Back from holiday ... to postcards
This is a very brief post as I am seriously sleep deprived having slept three out of the last 36 hours (*), but I had to show these postcards...
These six were part of a swap- I sent six and received six back. The photo shows all six: the champagne glass and the fish arrived while we were away, and were a lovely surprise to come back to
However, my absolute favourite was also waiting for me when we got back
This hand stitched beach scene was made by Lisa, just for me :-)
Proud Mummy!!!
(* fab holiday if you asked - sun, sea, swimming and shopping shopping and shopping, oh and it was good to see Dad and Eileen too!!!)
And here is my favourite of Eileen's paintings (but her bum isn't that big!)
These six were part of a swap- I sent six and received six back. The photo shows all six: the champagne glass and the fish arrived while we were away, and were a lovely surprise to come back to
However, my absolute favourite was also waiting for me when we got back
This hand stitched beach scene was made by Lisa, just for me :-)
Proud Mummy!!!
(* fab holiday if you asked - sun, sea, swimming and shopping shopping and shopping, oh and it was good to see Dad and Eileen too!!!)
And here is my favourite of Eileen's paintings (but her bum isn't that big!)
I read that Mark Twain had one of his characters say that you should eat a frog for breakfast - that means that the worst thing is over and the day can only get better.
I have finally decided to follow MT's advice and get the frog (AKA pawprinted car seat cover) FINISHED!!!
I realise that this frog is the reason I haven't started anything exciting recently - I knew I had to finish the 'frog', but really didn't want to, but meanwhile knew that I shouldn't start anything else
It wasn't just me that came to detest the frog either: after the upset with the big embroidery machine a few weeks ago, I've been using that for my stuff, and the baby machine for customers ... look what it did to a pawprint.
In fact, it did this to several pawprints, and always in the same place - so Mr 'Bodger' is going to take it apart and have a look at it, but in the mean time I went back to the big machine, and with fingers and toes crossed, actually finished the last pawprint.
So now I ought to get on with sorting the mess that is the sewing desk...
I have finally decided to follow MT's advice and get the frog (AKA pawprinted car seat cover) FINISHED!!!
I realise that this frog is the reason I haven't started anything exciting recently - I knew I had to finish the 'frog', but really didn't want to, but meanwhile knew that I shouldn't start anything else
It wasn't just me that came to detest the frog either: after the upset with the big embroidery machine a few weeks ago, I've been using that for my stuff, and the baby machine for customers ... look what it did to a pawprint.
In fact, it did this to several pawprints, and always in the same place - so Mr 'Bodger' is going to take it apart and have a look at it, but in the mean time I went back to the big machine, and with fingers and toes crossed, actually finished the last pawprint.
So now I ought to get on with sorting the mess that is the sewing desk...
Post Card Swap - multi tasking
I'm in two more postcard swaps this month (as well as the black and white one!) and the themes are Windows and Home. I've decided they are related enough that one design will do for both swaps.
So imagine, if you will, there is a thunderstorm, and you are a cat - the best place to watch is from a window, at home (smug face)
And to make it look more like home, there has to be curtains eh?
Husband is concerned that the postcard may not be accepted by the post office, so I may have to masking tape down the curtains for posting :-(
So imagine, if you will, there is a thunderstorm, and you are a cat - the best place to watch is from a window, at home (smug face)
And to make it look more like home, there has to be curtains eh?
Husband is concerned that the postcard may not be accepted by the post office, so I may have to masking tape down the curtains for posting :-(
Slik and Quick FQ bags - a tutorial
One of the nieces in America, Megan, is the founder of her High School's Cancer awareness committee. She has managed to get the soccer players playing in pink socks, and has all sorts of plans for raising money and awareness. I decided to make her some FQ bags to sell as I have some fab cancer themed fabrics.
