2012 November

 

Patchwork Boots

It's been a bit of a strange few days, and not much has gone to plan, but my Bernina has returned from its 'holiday' with nephew. 

Whilst I love my Brother machines, they don't have the oomph that the Bernina has.  I started making these boots a while ago, and now that Bernie is back, they've been finished ;-)

(Dont look too close, there are some dodgy sections!)

Birthday Baking

Ok, not quite baking, but I did make a cake

Confused?

You won't be when you see this cake that I made for my colleague at school, Sarah

(hum, I must have taken the photo before I hand embroidered the candle wicks - you'll have to imagine them)

I usually make the cup of first coffee, as I get in about 10 minutes before her, so I put her coffee on it, then started work.  Funnily enough, she knew straight away it was from me :-)

Perfect Post 6

Oh My Gosh

I have to be the most spoilt person in blogland!

My latest Star of Africa Bee star arrived today, from Jen, the Quilter in the Closet (isn't that a fab blog title).  Jen lives very near to Hollywood (!) and based her star on the famous stars set into the pavement in the Hollywood Walk of Fame:

With my name, and a sewing machine hand embroidered onto it

With the extra 4 pieces that I cheekily asked the girls for, I get this liberated star, already to tessalate with the other yummy stars

But there was more ... This amazing mug caddy that Jen made - and then popped into Hollywood to buy a mug for!  (see the daisy button that is the perfect match for the daisys on the fabric)

Then (as her lovely letter explained) she saw another mug that she thought would be ideal, but clearly wouldn't fit in the caddy, so I got BOTH mugs

 (how great is that!)

But the mugs then had to be protected from postal machines etc, so they were wrapped in two fabrics.  The batik is an amazing intricate design, but the "Evolution" fabric is heart-stoppingly gorgeous.  I'm not sure I'll ever be able to use it, I think it has to be framed (but that's ok, because Jen sent me a piece with this image TWICE)

So if anyone out there in blog land has had a better delivery this week, month, year! I'll eat my hat!

Someone's Stocking

OK, not stockings, but Someone's Sack didn't have the same ring to it!!!

I had a few customers ask me to make Christmas Sacks last year: they thought they asked in plenty of time, but as I was going to spend the first 17 days of December in Australia, I had to tell them I couldn't help, so this year I am getting ready early.

I have changed the design slightly so I can get them prepared before personalising them, so decided to make one for our new Great Neice, so I could photograph it:

So, Dear Santa, this year I have been good, Lucia

But if trouble is afoot, and Santa needs to be aware, the tab can be flipped over:

I have an image of, in a few years time, mum or dad shouting to Lucia "Dont make me turn the tab around"

Foot Free and Fancy Loose

Have you ever tried FMQ without a foot?

I had a project that I've been putting off for ages: my boss (the best boss I've ever had, possibly the best boss anyone has ever had) asked me to quilt a blanket to a sheet for him, so I said yes.  He taught himself knitting and crochet earlier this year, and was very pleased with the resulting blanket

I roped mum and Jackie in to help me, we stretched and bullied it into a neat rectangle, and pinned and tacked the rectangle onto a sheet, and I then started to quilt it by hand.

However, what we hadn't considered was that the stretched bits didn't really want to stay stretched, so they were springing back to their original shape, and taking the sheet with it.

I had long discussions with the Broom Farm ladies, and the final decision was to spray baste it, in it's preferred shape, onto a fleece blanket (in fact two joined to be big enough) and then quilt it along the seams.

But the knitting was quite high (is that the right work? loft?) and whatever foot I tried to use got hooked up in the wool, so I abandoned the idea of a foot, and went ahead and quilted.  Yes I know the lines and wobbly, and the quilting leaves a lot to be desired, but it was blinking hard work.

Do you want to see the blanket?

Are you sure?


Ta da!

Almost finished :-)

A Few Finishes

 Last month a friend, Jacqui, lead the group at Chertsey Museum, and taught us how to do Padded and Raised work,  She used the theme of a rock pool, and gave us a number of examples.

