Category: Quilts

Summer Luv

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On the train back from London I was thinking back to the fantastic three days that I had just spent in the great company of such creative ladies and gentlemen. I thought of all the things I had learned and the fact that I would have to try them out independently (ie without a teacher holding my hand) to really internalise them. I’m the kind of person who has to use my hands to learn, I write things down to remember them. I can’t read a pattern and understand it, I have to get the materials and make while I read the instructions. I’ve always been like that to a certain degree but it has become more prominent in the last eight years and is probably down to the flippin’ chemo.

Anyway, long story short, I was thinking about the portholes technique and especially about the flower template that Lu gave us together with the circles and heart. In my mind the flower became more abstract and suddenly I could see a picture in my head of three very stylised flowers in bright colours.

What do you think? I realise I could have appliqued the flowers onto the background and it would have taken me half the time but I love the more refined look that you get with the portholes technique (who am I kidding? it’s still something I made). I tried to keep the shapes as simple as possible to practice. The colours were chosen for their zing, I wanted the whole quilt to really pop. I’m very happy with it even though the coloured fabrics show a little through the white and I didn’t bury my knots at the back (as it was only supposed to be a trial piece I didn’t think it would matter). It finished at 12″ by 16″.

I put a picture up on Instagram and it seems I have two takers for this mini quilt. However, as I haven’t got any of the ladies’ addresses I might just hang it up in my room for a little while.

Next stop, finishing my double circle of flying geese. I just hope I remember enough to do it without having to bombard Lynne with too many questions. Watch this space….

Edit: At Di‘s suggestion I’m linking this mini quilt up to Ellison Lane Quilts‘ Summer Sewing Contest. Just for fun 🙂 

Categories: Quilts3 Comments

Another Tumbler Cushion

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When I got ready to go to my tumbler cushion workshop with Katy last summer I bought two charm packs to bring. One was Camden Market, the other Happy Go Lucky by Nel Whatmore. In the end I chose to bring Camden Market as the cushion was going to be for Little Miss Bossy Boots and I’m so happy I did. The cushion has been sitting on her bed since and has been brightening up her room. As soon as I got home, though, I started on another tumbler cushion with my Happy Go Lucky charm squares.

I decided to make the tumblers a little smaller so that I would be able to cut out two from each square. Then I added some Kona solids, again from the charm pack that I took to the workshop. I was really happy with how it looked and went to find some fabric for a border. A lovely black cotton with tiny white polka dots was duly ordered and then deemed not right. So the tumblers just sat there until now when I decided that I wanted to finish it. I wasn’t sure how to quilt it but in the end went with straight lines in an aqua colour.

In the end I loved the colours so much that I discarded any thoughts of a border and simply pulled out some ticking for the back.

I inserted a zip for easy washing (you have to with a small child, cat and dog).

The cushion is 22cm x 36cm, not really a size that you find in the shops. However I had a 36cm x 36cm cushion filler that I was able to squish into it. Hey presto I have a very plump little cushion and I love, love, love it.

Categories: Home Projects, Quilts1 Comment

Done!

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Here it is:

I’m a bit sad as I didn’t have an insert in the right size. This one is an 18″ one that I pinched out of Little Miss Bossy-Boots’ Tumbler Cushion and it’s definitely too big. Poor cushion cover is bursting at the seams. However, I will wash the cover, get a 16″ insert this weekend and then just enjoy looking at it.

On. My. Bed.

Have a lovely weekend!

Categories: Home Projects, Quilts2 Comments

EPP

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English Paper Piecing (EPP) is something I have seen but never tried. However Katy from I’m a Ginger Monkey (I know, I know, she’s mentioned on this blog every few minutes… I admit it, I find her incredibly inspirational) has been very busy paper piecing the most wonderful cushion covers and quilts.

Curious I went on the hunt for some nice shapes to try out EPP and found the tumbling block. It makes a lovely star shape when sewn together and that is what I did. I didn’t like it. I probably would have loved it if I had done it scrappy but I did it all pink and as I looked at it I felt bored and uninspired.

Out came the seam ripper and the star was no more. I then started playing with the shapes and colours until I found a pattern I liked. Sorry about the bad pictures but they were taken late at night on Instagram.

Next I decided to add some white in the centre and also use the white to frame all the blocks.

I’ve been sewing together my tumbling blocks every time I have a spare moment and the project is growing rapidly. This is going to be a cushion cover and it’s going to be mine. Little Miss Bossy-Boots has tried to claim it but this time I’m not giving in. Hands off, it’s mine! Mine!

