Skill Builder Sampler - blocks 5 and 6

I should be doing housework, I'm not, I would rather be sewing but instead I'm all rugged up in front of the computer waiting for the babe to wake up, so I thought I'd finally update you on blocks 5 and 6 of the Skill Builder Sampler.

Block 5

Even though I think there was the same amount of HST in this block as the last, I thought the trimming would never end. Hopefully I'm getting more accurate in my sewing and I wont have to do the trimming technique for much longer! The block was mostly 12 1/2" by 12 1/2". Getting better with the overall accuracy.

Block 6

This block was easy peasy lemon easy (as my son would say) and came together really quickly, a nice easy block to finish off the second month.

And because I finished on time (finally) I could enter into the draw to win a lovely pack of solids. Guess what, I won, yay. Now that doesn't happen everyday. Shows you have to be in it to win it!!

 "We can do it! Skill Builder Sampler" over at Sewn.

Skill Builder Sampler - block 4

Skill Builder Sampler - block 4, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

I got a bit distracted with other stuff I'm sewing for, mainly the school fete, so the Skill Builder Sampler has been a little neglected. So this is block 4. Lots of sewing and lots of cutting/trimming. Thought the trimming was never going to end, I don't know how people make full size quits of half square triangles! I decided to iron the seams open to see how that went. I think it gave a much better appearance. The new sewing machine helped a bit with the accuracy too, my old 1/4" foot wasn't really! So that's 4 down, 32 to go.

 "We can do it! Skill Builder Sampler" over at Sewn.

Another Stepping Stones pillow

I had known for a long time that my mother in law had a big birthday coming up. But I just couldn't think of what to make her. But in my true style of just a week to go the perfect gift popped into my head and another stepping stones pillow was whipped up!

I say whipped lightly! My MIL's colour and pattern tastes are a bit different to mine which I was struggling with, so off to spotlight I went. With advise from the hubby pink and flowers had to be included, but I had the idea of sewing the boys hands on (like I did for my mum for mothers day) already and I didn't think pink hands for my boys would work!

Luckily spotlight had a fat quarter bundle with the perfect fabrics for me. I added a border to the centre square to add more pink into it. As I only ever use a small amount of batting at a time in my projects I usually buy a packet of it, but the one I usually get wasn't there so I'm testing out a different one. It's polyester not cotton, it has a much higher loft so the end result was a lot more puffy than I'm used to, I also tried quilting in the ditch but it's not for me. On a learning note, I ironed some of the seams the wrong way so the squares didn't quite match up. If I make this pillow again I might try ironing the seams flat and see what a difference that makes.

The back. Another lesson learned, make sure the material is lined up at 0 not 1 when cutting!! Luckily I had some left over to patch up, can you tell?

It's amazing how different another pattern and colour scheme makes to a project. Makes me re-think a lot of quilt patterns that I have seen but been turned off by the materials used.

As I was busy making this pillow I didn't get a chance to make the extra block for the Skill Sampler, oh well, maybe I can catch up.

TTFN

Skill Builder Sampler - block 3

Skill Builder Sampler - block 3, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

I finished this a week ago and I'm only just getting to blog about it now. School holidays at the moment and computer time has been a bit non existent, you should see the count in my google reader! Though I have had some time to sew and as soon as I get some good light to photograph what I've made, then I'll be back again.

This block appeared to be so easy but ended up smaller than the other 2. I think I will be sashing each of the blocks to make them even in the end. My 1/4 inch foot just isn't so I need to be really careful. I guess that's what this skill builder is all about. I ended up doing the trim method for the HST's which I'm glad I did cos there wasn't much to trim. The next challenge is to design my own block which is going to be hard, there is only so many ways you can do it! I'm trying really hard not to go to the flickr group to see what everyone else is doing so I don't copy, don't think I'll last!

TTFN

Stepping Stones Pillow

It's all finished and didn't take all that long to make.

I think I spent more time procrastinating over cutting into the beautiful Saffron Craig fabric.

I'm really happy with it, it's the first time I made flying geese, and everything seemed to fit together nicely. I've had trouble in the past with everything not coming together but I used the edge of my 1/4 inch foot instead of the guard and everything turned out beautifully.

I was going to quilt by hand but I just didn't have the time and coming down with yet another cold, so I shadow quilted in a square from the main square and back stitched over the wings which made them pop out. I machine sewed the binding down then hand stitched it to the back.

