2015 Finsh-along - Q4 completed

Well this has been the first year I have completed all my goals, plus a couple of extra projects in the finish-along.  Here are my Q4 finishes:

Christmas placemat - pattern from here

Birthday Club gift for Gwyneth - based on Noodlehead's wide open pouch

Rainbow Clutch, ( Grey Clutch) for Mum

X Factor Pillow Swap - done

It is so nice knowing I can start the year with some new projects and finish off some fun, just for me projects in 2016.

Linked up on 2015 Finish- along at On The Windy Side.

Weekending

Rachael and Mr Chew Chew - pom pom making

Crochet lessons

Got to love my library!!

My beautiful Meadow pillow - photo courtesy of Deb

My beautiful AMH pillow/pouf from Rachel

Button detail

Beaded stitch markers

Today I made the trip from Auckland to Matangi again, for our last sewing day get together for 2015.
I had accumulated over the past couple of weeks a lovely pile of new quilting and cook books, so they were well browsed through.  Hand sewing, cross-stitch, pom-pom making and crochet lessons were all taking place today.  Lots of yummy food again too.

Gwen and I were the lucky birthday club recipients this time. I was very spoiled with the handmade gifts I was given.  From Deb, I received a beautiful Meadow pillow cover, featuring  so many gorgeous fabrics and from Rachael I received a beautiful Anna Maria Horner pillow, featuring her handmade pottery buttons.  I think my family will be banned from using these.

I made Gwen a pouch for her knitting (my first finish in my Q4 finish-along goals) and some beaded stitch markers.

Such a shame we probably won't have another get-together until next year now.

2015 Finish Along - Q4 Goals

Not a big list this quarter, and I think I will mange to get them done, as long as I don't keep starting new projects.  Anyhoo, here goes with three must get done and one maybe:

• The pattern and fabric for Mum's clutch has been cut out, now I just need to sew it up before the beginning of December
• This pile of autumnal toned fabrics are destined to be a birthday club gift for Gwyn.  This needs to be thought of sewn and given to her at our next sewing day in November
• The infamous 12th place mat for my Christmas set needs to be pieced, quilted and bound - in time for use on Christmas Day
• Should I have the time and inclination, there is a Christmas Pillow project I may take part in too.

Linking up to 2015 Finish - Along at On the Windy Side

2015 Finish-along Goals - Q3 Completed

Woo hoo - I completed my finish-along goals for Q3

• the dinosaur pillow - finished and sent to Australia, where it has been well received 
• the Fractal pillow for Deb's birthday
• the binding was made, attached and sewn down on the last four of my Christmas placemats

and an extra bonus finish

• my SWAK envelope quilt has been backed, quilted and bound

Now it is on to planning my Q4 finishes.

*Linking up to 2015 Finish-Along Q3 at On The Windy Side.*

2015 Finish-along - Q3 Goals

Well it's time to list my Finish-along goals for Q3. This year, I have found that listing them publicly is really helping me to get them finished and not stray too far off course with other lovely quilty distractions.  I only have a small list this quarter - so here goes:

• First up I have the Triceratops pillow to complete for my 4 year old nephew.   His birthday is early August, so it needs to be completed ready to post overseas.  This is top priority,
• Next up is my birthday club gift for Deb - a mid August finish is required here, in time for our next sewing day - as yet I have no idea what I am making her.
• Finally the binding needs to be made,  attached and sewn down on my Christmas place mats.

Of course there will no doubt some other little projects started and hopefully finished in this time too.

Linking up with 2015 Finish-along at On the Windy Side.

2015 Finish-Along - Q2 Goals - Completed

Yes - you read that correctly.  I have finished my Q2 Finish-along goals . 

• One SWAK envelope top completed.  This top measures approximately 48" square.  I decided not to sash between the blocks, so that the bright jewel toned colours of the envelopes really popped against the scrappy low volume background.  A low volume border was added to frame them  Now, I just have to find the right backing fabric for it , then it will be ready to be quilted and bound. 
• The wet weather we have been having has been perfect for sitting in my sewing room and getting stuck into quilting my Christmas place mats, a couple of hours later, they were done.  I even have the binding cut ready to make and attach for these.

So pleased to be able to cross these off my WIP list.  Now onto make something for a friend for her birthday, and start planning the Q3 list.

Wednesday WIP

With the cold wintery wet weather we have been having over the past couple of days, I could think of nothing better to do than tuck myself away from children watching movies inside, and head out to my sewing room.

I contemplated starting a new project, but truth be told I couldn't think of anything I really wanted to make, so I pulled out those SWAK swap envelopes that are on my finish-along list and started piecing them together.

It is quite amazing how each block differs, considering we were all using the same pattern,  All should be 7 " square blocks, some are marginally smaller,  Some are sewn together with tiny stitches (recommended for paper pieced objects) which makes ripping the paper off so easy, others are normal stitch length.  I do apologise to any of my fellow  SWAK block recipients, whose blocks I forgot to decrease the stitch size on.  Different types of paper have been used  as the foundation piece too, and this sometimes seems to effect how the block sits - firmer or with a wee bit of stretch, and some seem to have the fussy cut flap glued down before sewing.

Anyway, after a lot of deliberating about colour  and block placement, all 36 blocks have been sewn together, the foundation papers are slowly being ripped off, and I am well on my way to completing my first Q2 finish-along goal.

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

2015 Finish-Along - Q2 goals

   There are two projects I would like to finish this quarter.

