Dachshund Cushion No 2

My youngest daughter is also rather partial to dachshunds and, with her birthday being just a month after my eldest, it only seemed fair to make her a dachshund cushion aswell.  My eldest received this one here.

This pattern is also by Juliet at Tartan Kiwi (psst she has 25% off her patterns until 31 December 2016 if you use code Happyholidays2016) and was lovely to make - even though I was somewhat apprehensive about some of the tiny pieces.

For the first time whilst paper piecing I bothered to get my light box out and it made such a difference.

I worked through each section and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they came together.

It was lovely seeing him come to life ....

.... but not so lovely seeing his backside when he was complete!

He was at this stage for a while before I was able to get a big enough cushion inner.  He finishes at 20" and I didn't want to lose much of the background otherwise he looked a bit funny!

Finally all finished and gifted ..... just a little late!

This is another finish on my 2016FAL - Number 5 on the list.  I really need to check on this list.  I know I haven't made great inroads on it but I think there are a few things that I have done but not yet posted about - nothing like the end of the quarter to get you motivated!

Linking up to Let's Bee Social over with the lovely Lorna!

Finish It Up Friday

The finish for Finish It Up Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts this week is also a finish from my 2016FAL.  It was started in June as a QAL over at Modern Quilters Ireland and was the first QAL I have taken part in.  The progress posts can be found here, here and here.

It was at this stage for many weeks months because I didn't really like the grey background fabric I had used and I didn't really know what to do with it ..... is it bad to admit that?!!

I then thought that I would enter it into a Quilt Show as a cot quilt so the parameters of size were set to maximum 36" on either side, which meant the border was easy to add.

Then I got it into my head that I wanted to match the thread with the colours ...... why did I do that?!  At the end I do not think it was worth all the colour changes for this quilt and wish I had just gone for the grey all over (although it is nice to have some more colours in my stash!).

Time was running out by now and I just had to come up with a plan ....... nothing came so I thought that I had better load it onto my frame and just get started!

Straight lines in the coloured sections first.  I did actually try feathers aswell but I really didn't like them so I unpicked (after doing two sections just to make sure I didn't like it!)

My favourite quilting motif was used in the background, paisley AKA swirly pearls.  I love this and I can now do it quite quickly which is a bonus. 

I thought I may do something different in the middle of the quilt but, after the unpicking of the feathers, I decided to just stick with more straight lines.  My ruler work has certainly improved and I quite enjoyed the dexterity of using the rulers and for them feeling more comfortable for me.

I love this stage when it's all trimmed and ready to bind.

I am not sure what the backing is - it was picked up at a show earlier in the year.

And the final result hanging at the West Country Quilt Show.  Do I like it?  No not really!!  I like the pattern and really like other people's interpretation from the QAL but I have to say this isn't a favourite of mine.  But it is done and it's a tick off my list.  I also learnt that I do not like marbled fabric and so will never be tempted to buy any again!

Whilst I am not enamoured with this quilt I am still very much in love with Should I Stay or Should I Go?  I decided, at the last minute, to enter it into the same show and was delighted when I arrived at the show on Sunday morning to see it had a rosette by it - Best Piecing.

I have enjoyed entering quilts into shows this year and have quite a few in my head for next year! x

Finish Along Quarter 3 No 15 :: Christmas Quilt

A quick post to show you my second completed project of my 2016FAL Q4 list, which was to quilt a Christmas top for my Mum.

She 'found' it in the cupboard recently ....

but she doesn't remember making it.

She didn't realise that it had 24 pockets in ....

but she does happen to have a box of little wooden Christmas figures in another cupboard and there just happens to be 24!

So now it is quilted and she can bind it and attach the ornaments .... that is if it's not forgotten again!

Finish Along Quarter 3 No 1 :: Dachshund Cushion

Both my girls are majorly into dachshunds at the moment so, as we won't be getting a real life one, I thought they might like fabric ones.  I bought two patterns from Tartan Kiwi and set to making the first one for my daughter's birthday at the beginning of September.

If you look at the scale of the cutting mat you can see exactly how tine some of those pieces are ....

I was running a little late so all she got was this little block in an envelope with the option of it becoming a mini wall hanging or a cushion cover!!  This block measures 6 1/2" x 8 1/2".

She chose a cushion cover and I happened to have a rectangle cushion inner, but it still took a few weeks to finish!

