Angela's Portuguese Tiles

Last year when Angela left Portugal, after some years of encouraging and teaching patchwork for Portuguese and foreigners, she received a gift of blocks all made of blue, white and yellow colours representing the country.

Here is what she wrote on her blog about making her Portuguese tile quilt.

Sunday, 23 May 2010

My Portuguese Tiles

This time last year I was preparing to leave Portugal. At my farewell doo my favourite quilty ladies gifted me with these blocks, something to remember them by.... like I would forget them?? They were happy times..... They're blue and white with bits of yellow to represent the famous Portuguese tiles, which you can't miss if ever you go there.
I've decided to make the quilt, for goodness sakes.... almost a whole year has flown by and I haven't done anything with them! They were all different sizes so it was a little tricky. I made an extra block to complete the 10" block row, I've decided to make 2 x 5" blocks for the space that remains... then I will get out my stash of blues and invent a border, which I will start later today...

It's Quilt Class at Uttoxeter today 10am - 3pm, so.... as the song goes, Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go.

My Portuguese Tiles

This time last year I was preparing to leave Portugal. At my farewell doo my favourite quilty ladies gifted me with these blocks, something to remember them by.... like I would forget them?? They were happy times..... They're blue and white with bits of yellow to represent the famous Portuguese tiles, which you can't miss if ever you go there.
I've decided to make the quilt, for goodness sakes.... almost a whole year has flown by and I haven't done anything with them! They were all different sizes so it was a little tricky. I made an extra block to complete the 10" block row, I've decided to make 2 x 5" blocks for the space that remains... then I will get out my stash of blues and invent a border, which I will start later today...

It's Quilt Class at Uttoxeter today 10am - 3pm, so.... as the song goes, Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go.

Tuesday, 25 May 2010

My Portuguese Tiles

Right, that's the centre done. Looking good eh?
As you can see I found a perfect fabric for my first border, it has lots of different shades of blue flecks on it.... but then production stopped, for hours, and a few more hours.
After pulling out loads different fabric for audition and mulling over way too many ideas, I made my decision....
I didn't like any one fabric as a border, so it has to be pieced.
All the pieced borders I considered were just looking too regimental... so, out came my favourite Marsha Block Party book of 9" blocks and I will be working on making loads of different ones (about 22) over the next few days, traditional piecing..... even the triangles!
I'm going to make them "by the book"... no shortcutting... back to basics.
Look out blue pile... I'm coming back in!!! ha ha ha