So if you have a fat quarter pack laying around that you don't know what to do with I recommend making this pillow, great skill builder and a quick project to commplete.

I gave it to my neice yesterday for her 5th birthday, think she was happy with it ;-)

TTFN

I did it

I cut the fabric.

Then I sewed it back together again.

Now how to quilt it. Hand or machine? Straight or something else? Please I need help with this.

I got the pattern from here.

TTFN

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day for yesterday.

This brekky was made for me by my lovely husband, my fave.  We had a nice day mostly at home, I could have stayed in the new slippers and dressing gown I was given all day. We did the extended family gatherings on saturday, which didn't go to plan as we'd been looking forward to. No thanks to a drunk driver early saturday morning, for wiping out the car my sister was driving on the way to a market. She was very lucky and walked away from the accident, not sure what happened to the other driver, or the puddings she was driving to the market. So she and her family unfortunately couldn't be with us. I would like to say a lot more about the drunk driver but wont at the mo, my language might get a bit worse than grr, and I just don't want to lower myself.

This time last year I went to the stitches and craft show with my mum. I bought Nikki's make-up purse pattern and some fabric from amitie with the intension of making a purse for mum last mothers day. Well a year later and I finally did it!! I had two problems stopping me from making the purse, what design to put on it and the zip. I've always been a bit scared of sewing zips, don't know why just have.

When Aidan came home from school the other day, we'd been discussing making something for Grandma for mothers day, he sat down and drew a monster. He's not one for sitting down and doing anything with pencil and paper so you can imagine my surprise when he came up with the above design, complete with dashed lines where the sewing was to go, a name for the monster, Straud, and a whole back story. The back story I wasn't so surprised about, his imagination is enormous. So that was one side of the purse designed, the other I traced around both boys hands, Oliver was a bit harder to do, he still wants to clench his fist. I don't think his hand will fit inside Aidan's for much longer though, he's growing at a rate of knots, 11 weeks now, it's gone so fast.

I used iron on applique paper to transfer the design onto the material, then hand sewed around it. I need to learn free motion on the sewing machine. It came together pretty quickly, Aidan was happy with it. He wanted me to make a softie out of the design too but I explained that he drew a more 2D monster and he'd have to draw it again for me to make a 3D object, he just looked at me as if to say, you got this much out of me, now you want more? Oh what to do with a 6 year old.

I needn't have been scared of sewing the zip in. I did have one unpicking incident but apparently even the professionals do that!! I'm happy with how it's turned out. I could have the applique a bit higher up, I'll know for next time.

Oh, and I finally got the crazy nine patch lattice quilt top finished. Now I just have to decide how to back it, quilt it and bind it. May take another year. Hopefully not. Any ideas?

TTFN

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

A late birth present for Eva

I know it has been a while between posts but I have been very busy building a baby (now 35 weeks) and haven't felt too crash hot about sitting at a sewing machine let alone at the computer to blog about it. Well now I have finished work (since Christmas!!) I've had a bit more energy to sew and sit at the computer so we'll see how we go now.

Above is a gift I finished a while ago (November to be exact) but haven't written about, I wanted to give it to baby Eva first. So before I do a year in review post I thought I better write about this one first. I had ideas of what I wanted to make Eva but none seemed to get made through the bit of a sewing slump I had, until I saw "Once Upon A Time - Girl" in Homespun Mag 11.10, designed by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches. It was perfect. I was home sick with a cold so whipped the stitchery up in no time. I had a few problems with the kind of thread that Natalie suggested but just ended up going through my extensive dmc thread stash and used that. I used a jelly roll from spotlight and trimmed it to the correct width, it would have been ok if they sold honey buns as well. Anyway, I found that the material wasn't cut straight at the fold which was very annoying, if you are going to use one of these rolls watch out for this. I also found that my 1/4 inch foot isn't, nothing joined up. I found that the gauge is out but the metal part is ok so from now on I ignore the gauge, very annoying. I'm happy with the finished product and had no problem with the pattern at all, just need a boy to stitch the other one for now!! More close up picks on flckr.

TTFN

Mandy

Check this out

I got my very ace name tag today for Sew It Together.

Kelly from Purple Paisley Patch made it for me. She also wrapped it in some lovely fabric to fit in with the colour theme.

I was in a hurry to open it and didn't take a photo so it's not as perfect as when I recieved it. The parcel looks too big for the name tag doesn't it. That's cos she made this for me as well.

Front

Back

How cool is that?

