Sewing again

The festive season has been particularly hectic for us, what with DH's (early) retirement, our wedding anniversary and our annual Christmas show, not to mention the festivities themselves, so it seems ages since I had the chance to do more than prepare meals, clear up and then prepare more meals!  No, seriously, it was lovely to have friends and family here to help us celebrate Christmas, and we had a great time.  But it was lovely to have a bit of me time today to do a little sewing.  I had challenged myself to finish various UFOs at the beginning of the year, and this was one of them.  It's a set of applique blocks designed by Kim Diehl which I had made as a portable holiday project. 

 

 

Some time ago I put them together on point, using a little UFO pinwheel as a centre.

 

 

And today I added side triangles using fabric from my stash, and then another border of half square triangles which I had made for my 'Lazy Sunday' quilt, but hadn't liked.  They look really good here.

 

 

Just one more border to pull it all together and then I might be able to layer it up on Sunday when DH goes to the football.

 

It's very 'in your face' but I love it, and in any case - it's a finish!

 

A request

I had a request for three Linus quilts, one with butterflies, one with diggers (Paula completed that with fabric kindly donated by Debbie) and Peppa Pig.  The Peppa Pig one was a bit problematic as it was very specific, and there was no such fabric in the Linus boxes.  I had to buy some from ebay, and boy, was it expensive.  I got sixteen 6" squares (very little more than a fat quarter) for £5.99 and then had £1.50 postage to pay on top of that!  I decided to sash them to make them knit up big, and I think any Peppa Pig fan would be pleased with the results.

 

 

If you have Peppa Pig fans on your quilt list, a word of warning.  The fabric is not only expensive, it is terrible quality!  It's 100% poly (nearly lost a square when I ironed with the wrong temperature!) and the thinnest imaginable poly at that.  How do the manufacturers get away with it?

As a complete contrast, here's the lovely needle case I made at my Tuesday group.

 

Previously we have been out for a Christmas meal, but after being rather disappointed with the experience last year, decided to have a bring-a-dish lunch instead.  And as a special treat, Jenny and Bunty designed and organised for everyone to have a kit for a needlecase to be sewn on the day!  It was great fun seeing others' progress, and the way people changed the design to suit themselves.  Have a look at Jane's here.

 

This time, the quality of the fabric was beautiful, and the colours very suitable for a folk art project. Here's the inside, with lots of space for different types of needles.  Many thanks to Jenny and Bunty in particular, and all my Tuesday morning friends for all the fun and love you've provided this year!

Tula Pink

My challenge group have decided to make blocks from Tula Pink's new book '100 modern quilt blocks'.  I decided to make mine in a monochromatic scheme, and since I have more blue than any other colour in my stash, I decided to use that! 

 

 

Here are the first 9 blocks I've made.  they aren't difficult, although I have had to be less slapdash than usual, as precision is required here.  Many of the pieces measure 1", so an accurate quarter of an inch seam is vital.  That's a challenge in itself!

 

I wanted to make these blocks fun (they'll probably end up in a Linus quilt) so used some beach hut fabric here.

 

And here is a little island with seagulls.  Lots of fun.

I wasn't whining!

I wasn't whining when I said I was disappointed that Bonnie's first post in her 'Celtic Solstice' mystery quilt looked tricky.  I was only saying that I thought some of the people I've encouraged to have a go at the mystery might have been daunted when they saw it.  I love Bonnie's mysteries (and her designs) and I love the way she is so generous with them, and would never complain or criticise.  But ...... I was right.  Meeting some of the ladies this week, they had all looked at the post and been overwhelmed.  What a shame.  Luckily I was able to point them to the templates part and reassure.  I'll wait for developments!

 

 

Here are my tri-rec blocks in process.  (I've finished them all now.) 

And I was delighted to see that today's instructions are for much simpler blocks, with rectangles and squares.  I started by looking through my 2" box.

 

There were enough 2" neutral squares already cut to make the size I want!  I love being able to use these leftovers!

 

There weren't enough green strips, but there were a number, and the rest will come from yardage.

