Friday 13 May 2016

Hen and Chicks Quilt Wallhanging

This week I have been making a little wall hanging which will be a Christening present for Liz to give baby Evelyn Rose. It is a smaller version of one of my cot quilt designs with extra rabbits added and has a hanging sleeve on the back for a rod to slide through so it can be hung on the wall. 

I'm really pleased as I had all the fabrics in stock so it fits in with my 'using things already bought' policy for the year.... Ha ha, I bet I can keep at one going for a whole year surely, because quilters don't buy fabric they don't need do they?!

Hen and Chicks quilt wall hanging by Green Star Quilts
I'm really happy with this little quilt which measures 25 x 27 inches ( 65 x 70 cm ) and hangs nice and flat too. The backing fabric is pale yellow with a white polka dot and the binding is scrappy, using bits left over from the main quilt. 

I tried a smaller font for the appliqued letters this time and they fit nicely onto the smaller width of the sashing at the bottom. It's quite hard to find fonts which are good for applique and don't have copyright too and I looked for ages before I found this one.


Hen and Chicks quilt wall hanging by Green Star Quilts
I love the pale blue fabric with tiny chicks on it too.


Hen and Chicks quilt wall hanging by Green Star Quilts
The legs and the circle around the sun are hand stitched with thickish thread making sure there are no loose ends of thread which would show through the white fabric.... well there is always one I miss and have to pull through the fabric with a needle. It reminds me of trying to get splinters out of fingers!

Hen and Chicks quilt wall hanging by Green Star Quilts
Now a question.... does anyone have experience of having an Etsy shop? I am thinking of changing the way I do things and wondered if an Etsy shop would be a good idea, but I don't know anyone who has tried it.... Do you have to put a lot of time into social media to make your shop popular? I love writing the blog and taking photos of the quilts and running my website, but that's enough media for me! What I really want to do is make more quilts with my time! 

Please tell me your thoughts and experiences of selling in this way. I would really appreciate your advice!

Brrrr, winter is back here and I'm wearing two jumpers and a waterproof jacket for walking the dog! My corgette plants are sulking in the greenhouse and I have lost hope of the sunflowers germinating before being eaten by mice. A very thin squirrel in making raids on the peanut bird feeder, to the delight of our little one, who watchs his antics avidly while throwing his breakfast across the kitchen.... please summer come soon!

I am off for a day retreat quilting tomorrow and I am so looking forward to it,
I hope you have something lovely to do this weekend too,

Kind regards,
Sue 
PS. As usual I am linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts  finish up Friday and Nicky at mrs Sew and Sow