I know a lot of people are scared of sewing curves but I’m having a great time with some curvy piecing. This is a commission for Quilt Now! so I can’t show you more.
However, I can tell you that I’m going to use this pattern for my fat quarter bundle of Florence by Denyse Schmidt. As soon as I find a few minutes of spare time that is…
With all the hand sewing I did last year I started having problems with my thumb. Sewing was hurting quite badly so I decided to take a break and use a splint for a few weeks to give my thumb a good rest. I’m now almost three weeks into my rest period and I miss sewing so badly. For the first time in years I’ve actually felt bored a couple of times. The nice side effect is that I’ve already read three books and am about to finish the fourth one.
Having said all that I felt a very strong urge to sew, so I decided to have a go at garment sewing again. Last year I bought the Joni pattern from Leanne’s Etsy shop TheLittleHouseMartin. I’d been meaning to sew up a muslin ages ago but with all the quilting I was doing I didn’t. Last week I got out a big piece of Ikea fabric and started cutting. I compared all the measurements and realised I could do with a size 10 at the top but would need a 14 at the bottom (being pear shaped is no fun). I added 4 cm to the size 10 back and front piece and decided to sew a fold rather than a gather.
The front and back are exactly the same which is quite nice as you can wear both sides as the front. This one is very light with lots of white, the other side has more flowers and leaves on it and is very colourful. As I never wear a sleeveless top without a cardigan it means I have two different looks in one.
The neck line is very flattering, I think, and I’m looking forward to making another couple of tops for spring. I might just add 1 cm to the top to give me a little more room although I love this one so much I’ve worn it, washed it and put it on straightaway again.
The pattern gives you the option of making a top or dress and I think I may just make a dress for summer when Little Miss Bossy-Boots and I like to go to the swimming pool and I need something I can slip on and off easily. I have a lovely red and white polkadot fabric lying around which would be perfect.
It was my sister’s birthday on the 6th and, although we agreed ages ago not to give birthday gifts anymore, I made her a bag. I had already made her one earlier which she loves (no pictures as it was one of those finished-seconds-before-gifting projects) However, after using it she thought it would be even better if it was a little taller so her knitting doesn’t fall out.
When I was at the Fat Quarterly Retreat I bought some Cotton & Steel with lions on which I knew I wanted to use for the bag.
Then I remembered some laminated Amy Butler fabric that I thought would work well colour wise. It wasn’t quite the match I had hoped for but I liked it together nonetheless. I added a very bright blue lining with neon green, pink, purple and white dots and some bright green handles.
It ended up being a very LOUD bag. It shouts LOOK AT ME and I really like it despite the clashing colours and patterns. Or maybe because of them?
I will give it to her with the words: “If you don’t like it I’ll make you a different one.” Because I’d be very happy to keep it.
I have signed up for another swap despite vowing never to enter a swap ever again after the last one’s disappointment*. Anyway, I couldn’t resist the Schnitzel and Boo Mini Quilt Swap and signed up. My partner likes green so I’ve hunted down almost every green scrap I own (ok, who am I kidding, about half of them) and have cut half circles in three different sizes. 40 different fabrics have been used and I still have more if I need them. I’ve always known that I like greens but didn’t realise that I had quite that many different ones.
Now all I have to do is appliqué them onto the low volume background. I may be a while.
*I wasn’t in the least disappointed in what I received; oh, no, I absolutely love the mini I received and enjoy looking at it every day as it’s hanging on my sewing room wall. No, it was the fact that after sitting for hours hand sewing and really putting my heart in it my partner didn’t even say ‘thank you’ or let me know that the parcel had arrived.
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.
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.
Pieced, as always, with my favourite thread: Aurifil 50wt (colour no 2000).
Do you remember the project I started before I tackled any of my UFOs?
My scrappy Spring Carnival quilt is progressing nicely. I took it with me to Denmark and worked on it while chatting, watching the kids play, in the evening. Basically whenever I had a little time.
I have now started sewing the ‘wheels’ together and I’m so happy with the way they look so far. I still have a bit to go before it’s quilt size but my aim is to finish it for next summer.
14 ‘wheels’ down about 85 to go.
BTW, loved the Aurifil thread for hand sewing around the leaves on my mini quilt. Will write a bit more about my experience with Aurifil when I show you the finished quilt but it definitely gets a thumbs up from me.
1. Spot Dots in Sunshine Yellow Half Moon Modern by Momo for Moda
2. Dots in Green. Millie’s Closet by Bee in my Bonnet for Riley Blake Designs.
3. Fizz in Yellow – Fruit Slice for Anthology Fabrics by Khristian A Howell
4. Cheery Circles Dots in Blue All Star 2 by My Mind’s Eye for Riley Blake
5. Daisy’s Dates in Key Lime Reunion by Sweetwater for Moda
6. Wall Flower in New Day – Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt
7. Timeless Treasures Sketch Crosshatch in Citron
8. Organic Garden in Aqua. Pick a Bunch Organic Fabric by Nancy Mims
9. Moda Bella Solid in Turquoise Basic 107
10. Roundabout Dots in Artisan Aqua Modern Workshop by Oliver + S for Moda
11. Basketweave in Yellow Dazzle by Melissa Averinos
12. Aviary 2 Woodgrain in Dill Green by Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit Fabrics
This bundle, which I have called A Summer Dream, of fabric is my attempt to win the fun contest that Katy from Monkey Do and Brenda from Pink Castle Fabrics have launched. I admit I struggled a bit with this task as there is such a fabulous choice in Brenda’s shop. I’m really happy with my bundle now, though, and I might order it anyway if I don’t win. I can just see myself on a lovely picnic quilt made from these fabrics.
Dreaming of more lovely summer days.
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!
Do you like winter? I do.
My favourite season is autumn because the light is just so special. The colours are vibrant and I can’t think of anything nicer than going for a walk in the sunshine with my camera. The leaves whispering under my feet as I shuffle them about, seeing nature at its most radiant. Continue reading Winter
I have so many different projects in my head and can’t wait to spend a little time at the sewing machine. However, a poorly husband and child mean that I don’t get much done.
Yesterday afternoon was mostly spent in front of the TV with Little Miss Bossy-Boots. Playgroup rang to say she was running a temperature and could I please come and pick her up. The poor child really didn’t feel well and even refused a packet of crisps. So we sat down and watched “Peppa Pig” and “Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom” all afternoon. After a while I felt my mind drift, thinking of a bag and quilt I want to make. Continue reading Temperature