I don't like to leave a scrap behind (ahem, apart from the ones in my scrap drawers, which seem to renew all by themselves!)
Plum Quilts
My quilting story as it unfolds.
Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Using the scraps I
Wednesday, 13 November 2024
How I Fabric 'Pull'
Wednesday, 6 November 2024
Another little thing!
Another little trinket for DD2 - this time an acorn mug rug. Nicely seasonal, whilst still using 'her' fabrics.
Something else to clutter up her uni room!
The pattern / template is free from Fig Tree and Co. I used smaller squares in the acorn, as I already had these 1.5" squares in my scrap drawers.
Wednesday, 30 October 2024
A Puffin Bag!
Too good for drying the dishes, I decided. I wondered about pinning them to the wall just as they were. I wondered about making two matching wall quilts. I finally decided to make a shopping bag with them - that way they would get plenty of use, and would make me happy every time that I use it!
This is the 'big' side, and below, the 'little' side. Plenty of fabric to make the handles, and even a little left over for other projects! Lots of fun to be had!
I am really pleased with my new bag - thank you, Benta!
Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Thirty Fifth Anniversary!
I started with my design for a coral - although I did wonder if I'd made a winter tree branching system instead, even with the cross joining 'limbs'.
After transferring it onto water soluble fabric (using a water soluble pencil) I started to stitch it.
After dissolving the fabric and drying the embroidery, it was time to mount it using pins. This photo is where I try to show the depth behind the embroidery, and the shadow that it casts.
Finally, here it is mounted. Again, I'm trying to show you the shadows!
This wasn't my first attempt - but is certainly my largest, finishing at about 7" in diameter. My earlier attempts were of leaves, and were all much smaller than this, and great as samples whilst I learnt the techniques!
And was my DH pleased? Yes, I think that he was!
Wednesday, 16 October 2024
Sashiko Samples
This picture is a warning to pay proper attention to what she (or any other teacher) tells you about spacing.
My attempts at the lovely rice flower design - third time lucky! The first time I forgot to leave any gaps between the stitching lines when I was setting it out. The second time I mis understood my own notes (!) and left two stitching line between the stitched lines, instead of two spaces (one stitching line), so I didn't have many motifs on the piece. Third time lucky! I finally got the spacing right, and got the distribution of motifs right, and they were lined up with the proper diagonal lines working too!
Can you see the grid drawn behind it? I used new stencils for this project. It's nice and fast to use them for drawing lines, but the rest of the samples I used the dots stencil, as I preferred it to stitch on, even though it took a tiny bit more time to do so.
I could iron the grid away, but I quite like having it there for reference in my sample.
Kate recommended that you draw one or two motifs out as you go, so you don't get in a muddle with your stitch pattern - and also that you stitch some of your verticals and then some of your horizontals to make sure you know what you are doing!
Finally, we moved on to the rice flower pattern - the one that I struggled to get the spacing right on!
This, by the way, is not the right spacing - I should have left a gap between the lines of stitching.
You can see how it's building up here.
But actually, I didn't feel like finishing this sample, as I knew it wasn't right.
Of course, at some point I will make some more samples, and perhaps make a sample book with them.
I was pleased that I finally got the spacing right for these though! Doesn't it look pretty? And is supposed to be a good strong one for visible mending too, rather than just decoration like I'm doing here.
I might also look for stencils with the grid that is a little tighter than this one. But that's a project for another day!
Wednesday, 9 October 2024
Papoose Pyramid Pouch
So, all beautifully pyramid shaped when closed....
....when you loosen the cord / thong you can see the body and the hood......
.....and when it's beautifully flattened and fully open, you can see why it is called a papoose pouch!
I can see that they would be lovely for mini presents on a tree - I might just have to make some in Christmas fabrics for that very thing!
And just as a reminder to myself, this is the shape of the piece before it is sewn together (but in this case, after machine quilting).
Thanks for this pattern and gift, Benta!
Wednesday, 2 October 2024
I'm Running Late!
Fun workshop (thank you, Miniature Quilt Group from UK Quilters Guild!) with Gary Mills, where we made these fun long legged birds in the morning....
Lucky that DH and I had just pruned an apple tree, so I had plenty of twigs to use for legs and antlers!
Fun projects! Easy to sew, and using a technique to make 'pockets' for the legs that I hadn't though of using previously. Thanks, Gary!
Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Comfy Cushion
This is a cushion cover, 26" square, using some of the fabrics used in her Uni quilt, and the same block pattern. I love that it has hearts in it to show her how much we love her!
Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Missing in Action - Part 2
It was an MSQC pattern, called 'Wallah' or 'Voila' - and I seem to remember (I made it in July 2022!) that it was a fun one to make
Here I was laying it out. I can remember that it was a 'disappearing' block - I think that it was four patches and exchanging parts with other blocks, but I'm sure that you can track down the video tutorial and find out!
And finally finished and shown over our garden table!
The sunlight didn't make for great photos - but this one is trying to show you the quilting and the backing!
I hope that you are happy to see this after so long!
Finally, for me to be all caught up, this little quilt was made in March this year for a 'quilt whisper' challenge within the Miniature Quilt Group of the Quilters Guild of the UK.
Mine was the fourth in a series, that was prompted by an image.... I realise that it would make more sense if I could show the others, but I don't have the right permissions! So, if you didn't catch them at Festival of Quilts last month, then I'll let you know if they are going to be shown anywhere else!
Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Missing In Action? Part 1
The first one to show you is this frame quilt.
It was the merging of two projects. I wanted to set my own challenge to design and make a 'mini block' project to replace a simpler quilt on a living room wall, but I was also working on a frame quilt challenge for my old quilting group.
The next challenge row was to use seminole. That was a fun one!
Triangles (I used flying geese) came next. Then it was curves - a bit of a cheat for me, as I applied this gold bias binding in gentle curves.
Stars was the final prompt, and I used them as corner stones to complete my challenge piece.
After that I managed to make the batik blocks fit (with a little 'fillet' of 1/2" or so in batik to make it work properly!).
I had a blast and I'm very happy to have it up on the wall!
Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Card Time Again
So, a few fabric scraps, a little hand sewing and a glue stick, and I have sufficient cards to get me through the next couple of months!
Not all shown here - I forgot to take a photo of the first patch that I made.
It's always fun to match up the fabrics with the recipients!
Wednesday, 28 August 2024
More little projects
This one with black elastic was made for an A5 notenook, DD2's favourite size. Made with fabric that was included in her Uni quilt.
And this one for DD1 is an A4 size in fabric that she chose.
The pattern that I used was this one from PolkaDot Chair.
I think that I'll probably be making a couple more of these!
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Finished!
Anyway, here it is, complete with the borders, fully quilted and bound.
I'm really pleased with it!
Scrappy binding to match the scrappy border and main blocks.
I did a meander pattern for the quilting, adding in hearts at random along the way.
So hearts in the pattern as well as hearts in the quilting.
The only thing that wasn't scrappy was the backing. A lovely floral - good counterpoint to the busy front!