Category: Quilting

A Triceratops with Cellulite

eli # # # # # #

When Juliet from a Tartankiwi asked for testers for some of her new foundation paper piecing patterns I jumped at the chance. I love the robin I did before Christmas even though he’s still not been turned into something useful. This time I got to try sewing a triceratops, one of my favourite dinosaurs.

Triceratops Head

Being a mostly female household (Charlie the cat doesn’t really count, does he?) I pulled out some fabric in pinks and oranges but changed my mind at the last minute and went for purple Liberty Tana lawn instead. Purple is Little Miss Bossy-Boots favourite colour at the moment and I thought it would be fun with a purple triceratops.

Half a Triceratops

This pattern contains a gazillion minute little pieces and the lawn fabric really helped with reducing the bulk. Once I’d finished the head I admit that I did breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t know about you but I stop breathing when I concentrate really hard. The detail is fabulous, though, and I was happy to continue with the legs, giving my triceratops red toe nails (don’t look too closely, though, as I managed to forget one).

Triceratops

Wondering about the cellulite? Wonder no more. I was a bit tired at the end and didn’t line up the bottom quite as well as I could have. As this one is for us I didn’t worry too much and left it the way it was. I’m sure she isn’t too bothered about her lumpy bottom.

Triceratops Cushion

I didn’t want this lovely dinosaur to end up as a WIP (especially as it is on my FAL list) and started quilting it straightaway. The bulk of all the seams in the head made it too difficult to quilt so I just did two clouds in the sky and a few plants in the grass. Quilting and piecing was, as always, done with Aurifil 50wt. A bit of dotty fabric and, hey presto, we have another cushion for the sofa.

This pattern hasn’t been released yet but I’ll let you now as soon as it’s in Juliet’s shop.

Edited to add: Get the pattern here.

Categories: Home Projects, Quilting3 Comments

Liberty Bloom

eli # # # # # #

I’ve finished my Doll Quilt Swap 14 mini quilt and I’m really very happy with it.

The only thing I’m a little disappointed with is that I couldn’t do more quilting on it. Once I’d finished stitching in the ditch around the ‘bloom’ and the linen pieces my back gave out to me. I realised that I wouldn’t be able to sit at the machine much longer and therefore simply echo quilted around the bloom a few times. I quite like the simplicity of it, it really lets the fabrics do the talking.

Liberty Bloom

The mini’s progress was stalled when I ran out of Liberty scraps that were big enough to finish the last few pieces. I ordered a mini bundle from Ali’s shop Very Berry Fabrics on Folksy and it arrived promptly a couple of days later. Thank you so much, Ali, for such quick service!

The Liberty Bloom is pieced and quilted with Aurifil 50wt, my favourite thread of all times.  It finishes at 19″ x 19″ and has a scrappy Liberty binding which I am very partial to. I just hope my partner loves Liberty Bloom as much as I do.

Scrappy Liberty Binding

The pattern for this mini will be added to my tutorials once my partner has received it as I’ve named it after her. I don’t think she reads my blog but it’s better to be safe than sorry and I don’t want to spoil the surprise for her. One of the fun things about theses swaps is that you don’t know what you’re going to get until you hold the package in your hands.

This was another projects on my FAL list and I’m so happy to be able to cross it off.

Categories: Doll Quilt Swap 14, English Paper Piecing, Quilting5 Comments

Doll Quilt Swap 14

eli # # # # # # # # # # #

I enjoy a good swap and one of my favourites so far was the Doll Quilt Swap Round 13. The mini quilt I got was absolutely stunning and was one of the first things I hung up in my sewing room. When I saw that registration for round 14 opened I jumped at the chance to get another little beauty as those ladies are a talented bunch.

The mini quilt I did was an English Paper Piecing project that I found on the internet. As I couldn’t find the pattern I copied the design and drew the templates myself. I have since found and purchased it on Craftsy as I truly didn’t want to rip off the talented designer, Endulzar.

