Eureka moments

The other day I had some time and was catching up on some bloggy reads.  I popped in to have a see what Kellie of Don't Look Now had been up to  (always very interesting and usually quite beautiful and inspiring work!) and Lo! she was talking about darning/free motion feet and what makes a good one.  She talked about a foot from another make of machine being perfect for my make - a Janome/New Home.  I have this foot

which to be fair I have not got on well with as the closed front does interfere with the view of the work and when you are working at speed, as you do for FMQ, it can be off putting.  So I looked at it and thought 'I can chop the front out to open it up'.  So when I next sighted Mr Neet I asked him to do the job for me and this is what he came up with

Eureka!!  It works absolutely, bloomin' fantastic!  and it cost me nowt!  I did think before hand that if it didn't work as I had hoped then it would be nothing lost as I would have had to have gone and purchased one of the other feet mentioned by Kellie anyways, but as it is I now have the perfect foot for free motion work - all I have to do is brush up my skills to match!

On a different note......

This is the beautiful fabric (click photo to see the detailed prints) I received from Kimberley of Fat Quarter Shop - fab, fab service all the way from the US (Sorry UK sellers you just didn't have this fabric for me).  My beautiful black and white stash that is going to become my scrappy strings bedspread/throw for my Superking (read 'huge') bed.  I am calling it a throw because I am not going to sandwich it with batting, but piece it with cotton muslin (Ikea) as I go and then back it with a lovely piece of black and white fabric taken from a Hobbs quilt cover.  So I figure that the 3 layers will make a nice drapable throw - now I just have to find the time to get it done but I AM clearing the decks of other projects at present so hopefully I will be chopping into this stash very soon.

Busy Swapper Catch-up

I have been so busy swapping over on Flickr that there doesn't seem to have been time for little else.  Now that all current swaps are drawing to a conclusion, until the next round, I can take time out and tidy up, catch up and update my little corner of blogland.

1. Scrappy Pincushion Swap

This is the package I made for Susan aka Chickenfoot.  She liked 'srooms.

This is the gorgeous little pinnie I received from Steph (PaisleysPlaceQuilts)    This was a secret partner swap and I guess she took on the whole 'englishness' of my profile for this little make for me. 

2. Scrappy Mug Rug Swap

This is the Mug Rug I made for Jessie (TinyHouse)  it is the first ever Mug Rug I made and was very happy with how it worked out.

This is the package I received from Linda ( ) again this is a secret partner swap but it so happened that Linda WAS ALSO in my group for the 3x6 Sampler Quilt Bee!


3. Doll Quilt Swap 10 - DQS10

This is the quilt I have made for my partner (again a secret so until she receives it I will hold back her name).  I used a DoeCDoe tutorial stitchery for the centre panel and the quilt evolved from there. 

I am still awaiting my quilt from my secret partner.

4. Mini QT Swap

This swap is lovely to participate in.  You know who your partner is and can communicate with them.  My partner was Di (Di2Quilt) and lives in Taiwan!!  She was quite thrilled that she had her first UK-based swap partner - I decided to go with a British feel by using some Cath Kidston on my quilt.  The theme was '3D' and we both agreed to do a floral design.  It was my first attempt at machine applique - and I like it very much.  Mini QT quilts can measure a maximum 12" square - this met that requirement.
I also enclosed some Cath fabric and a local church magazine as an insight into pastoral life in Britain.

This is the pretty little quilt that Di made for me.  Japanese linen - how gorgeous.  It measures 8.5"x 6"  and Di also enclosed a piece of double sided linen for me.  Thank you Di.

I am also participating in the 3x6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee but awaiting the 6 blocks in the post so I will post a photo of those when they are all with me

I am working on these projects for myself in between the swap stuff

scrappy string quilt blocks = 120 x 6.5" blocks!  (I have also ordered some Michael Miller rouge et noir fabric from the Fat Quarter shop for a black and white superking version for my bed! = huge ammount of blocks!)



That Girl-That Quilt QAL

Moda Bakeshop Baby Pinwheel quilt also in red and white version for my living room

Cushions for my sofa

a blue version of the button quilt (as I love the design so much!!)

and I have just started designing for the next round of the the Mini QT swap as we know the theme already - circles and curves - just need the name of partner.  Sign ups are open until April 1st - come over and join in why don't you?

Anyway I think I have covered all projects, hope you haven't been subjected to photo overload in this post!! and I am away now as there are things for me to do.

Bye.

