C & G mola sample finished

I've finished that is I've done as much as I am going to do until my tutor points out the extra bits I forgot to do/show!!

The Mola fish was good fun to do and I was looking forward to doing the Hmong one, but I used a floppy cotton for the top which frayed before I cut it, wouldn't stay in place even when I tacked it. Thankfully it was only a small piece and I only had to complete a quarter of it:-)

City & Guilds Mola

I've also been busy with C&G work have finally started doing my Mola sample which as quite taken me by surprise; I'm enjoying doing it! I don't as a rule like hand work am never quite dexterous enough to get the bits under for applique and usually have stray bits of thread sticking out or even worse bits that are not meant to fray fraying, which get worse the more I try to fix them. I bend and break needles and generally have my fingers in the wrong place, which are abused by the needles getting revenge they stab me and invariably I end up bleeding. This does not mean that all of the above have not happened with the mola sample, they have, maybe I'm becoming a masochist?!

It's not finished yet and in fact I have since done more to it will post again when its finished. Oh the bit in the corner is showing the stages.

Green Dresden Plate

After making the sample Dresden plate I decided the spokes were too thin and so have redesigned it, it now has 12 spokes instead of 16. I made it up but don't like the colours I used think it needs a bit more umph, it looks dull and I don't do dull :-) Will maybe make another with the gold coloured fabric instead of the green in the curved spokes or maybe not.

I once again figured how to draw using EQ4 which I have had for sometime but rarely use its just so complicated after using Quilt Pro, but am too lazy to find out how to draw a successful Dresden plate using QP and I had instructions for EQ4 :-)

New Specks

Today I picked up my new glasses varifocals, arrg what have I done? I can no longer see a thing:) well ok that's a slight exaggeration, I can still see but everything keeps going all blurry, how on earth does one cope with these things? I know I know I have to give them about a week then apparently I will wonder how I managed without, I keep giving in and putting my old ones back on at least I can still see with them!

I have done no sewing for days, have been procrastinating and have spent sooo much time on the computer, will have to ration myself if I am ever going to get any more done.

Got out my City and Guilds course work thought I ought to maybe do a bit more I might eventually get it finished then, but that sent me hot foot back to the computer to do some essential(?) research. Its taking me rather longer than most folks as I do a bit then get distracted and do other more interesting things then go back and do a bit more. Problem is the gaps between doing bits are getting rather long and I'm embarrassed to say I've been doing C&G part I for the best part of this century:-) Its a correspondence course so I don't have to have anything finished to take to class each week, beginning to think maybe I'm not cut out for a correspondence course, suspect I might just lack the bit of discipline needed to get on and do it.

So now I'm off to bed will start it all again tomorrow...

Dresden Plate

Woo wooo go me - the templates worked!
I figured I'd best make it up in calico to check that it worked - no point in wasting good fabric is there?:-)


Great, now on to the real thing, well tomorrow morning getting too tired now and will just make a mess!

Drafting patterns

Why oh why can I not to just sew a pattern why do I always have to alter and redesign everything? I have been trying to draft a pattern for a Dresden plate most of the week, hopefully I have finally succeeded .
I do have a pattern from the first sampler quilt I made but this time I have to do different sized blocks so the DP will not fit. I have instructions on how to design one but am pants at drawing, cannot draw accurately and am too annal to accept good enough oh no for me it has to be perfect! That's why I love quilting software but only use it, as with all my software, for stuff I need/want and I hate having to take time out to have learn new things on it! So have had to drag out the instruction manual but that is less use than a chocolate poker - at least you can eat a choc poker:-) Why can it not just answer the question how do you draft a Dresden plate block? - I guess because it is too difficult for a sometime user like myself, I know should use it more often, but time I need more time.....

Pink Parfait cushions

I made samples with the leftover bits from Pink Parfait, I used these to try out machine and hand quilting, I've now turned them into these cushions.














They are both the same colour, but I could only find one insert the right size so had to photo them separately. The one on the right is actually a truer colour.

The Menagerie Expands

Number two son has been to my brother's for a few days great I thought I would get loads of time to sew, only to discover the puppies required a lot more of my time and attention, hadn't realised quite how much time he spends with them. I digress, he came home with two kittens, I'm not really a cat person but have to admit they are rather cute!

They are the very devil to photograph they will not stay still!

The pups are somewhat unimpressed the kittens spit at them and poor Trixie got her nose scratched for getting too close, Tigger is keeping them at a more respectable distance!

Outside my comfort zone

Today I have been wrestling with more colours outside my comfort zone, pink was pants but this is worse. I've always been a blues and purples kinda girl but I bought some autumny fabrics a good while ago with the intention of making another sampler quilt, my first quilt was a sampler back in the eons of time, today I began to make the blocks. I have auditioned and cut out enough pieces of fabric for several fan blocks none of which look right. I like autumn colours but am unable to instinctively put them together in a pleasing way they look dull, boring, one will be SCREAMING out over the rest etc.... However I persevered and am reasonably happy with the result, still not sure about the orange in the corner though. (She persevered should go on my gravestone!!)

I sewed it together several times only to see I hated the result and had to cut more pieces and I thought another sampler would be a breeze:-) Is this why we begin with samplers we know nothing the quilt police have yet to find us and we just go with the flow? Now I know I could just go with the flow and stick with what I have stitched but.... it will bug me and I will constantly look at it thinking that's not right how can I fix it etc. etc....

Inchies

I've discovered Inchies!

Yes I know I'm a little behind the rest of the world, but hey I don't get out much...
For others who are as yet uninitiated - first we had fabric postcards then Artists Trading Cards ATC's now we have Inchies, which are basically one inch quilt squares often with lots of embelishments. There are also Plus Size Inchies PSI's (1 1/2" square) this is where I have started. Though having finished one (have 2 more waiting in the wings) I think I might like to have a go at an inchie. Watch this space....

I did cheat somewhat though as I used a scrap from a fabric bowl I made in February (did you guess?!)> I say a scrap but imho it was a large piece I couldn't bear to throw away, and hey what do you know I have a use for it! I cut it into 3 x 1 1/2" pieces, satin stitched around this one, then added beads, sequins and some chavvy little bells that have been hanging around for a couple of years., can't remember why I bought them but wouldn't you know it I only have four, I ask you, what can you do with four?

Teacup swap blocks

Oh my goodness its the 1st of August already where has the year gone? I barely remember July. BUT I have done some quilting so all is not lost!

I got a bit carried away with the teacup blocks... I made 12 in total. I gave myself the deadline of the 1st of August then I would have time to post them without it costing me a fortune and they have a chance of actually getting there on time. They have to be in the USA for the 31st August, I am so organised I hardly recognise myself! I have to send a fat 1/4 to the hostess to cover the cost of returning the blocks, but have nothing suitable so will have to go on a fabric shopping trip, that's going to be hard... not!