Friday 30 May 2014

Finish up Friday - Tote bag

I have just a small finish for today - a chicken tote for my friend who is getting married, it's big enough for three bottles of wine, so it's perfect.
I used Robert Kaufman fabric and I LOVE those chickens, I have enough left over to make myself a little bag from it as well.
This is part of a number of small pressies I'll make them, as they have two quilts from me already.

The inside fabric I have no idea where it came from, but it was in my big cupboard and it's a really nice fabric, it's like that red toile, only in blue with a much bigger print.







Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Wips Wednesday - Blue and green log cabin quilt

I really like the log cabin quilt and after making the huge one I wanted to make one in just two colours - though it could be more if I run out of blues and greens.

I think this will end up with one of my nephews in Bournemouth.





I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced



Monday 26 May 2014

Pictorial cushions

A friend of mine is getting married in June, Friday the 13th no less, she loves all things Wicca so I've made her these cushions, she already has two quilts from me and another from her cousin, so it had to be something different.

I traced the picture on greaseproof paper, then using my FMQ foot I sewed over the lines, I then pulled, picked and scrapped the paper off and sewed over the lines again a few times to make them stand out.
I backed them in an olive green with pentagrams on them and I think it works well.

The fabric I put the pictures on make me think they're being looked at through smoke.








Wednesday 21 May 2014

Orphan blocks - What do you do with yours?

While browsing the blogs and websites via the Sew Mama Sew giveaway week I came upon an answer to one of the questions and it really sparked my interest.

It was about saving an orphan block from each quilt that you’ve made and making it into a scrapbook quilt, I absolutely love the idea and from now on I will be keeping an orphan block to do just that.

Although if the blocks are 12.5 inches I will have to keep two, one for the scrapbook quilt and the other for Little Island Quilting for her Soy Amado (I am loved) quilts which you can see HERE.
They are all destined for a street kids home in Mexico City and she is doing brilliant so far, with two shipments already having made it for the kids. There are photo's over on her blog to show the quilts on the beds and they are gorgeous.

Anyway back to the orphan blocks and scrapbook quilts – the responder to the question was Michelle over at Michelle Bartholomew and it was in response to a quilt made by Chelsea over at Patch The Giraffe So Chelsea, Michelle and myself  are going to start a trend and we’d love it if you’d join in.

I think I’m also going to use blocks that I was giving a trial run and nothing ever came of them – maybe I should do two quilts, so that all blocks will have fulfilled their potential.







In a way it will be a little like a WiPs party and who doesn’t like a party!!

Wednesday 14 May 2014

I moved my clock about three months ago..

Yet I still look in the place where it was for about 12 years, so I thought I'd help myself out a bit... and now I have a little quilted arrow wall hanging to help me :0)

Saturday 10 May 2014

Another pair of cushion covers

Raw edge appliqued and loopy quilting and bound in one of my favourite fabrics,  cerise with orange butterflies batik. 

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Cushion Covers - My one hundred and first post.

I have now finished two of the four cushion covers, which I am really pleased about, they seemed to take forever, but I think that's because I was doing other bits and bobs in between.




On the back I doubled over the fabric so it's really hard wearing and sewed one straight seam on the bottom flap and a row of hearts on the flat that shows.




Wishing it was finished Wednesday

I have been dividing my time between the two WiPs I have. 

The white and flowery tops will become cushion covers by tonight and the wall hanging will be done when it's done. I am teaching a lady who has never done any quilting some straight line quilting so she can do some as well - but I think we can all remember the first time we tried quilting and how scary it was, well Maureen is feeling the fear - but doing it anyway.



 The above two have been stipple quilted with raw edge applique.



 These two above have been loopy quilted.


 This shows the wording that will be sewn on - so far just the A is stitched.


 And this shows the sun stippled and the straight line quilting that will be done on all the rays in the colour that they are... it is taking time, but I think as the first goal is about to pass, we can relax a bit more and let it takes whatever time it needs to grow into the beauty it's going to become.
We're only getting a couple of hours each week on it, so I think the first goal was a little ambitious.

What have you been up to this week? 



Monday 5 May 2014

Little hand sewing workcase

I wanted a small work case for taking my hand sewing with me, instead of the plastic pot I was using, as that had gotten too small for the job.

I had some really sweet bits of fabric that I wanted to use for the centre pieces in a log cabin, so used those and I really love them.


I have two pockets inside secured with velcro, a needle holder and a bit of elastic sewn on one end and held in place the other end for my scissors and thread and the project as it's growing will stay laying in the middle and when it's all closed up it has a big elastic band that holds it all together.



I really like it and it is the perfect size for my tiny hexagons that will become a cushion cover.