Back in the saddle

I actually haven't been out of the saddle, but haven't been blogging for a very long time... Shame on me. How am I supposed to keep a record of my patchwork quilting if I don't actually enter my creations.

Its been such a long time I can hardly remember what I have finished.

LOG CABIN: I finally got it quilted by a professional. There was no way on earth I could do my 85" bedspread in my machine.

Corner detail

Love that professional quilting look

The complete package

Rolled log cabin quilt with some visitors

PILLOWCASES: One of the ladies in my Wednesday session went to a class on making pillowcases. Now the whole group are making them in their sleep! It consists of three fabrics, 65cm, 25cm and 10cm.

My first pillows

MY NEW CUTTING TABLE: My bestie's bestie made me a cutting table to order!!! Gotta love ya mates! It stands approximately 90cm and at present has one shelf (which roll out), but have requested a second. It comes complete with an expandable extra length for when I need to pin a large quilt. I am so impressed and get so motivated when standing before it, it's almost like a shrine!!

TEAPOT SET: My first attempt at making small objects. The photo below shows my excitement at beginning it and the wading for the teapot to the left. I have nearly finished the set, but the cup and saucer do not resemble the photo, ha! Once finished I will upload the finished project.

The set includes teapot, 2 x cups, 2 x saucers

CHICKEN QUILT: My best intentions are there! I thought after finishing the log cabin I would tackle something easier, so I cut some 10" squares for readiness. I will link the blocks with some interesting chicken wire fabric, which I have yet to choose, thus the reason the blocks are still on the design wall (i.e., hallway!).

Chicken blocks on the wall and toy mouse in the hallway...

BARGELLO: I finally located the extra batch of fabric required to finish off my bargello, but as yet have not cut and attached it to the finished top. It came all the way from the United States, so thank you very much America!! Will load piccie as and when I complete the top.

That's all for now, happy stitching!

That Mystery quilt, part 6

At last I have finally finished the top of that mystery quilt I started last March. I tackled the remaining fourth elephant and then begun to add all the bits I hadn't added; eyes, mouths and legs! This included drawing an eye for each, blanket stitch for the mouths and leg detail. Now they are complete I think I might add some extra decorative bling to them.

The first one

Along came number two

Number three plods along

Lucky last

Part 2

Now to sew all the parts together

Beginning to take shape

The final strips

After adding all the other parts together I stood back and thought, mmmm, not really my cup of tea. Not sure if I would ever tackle a mystery quilt again in a hurry. The elephant applique took a lot of work doing, it might grow on me once it is quilted, maybe...

All ready to quilt

Those last touches to uncompleted projects

You know how you get real excited by starting a quilt and then the momentum slowly fizzes out...? Well last weekend I completed my odd backing for my log cabin and sent it away to be quilted on Wednesday. I said to my quilter, "I have no idea what I want quilted". She is going to look at my top design and come up with ideas.

I sewed two backs on my cushions, sewed one set of buttons on only. One of the cats saw the shiny buttons and thought they looked nice to chew. I still have two more cushions to do the backings and stuff them all with inserts.

I started a gift for a friend two weeks ago and have just the binding to hand sew; a very small project, but one with a message. I am actually deciding what to take to this week's sewing group...

I completed my third elephant at the weekend on my mystery quilt which I begun last March. It was supposed to be six month project, but hey! The final part I hope to begin soon, perhaps I could begin it at my sewing group, what a great idea! I realise it involves making a fourth and final elephant... I will have to take some snap shots to give you an idea on how it is progressing.

I managed to sign up for Broadband, but I have yet to connect to it. Hopefully then loading photos will not be such a chore.

It took two big efforts to tidy up my sewing room, plus the fact that I had to buy another trolley to put all my "stuff" into. Lordly, lordly, I guess I should stop buying fabrics....

Bits and Bobs

Not a lot to show for the last month... I got a phone two weeks ago to say that my place in the quilting queue is finally here, but I don't have the backing ready, eek! This is for my log cabin. Basically a case of, oh my gosh this quilt is so huge how am I going to tackle a backing and put some charm into without just stringing along a couple of large pieces of fabric together.

Footnote: This is backing I did in the end for the logcabin. My first for such a large quilt.

Apart from that I have also tackled some button holes using that fancy botton-holer on your sewing machine :)  These will be for three cushions I have practising triangle points on. I did attempt to clean up my sewing room, but never more to report, ho hum!

