The Theme of this Week is Brown

I am not amazing at sewing straight lines. My mind wanders. This was therefore not a natural project for me - but was something I'd been wanting to try for a while. Bargello Patchwork.

I have loved Bargello Embroidery for a long time and became intrigued by the patchwork after seeing some at the Festival of Quilts. The larger pieces are pretty mental.

The one above is actually quite 'normal' compared to the ones I've been looking at with the assistance of the "Twist and Turn Bargello Quilts" book (non-affiliate link) and if you look at that click on the extra images for more mind bending examples.) It all starts with strips the same width being sewn together going from light to dark in your chosen colourway.

There is also much emphasis on ironing your seams one way or another.

I stuck with this for this stage but regretfully failed to follow through and am seeing the consequences now. Luckily my aim for the finished object doesn't succeed or fail on the basis on lying completely flat.

I envisage a set of four placemats. But that's enough sewing for today so we shall see if it becomes something else in the interim.

I seem to have a lot of projects on the go in different crafts at the moment. As I see it the list is...

• Bargello patchwork possible placemats (as above)
• Wedding shawl in amazing handspun silk (about 2/3 done)
• Yellow Opal socks in garter stitch (almost finished second one)
• Wedding waistcoat for Andy (need to make second trial one)
• Wedding quilt for Sian and Mark (at the quilting stage then needs binding)
• Bunting duvet for Sian and Mark (still being planned)
• Secret cross-stitch (half of the chart designed)
• Succulent garden (bowl, soil, gravel and one succulent acquired)
• Letter wallet (surface embroidery on top of crazy patchwork almost complete)
• Bunting for Sian's wedding (fabric cut out)
• Wooden painted houses (paint, brushes, houses acquired)
• Pickled swedish herring (mason jar, vinegar, herbs acquired - being thwarted by lack of herring)
• Cat embroidery in straight stitch (half done)

I think this list says quite a lot really. I've always marvelled at people who work on one thing at a time and I used to think I craved that at work. But this really is how I work best. A little bit of patchwork, a few rows of knitting, an hour of embroidery, back to the knitting, look at succulent types online, design a bit of cross stitch. I do wonder if I have some compulsion to never be still and put myself under pressure to do all this stuff sometimes but then I do seem to really enjoy it. And having said that, that's enough blogging and I think the shawl deserves an hour or so of my attention.