A (sewing) room with a view

As you may have gathered from my blog post last week about sewing and sewing therapy, Fridays are my sewing days when I try to squeeze in as much as I can in-between school drop off and pick up.

This week, I had a plan. I was determined to complete a few more rows of my new quilt.  So I got myself organised and earlier in the week I cut up all the bits of fabric I’d be needing, and today, well I managed get them all done. (Yay!)

Sometimes I find that when piecing a quilt, what works well on paper as a design might not work so well on fabric, as I mentioned in a previous post, Golden Glow.

However, I think this quilt is coming along nicely – my eldest daughter came into my sewing room a little earlier and complimented me on the design, saying that it looked like little windows peering out into the open. I can see what she means. And I think she’s right. Perhaps I need to rethink the name I had in mind for this quilt.

Thinking about her comment, it was really quite apt… Earlier in the day, while taking a short break from sewing, I looked through my window to see some ominous clouds gathering; the fields however were still bright green as if trying to cling on to the sunshine, and all the while my sewing machine was boldly set against this background in silhouette. I noticed that the colours from this scene seemed to match the colours of the fabrics I’m using.

So perhaps, I need to rename the quilt, something like ‘The view from my window’ instead of ‘Blue leaves’ – what do you think? Perhaps you have other suggestions?!

As always, do share your thoughts with me. I love to read your comments.

And in the meantime, I wish you all a lovely weekend!

Mel x

 

 

 

Finished blocks.

Piecing in progress.

Blue leaves (and a bit of sewing therapy)

Friday is my sewing day as it’s my day off from work. I always look forward to it though that’s not to say I don’t enjoy my work. I absolutely LOVE my day job.

I work for an environmental charity on a project that helps people struggling with their mental health. The programme offers people the opportunity to get involved in conservation work and it’s the mixture of being outdoors in nature, keeping busy, doing something purposeful and being supported by a friendly group that makes it work. It’s something, I think, that everybody could benefit from.

We’re hearing a lot in the media about how getting involved in various activities can help improve people’s mental well-being – like singing in a choir or joining a sewing group for a bit of sewing therapy.

Today, I think, my sewing was more therapy than creative work. I’ve never really thought of it this way as it’s something I’ve always done since I was a little girl. Whereas most Fridays my strategy is to try and squeeze in as much sewing as possible, in-between the school drop off and pick up, today is not turning out to be one of those productive days.

This morning my mind kept wandering back to events that recently shocked and upset me, and after a long walk in the piercing cold air (where I had to blink a few times to relieve my eyes) following the school drop off, I was grateful to have a quilt project on the go to get stuck in to and to divert my focus.

I’ve managed to finish a few blocks, but I know it’s going to take a while to complete the whole quilt. I already have a name in mind and I’m thinking of ‘Blue leaves’ – I think it works well with the fabrics I have chosen, but given today, the name seems really apt.

Well, that’s my sewing done for today. I’m going off for another long walk before the school pick up which will hopefully lift my mood so I can enjoy my weekend with the family.

Do let me know what you think of my project so far! I’m always grateful for comments!

Here’s hoping you all have a good weekend!

Mel x

Check out the progress of this quilt on my other blog post ‘A sewing room with a view’. 

 

Blue leaves quilt (and a little bit about sewing therapy) – block close up

Blue leaves quilt (and a little bit about sewing therapy) – selection of blocks

Blue leaves quilt (and a little bit about sewing therapy) – interlinked blocks

Blue leaves quilt (and a little bit about sewing therapy) – fabric selection

Golden Glow

We’ve only just started 2018 but I’m thrilled to announce that I have ALREADY finished my first quilt of the year! Yay!

OK… the truth is I started this quilt a little while ago and I really had hoped I would finish it in time for Christmas, but being mum, keeping house and going to work all came first… as they always do!

I also went through some variations of my original design which set me back a bit, and I spent a while drawing, re-drawing, sewing, unpicking and re-sewing various blocks. But I think it’s been worth it. I have a design I’m really happy with. I’ve discovered over the years that sometimes designs on paper don’t translate so well onto fabric, but this is something that can only be fully appreciated once the process of piecing the blocks together has started.

I have named my quilt Golden Glow as it features this lovely mustard colour which seems to be all the rage at the moment. When it’s set off against black and white it becomes really striking. The main feature fabric – with the apples and pears – is from the company Cloud 9, which produces organic cotton. I’ve used some of their fabrics before and love the contemporary designs they feature. The other two fabrics – the mustard yellow and charcoal black – are from Makower’s Linea range. The design and the colours evoke an autumnal feeling, and although this season is a good few months away, when I hold this quilt it makes me think of the low-lying sun at this time of year and kicking fallen leaves.

My next task now is to write up this project so that others can make it too.

I hope you like it. Do let me know what you think!

Mel x

 

 

Almost over…

2017 is almost over… I say this with a hint of sadness as this year has been a good one for me. I’m blessed that my family are in good health and happy. I’m blessed to have a job where I know I’m helping to make a difference to people struggling with their mental health. I’m blessed to have some great friends with whom I’ve shared many special and happy moments. I also feel very lucky that this year I’ve been abroad with family, sang at music festivals with my choir and had one of my projects featured in British Patchwork and Quilting magazine (Yay!).

So it’ll be with sadness that I say goodbye to 2017, but it’ll be with a great big smile that I welcome in 2018. I have no idea what it’ll bring, but as long as I have my family and friends nearby, a job I feel passionate about and a few creative projects on the go, I couldn’t ask for more.

Wishing you all a peaceful 2018. Mel x

“Serenity” quilt – designed by Melanie Vincent, featured in British Patchwork and Quilting magazine (January 2017)

 

via Daily Prompt: Almost

Cozy quilts on a cold winters day

I love the word cozy. To me it means snuggling under a patchwork quilt, with a loved one by my side, in front of a roaring fire. In winter, of course.

A few years ago I designed a patchwork quilt just for that purpose – it’s a double-width lap quilt featuring pieced hearts, one of which has a secret pocket where little tokens of affection or love notes can be placed to surprise your loved one…

As the icy winds chill the air outside, I can think of no better way to spend these winter days than keeping cozy under that quilt with my hubby.

Hope you all have a peaceful winter and a happy new year.

Mel x

 

 

Quilt designed by Melanie Vincent (Melony Patch).

Hello! Welcome to my blog!

Hi! So I thought I’d start a blog… I’ve been meaning to do it for a while but for whatever reason never got started and kept putting it off. Anyhow, here I (finally) am, and here is my first post. Not sure how it’s going to turn out, but hey ho, I’m sure it’ll be fun!! And if you find it fun too, please join me in my journey – like and comment on any posts or just say ‘Hi!’.

So a little bit about me. My name is Melanie (you can call me Mel) and I enjoy designing and making patchwork quilts. I have always had a passion for fabrics and sewing and I now design and make patchwork quilts in my ‘spare time’. I say ‘spare’ in quotes because just like many other working mums, I do not have much spare time. Some of my designs have been published in British Patchwork and Quilting magazine, and I have an Etsy shop Melony Patch where I sell some of my kits and patterns (as well as some of the yummy fabric I love to work with).

As the strap line above indicates, I am also very much into wellbeing and wellness (my day job is working on a project that provides therapy through nature for people with mental health conditions) so every now and then I may wish to write a post on that subject. And I’m also a mum and love all things family and homely, so you may find the odd post about that too, and perhaps a recipe or two.

Well that’s it for now – I’ll be back in the New Year with more blog posts. For now I’d like to wish everybody a peaceful and happy 2018!! Cheerio! Mel x