It is about time we had a new quilt on our bed. 

I have been thinking about what to do for some time and have finally decided that it will be a quilt made of stencilled and quilted blocks.

I have made two largish stencils - each about 15" square cutout area, from traditional stencil card.  I am planning to use two plain background fabrics - black and lightish silver/grey.  I shall stencil white (with a touch of champagne gold) onto the black fabric and black (with a touch of silver) onto the grey fabric.

Allowing for a border around each block, I am going to need 36 blocks altogether to make a good-sized quilt that will reach the floor.

I am not yet sure whether I will just join them up or whether I shall put some sashing in between and, if so, what colour sashing to use?!

Watch this space.

I sometimes stencil with a traditional stencil brush as here, and sometimes use a small foam roller.  I have tried both for this, but in the end I usually find the brush gives a better and sharper finish, although, of course, it takes quite a lot longer.

The first block stencilled.  Now it needs to dry and then I shall heat set it with a hot, dry iron.
 

Close ups of the black on grey block and the white on black block after stitching.

Now I only have to make 18 of each and stitch them together!!!  I shall report progress.

I'm really into stencilling at the moment.  I cut a feather and made a few cards using scraps of fabric and fabric paint, then stitching into them.

More cards I have made recently.  The house is a screen print, but the rest are stencilled, sometimes over several layers.

I was thrilled (and staggered) to learn that my triptych "Chinese Journey in Three Parts" has won "Best of the World" in the 2014 World Quilt Show in New Hampshire.  It is an amazing accolade and I am so grateful!  

My husband's comment was "Perhaps you will now believe that you are quite good at this"!!!

The show tours the US, ending in January in Florida.  How I would love to be able to go there!