Addicted

I am unhelpfully addicted to pork scratchings, the colour turquoise, and patchwork.

Let’s start with patchwork. It’s tedious, infuriating, and soul-destroying.

I have complained about it on the blog about patchwork before – here, and here. So why do I do it?

I should start by saying that I am a purist in that I only use scrap material, which may include jumble sale booty. I am not a purist in so far as I do use a sewing machine. It is not the sewing that interests me, and that – of course – is the heart of the problem. I make patchwork quilts because I love fabrics and more than that, I love COLOUR!

Here’s one I made when Tate was born, for his cot:

And here’s one I made when Lux was born for her cot:

Now, they weren’t tedious or traumatic to make. Maybe I should concentrate on quilts for babies.

Here’s a full size one I made for Isaac and Wendy as a wedding present, which was still in use this week:

Because patchwork is so arduous, I have considered painting instead, but you can’t put a painting on your bed and wake up every morning and enjoy it, as I have with the quilt that’s been on our bed since 2007. This is a traditional Shaker design, similar to the one I did for Isaac and Wendy:

Now – after two designs, more than two years and much cursing, the current one is finished. Here’s a design I rejected and unpicked:

Here’s the one I just finished, an abstract sunset, using many of the same patches:

I like it a lot. Tonight it’s going on the bed. But if I ever mention again that I am thinking of making another full size quilt, please, please, make me see sense.