Friday, September 28, 2007
Grace's new dolls quilt from AJ!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
WIP Wednesday - Week 38 - The end of the raggedy edge quilt
But for anyone else who is interested, the getting ready instructions are here, and then when you are ready to sew, here are the steps to part 2. So now, when your up to that bit, here comes to fun bit below!
Once you have all your squares sewn in rows, you need to sew the rows together. Same as sewing the squares, pin it down and sew about 1cm in from the edge. When you get to the bit where the squares are joined, its a bit chunky as you are sewing through 8 layers of material, you can fold one square "flap" up and one down to get it under your machine, or just pull it through. With a walking foot it shouldn't be a drama.
Then once all you have sewn your rows togther so you have two rows joined, you want to keep joining them up till you have the whole quilt top complete. I sew my rows in batches, like if it was a 10 row quilt, I'd sew 2 groups of 3 rows each, one of 4, then sew then together, rather than just adding one at a time, makes it easier to handle when your running it under the machine.
So once all the rows are completed, this is what my quilt looked like! You need to sew around the very edge of the quilt, about 1 cm in again, twice for strength. And now for the fun part!
Get out your little scissors and get ready to be covered in little offcuts of thread as you snip snip snip the edges all the way around! Every side of every square! Be careful not to cut your stitching though. I cut about 2 mm away from the sitching. Then you want to give it a good shake and then pop it in the wash. Don't wash it with anything else cause you'll get little offcuts threads over everything!
After you have washed it, pop it in the tumble drier, this will make the raggedy edges, soft and more raggedy looking, like above. I like to repeat the wash and dry process twice.
Then the next and last step is to snuggle under it, or be a ghost as Grace is here! Hope these instructions make sense, pop in a comment if you make one, love to see a photo!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Thank You Miss Frugality!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Of all the places to fall asleep....
Friday, September 21, 2007
Flashback Friday - Week 7 - Wacky Hair!
Things didn't get much better for the Year 2 shot the next year, bring on the mullet! What a geeky looking kid I was. I look at my two girls and am blown away with what beauties they are, I don't know if I am biased or because they really are stunning.
I suppose with Mum as a hairdresser I'm lucky that these are the wackiest photos of my childhood hair that I could find, quite tame really for Flashback Friday. I do have a memory of Mum cutting my hair when I was about 10 and the kids at school teased me terribly and vowing, never, ever to let Mum cut my hair again!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
WIP Wednesday - Week 37 - Caitlin's Quilt Top Finished
Below is a sneek peak of my Dolls Quilt for the EB swap. I used the macro setting on my camera for this shot, I'm impressed, you can make out the grain of the fabric! This has been sitting up on the felt wall for a week, working out colour A or colour B background..... Now I have Caitlins Quilt top all done, I'll get stuck back into this.
I have just listed some half a metre of fabrics in the store too.
Monday, September 17, 2007
My Bag Swap for Leah
This bag was based on a pattern by Rosalie Quinlan, called Leanne's Shopping Bag. Well sort of.... that was my intention, but when I looked at the pattern the finished bag size was 36 x 41 cms and I thought whooooah too big! Leah wanted a medium sized bag, so I adapted the size and layout of the patchwork blocks to make the bag panal. Then I saw the flower heart motif was actually a pocket! I doubted my pocket making skills, so ditched the idea of a pocket and just used the flower and heart template for an applique. I got to use a fancy stitch around the insert for fun. I did a simple straight quilting around the outside and added a ruffle at the top for fun.
I'd love to be able to put a link to Leah's lovely blog but alas she had to delete it last week due to a "friend" following her in cyber land which I'd find scarey. Only one real life friend knows I have a blog and she hasn't a mean bone in her body so no worries there for me! (hello Ms VDK!) It is a fine line in cyber land, just a shame you had to delete it Leah, I enjoyed reading your news and seeing your latest sewing adventures. Glad your bag arrived safely and you like it. :)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Flashback Friday on a Sunday! - Week 6 - Say Cheese!
