Tuesday 28 May 2013

NOW FINISHED - Work in progress - backpack

The finished article. I am really pleased with it.



I started this Bank holiday Monday and so far the progress hasn't been too shabby.

I've done the front, including the pocket, the back, the zip part and one handle - and I changed my mind a few times about a few things.
The colours are closer to the picture of the front with the pocket on, it's really vibrant autumn colours.


The strippy bit is the pocket.



 For the top I drew out a foundation piece on grease proof paper with a ruler and pencil.

The inside of the pocket has cats and pretty much all of the panels are different, so it really is a patchwork backpack. I'm really pleased it.



Saturday 25 May 2013

Purse

I made a patchwork piece up of plus signs, it measures approx 10 by 5 inches, I then sandwiched it with wadding and backing. I quilted each plus sign. I then folded it into three and put some velcro as the closure. I then made a double sided piece of fabric and attached a zip to it so it was like an open sided zip pocket. Then I put that inside two parts of the three folded bits and sewed it in place and then put binding all around it.

Thursday 23 May 2013

Embroidered patch

Little fishy embroidered patch.

I think this will become the front panel on a little pouch/purse.

Sunday 19 May 2013

Log cabin - my favourite quilt so far

Some very contented cats sitting on my favourite quilt. It was the first quilt that I actually quilted instead of tying. I love it - everything about it, the colours, the quilting and the design.

Saturday 18 May 2013

NOW FINISHED ... bright stripy quilt ... the work so far...



This has come together quicker than I thought. In about six hours I can do about 40 blocks, so far it's been less than a weeks work. I have had two previous sizes so far, but they weren't right, so I'm going for a large one. I've done all the blocks - well I think I have, I'll lay it out at my neighbours today - and if it's big enough I'll sew them all together.
Seeing that pile of finished blocks just makes me really excited...
I just love seeing a pile of strips and the posibilities of what they can be.... gorgeous.

I haven't done many bright quilts, they generally tend to be in autumn colours.
I think my favourite quilt of all time (so far) is my yellows, browns, beiges, oranges and reds log cabin with roses quilted all over ... after a few washes it's become really tactile and fab.... and I'm thinking I should make a bigger one now, especially as I didn't know about speed piecing when I made it :0) hmmm next project perhaps... but no I have a wedding gift quilt to make for my God daughters parents and six cushion covers for my sister who's is back from Australia for six weeks next month.
It's now finished and with it's new owner, my neighbour Saphire. I backed it in a lime green fabric with a white swirly pattern on it... I think she was pleased.
This is Saphire (on the right) the recipient of the quilt. It didn't turn out as big as I thought, but I had reached my peak doing that quilt and decided to just finish it off.


Here is Tigger (top right) checking to see if he likes the layout -
I think he approved :o)


I did an all over stippling quilting.

This is the backing fabric - I really like it and hope the shop
has some more - it was really cheap, double width and £3 a metre.

The green strip on the top block is what the backing is made from. I keep forgetting to take a picture of the backing.


Thursday 16 May 2013

Little heart pouch


A little heart twin pouch - with RUBBISH photographs!! Sorry.

The pattern/tutorial came from Sewing Room Secretshttp://sewingroomsecrets.wordpress.com/free-patterns/
who I never would have come across had it not been for the Sew Mama Sew giveaway. I've come across some great blogs that I intend to follow and some new things I'd like to try all down to the giveaway.

To make the 'closing' bit, I used a button and a length of ribbon to wrap around the button. Also a couple of bits of ribbon holding the pouches together. It's a great little pattern and I've already been asked to make one for a friend.





I have to say - that's a bit strange - seeing your own fingers in a picture on a website after making sure they look their best before a picture :o) -just kidding about the making sure they look nice... not the strange part though :o)


Monday 13 May 2013

The stresses of owning pets.

This is Zippy, he's 14 and is not a well boy, he's got some sort of neuroligical problem and keeps getting a bleed into his right eye. On Saturday he went down hill and had a large bleed into his eye and I thought I was bringing him home for a last weekend... then Sunday he's back on his feet, the bleed has gone and he's up for getting on the sofa and having snuggles - I've had Zippy for about 10 years and am very, very attached to him. I have had one roller coaster of a weekend. I hope yours was good.

Friday 10 May 2013

Pillowcases

Two pillowcases for two little girls, they took ages to make and I'm sure there must be an easier way... but they're finished now. Just the little boy's one to do now for the tomorrow deadline.

The picture shows the end panels that will be sideways when on the pillows.

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Sew Mama Sews Give Away

I'm linking up with Sew Mama Sew's give away, this is the first that I've taken part in anything like this and I think it's a wonderful idea.



I will post internationally.

If you become a follower you can be entered twice. I will pick the winner by writing all the names down and putting them in a bowl (I have no hat) and getting my sewing friend Roo to pick one out.

I'm offering up 140 (give or take) precut diamonds, what is left over from an autumn quilt I made for my brother... which I still wish I had used a different colour for the border... ho hum.
  To enter tell me the thing you wish you'd done different.
I'll do the draw on May 11th and announce the winner and contact them on 13th May.

Good luck and thanks to Sew Mama Sew for this opportunity.


Apologies for the photography - I really must stop taking pictures at the same time of day in the same place and expecting different results... tsk tsk

If you're interested to see what I did with mine, it's in March under Bits and Pieces I've made.

This giveaway is now closed - thanks to all that entered, I will announce the winner on 13th May.

Monday 6 May 2013

My first handsewn quilt.

This was the first hand sewn quilt I made, it was for my God-daughters christening, she was playing with it tonight and shes now three. It was so cute to see.