I grew up listening to Steeleye Span, my parents loved them and so did my sisters and I. While listening to music one day I knew the chorus from Sails of Silver would make a great wallhanging.
I started with a vague plan, I knew I wanted to paper piece the letters and it needed a boat. I used the
Refridgerator Magnets by Elizabeth Hartman. It is not a paper piecing pattern (it uses a different method), but if you have had some experience you can work out how to use them.
I'm no expert, there was much ripping out and swearing, but I eventually made all the letters.
Next I googled images of sail boats and then drew up a generic one in Electric Quilt. It is not obvious in the photo, but the sails are made from a silver fabric I found in Bunbury at Craft Collections. I think it is this one from
Kaufman.
For a bit of contrast with all the paper piecing and to add some extra colour I improv pieced some waves using different blues and more of the silver.
To put it all together I placed it all on the design board and starting with the letters I joined one line and then the next, I just worked on adding one more section at a time and gradually it all came together.
I really enjoyed the process of making this quilt. I don't often go into making a quilt without having the whole thing mapped out, but it was quite enjoyable seeing where it went. Now to think about how to quilt it.
