Salaula Treasures

Yesterday I went to the giant salaula market here in Lusaka. Salaula is second hand clothes and this market had EVERYTHING, as another friend said, it’s like a department store, the market is organised into sections – skirts, children’s clothers, shoes, menswear etc. I saw some really great stuff and bought these wonderful bed sheets which I will use for quilting. Aren’t they funky?

Colour and Shape

I found these pictures of a trip my fiancee and I took to London just before Xmas. I think most of them were taken by said fiancee.

London Colour

London Shape

Mexican Inspiration

I have never been to Mexico, but felt compelled to make this board after listening to the wonderful Lila Downs. Lila Downs is a singer of tremendous talents from Mexico, who uses many influences including Jazz, reggae and Mexican flavours to create beautiful and evocative music.

The painting in the left corer is by Diego Rivera, and the portrait is of Frida Kahlo. The two quilts are by the Boodilly, a talented quilter. You can find more of her pieces at her Etsy shop. The lovely fabric postcard is by Mandie, you can see more of her work on Flickr.

Indian Inspiration

In honour of the success of Slumdog Millionaire at the Oscars, here's a little colourful inspiration.

The 'zipper' quilt picture is by kind permission of Mellicious at Flickr, and the lightning bolt quilt picture is by kind permission of Button Pom at Flickr. Thanks guys!

I have been a lifelong admirer of Saris and finally got the chance to wear one this week at a friend's when I was invited to dinner. She is from New Delhi and was generous enough to allow me to wear a very expensive silk one in magenta and gold. Pictures soon to come.

In Praise of Paper Piecing

I decided I needed a change of pace from the quilting, hence the new hexagon project. It's great to be working with such fresh fabrics and I have always loved paper piecing.

Here are some brief instructions on having a go:

• First, go here to find out how to draw an accurate hexagon

• 
• Make a template from cardboard or plastic
• draw lots of hexagons onto old envelopes, magazine pages or whatever and cut them out.

• 
• Next, pin a paper hexagon to the wrong side of your desired fabric
• Cut around the hexagon, allowing a 1/4 inch of fabric extra all the way around or at least to fold over the shape
• Fold the edge of fabric over the paper and tack stitch all the way around
• When you have a number of these, choose two put them against eachother flat and whip stitch along the edge with tiny stitches

Many quilters don't like paper piecing because it is a little time consuming, but I find it very relaxing. Each to their own.

Honeycomb/Hexagon Plans

One of the hardest things for me is getting beautiful fabrics and then contemplating cutting them up. I have noticed a rise in simple quilts that are made up of basic square designs with the intention to show off fabrics. I love the simplicity of them. Since my visit to Cotton Patch where I succumbed temptation and bought some bright and kitsch fat quarters, I have been deliberating on the best way to use them. They are so pretty that I don't want them to get lost in a complicated block, but would also like a fun shape.

Enter the honeycomb, the first ever piecing I tried. The retro feel of the hexagon shape I think will fit the fabrics well, and I get another opportunity to use paper piecing. The pictures on the right are designs to help envisage how I want my design to look. They come from:
CindyBlackberg, bean-sprouts.blogspot.com, moonstitches.wordpress.com, craftjuice.com

Inspiraton Board - part deux

Here are a couple more inspiration boards of fabrics, projects, colours and patterns that strike me. I love these boards even just as mood enhancers on a cold, wintry day. I also would like to thank whoever it was in the ever expanding world of the internet who turned me on to inspiration boards and how to do them using powerpoint, then saving as a jpeg. I am sure it was someone from the offbeat bride tribe.

Thank you to those out there who provide me with ideas and I have included here.