Fabulous fabrics, Free MotionQuilting, Patchwork, Quilting

Tumbling Blocks Quilt

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The last few days have been bitterly cold with a fierce icy east wind, the ground has been frozen solid and although I had gardening plans they’ve been on hold.

So we followed the necessary parts of our lockdown routines and then the rest of the day loomed ahead.

Thank goodness for sewing is all!
An ideal time to get up to date with writing the blog and to finish the Tumbling Blocks quilt.

Just yesterday I finished writing up the story of ‘Football Fan’ and in it I wrote that Nova had asked for two quilts for her girls. So this is the story of the second quilt ‘Tumbling Blocks’ so far.

Once again I was given the freedom to choose the design with purple and green being the colour choices for this one. I knew that there would be plenty of choice and after showing Nova an inspiration piece I had an idea of the tones and began the search. I was collating the fabrics for both quilts because it was inevitable that another lockdown was coming.

Here is the eventual fabric pull. I was rather surprised to find nothing suitable in my stash but then really pleased to find all but one of these fabrics in Aberdashery the wonderful shop right here in town. Something vital was missing though and when I found the green with white leaves online I knew that was it. It balances the other greens and lifts the whole pull. It’s sometimes a bit of a risk buying on line but I have to say that now I have a range of reliable quality suppliers I buy from I never worry about it.

Aberdashery, Market Street, Aberystwyth

I’ve wanted to try the ‘Tumbling blocks’ pattern for a while, I love that ‘box’ illusion. I looked around for a pattern and found one in a back copy of ‘Love Patchwork and Quilting’ magazine.

Their patterns clear and comprehensive. Even so ‘Tumbling Blocks’ did need concentration when it came to the piecing and there were some moments!

I did eventually get the hang of the sequencing and the blocks were put together in rows and the the rows joined. The back was to be plain purple so I put together a row of blocks to add interest to the back.

Time to make the sandwich.

The ‘sandwich’ is when you layer the quilt top, the wadding and the backing together. All three layers need to be lined up and perfectly smooth and flat. Sounds simple really – not always. This one was quite well behaved. Having layered them I began pinning from the middle, moving outward an smoothing the quilt as I went.

Now it’s time to quilt. I’d been planning this all the way through and had decided on free motion quilting with a sort of daisy chain . The daisy chain would begin in one corner and move down the quilt, branching as it went. Free motion is when the machine’s grip of the fabric is turned off and the operator moves the fabric to ‘draw’ with the needle and thread.

What hadn’t decided though was about that thread. I had a multicoloured, mainly green and purple thread that could work well but I just couldn’t make up my mind so eventually I did an Instagram poll and went with the result, a very decisive ‘YES’ for the variegated thread. Get me using an Instagram poll!

This was clearly going to be far more visible on the back of the quilt which was good, it would leave the blocks speak for themselves on the top and give interest on the back.

There was only the binding left to do now having measured, cut, pressed it in half along it’s length I sewed it to the front by machine then as always hand finished the back.

Just before Christmas a friend asked me to make a little drawstring pouch big enough to hold her car and house keys. Of course I said yes but not until the quilts were done. So as hand sewing tends to happen in front of the TV in the evening there was time on a rainy day for a little pouch.


So ‘Tumbling Blocks’ is off to it’s new forever home to continue it’s story and I’m taking a break from sewing to re-decorate the sewing room. Now there’s an undertaking.

Bento box, Fabric, Fabulous fabrics, Gifts, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing

Football Fan

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When Nova asked me to make two quilts for her daughters I was more than happy to take on a winter project, but I have to admit that when reality bit I realised that planning and making two quilts at the same time was a big undertaking.

A big job in normal circumstances but at the time it was evident that another COVID lockdown was looming and I really ought to sort out my fabric choices pretty quickly. Once that was done I could relax get on with the task in hand.

The brief gave me lots of leeway, the designs would be up to me but I was given specific colours to work with. One quilt was to be purple and green (simple request, lots of fabrics to choose from).

But this is a little different, and a first for me, a football shirt in a quilting blog! Mmm!

The other quit was to be for Nova’s football fan daughter in her team colours .

I thought this might be a little more challenging and started with a little bit of research. I posted the colours on Instagram and it seems it could be one of two well known teams. Who knew .

I turned to Moda Bella solids to use for background colours to start with and was very happy when these two perfect matches appeared in the fabric list. These were my starting point for my fabric pull.

I do love a fabric pull.

It’s so exciting, all those lovely fabrics to choose from. It all quite makes my mouth water.

It is also intensely nerve racking! Are the tones right; the values; is there enough contrast; is there something that just makes all the colours pop? And that’s just the colour. Do the fabric designs suit the project; the intended recipient; do those designs work together? That can be made easier by choosing from a designer range but I also like to shop local so although that option is fairly simple when shopping online, small local retailers can’t begin to stock whole designer lines so its up to the maker to get creative with choices.

I always begin with my stash, let’s face it, it’s fairly extensive so there is usually something to start with . And it j ustifies my self awarded status as ‘fabric curator’.


I found two suitable fabrics in my stash, the really pretty and perfect match bue and burgundy floral print and the cream with a burgundy flower that would be a good low volume addition. I didnt have much of either of these but a design was beginning to form in my mind and I would be able to incorporate both. The rest of the fabrics were sourced locally.

Making the blocks

My design plan changed a couple of times from ny early first musings. Then the Bento Box block came to mind one, it was one I’d used before and I decided to base these blocks on that design.

Here’s one I made before.

bento box block

The block begins with a square then it’s pieced around with strips, every block is made up differently and quaerterd then the quarters get mixed up. Easy.

I made up the large 12inch blocks in the same way in different colourways and then quartered them but rather than mixing the different quarters up and piecing them together this time I pieced them into the blue background ‘off kilter’ then pieced the quarters back together.

