Friday, May 6, 2011

Oliver's orange quilt finished.

I can't beleive I finished this quilt top all the way back in July 2010. I sandwiched it in September then put aside and only just got myself motivated to quilt the darn thing!!Single bed size, it's been quilted across the width quarter inch apart lines, took forever, mostly quilted over the Easter long weekend and then a few more nights midweek. I used one and a half spools of orange, 13 bobbins went into the quilting alone.
Oh well, he loves it as do I, some of my fave prints are in this quilt. Will I quilt another one like this? Not on your nelly, mind you the quilting does look fantastic so never say never!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Christmas Quilt finished


It's a tad odd that my first quilt finish for 2011, is a Christmas Quilt. Simple and cute, bright and Christmassy, I love it. Perfect to just hang over the back of the couch."It looks like Clown Vomit" said Stuart. Brilliant, just the affect I was going for, not!Quilted in a simple straight stitch from one side to the other, some of the stitches cross over one another. Backing in retro santas and red spot, love!!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Meekatharra Sewing

I only took the basics away with me to Meekatharra; my sewing machine, rotary mat, ruler and cutter, some pins, thread, ergonomic unpicker, spare rotary blade, 2 quilt kits and a stack of Castle Peeps fabric I bought from Bec. First up, I sewed my Huts kit from Dyed and Gone to Heaven. Unfortunately I forgot my vlisofix so it's hutless in these pics, but I love the colours and I think it looks quite passable as an abstract quilt. I bought the kit about 3 years ago from the craft fair, the pattern could do with a little more instruction imo and more fabric really is needed, I had to make the smaller blocks using a scant 1/8th seam and was quite worried about running out. Also there are no set instructions on how to sew the blocks together in a particular order, so I would say that this quilt is best suited for an intermediate quilter who's up for a challenge. Next quilt, my squares. I bought this kit when I went to Melbourne so also a good 2 and a half years ago. I did buy 2 kits the same and gave one to my mum in a blue and brown colourway and mine was in the pink. When I was sewing it up I was a tad unsure about some of the prints but I think it has come together beautifully. Generous amount of fabric, there was enough fabric to make 7 squares from each print not the suggested 6, so my quilt is bigger and I have some quares left over for a matching cushion. I thought it would be for Cate's bed, but I think it suits an older girl so will put away for now and maybe when she's 10 pull it out and have it quilted. And from my Castle Peeps fabric, a while ago I was inspired by this quilt and I cut and sewed 116 mix tape blocks all 6" to make 2 single bed quilts and 4 matching cushions, photos to come. I bought the sashing yesterday amd have been sewing on and off over the weekend, I hope to finish the tops in the next 2 weeks, before the bunks arrive!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year!! My finished quilts for 2010

Hope everyone had a wonderful New Years and set themselves some new challenges for 2011, mine are to go without chocolate for 365 days (gulp), travel more, I also have some mini career goals and of course, more sewing! I set myself a personal goal to complete more quilts than last year, not hard as I only made 5 and 2 were doll quilts! This year I have managed 6, woot! I have 2 more that are fully quilted and just need the binding sewn onto them, and another that is sandwiched and I have started quilting; so I am hoping to have 3 finished quilts in the next few weeks.
In January 2010 I made Black, White and Pink All Over for a friends 40th, I love this quilt, it came together quickly and was mostly from my stash. A work college had a baby girl in February so Sea Life was made to match her nursery decor. April came, I whipped up a Disappearing 9 Patch for a 30th Birthday gift, if I focus I can make one of these lap quilts in a week, IF, lol. I also completed another baby quilt for my manager who had a son, that we are yet to meet (I think he's afraid to bring him into work as were all a little baby crazy!!)
In August I completed Stuart's Two Rail Fence I made this quilt from a free pattern on Mary's blog, I just love it and his fave colour is lime green so he's happy with it.In December I made another Disappearing 9 Patch for Cate's dance teacher, mostly the same as the other but I added some aqua homespun. I have found these are great universal quilts, so hope to make a few and put away for gifts, less personal but great for the time poor worker, and I find that the Amy Butler daisy chain print suits sea side dwellers.So there you have my 6 quilts for 2010. Peak sewing times seams to be whenever I manage to get some holidays and there was a big lapse from May to July when I was sewing dance costumes. All in all, pat on the back for me, I work full time supporting a family of 6, the kids have sport commitments nearly every night, I run a Guinea Pig rescue, volunteer at the school, help fund raise for our Bali sponsor child and I would like to dabble in the occasional market, so my aim for 2011 will be to complete eleven glorious quilts! Eleven!! (with 3 nearly done plus 7 = one more than I made in 2010, lol)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Christmas Quilt

I started cutting up these fabrics for a quick Christmas Quilt. Have cut each print 4.5" wide by random widths to give a scrappy look, have started chain stitching them together with Cate's help.Patten is Chinese coins; semi based on this quilt pattern here.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Lap Quilt for Kylie

Another finish for 2010, a disappearing 9 patch lap quilt for Cate's dance teacher Kylie. Cate had her test 2 exam this morning, and next Tuesday is the Christmas Pagent and then were officially finished for the year. I love this pattern, with the bigger blocks I can whip one up in 2 weeks (sewing after work) or in a weekend if I stay off MSN chat with Emma.Fabric is Amy Butler Daisy Chain, I didn't have enough so added an aqua homespun and also used it on the binding which I think looks quite nice. It came back in stock last week so I picked up a few more metres. More of these to come in the New Year, I want to make 2 for the living room couches and some matching cushion, will add to my very long list!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Catch Up Post

Well I failed Blogtoberfest, lol. We have been so busy this past month so this will be a looooooong catch up post! Firstly, enjoyed the Subiaco Craft Fair, had good fun and sold lots of fabric. I bought a lovely bag, a bird pod and some delish tripple choc brownie, mmmm (sorry no photo's). So would I do this fair again? Probably not, the stall cost is too high and I don't think I am cut out with sharing a booth. I have not been put off craft fairs in general, more that the timing was not right for me as I have so many other commitments in October.
Cate had her dance competition on November 6, she danced her solo to Jellicle Cats, I had alot of trouble with sewing fur to lycra, my hot glue gun came in handy. Watching the other dancers, Cate's routine was too simple for the music and she forgot two small parts and not enough practice sessions were held, I think she only had 5 hours training in total? Nevermind.  Her duo was to Beetle Ball, she was a grasshopper and her partner was a ladybug. They placed 5th out of 9 competitors, very happy, last year they came 3rd together with less compeditors.

On Thursday the 4th it was Cate's 8th Birthday, she loved her Sylvanian Families set, and rhythimic gym ribbon, but also enjoyed her new scooter, some dvd's, pink superman pjs and some Little Pet Shop snow animals. we had her party at home today, the balloons were a big hit! She invited 9 girls from her school and dancing troop, we played musical statues, pass the parcel, pin the horn on the unicorn (??) and ate lots of yummy food like fairy bread, little red sausages, mini cheezles and of course party pies.