Sunday 27 January 2019

Can I remember how to do this??

Hello 2019 ... hello totally neglected blog ... what happened to posting anything in 2018? 

Instagram.

When I first started blogging, it was a way of cataloguing my photos and stories of what I was making, who for, why that particular quilt (or bag, cushion, etc)  and what my choices and influences were. It was also fantastic for socialising with other quilters ... from all over the world - some I am blessed to now have as real friends in the real world. So why stop blogging?

Time.

It is quick to just take a photo on your phone and instantly upload with a few lines and some hashtags and you also get instant likes and comments. What else?

Tech ability.

I don’t have the skills to upgrade my blog - I can’t even remember now how I created it in the first place! It’s not ‘modern’ and I wonder if it’s time to say goodbye or totally revamp ...

Purpose.

I blogged for me. I blogged to find quilting companionship and sharing of ideas. I liked telling the stories behind my quilts. None of that has changed.

I’m going to have a hard think ... in the meantime, let me tell you the story behind my current quilt (image from Pinterest):


I retired from the police after 30 years last August. In that time, I have been lucky to have worked with some incredible people and to have had the most interesting career, latterly in the area of drugs. In recent years, having quilting as a hobby was incredibly soothing and brought me some balance in a hectic world.

My colleague Ian retires soon. We worked together in the last two years of our service. He is amazing at his job and passionate about education and prevention as the way of tackling the harms caused by drugs. I won’t politicise this post about my views on drugs as that belongs in a whole other forum ... but it is the inspiration for Ian’s retirement quilt and a nod to the important work we did together.

Maths was never my strong point and I have already miscalculated twice exactly how many 3” blocks I’ll be cutting and sewing together but it is around 900! Technically, it is not going to be a difficult quilt to make but there is a lot of cutting and seam matching.

These are the fabrics I’m using as well as some other low volume creams for the background. Mostly Makower UK:


Here is my progress so far:


So I will sign off for now ... enjoy your Sunday x