The blocks came together quickly. Nice …..

The reverse shows the sashing strips which were trimmed randomly after piecing.

…. and then of course the quilt top was done. I love seeing a quilt top here, hanging over the banister with the light behind and looking like stain glass windows. Or is that just me!

Do you think it looks like stained glass windows?

There were two tricky points in making the quilt. One was when I realised I didn’t have enough of the 30’s blue I’d chosen for the back. A quick mooch about online soon made me realise that it must have been a lockdown favourite. It was a relief when I found some but having ordered it a phone call from the supplier meant a quick re-measure and a re -think and a plan B was needed.

Plan B was to use remaining fabrics to add some blocks to the backing. It slowed things down considerably but I liked the result.

The second tricky moment turned out to be slightly more serious. I put together the quilt sandwich. Quilt top, backing and batting in between and began the planned quilting which was to be ‘stitching the ditch’ (sewing along the joins in the piecing to join the layers together) part way through this my machine suddenly began sewing tiny stitches and then just refused to sew at all. I systematically went through all the things that I knew that could go wrong but eventually had to admit there was a real problem. Fortunately, in spite of lockdown, our local servicing workshop in town was open. Unfortunately it was beyond her knowledge too.

So a phone call, a description of the problem , packing up my machine and organising a DPD pick-up and my machine was off on a trip to Swansea and my old machine was brought out of retirement to finish the job.


So here is the finished ‘Football Fan’ and I’m pleased to say it’s gone off safely to it’s forever home. It was a fun quilt that I really did enjoy working on it.

And my lovely Pfaff? Still in pieces on a workbench in Swansea I’m afraid. It’s turned out to be quite an unexpected and complex problem and requiring a replacement part and …… it’s lockdown!


Christmas, Grandchildren, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing

The ‘Pink Jungle’ Quilt

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2020

What a year that was, surely one that we are all glad to leave behind. We will all share a collective memory of the year but have many mixed memories of our own and our families. As a family we were lucky and apart from missing being together we are all safe and well.

Our youngest granddaughter, Florence. turned one year old during the year and there was a shuffle of bedrooms at their house and her big sister, Olivia, moved into a bigger bedroom and became the proud owner of a new, bigger, bed.

A New ‘Big Bed’ Quilt

So it was time for a new quilt. Like most 4 year old girls at the moment, pink, as is the trend, must be the colour, with a little bit of glitter and bling of course. She has always loved animals so when I came across Art Gallery Fabrics ‘Selva’ I knew it was the right choice. I love working with AGF fabrics, they are such great quality and they make up like a dream.

I had also bought a panel, ‘Junglemania’ by Mia Charro for Blend Fabrics some time before and the animals in their floral crowns were just perfect for what I had in mind.

The creatures in the panel are not all jungle dwellers right? I think they were chosen for their charming ability to carry off wearing their floral crowns. Very 2020! It’s sure to be a talking point for Olivia, she’s very keen to be precise about facts.

I’m rather fond of the cheetah myself, Olivia loves the giraffe. What about you?

My ‘Meadowland’ quilt was nearing completion and I really enjoyed making the blocks and thought it wouldn’t be difficult to change the measurements slightly to accommodate the individual creatures. I took a break from ‘Meadowland’ and worked out the measurements to include a rectangular centre block rather than square.

I liked how the block worked out so as soon as I was able – and in between my lockdown gardening and daily exercise – I began work on the quilt that became known as ‘Pink Jungle’.

The garden was a huge part of my lockdown life and I have to admit that I became pretty much obsessed with it and I was outside as much as was possible . Apart from our daily exercise, in the main exploring the local lanes by bike in the eerie quiet of lockdown , gardening took up the majority of my time.

Since this was early Spring though, there were times when the weather made being indoors the more attractive proposition. During these times progress was speedy, the blocks came together quickly and I was soon laying them out

Gardening socks!
Indoor slippers!

There’s a weather clue in the photos! The red socks are gardening socks, suggesting ‘rain stopped play’ outside. The indoor slippers suggest that the only gardening that day was watering the trays of seedlings on all the window sills, there’s also a lack of daylight in the colour in the second one bears that out too!

The animals in the ‘Selva’ – Jungle in Spanish (something else to interest Olivia) – are delightful, the sloth is so cute.

The finished top was very bright and I had to remind myself that was what I was aiming for. I decided to be more reserved for the backing so I chose plain pink with just a single row of animals.

Eleventh hour

All was complete but for the binding when, as often happens, I found myself with a new project, or two even! So it wasn’t surprising that I found myself finishing off the binding on Christmas Eve. But it was done and wrapped and waiting for Olivia with her new Scooter on Christmas morning.

We were lucky to have our Aberystwyth family with us for Christmas day but sadly our planned whole family gathering wasn’t to be. Changes to Welsh lockdown rules, and our daughter having to self isolate meant that our Bristol family couldn’t travel to be with us.

Because we’re back in full lockdown I have yet to see Olivia’s quilt in situ but she loves it and I’ve seen pictures her, and Florence too, enjoying it. The next new family quilt will be for Heidi when they move house in the Spring.

    Sewing, Uncategorized

    sign of the Times

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    When early on in the COVID 19 lockdown the wearing of face masks was mooted I knew that I would almost certainly be making my own. I had no intention of writing a blog about them though!

    Time went on (and on) and I found myself trialling a range of styles for fit, comfort and effectiveness.

    Some of the trialled styles

    This is the version I’m sticking with. I like it because:

    • the flap fits under specs and helps prevent steaming
    • the pleats under the chin give a snug fit
    • its the most comfy one I’ve made.

    There are a lot of patterns out there but after posting a picture on instagram I had a few requests for instructions so here there are.