I've finally finished mine

I have also finished stitching on the binding for a Batik Square Dance that has been in the PHD pile for far too long.

* * * * * * * *

To keep me on track I have written a list of projects to be finished before Christmas: at least the Square Dance can be my first tick!

• Christmas Waistcoat
• I-Spy for Dina
• I-Spy for Liz
• I-Spy for Jane (Chloe)
• Christmas sack for Chloe
• Christmas sack for Richard
• 12 place mats for Carol
• 2 Pairs of Patchwork boots
• Warm Stars quilt for Philippa
• Christmas Tree by Candlelight wall hanging
• Napkins for Anna
• Batik Square Dance  18th November)

Perfect Post 7 and 8

Well, the delivery I can blog about today was one delivery from two people!


Tina and Veena, both from the Star Of Africa Bee, both live in India.  Veena was recently rushed into hospital for an operation, so Tina stepped in to help with my block.  These two blocks arrived from both Tina and Veena, and I love them both.  I told the group that I was choosing grey as the linking fabric as next March is our silver wedding anniversary, so my Bee buddies are helping me make an anniversary quilt.  I wasn't particularly thinking that the blocks were to represent weddings, as the blocks are already to represent our locality, but Veena and Tina have managed both!

Tina writes about this one

Benta, since this is for your wedding anniversary, here's something from our weddings. The garments of the bride (red) & groom (white) are tied with the sacred marital knot throughout the duration of the wedding ceremony. Isn't that cute? Another interesting bit - when the man turns 60, the couple take their wedding vows once more in another 'wedding', this time with the kids and grandkids around too :-)

 (should be twisted anticlockwise): 

If you follow this link to the flickr group you can see a much better photo of it


This second block also has a wedding theme

Veena writes that it represents two palms decorated with henna.  This is painted onto the hands of married women

Both blocks are beautiful.

Thank you both for the blocks, and for the fabrics you kindly sent too.  Veena, I hope you feel better soon x x

No Reply? No Problem!

Just a short post today - I had a lovely visit from Lisa: she planned to be here just until 2pm, but stayed until 9:30, lovely but no sewing time today.

I did get a little niggle sorted.  Fiona at CelticThistleStitches told me that I was suddenly posting as a No Reply blogger, but I couldn't find the setting to change it.  Fiona suggested it might be caused by Google Plus.  Eventually Mr Google helped by leading me to this blog page:.   From Me And My Gang.  The author shows how to disconnect Google Plus, how to change settings, and then how to return to Google Plus.

Apologies for being a No Reply blogger.  All sorted now

How Generous is Janine? (Perfect Post 9)

You may remember me having blogged about Janine (The Rainbow Hare) before.  She and I have been following each other's blogs for a long time now.  She made this fab hexie spiral mini quilt

 earlier this year, and very kindly sent me the books so I could make one myself,and she and Nicky (Mrs Sew and Sew) blogged about the Star of Africa Bee which I then joined.

Janine's Bee Block arrived a few days ago, but I was feeling so full of cold, and achy and generally bleugh, so I made myself wait until today before I opened it.  It was lovely to have something to look forward to even though I had already seen the block when she posted it on FlickrL


The Out Of Africa Bee Blocks each represent something from our own locality, and while my geography is rubbish, I recognised this block as soon as I saw it: The White Cliffs of Dover

And here it is in the centre of it's star

Thank you Janine

But before I even came to the star blocks, I shrieked.

Seriously!  Its so lucky there was no-one else home as they probably would not have understood - but you - my bloggy patchworky friends will understand.

You understand that when a stranger (lets face it, Janine and I have never met) sends you not only a lovely block, but also something beautiful, intricate and painstakingly made, and in this case something also previously lusted after, there is no correct response other than a loud, girly shriek

Prepare yourselves

This is now mine

 

 Words cannot describe how I feel, but I tried - I found Janine's phone number through BT.com, and called her to thank her.  We had a lovely long chat, and Janine, I hope you realise how delighted I am!

Slightly paling into insignificance, I have done *some* sewing today, and this misshapen collection of  Christmassy blocks is the result.