Blogger's Pillow Party

What do you do with a leftover block from a swap?  Make a cushion cover!  I had a spare block leftover from the 3x6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee over on Flickr as the person I had made it for dropped out quite early on.  So with time on hands I added to it with some extra width, made an envelope back, added some extra quilting and ended up with a lovely cushion cover that I am rather proud of.

I am adding it to the entries for March on the Bloggers Pillow Party site  to join in with all the other beautiful creations made by bloggers worldwide, and if I was very lucky, be selected to win a prize or at least figure in a final list to be chosen from!!

Scrappy String Loveliness

I came home from the fabric shop with a little bit of Kaffe and a couple of rolls of scraps like this.  They only cost a couple of quid each and are truly scrappy strips.  I haven't amassed enough scraps of my own yet to do this sort of project so I thought I'd help it along on it's way. 

The strips measure from 1" to 1.5" max and are all fabrics that I would never go out and buy but they they are all beautifully ditsy, small prints.

I have unrolled them and jumbled them up, added the odd two or three of my own fabrics into the mix (ones I am not too keen on)

I am making 6.5" squares (to make 12" blocks) with the paper piecing method.  There are loads of tutorials and how-to's out there on the web so I won't link to any particular site.  I am using skinny strips of 1.5" wide max for a really scappy look and all have got a white central string of 2" wide to create a sashing when sewn together.  I have to warn you that this little creative outlet has a VERY addictive habit. 

I don't think it will take me long to get to quilt top size - the trouble will be knowing when to stop!

I will update with news on all my Swaps later in the week.

Secret Garden Block Tutorial

I posted this photo of my Secret Garden Pinnie on Flickr yesterday and had a few requests for a tutorial/how to for the squares, so seeing as the sun was shining (for a change) I took advantage of the light and, hopefully, put together a tutorial to help you create these little beauties with ease.  This is a simplified version of Cathedral Windows blocks of which there are quite a few really good tutorials out there for those, namely this one and this one amongst many.

For my 2" finished block you have to start with a 4" square of main fabric and a shy 2" square of contrast.  The math is very easy for any size of these blocks - finished square size x 2 (example 2" = 4" template, 4" = 8" template and always the finished size for the contrast fabric).  You will need to cut an exact square template for your square to begin (I use a good old cereal box, but your template has to withstand ironing so bear that in mind!)

Cut your main fabric 1" larger than your template - so a 4" template requires a 5" square and try to be tidy with your cutting lines as this will help things to be easier.  I cut my contrast fabric 1/8th short all round - so 2" becomes 17/8"

Now you will iron your main fabric over the edges of the template to get a nice crisp edge on the fabric and try to make sure the corners are as square as possible - slapdash will make things difficult.



Proceed to do an 'origami style' style fold with this square, fold over once, then again to make a small square, and press with the iron.

Open out your fabric and fold the corners into the centre along the crease lines, again keep this as tidy as you can and pin down as you go along

Once this is done you might want to press again with the iron just to give you nice sharp lines to work with (it does help)

Place your contrast fabric like so with right side up

Now fold those corners over to the centre and pin as you go 

You want to end up with a neat little square like this

I prefer to stitch these centre points together with little stitches so that it all sits square.  (I have used contrast thread here but you ideally should use matching thread- it does depend on your project)

Now you have to 'peel/roll' back the edges of the points to expose the contrast fabric, pin as you go.

It can help to use the edge of a pin to roll the fabric back on and keep things nice and neat

As you roll back sections, you can stitch these down with tiny ladder stitches as you go or pin everything first, but you may find that so many pins will get in the way.  Try your own method here.



When you get to the outside corners, you need to close this up by about 2/8ths, this encloses the corner of the contrast fabric and achieves the 'window' effect.  Continue around the square stitching all the sections.

Once completed you can use the blocks however you choose. I stitch mine together with little ladder stitches, pulled tight to give a firm, closed edge. 

You can even make big squares too.

I hope you enjoy my first tutorial - if you have any questions please mail me or leave a comment. 



I'm not blogging..........I'm SWAPPING!

I have really caught the Swap Bug of late.  It is rather nice though, making little bits of art for other people, strangers even!  I am now participating in 5 in total - all Flickr swaps.

Number One is the Doll Quilt Swap - fondly known as DQS10 and here is my work so far.

I am a bit further along now with the construction but I don't want to give too much away by posting pics

We can't post the quilts out until the middle of March at the earliest so I have plenty of time to make it lovely, not that it isn't already.

Number Two swap is the 3x6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee.  This involves a group of 7 making a quilt block for the other 6 members.  I choose the design for the block and all 6 have to be the same but the member (or 'Beemate') chooses her colour scheme.  The idea being that at the end of a 12 month period you will have 24 blocks each and everyone different, made by someone else but in your chosen colourscheme.

