Crazy Nine Patch Quilt

It's all but finished! Quilting took longer than normal. Lesson learnt - get the right machine needle for the job. I needed an 80 - I only had a larger needle to hand so "made do". Every 10 seconds or so, the top thread broke. To say I was frustrated was an understatement. Then, in my rush to continue, every so often I left the foot up (anyone else do that??) resulting in a mess of threads at the back of my work. Anyway, half way through, I rooted out the correct machine needle & the second half was a breeze

I've not quite finished sewing on the binding, as the pictures will attest, but I have to say, I am rather pleased with this one! The binding is a blue sheet I picked up from IKEA. I won't do that again. It's 100% cotton but feels awful. Really shiney. Not nice. Fine for binding, though (not for backs of quilts or sashing as had been my intention, however)

So here is my almost finished quilt for Georgie's birthday on Valentine's day. What's next???

Stippling again

I arrived safely home on Saturday from a fabulous trip to CHA in downtown LA. The time difference is a killer. Staying in the new, swanky JW Marriott Hotel at LA Live helped. Having Lianne as a companion also helped. Two days of shopping followed by a day of touring helped too. So, my purse is lighter, my eyes heavy and a mountain of work ahead of me, what do I choose to do with my evenings? Well, finish those crazy 9 patch blocks & get them sewn into a quilt in time for my youngest nephew's birthday on Valentine's Day

And here it is under the machine....................

What's currently under your machine??

Crazy Nine Patch Blocks

I mean - why finish a quilt when you can start a new one? I'm not really feeling the wonky log cabin blocks and have a mountain of fabrics in my drawer (I went a little mad at Christmas *gulp*) and kept looking at the Crazy Nine Patch block on the Oh, Fransson! blog. I chose rather masculine fabrics for this one. I am unsure whether I will use them for the lattice quilt or use my own design - will have a play when the blocks have been made up

Here are the fabrics I chose (a half yard selection from Fabricworm - they put together the cutest mixed manufacturers selections!)

 Ready and cut into 9 1/2" squares (I did 3 sets):

And here's the cutting process

After 2 cuts

After 3 cuts

The first 9 blocks

I'm off to CHA (Craft & Hobby Association show) in LA on Friday - I really should be thinking about what to take, packing etc - but why do that when sewing calls????! My beloved is home on Wednesday - one more night and then I really must spend some quality time with him before jetting off!

We'll see what tomorrow brings xx

Progress

With my beloved in Europe skiing with work (I know!!), the evenings are now full of guilt free sewing (when I'm not too tired from being kept awake by our darlings)

A lot of handsewing is taking place and progress is being made on the  stitcheries I mentioned previously.

Tonight, however, I resurrected the red & turquoise wonky log cabin blocks and a little more progress has been made...........

I think progress on this quilt is so very slow because I am not entirely sure exactly what to do with it. I know I'm going to sash between the blocks because I don't have enough fabric to make enough blocks for a decent size (am aiming for either 4 x 5 or 5 x 6 blocks, depending how it goes). But I'm not entirely sure which colour to use. White would be the classic, but I'm not really feeling it. I love all the charcoal I'm seeing around and am tempted by that, but would it look to dark next to these colours? Another alternative would be a fawn type colour like I used on Penny's quilt

Any thoughts??

Elizabeth Susan

My sister gave birth to Elizabeth Susan this afternoon at 2:45pm, weighing 7lb 12 1/2oz. Mum & baby doing well. I am thrilled - she has two boys and now a girl to add to the equation - how perfect!

We are trekking over to Wales tomorrow to see her - the twins will stay and play with their cousins whilst I get to go and have fabulous newborn baby squidges and I cannot wait!

Not wanting to go empty handed, and having given my sister a quilt for Elizabeth for Christmas, I decided to knock up a quick taggie blanket for her. It's not something I have made before but was fairly simple. Luckily I have an abundance of ribbons! I chose velvets, grossgrain, picot edge, satin, ruffled, stitched - all different textures to give those 10 perfect little fingers a little something to be entertained by. I chose more fabrics from the Patricia Bravo Dreaming in French FQ bundle I bought at Seamstar - Courtney is fabulous and had teamed it up with some solids for me, which were perfect for this project. The backing is a fabric I bagged in the Christmas sale at Fabricworm - I bought half a yard of pink and the same in blue, just incase! I used Warm & White batting inside (an offcut from a quilt I made last year). Super simple quilting on either side of the "ditch" rather than in it (I think it looks so much nicer like that - show off the quilting, don't hide it!) and topstitched around the edge of the seam

Have just realised the quilting looks puckered at the bottom in this pic - it's not, honest!

Hope she likes it!

Busy few days!

I've been incredibly busy in my job which is always a blessing in January. This has left me wiped out come the evening, however, and less sewing has been done this week.

That said, I have started stitching the comic strips to go on James' Block of the Month quilt. Boy, this is going to take a looooooooooooooong time! That said, it's nice to have something to curl up infront of the telly and do without having to haul out machines, cutting mats, rulers, iron & ironing board etc etc each night

My stitching is straight - honest - The photo was rather rushed this evening..........

Yesterday I had the urge to finally paint J & A's table & chair set from good ole' IKEA. So, I nipped to Homebase and got the necessary paint etc and this is the result (have to say am rather pleased with this!!)

They are also very pleased with their new table, although every time I wipe up after food, James asks me if I'm trying to wipe the paint off - so cute.

Finally, look what came in the post for me Friday:

Tulla Pink's Parisville. I loved this line but simply could NOT justify buying any more fabric after my spending spree. So, I settled for a Jelly Roll. Am sure I can make something nice out of it - I have a few ideas up my sleeve.................watch this space!!

Block of The Month

I signed up for a block of the month in October (it actually started in August) and since then, have been receiving the most beautiful parcels of fabric & threads and instructions. I have poured over the instructions, the pattern (which I adore - from Hatched & Patched called "A Boy's Story"), have started a couple of the needle turn applique panels, but had yet to start actually "doing". I think I was enjoying the "Modern Quilting" thing too much and this is so totally different.

I have been a little under the weather this week - the start of a cold,  I think, so didn't feel quite so inspired & wanted to simply follow a pattern. So, for the past couple of nights, I have embroidered, turned with a needle some more, cut, ironed, sewn and squinted at a not so good picture to work out which fabric goes where & this is where I'm at..............

It's my first attempt at needle turning applique and so far, it's blooming hard! I will persevere, though. Hopefully it will get easier. The pattern is gorgeous - am making it for James for a big boy's quilt - as he's only 3 I suspect I shall wait until he's a little older. I think this will be hand quilted too so it may be a few years before it's finished anyway!!

So now, I need to find an equally gorgeous pictoral quilt for Amelia (Also 3). Any suggestions??