It might be clearer from this side

Tomorrow I am meeting mum for a spot of Christmas shopping, and I will pass these pieces over to her, and when I next see her (if she has taken a break from the cardigan she is knitting me) she may have made me a Christmas Waistcoat!

Thank you mummy!

So the Christmas List:

• 
  
• Nicky's book block
• I-Spy for Dina
• I-Spy for Liz
• I-Spy for Jane (Chloe)
• Christmas sack for Chloe
• Christmas sack for Richard
• 12 place mats for Carol
• 2 Pairs of Patchwork boots
• Warm Stars quilt for Philippa
• Christmas Tree by Candlelight wall hanging
• Napkins for Anna
• Batik Square Dance
• Christmas Waistcoat

A 'Nearly Finish'

"Warm Stars" has been quilted

and bordered, and half bound,

 and despite a panic that I didn't have enough of the second border fabric, has come out quite well

Just need to hand stitch the binding and she's done!

Another Finish from the Christmas List

One of the teachers at school is leaving on maternity leave.  I had it in my head that it was at the end of term, so I have an I-Spy quilt on the list, but no rush . . .  Until I was told that she leaves at the end of this month!

Gulp.  Luckily I did have the blocks cut and stitched into strips, so a quick quilt as I go (my method which really is quick!) and add a binding, and it's now done

Panic over

The To Be Done By Christmas list now looks like . . .

• Nicky's Book Block (Out of Africa) 
• Janine's Butterfly block (Out of Africa)
• I-Spy for Liz
• I-Spy for Jane (Chloe)
• Christmas sack for Chloe
• Christmas sack for Richard
• Christmas sacks for Liam and Harry
• 12 place mats for Carol
• 2 Pairs of Patchwork boots
• Warm Stars quilt for Philippa
• Christmas Tree by Candlelight wall hanging
• Napkins for Anna
• Batik Square Dance 
• I-Spy for Dina
• Christmas Waistcoat

Three finishes on my List

The first finish hadn't actually made it *to* the list, so I've added it and crossed it off, which is a very happy feeling.  These are made 'in the hoop' - which kind of means I do a little bit of work on the computer and the press go on the embroidery machine and it does all the hard work!  A whole load of little 'thinking of you at Christmas' gifts sorted

This is an I-Spy quilt for a friend who has just become a Great Auntie to a baby called Chloe.  Her name is embroidered on the ballet fabric, but you can hardly see it.

And while watching the first half of the Bone Hunter last night I finished the binding on Warm Memories and Stars - this may be for a teacher leaving school at the end of the year.  I have two finished and they can now go to school where someone with decision making abilities can choose!

So the new and improved list now looks like this:

• START Nicky's Book Block (Out of Africa) 
• START Janine's Butterfly block (Out of Africa)
• START Christmas sacks for Liam and Harry
• START 12 place mats for Carol
• START 2 Pairs of Patchwork boots
• FINISH I-Spy for Liz
• FINISH Christmas sack for Chloe
• FINISH Christmas sack for Richard
• FINISH Christmas Tree by Candlelight wall hanging
• FINISH Napkins for Anna
• Batik Square Dance 
• I-Spy for Dina
• Christmas Waistcoat
• In The Hoop Gifts
•  I-Spy for Jane (Chloe) 
• Warm Stars quilt for Philippa

2012 October second half

 

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that

I wish I hadn't typed that post title, now I cant get that song out of my head - serves me right!

A few random photos for today's post.  After meeting Annabelle recently the sneaky lady posted a photo of mum and I on her blog (right at the end of a long post), so I thought I'd return the compliment - so here are Annabelle and I in her sunny conservatory - and yes we both have uncontrollable grey / white hair!

I'm now taking you from the Home Counties over the sea to Portugal.  Just two photos from my recent girly weekend to  Lisbon: I love these window decorations - buttons strung onto fishing wire

. . . and when the waiter asked if we wanted a pitcher of beer rather than 6 medium glasses we never expected to have one of these brought to the table!!!  It was fab, and the centre column of ice kept the beer ice cold even in the direct sunlight (I want one!)

