Final Fairy Tales

 

This week, I've added the final details to the Fairy Tale Quilt. The fox has finally got the white patch on the end of his tale, and he's off to catch the gingerbread man and do all the other tricks that foxes are famous for. This fox doesn't look that crafty, but maybe it's all part of the act. 

Meanwhile, Rapunzel has turned up in her tower, with her long braid hanging out of the window. It's a good way to dry your long hair on a sunny day, unless a witch (or a prince) decides to clamber up it.

Rapunzel is one of my favourite fairy tales. I often wonder what she would do all day in her tower. She would surely have some sewing on the go, a stack of books to read and hopefully a paintbox, so she could capture the magnificent views from her high window. She must be busy with something, because she hasn't noticed there's a dragon just below, going about his business with a small smile.

Meanwhile, down on the river, the Wild Swans are gliding along, surprisingly serene having been changed from princes into swans by a wicked stepmother. Luckily they have a sister who will turn them back. There are seven of these swans on the quilt, but a quick look in my fairy tale books informs me that there should be eleven. Let's hope the other four have flown off somewhere - otherwise this might be the reason for the dragon's smile.

It would be easy to carry on adding elements to the quilt forever, but I think it looks full enough and is ready for finishing off. I have decided not to quilt it after all. Some of the pieces are quite delicate, and the beads and sequins would make using a hoop impractical. I've added a backing of plain sheeting to hide the tangle of stitching on the back, and will put a border round the edge. Then it's just a matter of finding a place to hang it, in a house already stuffed with quilts!

My resolution to sample new techniques has continued with corded quilting. There are instructions in Linda Seward's book, but I could find very few modern examples that I liked. It seems like a technique that, at the moment, is not very popular. There are some intricate historical examples on the V&A website, which are mostly done on plain fabric. I took that as an inspiration, and drew some interlocking wavy lines. I sewed parallel lines in bright colours, being careful to leave one channel clear where they crossed. Then I threaded chunky wool through with a darning needle. I was surprised how easy it was, and the results are quite pleasing. This little patch was meant to be a trial run, but, as often happens, it turned out quite well, despite being on a ragged scrap of cloth. I may add some seed stitching in the flat areas, to emphasise the cording even more. 

Folded Star

It's a Brand New Year, and that means Resolutions! 

My first patchwork star, with added cross-stitch

I have been leafing through my collection of patchwork, quilting, embroidery and sewing books, and realised that are many techniques in there that I have never tried. 2025 is the year to put this right. I have set myself the task of making a set of samples using techniques I have never tried, with the critical rule that I have to read and follow the instructions instead of charging off in my own way. 

So on 1st January, I prised Linda Seward's Complete Book of Patchwork, Quilting and Embroidery, off the shelf and got to work on folded patchwork stars. 

The first four sets of folded triangles.

Carefully following the instructions, I used 2" by 3½" rectangles as the base, and folded over a ¼ inch seam along one long edge. These were then folded down the centre line, opened up again and the edges folded in towards the centre to make a triangle with two flaps. I pressed these as I did them so they would keep their shape - a fiddly job, which I usually wouldn't bother with, but the instructions were there to be obeyed.

All nicely ironed, four of these triangles were placed together on a backing fabric, and secured by a stitch at the point of each triangle. 

Round two of triangles. The folded shape can be seen better here.

Next, I added eight more folded triangles in a contrasting colour, lining them up (more or less) with the triangles already sewn down. The final step was to add a further eight triangles around the outside, again, securing at the points, and I also slip-stitched the final ring along the folded edges, to keep everything in place. Because this was just a try-out, I edge-stitched with the machine to finish. 

Finished folded patchwork star.

The result was a slightly wonky star. The layers made it pleasingly puffy, but it looked a bit dull, so, on impulse, and very much not in the instructions, I covered it with tiny cross stitches, with a single thread of floss. 

A much brighter version using 2 inch scraps.

It was time for a more artistic attempt. This time I used smaller rectangles in scraps of fabric. I found it easier to fold the triangles and then secure them with a couple of tacking stitches. This way I could make a whole pile of them, and press them all in one go just before sewing.  I also added another eight triangles around the edge, so the star has a double layer of borders. The star can be continued to be bigger than this - you would need sixteen triangles to make the next round. 

In the end, I was pleased with both results. The technique looks complicated, but it was quite easy to do, and there was very little sewing involved. The yellow star has a lovely 3D effect. But I don't find it the most practical of techniques. Quite a lot of fabric is used in the folding, and because there is little sewing, it probably wouldn't be very robust. 

The latest edition of Linda Seward's book is here . It's a great resource, with clear and detailed step-by-step diagrams throughout.