Fireworks

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A little while ago there was a picture of some gorgeous fabric on the Fat Quarterly blog: Katharine’s Wheel by Nel Whatmore. The fabric came with a Designer Challenge to make blocks inspired by circles, swirls and fireworks. Before I could engage my brain I had left a comment to enter the draw. Can you imagine my excitement when I was picked?

Five fat quarters arrived and the fabric was even more beautiful in real life than it had been on the pics; the colours were incredibly rich and zingy. I had had a few ideas buzzing around my head while I was waiting for my parcel but the minute I saw the fabric I ditched them all. No way was I going to cut these beauties into small strips and circles.

I quickly googled Catharine Wheel Fireworks as I have to admit that I know nothing about fireworks, never having bought any myself. Swiss national day (1st August) is celebrated during the school holidays and we were always away. The pictures were lovely and I soon drew some blocks with lines coming from a circle in the centre. I wasn’t quite convinced and started drawing curves. Bingo!

After a few variations and some serious trial sewing I found a curve I liked and started cutting up my lovely fabric. I think the big pieces really showcase the bold flowery prints and rich colours.

I made cardboard templates of my two sections and cut out four of each. Then I sewed together one section a to one section b making quarters, two quarters into halves and then the halves together making sure all the points meet in the centre. After I finished the first block where I used the five different designs I decided that the stripy one was stopping the block’s flow and made another one.

I then wondered what to do with the two blocks I had made and on a whim decided to make a bag. A few weeks ago I bought three different green Konas from Florence‘s pop-up shop on Etsy. Sadly I didn’t make a note of the different names but one of them was a perfect match with Katharine’s Wheel.

There’s a stripy pocket for a mobile phone or key and some fabulously stripy handles.

I also cut off one of the selvages and sewed it onto the lining to remind me of the challenge.

I’m really happy with this bright, swirly explosion of colour and hope that I’ve fulfilled the brief of the challenge.

Categories: Bags, Quilting3 Comments

Forgive me…

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…Father, for I have sinned.

Yep, I started a new project before finishing any of my UFOs. The beautiful weather we had last week (wow, a whole week of summer!) meant that I was stuck in the garden, lounging under the gazebo while watching Little Miss Bossy-Boots playing in her paddling pool. I know it’s a hard life.

My hands were itching to do something so I started cutting out paper templates for my next English Paper Piecing (EPP) project using Katy’s Spring Carnival Templates. Once I finished cutting out millions of templates I was, of course, tempted to start covering them in fabric and sewing them together. This is how far I got before the weather changed:

Iffy picture again, sorry. This weather is driving me crazy.

I’ve decided to add more colours and have cut out some yellow, purple and green triangles and squares but I just don’t have enough different fabrics. Would anyone like to swap some scraps?

Categories: English Paper Piecing3 Comments

UFO’s

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In the quilting world UFOs aren’t sighted in the night sky but in the darkest corners of our sewing rooms. UnFinished Objects lurk at the bottom of scrap bins, in drawers on shelves and anywhere else they can be put and ignored or forgotten. Although I really want to start a new project I know that I have to finish these UFOs first so here comes my pledge:

I will not start a new project until I’ve finished at least one of these projects:

1. The Hexie Rainbow

I love this cushion cover and can’t quite understand why it’s been sitting on my sewing table for the last few months.

2. The Flying Geese

This is the paper pieced pillow I started at the Fat Quarterly Retreat and I really want to finish it as I’m hoping to give it to someone very special soon.

3. The Hexie Heart

This was started while we were on holiday in Ireland and is supposed to be a fundraiser for breast cancer research. All I have to do is stitch it onto some background fabric, quilt it and start selling raffle tickets.

It’s been hard to find some sewing time with the school holidays and the wonderful warm weather we’ve been experiencing. I haven’t seen my sewing machine in the last week or so but feel it’s time to get back into the groove.

You might remember that I also started these wonky log cabin blocks for Little Miss Bossy-Boots but they still feel like a WIP (work in progress) although I haven’t got more than the four I made last week. Let’s hope they won’t turn into UFOs and start lurking in the dark corners. Now, where’s my sewing machine again?

Categories: UFO5 Comments

A Birthday Skirt

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Little Miss Bossy-Boots is invited to a birthday party tomorrow. Her friend Rebecca is turning four and when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday the answer did surprise me quite a bit:

a new skirt.

Well, Im happy to oblige. When Little Miss Bossy-Boots was still a baby I bought some fabric with the thought of making her a dress. Fast forward three years and the fabric is still here uncut. Or rather ‘was’. Because I turned it into a skirt and hair tie for Rebecca.

I hope she likes it.

 

Categories: Clothes, Kid Projects2 Comments

Not Sure

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Last year I bought a layer cake of the same fabrics I’d used for Little Miss Bossy-Boots’ tumbler cushion so that I could make a quilt for her bed. I decided not to make a tumbler quilt as I thought it would be a bit too coordinated. This last few months I’ve been looking at the fabric having no clue what pattern to use. Sunday I did something that is completely out of character for me, I jumped in and just started cutting strips to make wonky log cabin blocks. There was no planning, just taking strips and sewing them together.

I finished the first block and didn’t really like it. Thinking it was too late to change my mind I persevered and made another block. I liked it a bit better and continued. I have now made four blocks and I’m still not sure that I like them. I feel they are rather busy. However, I’m hoping I will like the quilt with a nice neutral sashing and wide border.

