It's all gone

World's Greatest Shave yesterday was a great success. Thanks to everyone who donated.

Before

After

For more in-between photos go to Mark's Flickr

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.
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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

Thank you

originally uploaded by MandyMade.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I had a lovely weekend filled with friends and family and lots of ace pressies . Don't worry I will blog more soon when I get more of a moment. Please check out my flickr if you would like to see what I've been up to. More sewing than blogging, more housework than sewing, shock horror!!

TTFN

Edit: Sorry forgot to mention, these flowers were picked by Little A (with permission) from his Nan's garden for me, how sweet :-).

What a Lovely Surprise

I love getting parcels in the post. It doesn't happen that often, and when you don't expect them they are even better!! I have a birthday coming up, but didn't even think that a gift would be inside, so I opened it early (well Little A did), how cheeky of me. The pressy is from the lovely Brooke, she is responsible for getting me back into crafting, I just now have to get her into blogging, she makes some amazing stuff. The material is from amitie and the card, isn't it just perfect, is from maggiedolly.

On the weekend I started cutting out 20cm squares to make this, the Crazy Nine-Patch Lattice Quilt by Oh, Fransson. I'm making it in red and white with a splash of green, so hopefully it wont look too christmassy. It's going to clash with my couch but oh well!!

I'll have some photos to put up soon so you can see for yourself.

Until next time.

TTFN

Oh dear

I just made my very first online fabric purchase. This may be a good beginning or a very bad expensive one!! I shopped here. At least I shopped in Aus and bought some aussie designed fabric too. Have you discovered Saffron Craig? I just have :-).

Help the hairy bloke please

Shave for a cure, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

The bloke of the house is shaving, yay you might say. But he is shaving for a great course, and not to let me know what he actually looks like underneath!! He's been quite hairy for quite a few years now, the boy wont know him!!

He's taking part in the Leukaemia Foundation World's Greatest Shave this year. Both the hair AND the beard goes. Wow.

Take a look at his Profile Page by clicking this link: here

I'd like you to support him by making a secure online donation using your credit card.

- Every hour of every day, at least one person in Australia is diagnosed with leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
- Every two hours, someone loses their life to blood cancer.

Please help us raise as much as we can for the Leukaemia Foundation. Their vital work provides patients with practical support during their long and tough treatment, as well as funding important research.

Thanks for your support!

Note: stats taken from the WGS website.

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.

 

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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.

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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