    I suggest scrolling down and looking at the images first as they will give you a good sense of what you need to do then read the instructions and come back to them step by step for your first make.

    Small: 32 x 22cms (12 5/8 x 8 3/4inches)

    Medium: 34 x 23.5cms (13 3/8 x 9 1/4)

    Large: 36 x 25cms (14 1/8 x 9 7/8)

    The medium is perfect for me and I make the large for my husband.

    If you are using a directional fabric cut your rectangle as above with the top of the pattern on the short edge. When you begin the process you will turn the fabric a quarter turn so that the short side is on the right.

      Folding to mark up

      As you make each fold press with the fingers to make a light crease. Fold in half three times

      • from left to right
      • from bottom to top
      • from right to left.
      • Open up the first fold and make a mark at the top edge.
      • Fold the right edge to the centre, press the top of the fold, open up and mark.
      • Repeat with the left edge.
      • Measure and mark 4cms from the bottom right up the right edge.

      Mark a slightly curved line between the marker on the side edge to the first marker on the top edge, cut along through the four layers of fabric to make the chin shaping.

      Inserting the elastic

      Cut two 11cm pieces of elastic. This is ‘face mask elastic’ from Amazon, it’s soft and comfortable.

      Pin the elastic pieces in a C shape between the two layers of fabric

      Ready to sew.

      Pin the elastic in a C shape between the two layers of fabric

      Sew a quarter inch seam around the outer edge from X to X. Take care when sewing over the elastic, I sew back and forward over it to keep it securely in place.

      Snip triangles from each corner to seep them tidy when the mask is turned through.

      Snip little cut into the curved edge to allow for the stretch that curved edges need.

      Turning the mask

      Using the gap you left in the seam turn the mask to the right side, it’s a little tedious to begin with but once the first bit is through it comes quickly. Have something on hand to push the corners out and run along the inside of the seam. I have a push tool but a pencil, a knitting needle or your seam ripper will do the job. Leave the unsewn corner open for the time being.


      Press the mask

      Press and make a fold across the top just above the top of the ear elastics to create the nose flap.

      Making the chin pleats

      This is probably the trickiest part really but it’s what makes it so snug fitting.

      • First make a vertical fold down the centre of the mask, press a crease at the bottom and mark.
      • Mark either side of this mark at 1inch and 2inches.
      • Pinch the mark closest on one side of the centre mark and fold a pleat to the centre and pin in place.
      • Do the same on the other side so that you have two pleats. make sure the bottom of the pleats are flush and tidy.
      • Make two more pleats by taking the next mark and folding it halfway to the edge of the first pleats.
      • Again make sure the bottoms are flush.

      Pin the flap in place, making sure the pattern on the front of the mask is the right way up.

      You are going to sew around the mask from one side to the other about 1/8th of an inch from the outer edge.

      The fabric of the pleat is thick so take care. Pull out the pins as you go. Again at this point I sew forwards and backwards three times to make this seam is secure.

      Addition

      I’ve added a final step here that makes putting the mask on easier.

      Fold the mask in half and pull out the ‘peak’ and press in place.

      Sew along the upper edge of the crease to hold the ‘peak’ up permanently.

      If right now you are thinking it looks complicated get yourself a piece of fabric and give it a go. The first one may take a little while but once you’ve made the second you’ll have cracked it. Go for it!

      Fabulous fabrics, House, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing

      Meadowland Quilt

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      What, a new project?

      I was still working on Florence’s cot quilt, ‘Woodland Creatures’ when a Meadowland block caught my eye on Instagram. One comment led to another and I had something new to think about.

      “Couldn’t possibly start another project now!” “Ah, but I’ve never done a quilt along.” ” Oh for goodness sake, finish one project before starting another!” “But quilt alongs are paced and focussed.” “I’ll just have a quick look.”

      You get the picture. I talked myself into it. I really wasn’t difficult to persuade and actually I was right. It was very easy for this to sit alongside the ongoing project. And of course I didn’t know then that lockdown was on its way!

      Here's the Forest Creatures post

      Woodland Creatures Quilt

      Click to visit the post

      Getting Started

      After the initial prevarication I headed off to check out Then Came June and the Meadowland Quilt and I so liked the look of what I saw. A block that was very pleasing to the eye, some new and exciting skills to learn from Meghan Buchanan and a great community support network through Instagram. It wasn’t long before I was downloading the pattern and checking out it’s easy to follow instructions and some new tips and ideas to enhance my quilting experience.

      Next steps

      I had an idea of my colour palette. Having just painted our bedroom in Farrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue, inky blue was my new favourite colour and I wanted a minty green with it.

      I found the absolutely perfect inspiration fabric right here in my local fabric shop in town. Aberdashery here in Aberystwyth (isn’t that just the best name) . It is Elephant Garden by Print Fresh for Clothworks and I love it. The colours are fabulous and the little metallic note just tops it off.

      For the fabric pull I looked first at the navy and minty green and then the minor notes. I don’t always use the inspiration fabric in the pull but I loved Amy Voloshin’s elephants so much I had to in this case.

      The fabric pull is so exciting but nerve racking too. I ended up with a mix of a couple more from the range (bought online) more from Aberdashery and the rest from my stash. Great sense of satisfaction and self congratulation when the stash justifies it’s existence!

      The whole Quilt Along experience was great; it was motivating and supportive – from the weekly emails to the supportive comments for our weekly Insta posts – it was great fun. The pattern and instructions made it possible to skip ahead but I decided to stick with the schedule (makes a change) and it gave me space to continue to work on my WIP.

      • Quarter inch feet
      • Number 1
      • Number 2
      • Chain piecing

      Tools of the trade

      Quarter inchpresser feet! Absolutely invaluable. Without these my seams would be all over the place and if there is one must for piecing it is that seams have to be a quarter of an inch wide. Have to be!