Sorry about the bad picture, the weather here is simply atrocious. July? The weather gods must be having a laugh…

What do you do when you don’t like something you’ve started? Do you persevere and finish or do you just put it aside? I really want to finish this quilt for my daughter.

Categories: Quilts1 Comment

A Rescue and a Finish

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What do you do when your daughter’s favourite Barbie loses a leg? You turn her into a mermaid, of course.

I used some red organza leftover from the days when I made theatre costumes at uni. It has a beautiful golden sheen, perfect for making a fish tail.

First I layered the organza with some sew in interfacing and sewed a scallop pattern all over it to mimic scales. I didn’t do a great job but I don’t believe Little Miss Bossy-Boots minds. Then I cut out a mermaid tail shape (is there such a word in the English language?), added a heart shaped fin, sewed it together and turned it right side out. Next I removed the Barbie’s second leg and attached a pipe cleaner to the Barbie to ensure the tail could be moved into different poses. Then I put the pipe cleaner into the tail and added a little wadding to fill out the tail. My last step was to pull the tail over the Barbie’s bottom and hot-glue the tail to the Barbie’s body. Hey presto, a mermaid.

 

In other news Hester, the gorgeous Woodland Portrait by Jo Avery from Bearpaw, is finished!

I wish I’d had a darker blue floss for the name as it is rather difficult to read but it’s not the end of the world. Also, I don’t think this Hester is going to be alone for long, my friend Julie looooves rabbits so one might just make its way to Switzerland…

Categories: Embroidery, Kid Projects4 Comments

Hester

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When I was preparing for the Fat Quarterly Retreat I saw something on Flickr that made my heart do little summersaults: Hester.

Image source

Hester was one of the swap items that Jo from Bearpaw was bringing to the retreat and I was totally smitten with her (that’s Hester not Jo, although Jo is very nice too). Don’t get me wrong, I loved the others embroideries Jo had made too but Hester made my heart flutter.

I told Jo about my love for Hester and she said that she might turn her and the other woodland creatures in the gang into a pattern. Fast forward to yesterday when I got a Tweet from Jo telling me that Hester was now a pattern and could be purchased here. Quick as a flash I bought the pattern (I love pdf) got Little Miss Bossy-Boots fed, watered and into bed and started stitching.

 

This is how far I got before I had to go to bed. I don’t have the same colours Jo used but I couldn’t wait and just rummaged through my fairly sparse box of embroidery floss. So far I’m really happy with it and am looking forward to this evening when I will hopefully finish her.

Do you like Jo’s Woodland Critters? Then go and check out this wonderful blog for a chance to win one of the patterns and some perle cotton.

 

PS I also bought the pattern for the Sampler Tree and already have something in mind for it. I do have to go and buy some embroidery floss first, though.

Categories: Embroidery5 Comments

And the Winner is…..

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I realise I’m a day late with my announcement but I’ve come back from Switzerland with a bad cold so most of yesterday was spent in bed.

I decided to draw the winner the old-fashioned way and wrote people’s names on little pieces of paper.

 

Drumroll please….

That’s right, the winner of Joel Dewberry’s lovely book is Kris. I’ll send it to you as soon as possible. Please, let me know if you make anything from it.

 

Categories: Giveaway2 Comments

Giveaway time!

eli

Hello! Nice to see you here. I’ve decided that it’s time for another giveaway and the prize this time is a lovely book:

Sorry about the bad photo but I’m trying to pack, tidy and, most importantly, to find my camera charger with the spare battery. This is all very last minute before I’m off for a week in Switzerland.

Poor Master has to stay here and bring home the bacon.

Anyway, if you would like Joel Dewberry’s Sewn Spaces just leave a comment on this post. I’m happy to send internationally so, please, go on and leave a comment. I will draw a winner on the 8th of July 2012.

Good luck!

PS I will try to post some pictures from the book tomorrow but I can tell you that there some great projects in there.

Categories: Giveaway6 Comments

Swaps and Bees

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I’ve gone and done it.

First I joined the Brit Quilt Swap Round 3. I’m very excited about it as I love swaps. Not that I’ve joined that many before, this is only my third. However, I’ve loved everything I’ve received so far. You might remember the goodies I got at the Fat Quarterly Retreat. They are all in use on a daily basis and remind me of a fabulous weekend and some really nice people.

Then there’s the gorgeous knitted cushion I received from Christina. It sits on my bed and makes me happy whenever I look at it.

I got my partner’s details and as this is a secret swap I can’t tell you much but I’ll make sure to post a few sneak peeks as soon as I know in which direction the quilt is going. One thing I can tell you is that I will have to buy some fabric as I don’t have much in my partner’s favourite colour palette. It’s very exciting to be making something out of my comfort zone.

Second, I joined a bee and am so excited about it. I’ve met most of the members that have signed up so far at the FQ Retreat which makes it a little less daunting for me. I hope they’ll be honest and tell me if I mess up. I already know what fabric I’m going to send out when it’s my turn.

I won this fat quarter bundle of Tanya Wheelan’s Sugar Hill at the FQ Retreat and think it’s perfect for this.

 

PS Come back tomorrow as I will be having a giveaway.

 

Categories: Musings1 Comment