A week of finishes (again!) :: Day 5 :: Confetti Swan Quilt

So having stated on Tuesday that I don't usually like what I come away with from workshops, see the post here if you fancy, this I do like.  In fact I like it very much!!

On the last weekend of January I took a workshop with a local quilt club member who was showing us how to confetti quilt, I blogged about it here where you can see progress shots.  It sat at that precarious stage for over a week before I realised I had to get quilting!  I placed a sheet of Solvy over the swan which was to ensure all the little bits didn't get snagged in the foot.

I free motion quilted the swan on my domestic machine which was certainly a learning curve.  I have not done much more than straight line quilting on my DSM and so it was good to learn a new technique and one I felt I improved at from the beginning of the swan to the end.  At that stage I trimmed the Solvy around the edges and put her aside whilst I decided how to quilt the background.

I then decided that I wanted to quilt the background on my longarm machine and it was easy to load it up on the frame even thought there was already quilting done.  I have got to the stage where loading a quilt is second nature to me and for that I am really thankful because it makes things go much quicker and smoother.

The sky got a swirly pattern across it ....

and the water got waves!!  I was really happy with how this quilting turned out and the texture it gave the water.

She then needed to get wet - as a swan does!  The Solvy dissolved easily and then I rinsed it with the shower hose.  Having never done this before I think I may have been a little heavy handed.  There is considerable fraying on the pieces which in one way adds to the feather texture but also makes it look a little bit messy!

I had thought I was going to do a facing for the edges but then I decided to try something new and learn how to do a two coloured binding, with the change of colour at a specific point.  The seam ripper was used a couple of times but third time lucky the binding colour change matched up with the quilt colour change.  It did involve more stopping and starting and joining than a one colour binding but I definitely think it was worth the extra effort and time.

Would you like to see the swan's backside?  Well here it is.  I like it.  I didn't change the bobbin colour when I changed the top thread for the different shades of feathers on the front and now I wish I had because I think it's quite a beautiful piece from the back.

And for any of you who are still here - ta da!!!!  In all her glory and a rare moment of decent weather to get outside.  Initially I didn't know whether this technique was for me, but I do love the result and have some New Zealand birds in my head that would look fantastic created with this technique.  Watch this space to see if they take flight!

This wasn't an item on my 2017 FAL Q1 list - gasp - it feels so good to start and finish a project within a month.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday.

A week of finishes (again!) :: Day 4 :: Cloud 9 Sample Block #2

It could seem like Groundhog Day here today - here's another sample block form the Cloud 9 New Block blog hop just like yesterday.  Obviously you can see the difference in the fabric and the quilting but pretty much everything else was said yesterday!!

This is another finish off my 2017 FAL Q1 list.  I offered this up as a prize for a giveaway I recently ran on instgram to celebrate the milsetone of 750 followers!!  I am blown away by that number and the encouragement and conversations that happen over there - if you're on IG let me know your name and I'll look you up!  So this little mini quilt is winging it's way over to Sydney, Australia.

Tomorrow I have another finish for you. I did say it was going to be a week of finishes, but the difference is it is not on item that is on my Finish-A-Long list - this is a started and finished project in less than a month!  Isn't it good when that happens? x

A week of finishes (again!) :: Day 3 :: Cloud 9 Sample Block #1

Up today is No 13 from my 2017 FAL Q1 list!  Back in September last year, I took part in the Cloud 9 New Block blog hop and, before making the block in the gorgeous Cirrus solids, I made a few sample blocks.  This was one of them.

This block is not actually the foundation paper pieced block that I finally did for the Blog Hop, but a rotary cut and pieced block.  I know that some people don't like paper piecing and so I was trying out an alternative to it.  Whilst it works OK, I wasn't happy with some of the sections and so plumped for the paper pieced version.

I had already quilted one of these to become a wall hanging for a swap at my local quilt club and so I knew how I wanted to quilt this one - just the same!  Even so it can be daunting when it's all loaded up and you haven't made that first stitch yet ....

I straight line quilted two quadrants with a gradual increase in the space between the lines and then free motioned quilted with a paisley motif in the other two quadrants.  I used Glide thread in light turquoise which I really like.

I decided against a traditional binding for this and went instead with a facing.  I followed Victoria's tutorial again, and it worked well.  This finishes at 14".  The fabrics used were Kona white, Bahama blue and cyan and then the reds were FQs I had picked up at a show so not sure what they are.

I like the abrupt change between the geometric straight lines and the swirls of the paisley design ....

and another, just because I can and I love this design!!

I am going to be linking up with Lorna over at Let's Bee Social. x

Just in time No 1 ...

I have finally made an Advent Calendar - and it was made in time!!  This Makower panel was chosen by my daughter, who stated she was going to make her own Advent Calendar.  This was in August ........ 

 

Several times I asked her - shall we start your Advent Calendar?  To which she replied It's still summer Mum/It's only September Mum etc, etc.  Two weeks ago, with December fast approaching, she passed the baton on to me!

 

I cut it out and sewed on the pockets on Saturday whilst sewing with a lovely group of ladies from my quilting club.  Isn't it just wonderful to sew with other people?!

 

 

 

I then put it on my frame yesterday afternoon for a bit of playful quilting ....  loop de loops .....

 

 

some straight line ruler work .......

 

 

some scribbling and some holly ......

 

Have to say I love the holly!!  I attached the binding by machine and then sewed down the back by hand whilst watching TV last night ...

All done ....

and actually hanging on the door - hooray!!

She's very happy with it and is especially interested to know what will be going in the pockets!!  (A mixture of edibles and activities - but ssssshhhh it's a secret!)

This is another item ticked off my Finish Along Q4 list and linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts over here.

The puffin has landed!

At the beginning of the year I taught some classes to children from a Home Educator's group - my children included.  The brief was for an appliqued bird.  Miss M chose a puffin and drew the design initially which was transferred to fabric using applique with bond a web.

 

It got to an almost finished stage and then it was left on the shelf.  No amount of encouragement, motivation or support (or nagging!) from me would get her to finish it.  It languished there for 7 months until the annual Flower Show came round.  Miss M was never sure what she was going to turn it into but decided to enter it into the show as a picture in the Something You Have Made category.

She was delighted to win First Prize in that category!!  But the frame had come off the wall and needed to be put back on the wall with the original picture in.  In the end she decided she would like it as  wall hanging but didn't want to do anything else on it herself.  Cue Mum!

A little bit of binding later and it was all done - finally!!  It is now hanging on her bedroom wall and she is justifiably rather pleased with herself!

 

This is another project to be ticked off my rather long list for the Finish Along 2015 Q4 over at On the Windy Side. x