Sunday 23 December 2012

Round up...

I really must post more often.... Not for your sake but my own. One of the reasons for blogging was to use it as a kind of diary for myself.... I love looking back on my makes.

A few finishes have been achieved in the build up to Christmas...

Big Jack is ready for his new home.. .. He can almost be double sided - I used the scraps up & inserted them into one width of fabric for the back... Getting fabric frugal finally..


Each year I issue a challenge for a small make with a group from the QS that I work in... This year it was the Pennie Pockets from Moda Bakeshop... I was so bowled over by the Santa one..

And finally .. My Dad has a Birthday the week before Christmas & it is always difficult to find presents for 2 events so close together.."I don't need anything.." Sound familiar? I found a fantastic china mug with a Stag & Daddy Deer on it... Then I saw Hadley's post... So had a little late night sewing session in time to make this...


There have also been a few Big Mouth pouches made but I haven't taken pictures..
So Christmas starts today with 11 of us... And then 17 on the big day.... Busy Busy... I love it...
Have a Cool Yule everyone.... but don't forget the reason for the season.. x

Friday 23 November 2012

Its an ill wind.....

That makes me stay at home all week with a dodgy back.. But it has meant that I was able to crack on with some projects that were getting near their deadlines...
First up was a door curtain for my son's flat.... Problem 1 - they had bought some fabric but not enough..!! Just liked the look of it and thought it would work somehow... Enter Mum!!
They wanted the curtain to be thick enough to keep out the draughts as it would be in place of a door.. So my best idea (and most cost effective) was to make an extra deep hem with a contrasting fabric... Any excuse to visit Ikea!!
Result ... some lovely velvet...
Problem 2... the fabric is not very wide so header tape would gather it up too much.... So my first attempt at Eyelet Ring Curtains.... which I am pleased to say worked out very well...
Not easy to photo until it it hanging.....


Project 2 was a birthday present for my niece's little step-son who was 4... I had seen a couple of similar ideas for Toybags/Playmats used to store Lego and thought this would be ideal for him. The fabric I found was very boyish with cars & roads on... I cut it around so that he could 'drive' his toy cars around
I bought the last of the fabric so I had to improvise .... he can have Town/Motor-way driving and also move out to the countryside too.......
The bag is wadded so that he can use it as a playmat on hard floors and the toys can be left inside when it is time to pack it all away..
and can be hung up for storage.... by gathering the cords up through the grommets (another first..)
I hope he likes it.... I am going to have to put a couple of cars inside to make it more exciting I think for a 4 year old.... 
If anyone asks me "can you just make one for....." then they can think again... It went together really quickly but when I added up the cost of materials etc the price gets silly.... It would work with cheaper fabrics of course but then it wouldn't be such fun for a little boy...

My last project of the week was a bag for my Daughter in Law's birthday... I had found some great fabric on Spoonflower and wanted to make her a large book bag for school.. (she is a Teacher..)
They have my 'grand-dog' Harvey and I bought some Jack Russell fabric, along with some Dr Who K9 and Tardis prints (she is a big fan..)  But my personal favourite was a print with cute dogs on... I thought they were dogs portraying shoes.... (in convo with the prints owner I found this was not how she designed it.. it was just how her dogs stretched out..) I still like the shoe idea myself.. What do you think?
My first thoughts were to make a bag featuring Harvey mixed with some vintage style fabrics... but I didn't like how it was going....
Plan 2
I made plainer panels for the outside of the bag using the Shoe-dogs and some Essex Linen and used the quilt as you go method to line them with the panel I made featuring Harvey and the K9 fabric... So the bag is presentable on the outside (& therefore more useable I hope) and personal on the inside... 


The pattern is pretty much made up as I went along... I quilted some side gusset panels and the base in a black linen, then popped a zip in the top and used my favourite method for sturdy fabric handles.. ( I may do a tutorial on this soon - but black isn't the best colour to photograph..)


If I say it myself... I am chuffed with the result... not sure how a young teacher about town is going to feel about it.. but I hope she likes it.
I am off to order some more of the Shoe-dogs...

So a bad back week turned out pretty good.....Except I still walk like an 80 year old......

Monday 5 November 2012

Craftsy times..

Gosh I knew I had been missing on here but I didn't realise for how long.... I think if I haven't anything new to report then you don't really want to know about the other areas of my life...

I work in a Quilt Shop (Quilters Haven) and I am lucky in that my work schedule is pretty flexible but I do commit to help out during busy periods... I have just been through a really busy couple of weeks and it has left me little time (or inclination) to get to the machine and work on any large projects.... 
But it also means I get to work at a Quilters Guild Regional Area day and see/hear fantastic speakers....

Back to the sewing room.....

I needed to construct a backing for Big Jack and wanted to make it a bit different... He was too big for one width of fabric and I didn't want to buy metres more than I needed so had to think creative..
I had bought a class on Craftsy - Inspired Modern Quilts by Elizabeth Hartman and love it.. I have purchases several of the classes on here and they have all been pretty good... even the free ones... Particularly the one on Creative Quilt Backs by Elizabeth - Go check Craftsy out... once 'purchased" you can return to it any time you want...And between these two classes I had my answer.. .(I've also noticed that you get discounted offers on other classes once you have purchased - so don't go mad the first time..) 

Big Jack needed about an extra 20" to make his back work with one width of fabric so I thought that Wonky Blocks would be very appropriate for this quilt.. Floated on 2 bands of white I am really pleased with how this looks...and it used up a lot of my leftover fabrics so was also economical. Excuse the fact that you can see the shadow of the quilt top underneath...



So now I just need to spend a bit of time on the floor basting - ugh!! this is not my favourite bit but I am going to try spray basting with 505... I haven't done a quilt this big with it before but there is a first time for everything.

Then there will be the decision to make on thread  colour and a quilting design... think I will be doing something pretty simple like Lynne did on the original as it may get a bit complicated trying to work a design that will suit the front and reverse at the same time.






The other reason for my distraction of late is that I am planning a little 3 week trip early next year......
Which is also the reason behind needing to work as much as I can to save my £'s........... 

Monday 15 October 2012

Wonky for Kinky

Well that title may get me a bit of spam mail....!!

I've just been working on the blocks for Octobers Kinky Bee. Amy had asked for Wonky Log Cabin blocks... Easy peasy I thought... Not so..

I get the concept and the method but the hard part of this block is making the fabric stretch.. it is very had to know how much fabric random blocks like these are going to use... so consequently I ran short of fabric which then leads to the 'freedom' part of random being curtailed.. Luckily Amy had already said that she would finish off any that were short but I am not too keen on the blocks I produced as a result..... Maybe they will look better with some friends!

I think that I was wanting to give them more of a more traditional Log Cabin kind of look too... as in dark one side and light on the other...
But that is why I am enjoying this Bee.... it makes me think outside of my comfort box...
and I still have to decide what my block will be and in what fabrics?

Sunday 14 October 2012

Jacks on his way.. & Linking Up to FQ


I had a false start selecting fabrics for my Jack Attack quilt but once I made my decision to go with Poetica by Art Gallery Fabrics I was on my way. The instructions by Lynne are genius & for such a big block it goes together really quickly.
I am piecing some of the backing so I will be a little slow getting it finished.




 I have made more blocks for my Kinky Bee swap. This is a design called Converging Corners and can be found here..



Then I had another Baby quilt to make... this is from a pattern by Elizabeth Hartman and is super easy - I love how it looks so different according to the fabrics... these are mostly Etchings by 3 Sisters for Moda.. Lovely soft greens that can work for a girl or boy... Turns out this is a boy quilt for Rupert.


I have also booked for Fat Quarterly Retreat in 2013 - I had such a fun time last year but will be trying  hard to Keep Calm as we all got very excited last year and I don't think I could sustain it at that level without making myself very annoying..

 So I'm just going to show my finishes from last year....


An early love of Union Jack from a class with Lynne Goldsworthy.


I finished off my FQRetreat cushion that I started in a class with Tacha - Yay.. another tick on the UFO list...

I also had a little play with the Portholes technique from the class with Lucie......





So thats it for me... I'm off to hide in a dark corner as I have realised that I haven't got a picture of the frame purse I made in Katy's class....
But as she's away at the moment so I might get away with it.... shush........don't tell on me...!

Sunday 30 September 2012

Husband away - Sew all day..

 I have had the last 10 days to myself and have been getting productive in the sewing room.... I love having the house to myself... Don't get me wrong, this can't go on for too long because I am a complete slut during these times and the house descends into CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)
I love to lock myself in my room and get lost in my sewing.. This is the result of a late, late sew-in...
My Jack Attack 2/3rds quilt from the Sew along at Lily's Quilts

3.30am....  I must put a clock in my room.......


I could have gone on later but I ran out of white fabric and it had to go on hold as I was off on a little golf trip to Derbyshire......
Sadly we didn't get a break on the weather front and only played 1 out of 3 days - getting soaked in the process....
Luckily we had back up plans in our group entertainment....

Our room was turned into a Laboratory for a Horror themed event......



And we did have to speak to housekeeping about the standard of their work.

So all was not lost.... although my waistline may have suffered
a bit due to more time around the drinks & nibbles....

Back home I had the house to myself still and I got down to finishing up on a project started at the Fat Quarterly Retreat back in June..  This was in a class on EPP with Tacha Bruecher, if I started it again I may have switched the red squares with the grey diamonds... it is difficult to visualize how the finished project is going to look... but I am happy with it as it is.....


I like the look of handmade cushions but hate finishing the backs.... a flap over never works for me... it bulges with a nice plump cushion in even if I put a button on the back.... (ugh - buttonholes..)
So this time I have tried out a new technique (for me) in putting a zip in the back of the cover.... it went together so easliy I will never do any other method.....
A great tutorial for this can be found here

The only change I made was to back my fabric with some fusible vilene to give it a bit more body.

This is now on display at work near Aneela's fabrics, it makes such a difference to see samples make up..

Back to Big Jack.....
I have restocked with white fabric and have finished the top of my Jack Attack Quilt..

I am really pleased with how it is turning out.... it is bigger than I first thought... that's a King size bed it is covering .... Now to make the back up.... 

and my Honey is home tomorrow so I had better do some tidying up!


Thursday 20 September 2012

Avast behind.....

Well thats enough about me and my body shape.... Actually it was my very weak attempt at linking to a photo....
Yesterday was Talk like a Pirate day... and it gives me a good excuse to introduce you to a member of my sewing team...
Meet... Pirate Pete the Unpicker.... and his new girlfriend... Needle Nancy....


Pete and Nancy have only just become an 'item'... by a curious case of Serendipity...I already had Pete as in 2011 I helped Lynette Anderson at the Festival of Quilts and she had these made by a local craftsperson..... Nancy was sent to me by Amy as part of the 'booty' she sent with my BritQuiltSwap3 quilt...


Here it is.... Lovely isn't it?  Amy stalked me well and if I am honest - I had a sneaking suspicion that this was heading my way as she gave a few too many clues away.... My love of Aqua & Red, plus the fact that I am a fan of Camille Roskelley's work among others... the detail on the quilt is lovely.. there is even a loose thread running from the needle to the stitches.. and that little bird in the corner is a gift card but he sits there so happily chatting to the bird on the spool that I may just leave him there. Amy also sent me a sweet notebood and the spool up there is a lovely fridge magnet and then there was Nancy in a little bag made from London fabrics... the corner of London where the Fat Quarterly Retreat was held..( Got that date for next year in my diary)..   Amy & I met up at the Festival of Quilts so it is extra special to have actually met the maker of my quilt... All in all I was a very lucky girl..... 

I am busy getting ready to teach a Jelly Roll class this weekend.. but I can't find my sample quilt top... I think it might have gone to the USA with a friend to be quilted... or else it is buried in my sewing room.. which is going to get a BIG sort out while my beloved is away for 10 days.... In the meantime I have to make a new set of samples for Saturday which I think I will make into a table runner for my parents..

I have also been busy sorting fabrics for my Jack Attack Quilt-along with Lynne at Lily's Quilts she is onto the sashing and I haven't started my Jacks yet.... Wait for meeeeeeeeeee.......!!





Friday 31 August 2012

Brit Quilt Swap 3

I am loving life in Blogland......

I see what other sewers are up to and gain great inspiration from them, diving into swaps take it to another dimension...

I have to move out of my comfort zone, which is a very positive move..... Brit Quilt Swap 3 was the last swap that I joined as a result of the Fat Quarterly Retreat... (we have the dates for next year..eek!)
The criteria was to make a small quilt between 12" and 24" square.. as with the frame purse swap we had to make an inspirational mosaic to show our partner and then 'blog stalking' is also allowed..
I have just finished my piece and it will be on its way to a new home this weekend... I had an idea from the get go of what I wanted to do and of course 'Miss Procrastination' came to stay for a few weeks while I hummed and haahed (!) about how I would create this piece.

Once the Olympics were over I had to send her away and knuckle down... I drew a rough sketch and went to my stash.... I had thought I would finally get to use some of the fabulous hand dye fabrics I have been buying from Heide Stoll-Weber her fabrics are glorious riots of colour and have a wonderful sheen.. but then I found some other fabric that I thought I could work with better. Sorry partner my stash remains intact - it is waiting for the day that I feel confident enough to just make a whole-cloth quilt.

This fabric had bands of colour across it and as they were all from the same 'dye family' I felt sure they would take the angst out of colour matching for me....

I joined in the group as we posted pictures on Flickr but I didn't want to give too much away as my partner might be intelligent and work out that it was for her... so I just put up glimpses..

I used some traditional elements as you can see in the flying geese but the rest of it I made up as I went along.. it was really fun to cut and sew, then offer it up alongside the sketch. The background was a pack of hand dyed grey/blues that I found in the depths and that little bit of deep green is hand dyed silk velvet from my friend Lin, in fact the only fabric I bought was for the backing and I didn't really need to buy that but I purchased some at the festival of quilts to use for the borders but then decided I didn't want to introduce other fabrics..

The quilting design was going to be horizontal until I got it framed and then I thought that diagonal lines would look like rain... and I found just the right variegated thread in my stock that added to the feel of sleeting rain (I must have been inspired by our 'summer'....)

So here it is... ready for its journey - it has been 'blocked' to keep it square but who knows what will happen on its trip...

I've really enjoyed this trip out of my comfort zone and will be stalking our postie as in a few days time I hope that a little mini quilt will be arriving to live with us from my mystery partner...

So I am up to date with all my swap sewing, the fabric from my september Kinky Bee partner will be here soon and I have one block from my Fat Quarter Designer mystery to be going on with...

And would you look at that..... Up in the top right hand corner - a new button has appeared.... 


Watch this space... 
"To the Stash Cave Robin........"



Wednesday 29 August 2012

Sewing Mojo

A lot of bloggers have been commenting lately on their lack of 'Mojo".... Most of them have young children and are nearing the end of the Summer holidays...  Whether you have been away or have just been at home, having children around is always going to take up VST.... (valuable sewing time..) even if you encourage them to join in and make something for themselves - it isn't the same as having that nice bit of time to yourself.. Selfish I know but it sometimes keeps you sane..  Not that I have that problem at the moment... I am an 'Inbetweener" - no not like the ones on the TV... I am between Children and Grandchildren and currently have an empty nest - not a situation that I like actually, I love to have a full house with lots of noise and laughter.

But in the meantime I do get to have a lot of time to sew - I count myself lucky in that..... and my Mojo is alive and well... producing lots of bits & pieces at the moment.

I have just been finishing off 2 blocks for the Kinky Bee I am involved with.. I have to get organised with fabrics and a pattern for February when everyone will be making me blocks which will be turned into a quilt..


These are glimpses of my Brit Quilt 3 Swap mini quilt which is nearing completion and will be sent off this weekend... I don't want to show too much of it as I want it to be a surprise for its new owner.....



I am just getting it 'blocked' and then will back it and put a hanging sleeve on... will be sad to see it go but I get to welcome a new one home here.....



Tuesday 21 August 2012

Festival Fun..



"Another Festival" you say? This time it was the fabric variety... I've been at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham...

Helping out on a stand doesn't give you a lot of time for browsing and every year I come home and hear about quilts that I didn't get to see.... even though I mark my catalogue if I see a name I know.

I think this quilter... won best in show last year. I don't have my catalogue here.

But I do love to browse around the vendors - and there were a lot of 'New kids on the Block' this year. Some of the online stores have this opportunity to get out and meet their customers and make new ones.

The Sissix Big Shot system was the new 'Toy' this year... pity I bought the Acuquilt Go last year (I have a half share with a friend) I am very happy with the basic shapes we have... But the Sissex dies are a lot cheaper if I wanted to go down the applique route.. I had a play on the stand with a free workshop... Katy was my 'Instructress" and they were doing 7 sessions a day but she was still smiling on day 3 - at least I think it was a smile!!

This years 'Best in Show' quilt was a step towards normality... From the group that brought us the "Meerkat' quilt from last year, this year they came up with the Quilters Olympics... great fun, well made and a quilt that many of us 'normal' quilters could see ourselves making if only we had the ideas.. It is so refreshing to have an injection of fun instead of taking ourselves too seriously. It has probably caused a lot of comment, particularly from those who don't 'get' our English sense of humour but this is an English quilt festival..
Sorry I didn't get close ups of the details but I am sure this one will be doing the rounds of the smaller shows and appearing in quilt magazines... I love the 'audience'.....

Thursday 16 August 2012

Olympic Sewing




I've been a complete Olympic junkie... We were able to get to see quite a few events over the last 2 weeks and we have been staying with our son in London so sewing time has been non existent  but the whole experience has been great.... So proud that this huge event has gone so well...
Our first event was at the Excell Stadium where we saw Women's weightlifting .... It was great entertainment..
I should apologise to this athlete for the unflattering photo but it did make us giggle when a Games Maker came out with a mop every so often...!!


We also took a trip across the Thames on the new cable car ride.... Great views... and a very efficient way to cross the Thames..


Then it was off to Wimbledon where we saw the epic match between Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro, which lasted so long we missed out on our dessert ..  Then a very quick match between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka - one sided..!


 Which one looks like the athlete?

Then came another great game between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic ..... I haven't been to Wimbledon for many years and I had forgotten just how different it is to see a match live... I may make more of an effort to get tickets in the future...
and for the 'Football' fans... this was our transport to Wimbledon.... 




Back on the Olympic trail and the next stop was Wembley for Women's football a pretty good game between France and Japan... France were unlucky .
A little busy getting out...!!
Then off to the Olympic park where we had tickets in the Copper Box to see Handball... It has been very popular as a newish sport on the scene... We saw a womens match and they are great athletes.. The game is fast and tough as they fling themselves towards the goal... Landing hard without the need for padding or mats.... ouch ... the mop was in use again but this time it was for sweat marks on the court...

We had the rest of the day to spend around the Olympic Park.. it was fabulous to see so many people all enjoying the event.... no drunkeness or bad behaviour... The big screen park was very popular and crowded all day... and there was no doubt when a GB competitor was involved- the roars could be heard for miles....


Our last event was the Womens football final at Wembley between USA and Japan.... a record crowd of over 80,000 made for an electric atmosphere and a game that was won by the USA avenging their defeat in the world championships...



So thats it... all over and I am so proud that the whole event went so well.... from the  Wonderful Opening ceremony to the 'slightly cheesy' closing party... is it me or did Ray Davis look like he'd been embalmed?
Back to the sewing machine... I am enthused again... but not for long - I am off to the Festival of Quilts from Thursday to Saturday.. I will be popping in to help Karin Hellaby on her Quilting in Action stand and trying to keep my purse locked away as I really do not 'need' to buy anything..... or will I?


Tuesday 31 July 2012

Swaps, Bees & BOM'S.....

Festivals take it out of you.... but I am back up and running... Well almost galloping as I had 2 projects to get off into the post...
After making a frame purse at the FQ retreat with Katy - someone came up with the idea of a Frame Purse Swap... what larks Pip!!
As the main aim of blogging is to connect with like minded souls and I am now a 'Blogger' .... I signed up.
Simples.. - Thinks I...
 Well first I had to come up with a Mosaic of purses I like and post to Flickr... This blogging lark is a huge learning curve... I had to go off and find pictures of frame purses that I liked and then work out how to do a mosaic... Mission Accomplished..

Next I got my swap partners name and had to check out her mosaic for ideas and 'stalk' her blog to see what her tastes were - all very interesting and a little daunting but I got her drift (I hope!)
Then came a bit of planning.... and sewing...  and more planning and a bit of throwing.... Until finally I was happy with the result (actually the one I went with was number 2.. - number 3 & 4 will go in the bin...)

Someone in the swap suggested adding a little 'extra' to the parcel... oohh... more thinking & planning.... I am actually very pleased with what I made... it just took longer to make than the actual purse!!
So it is on its way to its new home, I posted pictures on Flickr of the finished purse and its new owner has commented that she likes it... but doesn't know its on its way to her...
And the best part is that soon there will be was a parcel landing on my doormat and I will get got to see what has been made for me....
Its arrived..... look what Justine  made me...

A gorgeous grey purse with scrummy hexies on the outside and it had some cute crochet hearts and some fabric pieces too... I am a lucky girl..


My next task was to make the first blocks in my FQ Kinky Bee... I know ..you are going to ask..!!.
It came about when we were all getting ready for the FQ Retreat in June... someone suggest a 'Linky Party' or Link up Blog party to get acquainted before we arrived and it all degenerated from there.... A few of us were envious of the Bees that met up at the Retreat - we wanted in on the fun.. So a Bee was formed and there was only one name for it really....

The first blocks for July were for Linda and she wanted Square in a Square with a bit of improv piecing style about them.... They were fun to make and went together quickly... only having a small amount of fabric makes for creative touches.. They are also on their way.
I also signed up for the Fat Quarter Shop Designer Mystery Block of the Month (BOM).. My second block has just arrived.. they are super simple and quick to do and I love the fabrics by Camille Roskelly plus they are very generous with the fabric and I get to build a small stash out of leftovers....

I'll save pictures for the next post as I am now off to London to see some of the Olympics... wooo....