      The first foot gives that perfect edge to edge seam and the second allows you to sew exactly a quarter of an inch either side of a line,

      Chain piecing is a simple organisational tool for putting pieces together one after another in a continuous line without breaking the thread until all the similar pieces are together then separating them at the end. Speeds things up tremendously.

      I think the best learning of the Quilt Along was Meghan’s method of creating no waste Half Square Triangles. It’s really simple and really does save fabric. But it’s not for me to pass the method on but I have used this HST method succesfully since.

      The blocks came together quickly and 5 blocks a week were very manageable.

      I was pleased with the tips for piecing directional fabrics.

      There have been trying times on that front!

      Elephants!!

      All the elephants standing proud and marching to meet each other. None of them standing on their heads or lying down! Hooray!

      reverse of block

      Love it when I get the reverse as tidy as this one! Clean and flat and no twists! Just showing off!

      The next part of the process is another tricky one. Arranging the blocks. Oh, the combinations are endless. should they be random: should they follow a repetitive pattern; should they be colour blocked? This time I decided on a graduated blocked layout. Then of course there is endless shuffling, I take photographs of each layout I try and then spend a while looking at them to make my final decision!


      Blocks become rows

      I always hang my rows in front of the long window on the landing. Don’t you think they look like stain glass with the light shining through?

      We have a Quilt top

      The rows are together and as long as the previous stages have gone well everything should line up and suddenly there is the overall design. The art, or is it the maths, of cutting up fabric and sewing it back together !

      I enjoy working out my own patterns but when you work to someone else’s pattern there is always something new to learn and the best way to consolidate that learning is to put it into practice again. While I was working on this a little adaptation of the block was forming in my head for Olivia’s ‘Pink Jungle’ quilt for her new big bed. Before moving on to the next stage I had to just try it out. Here we go again!

      Olivia’s new quilt inspiration was a printed panel of jungle creatures. The plan was that each creature would be at the centre of each block. Measurements needed adjusting to the size of the centrepiece.

      Batting and Backing

      Batting (wadding) is a natural bamboo and the backing is a single piece of extra wide backing cotton which I was able to buy from Calico Kate in Lampeter. This is a bit of a departure for me as I usually create a back. It was nice not to have to think about lining up front and back and making the ‘sandwich’ was much quicker.

      For the uninitiated the ‘sandwich’ is the quilt top, the backing fabric and the filling! The layers have to be perfectly flat and perfectly joined. They are pinned together using special pins ready to begin the quilting. I use my landing for this bit, there is plenty of space and the light is good.

      Quilting

      I do my own quilting . It is very amateur but wanting to do this got me into patchwork in the first place. I love absolutely total free motion quilting but the options are endless. I had decide on a mixture of ‘stitching the ditch’ – sewing into the join between pieces – and some medallions on the plain squares created in the blocks. I was using white thread, I could have been kinder to myself sewing on to a navy background but I didn’t want a dark thread on the top.

      My quilting varies at the best of times but I do find that keeping on quilting is the the way to good results – and I hadn’t been doing a lot. I was rusty and my quilting was jerky. So it’s not perfect but it’s homemade and it’s all my own work.

      Home

      So when it’s resting I think the quilt will live here in our bedroom because I like how it looks when I glance into the bedroom. it looks good folded in different colour aspects here and it will be handy to grab for using around the house.


      I’m really happy I decided to join in the Quilt Along. Would I do it again? Oh yes!

      baby, Fabulous fabrics, Free MotionQuilting, Fun, Gifts, Grandchildren, Patchwork, Sewing

      Woodland Creatures Quilt

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      Florence is growing quickly and suddenly she’s ready to move into her own room so I wanted to make her a quilt of her own for her cot.

      I’ve had the Moda ‘Thicket’ panel for some time and it seemed just right for her quilt. After a little bit of research around quilt patterns and blocks to complement the individual creatures I settled on a wonky log cabin block with primary colour and of course black and white logs. A quick look at my scraps made me rethink the primary colours to bright colours.


      I was glad I had recently sorted my scraps into colour boxes, it made the selection for the blocks so much easier!

      A word about black and white. Bold black-and-white images are great for young babies because they stimulate the development of the optic nerves, teaching the eye muscles and brain to coordinate and function properly. I’ve noticed that they are also naturally drawn to them in the early months in particular.

      • Rabbit was first up.
      • I really liked the block.

      Once the first block was complete just a little bit of planning was needed to make sure the animals were all going to be central and it was off we go. Later I wished I’d spent a little more time planning the orientation of the black and white and the colours but in the quilting world I’m a relative novice and it’s still a developing skill. Next time!

      I like to hang my blocks on the ‘washing line’ as I go. It helps me spot potential problems in improv blocks and generally refine my colour combinations if necessary.

      I could see a little problem developing here. My final log (on the left of each block) was having to compensate for my over cutting the other logs. It would be easy to put right and get a more balanced block.

      Coming together.

      The blocks were quick to put together once the fabrics were ready.

      Then it was just about finding the best layout. It can take time! This was when I wished I’d thought more about the orientation of the black and white and colour. Note to self. It’s all in the planning!

      Next up the backing for the quilt.

      Here’s the layout.

      Lovely Aberdashery (isn’t that the best name for a haberdasher’s shop in Aberystwyth) had just the right wadding, an eco-blend suitable for a baby quilt.

      The front the wadding and the backing were pinned together to make the quilt sandwich and so it was on to the long job of actually quilting. ‘Free motion’ quilting was always a skill I wanted to grasp and I love the challenge, but it is a challenge and needs patience, concentration, a steady hand and nerve! One of the earliest free motion patterns I learned was stippling and early attempts were dreadful. I’m pleased that its now one of the patterns I frequently turn to.

