Repair time

I noted in my post of the original Bits-a-Quilt that it periodically needs fixing as either the material wears out or the seams pull away (or both). Perhaps rather than say it periodically needs fixing I should say periodically I make the effort to do some fixing.

I keep one of the washable markers I use for quilting in the bedroom and as I spot a tear forming or a popped seam well I draw a ring around it or an arrow pointing to it so I can find it again when I am in a fixing mood.

That often occurs when I am sorting and come across random bits that would be for the current bits-a-quilt creation and think oh a bit of fixing might be due.

This is an example of a worn area, and that orange ring around it is not an added after the picture was taken to draw your eye to the spot, nope it is on the quilt in marker pen to draw my eye to the spot.

Here is a section pinned ready, there are as I hope you can see four patches going on here  to cover the worn sections. The pale lilac is already sewn down. The turquoise is a new addition to this quilt (I found a few bits that are from the edge of Bridal-bouquet- the pink and gold have made a previous appearance, but the original pieces in those colours look like a different fabric as years of use and washing have faded them.

These two pieces of flowery blue are a good example.

The section at the top has faded, the section at the bottom is a newly discovered piece of the original fabric (a dress my mother made for me when I was a child, loved that dress).

My technique for patching / repairing the bits-a-quilt has changed over the years  as I have developed my stitching. This time I am trying a version of needle turning.  

This is how it looks once I have finished stitching it.

Before this session of fixing started there were already over 20 "fixes" on here 

There may be as many to do this time around, I may even get them all done, or I may run out of fixing mojo and leave them for another time.