Added at a later date: Images before I cleaned up my sewing room

Under the pile on the right is my printer...

Run out of room

Oddly enough I did find somewhere to put this "stuff"

In time they will reach the ceiling

Log cabin top complete

Well I completed the top of my log cabin quilt back on the 18th March. I put the borders on one night in a marathon sewing frenzy. I guess finishing quilt tops can send your emotions in all directions and for me I was a blabbering mess. When I am making any of my quilting projects I feel very connected to how the person whom I am giving it to will feel when they see the end result. In this instance the receiver would be my Dad and Step-Mum, Billie. Unfortunately Billie passed away at Easter on Good Friday so never got to see the finished quilt top. Knowing that she would never get to see her quilt, I took lots of photos and sent these in the post with every single fabric that I used. The quilt has yet to be quilted and when that is complete I am sure I feel emotional all over again.

In beloved memory of Billie Judson, 4 July 1931 - 29 March 2013
Mother, wife, grandmother, friend, adventurer, super cook, super baker, crossword queen.

Log cabin picket fences

Because I made my log cabins bigger than the instructions said (I wanted a bigger quilt didn't I!), the house borders required additional blocks. In the end each block contained three big houses, four smaller houses, two trees and an additional block I made up in my head... I decided to go for a picket fence, very basic, and then got two fabrics, one with flowery detail and the other with butterflies. I appliqued the three fabrics onto the block and then added them to the rows of houses. This was my first attempt at machine blanket stitch too! It was fun! Here are some pics of the picket fences.

My attempt at a picket fence template

Pickets at the ready

Sewn into the border

Borders on the log cabin

Slowly, but surely my borders are coming together. I finished the 16 smaller outhouses and have begun on the narrow borders for either sides of the houses. They are in baby pink and blue, how sweet! I'm not a big pink fan, but they do look good together. I really have nothing else to say.... but I promise to load some photos soon!!

Additional: I now have photos to show of the complete house borders and the pink/blue narrow borders.

All the house borders laid out before sewing

Pink/Blue borders added to the houses

Tree detail

Log cabin progress

I finally finished the first lot of 12 houses, the ones with windows and two matching chimneys! I soon began on the other set of 16 smaller houses, no windows or chimneys and finished them off this weekend. Before this border is complete it needs four trees. These are appliqued onto a background fabric. I haven't taken any photos of my houses yet, but when I do I will post a couple of pics. As these are my first houses, they are pretty crap. I mean, how else are you supposed to ensure 12 pieces of fabric fit together to make a "pretty" house. In a real house your roof fits on and lines up with walls... but in my world nothing lines up, but I had sooooo much fun making them!!! Surely the trees will be aced...

All ready to trim up

Trimmed to a T

By the way I started again on my mystery quilt I began last April. This is the one that I had to order extra fabric from Australia to complete part 5. I was finally able to cut out the 16 required circles necessary. Who would think 2" circles would hold up progress for six months... I also appliqued the toenails of the part 4 elephant!

Round up of last two months

Just like that, two months fly by without me tapping the keyboard to add any updates of my unpicking skills! I have three lame excuses, (1) lack of motivation to turn on the laptop; (2) the thought of waiting for dial-up to load my blog page and (3) being on hols in a place where the dial-up is even slower than at home... All that might change soon as at long last my beach community finally have access to Broadband. I now need to "contact my provider"!

On the quilting front:
The bargello quilt - haven't touched it since November... needless to say my parents received alternative Christmas presents.

The log cabin quilt - slowly, but surely I am making process. I have finished the initial 12 houses. The next smaller 16 houses (or out-houses as I like to call them!) are in the cutting out stage.

The mystery quilt - is still that, a mystery!!! I printed out the last set of instructions without looking at the printer, so it's still a mystery as to what it will look like. I did briefly begin appliqueing the second elephant.

Molly in the Garden wall hanging - all the essential bits are appliqued on, but then I got stuck on my flowers. This will need to be taken to my UFO classes to get some guidance.

My first bag - COMPLETE!!! I gave this to my sister at Christmas for a belated July birthday gift. She loves it. It turned out quite nice, can't wait to make another!! Find some pictures below to prove that someone who has never made a bag before, can! (even though it took a really, really, long time...). The beautiful print is of course from the French General range, just divine.

I shall be returning to my UFO classes next Wednesday. Can't wait to catch up on all the goodies the group have been making. Happy stitching!