Finally Finished

Finally it's finished! I started this quilt a year ago when my niece was born, and she would have received it not long after that but unfortunately a whole lot of stuff got in the way. First my machine started doing it's horrible missing stitches thing, then I got pregnant and lost all desire to craft. The pattern is from a free tutorial by Oh Fransonn! on the sew mama sew blog.

I straight line quilted down the solid strips, not really worrying about it being exact (i like the look) then shadow quilted along each of the charm squares. The quilting was all working until I got to the shadow quilting then my machine decided that skipping stitches would be a good idea. I've had it serviced but it still seems to be happening. Could it have something to do with my walking foot? I pushed on and got it finished just in time for Niah's 1st birthday. I love the funky monkey fabric, I have some left over and I'm just working out what I can make with it next.

I loved this pattern it was so easy to follow and came together so quickly. After machine quilting this one I'm looking forward to hand quilting my next, I have ideas of what that will be, something on the lines of aussie designer Kate Conklin. But I should finish this quilt first!! I just have to find where I put it. I've claimed a corner of the lounge room now as a sewing space but all of my sewing "stuff" is still a bit everywhere.

TTFN

Library Bag for James

I may have mentioned a few posts ago that I was off to make a library bag for Little A. We'll I ended up making one for my friends son James instead, don't worry, Little A's will be made!!

I ended up making up the pattern, not too difficult. I just used bits and pieces of what I have learnt on bag making over the past year. If anyone is interested in a tutorial please let me know. When I get around to making the next one I'll document it as I go.

I'm going to have to put the crazy nine patch quilt on hold for a bit, my sister gave birth to a daughter yesterday so now I'm busy planning on something special for her. Very exciting :-).

TTFN

Electronics Case

I made this for my sister for her birthday. I gave her a clutch purse last year, she was being very inventive and using it as a case for her hard drive, so I thought I'd make her another one with a bit more padding!! Again, the pattern is from the Sewing Calendar 2010. This little calendar is coming in very useful for little projects. I quilted it with radiating straight lines from the centre, spiral like, and used a press stud instead of a button. I tried making a button hole with a sample but my machine just wasn't coping, layers were a bit thick I think.

Edit: I also changed the size so it would fit an external hard drive.

The design is by Ayumi Takahashi of Pink Penguin. You can also find the pattern on her website as a tutorial, along with some other lovely looking tutorials which I'm going to have to try.

TTFN

Pincushion organiser

Pincushion organiser, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

I finally did it, I made Oh! Fransson's Pincushion organiser (also over at Sew Mama Sew). It's been on the to do list for ages. I had some time this week so, it got made. It was easy to make, mainly due to the excellent tutorial Elizabeth put together. I think I over stuffed the pincushion bit, getting the rice bag in was tough. If I make another I think I would put some interfacing in the pouch to make it a bit more sturdy.

I'm still not sure of the colours I've used but they are growing on me. I used 3 flat fats out of a 5 pack of coordinating fabric from spotlight.

TTFN

Grocery Bag Dispenser

Grocery Bag Dispenser, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

Another domestic project complete. Now all my plastic bags are off the floor of the laundry and neatly tucked away in my new plastic bag dispenser!! I ended up using the tutorial from Rachel Griffith at p.s i quilt. The tutorial is also on the moda blog. I used 2 fabrics instead of multi. It was hard enough deciding on these. I don't know if you can read the text but it's all about saving the planet with recycling etc. The fabric is all from my stash and originally from spotlight. I quilted it with straight lines offset from the seam joins.

The thing about this tutorial is that it taught me why it's good to iron the seems one way. When piecing it together all of the joins lined up perfectly. Definitely sold me on doing this now, I have usually always ironed them flat. I used the basting spray again for making the quilt sandwich. I think I've emptied the can. This was only the second project I used it on, thought it would last much longer than that, it's not like I over did it either. Oh well.

Back later with my another finished project.

TTFN

Chrissy pressy for Mum

Chrissy pressy for Mum
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Ok this is the last post that should have been done last year!!

I made Little Miss Millicent for my mum for Christmas. It was from a Christmas homespun issue from the year before. I wanted to make it then but had a long list before it. Even though there is a lot of tiny detail in it, it was easy to make and didn't take too long. I had to make it in-between other commitments so it seemed to take longer than it should have!! I love working with felt and hope to be making more like this, even though I have made this year, year of the practical projects, I still want to squeeze a few decorative in here and there!!

TTFN

Little Miss Millicent, pattern from Homespun Mag 9.11, design by Louise Hatchard, handmade by MandyMade.

