits’ on each side (tools for Dan, lawyer imagery for Rach).<\/p>\n When Rory and Asha wed they requested two couch quilts for their brand new home. Cotton and colourful, one themed with native birds, the other with native plants. I worked on the quilt and the applique separately, then united them at the end.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When our wedding invite arrived a couple of weeks ago I rang Tim. So, after much deliberation and almost free reign<\/em> with design I settled on wool as the base fabric. It is the warmest cuddliest fibre and Melbourne gets sooooo cold. With no time or inclination to shop for woollen fabric in summer<\/em> I am using what I have on my shelves. I slowly settle for ten inch stripes of alternating black and green fabrics. I will be quilting it minimally this week to settle the fabric and to create a stable base for the applique.Then the fun???? will really start.<\/p>\n I was working this all out at the start of the week whilst I attacked the upstairs ‘drawing room’. Up and down the stairs I went pulling fabric out, adding and deleting continually. Conversely, reading early in the evening works in the opposite direction.
\nTim & Kellet will eventually live in a new farmhouse on the outskirts of Melbourne. They have requested a quilt to cuddle under on their rustic leather couch.
\nI never usually offer<\/em> to gift a quilt. I happily give quilts to family members – mostly samples – but occasionally there have been works fresh off the machine that have tootled out the door straight before or after being photographed.
\nI hesitate to make on a commission basis but family is different. These boys and their partners ‘get’ the connection of family to the same level of my kiddos. We appreciate each other.<\/p>\n![\"everyman-must-have-his-shed\"](\"http:\/\/janmullen.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/everyman-must-have-his-shed.jpg\")
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\nThis was a bit different for me applique-wise as I wanted detail not simple silhouette and they loved the idea of a riot of colour and pattern.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nThe process was perfect for me.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nDo you want money? Gifts from a list? Or a quilt?
\nI am quietly thrilled to be able to get family made textiles into their life ….and quilts?….well I think to be given one is pretty special.<\/p>\n
\nThe almost free reign<\/em> refers to the second part of the brief – a desire for farmyard animals to be featured.
\nSo in a similar way to Rory & Asha’s quilt I am making the background\/the quilt and I will create the animals seperately.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nThe quilt WILL travel over to the farm with me in early January so I really only have until Christmas to do the bulk of the work.
\nMy many toDOist lists are being reviewed. Christmas decks will be cleared quickly and efficiently….:)<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThere are still a few things to clear and set up up there but I do have a space that might (hopefully) end up being my after dinner wind-down area.
\nThe years spent watching the next new series at night with the bloke are in the past.
\nEvenings have become very precious -I need to be productive at night now AND I do need to keep tasks ‘quiet’.
\nI need to ‘be’ in a quiet brain place not racing on the machine or getting inspired and excited. I don’t sleep after those evenings.<\/p>\n
\nYet drawing, with a repeat rhythm, has often settled me in the evening of late.
\nIt is a quiet way of achieving.
\nI loved ‘feathering’ the laminex samples <\/a>last year.
\nI have loved my foray into coloured pencils and paints chips and beards recently.
\nAND
\nNow that the bloke has a keyboard I can be as far away from the tinkling as possible:)))<\/p>\n