Gypsy Wife: a few more pics

Well, there's a lot of fun happening out there just now, have you seen? The Gypsy Wife 2016 QAL has started! We've all heard about it, we've all wasted spent time checking out everyone else's fabric pull, and we've all said we have too much else on, yes?

And I really wasn't going to join in, but... I am so enjoying playing with this pattern again!

Second time around though, I'm doing a few things differently! Making up the separate sections as you go rather than simply working your way through the book is so much more satisfying. Don't know why this didn't occur to me first time around! And it's so much easier to keep track of all those different sized ‘filler’ blocks by making them & putting them straight into a section! I'm also able to look at each section individually, trying to get a good sense of colour balance as I progress. 

I didn't have a ‘focus’ fabric last time, just went for the all-out scrappy look! I'm using ‘Tapestry Rose’ from the Hapi line by Amy Butler as my 'focus' with this version, and it's been really helpful to use as a guide for my colour scheme.

Fabrics are - so far- all from my stash, including Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler, Jen Kingwell, Tula pink and a little bit of Liberty. Going for the scrappy look again, but selective scrappy!

finished 1st GW / new 2nd WiP

Oh dear, and what about those pesky long vertical strips? They gave me so much grief last time, and I'm still struggling to get them 'perfect'! Along with consistent ¼” seam and pressing ... the other thing I'm trying is not cutting them out from folded material, as sometimes you end up with a bow in them and we certainly don't need any more curves!

But the best trick I've found so far in preventing those strips from starting to sway is sewing one strip top to bottom and the next strip bottom to top, and to keep alternating ↑↓ as you add more strips.

EDIT: Great suggestion from Julielou to also try starching the strips before sewing, will give this a go with my next lot.

And there's a bit of a party happening on Instagram here, the gypsy wife quiltalong 2016

- pop over to see lots more pics!

Linking up this week with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' here

a bit more #43

Saturday nite

and, just for a change, our bookclub all went into town
along to the annual Auckland Writers Festival  

to listen to Elizabeth Gilbert (of ‘Eat Love Pray’ fame)

She has a unique perspective on creativity, speaking about life, living in the moment and

"following the whimsical path of curiosity rather than staying with the uninspired safe course"

Inspiring!