Girl Robot

Girl Robot
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made this Girl Robot for my niece for Christmas. You may remember the one I made for my son for his birthday. They are very nice and quick to make. I added buttons this time instead of cutting out felt and sewing them on, it looked like it needed buttons. Other than that I made it in the same way as I did my sons, except I drew the seam allowance onto the fabric for the arms, I think it gave a better result for the claws.

TTFN

Girl Robot design by Audrey and Maude, handmade by MandyMade

First Friendship star table runner

First Friendship star table runner
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

This was a Christmas gift for my MIL. You may remember this in a wip a while ago, here. Well, I ended up making 3 friendship stars from the Block Party pattern then made it into a table runner.
I had no pattern to go by after I made the stars so here is what I ended up doing:
I sewed strips to join up the stars and on the ends. Then made a long strip for the border. I used the basting spray I bought a little while ago to sandwich the batting and backing. It stank, but did the job really well. I was after a stiff finish so this worked well, not sure how it would end up if you wanted a very soft quilt finish. I machine quilted straight lines around the stars. I wasn't happy with how they turned out on the back so I then added material to the back, then added the binding with the same material.
I really liked how it turned out. I want to make another but we'll see what block comes up next in the Block Party Quilt Along.

TTFN

First friendship star table runner made from the pattern used on Block Party Quilt Along

Tickle the Turtle 2

Tickle the Turtle 2
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Yes you have seen this turtle before but this is it's twin. I made this turtle at the same time as the last one but didn't want to blog about it until I had give in it to it's very precious owner. One of my girlfriends had a very premy baby back in September, she has now reached 100 days so it's very exciting, Tickle the Turtle (or what ever baby Gaby will call her) is now with her new owner.

If you want to read more about the making etc of the turtles go here

TTFN

Tickle the Turtle, Design by Audrey and Maude, in Australian Homespun Vol 10.9, handmade by MandyMade

Pencil Roll

Pencil Roll
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Another one of Little A's friends turned 5 over the weekend. I made this pencil roll for her. The original pattern had a caterpillar applique on the front and Hungry Caterpillar material. Well, I didn't hunt too hard to find that material and I had these wonderful pieces in my stash. So this is my version. I sewed the lines for the pencils from the front instead of the back as I was still a bit unsure of how my tension was going on my machine. I ended up not having to worry, a good clean does wonders!!

I can see many more of these being made, I even went out and bought basting spray. Anyone had any bad experience with basting spray? I would like to hear about the good or the bad.

TTFN

Mandy

Pattern from Australian Homespun Vol 9.12. I'm a Hungry Caterpillar Pencil Roll, design by Lynne Power. Handmade by MandyMade

Olivia's birth present

Olivia's birth present
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I know it's been a little while, been really busy. Not to mention reading everyone else's blogtober fest blogs!! I don't know how you all have done it!!

I made this little friend for new born baby Olivia. It's from Homespun Vol 10.9 Designed by Louise from Audrey and Maude. The majority of it is hand sewn. Yes the hexagons are hand sewn. It's the first time I have sewn this technique (I think its called American piecing) and I must say it was very relaxing. And it came together very quickly.

I was so impressed with it that I am making another, but for who, is a surprise still to come.

For more pics please go to my flickr page.

TTFN

Mandy

Tickle the Turtle, Design by Audrey and Maude, in Australian Homespun Vol 10.9, handmade by MandyMade

For Levi's 2nd Birthday

For Levi's 2nd Birthday
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I made another elsie dog, this one for a friends son Levi. We don't get to see them very often so I whipped him up as soon as I found out we were going to have a chance to see them on the weekend.

All the fabric is from my stash. As this is the second time I have made this softie I found him pretty fast to make. I do think they have made a mistake in the instructions though, I think they ask you so sew the ears onto the wrong side of the fabric before adding the head gusset. So I just made it the way I thought it should be and it turns out ok.

I'm still not sure if they have added the seam allowance though to the pattern as it still didn't end up as full as the picture in the book. I need to make another by the end of the year so I'll experiment then.

Only one more day left on my giveaway so don't forget to check out my 100th post for your chance to win. I will draw the winner tomorrow night Melbourne time.

It has now been 66 days since I bought material. I may have to break that tomorrow as I have a few newborn's to make something for and I would like to get something fresh and new.

Until next time.....

elsie the little dog: design by Kate Henderson from 'more softies' Penguin Books. Handmade by MandyMade

Happy Birthday Becca

Gifts for my sisters
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

For our birthdays this year my sisters and I decided to go see a show (Billy Elliot) together and that would be our birthday present to each other. That was back in April. But I felt funny about not giving her anything for today, so I made the cute as a button clutch from Meet me at Mikes book. It was quick and easy to whip up, my over stitching still needs a bit of work though, it's the machine, definitely the machine!!!