And now my swap partner has received her tag I can reveal what I made.

Sorry Katia I didn't include any other cool snazzy stuff, I'm new at this swap thing, next time.

Something else happened to pop in my mail box this week.

I won mail bag in Homespun magazine. I sent these photos in ages ago and completely forgot about it. Well there you go. But as luck has it, I wont be able to use the prize. It's all this lovely perfumed stuff which, unfortunately, started to give me a migraine as soon as I opened the box :-(, so some very lucky ladies in my life might be getting some lovely gifts soon.

Well I think that is it for a while. I've been doing a bit of crotchet over the school holidays, which I'll take a photo of soon I hope, other than that I have a super secret pressy on the go and all of my other WIP's.

TTFN

Patchwork Ball No 2

Another Patchwork Ball, this time for the cousin of the first ball I made. Confused, I am, it's my cousins daughter so does that make her my second cousin? And the first was given to my other cousins son. Anyway, I fussy cut the fabric again from a very cute fabric I found at a local material shop, Darn Cheap Fabrics. It didn't come together quite as nicely this time, I think it stretched a bit when sewing together, it was also very hot the day I decided to put it together. So there you go, another one done. I highly recommend this pattern for a relatively quick to make and useful gift for a 1 year old.
TTFN

Anna Maria Horner's For Kicks Patchwork Ball from Seams to Me. Handmade by MandyMade

First squares done

I have now completed 18 squares for the crazy nine patch quilt I mentioned.I'm making this. These are the first nine.

Too Chrismissy? What do you think? I'm going to have white squares in-between the lattice.
I've been having a few problems lining up the (not so) squares. I'm trying a few different things  to try and make them join up better. Any hints? It's also been really hard to cut through 9 layers of fabric (more when there is a join) so I've stuck some masking tape to my cutting matt and I'm lining them up and cutting that way with only a few layers at a time.

I was lucky enough to receive Denyse Schmidt's Book for my birthday so I've been reading that from cover to cover on my train trips. Now to decide which one to make first. I love them all but need to take baby steps!!

Off to make a school library bag for Little A. It's already a month late so I better get a move on.

TTFN

Charging Basket

Charging Basket, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

Another project on the wish list done, and it serves as another domestic project too. Unfortunately I've had some time on my hands this week, long story, so I've been able to get  a bit of sewing done. It relaxes me and when I have a finished project, I feel good inside, can't beat that.

This one is another free tutorial from Oh! Fransson, the Charging Basket. It could be very tricky to make but her instructions are fantastic, so clear, and guides you through every step. I had a flat fat from my stash (spotlight splurge) and some matching red and I used calico instead of linen. After cutting the main square for the outside I didn't have the correct size for the centre, so I just adjusted the red outside it to fit. It got to the stippling bit, which I was looking forward to as I've never done it and thought this would be a great project to have a go, only to realise that my machine doesn't have a darning foot, thought it did, oh well. So I just sewed wavy lines instead (see below). Great project to make, highly recommend it.

 

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

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

First Friendship star

First Friendship star
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

This is my first attempt at this kind of patchwork. I am now following Block Party Quilt Along. It looks like a really good way for me to pace myself and learn some patchwork.
I think I am safe in telling you this (I am pretty sure my MIL doesn't read this) that I am making a table runner for my MIL for christmas using 3 of these stars. I made an apron for her with the same fabric.
It's the biggest quilting project I have undertaken, the patchwork bit didn't take as long as I thought so lets hope of the quilting will be the same.

TTFN

Spoiler Alert!!

Patchwork Ball
Originally uploaded by MandyMade

Spoiler alert!! If you're my cousin (or in law) and have a son that has a birthday soon you may not want to read on!!

I have been wanting to make this patchwork ball from Anna Maria Horner's book Seams to Me for a while, and I finally had the opportunity. It's been sooooo hot here in melbourne so I haven't been doing much sewing and this project was perfect to keep the sewing itch at bay. It came together very quickly. The time consuming part was fussy cutting the fabric (from lincraft). I hope to make more of these.

With Christmas not too far away, I don't even want to think about how soon now, I'm busy thinking of and making gifts. Hopefully this weekend will be a bit cooler to work on them. I may or may not write about them, don't want to have to put out too many spoiler alerts!! My aim this year is for part of everyones gifts to be handmade (even if its not from me) I may have needed to start a few months ago. With fire season in full swing, work is really busy so I will need the de-stress somehow.

TTFN