And finally, two lizards for Jen from the African Bee swap.  I tried to make one out of hot dots: I cut the lizard shape out of the dots and ironed them onto the fabric, but couldn't work out how to get the foil to then stick to the dots, so I abandoned that plan, and simply bond-a-webbed another one onto fabric, and stitched around him in a green blanket stitch in Lisbon (a well travelled lizard!)  Apologies for the rubbish pic, I thought it was better, and he's been packaged up now ready to continue his travels, this time to Jen's in California, along with a budgie and a hedgehog!

However, in the mean time, Jacqui emailed me with the instructions on how to use the hot dots - doh, I had to melt them again with the foil on top!  I did a positive, and a negative, and although I have sent both, I have only taken a pic of the negative one as I think he's the better one.  I did embroider around his body as one of the Pearle cottons that Plum sent me was the perfect colour, so Sparkles is on his way with Boris!

Bag Lady

I spent a lovely afternoon a few days ago making bags!
Hope you are managing some creative time too.

Is it A Bee? Is It A Dog?

The first Bee block has arrived today from Nicky in West Sussex: isn't he lovely!

Just to show how the stars will fit together (tesselate), here is mine and Nicky's together

How to Make a Bag

OK, not how to make *any* bag, but here are instructions for how to make my slouch bag or a variation of it.

I'm writing these instructions for me, to cut down on the scraps of paper floating around the sewing room, but feel free to use them if you want :-)  I apologise for the style of instructions, I find it very difficult to write coheriently but briefly!

Requirements to make reversible slouch bag (one fabric is referred to as the lining, but the bag will be reversible):

• 2 x half metre of fabric.  I use two fairly stiff fabrics and no stabiliser, if one or both fabrics are soft, then also add at least one layer of stabilising stuff
• 1m of 1.5" wide webbing (or 6 inch x width of fabric) for straps
• 2 D rings (optional)

Fold one fabric in half width ways and again in half length ways.  Cut scoop out from the selvedge edge so it looks like a folded vest top

 Repeat with the second fabric, using the first as a pattern piece so they are the same.

Do you want a pocket?  

You can use the waste from 

the scoop to add a pocket

 to the inside, or the outside,

 or both.  Add pockets now.

 

Take the two fabric pieces, and pin the lining 'necks' to the outer 'necks', right sides together. 

(Do you want a flap or some sort of tie to allow you to close the bag? Prepare them now, from scraps.  The flap or ties need to been placed between the fabric, sandwiched so you can only see the very edge, and stitched in place as the neck is stitched -add a loop of elastic or a keyring attachment to the flap and then place a suitable button so the bag can be closed?)

Stitch the necks.

Now you are going to stitch both bags closed along the sides, all apart from a 5inch gap in one side of the least favourite fabric (the lining)

Now create two straps from with the webbing or the extra length of fabric:   

Take the 6"xWOF piece-  (fold in half length ways, press.  Then open and fold the raw edges in to the fold, press and fold again.  Open up the ends, fold under the short edge, and re-fold along the long edge, pin  at regular intervals.  Now stitch along both edges to finish the strap.)

There are 2 unstitched openings at the top of the bag, sort of where the shoulders would be if it were a vest top.  Open these so there is one fabric either side of the opening.  The strap needs to be placed so it is mostly inside the bag (between the two fabrics), with just a raw edge peeping out through this opening.

The opening can be reduced if it is much bigger than the strap, or the strap can be pleated it it is bigger then the opening.

 If a boxed bottom is required, create that now. [see this link for how to create one], I used a 2 inches) repeat 4 times, once for each corner

Now turn everything through the hole you left in the lining.  Top stitch around the 'neck',  stitch down the end of one of the straps to secure the two D rings (optional), and slip stitch the opening closed.

The straps can be adjusted either by knotting, or by adjusting the strap through the D rings.

Done!