      I stippled around each of the woodland creatures and then stitched around each animal for definition and ‘stitched the ditch’ (sewed exactly into the seams) between each animal and the ‘logs’ and the each block with a cross stitch continuing with the black theme.

      You can see this best on the back of the quilt.

      The final step is the binding and for this quilt it had to be a black and white binding attached to the front by machine then hand finished at the back. I really enjoy hand finishing a quilt, its a final contact with the finished article and needs to be done at leisure, usually in front of the TV and definitely with thimbles. There’s nothing attractive about red spots on a quilt and stabbing fingers with needles is not recommended.

      Cushions, easy, Fabulous fabrics, House, Patchwork, quick project, Sewing

      Crafting Cushions: Linen and Patchwork Ideas

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      Fabulous fabric

      Spotted in Aberdashery in Aberystwyth.

      I’ve said it before, but that really is a great name for a great shop.

      My favourite and most visited shop for all my sewing notions.

      It was back in the summer when I saw this lovely linen in the window at Aberdashery, the new cushion covers that I’ve been thinking about for a while came instantly to mind. The design, the colours and the texture fitted my vision so well and when I saw the plain bottle green linen the finished cushions were perfectly formed in my imagination.
      It’s just terrific when that happens.
      BUT

      At the time I had a project underway; a project that had been interrupted a number of times and that I was determined to get finished by Christmas. But more about that in another post.

      My idea for the cushions was patchwork in a

      Piet Mondrian style

      using the plain green to frame the patterned fabric.

      I’ve used this idea before for these mono cushions in the sewing room. Clearly I do rather like them, the design is very adaptable and I think really effective.

      So having planned to make four different cushion tops, made rough sketches of the proportions of the blocks and decided that they would be framed by half inch borders it was time to start measuring and cutting.
      I planned for quarter inch seams throughout and the cushion tops came together really quickly.

      I wanted the cushion tops to have a little more stability than the linen alone so each one was attached to a lightweight wadding and I stitched around the inner edges of the blocks to give definition.

      Four finished tops

      Time to make the backs.

      I have a bit of a ‘thing’ for buttons and have a huge collection but I also like to use self covered buttons. My go-to style for cushions has become an envelope back with buttons to close. Like this:

      It was useful to have made them like this before, I was able to use the measurements for the two halves and for the deep hems and for the placement of the buttons.

      Then there are buttonholes of course

      My next decision was just an impulse. It was that two of the cushion backs would be made completely with the patterned fabric but the other two would be made with half patterned and half with the plain green linen.

      Did I mention that I also have a lot of thread! Again I inherited my Mum’s sewing notions and my MiL’s too; then there have been a couple of random mixed bags from Abakahn when I’ve visited their amazing store in Mostyn on the North Wales coast. This is my blue/green collection where I found a perfect match. Obviously!

      Have you tried self covered buttons? Great for all sorts of projects and so very easy.

      Self covered buttons

      The uncovered button bases are easily available in a large range of sizes from haberdashers and they have full instructions on the packs and no special tools are needed. I have to say I find the larger sizes less fiddley and they are more suited to my projects.

      The fabric

      The fabric has to be pushed into the centre of the button so that it catches on to the little teeth, you just keep pushing around the circumference until the fabric fits snuggly – sorry I forgot to take photo of this stage but it’s really self-explanatory. Similar plastic bases are also available.
      I have to say I think the matching buttons are rather classy.

      I’m really pleased with the cushions, they were intended for the Spring when I started but I think I’ll leave them just where they are.

      And now I think I’ll take a step backwards and write about the much interrupted ’Growing Together ‘ quilt project.

      Cushions are such an effective and easy way to update a room or to give it a seasonal vibe. If you would like any support to get started on making new covers for your cushions drop me a message.

      easy, Fabulous fabrics, Fun, Gifts, Halloween, Holidays, Orange, Patchwork, Sewing

      Perky Pumpkins

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      Halloween

      As halloween 2019 approached I recalled having seen some really funky pumpkins when I was browsing on Pinterest. I have quite a bit of orange fabric in my stash so I thought I’d take a closer look. I found a template on the Positively Splendid website. This is a great place for freebie patterns and, I discovered on this visit, you can sign up for email updates.

      Once I had the initial segment shape I found it east to scale the size to make the bigger pumpkins I wanted to make.

      Lots of lovely juicy oranges

      The pumpkins were a really easy little project and could be made up in next to no time. Once the fabrics were selected and cut out they were sewn into two half-pumpkins, the two halves became a whole and were ready for stuffing!

      I had a simple system for choosing the fabric for each pumpkin:

      2 solid/fairly solid segments

      2 dense patterned segments

      2 loose patterned segments

      Segments were sewn together in 3s to make 2 halves of the pumpkin

      Right now the completed pumpkin looks for all the world like a deflated beachball!

      Nearly there

      Probably the only slightly tedious part of the making was stuffing the pumpkins. I used polyester wadding and just carried on until the pumpkin felt about right and then hand stitched the opening.

      I used two pieces of fabric and stitched around the edges and then added veins, then I decided on double stitching just for a bit of definition. the stem was a little cylinder cut on a diagonal along the top edge and stuffed.

      Leaves

      Completing

      All that remained was to pull the pumpkin into a more pumpkin shape. I chose to use 2 strands of embroidery thread from the orange skein; stitched it into place at the bottom of the pumpkin ; stitched into place at the top, and keeping in place in the centre of the segment, tightened it until the shape looked right. This was repeated for each segment. Finally the stem and leaf were stitched into place.

      This is definitely a fun, easy and speedy little project. It was popular with the family. I ended making not only my own but a set for my granddaughter and my daughter and a friend. There may be more next year!

