Friday 22 June 2012

Curtain update

The witty blog post titles just keep on coming, don't they?!  I'm at work, I'm mega busy.  I' ve got so much to do but I realised after lunch that it's never going to get done by the end of the day and so I've kind of given up - not a good attitude!!

Well, the bad attitude is prevailing so I'm going to go and make a cup of coffee, then I'm going to come back and show you what I've done so far for my bathroom curtains.

I'm back.  I also ate a small piece of cake that I found in there.  Working here is rubbish for my diet.  I'm pretty rubbish at dieting at the minute, it's not going well and I need to get back on track.  I also need to get back on the track of this post as my attention seems to have wandered!

I have been admiring the lovely granny squares made by the equally lovely Katherine for ages, I've also been threatening to make some.  Well I have.  I know, most unlike me, I usually say I'm going to make something and then don't as my to-do list is so ridiculously long not even a pack of WI women would be able to get through it in a lifetime.  This is one of my to-do lists.  I have about 6 in total. 



It all began with a massive pile of 2.5 inch squares that I randomly cut out weeks and weeks and weeks ago.  I had to get them all out and have a look what I had.  I divided them into 4 rough colour groups - green, blue, aqua and brown.  Now, I know what you're thinking - Brown! Urgghhh... but remember, my bathroom suite is brown.  It looks a lot better in there since we painted (I know, I know, I promised photos!) but the brown is still there and I thought it best not to try to deny it



I cut a whole load of white squares, then started laying them out.  Katherine talked about colour values when she was showing us her stunning solids quilt and I tried to think about values when I laid out these squares.  I'm not sure if I've got it or not though?



These are the greens all sewn up.  I used the tutorial at Blue Elephant Stitches - it's excellent.  Even I understood it.



My blocks are far from perfect.  Lots of wonky seams and mis-matched points.  Some I took out and redid, but a lot of them I just left.  I'm not perfect, I don't sew perfectly and these are my curtains, so who gives a monkey's?  Want to see the back?



I did follow the pressing directions suggested in the tutorial, but some of them twisted and shifted as I sewed the rows together.  I will be lining these curtains so it shouldn't matter.



People talk about being addicted to making a certain block and I've never understood it.  I do now.  I LOVE making these.  I had a single solitary hour to spare at the weekend and I was straight upstairs, piecing grannies!



Pressing the seams open would have been impossible without my mini-iron.  I love this tool, it really is invaluable.  I only burnt myself once and that was on the main iron when pressing the finished block.



There are all kind of scraps in these blocks.  I recognise some Hideaway, there's some Amy Butler Lotus in there too, and I spot some Hushabye... anyone recognise the rest?  I'm rubbish at remembering what my fabric is!



The centre square above is a little puckered, I'm not really sure why.  I haven't trimmed any of the blocks, I'm not even sure how many I need.  I thought I needed 12 so was going to do 3 of each colour, but now I think I need 9 and I'm not sure how I'll lay them out.

I don't even know how big they are!


I have made a couple more since this photo shoot, so I'm nearly there, then just some sashing and then I actually have to turn them into curtains.  I've never made curtains before!  They're going to be tab-top cafe curtains so it can't be that hard!  I've already decided that any left over blocks will be the front of some storage boxes for the shelves I've yet to pursuade mr CA to put up.  I did only tell him about them 3 weeks ago so I'm thinking they'll be in place by Christmas 2015.


Yum, love you grannies!


11 comments:

Katherine said...

Woohoo! Those grannies are just gorgeous, Wendy. So excited to see that you've caught granny making fever, too. lol

Your curtains are going to be so pretty!

Bits of Stitching! said...

Oh W. these blocks are beautiful! Your curtain is going to be lovely!

Bits of Stitching! said...

Oh W. these blocks are beautiful! Your curtain is going to be lovely!

sara said...

Loving those grannies too, especially the brown fabric ones, I can understand your addiction entirely.
Have a fab weekend,
lily x

JoJo said...

Those look fabulous! Are you machine or hand sewing them? What do you use to cut the fabric, scissors or a 'pizza' cutter?

Pam @Threading My Way said...

The grannies look great together, Wendy. That mini iron looks like a great investment.

Fiona said...

this is one I want to do to.... amongst others!.... and I seldom remember names of fabric lines....
Hugz

Celtic Thistle said...

Your granny squares look great, can't wait to see them as curtains! I haven't tried this block yet, but have seen it everywhere so might have to have a go at it soon.

Kara at Petals to Picots said...

I love all the color combinations!

RobynLouise said...

Nice colours and nice patterning.

Paige said...

I haven't caught the granny square bug yet but yours might get me into it. They look great! www.paperstarfish.prettyposies.com