Swim elegantly into spring with my new Today's Quilter project, Swansong. Much like the hen block from last spring's Count Your Chickens quilt, the swan first appeared in my Twelve Days of Christmas sampler and was a firm favourite to piece. In this project my swans, joined by some darling little cygnets, encircle a rippling centre of Lady of the Lake blocks. And my darling swans have made the cover of TQ, which is such a thrill!
I decided to use my Windy Day scraps to make this quilt. This is the collection I used for Twelve Days too, but this time around I picked out the pink and blue prints for a soft, romantic colour palette, adding a couple of classic Liberty prints to round out my selection.
Now, I made one or two half-square-triangles to create this quilt (!) and I relied on a few key trimming techniques to make them quickly and accurately. I chose to trim the blocks before I pressed them open, which halved my trimming time.
I then used that 'extra time' wisely by pressing my HST seams open - using a nifty pressing bar - which definitely helped minimise bulky seams when I assembled my blocks. As those of you who've done a block of the month with me will know, I like to pin and pinned carefully to preserve those sharp little points.
I also used an eight-at-a-time technique to created the small HSTs for my simplified version of the Lady of the Lake blocks, which actually only need seven, so I had a cute little stack left over. Every time I open the cupboard of loveliness they wink at me: I'll have to think of something to do with them!
And then I made one last journey to see my amazing quilter, Jayne, before she left her role at Quilters Trading Post when it closed its doors in Cheshire last October (the shop reopened in Northamptonshire this month).
I met Jayne when she quilted my Hearth & Home quilt, my first large commission for Today's Quilter. I'd had a total nightmare putting the outer border on that quilt - I think it took three attempts! - and I was nervous as can be when I made that first journey up to Buerton. But I needn't have worried: Jayne was so kind and calm and she turned a quilt that, frankly, I'd rather gone off into a total triumph, suggesting the perfect quilting design and scaling it beautifully to show off the blocks.
It was often thus: every time Jayne handed me back my quilt I fell in love with it again. This time was no different. She chose a whirling pantograph of feathers and swirls which perfectly captured the rippling surface of a lake. Given that it was the last piece she long-armed, we decided to call it Swansong.
Jayne, you're a treasure and I'm so lucky to call you my friend,
Nicola xx