Anyway, I decided to go for another EPP project as I knew I was going to spend Christmas in Ireland and it would be great to sew a bit between eating turkey and Christmas pudding.   I designed my own pattern on TouchDraw for iPad and will be adding the templates to this blog once I’ve finished the mini and am sure that everything fits and looks the way I want it.

EPP for DQS 14

This year I went for the classic combination of linen and Liberty Tana lawn. As I only had scraps, I went for a scrappy but ordered approach and got to the last two pieces before I realised that I didn’t have enough scraps to finish it.I have now ordered more from Ali‘s gorgeous shop on Folksy where all my other scraps have come from too. I can’t wait to get them and finish this mini.

DQS 14 Mini

 

Pieced, as always, with my favourite thread: Aurifil 50wt (colour no 2000).

Categories: Doll Quilt Swap 14, Quilting, Uncategorized2 Comments

Yellow

eli

My sister called Friday afternoon to ask if I wanted to go to the big Swedish blue and yellow shop. I jumped at the chance as I don’t drive and have to change trains and take two busses to get there.

I had been wanting to go for a while now to buy a rug for Little Miss Bossy-Boots’ room. Little did I realise that we would come home not only with a rug but a chair too. A bright yellow chair.

Yellow ChairI love the retro feel and I’m sure it will go well with the turquoise tv cabinet that’s arriving on Tuesday (and will, hopefully, hide all the electric leads). The best thing about it? It really needs another cushion and I’ve got an excuse to start a new project!

Sewing will have to wait a little bit, though, as I’ve slept awkwardly and have a very stiff shoulder. I’m alright doing some hand sewing (just finishing my DQS 14 mini) but the machine will have to wait.

 

Categories: Home Projects, Quilting2 Comments

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head

eli # # # # # #

Quite a while ago I ordered a jelly roll of Kona brights by Robert Kaufman; not because I needed it but because I love solids and it called out to me. Once it arrived I put it on my shelf and admired the vibrancy of the colours and how well the colours looked together.

Last year I opened it and grabbed the purples to use as binding for the Mindless Flannel quilt. Then I rolled it back together again, stood back and admired it some more.

On Monday the admiring stopped and the cutting started. After sorting out the yellows and greys I turned to one of my favourite fabrics ever and chopped that up too. ‘Heron’ is from the line Across the Pond by Cloud 9 Fabrics . The design of this quilt had been in my head for quite some time. I could picture it and I really wanted to do it but there was always something else I needed to finished first. The list of things I need to finish is still as long as my arm but the quilt top has finally been made and it’s just the way I imagined it would be.

Heron Log Cabin

Excuse the poor quality picture. We have been swallowed up by the fog and despite having all the lights on it’s still really dark. However, I love the bright colours in real life. It has, of course, been pieced with my favourite Aurifil thread 50wt colour 2000 which is a lovely neutral colour that seems to go with all the colours in this quilt.

It finishes at 48″ x 60″ and is going to go and live on our sofa once I’ve quilted it. Little Miss Bossy-Boots tried to get this one too (she already has two quilts) but I thought it would be nice to have one we can share.

My dilemma now is how to quilt it. Once upon a time I would have just echoed the log cabin but after taking three (!) fmq classes on Craftsy I really want to do something else. Should I go for feathers (very ambitious), dot to dot quilting à la Angela Walters or use some of the designs I’ve learned from Leah Day? Answers on a postcard, please!

PS I will post better pictures the minute we have a sunny day.

Categories: Quilting, QuiltsLeave a comment

Tea?

eli # # # # # # #

I love being part of a bee as it challenges me and lets me discover new sewing techniques. Last month’s request by Di from Quiltova were tea cups in bright and contrasting colours and fabrics. The pattern is by the talented Sarah Fielke whose Craftsy course Big Techniques from Small Scraps I bought ages ago because I wanted to learn how to do needle turn appliqué.

I would lie if I said I loved making these tea cups. Or rather, I would lie if I said I loved making the first tea cup as I just couldn’t get my head around working with the templates of the saucer ends. The seam ripper came out countless times and the air was turned dark blue until I gave up and made some HSTs.

