A quilt (top) for mum

My mum asked me a couple of months ago if I would make her a quilt, and it seemed the least I could do, seeing as she gave me life and all. She picked out a Kaffe Fassett pattern (the Welsh Quilt, from V&A Quilts) and we hot footed it off to Liberty on a fabric buying expedition. 


Mum had a very specific size in mind (60 inches square, to sit on top of her double bed), so the pattern needed to be altered slightly. I didn't fully appreciate how complicated that would be until I actually sat down to work it out - there are a LOT of triangles in the borders, all of which have to be precisely the right length. Pythagoras was not helping. In the end I used freezer paper to foundation piece two of the borders. I've had the roll of freezer paper sitting on a shelf for (literally) years, and never used it before now, but I have to say that it is brilliant. Just the right amount of stickiness, it's resuable, and the length of the roll made piecing long borders a breeze. 

I promise that it is square, I just couldn't get far enough away to get a proper photo!

I have to admit that this is not my favourite quilt top ever, but (as I keep reminding myself) that is not the point. Mum will love it. Or I will make her love it through guilt. Either works. I'm thinking of hand-quilting it in a diagonal grid pattern about 2 inches apart. She's not mad about machine-quilting, and I want it to be special. I'm not-so-secretly quite chuffed that she asked me to make her something in the first place, so I am going to go big or go home.

Also this week, I finally managed to get around to making the other half of a pair of socks, the first of which I knitted two years ago. I am pleased to say that I now have a total of three completed socks, after knitting the second one way too small. Grrrr. If anyone happens to know a ten-year-old with only one foot who would like a single sock, please let me know.


Linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced