Tuesday 29 January 2013

Time for Kinky February....

FQR Kinky Bee

Has that got your attention? ...... No..... I haven't gone off the rails...

February is my month for the Kinky Bee from last years Fat Quarterly Retreat...

When I asked to be 'Miss February' it was months away... and here we are February begins this week...
I have been enjoying the different blocks and methods that I have been making for the others in this Bee but also have been worrying about what I should ask them to do for me... 

I have been admiring Camille Roskelley's - Swoon quilt since it came out... I think it is the large 'oversize' blocks that attract me. As this is a pattern with copyright I couldn't ask that everyone buy a copy of the pattern. 
So off I went in search of something similar, and I found it - Carpenters Star is a traditional block out in the public domain.
Even better, I am a Carpenters daughter......

I feel that I am being a bit 'over-organised' on this block as the other blocks have been a lot more relaxed in fabric choices, but I couldn't see an easy way of achieving this - so to make up for that part I hope that the method will be different. 

Here are my supplies for my practice block.. I have a great CD program called Triangulations that allows me to print out papers to sew HST's any size I need.  These will finish at 2" and each of these papers will yield 12 - as quick as a wink.



Layered up with my fabrics and sewing on the dotted lines.... 


and cutting on the solid lines....



Trimming.....


and after 30 minutes I have......



48 lovely half square triangles...

I had a little play in the layout of my block.... 

It's ok... but its a bit heavy on the aqua...



I fussy cut a Peacock.. so much better..

Finished.... One 16" block.


So I have packaged up the fabrics and copious notes.... together with extra papers for practicing. I hope I haven't forgotten anything. 
And my fellow Kinky girls enjoy sewing these blocks for me.


Monday 28 January 2013

A Lovely Year of Finishes



Well here we are running to the end of January and I have finished my first UFO.. I feel a bit of a cheat on this one as it had a 'must do by' date on it as it was a sample for a class. but a finish is a finish...

As I explained before this is for a beginners class, it uses a charm pack and just 1.25m for the top and 1.5m for the backing. It is a nice size for a first or second quilt... It does not have any binding.. this is a one day class and I hope to get the students to a point where they can layer up their top and turn it through (we refer to this as 'birthing a quilt') If possible some might even manage to do a bit of machine quilting too..


I have finished this very simply by quilting either side of the strong lines with a wavy quilt stitch (in a red thread)... it could be done with a zig-zag stitch too.. I just thought that for a beginner this would not be too difficult to achieve.. Quilting in the ditch can be a bit stressful if you wander... and this way it gives a decorative edge on the light background (which was a pig by the way... very fine cotton and showed every tiny bit of stray thread = this was one advantage of the turn through method.. I turned it around again and snipped all the ends.. )
So finish number one done.... I'm linking up but as I didn't get to the Linky party on time I won't be eligible for any prizes... 

I may have to take a raincheck for February as I am away on holiday for most of it.. So will be back for the March link up with an older UFO  I think..

Monday 14 January 2013

My Doctors note....

Dear Melissa & Shanna.... Please excuse Hilly Filly for not getting her linky post up on time...
She is under Dr's orders to rest and stay away from dusty areas....
Signed
Dr Nose....


So this  means I can't move out of the little nest I have built for myself on the couch in front of the TV so that I can catch up on numerous episodes of Criminal Minds.... CSI and other such programmes which have made me paranoid to leave the safety of said nest... I have to hand numerous 'gadgets' and an extension plug to keep them all charged up... but we all know that any movement sends up small particles of dust (visible on sunny days..!) so the only movement I have allowed myself is pointing the remote....

I will however do my homework and just miss out on the official linky party.... Here is my quilt top ready to layer up... It feels like cheating as there are no borders - but I need to keep it one fabric width wide for ease and this is the size one charm pack with yardage yields..

The charm pack was SewMamaSew... like the colours but I had to do a bit of 'planning to make sure the text squares came out in the right direction... a bit of OCD in me I think... & oops.. I think I just spotted a mistake.... argh!

Sunday 13 January 2013

A year of lovely finishes.... UFO's & WIP's


Well that's the idea anyway.....   Melissa  &  Shanna are gathering us together to work through our UFO's.... Just one a month is reasonable I think and boy can I use the motivation to get going..


A Lovely Year of Finishes
Excuse No.1 - I've just had a small op on my 'dose' and have to rest up for 2 weeks & avoid dust ( and that will include fibres..) which is frustrating to say the least.. So I am going to make a face mask   to overcome that little problem.. so I can get January's finished.

Excuse No.2 - February is my 'Mama' month in my online Bee and I am off to India for 3 weeks too, so I am going to be pushed for time... So I will have to chose a small project to qualify.


My January 'finish' will be a small quilt I am making to teach to a class in March.. I need to get the sample finished to display to potential students. I have the top made and as this class is a one day class for new quilters we will finish it by 'birthing' the quilt - so I just have to put the layers together, sew all around, turn and do some simple quilting. I can do a 'faux' binding look by topstitching.
It's do able I think.... I'll keep you posted.