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!

More quilting - what happened?

I've been making 4" teacup blocks for a block swap I'm hoping to join in, I haven't committed myself to it yet as I may not get them all made. I think I have to make 10 will have to check up on the rules later. Here's a pic of the 4 I've made so far -

They are paper or foundation pieced, a technique I used to hate and had given up on, I always got the fabric in the wrong place and was convinced I didn't have the brain for paper piecing. However, I had to do it for City & Guilds so I trawled the net then tried out every method I found, this is the one that worked for me http://www.quiltdesignnw.com/tips_p_piece.htm Now I have no problems with this technique and, dare I say it, I actually rather enjoy it:-)

Quilting - yes there is some

Having been asked to do a demonstration on machine applique and decided to make something from the samples rather than just have lots of them sitting around until the next demo request. It also gives me something finished to show which is small, but did i draw my design on paper? No don't be silly that would be the sensible think to do and I have never knowingly done anything sensible:) Long story short I forgot what I was going to make it but was much grander than the end result, I know this to be true as now that it is finished I remembered what my original intention was.... Anyway here is what I made -

It is actually a cushion but this is the best pic I have of it!

Yes I know it is pink and its hearts, but hearts are a good way to demo machine applique there are inny points, outy points and curves. And I have all that pink fabric left over from Charlotte's pink quilt, its got to go somewhere!

Inspiration

At last I am regularly remembering to take my camera out with me on our walks there is always something to take a pic of.
A busy bee at work among the thistles
I love these little yellow wild flowers don't know their name but they are pretty Ivy growing up a tree, Ivy has always fascinated me.

Pups

The Pups are growing at a great rate Tigger is still limping slightly, will give him another week before a return visit to the vet. He could just have got used to limping because he does put all his weight on when he is running, we shall see.

We were out for a walk I was taking pictures Tigger just had to get involved:o)

Tigger

Tigger has been limping for 10 days, we thought he had a sore pad due to over zealous ball chasing on the concrete one weekend, and though it has improved hasn't got better. So off we went to the vet to get him checked out, it seems there is nothing obviously wrong. We will have to see how he goes, hes also got to cut down on the amount of rampaging he does around the orchard, and strictly no ball chasing, how boring for an exuberant puppy!!

Catching up

The dead creature stench has, I am thankful to say, been confined to the cupboard so perhaps the dear thing is in the barn - the cupboard wall is also part of the barn wall.

I've still got this cold I've had for a month now, today I stocked up on loads of veggies, fruit, multi vitamins I'm going to blast the remains! watch this space. Its not like I don't eat my greens etc. I'm maybe not that keen on the fruit but will endeavour to eat more of both.

Been busy finishing a blue and white quilt still waiting for the binding but it is cut and ready to go as are the hanging sleeve and binding, these are the bits I dislike putting on like finishing though!

The boys went to the football this afternoon, time flys when you are having fun it hardly seemed like five minutes before they were back. I spent the whole of the afternoon sewing, bliss....

Malodorous Pongs

What a day!!
Had the bright idea I would wash the sheets and for the first time in years didn't immediately put clean ones on the bed (it's just one of those jobs I hate) fatal.... !

Got a phone call late afternoon someone wanting a quilt, quilts live in a cupboard in my bedroom. Went to find said quilt, opened the cupboard door to be met with the decidedly unpleasant scent of dead creature mouse, rat....?
I gingerly deposited the contents of the very full cupboard on my unmade bed, chair, floor, dressing table etc. thankfully the dead creature was not in there, it must be under the floorboards or in the loft. So whilst trying to sleep I will get to savour this delightful aroma for several days as it decays. Oh the joys of living in a house attached to a barn!!! Perhaps we should get a cat.
Anyway now I have to face - sorting out the quilts and making the bed, well I didn't have time earlier I had a quilt to deliver, and all before I can go to bed. Hence writing the blog anything to put it off!! And I really ought to do a little cleaning in the cupboard, the local spiders appear to have moved in enmase.

Why oh why can I not follow even my own rules: take sheets off bed, put clean sheets on bed, put dirty sheets in washer, dry, put away, simple.

The moral for today: if only had I made the bed I could have dumped all the quilts on the floor and sorted it all out tomorrow! Can't dump quilts on floor and get around and make bed, could dump quilts on landing and put lives at risk...perhaps not, with my luck it will be me gets up in the middle of the night and a breaks leg tripping over them!!

Guess who didn't get to do any sewing today and is now feeling decidedly crotchety?!!

Pink Parfait

Pink Parfait had another outing on Saturday so I took the opportunity to take some pix




It wasn't in the best of positions for taking photos this is the best I could manage.













A close up of the border and my hand quilting.


I am not a hand quilter but have been constantly surprised and humbled by the comments I have received about my quilting, it is ok but no great shakes. It is reasonably even but please don't put it anywhere near a real hand quilters work i.e. Sandy Lush, Lillian Hedley, Barbara Chainey or Gwenfai Rees Griffiths to name but a few.
Amusingly within the quilt there are stitches of varying size and spacing and the lines are not straight either! When I began I thought I was doing reasonably small stitches, but when I got back round to the start I was shocked at how much smaller my stitches had become. Now its all finished they are lost within the quilt, I'm not sure I could find my starting place now if I wanted too.
I am reassured that the overall picture not the individual elements within the quilt are what people see and admire. The errors/mistakes are either lost or maybe they only matter to me the maker, and then only at the time of creating the piece.

Play mat

I have had an awful summer cough, cold and sore throat for over 3 weeks now but today am feeling much much better, lets hope it continues:-)

I have been busy working despite all and have begun making Becky's play mat I must get a wriggle on she'll walking before its ready! any way here's a pic of progress so far.

I bought a pack of fat 1/4s to but only used 2 so I've raided my stash for the red and yellow fabric. I am determined not to buy any more fabric so the borders and backing fabric will be coming out of my stash too.

I went fabric shopping last week... no last week I went shopping for something, but came home with more fabric, I have no idea how that happened :o)

Its ironic I joined the contemporary group of the Quilters Guild in April, since then I haven't looked at, thought about or attempted to make a single thing that could be considered remotely contemporary. I've gone all traditional I'm even making another sampler quilt, perhaps I should have joined the traditional group!! I even found myself suggesting I might make a wholecloth quilt last Saturday.