Sunday 21 August 2016

More Summer Sewing

 The joy of a little bit of retail therapy this week - I was close enough to The Cotton Patch to actually visit in person, rather than by mail order like I usually do.  It made a nice change and I came across these variegated shasiko threads that I didn't know existed!  Lovely colours!

I also topped up my thread stash and treated myself to a charm pack. The 'utility' purchase is of heat 'n' bond lite - the fusible that I have most experience of, ready for a world map project.  All exciting stuff!
 


 Away from my sewing machine for a week, I've been able to make progress on this little wall quilt.

I was happy with the left hand side, lines of sewing up and down.  It took me a while to decide what to do on the right hand side and what I'd be doing.  I knew that I didn't want to do just either straight up and down or straight left to right.  Perhaps I'll be able to show you a bit more progress on it next week!
This shot shows a little more of the gorgeousness of the thread that I've been using.

Now, of course, on the right hand side I'm using my new variegated shasiko thread!

Hope that you are having fun stitching too!

Wednesday 10 August 2016

Summer Silliness!

 So here is my project using those QST's I talked about - all laid out on my 'design bed' - no design wall on holiday, but when you are sewing at the dressing table there is likely to be handy bed, isn't there?
 Here it is all sewn together - an off centre design in the modern style. 

I'm going to make it a bit less modern, though, as I've decided that it needs a couple of borders to bring the size up a little.  Planning a soft grey followed by an orange, so it should be nice and zingy.  Then I'll need to make time to turn it from a flimsy into an actual quilt!
I've got so many projects flying around my head at the moment, and so many WIPs that I want to make more progress on, but in the real world (as opposed to my parallel sewing world!) I haven't had much time this week.

I did have time to have a play date with Benta, though.  I made this pin cushion (about 3" square) in the same time that the prolific Benta made three!  See them (and more!) on her blog here!

She also gave me one of her selvedge pouches - aren't I the lucky one!  It's a very cool bit of sewing!

Happy summer sewing, everyone!

Thursday 4 August 2016

Week of WIPs!

I'm away on my holidays - of course, taking my sewing machine and some projects with me!  Unfortunately my packing wasn't as rigorous   as it might have been and I arrived without either rulers or quilting gloves.  I ordered a ruler straight away - and if I'd have realised that I didn't have my gloves I'd have ordered another pair of those too!
 I didn't realise in time, though, so this hexagon piece will remain unquilted until I go home.  I just got as far as appliqueing it onto a larger piece of fabric and wondering if the size was just slightly odd.  It may work in my favour that it's unquilted, as I might add to it in order to get a more useful size. 

Before going on my hols I made four blocks on the 365 challenge - but I messed up the one on the top right so badly that I think even I (with my appallingly low standards!) will need to remake it.
 I did some border adding on the project, though, and added first the inner dark border.....
.....and then *most* of the light border.  I seemed to come away without three of the light blocks.  Really not my best attempt at packing!

Despite the lower LH corner being missing, as shown in this photo, I'm pleased with how it's coming together.

With my newly delivered ruler I'm starting to make the 50 QST's that I need for my next project.  I hope to have more progress to report next week, when I'll be safely back in my quilting cave with ALL the equipment and supplies that I need (for the moment!).

Happy sewing everyone!