EMBROIDERED CHAIR CADDIE

This coming weekend, I am going on my first Sewing Weekend Away with Kates Sewing Class girls.

Speaking to others who have been on the weekends before, it sounds like a lot of work but heaps of fun. We take our sewing machines and a list of supplies and  Kate has organised a heap of sewing projects to make.  I can't wait.  Our theme this year is Halloween so for the Saturday night dinner, we need to dress up and supply a little gift that we can all swap around.

 

As this is my first weekend away, I was a litle unsure about the gift that had to be handmade (no food items).  I thought long and hard about what to take and I decided anyone who likes to sew could always do with a Chair Caddie to hang next to them whilst watching TV and sewing.

Chair Caddie with embroidery

I found the shape of one from Pinterest and using plain homespun, quilted the main piece in diamonds.  Then I wanted to do something special, so I downloaded some embroidery patterns from www.needlecrafters.com and shrunk them to the size I needed.  My embroidery skills aren't great but I do think they came up quite nice with the matching blue edging.

Its true what they say - you learn something every day because initally I tried to bind using a normal strip of material.....big mistake - there was no way it was going to lay down flat so, thanks to google, I realised that I needed to use Bias Binding on curves and viola.....it worked :)

Hopefully the person who receives my gift will enjoy it as much as I did making it.  Now I need to do one for myself!!!



Small posy on centre pin cushion.



 

Bird on fountain



Bluebirds on branch

DRUNKARDS PATH TABLE RUNNER

Pattern:  http://www.modabakeshop.com/2012/12/120-minute-gift-drunkards-path-table.html#more
Material: Moda Charm Pack (Sorry forgot designer oops)


Hasn't the internet opened up the world of quilting - its so easy to pass the time by searching on Pinterest, blogs or web sites for an enormous number of ideas.  I found the Moda Bake Shop to be excellent for trying out patterns and thought I would give this Drunkards Table Runner a go

I went shopping for a Charm Pack and some co-ordinating material and even though it says 120-minute gift (which I am sure some people are able to do), I took my time and spread it over a few weekends. 

WIP GRANDMA'S QUILT

Pattern: Babies by Amy Bradley  http://www.amybradleydesigns.com/baqupa.html
Material:  Own Choice

I haven't as yet, mentioned my sewing inspiration and that is Kate and her staff at Kates Sewing Center in Bundoora.  Lucky for me, I was able to get into a Patchwork Class called Grandma's Quilt back in February this year and this has seen me off and running with all my Patchwork inspirations.

The Grandma's Quilt class is only once a month and as it is August now,  most of the blocks are finished and waiting to be all sewn together.  This is my first attempt at not only applique work but also free motion quilting!!!!

As you can see, we opted to do a Quilt-As-You-Go for this project so we could do the free-motion without too much of a struggle on a large size quilt.  The pattern was from Amy Bradley Designs.

BABY IN PRAM - My favourite block - I did paisley free motion on the background.

 

BABY IN CAR - This one has what I call 'Lollipops' in the background because they reminded me of Stop Signs and I thought that was appropriate.

 

 

 BABY IN BOAT - The quilting on the background really stands out on the plain fabric.

 

 BABY IN PUSHER - This free motion was a variation on stippling with flowers thrown in.

 

 BABY IN WAGON - Loved the brickwork on the background, it really suited the fabric colours

 

 BABY IN SWING - Free motion on this one was a continuous spiral .

 

 

 

There is one more block to come and then I begin to assemble all the blocks into one fantastic looking cot quilt !! 

CHRISTMAS WALL HANGING

Pattern:  Swirled Christmas Tree by Frivolous Necessity
Material:  Coloured scraps, White Homespun

I have allowed plenty of time this year to do my Christmas Project.  In fact, its all finished !!!

Simple appliqued swirls in red and green to form a tree shape and voila.... a decorative hanging.  A little bt of stippling around the background to give it shape and pop it on a hanger. 

Its a shame to only hang it out at Christmas time!!

TRAPUNTO BABY QUILT

The up-coming arrival of our first grandchild was always going to be a big occasion and I purchased a printed baby cot panel with the intention of trying out the technique called Trapunto.

On the reverse side of the panel, I laid down some pieces of bamboo batting and then using my walking foot, sewed around the balloons, and each individual animal in the boat.  I then cut away any excess batting, which gave the balloons and animals a plump look.

Then I continued as for a normal quilt using batting and backing. I outlined stitched all the pictures and then stippled the main background of the quilt.  I also did horizontal stitching on the blue top rim of the boat and pebble free-motion around the name.

 I could have done heaps more free motion on this quilt but in the end, was more than happy with the result.

Stack and Whack

Another Patchwork class that I have attended at Kates, was the Stack and Whack.  After choosing 5 complementary colours and then a contrast for the border, it was just a matter of cutting and sewing.   It was a long day full of sewing but at the end of the day, I had pieced together the top of my Stack and Whack Quilt.  It was then off to get assembled and quilted.  The quilting was done by a local lady and came up wonderful.

Log Cabin Quilt for Dad

My dear old dad is currently in a nursing home and I wanted something nice to look at each time he woke up, even if he didnt remember who gave it to him.  I wanted a nice bright quilt nothing depressing, so a range of blues was the choice.   There was no real pattern just 2" stripes sewn together in the Log Cabin pattern.

I arranged the small blocks into a variety of patterns and then took a photo with my iphone so I could compare them next to each other.  Each one appealed to me but in the end I chose this one and sewed it up for dad.

 

 

 

   

Cathedral Windows Playmat

Pattern:  www.modabakeshop.com/2011/11cathedral-window-baby-playmat
Material:  Ticklish by Moda


Material choices certainly have changed a lot since my last sewing adventure.  They even have pre-cut material so I dont have to choose colour combinations, fantastic.

I picked up a Layer Cake (Ticklish by Moda Fabrics) and tried to arrange the colours in pairs to achieve a nice combination.

 Nothing was working for me so I decided to frame each window with a solid colour instead and voila..... the green set off each colour wonderfully. 

I found the pattern on the Moda Bake Shop and it was quite easy.  Of course it has now been all sewn together and is waiting for the great arrival of grandson in October.

Hello and Welcome

Hi everyone,

This is my first attempt at blogging my quilts/crafts and I hope you get as much enjoyment from it as I have in making them.

I have been a crafty person since way back when but it has been about 15 years since I last took up the patchwork needle.  What with family, work and everything else, I lost touch with the art but now that work has reduced and more importantly, a grandchild on the way, I have rediscovered sewing.

Christmas 2012 saw a new sewing maching under the tree to replace the old Singer that I received for my 21st birthday.   The Singer has well and truly been outclassed now by a Brother and I cant believe how easy everything has become.  No more straining to thread the needle, especially as my eyes arent getting any younger, it does it for you.  All I need to do now is to learn how to use all the attachments.