Gifts for my sisters
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

And cos I couldn't leave the other sister out I made one for Jo'e too. Happy birthday Bec and happy un-birthday Jo'e :-).

TTFN

"Cute as a button vintage clutch" from book Meet me at Mikes, Project by Kara Smith, Handmade by MandyMade.
Fabric from Spotlight.

Edit: Since I posted this I have read a tute from Pepperberry & Co about how to take photos of purses, I need to now note that my photos were taken a second after they were finished and seconds after that, wrapped and given to my sisters. I know I need to work on my camera skills and thanks to people like Sandra for posting such great tutes :-) may my purse photography be ever better in the future.

PS. I've been playing around using Picnik in flickr, can you tell?!!!

Sarah's Journal

Sarah's Journal
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Another 5th birthday, coming thick and fast now. This little friend of Little A's I am told loves to write in a journal with her mum, so when I saw this pattern in Homespun Mag 10.8 (design by Danielle Carey) I had to make it. There was supposed to be a stitchery but I thought with the age of the recipient, I would fussy cut into a panel instead.

It ended up being slightly smaller than the pattern said and I was lucky enough to find a note book to fit, too big for an A5 and too small for the intended size.

So there you go, another stash buster down!! 26 days now since I bought material!!!

TTFN :-)

Birthday Pressy

Birthday Pressy
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I've been very busy in the last couple of weeks, thus the lack of blogging. I have been busy crafting though so I guess that makes up for it!!?

I still have heaps of projects on the go and will definitely have another Sunday WIP this week.

I made "Bubbles" from Melly and Me's book Kaleidoscope. It was a pressy for one of Little A's friends. If carrying it around and feeding it jelly at the party was anything to go by, I think she liked it!!!

It was the first softie I have made where the majority of the embellishments a sewn on after the body is complete, not sewn into the seams. I was a bit daunted by this at first but I think it turned out ok. It was my first Melly and Me pattern, I've been dying to do one for ages. So there you go.

All material was from my stash. It is now 24 days since I last bought material. Going not to bad!!

Octavius Owl

Octavius Owl
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I completed Octavius Owl. It was really easy to make I must say. I have never quilted any of my softies before so this was the new challenge. The back part seemed to end up being too long (about a seam allowance) so I trimmed it back, this worked. I'm not very good at top stitching around corners, I like to think it's my machine that's restricting me!! So I hand top stitched.
As I have blogged before about the fabric I wont go in to detail but I now think that some of it is Moda, but please don't quote me.
Check out more photos on my flickr site for more detail.
Octavius Owl from Homespun Vol 9.10 Design by Jhoanna Monte Aranez. Handmade by MandyMade.

Octavius Owl
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Boy doll quilt

Boy doll quilt
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

The doll quilt in action!!

Lily's Birthday Present

I went to spotlight to buy a new rotary cutter blade, I knew I shouldn't have cos I also came out with a quilting ruler some other stuff and the fabric I ended up making this bag out of. I don't know why I didn't get the quilting ruler sooner, it made cutting the strips for the bag sooooo much easier, can highly recommend one. I ended up getting the one with inches as all patterns that require this kind of cut have it in inches. Anyway... I also think it was my metal ruler that was making my rotary blade blunt.

I knew I wanted to make my niece a library bag and had my eye on one in homespun mag. I didn't think I had enough time to make it and thought i'd have to iou. So I changed the look of the bag but kept everything else the same, and finished it in time, approx 5 hours i think.

She seemed to like it (as much as a 3 year old does).

Lily's Library Bag
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Lily's Library Bag
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Doll Quilt complete

Doll Quilt complete
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I finished the doll quilt for my niece. It was great doing the tutorial form the doll quilt sew along on Sew mama Sew. Unfortunately all I can now think of is quilting, I say unfortunate because I really don't need to add to my already bursting craft to do list!! I am constantly going back over old mags to see what I could make. I really liked the size of this one and it was really fast to make.

Gifts for friends kids

Gifts for friends kids
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

I found this pattern in Homespun. I love making Kate Hendersons designs so naturally I had to make this one too. I made 4 of the large and 4 of the small to give as gifts to friends kids.

They were very easy to make and as a production line goes, fast to make. All the materials I used were from my stash. For photos of all of the platypus go to my flickr.

Pippa, Polly and Penny: design by Kate Henderson from 'Australian Homespun Vol 10.1. Handmade by MandyMade