 

As to the yellow 2" squares - only two!  Still, it's a start!

 

I have been doing other sewing too.  I've finally finished my Orca Bay!  It was one of Bonnie's mysteries from 2 years ago!  I did a plain border, which I think is the perfect foil for the piecing. 

 

And I have also made this Linus quilt.  I had a request for a quilt for a little girl who loves butterflies, so made this one up for her.  The butterflies are from a Fons and Porter magazine, and really knit up big!  A pink binding will finish this off perfectly.

Oh dear, Bonnie!

Now, Bonnie Hunter is a great quilter, and her quilt mysteries are always enjoyable.  So I have encouraged lots of people unfamiliar with Bonnie's style to try her new mystery, Celtic Solstice.  I even made up little 'taster kits' of Linus fabric so that people could have a go and then donate their block components to Project Linus.  'Don't worry, ' I said.'  Bonnie's instructions are clear and straightforward.  You'll be fine, as it'll be make so many four-patches one week, then half square triangles the next.  You can do it easily!'  So what does Bonnie start with?  Tri-rec squares! 

I know they're only square flying geese, but they look more difficult than that!  Especially since her main instructions are using a speciality ruler!  I know that's the best way to get accuracy, but honestly Bonnie, why couldn't you have started with something very straightforward and not made a fool of me like this!  (Only joking really.  It's all fine!)

So for those people new to Bonnie who have been pressganged by me, here are some simpler instructions.

Scroll down Bonnie's instructions till you get to the bit where she says you can use templates.  Click on that and print out the templates.  Cut them out carefully. Cut a 3.5" strip of neutral fabric, lay the  big template on it and cut.

 

Turn the template round and cut the next one without wasting fabric etc.

Then cut a 2" strip of blue fabric (or use one from your 2" box) and cut one of each small triangles.

 

then sew a small triangle onto each side of the big triangle. 

 

Make about five with a neutral centre triangle and five with an orange centre triangle.  Sorted!

 

Red it is!

I had two suggestions as to colours to border this Linus quilt, and sorry Nik, purple would have been great, but I didn't have any, and I had red, so red it is! 

 

  

 

It's probably not a competition winner, but I think it's looking good.  I have been doing other things - I've even got my 'Dear Jane' out again.  I felt the need of some hand sewing, and this fit the bill.  (Can you see the yellow flower-headed pin on the right hand block?  That's a reminder to myself that this block is a little small, so needs special consideration when being joined up!)

 

I've also added the autographed blocks onto DD and husband's wedding quilt.  In the end I decided they would be best as a simple blue frame, and with a little judicious trimming, all the ones with names fitted round the quilt.  The others (with general good wishes) will go on the back. 

 

here is an example of the kind of thing people wrote.

 

Mind you, some people exercised their creativity.  Here is Will, aged 8.  Fighter planes are perfect for a wedding.

 

And here is Ada's attempt.  She's two and a half, and wrote on the table as well!

 

Here she is in the Dalek dress knitted by her mum.  So cute!

 

You can just see her mum with open arms in the bottom right hand corner of the shot.  Even cuter!

Thank you, Emily

On Saturday I held a workshop to make free-pieced houses a la Gwen Marston.  We had a lot of fun, choosing creatures for the windows, angles for the roof and ways to make blocks larger or smaller as required.  Emily had lots of success, but stupidly kindly decided to give me her houses to make up for Project Linus.

 

 

They were so gorgeous that I couldn't stop myself playing with them this afternoon.  I looked in the Linus orphans drawer and pulled out the 6.5" bag.  I made Emily's houses 6.5" wide (by adding a bit on or cutting a bit off) and then had a play.

 

Here is my first arrangement, which includes various orphans, and some attempts at unification by having a red diagonal strippy in each corner and four yellow star blocks to add interest.

 

Then I decided to add the letters LOVE which I had made as part of the workshop.

 

Now it's all joined together, with a bit of adding and cutting off to make it square.  I think it looks great!  Thank you, Emily for the inspiration!  Now to border it.  Red?  Blue?