2012 August first half

 

Dorset Button Link

Hello, I am still here, just catching up with other stuff rather than making or blogging!

Several of you left lovely comments regarding the Dorset Buttons.  I did start to take photos as I made some more, but then I found this page with the most amazing photos and step by step instructions, and decided not to reinvent the wheel!

So - if you fancy making a Dorset Button, go and visit Craft Stylish, where the very clever Diane shows in very clear detail how to make one

A Quilty Completion

I have been working on a request from  a customer.  A lady called Katie found my website and contacted me to ask if I would make a quilt as a Christening present for a little girl, Ava: Katie is going to be her God Mother.

Katie had seen Ben's Quilt,

but we didn't have the time to get the blocks decorated by family and friends, so we combined a very girly I-Spy block with three photos of Ava that Katie sent me.

(I have blocked out the photos of Ava as I don't have permission to show them, but the lovely photos show she's a real sweetie)

The binding was finished last night during the Olympics, and I'll get the quilt to the post office as soon as poss so it arrives in time for the Christening - I hope the days goes well Katie.

The Philosophy Takeaway

My Oldest daughter, Lisa, is part of a group at Greenwich University who are passionate about Philosophy.  Many of them study, or have studied Philosophy, and they run a "Come And Chat" stall at Greenwich market, and issue newsletter and essays which are also posted on their Philosopy Takeaway blog

Good mum that I am try to be, I follow the blog, and always read and [like] the posts, even though some are way too deep for me.

However yesterday's post really spoke to me, and I have converted some of it to Wall Art posters - see what you think, or better still go and visit the blog and read the whole thing :-)

A Quilty Question

I am a member of a Quilting Bee: Each month we all make a block for one member, and we will all get a month over the next year and a half when the block are made for us.  The loose theme of the Bee is to make a block representing where you live, and each month the recipient gives us her request within that.


This is the month of a lovely lady called May , and she is the overall organiser.


May gave us this brief:
I'm making a scrapbook quilt, free style, with your blocks and some of mine thrown in.
This scrapbook will tell the tale of this trip and a bit of my own travels here and there.  Anything goes, piecing, stitchery, 3D... I'm going to use lace, buttons, ribbons and who knows what else as well. Colours: pastel, mainly pink or rose as guideline. Yellow, baby blue, orange, purple, green... Motives: think of pictures. What would you take a picture of in your country? Animals, buildings?

All of which took me straight out of my comfort zone!!!

I have started with a pastel raw edge Union Flag

... but from her requests, it is clearly too bland at the moment.  I'm off to Festival of Quilts next week, and can look for buttons, lace, etc, but do I add them to the pink, to the blue, anywhere?   I'd love to go a bit steampunk, but don't have the confidence to even start

I have bought these rubber stamps, and I have some Versa Craft stamp pads which work on fabric, but I have the same issues with using these. - where do I put them?

Another idea is to print a photo of Windsor Castle onto it.  According to Pinterest, I can print onto the shiny side of freezer paper and then press that onto the fabric, is that scrap booky enough?

Has anyone used shrinkies?  I could maybe make buttons with some, perhaps with images of Windsor, or maybe using these stamps, how small will they get?


Sorry I have gone off at a bit of a ramble here, can you tell I have *no* idea what to do!

Any suggestions welcome

Quilty Question (part II)

Well I had a go at the shrinkies, and they have come out OK

As predicted, they have shrunk, but fairly evenly (apart from some of the letter boxes which seem taller and thinner than their friends).

I remembered to punch holes before I baked them, so I can stitch some on, and maybe stamp others on.

I had read about transfer printing by printing onto the shiny side of freezer paper.  The print came out of the printer OK, and obviously wet, ready to be pressed onto the fabric, but all I got was a smudge :-(  I quite accept it was my fault, but I think maybe not a process that works for me.

I am going to look for some ribbons and some lace, and maybe some chains and buttons at the Quilt show next week and see what happens.

The following month is animal themed, and I cant decide - the hedgehog? the lizard? the cats? the budgie?  I'm tempted to make lots of blocks!!!

Fantastic Friends

Have I mentioned before how lovely other crafty people are?  I'm sure I have, and I'm sure you  all know it already, but I want to share a lovely surprise that arrived just now via my postie

Annabelle and I have been following each others blogs for a very long time, almost since the beginning for me.  Although she lives quite locally and we occasionally shop at the same fabric shops and attend the same Quilt Shows, we have never arranged to meet up, but I still count her as a friend.

Annabelle sews, and cooks and has even inspired me to cook and to make bread (no mean feat!).  She also visits shows and exhibitions that I can't get to, and takes such great photos I feel that I have been too.

However, Annabell, I have discovered, is amazingly generous too.  She recently asked for my address, and I happily passed it on and then promptly forgot all about it (menopausal memory!) so I was surprised when postie knocked on the door just now with a delivery for me.

The two things that get consumed quickest in the house are chocolate and cups of tea - and mind-reader Annabelle sent me this fab plaque, and a tea cosie that fits my favourite teapot perfectly

Annabelle, thank you so much - both perfect for this house!!!!!!

Baggy Blog

There was a 'recipe' for a fairly basic bag in a quilt magazine a few months ago, and I made a few for friend's birthdays (but forgot to take photos).

It occurred to me that with just a little more thought the bag could be reversible.  And that instead of tying the straps to adjust the length, I could use D rings.  And that I could add two pockets, one inside and one outside.  And that I could make it bigger.

Well by this time I'd put the original pattern piece and instructions in a *very* safe place (along with post postcard themed rubber stamps, and some half made turquoise trousers that I also cant find) so I proceeded without the help of instructions or pattern . . .

And I'm really chuffed with the result -a big boxy, very comfy bag that should hold all my shopping from Festival of Quilts!

(Did I tell you I was going to Festival of Quilts? Via Jackie's?  One more sleep until I go, yippee!)

Fab Felting

Jackie and I spent a great day with Carmen who taught us so much about felting that my head is reeling!

We made bowls, brooches, flowers and slippers, and were sent on our way with a bag of wool to carry on making!

Bliss

Doing it for Dorset

We might have got to Birmingham this afternoon, but the quilt show doesn't open until tomorrow, So we made good use of the free time, and made Dorset buttons while chatting and watching TV