This is my very first quilt block:
Wandering Star quilt block
I treated myself to a couple of half-yards of pretty quilting fabric for my “teach myself to quilt” project, which is probably going to end up as a 9-block square wall hanging rather than something actually useful. I’m machine-piecing the blocks, but I think I’m going to try hand-quilting it once it’s assembled.
I have plans for other quilt-like projects: I’m going to be starting on window quilts for the den and guest-room windows (window quilts are quilted curtains with insulating layers that keep the cold air out at night), and a pieced (but not quilted) duvet-cover for the guest-room bed – all using my extensive stash of fabric. I’ve got pieces of fabric that are left over from 10-year-old projects, old curtains from my house in the UK, spare bed sheets from sets (we tend not to use a flat sheet with the duvet, European-style), and fabric that I bought at John Lewis in Reading years ago because it was beautiful and on sale, that I never actually used for anything – yet!
The other big fabric-related project that I’m starting on today is dying the sofa slip-covers. When we bought our sofa, we didn’t like any of the colour/fabric combinations it came in, so we bought the plain unbleached cotton slipcovers for it, and I’m going to attempt to dye them a shade of burgundy that will hopefully go with the eventual pale terracotta planned for the living room walls.
out here 
That reminds me; spoke to the WOSM a couple of days ago, and she’d love to talk quiltage with you sometime. Back in the day, she used to teach quilting, in fact. So bring the block (which is v. pretty, BTW) if you guys can make it over on Saturday…
wow… hand quilting will definitely keep you occupied over the winter. Depending on the size of your blocks, a 9-block quilt might be big enough for a lapquilt or a small picnic blanket.
Definitely dye the sofa slipcovers before picking your paint colour! Paint is so easy to get in a zillion shades… dyeing fabric is much harder to control. So as long as you like the result, you’ll be able to find a paint that coordinates.
I saw the block when we stopped by and thought it was lovely, but wasn’t sure whether or not to bring it up. Sometimes I don’t want to talk about a craft project if I’m frustrated with it, so I erred on the side of caution. (That and the side of non-functioning-brain incapable of posing a simple question.)
I love the idea of quilted curtains; that’s really smart.
Oh, how lovely!
It’s great to see you settling in so well. I confess that it’s a bit weird to adjust over here. Whenever I come home, I can’t help but momentarily think: “Hey, I wonder if Jan and t! are home?” Which, of course, you are, but not here anymore. 🙂
I’m looking forward to visiting and actually getting to see the place first-hand.
That’s beautiful! I love your fabric choices.