Happy Hexies

I haven't shown these for a while: the flowers are not joined to each other, but there are 10 competed flowers - I think I've been watching too much TV, that would explain why the hand sewing shows more quantity than machine sewing, LOL

Envy Post

I was very excited to see postie walking along my road today, as I thought, (hoped) I knew what she might have for me.

You might remember I joined a Japanese Charm Swap back in August.

The idea of Japanese charms is not that they have Japanese theme, but rather that they are made in Japan, and the Japanese fabrics generally have a similarity that the prints are all small scale.  So even with just a 5" square (a 'charm' square) the pattern is repeated enough times that you get several images.

So 56 of us bought a metre each of a different Japanese fabric, cut it into 5" squares and posted them off to the lovely Sarah.  Once she had them all, she played a kind of game of patience, and created 56 stacks of all different charms, and then on Thursday posted them all out to us.

So very excitingly this little stack came through my letter box this morning

And when it gets dealt out, it looks like this (be still my beating heart)

(My stack is still pristine - Sarah stacked them perfectly and I am happy to stroke and fondle, so I stole the photo from Sarah's own blog, hope you don't mind S!!!!)

Bowled Over

After making bags last week, there were pieces of the fabric left over, not big enough to make bags from, and not small enough to scrap, so I made a bowl, and another one and another one

Those first three went to good homes, but I also I made this one from a donated pair of jeans' legs.

Hope you all had a good weekend

Bowled Over 2

Lots of people were very nice about my bag tutorial, and about my bowls, so I'll be making some more in the future and have the memory of a goldfish, here goes another attempt at instructions:

First a bit of maths (dont panic, I've done it for you!)

5.5" bowl needs a base circle (D) of 6", and a side (C) finishing at 17.25" round (cut to 17.75")
6.5" bowl needs a base circle (D) of 7", and a side (C) finishing at 20.50" round (cut to 21.00")
7.5" bowl needs a base circle (D) of 8", and a side (C) finishing at 23.50" round (cut to 24.00")
8.5" bowl needs a base circle (D) of 9", and a side (C) finishing at 28.25" round (cut to 28.75")

(To calculare other sizes: C=π D.  This means Circumference = 22/7 x Diameter, [plus 0.5" for both measurements] - or add a comment and I'll work it out for you, LOL)

So I started with legs from a pair of jeans  I cut the hem off, leaving a C value of 20 inches, so I needed a 7inch circle for the base (*).  Alternatively I could cut a strip 7" x 20.50 and make it into a tube the same size as the jeans leg.  If so I would leave a 4" gap mid seam to make life easier later on

Once I'd cut these out I folded both the leg and the circle in half and marked the folds with pins, and then in half again matching the pins, so I could mark the 1/4s.

I then pinned the base to the sides matching first the pins and   then between them, and then stitched.

I did the same again with the other leg.  This could be a contrasting fabric instead.  the denim is quite firm -  if I were using two patchwork fabrics I would have added stabiliser

One needs to be turned right way, the other stays inside out

Put the right way one inside the other (right sides together), and pin them together,  I put a length on jumbo rikrak around between the two pieces.

The untidy ends of the rikrak need to stay visable at this point, so they will be hidden later.  Stitch all the way around the top.  (for this denim bowl I needed to leave a turning hole here at the top as I didn't want to open a leg seam)

Turn the whole lot through the hole that was left either in the side seam or the top, then I pinned and top stitched in order to close the hole.  If you left a side hole, this can be slip stitched close now.

 

Ta Da!!!!!! 

If I had used contrasting fabrics the bowl would be reversible, but on this version there isn't any point in reversing it as both look the same!!!!

(* To make yourself a template for the base:  get a piece of paper bigger than the diameter required.  Mark an X in the centre.  Position a ruler so the half way measurement is on the cross (ie for a 7" circle, put 3.5" ruler mark on the X) and mark the 0 and the 7" positions on your paper.  Move the ruler a bit clockwise and repeat.  Carry on like this until you have enough marks that you are happy to join them into a circle.  So long as you have marked both measurements, and always lined up the middle measurement with the X you will be creating a dot-to-dot circle)