I have cut all my pieces for my scrap-buster values quilt. Most of the pieces have been stitched, and the squares cut in half – tonight I lined up all the squares to see how it will come together. Its very rainbow!!
I’m not really sure what to think… It might be a good one for a picnic, where a few grass stains wont spoil the look.
Inspired by this, I made this:
I am not entirely happy with it, next time I’d spend more time playing with the ‘font’, and I have some long red stitches running behind the lettering that I hope wont be visible when I frame it.
11 weeks till christmas – I’m just saying…
Isn’t it amazing how this www has brought the world to your fingertips?
I nearly checked my calender to see if the dates for the A line skirt classes fitted, before realising I might not make it to Philadelphia and back in time 
)
Yes I am blonde.
Girls and I are enjoying the slower pace that is the school holidays.
Maddy and I share a love of anything craft related, and managed to complete Matilda in just a day. Her body is made of an old fleecy blanket that was used as a nursing blanket when both girls were newborns. It has a lovely softness to it, reminding me of the hours of cuddling, sleeping and nursing those 9-10 years ago.
We added longer hair just like cupcakes for clara.
Pattern from hop skip jump.
I am not able to link to the picture I want to share directly – but if you’re into patchwork and vintage – then you must take the trouble of clicking on my link, finding the ‘Old Believer’ Collection and having a look at picture number 15.
I really do not know what to think….!!??
Just got myself one of the Poppy Doll patterns from Fiona at hopskipjump.typepad.com. Can’t wait to create something girlie with DD9 who is a mad crafter like her mother. Allready bugging me for a sewing machine of her own. Also think this could be a great pressie for my niece, and friends with new babies. Imagine a pretty pink doll dress with an embroidered initial of the reciever.
I like that idea!
Ordered pattern at 15.45, received it at 15.53 – thats what I call service!!
I’ve pieced everything together on the “blue quilt fit for a garden bench”, and added an outside border. I am still not satisfied, that the diamond shape made by the blue squares, is standing out enough. Perhaps my eyes can no longer look at this thing objectively?
We packed up the spare bed today, to make room for my sewing table. We had lots of visitors at the beginning of the year, so my sewing things were tucked away in the cupboard. I have pieced this quilt mainly on the kitchen table, and I just LURVE being in the hub of the home, crafting, with the family busy around me. However, I really don’t like the mess ( I am a messy crafter) nor the fact that everything had to be moved when dinner time came around. So, back to the spare room I moved.
We placed the mattress from the bed up against the wall, in preperation for my friend who have bought the bed, picking it up – and it turned out to be a fab quilt board!
My first question – to the audience – is: does this pattern/block have a name?
My second question – to my self – is: how am I going to quilt it?
I am contemplating outlining (inlining??) the white zig zag-edged shapes with two rows of stippling 1/4″ apart. I think that would bring out the blue diamonds like I want to.
As I finished pressing the last few seam allowances open, Maddy arranged my squares and took a shot. Hard for nine-year old arms to reach over the centre of the blanket to get a good shot! 
I love the idea that the final stage of the design was completed by her. Our garden quilt.
The red colored square in the middle has a heart on in. Bloody romantic I am
Our first Thursday Quilting session was a blast. Gill had me set up from the start, and whilst I sew’ed she cut for me, and checked on proceedings, and made coffee. Lovely all up. That same afternoon the DDs had a birthday party to attend, and I in turn had 3 more hours of sewing at home.
Gill shared with me a great technique for getting perfect corners on my nine-patch.
I have, with a little help from my trusty assistant DD9 put together a photo shoot of the steps.
First, rule up your nine-patch including seam allowances onto glad-bake. If your finished piece is 6” x 6”, you’ll be cutting your nine patches 2.5” x 2.5” so rule up a nine-patch made up of 2.5” x 2.5” squares. Then cut a piece of interfacing the same size, center on your drawing and pin to your ironing board. We made sure the drawn on side of the gladbake was facing down, to not get any pen marks rubbed on to the interfacing. (and make sure the glue-side of the interfacing is UP).
Next, lay your fabric patches on top, along the markings on the paper. Making sure to butt up the sides of the patches carefully and not let them overlap.
Then place another piece of glad-bake over the entire thing and press (no steam). The glad-bake will stop any glue from the interfacing ending up on your iron. I love this tip.
Fold two rows of patches together, right sides facing and stitch with a 1/4” seam. Repeat with the other row running in the same direction.
Next, I trim the edge of the fold that has just been stitched. This is not a necessary step, but as my quilt will be for a garden bench, I will try to minimize the bulk of the seam to make it softer to sit on. I cut off just enough to be able to open up the seam. This could be done with scissors but the rotary cutter does it in a jiffy.
Once you cat stitched and trimmed two rows running in the same direction, fold you fabric along the seam running the other way, making sure to open the stitched seams.
This is made easier if you run you nail along the seam first, or iron it open. I dont like ironing it open, its very fiddly, and if you iron your interfacing too much it will shrink.
When you have finished you last two seam, trim, and ta da! your perfect corners are ready to be admired.
I have made a pile of 17, shall keep you posted on my progress.
