rectangle. Sew these strips to the left
and right edges of the shoe block,
with the G rectangles at the top.28
Lay out an assortment of 2^1 ⁄ 2 in
squares in four columns of seven
squares and one row of 11 squares.
Sew the squares in each column and
the row together and press.29
Join the columns in pairs, side
by side, carefully matching
seams. Then join a pair of columns
to the left and right edges of the shoe
block. Sew the row of 11 squares
to the top edge of the block.30
Lay out an assortment of 2^1 ⁄ 2 in
squares in three columns of three
squares and one row of 11 squares. Sew
the squares in each column and the row
together and press.31
Lay out the three columns and
two crown blocks in a row. Jointhem together. Press seams towards
the crown blocks. Then sew the 11
square row to the top edge of the
crown blocks.32
Complete the centre of the quilt
by sewing the shoe block to the
bottom edge of the crown blocks, then
sewing the carriage block to the
bottom edge of the shoe block.Border
33
Measure your quilt vertically
through the centre. Trim two
of the 4^1 ⁄ 2 in strips of beige print fabric
to this length.34
Measure your quilt horizontally
through the centre. Trim the
remaining two 4^1 ⁄ 2 in strips of beige
print fabric to this length.35
Sew the strips from Step 33
to the left and right edges ofthe quilt. Press seams outwards.
Sew a 4^1 ⁄ 2 in square of very light pink
print fabric to each end of the strips
from Step 34, then sew them to the
top and bottom edges of the quilt
and press as before.Finishing
36
The backing, batting and quilt
top are ready to take to a long-
arm quilter as they are. If you’re doing
the quilting yourself, refer to Step 17
on page 62 to layer and baste the quilt.37
Quilt as desired. Francesca
hand quilted around the
appliqué shapes and stitched close
to the seam lines of the patchwork.38
Refer to Steps 19-22 on page
64 to trim and bind the quilt
using the strips of light green print
fabric.FRANCESCA OGLIARI
Why this particular craft? I have always been
fascinated by the world of fantasy and fairy
tales. Everything that makes me dream
inspires me, and so I thought, why not create
a project dedicated to Cinderella?
Have you tried plenty of others? o tell T
the truth, this wallhanging quilt is not my
first project dedicated to a character from
a story. I published a whole book inspired
by the fantastic story of Alice in
Wonderland. I enjoyed creating the projects
for this book so much that I immediately
thought of Cinderella, to allow me to
continue my adventure in the world of
fairy tales.Any funny stories along the way? I have
a little girl who is seven, and she would like
everything I make to be hers. She knows that’s
not possible, so she’s happy to help me with
the design – drawing and colouring the
characters from the fairy stories.
Is it hard to find time to craft or is it a
profession? My dream, even as a child, was
to be able to create a doll with my own hands.
Unfortunately, with my limited abilities as
a child, I was only able to create funny little
monsters. Having seen the results, for quite
a while I gave up on the ambitious project,
but I dedicated my time with enthusiasm to
all creative arts in general – from embroidery
to painting, everything that allowed me to
express my internal joy was a source of
positive energy. When I was much older, I got
my first sewing machine, and it was love at
first sight! I could now fulfil my childhood
dream and create my first rag doll. Even now,
this dream continues; what was once just a
hobby has become my job, and for this reason
I consider myself to be a very lucky person.
From where do you draw inspiration? have I
a real passion for nature and, in particular,
flowers – my favourites are roses. I love
the delicate colours and the wonderful
atmosphere they provide, which makes us
dream. Mother Nature is an expert in this.
I love to create romantic projects, only
simple on the surface, with clean refined lines,
inspired by what surrounds me in nature.
What are your favourite materials to work
with? I have a true passion for fabric. I have
bought so much, justifying it with the excuse
that “I need it for my work”. Today, I could
seriously open a small shop! I can’t resist
all the patterns and the delicate colours that
go to create the background for magnificentflowers. And I simply can’t do without
linen and spotted materials.
Where do you live and work? My family and
I lived in a charming, but small, apartment.
I didn’t have my own work space, and my craft
took over all available space. Wherever you
turned, you could see threads, needles, bits
of materials. My husband decided we could
no longer continue like that, and we moved
to a new apartment. Now, we have a lot of
space, and I finally have a small craft room
just for me. But you can still find needles,
threads and bits of material everywhere.
What is your family structure? I have a
wonderful husband and two splendid children,
Vincenzo, 10 years old, and Giorgia, seven.
When I create a new project, I ask the opinion
of all the family. If my husband likes it and
I see my children’s eyes light up at the sight
of a new creation, then the project is
approved! If the opposite occurs, then the
whole family enjoys giving me advice and
suggestions on eventual modifications in
order to make the final project perfect.
Do you teach your skills to others?
Definitely, one of the best aspects of my
work is being able to teach what I know to
other people. I have held a lot of courses,
mostly in Spain, and it is always a great
pleasure to meet people who share my hobby
and my passion. New, true and precious
friendships have been born.
What is your advice for beginners? For all
those who approach the world of creative
sewing for the first time, my advice would
be not to become demoralised if your first
creations aren’t perfect. The important thing
is to enjoy the process and be enthusiastic
about everything our hands create.
Experience and passion will do the rest.Gett ing to know ...
46 HomespunHSP1810_p038-046_Cinderella PROJECT.indd 46HSP1810_p038-046_Cinderella PROJECT.indd 46 8/21/2017 10:09:47 AM8/21/2017 10:09:47 AM