During the big patchwork shelves tidy during second lockdown last year I lamented that I had ‘lost’ my practice blocks from the Around The Block quilting bee I took part in during 2009/2010 (yes, that long ago and my quilt top still isn’t a finished quilt).  I really was a novice patchworker/quilter when I took part in the quilting bee, and many of the participants were super experienced. Because of this, I sewed practice blocks before I cut into anyone’s good fabric. I would do a block in scraps, then I’d do a couple more in Kaffe Fassett fabrics that I would keep to eventually make my own quilt. In January I found them all my practice blocks!

They were stored in a pizza box safely tucked away pretty much where they were expected to be. I have no idea how I overlooked them so many times! I quickly joined nine blocks that had been made from scraps into a rather eclectic little quilt top.

Two larger practice blocks, both from Kaffe Fassett fabric, were the perfect size to become cushions.

I quilted them on to some scrap batting that was in stash, then turned them into cushion covers with a lapped back zip opening. I used Kaffe fabric for the back as well. The quilting has given them plenty of dimension!

Then it was time to join the Kaffe blocks. My theory by now was ‘better done than perfect’, so I didn’t agonise much about how I would join them or in what colour. I just sashed them together, in a fairly neutral colour that I had in my stash. I have been trying to use more of what I have.

There were also four Dresden Plates in the pizza box, along with some yo-yos. They needed to turn into something too!

I figured that if I appliqued the Dresden Plates to a plain background, and sewed up another five patchwork blocks, I’d have nine blocks which should be enough for another small quilt top. I raided my stash, bought a couple more fat quarters that coordinated, then got as far as sewing up the extra blocks. However I still need to do the applique and join these blocks together. I’ll probably sash them in a colour similar to the carpet!

Then in February Emma Jansen started another sewalong, this time for her Bronte’s Stars pattern. Once again I raided my fat quarters stash!

I really enjoy playing with colour and pattern, and thinking about what will actually work best in a quilt where scale and value and contrast really come into play. I’m still more used to looking at fabrics from a garment perspective, which doesn’t always work for patchwork and quilting where fabrics are cut up into much smaller pieces! I have bought a blue/grey solid to use as the plain contrast for this quilt, and have got as far as washing and ironing all the fabrics. But that’s as much progress as I’ve made thus far! There is still a lot of pairing of fabrics to do, and there is also a fair bit of precision required to piece this quilt top accurately. I will need to be in the right headspace before I actually start on the blocks.