Tea CupsI went back to Sarah’s class and watched the two lessons for needleturn appliqué again before attaching the handles. That’s what’s so great about Craftsy, you can go back anytime you want and re-watch the relevant lessons.

I’m totally in love with these tea cups now and would love to make one of these quilts, which is called All That and the Hatter, myself. Isn’t that the best name for a quilt? I’m now hoping Sarah’s book will be put under the Christmas tree for me. Please, Santa, I promise to be good and stop swearing…!

Categories: Quilting, Quilts, Sew Euro-Bee-An1 Comment

Fly, Robin, Fly!

eli # # # # # # # # # #

Yeah, my internet, phone and tv have finally been sorted and I’m hoping that this means I can get back to blogging on a more regular basis. Somehow, it’s not much fun to write blog posts without being able to publish them.

Juliet, who blogs at Tartan Kiwi, is a very talented pattern designer who concentrates on foundation paper pieced blocks. I haven’t seen one yet that hasn’t impressed me so, please, go and have a quick look at her Craftsy store. It’s alright, I’ll wait for you here.

Ok, what did you think? Isn’t she wonderful? Well, she was looking for pattern testers a while ago and I put my name forward. However, with the move to Switzerland being more time consuming and stressful than I had anticipated I haven’t really had the time to test any of those gorgeous patterns…until now, that is. Check out this little cutie:

Paper Pieced RobinThe pattern comes together really easily despite some teeny tiny pieces. In fact I had the most problems with those long thin pieces around the legs and for the twig. Slippery little so-and-sos.

Close up RobinIf you like to FPP (foundation paper piece) and you love Christmas this little Robin is almost a must. The block finishes at 10″ so I’m now going to go and have a little rummage through my Christmas fabric to add a couple of borders before I turn him into a cushion cover.

By the way, go check out Amy of Amy’sCrafty Shenanigans‘ version out as well. It’s in the bottom row of her October mosaic. I wish I had some of that snowflake fabric so that I could make another one.

I used some Kona solids, a couple of prints from Carolyn Friedlander’s line Architextures and a little bit of Denyse Schmidt for my Robin. The fabric I used for the eye was a small scrap I had lying around. Pieced, as always, with my beloved Aurifil 50 wt.

I love him and I will be sad when he flies away to his new home as I’ve decided he would be a perfect gift for…whoops, I almost told you there, didn’t I? I’ll tell you some other time, don’t want to spoil the surprise, do we now?

 

 

Categories: Quilting, Quilts1 Comment

Practising

eli # # # #

Life here in Switzerland is still going in the slow lane. I have no internet, no phone and no tv at the moment and although I miss being connected to the quilting community I’m quite happy with the tv break. It’s funny how much more you can do when you’re not stuck to the laptop or tv (not that I watch very much tv in the first place).

However, I’ve been ‘stealing’ my mother’s wifi a few evenings last week and have been watching various courses on Craftsy, one of which is Ann Petersen’s Beyond Basic Machine Quilting. Yesterday evening I was watching her quilt fabulous feathers and was so inspired that I got my pencil and pad out and started practicing. This morning I sat down at my machine and tried to do it on a practice sandwich.

FeathersI used the Aurifil 50wt in 2024 that was already in my machine. It’s easy to see that the left side is easier for my brain to wrap itself around. My stitch length was also more consistent on the left.

I then decided to change to a slightly thicker thread and changed my top thread to Aurifil 40wt in 2150, a nice bright orange, leaving the white 50wt in the bobbin.

Orange FeatherI love the thicker thread and am now itching to go and order lots and lots of different colours. Both these feathers were free form and I loved having a bit of ‘air’ between the fronds. However, I thought I really need to try them without space too and drew a circle on another practice sandwich. I was trying really hard to retrace my steps and keep the fronds together.

Feather circleI first did the outside feathers and it’s fairly easy to see where I started in the top righthand corner. The inside was fine until I got to the last frond. Poor planning meant that my angle was off and it looks really messy. Alas, it’s only a practice piece and I don’t mind it one bit. After all, they do say that practice makes perfect and you learn from your mistakes. I’ve absolutely loved making all my mistakes and I now want to make a quilt that I can quilt with feathers in all shapes and sizes.

