Sunday 5 October 2014

Bunting quilt by Deborah OHare

This latest project was a birthday gift for a friend which I did on the spur of the moment with only three weeks to get it done, nothing like a bit of pressure. Added pressure when I found out it was a foundation pieced quilt, something I have never done and am ashamed to say never did the paper piecing as required, went a bit freelance.

Stitch fabrics
I selected all the fabrics in a lunch break at Stitch, Colombo Street, so bit of rush, but they had all I required - black, purple and electric blue (as requested by my bestie!).

Mock up of block

Because I wasn't going to follow the exact foundation piecing that the quilt instructed (I didn't have the time to learn the techniques, next time perhaps) I decided to sew up a mock block for starters to make sure I was heading in the right direction, luckily I was. 

Block bits are ready for sewing
The cutting up took forever. I managed to get flat feet in the process! Cutting up is my least favourite thing to do, but with these blocks the pieces had to be exactly right cos otherwise I knew they wouldn't line up.

Bit by bit getting their wings

Slowly but surely the pieces came together

What a marathon...

To be continued...

Thursday 2 October 2014

I Spy quilt

My first and most likely last I Spy quilt began in August and is almost finished, well the top at least. I started with cutting out the hexagons and triangles with scissors (shopping list: smaller rotor cuter!).


Next came placement, putting this with that, and that with this. The lime green triangles really made the quilt zing! Probably not for everybody's taste, but I have always loved the colour green.


These cloths for placing your fabrics are excellent eh! I have mine pinned in the hallway, not the most ideal place, but one wall that was under utilised!

These funny half triangles had to go at the top and bottom and get chopped to shape the quilt into a rectangle. This is where following the pattern comes in handy...


The majority of my novelty fabrics were brought when I was building my stash. They looked pretty at the time, but I had no idea what the dang I was going to use them for. Luckily this pattern came along!

This pic show how I was planning my blocks....
it took forever before they all fell into place.
At last I planned how all my blocks would go. I selected each row at a time, walking back and forth to my sewing room before placing them back on the wall, just in case I got the configuration all wrong. Luckily they were all sewed up OK.


Wednesday 1 October 2014

Purple bag

This is the purple bag I made some time ago, but the straps needed to be shortened. My friends said "just tie a knot in each strap"....... Heavens to Betsy, like I would ever do that!!!

The bag had to have the lining unpicked, turned inside out, more unpicking to get to get to the straps and then they were altered and sewn back into place. Seams sewn back in, turned right way in, and lining hand stitched back in place. A lot of fiddling, but I strive for perfection. I would rather turn out something that looks great than looking good. I imagine every other quilter feels the same way when they make gifts for family or friends.

The photos don't do the bag justice, but the purple bag really is purple and not blue!!! In case you are asking the pattern can be brought at Quilters Quarters and a few of the sewing group did them at our classes. It is called "Spice of Life" by Monica Poole.

Inside out before I sewed the seams
The finished lining with zipped pocket
The finished bag with my made up latch
Close up of chalky black fabric which I love

Straps at the desired length, not too long and not too short!