Category: Fabrics

Magical Diamonds

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I like having an EPP (English Paper Piecing) project on the go at all times and I am constantly designing new ones in TouchDraw on my iPad. This summer I went off to Norway and decided to start ‘The Big One’, a quilt for me which Little Miss Bossy-Boots has named ‘Magical Diamonds’. It’s going to fit my queen size bed and I’m using some of my all time favourite fabrics, Denyse Schmydt’s Florence and Oakshott shot cottons in blues and greens.

Magical Diamonds

I wasn’t sure at first how to place the fabrics but then decided to use the Oakshotts as a sort of frame for the prints. I was so excited about this project that I started before travelling and ended up with two very quickly. Each segment is 10″ x 14″, so they’re quite big.

Once I arrived in our cabin in Norway I set up my little work station outside. I was blessed with the most wonderful weather.

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I continued sewing a little every day if I wasn’t reading or cycling to the shops or the beach.

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This is what they are going to look like: 48 of those segments sewn together like this. I’m still thinking about colour placement but as I have a few more – 41 to be exact- to do, I have some time to think about it.

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This, by the way, was my view while sewing. I have to admit that I was distracted every now and again. Especially when big boats were passing.

It was a most wonderful and relaxing holiday. I managed to sew five segments which was less than I had hoped for but I also read four books and cycled quite a few kilometres. Bliss!

 

Categories: English Paper Piecing, Fabrics, Quilting, QuiltsLeave a comment

Stellar Fun

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Just before Christmas I signed up for the Simply Solids Sew Solids Crew Stash Club and thus became a Sew Solids Crew member. There are different options on how much fabric you want to add to your stash and I went for six fat quarters. Duly, six lovely purple fat quarters arrived on my doorstep in December, which I cut into straightaway to use as binding for my Mindless Flannel quilt.

Purple Stack

This month six yummy green fat quarters arrived. My favourite colour is green but, to be honest, I wouldn’t have ordered most of the greens that arrived. Now that I have them, however, I’m in love with them all. The colours are from top to bottom: Peridot, Holly, Candy Green, Avocado, Olive and Ice Frappe.

Green Stack

Justine from Simply Solids is a very clever (and lovely) girl and initiated a fun quilt-along. Stellar is a free downloadable pattern by (the equally lovely) Laura Jane Taylor from Needles, Pins and Baking Tins and was especially designed for the Sew Solids Crew Stash Club (quite a mouth full, I have to say, maybe I should call it the SSCSC?). The pattern consists of wonky stars, something I’ve always wanted to try.

Green Wonky Stars

Wonky sewing is not in my nature and I seem to have to work really hard on breathing and relaxing. The first star was the most difficult and I realised once I’d finished it that I was going to cut off three of the points when I sewed the sashing on. I was awake half the night wondering if I should start again but in the end decided not to. Wonky stars with missing points? Hurrah, for giving up control!

I’ve now gone back to the purples for December and they’re all cut and ready to be sewn when I can sneak in a little sewing. First, however, I have to clean the fish tank.

Categories: Fabrics, Quilting, Sew Solids Crew Stash Club, Sew Solids Quilt-Along3 Comments

Liberty

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This morning I brought Little Miss Bossy-Boots to school, came home to take the dog out and quickly walked into the kitchen to find his ball (no idea how it got there!). I looked at my cooker and thought: “Wow, it’s really dirty”. As I started cleaning the cooker, the dog completely forgotten, a drip nearly ended on my nose and when I looked up I had the shock of my life. The ceiling was bulging and dirty water was dripping down on my cooker.

I called the plumber who came within about ten minutes (he’s a friend!). He took the plasterboard down and started looking for the leak. Nothing. I flushed the toilet, ran the bath and sink taps. Nothing. I now have a big hole in my ceiling that I have to check every now and then.

Not a good start to the day. However, it got better once the postie had been: An envelope full of Liberty squares and a mini bundle arrived from the lovely Ali from Very Berry Handmade. She has a little shop on Folksy and specialises in Liberty Tana Lawn fabrics. Just check out how cute those packages were:

I can’t wait to try that recipe for Ginger Scrunchies. They sound delicious.

Would you like to see what was in those cutesy parcels?

The mini bundle that was on offer on Monday and

these lovely 4″ squares.

Psst, don’t tell her but these fabrics were ordered for my aunt who told me that the cushion cover I had made for my grandmother about 20 years ago has ripped. The plan is to pair the Liberty with Essex linen and make some HSTs.

As soon as I’ve sorted my kitchen ceiling out.

 

Categories: Fabrics2 Comments

Japanese Charm Swap

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A couple of months ago I signed up for a Japanese Charm swap. The aim of the game was to buy one metre of Japanese fabric, cut it into 56 charm squares and send it to Sarah. The lovely Sarah would then sort them all out and send us 56 charms, one of each, back. Checking the fabrics that were being posted in the flickr group’s pool made me very excited about receiving my charm pack.

Well, this morning the charms arrived and they are just as colourful, fun and original as I thought they would be. I’ve looked through them all a few times already and I keep finding a new “favourite” every time.

Be prepared to see quite a few projects using these charms. Little Miss Bossy-Boots has already picked a few that I will turn into something for her. A cushion cover maybe or a mini quilt for her wall. We’ll see. first I need to start and finish (!) my bath mat.

Categories: Blogtoberfest, Fabrics1 Comment

Fabric!

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Now, I could bore you with more pictures of Little Miss Bossy-Boots’ room but I won’t because today our lovely postman brought me a package I was waiting for.

Last week I got an email from a lovely lady asking if I could make a bag for her daughter’s birthday. Of course I can. We checked out FabricRehab‘s website to find fabric for the lining and found this:

This is Griffith Butterfly by Alexander Henry and I snapped up the last two units. The bag itself will be made in denim and I think this lining is going to look lovely with it.

However, once Alison had left I couldn’t help but browse a little bit more and found these:

A lovely print by Kokka,

Alphabet Soup Boy by Riley Blake,

a Polka Dot Bundle

and, the piece de resistance,

Heron by Could 9 Fabrics which is 100% certified organic cotton. I am so in love with this fabric. I have no idea what I’m going to make with it but it will definitely be for me. And it won’t be used as lining in a bag, no I want to be able to admire it all day every day. Any suggestions as to what I could make with it?

Categories: Bags, FabricsLeave a comment