      Applique, baby, Gifts, Grandchildren, nursery, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing

      Finished in February

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      It’s a great British tradition to complain about the weather and in January and February this year there was plenty to complain about. One of my favourite ways to keep reasonably fit is to walk in the glorious countryside around here. This January I regularly found myself paddling or sinking to my ankles in mud. In February it was the turn ‘The Beast from the East’ and storm Emma and general biting cold winds that upset us so much.

      But – and it’s a very positive but – there was no golf, no gardening and so – there was a lot of sewing time.

      Enough time to finish Olivia’s  just-about-begun quilt, a story cushion for her birthday and a story cushion for Heidi just so that she didn’t feel left out.

      And enough time for a few little projects along the way. The red scraps made their annual appearance just before Valentine’s day.

      Olivia’s quilt had been an embarrassingly long time in the making. I was in the middle of making Dougie’s Quilt when we went on one of our long trips to Spain and I decided that while we were away I would hand appliqué the elephant patches. So far so good.

      Well when we got back it was summer.  Summer = golf + gardening = very little sewing. Then of course came the autumn and it was all stops out to finish Dougie’s quilt in time for Christmas. So the little elephant quilt was the no.1 priority for January. It was easy to piece together with yellow, grey and white patches to match her bedroom.

       

       

      It needed a little bit of planning to get the balance right before piecing and once that was done 

       

       

      the next step was simple and speedy and I soon had the batting and the yellow and white pin-spot backing together and ready to quilt.

      I wanted a quilting design to fit in the yellow, white and grey squares, the elephant squares would just have simple outlines.  Here’s what I call ‘the pink claw of quilting’. My quilting gloves are actually cotton gardening gloves that have a fantastic bobbly surface perfect for ‘getting a grip’!

      Now the next bit is worth posting, I’ll know where to find it rather than having to think really hard to remember it. I don’t have any idea why, but the sequence for binding around the corners  just won’t lodge itself in my brain. So here it is – in pictures.

      and in words:

      • having pressed a diagonal fold at the beginning of the binding (see last photo) sew the double thickness binding strip leaving a 5cm tail at the start, using a quarter-inch seam
      • stop a quarter-inch from the corner, secure and break thread
      • fold the binding strip 90º to the right
      • fold the binding strip back on itself level with the edge of the quilt.
      • sew across the folded edge stopping and turning the corner a quarter-inch from the edge. Do this on all corners
      • trim and tuck the end of the binding inside the folded tail  before sewing the last 5 cms.

      The   corners turn back really nicely and it’s on to my favourite bit, sitting quietly folding the binding over and hand stitching to finish the quilt.

      I hope Olivia enjoys her quilt, if she’s like Dougie and Heidi it will become her relaxing quilt probably becoming part of the soft furnishings of the teepee we gave her for Christmas – which leads nicely on to the next project  … Story cushions’ But that’s for another day.

      Cards, Greetings, Sewing, Upcycling

      Be my Valentine

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      Another Year, Another Valentine

      It was that time of year again. The eve of Saint Valentines day. Time to shut the door of my workroom   and rummage through the bits and bobs. Especially the red bits and bobs.

      I’m usually drawn to hearts and this year was no exception. I love using buttons  and the button box (who am I kidding, I do mean button boxes, jars, the odd drawer, oh – and an old leather collar box) is often the first place I turn to.

      This year I started by making a stuffed white cotton heart then, from the above mentioned collection I chose a whole variety of white buttons. The only thing they had in common was that they all had four holes so that I could make the  KISSES.        Then at some point I decided it needed one red button. I attached it to the card with yet another button.

      There was an unexpected design fault this year! The card was just a little bit unbalanced. It collapsed on to its front no matter how I tried to stand it up. No time to make an improved version though, as usual it was a last-minute make.

      Here are a couple of  previous years’ makes.

      Christmas, Gifts, House, Sewing

      Christmas Sewing 2016 Two

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      Countdown to Christmas

      Kits have never really been a choice for my sewing projects. I suppose somewhere deep in my psyche using a kit is ‘cheating’. I certainly have always gone through the agony and ecstasy that is the whole process of design, make, review.

      Until November 2015 that is. The West of England Quilting and Textile Show was held in the University of the West of England; the University where my daughter studied and now lives a stones throw away from. It would have been rude to ignore it!

      There were some fabulous quilts on show

      and the stalls were just too tempting by far! Shows like this can make a serious dent in my bank account.

                                                           I bought some kits.

      First up were the  Advent Calendars. We had been thinking about them. Thinking about them; looking at them on Pinterest; imagining how they would fit into our Christmas decor and just how we wanted them to be used. There certainly were plenty of kits on offer at the show and after walking around looking, eating lunch, discussing the pros and cons we decided that we would indeed go with the kit option. One for each of the three little ones in the family.

      We chose two panel calendars with pockets, a decorated tree and a Christmas village scene. The third one would be a set of 24 Scandi style mini Christmas stockings. All of the kits we chose were from Makower, they have a huge choice.

      We knew that the calendars would have to wait for Christmas 2016 to make their debut, there were other projects in the pipeline for 2015.

      Christmas came and went 2016 just whizzed by and suddenly I had a very small window of time slotted in between returning from Spain at the beginning of November and the long-awaited and hugely anticipated trip to New York on November 22nd.

      I’d made a promise so the pressure was on. The cutting began, the little pockets were soon made up and sewn on to the background, the sandwich was made up and backed with Christmas fabric from Aberdashery.  Oh, and there were loops to add along the top edge to hang the calendars on a length of dowel.

      I decided a little bit of quilting was needed and just outlined some of the shapes on the panels. The final job was to add a little bit of Christmas sparkle.This came in the form of Pinflair Glitter Wands in gold, red and green. They are available in good craft shops or from numerous online outlets.