Making do with what fabrics I had, and also not really knowing what I was going to make with it when I started, meant that it truly became patchwork as I made it up to size!  It was finished a week ago but I only had indoor shots ....

The sun was shining today so I took him outside!  And I had the realisation that, in my hurry to get him finished, I made the cushion cover without giving the front any quilting - can't believe I've only just realised.

However, I still think he looks pretty good.  I make my covers a couple of inches smaller than the cushion inner and that way they are plumped up well.  I think that's a saving grace for this one with no quilting.

I made a zippered opening on the back with some white and orange fabric I had in my stash.  I have to admit that I forgot how to put in a zip so some unpicking ensued but I got there in the end.  However, I used a zip I already had because I didn't want to wait any longer.  It was smaller than it should have been and I was lucky to be able to get the cushion inner in there ..... I certainly have learnt my lesson and will wait next time until I have the right zip for the job.

And in its final resting place!

Dachshund No 2 is in the works - again the piecing was finished in time for my other daughter's birthday but I didn't have a cushion inner the right size to finish it.

This is my first finish for Quarter 4 and is No 1 on my 2016FAL Q4 list.

Finish-Along 2016 - Quarter 4 :: Another epic list ....

Having such a miserable completion percentage for Quarter 3 you might have thought I would have gone small for Quarter 4 ...... of course I haven't!!  I have taken off some items but others have been added and I really like all of these things and I really want to FINISH them.  I am going to try to complete some each month, rather than leave it to the last week of the quarter like I did in September!

1.  I made this panel for my daughter's birthday and I need to get it made into a cushion  UPDATED 16/10/2016 - this is now finished.  Click here to read more about it.

2.  Another birthday present that isn't finished!!  I have now pieced all the feathers and this needs to be quilted and bound.  Just waiting for the backing fabric.

3.  My quilt top from the Rainbow Rose QAL needs to be quilted and bound.  UPDATED 16/12/2016 This is now complete - click here

4.  My Christmas quilt needs some more blocks making, pieced, quilted and bound for Christmas 2016!!

5.  Dachshund project No 2 for my other daughter's birthday.  UPDATED 27/12/2016 This is now finished - click here

6.  I need to hand sew the binding for this mini quilt that I have made for a swap.  UPDATED 13/10/2016 This is finished and sent - click here

7.  I want to turn this test block into a mini quilt.

8.  And another mini quilt in the making!

 9.  This only needs a closure of some type to finish it.

10.  This is going to be a Christmas wall hanging.  I have all the pieces ready and the backing chosen.

11.  A Crayola Challenge entitled My Perfect Day issued by my local quilting club.  The Cloud9 Cirrus Fabric in iris fabric is the perfect colour.

12.  Back to Front quilt needs the top finishing and then to be quilted and bound.

13.  Studio window blind - an alteration on an existing blind to make it larger and turn it into a Roman Blind.

14.  A project, large or small, from Welcome to the North Pole.  I have already cut shapes ready when I made a couple of blocks for a swap earlier in the year.

15.  This is a quilt top with pockets for an advent calendar that my Mum found in her cupboard.  I am going to quilt and bind to finish it.  UPDATED 23/10/2016 - this is now quilted and a post about it can be found here

16.  Rope bowls - they were on my present list last year but never got made.  They are on my present list again this year so fingers crossed!!  UPDATED 22 November 2016  made and gifted - only one photo taken which you can see here

17. Black & White + 1 challenge quilt - I already started and discarded on project so I really need to get a move on with this if I am going to meet the deadline.

18.  Pears needs to be quilted and edged

19.  My quilt from The Bee Hive needs to be pieced, quilted and bound.

20.  This is for me!!!  Start and finish a Caravan Tote by noodlehead.

21.  This has been on my list for waaaaaay too long. I know what I am making with it and I bought the materials  last quarter so here's hoping I can cross this one off!

22.  Yet again a really old project - I need to turn it into something, probably a cushion, or pass it on this quarter.

23.  I need to finish this Italian Houses wall hanging.  I've just realised that I did this workshop a year ago and this has been sat there all this time.

24.  Lighting the Town houses from Anne Hellyer workshop

25.  A Christmas Tree skirt.  I have wanted to make one of these for a couple of years now.  I have a template skirt in the shipping that arrived from NZ and I have plenty of Christmas fabric.  I would love to make one of these instead of draping red fabric around the tree as usual.

Linking up to the Finish-Along over at Mrs Sew and Sow.