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As these lovely little bags are quick to make (*), and are really neat (and have no raw edges) and just take a Fat Quarter each, I thought I'd include a tutorial on how to make them
They just take 1/4 yard fabric and 20 inches of coordinating ribbon. (*They take about 15 minutes each, but with confidence, finger pressing instead of iron pressing, and sewing the channel with the ribbon in place, can be as quick as 10 minutes each)
Take a Fat Quarter of fabric (this is where a yard or metre of fabric is cut into 4 squarish quarters, as opposed to Long Quarters where the fabric is cut into long thin quarters)
If the fabric is directional, place the BOTTOM away from you, otherwise put the selvedge edge away from you. The fabric needs to be wrong side up. Fold down the top edge about 1/2 inch, 1cm, onto the back of the fabric
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Press.
Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, so the folded edge remains at the top.
Stitch the bag into a tube shape, starting 1 inch/2cm from the top. (lock your stitches by stitching forwards a few stitches, then backwards the same number, then forwards again).
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Move the tube so that the seam is now going down the centre of the tube, not the side. Press the seam open
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Now fold up the bottom of the bag so it is line with the bottom of the fold (not quite in half) and press the fold. (We are still looking at the wrong side of the fabric)
Open the fold, and stitch along the fold mark, locking stitches at both ends.
Now turn the bottom half of the tube inside-out, pulling it up over the top half. Now you can see the right side of the fabric inside and outside the bag.
Using your original top fold as a guide, fold fabric again and pin to make a channel for the ribbon. You will need to unfold the horizontal fold at the seam, and refold vertically first and then horizontally.
Stitch the channel and thread the ribbon through. Tie the ribbon.
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Ta Daaaa!!!!!!!
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Brilliant for make up, sewing supplies, ballet slippers, medication, kids toys, gift bags ...
(It is possible to make this into a boxy bag, but that introduces raw edges, so you are on your own if you want to do that!)
As these lovely little bags are quick to make (*), and are really neat (and have no raw edges) and just take a Fat Quarter each, I thought I'd include a tutorial on how to make them
They just take 1/4 yard fabric and 20 inches of coordinating ribbon. (*They take about 15 minutes each, but with confidence, finger pressing instead of iron pressing, and sewing the channel with the ribbon in place, can be as quick as 10 minutes each)
Take a Fat Quarter of fabric (this is where a yard or metre of fabric is cut into 4 squarish quarters, as opposed to Long Quarters where the fabric is cut into long thin quarters)
If the fabric is directional, place the BOTTOM away from you, otherwise put the selvedge edge away from you. The fabric needs to be wrong side up. Fold down the top edge about 1/2 inch, 1cm, onto the back of the fabric
Press.
Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, so the folded edge remains at the top.
Stitch the bag into a tube shape, starting 1 inch/2cm from the top. (lock your stitches by stitching forwards a few stitches, then backwards the same number, then forwards again).
Move the tube so that the seam is now going down the centre of the tube, not the side. Press the seam open
Now fold up the bottom of the bag so it is line with the bottom of the fold (not quite in half) and press the fold. (We are still looking at the wrong side of the fabric)
Open the fold, and stitch along the fold mark, locking stitches at both ends.
Now turn the bottom half of the tube inside-out, pulling it up over the top half. Now you can see the right side of the fabric inside and outside the bag.
Using your original top fold as a guide, fold fabric again and pin to make a channel for the ribbon. You will need to unfold the horizontal fold at the seam, and refold vertically first and then horizontally.
Stitch the channel and thread the ribbon through. Tie the ribbon.
Ta Daaaa!!!!!!!
Brilliant for make up, sewing supplies, ballet slippers, medication, kids toys, gift bags ...
(It is possible to make this into a boxy bag, but that introduces raw edges, so you are on your own if you want to do that!)
Just checking in
These are the three Stay At Home Robins I am doing with Kate at Stay At Home Robin, I had so many orphan blocks with plenty of extra fabric that I couldn't choose, so went for three!
Click on the link to see the lovely blocks that others have come up with
This, black and white, (with red for a robin) was the first one I started, and I have added some stripes, and some folded flying geese: I enjoyed making these more than I expected (but I did get muddled up with remembering to iron away from the folds, not into them!)
For the baby blue one I added some stripes again, and some slashed stripes
For the pink one I added some stripes (*) and had a go at some of the liberated stars I've been seeing in blogland. I obviously have a problem with spacial awareness as the number of time I had to re-do the 4 pointy blocks is nobody's business! however I like the result, so I might be trying these again.
