Building Community :: UKQU post on Instagram

I recently wrote a piece for the new UK Quilters United website about Instagram - if you fancy a read then head over here.

Of course I couldn't visit this somewhat ignored blog without leaving a few pictures behind, so here goes.  These items were made as part of the #sendalittleloveswap2018 organised by @madaboutbags over on IG.

This was also an item on my 2018FAL Q1 list - although the colours changed somewhat when I came to make it!!

It is also the only finish from that list so far this quarter!

I loved improv piecing the low volume background for the hearts to sit on.

And because crochet is my second love the extra was crocheted heart bunting.

I do have some other finishes soooo close.  In fact I think there may be another Week of Finishes quite soon!

WIP Wednesday ....

Being worked on in my studio at the moment ...  There are three projects that are on my 2016FAL list:

1.  This is for the Rainbow Mini Quilt Swap Round 2 over on IG

 

2.  The black and silver strips are for a quilt for my eldest daughter.  I bought my first ever Jelly Roll back in November and the quilt was going to be for Christmas - the flu put paid to that.  The upside is that she can be involved in the process because it's now not  a surprise.  It was lovely being in the studio with her on Monday evening and picking the fabrics.  The majority of fabrics are from the jelly roll but there were 4 strips she did not like.  We then pulled some blacks, greys and silvers from my stash and picked some.  These have now been cut so it really shouldn't be that arduous to get piecing!

 

3.  The purple strips are for a my quilting club's Secret Challenge and have now been pieced and are ready to iron and cut.

 



I have also been working on my longarm machine and trying out some freehand designs.  These are now off the frame and waiting to be neatened up and put into a sample book.

 

Only one extra block done for the Farm Girl Vintage sampler.  I am now behind in my self-imposed challenge of a block a week and need to make two this week to catch up!



 

 

And finally a piece I started at a recent workshop with Gillian Travis, which I still haven't blogged about.  I have got as far as I can at the moment until the felt batting arrives (hopefully today) but am determined to get this finished and hanging as soon as possible.  I find that projects from workshops tend to get set aside and languish on my shelves for  months, if not years!

 

 

But I had one outline left so I thought I would have a go at quilting it on my longarm.  I am not yet sure whether to quilt on my longarm or on my DSM.  I think the feel of the felt batting may make that decision for me.

 

 

And that's it!  I am linking up with Let's Bee Social and WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced today. x

 

PS If you fancy some blocks which will be made into quilts for Project Linus then please head over here to see what I am asking for!!





A week of finishes - Day 2 ....

.... my ATC for the Very Berry Handmade ATC swap.  This swap's theme was Winter Comforts.

 

I started with the label first - because I knew what I was doing!!  I recently got a new ribbon for my old typewriter (that I had for Christmas when I was 9) and labels, that won't require washing, are often typed straight onto calico.

 

I had a few ideas turning over on my head but when I had some time in the studio to start work on this I found it was a totally different idea that I started playing with.

A full bookshelf is a must for winter, in fact any time of the year!  And with a little yarn project aswell that spelt Winter Comforts for me.

Finally putting it all together and finishing off the edges ....

This is another finish on my 2016FAL Q1 list - it feels like I am powering through them ..... although this momentum has always slowed after the initial month of the FALs!

Whilst I was at it I made another one .... for me to keep!  On this one I added a little extra quilting to the background but apart from that it's the same books, although maybe different versions because the covers are different colours!

 

Also linking this post to this month's (March 2016) theme over at Le Challenge - reading!

Finish it Up Friday ...

How quickly are the weeks flying by?!!!  I have been really busy but not much to show on the sewing front this week.  A couple of little finishes and some finished articles in a larger project to share this week and to link up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

 

First up, these were some extra blocks I made for myself whilst I was making my first ever mini quilt for the Schnitzel & Boo swap over on instagram.  I finally had time to quilt and bind them into a mini which is now hanging on my studio wall!

 

 

I have not been happy with the binding on either of the minis which is strange because I can usually DO binding!  Will have to have a think about it and maybe practice before the next mini comes along.

This fabric Christmas Postcard is for another swap, this time a UK based Facebook group. 

It finished up at 7" x 5" and I have finally got to grips with how to do an edge on an ATC or postcard like this - hooray.  Just in time really because I have just signed up for the next ATC swap over at Very Berry Handmade.  The theme this time is Winter Comforts and luckily the posting deadline is not until the end of January.

 

And what has taken up most of my time are some costumes - 4 out of the 7 are now finished.  Can anyone guess what they are for?!!

 Once these are finished I can finally think about Christmas ........ advent calendars, presents, decorations and two quilts!!!!

My first ever mini quilt swap ...

** This is a very photo heavy post!!!! **

 

Here's what I made for the Schnitzel & Boo mini quilt swap over on instagram.

 

My partner's colour preferences were purples, blues and greys ...

 

 

 

And some little extras ....

 

three crocheted cotton snowflakes

 

a FMQ decorated mug, a rather festive mug rug and a little something tucked up safe in the dotty pouch!

 

And all ready with 10 days until the posting date!! x

 

I am linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts today and her Finish it up Friday party.



A new project started ...

Yesterday I went on a course run by Gillian Travis for her Italian Houses.  I have seen these at various shows and was intrigued how she got such detail.  Now I know however, as can be seen from my photo below, there's not much detail on mine at the moment ...

In fact I can't quite believe that this was all I did in a whole day workshop ... I guess you get quicker with practice!  The threads above were on sale and so I bought some lovely bright colours to do the all important free machine stitching  which will transform it into something like ...