Ok, I’m off to watch the rest of my Craftsy course. I’m sure I’ll find more I need to try out soon.

 

Categories: Quilting3 Comments

Log Cabins: A Finish-A-Long

eli # # # # #

These last few days have been a race to the finish line as I really, really wanted a second finish for Q3 of the Finish-A-Long.

My first finish was the Siblings Together quilt which I handed over at the Fat Quarterly Retreat.Siblings Together Quilt

This is only a picture of the top as I haven’t got any pictures of the finished quilt! You can find a picture of the finished quilt here.

The list had a few smaller projects on it but I was determined to finally finish Little Miss Bossy-Boots- log cabin quilt. To be honest, I found it a little difficult to muster the enthusiasm for finishing it as I don’t like it. Or rather, I didn’t like it. I found the log cabins too busy and bright. However, toning them down with some white squares helped tremendously. As I didn’t have enough white for more than four squares so added some polka dots which I had bought for the backing.

Log Cabin QuiltThe quilt has grown on me and I rather like its cheerfulness. I decided to have fun with the quilting. First, I quilted some square spirals on the log cabins simply following the lines with my walking foot. Then I decided to quilt a big flower in the white squares, again with my walking foot. This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the process, although turning the quilt so many times was a bit of a pain.

Quilted FlowersFar from perfect but I don’t think my five year old is going to notice.

Next I thought about the polka dots and decided to practice my fmq with some stippled hearts.

FMQ HeartsAgain, this is far from perfect but I’m proud I did it and had fun in the process. When I told Little Miss Bossy-Boots I was going to add her name as well she asked if I could also add Charlie’s name as he likes her quilts too. So I did.Charlie

And then I was asked to quilt some cats too. Cats? That’s pushing me to the limit. In the end I managed to hide a few cats amongst the hearts.

Cat

The quilt finishes at 45″ x 45″, just the right size to snuggle under while watching a movie, and is entirely pieced and quilted with Aurifil in white (2024, 50wt). I’m so pleased with how it came out in the end and can’t wait to stick this quilt in the washing machine and tumble dryer. I think it should crinkle up beautifully.

Little Miss Bossy-Boots loves her new quilt and I love that I’ve been able to make my bestest girl happy.

 

 

 

 

Categories: Quilting2 Comments

A Dashing Echo

eli # # # #

Two years ago I fell in love with Lotta Jansdotter’s first collection, Echo. I bought a fat quarter bundle with nine different fat quarters in the blue, teal, brown and grey colour way. They were earmarked for a quilt and hoarded together with a pink fat quarter that I received in a swap. Last month both queen bees of the two bees I’m in asked for churn dash blocks. I hadn’t made any before but always liked the look of the humble churn dash. Making these blocks  was so much fun and it made me want to make more. I got my greens and yellows out but they were really all bought for a specific quilt and I just couldn’t get myself to cut into them. That’s when I remembered Echo. I wanted to see lots of the gorgeous fabrics so decided to design a big churn dash that would use up the whole fat quarter. In the process I also linked the churn dashes which again triggered a different design in my head (but more on that later). A Dashing EchoYep, photo bombed again. Charlie does get around…

It was, of course, pieced with my beloved Aurifil 50wt, this time in white (2024).

The blue sketch in denim was the only yardage in my stash that was big enough for this project. It was one of these situations where the sewing had to be done there and then. No way was I going to wait for fabric to arrive. I’m still not convinced by it but am hoping that I will like it better once it’s quilted, bound and lying on my bed. The quilt finishes at 56″ x 72″ and is my biggest so far. I’m hoping to do some free motion quilting on it but am a little worried because of its size. As I have to order wadding and piece the back before I can start basting and quilting anyway I’ll just put this in the wip (work in progress) pile and forget about it for a little while.

Next up: basting and quilting Little Miss Bossy-Boots log cabin quilt. If I’m really quick I might be able to finish before Q3 of the Finish-A-Long ends. Wish me luck!

Categories: Quilting, Work in Progress2 Comments