      Once the panel advent calendars were complete it was on to the Christmas stockings. These were really simple. cut them out, sew them together, snip the curves, turn and press,  make a loop for hanging from red ribbon and sew that into a top seam. Done!

      I chose a red satin cord to hang the Advent stockings.

      All that remained was to pass on the two panel calendars to my daughter and the stockings to my son  … and just for this year I added the gifts to put inside. I like to think of them becoming part of the Christmas tradition and excitement in both houses as the children grow.

      All in all I was fairly impressed by these kits they are quick and easy, there were printed instructions on the panels and I have since found there a You Tube videos if you should need them. And I still felt a creative buzz making them.

      I was also taken by some of the small quilt kits at the show and I came away with two of those as well. I’ve just started on one of them so watch this space!

       

      baby, Gifts, nursery, organisation, Sewing

      Nappy Stack

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      IMG_0070_2With just a week’s notice my son invited me to go to his partner’s baby shower.  The second thought to cross my mind (the first,  ‘Ooh, lovely’) was to wish I hadn’t rushed to give them the Retro Orchard Puff Quilt!IMG_0037

       

       

       

      But it was only a fleeting thought and based only on the time remaining to complete a gift to give on the day.  I had a few ideas, one of them being the Nappy Stack I’d seen on Pinterest. So I set about searching. I found lots of lovely possible gifts but no sign of the very one I wanted.

      It took just a little while for the light to dawn and for me to realise the language barrier issue! For Nappy Stack read Diaper Stack.  Of course! As soon as I re-worded my search there it was.                                And,1827-Diaper_Stacker-1 hey presto one click and I was on the Sew 4 Home site.  You can sign up for a weekly email from Sew 4 Home and I remembered that was where I actually first saw this. There are some great projects on the site and you can pin direct from the email link so it’s easy to keep the projects you like the look of.

      This one caught my eye initially because grey and yellow are the nursery colours. As it happens I’ve been stashing away a little collection of yellows and greys ready for a quilt. I chose some Michael Miller ‘Here Kitty Cat’ fabric and some Riley Blake grey and white chevrons. I also think it’a a pretty nifty idea and much nicer than just having packs of nappies hanging around the nursery. I’m a sucker for idiosyncratic storage.

      IMG_0059

      So, here is all the fabric cut and ready to sew.  The instructions on the Sew 4 Home tutorial are really clear and every step is accompanied by a clear photograph. Excellent! They also add links to  technique tutorials like sewing curves and making piping. Useful if you come across things you haven’t done before.

      IMG_0062_2
      Opening for the hanger hook.

      Basically the stack is made in two parts: the top hanger cover and the bottom sack. There are some fiddly bits, like the opening for the hanger hook in the top section, and of course, that piping.

      The binding might have been a bit of a fiddle too but for my recently purchased Estone biased binding makers. imagesThis was the first chance I’d had to have a go with one of these and although the pattern didn’t call for bias it was magic for folding the binding evenly. Cheap as chips at £4.20 for a set of 4 sizes! You push your binding strip through and press it as it comes out folded at the other                   end. No more burned fingers!IMG_0064_2Here’s the main body part with the binding sewn on and the pockets in place.IMG_0066_2And here’s the top part with the hanger inside.IMG_0068_2And here’s the nappy stack complete with nappies, wipes and creams in the pockets.

      Unknown
      Wooden hangers from ‘Hangerworld’!

      Oh! Just one other thing. You will need a child’s, preferably wooden, coathanger. I didn’t have any so it was a case of thank goodness for Amazon and next day delivery, we have a handy family subscription to Prime. Living out in the sticks brings shopping challenges so it’s worth having.  Who would ever have imagined there is somewhere called ‘Hangerworld‘?

      Nonnie had organised a lovely baby shower for her sister.  And there was an amazing cake made by her sister-in -law.  It made me giggle.IMG_0071

      Here is the link to the tutorial on Sew 4 Home. I know now exactly where to find it. I’m going to need it, I’ve already started a second one at the request of my daughter.

      Update

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      Here is the second Nappy Stack. Made with two fabrics from the lovely Nature Trail collection by Bethan Janine for

      IMG_0039

       

       

      Dashwood Studios. They consistently come up with fabrics I adore, in colours that just make my mouth water.

       

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      And a pic of the binding in the making. Next time I do it I’ll add a decent sequence.

      Please leave a comment, it’s good to know there’s someone out there!

      felting, Sewing, Upcycling

      Upcycling

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      Have you ever completely ruined a perfectly good woollen jumper? I’ve done it once or twice! When Jeff first retired and took over the laundry he did. I remember one of my jumpers and one of his. I wish I’d kept them.IMG_0043Here’s my latest shrinker. This time it was deliberate! You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to really shrink something when you’re trying. Easy-peasy when you are doing the laundry in a hurry and in goes your woolly  then you take it out and aargh, dolly sized!

      Reading about felting I found that the garment should be at least 80% wool. When I decided this cardie was past it’s best I checked it out and it was 70% wool.  Mmm? I gave it a go anyway and it actually felted up really well with a hot wash in the machine. Apparently you can improve the felting by taking it out and putting it in cold water and then back into a hot wash. The temperature changes enhance the process.

      I cut it up like this

      From the sleeves
      Two eight and a half inch circle.

      Two five inch wide strips from the back
      The collar and front rib

      And sewed it together like this

      Sewed the two strips together and sewed them to a circle
      Pinned the collar in place with the buttonhole carefully positioned

      I found the felt really easy to manipulate when I was sewing the strip to the circle, being used to working with cotton which is quite unforgiving.  To get the rib and collar to the right shape I pinned it first and cut it when it was in place to get the tapering right and to place the buttonholes. I thought the fabric was quite thick but the lovely Pfaff managed perfectly.