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A Swoony Ta-dah!

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Yeah! I’ve finished my trial Swoon block and I love it. Ok, so some of the points went AWOL but that’s fine. I’m sure nobody is going to go and check my points once it has been turned into a big floor cushion to sit on during a picnic.

This is the fabric I’m going to use for the back of the cushion. After all I want it to be practical. I know Little Miss Bossy-Boots well enough to know she will be dragging it outside to play in the grass and on her climbing frame.

What I like most about this block is that this is not fabric I would buy; it’s just not “me”. My colours are all the blues, greens and greys but now that I’ve finished it I’m really happy with it.

I’m just not sure what to use for the binding. Any suggestions?

Categories: Quilts2 Comments

Swooning again

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First of all I have to apologise for my last blog post. I always say that a blog post without pictures is like toast without butter and there we have some very dry toast. There was supposed to be a picture but I hadn’t taken it yet. I wrote the post in the morning with the intention of posting later after taking a picture of my stacks of cut fabric and a bit of artistry when I hit the wrong button. Oh yes, I hit publish. I know I could’ve deleted the post and reposted it later but decided not to do it. Everyone makes mistakes and I believe that one should stand up for one’s mistakes.

Anyway, I finally finished cutting the fabric for my first Swoon block. I would have finished earlier but sadly I encountered a slight hitch. Two fat quarters are used for each Swoon block and not much is left after you’ve cut out your squares and rectangles. In fact there’s hardly anything left of one colour. Well, my fat quarter wasn’t quite fat enough and I wasn’t able to cut out three (!) rectangles. *Insert some choice words here*

Here’s the fabric that got away:

It wasn’t too bad in the end because this is a trial block. Being a beginner and reading about the difficulty level for this block I decided to use some fabric I won at a giveaway and some sheeting to make a cushion. Little Miss Bossy-Boots has already decided that it will be used for picnics. I’m happy with that.

This is part of my first Swoon block:

I’m really pleased with it. I have learned so much with this block so far and am really hoping that I can finish it today. Might be a tad difficult, though, as Little Miss Bossy-Boots is home with me today.

Categories: Quilts1 Comment

Swooning along

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When Katy from Monkey Do (aka I’m a Ginger Monkey) asked if anyone wanted to join her Swoon-along my first instinct was to go “yes, I do!” Then reason hit me and I thought how can I even contemplate making a Swoon quilt with so little previous experience in quilting. So reason won. For about a week. Then I went and bought the pattern and started fretting.

Yesterday evening I finally decided that I’ve fretted enough, grabbed two fat quarters and started cutting. I’m going to make a trial block before I go and buy fabric for a whole quilt. The reason I decided to go for it are all the posts with tips and tricks that I read on the flickr group‘s pages. Yes, I’m new to this whole quilting thing but with that much support what can go wrong? A lot, I know, but I’m not scared. Ignorance is bliss after all.

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Ta-dah!

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Do you remember my little doll quilt that I started piecing a while ago? It’s finished! I’m really happy with it. It is, after all, the first quilt I have ever made properly with batting and binding. Ok, so it might not be perfect but it’s definitely the first of many.

My friend Delphine gave me five fat quarters of “Hoopla!” by Moda and asked me to make a doll quilt and pillow for her daughter. Delphine’s husband made a doll’s bed for Charlotte for Christmas and they wanted to make sure the dolls would be comfortable. It was quite daunting at first but once I started it was so much fun. The pillow is just pieced together from leftover bits from the quilt.

There was quite a bit of fabric left after I finished with the quilt so I made a cushion cover for Charlotte. I thought she might enjoy having a cushion for her bed in the same colours as her doll’s quilt and pillow.

I added a bright yellow zip to the back of the cushion as it’s always good to be able to wash a cushion cover.

The best thing about the whole project? Apart from having loads of fun, this is part of a swap. In return for making this quilt for Charlotte, Steve will make Little Miss Bossy-Boots a doll’s bed for Christmas! Definitely a win-win situation for me as I get a fabulous gift for my little girl for Christmas and, on top of that, get to make another quilt.

BTW The doll quilt is 38cm by 44 cm, the pillow is 20cm by 24cm, the cushion cover is 36cm by 36 cm (just in case anyone is curious about dimensions).

Categories: Home Projects, Quilts2 Comments

Work in Progress

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Today is not a good day for sewing, the seam ripper seems to be out all the time. I’m off to play with my daughter but before I go I’ll leave you with some work in progress:

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