•  all my SWAK envelopes received in 2014 need to be pieced together and turned into a quilt top. You never know I may even get inspired and  totally finish it and have a  small lap quilt for the chair in my sewing room. (which I need to recover too)
• to quilt the  remaining five blocks  made last December, in the Last minute Christmas Sampler and to make their binding,so they can be turned into placemats. (Big bonus points for me if I get them bound this quarter, but I  think the binding of them may be a Q3 finish,that way I can sit in front of the fire doing it, cos it's usually too cold to spend a lot of time in my sewing room then).

Linking up for the 2015 Finish-Along Q2 with Adrianne at On The Windy Side.

Finished - Jacob's Ladder Quilt

This quilt has been a while in the making.  But this year, has been the year of finishing those WIPs, that have been languishing in their boxes and bags.  As mentioned in earlier posts, once I sewed the blocks together (and I was amazed at how little time that took) I was inspired to get the backing and start quilting.

For the backing fabric I have used Forest Floor from the Wildwood range, I was really pleased at how well, I got the pattern repeat joined too.  An advantage of using a patterned backing over a solid fabric  I have discovered, is that it is easier to hide the odd little wrinkle too.

I can't do FMQ, only variations on straight lines, so quilting this stumped me for a while.  In the end I decided to outline stitch most of the large scrappy squares and solids surrounding them.  I used two shades of grey to match the solid shot cottons (figuring that it would camouflage any really wonky stitching).  I may still go back and quilt do extra quilting in the really large scrappy blocks and some of the four patches too.

Binding is a blue floral from V & Co's Simply Style range.   This was not done without drama either. It wasn't until I was folding it over ready to clip for hand stitching down that I realised I had sewn it onto the wrong side.  Talk about being brain dead.  I definitely wasn't going to unpick it all, especially as the shot cotton frays so easily, so the hand stitching is now on the front of the quilt. Luckily my stitching is always very tidy and discreet. (Thanks Mum, for making me redo the very first hem I ever sewed - I think I learned that lesson really well). As a bonus, I think these are the best mitred corners I have ever done on a quilt.

Details:  Grey solids: shot cottons from Spotlight
               Scrappy blocks - mainly Denyse Schmidt, Bonnie & Camille, V& Co and various others
               Finished Size:  approximately 64" square
               2.5" squares: 424
               HST 64 trimmed to 4.5"

I love how this has turned out, and  now only wish it was a little bigger.

So there you have it - my second quilt finish for  2015.

Finished - The Shirt Quilt

Finally the Shirt Quilt for Mr J is finished.  I started collecting shirts back in 2013 for this and bought a couple of checked fat quarters to add a little extra colour.  Cutting strips started in  February2014, about 350 2.5" x 6.5" strips were cut, and the top was finally completed in August. Based on a rail fence block, I used charcoal and denim  strips from The Scout's shirts,as the middle strip in each block to tone it down a little and add make it less busy on the eyes.

Mr J wanted some shirt pockets included, so he has places to hide things  (note to self: remember to check these before washing it), so there are six pockets pieced on the front in random directions.

The backing is made from a charcoal coloured solid from Spotlight and has a strip down the middle made up of shirt backs and scraps.  Straightish line quilting was done a 1/4" each side of the block seams.  I had a lot of problems with this, I think maybe because of all the different fabrics and differing weights, so I am not really going to show close ups of the quilting.  Needless to say, there was  a little cursing and unpicking during this part of the process.

The binding is a cotton linen chambray from Robert Kaufman in Indigo. It measures 60" x 66", and I figure that this is one quilt he will be able to use for a long time, rather than growing out of the colours or fabrics used.  I had to give up on stitching the quote for the back, however my sister has finished it for me, and I am just waiting for it to arrive from Australia, so I can hand stitch it to the back. A co-ordinating pillowcase has been made too.  Apart from my disappointment with the quilting, I love how this has turned out.  The quilt and pillowcase have been rolled up and tied with ribbon , and are now put away, ready to be given to Mr J on his birthday.

My first finish of 2015 and first for the 2015 Finish-a-long Q1

Wednesday WIP

There has been a little sewing done in the past few days.

• the backing and quilting have finally been done on Mr J's shirt quilt, (I have only had the top completed and waiting since August 2014) the binding has been attached and just needs to be hand stitched down now. Normally, I don't mind hand stitching, only the quilt is quite heavy and it so hot here, that is it not a pleasant experience.  With a completion date required by the end January, I must get it done  (This is my main  2015 Finish-a-long - Q1 project)
• prepping a hand sewing project to take away - my first time doing English paper piecing, Apparently you can glue instead of basting the fabric to the templates - has anyone tried this, and would you recommend it?
• another paper piecing project - so much for a break from it - these ballet slippers will be turned into a pillow. Pattern from Tartankiwi. Working towards making handmade gifts for my nieces, this is also a Q1 finish-a-long project

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and 2015 Finish Along - Q1 at On the Windy Side.

Ruby Revealed

 

 

 

  

Almost two years after receiving a layer cake of Bonnie & Camille's Ruby fabric, I have finished my quilt.

It is made up of 36 nine patch blocks.  The white sashing and fabric in the blocks is a vintage cotton sheet.

As I can not get a walking foot to fit my machine,I had problems trying to machine quilt the centre panel of  the quilt.  After unpicking a couple of attempts I eventually decided to hand quilt each block.  The border however was machine quilted in rows approximately 1 1/2 inches apart

I used a polyester batting to save money - however I don't think I enjoyed sewing that as much as cotton or bamboo batting.  The backing is a Prints Charming print on cotton poplin - that too may have caused some of my problems because it seems to be slipperier than quilting cotton.

Now that it is finished I am enjoying seeing it on my bed with the cushion I made. I may make another couple of cushions to replace the old ones I was previously using.

**The first of my Q3 Finish-A-Long projects to be completed.***