      I turned the brim out and pressed it into shape then sewed the original buttons on with a little bit of contrast. And there was my new hat.

      I was meant to be quilting my juicy jelly quilt this afternoon, this was  a bit of a spur of the moment whim. It was great fun.  Now am I going to wear it or use it for storage?

      baby, Gifts, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing, Uncategorized

      Retro Orchard Puff Quilt

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      IMG_0036The first ever Puff quilt I made was for my own first baby well over

      How home photography has changed in the digital age!
      How home photography has changed in the digital age!

      30 years ago. We had a crib that had been in the family for many years and I wanted to update it. I have no idea now where the original idea came from but I obviously liked the look of it. I still do. The quilt was used for both of my children and for my nephew and niece when they took up the family crib.

      Then when my daughter was expecting her first baby a puff quilt was the first thing she asked me to make and we chose fabrics to match the colours of his nursery. It was one of the first things I made on my return to sewing. Very fitting I think!

      Dougie's Puff Quilt
      Dougie’s Puff Quilt

      Well now that my son and his partner are expecting their first baby, our third grandchild, I thought I would make this a bit of a tradition. I’m sure I can rely on my daughter to carry it on!                                      This time we know we’re waiting for a little girl and I chose a favourite fabric from my stash.  I’m often inspired designs from Dashwood Studios and like all ‘fabricologists’  I  just occasionally, sometimes buy fabric and wait for the right project. That was the case with Retro Orchard by Wendy Kendall, it was a 2014  collection so I’ve had it a while.IMG_5457IMG_5453

      I added a hot pink pin spot for my backing fabric to the collection..

      There are so many great tutorials on Pinterest, (here’s a link) I’m not going to add to them, but I’ll just share the general process.

      I’m in the habit of keeping a (very scrappy) journal of my makes so it was easy to decide on the size. 8 x 12 puffs, with each puff being cut to 3.5 inches. IMG_5459I used an old white cotton sheet for the back of the puffs, making each backing square 0.5 inch smaller than the tops. I am still cutting my way through sheets inherited from my mum and mum-in-law, it will be the end of an era when I’ve used them all up, maybe some of mine will be ready for recycling by the time they are. Never throw away a cotton sheet.

      IMG_2240

       

      So I started my 96 puffs, sewing by day and stuffing and pinning watching TV in the evenings. Some was done in Mel’s sewing class and some at home.

      The pile grew quickly and soon I had a bag-full waiting to have their fourth side sewn and be joined together. I had to keep reminding myself to make the seam less than a quarter-inch.

      IMG_2239I decided the design should have the four prints running in diagonal lines and began sewing the puffs together in four squares using a quarter-inch seam. This should have meant that the original seams wouldn’t show but the puffiness makes it difficult and many a seam had to be re-done and I had a few broken fingernails – don’t ask!

      IMG_2245Pretty soon there were 12 rows and 8 columns all sewn together and then there was a bit more tidying up of seams before cutting the backing and making the binding. For my last puff quilt I wrapped the backing round to self bind but this time I decided on a separate binding. I used the recently learned method of turning the corner. IMG_0038

      Now this is worth a tutorial so next time I do it I’ll make one. It’s a method that makes a lovely neat mitre easily!

       

      I wanted to secure the puffs to the backing but I’ve never found a IMG_0039way to keep the joined puffs perfectly square so stitching the ditch would be a hideous messy, lumpy, bumpy  business so I hand sewed them together by just catching through the layers in between alternating puffs and making little four -petaled daisy shapes.IMG_0037It’s a great size for a crib, pram or pushchair and is comfy enough for a newborn to lie on for floor time. Here’s a very new Dougie on his.IMG_0157

      IMG_0042I could think of uses for it rolled too.IMG_0040

      It’s an easy make, comfy and cosy, and could be any size.  I hope I get the opportunity to make more!

      Bags, Fabulous fabrics, Holidays, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing

      Pedal Pushers Beach Bag

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      From Capel Bangor to Aguadulce

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      We didn’t spend a lot of time on the beach on our most recent trip to Spain and we didn’t ride our bikes down to the sea as often as usual either, but I did carry everything I needed to the beach in Aguadulce in the bag that I made  in Mel’s class in Capel Bangor.

      Back in Capel Bangor in pale and watery March it looked almost too shockingly bright but on a sunny Spanish beach it wasn’t a bit out of place.

      Well, the connection is not about cycling at all but the lovely Moda ‘Pedal Pushers’ fabric designed  by the mother and daughters Jung that caught my eye in the days before we started making Mel’s brilliantly designed, multi-pocketed bag.

      Here’s the whole 1950’s inspired ‘Pedal Pushers’ range:product-collageIt was, of course, the red and aqua end of the range that caught my attention. A combination that always draws my eye.

      The mini-patch, quilted back pocket shows all of my selection with raspberry ‘Wicker’ and sky ‘Floral Crest’ as my main fabrics.

      I had a real sense of satisfaction putting the bag together, putting a range of skills to use, getting the inner and outer pockets in place and finding that everything fitted perfectly – thanks to Mel’s clear instructions and direction of course. Left to my own devices it probably would have been assembled and reassembled numerous times!

      IMG_1838

      And as always our group worked happily and supportively; having lots of fun and, on occasion, really getting down to some serious work!

       

      And when it came to going downIMG_1905 2 to the beach in sunny Almeria with all the necessary paraphernalia my bag was light and easy to carry and not just a brightly coloured beach bag but a practical, organised super-bag. Oh! And the soft padding meant it also served as a soft place to lay my head!

      I think my beach dress just serves to prove a point about my current colour preferences!

      And just look at all these pockets -perfect!

      Thanks Mel!

      Knit a bit, sew a bit. Create. Val Jones-Hughes