Daily Drivel

Finished my quilt!

I finished this a week or so ago. It's not particularly big (about 42" square) as it's my first quilt and I was quite worried I might not finish it if I tried to make a massive one! I decided to do the quilting in straight lines,black thread on black, cream on cream, using my walking foot and I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. It was difficult keeping the quilting accurate at the points of each square and I did miss a few times but I don't think it is too bad! Can't wait to start on another one as I have some lovely jelly rolls to try out (click on photo for full image)

 

Lap quilt progress...

I finished adding my wonky striped borders to this on Friday. I need to sort out the backing and then baste it together and have a stiff drink before attempting to quilt it! Please with how it looks so far and really looking forward to getting it finished soon!

I finished something!

Well, almost. I need a button! My friend came round yesterday to help me finish off the bag we started making a while ago to help me learn cutting out & chain piecing etc. Really happy with how it's turned out. I'm going to make another one soon - I already have the fabric for the outside ready.

Today I'm taking my sewing machine to be serviced. It hasn't seen a lot of action but I'm going on a free motion quilting course soon so I want to make sure everything is in perfect working order before then! Luckily the place I'm taking it will service while you wait so I can be sewing again this evening! I've only got 2 borders to do on my quilt and I'm keen to get it finished.

Look - pretty fabric!

I had a lovely day out with a friend yesterday. We went to 'Village Fabrics' in Wallingford. Their website really doesn't do this lovely shop justice. It was a surprise when I walked in and realised how big it is. I wish I'd taken my camera! They have got lots of gorgeous, inspiring quilts on display and loads of fabric, including a room just for Christmas prints! I didn't venture into the curtain room as I had fabric-overload already and I don't need curtains ;-)

They have a nice selection of books. I bought ''Free Motion Quilting Made Easy" by Eva Larkin - it looks really good and I'm looking forward to trying the exercises. I've booked onto a course at Village Fabrics on free-motion for beginners so I'm really hoping to get to grips with it this year.

I was very restrained with fabric purchasing but I couldn't resist this Moda Jellyroll (sunkissed).

I think I'm going to buy some plain fabric to go with it so that I can make a reasonable sized quilt. I hope!

I've made some progress on my black and white quilt. It's just 3" squares joined into rows. I wanted to do something simple to start with. I think it looks quite effective. Since taking this photo I've now got 4 rows joined up and have almost joined another 4. I'm hoping I can get at least another 7 rows out of the fabric to make it square - hopefully more. I love my new rotary cutter - it's so much better than the small one I was using. I actually enjoyed cutting out all the little squares ;-)

Cushion covers - at last!

I've been meaning to make some new cusion covers for ages - just never got round to doing it. I bought the cushion pads months ago (hmmm - might even be over a year ago!) and they've been gathering dust in the cupboard. I was on my own at the weekend so I decided to get my sewing machine out. I recently borrowed a book from the library with some cute ideas in it using machine embroidery and applique (this one by Poppy Treffry). I'm pretty pleased with how these have turned out - they are supposed to look a bit rough and sketchy (greatly helped by my lack of good machine control, haha!).

 

More sewing...

I had a go at making a zippered pouch today - it's turned out ok. I need to do the lining. It's a bit on the floppy side - I used up some heavy interfacing I had in my stash but it's not nearly stiff enough. I was intending to use this to keep the bits for my overlocker in but it's quite big so I might use it as a knitting project bag and make a smaller one for the overlocker. The fabric was from my little stash too - in fact I used the stripey fabric to make a knitting needle roll - one of the first things I made. I'm pretty pleased with how the zip turned out - it's a little bit wonky in places but I think it looks ok. I'm going to have to get some nice funky fabric to make some more of these in different sizes I think!

 

Yucky weather and snuggly fleece...

It's SO windy here. It was lovely first thing - we went to our local farmer's market early this morning and it was bright sunshine. It started raining when we were on our way home - the weather has been disgusting since! I suppose it sounds worse in here because of having an open fire - but it really is horrid out there tonight.

I bought some fleece this morning - blue 'camoflage' print - and spent the afternoon drafting a pattern for PJ bottoms and making them up. It worked! I'm wearing them now - perfect for lounging around in - if a bit on the baggy side. I think I overdid the 'ease' a bit but not bad for a first attempt. There are quite a few other things in the book I want to make - there's a nice jacket and a longer coat which look nice. I've been trying to find some embroidered fleece - but no luck. Maybe I can embroider it myself?! I think I've really caught the sewing 'bug' now. I just wish I was a bit quicker - but I guess that will come with time. I keep having ideas for making things or wondering how I can make things a different shape etc. It's interesting drafting your own patterns - I've started to really look at how clothes are constructed (which is a bit worrying - as I've never really been 'into' clothers).

Off to search for fleece suppliers now!

Fingers crossed...

Today I'll mostly be sewing!

Got up early today (well, early for a Sunday!). Events so far:

8.35am Realised that the brown roll of paper I was intending to use to draft my pattern was too short - by a lot. Got v. annoyed that I didn't buy something suitable yesterday.

8.40am Decided to try using greaseproof paper (we buy massive rolls of it from Costco - I love Costco!). Wasn't sure it would be wide enough. It was. Happy dance!

9.00am Finished drafting pattern for skirt.

9.05am Narrowly missed squishing fingers in table while pulling out the extra 'leaf' to make it nice and wide for cutting out. Ouchy.

9.20 Finished ironing fabric. I don't really do ironing. I only bought an ironing board when I decided I wanted to sew (hangs head in shame!)

To be continued...

Made a start!

Just spent a happy hour or so messing around with drawing a snowdrop. I grabbed a couple of photos from the web (Google image search is so cool!) and did some sketches. I took a photo of my nice messy workspace:

A new challenge!

So, I've signed up for a year-long 'quilt along'. Seemed like a good idea at the time. I seem to remember doing some patchwork at school (and I definately remember that it never got finished!) - A bought me a lovely book for Christmas which I had seen in a local fabric shop and said how nice it was. It's a great book full of clear instructions and ideas. Anyway, each month there is going to be a different theme/idea around which to base the design for a square. This month it's 'snowdrops'. I've been doing some thinking and I wanted to have an overall idea as well so that the different squares come together nicely so I think I'll try doing each square to look like a stained glass panel (jeez, says me - who's never done quilting before!). Anyway - at least I have a plan. Whether or not I can make it work, well you'll just have to wait and see! I fear I need to go and buy yet more stuff for this or maybe do a little internet shopping. I'm going to try Applique so apparently I need 'freezer paper' - and some iron-on bias tape. I also need more fabric. Eeek. Greens and white. I love green so that's good!

All I need now is a design. Arghhhhh!