My mind is already whirring with the potential designs for different houses and buildings that I love - watch this space!

 

The other things I have been working all were all put down on my Finish Along 2015 Quarter 4 list.  It's pretty long but I have already completed some and well on the way to ticking off some others rather soon!

An almost finished mini for the Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap going on over on IG ...

 

With a label made on my vintage typewriter - which I love!!

 

Made a couple of extras but still have something else in my mind which will hopefully be created tomorrow and may just make it to the Finish it up Friday party. 

 

Last but not least I have been working on hand pieced hexie project.  I decided just to do one more round of hexagons to what has been on my shelf for nigh on 4 years.  Then I think it will become a cushion - hopefully by the weekend!

 

 

All this goal setting and sharing progress is definitely working for me.  I was just thinking last night about what I have achieved since starting my Straight Line Bow quilt back on 08 August.  Having a photographic record is really rewarding and great look to back on when I feel that I'm not achieving much!  x

 

Linking up to Let's Bee Social and WIP Wednesday today.

Just a normal kind of Sunday .....

Today I have ....

:: almost got the laundry basket empty

:: looked after a child who has injured her neck

:: crocheted granny squares for The Remembering Tree - total now up to 21

:: crocheted a snowflake as an extra in the Schnitzel & Boo mini Swap over on instagram

:: liked the snowflake so much that I crocheted 7 in total

:: hand sewed some hexies together for a FAL2015 - Q4 goal

:: machine pieced my foundation pieced blocks together for the Schnitzel & Boo mini quilt swap ............. and then had the horrible job of taking the papers out

:: machine quilted my S&B mini

:: watched the third quarter final in the Rugby World Cup - which sadly Ireland lost to Argentina

:: realised the aforementioned quilting had rather skewed my mini quilt so learnt how to block a quilt, with pretty good results actually!

:: cooked dinner - or at least managed to put something on the table for everyone to eat!

:: watched Scotland narrowly lose to Australia in the fourth quarter final

:: played with my hook and some yarn and came up with a very cute crochet reindeer head - still playing with eyes so no photo yet

:: been asked to organise a quilt show!!!!!  This will take some thinking about .....

Wow - good job I woke up at 5.10am!!!! xx

This was my guest blogger post over at Very Berry Handamde:

This was the image that got me started on Very Berry’s ATCswaps.  I saw it over on Knotted Cotton.  I had been aware of ATCs before when I helped organised a Quilt Exhibition for my local club in New Zealand.  There was an ATC category and I saw some beautiful pieces of art. 

 

They sounded fun and I wanted to join in.  I kept an eye out and then saw Ali launch the Winter Sparkle ATC swap.  I signed up immediately.  The premise for an Artist Trading Card is simple – produce a piece of fabric art which is the same size as a business card, 3.5” x 2.5”.  The majority of it must be fabric but how you make it and what stitching you do is up to you – patchwork, applique, beading, stitching, crochet, printing – anything goes!  However, the working in miniature was something I found quite challenging.

The card I received in the first swap was this one:

 And the card I made was …. Whoops I was running somewhat late for this one and did not take any photos, either in progress or as a final piece.  I was crocheting a lot at the time so I got some very fine white cotton and a very small crochet hook and crocheted a star.  I placed this on some deep blue fabric and stitched out designs in white and silver with some bead embellishment.  It was supposed to represent the night sky full of stars and frost.  I made it oversized and then trimmed.  I put it together with backing and a thin piece of wadding.  I decided I would sew it bag style and then turn out to neatly top stitch around the edge.  I’m kind of good with things like that and I thought I would get a lovely finish – that’s one of the drawbacks about working in miniature.  I ended up with quite a fat little thing that was rather bulky at the edges!

 

Onwards and upwards to my second swap - Home Sweet Home.  This was the card I received:

 

And this was the card I made (I made sure to take a fair few photos this time!):

The finishing on this one was the more common finish I had seen around and I realise why.  The backing was placed right side down, then a piece of curtain lining with the finish top piece facing up.  I then oversewed the edges with a satin stich.  Or that’s what it would have been if I had been able to do it neatly.  It turned out to be an uneven zig zag/satin stich kind of finish.

 

So for my third attempt – how will I finish it?  I am not quite sure yet.  I think I had better come up with a design and produce a finished top before I worry about the finishing.  Design may sound like I know what I am doing.  When Ali was looking for some people to write about the process she stated:

…….. contribute a blog post on their ATC progress - with maybe sketch plans, work in progress, ideas behind the planned ATC ………

and that made me laugh.  I would describe my process as organic, flexible, on a whim, totally made up …… It takes all sorts doesn’t it?  At least this time I had an idea.  I knew that I was going on an indigo dyeing workshop before the ATC needed to be sent out and blue really is my favourite colour – so I thought that could easily fit into the My Perfect theme.  Because I offered to write this post I have been thinking about it a bit more than previous swaps.  Blue to me is wonderful. Cerulean, azure, turquoise, lapis lazuli, midnight sky, sky blue, aquamarine, cornflower, forget me not, the words are so descriptive and so many shades including the innumerable colours of the sea ……

So I have the starting blocks which are the fabric bits I dyed on the day.  A variety of cotton, linen, vintage, new and yarn all dyed in the same dye bath but all resulting in different shades of indigo.

 

 

 

  

 
I have some ideas in my head but I guess once again it will evolve and grow (but not too big I hope) as I actually make it.