Next month I am going to force myself to do some half square triangles - either I'll get over my dislike of them, or I'll enforce it, either way, I'll know!
Rural Jardin Jelly Roll
Jackie and I both got a free Moda Rural Jardin jelly roll when we signed up for a year's subscription for Popular Patchwork at the festival of quilts in August.
Mine has been sat on a shelf while I drooled over it, and waited for inspiration. As I surfed around blogland I saw a number of designs that would work, but this morning, with some help from an inspirational email (thank you Victoria) decided on a sort of rail fence design.
I joined the strips into pairs: a light with darker, keeping reds with reds and blues with blues.
And then ironed them
I then cut the selvedge to selvedge units into 9 inch units
and started to play around with them
I tried using 'twins' in a mirror image,
and tried dissimilar pairs so it looks woven, and finally decided this was the way I wanted to go.
I am going to be brave, and have my first go at setting these blocks on point (diagonally).
I was just about to start cutting some squares into triangles for the corners, when I realised they weren't actually square - they had ended up 8.5 x 9 inches. (grrrrr)
So I have put them aside for today, and will get back to them tomorrow night.
By the way, I am L-O-V-I-N-G the Moda fabric - it's the first time I have used it, and it's lovely to work with and so soft.
Mine has been sat on a shelf while I drooled over it, and waited for inspiration. As I surfed around blogland I saw a number of designs that would work, but this morning, with some help from an inspirational email (thank you Victoria) decided on a sort of rail fence design.
I joined the strips into pairs: a light with darker, keeping reds with reds and blues with blues.
And then ironed them
I then cut the selvedge to selvedge units into 9 inch units
and started to play around with them
I tried using 'twins' in a mirror image,
and tried dissimilar pairs so it looks woven, and finally decided this was the way I wanted to go.
I am going to be brave, and have my first go at setting these blocks on point (diagonally).
I was just about to start cutting some squares into triangles for the corners, when I realised they weren't actually square - they had ended up 8.5 x 9 inches. (grrrrr)
So I have put them aside for today, and will get back to them tomorrow night.
By the way, I am L-O-V-I-N-G the Moda fabric - it's the first time I have used it, and it's lovely to work with and so soft.
Rural Jardin flimsy
I managed to get the Rural Jardin finished (at least to a flimsy) yesterday,
and made part of the Secret Santa BQL pressie.
I also finished sewing the 1.5 inch blue blocks into a strip for the Log Cabin Candle quilt, and piece some green piecing to bulk out the tree - phew!
Today - nothing!
We did go to the Remembrance Day Service at church, and I have to share with you the sight as we came out and walked (about 200 of us, with Scouts and Guides etc) past the section which the gas board have dug up, and have had traffic lights for what seems like months ...
How awesome is that? And what's more, the lovely man who arranged it (and came to the service with his wife) donated one to the parish and one to the church!
and made part of the Secret Santa BQL pressie.
I also finished sewing the 1.5 inch blue blocks into a strip for the Log Cabin Candle quilt, and piece some green piecing to bulk out the tree - phew!
Today - nothing!
We did go to the Remembrance Day Service at church, and I have to share with you the sight as we came out and walked (about 200 of us, with Scouts and Guides etc) past the section which the gas board have dug up, and have had traffic lights for what seems like months ...
How awesome is that? And what's more, the lovely man who arranged it (and came to the service with his wife) donated one to the parish and one to the church!Candle Christmas Tree Quilt - bleugh
I KNOW that green and blue are next to each other on the colour wheel, and I even had Plum warn me (and Kate prove to me) that dark green and dark blue don't contrast well, but for some reason I chose to ignore all this and expected my dark green tree and dark blue sky to work well together.
Possibly this is because I have invested hours and hours in sewing 1.5 inch squares together for the sky - approximately 500 of the blinking things, all hand sewn in a strip, and they jolly well SHOULD look good together. It isn't too bad lit up by the camera's flash, but I can see that I will have to start on the sky again (light blue this time) and use the current sky on some other project, but I have to say I am a tad pi$$ed off!
(Oh, and also I forgot to put the top triangle on the tree, that will happen - I have LOADS of green strips, chunks and crumbs on the work desk!)