Here are my blocks I have made for my 'beehive'.  (There are 25 'beehives' taking part in this, so that is a lorra, lorra swappers!

Number Three is the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap.  This is coming to completion now and we will be posting out mid-February.  It is a huge swap group, with secret partners, which is lovely because it keeps up an air of excitement, anticipation, lots of speculation and barrowloads of 'rug envy'.

Here is my completed rug.

Number Four swap is the Mini QT Swap.  This has just started, like yesterday, so no work has been done yet, except for some serious brain straining over a design.  These little quilts are just 12" square and the theme for this swap is 3D.  We have got to incorporate little embellishments, sticky out bits and other nicies on this art quilt. This swap is much smaller in numbers and I am partnered with Diane from Taiwan!!

Number Five is the Scrappy Pincushion Swap, again this has just started and will be a secret swap, where we don't know who is making for us, but we know know our partner?  Again lots of brain straining with ideas for this is taking place as their are some gorgeous mini works of art in this Group.

So at present  any spare hours of the days finds me feverishly sewing, snipping or ironing for these swaps.  I love participating in them as I really enjoy crafting but I don't necessarily need items for myself or have particular projects to craft for (that is why the crochet got a bit bleurgh for me, I have a pile of cushion covers sitting in a cupboard! for no particular reason!) so swaps are ideal platforms to create in, plus you get to chat with like-minded souls in the 'discussion' areas of the Swap Groups.  If you have not ventured over there yet, pop in and have a look, there may be something for you to join in too.

Finally, as a really big footnote - can I say a huge Thank You' to all of you who come to view and read and leave lovely comments on my blog.  I DO read them and appreciate them even more so, I'm just a bit of a lazy mare when it comes to replying! ((blushes)

I am away now to see if there are anymore swaps I can join!!!

I have got the Mug Rug Bug

In case you do not know of Mug Rugs or what they are let me describe them to you.  Simply they are oversized coasters, usually rectangular in shape with an area for resting your 'mug' of whatever and a place to rest cookies, treats, lunch etc.  The ones I have made so far are the results of practice.  The green one came about from my very first attempt at making a star block and I used the finished result to construct the Mug Rug around it (I also got to practice some neat quilting.  The hexie one again was a practice piece and I have earmarked a recipient for this one (except they do not know!) The chickens is a WIP.  I had the little stitchery made eons ago and have put it to use just because.

This one is a special one.  I have joined yet another Flickr swap.  This time it's the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap.  I have a secret partner and I can make a mug rug for her with only the details of her profile, favourites, mosaic and likes to come up with a suitable design that she might love.  The term 'stalking' is used on the Flickr swaps whereby your partner is gleaning info about you without any contact with yourself.  Any questions are done through a third party which is the person known as the 'Swap Mama'.  I think it is brilliant.  If you are not familiar with Flickr and have not dug deep into the site yourself - there is a swap or interest group for virtually every subject under the Sun.  Check it out.

Can't believe I made it

I have been one of the lucky peeps to be chosen to take part in this awesome swap over on Flickr  I consider myself to be amongst some excellent and very talented quilters in this swap and feel very challenged to produce a doll quilt that will, hopefully, look amazing and be appreciated as such by my partner.  Pop over and have a look at the work produced in the previous rounds and you will see what I mean.

Not So Quilt Along

So I have got to the stage where I need to join the blocks together to make the top but............I am not happy with the framing of the blocks that will ultimately be the sashing also.  I can't even bring myself to 'wonk' cut the blocks - my straight brain won't allow me to (not without feeling uneasy) I am every tradesman's nightmare when it comes to 'straight' and even!

So I ordered the solid blue (Moda Azure) from Pink Chalk Fabrics and waited for it to arrive, cut it up as per quilt along instructions and stitched it to the block.  Let's remember I am a 'quilting virgin' and don't know yet how to 'think out of the box' (but I am getting there with practice).  Now, when it comes to stitching the blocks together there is going to be a seam running throughout what is technically the sashing area and I just do not like it.

So this weekend I embarked on Project Rip and ReWork.

I have decided to half the blue border width which means taking strips off some of the blocks and inserting a small white square at each intersection - it is painfully slow to make sure all the new seams are matching, but, I am pretty sure the quilt will end up as I want it to look and not some expensive 'maybe it's okay'.

(OT - I am still awaiting my lovely Ottlite but it appears to have got lost in the post and I have to wait until Wednesday to secure a refund and re-order elsewhere!!  Bugger!)