This picture was late 1970's, maybe 1979? I was year 6 or 7. I remember thinking I was so hip for this shot as Mum had tonged my hair into all those curls, and the little brooch I was wearing was for special occassions only, it was a peacock and the tail was made of tiny seperate bits all chained together. I loved that brooch, no idea where it is now, knowing how my girls treat their jewllery, I most likely broke it. When I saw this shot my illusion of having a straight even smile was shattered, I have a lop sided smile. Even now its wonky, I practised for my wedding to tilt my head a certain way to even it out, but nope, even that didn't work, I have a wonky cheesy grin!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Happy Birthday Husband!
So Daz, looking foward to the upcoming year with you and lots more years to follow that. Happy birthday sweetie, we love you!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
WIP Wednesday - Week 36 - Layout of Caitlin's quilt - Square or Rectangle?
These blocks have been pinned up on my felt wall for a few weeks now. I have just taken them down and laid them out and now I am torn! Square or rectangle layout? I just need one more block to make it square, that wouldn't take much to whip up. If I did square then I'd move the C down so it was next to the A and the N up so it was next to the I, balance it out more. Square quilts are more for bub to roll and play on. Rectangle layouts are more practical I suppose, this would fit nicely on a single bed. Caitlin is still in her bassinett though at the moment her Mum told me! Maybe I should foward the pictures to Caitlin's Mum, see what she says? Or would that spoil the suprise? I am thinking of boarders as well, about another 4 inches all the way around.
Looking at the photos too, I'd move some of the blocks around. Its too dark around the I and N and that medium sized square under the first I, looks like there should be a letter on that.
Help! So square or rectangle??
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The West Australian today...
They have played on the fact that our surname is the same as that cartoon. I rolled my eyes when I saw that. You can't read the article from the scan but the last paragraph says " Darren said the show was named after daughter Grace but Matilda was also a character. "I'm only hoping that when they get older, there's no animosity," he joked. "I think I might start saving now for psychiatry bills in case they get too tormented by it." DAZ! What a thing to say! Don't worry Milly, you can have a spin off series, Milly goes to Paris or something like that. :)
To celebrate too, we are running a colouring in competition. So if you'd like your munchkin to win a copy of a Gracie Lou DVD/CD pack, details can be found here. Get those crayons out!
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Doll Quilt Swap..... the beginning.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Flashback Friday - Week 5 - Our Sunday Best
The Humming Mini Fabric Shop is Open!
Hello fellow lovers of beautiful fabric at fantastic prices! Ad and I have decided to set up a little blog to sell some material. Click on the above logo and it will take you through to the site. Happy shopping. :)
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
WIP Wednesday - Week 35 - Springtime!
Todays WIP action is a bit cryptic. I have finally finished my bag for the EB Sewing Girls Bag Swap. This is part of it. :) I hope the person likes it. I'll post it tomorrow. So now I can get started on the doll quilt for the EB Quilters Swap. I have pictured in my head how it will look, just need to research colour choices and then rummage in the stash and get sewing! Then finish Caitlin's quilt before Christmas. Phew! Think its time for a list again soon!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
The Weirdest Quilting Gadget Ever?
Monday, September 03, 2007
Quilt labels.....
This one above is on a quilt for Grace from Daz's Nanna. She has embrodied the flowers on and blanket stitched it on. The words are written in a water proof marker.
This one above is the only one Mum has labelled! There was a date written underneath, but mustn't have been in a waterproof marker Jules! I have seen these labels in Spotlight.
This is one on a quilt from Daz's Aunty Joan who gave it to us to celebrate our wedding. She is actually the Mum of Nic Bridges who is an amazing quilter and has an inspiring blog here. That makes Daz, Nic's cousin. So the image is a printed panal and again blanket stitched on and the words in a waterproof marker.
And here is how I do my labels. I work out the size and what to say in a programme called Quark XPress. Brush off my old graphic design skills from the advertising days, I used to use that programme for like 8 hours a day and now I just do quilt labels! So I print it out onto a sheet of T Shirt transfer paper. I buy a pack of 5 from Kmart, under $20.00, a brand called Celcast. They come in A4 size, I usually cut it into thirds and print a few at a time. It prints in reverse as the top pict shows, then when you place it onto the material and iron it on, when you peel it off the print is the correct way. Cut it to size and then blanket stitch on. The only thing I don't like is how the iron on transfer leaves a shinny surface to it, I mean its okay, not soft. I have some freezer paper now, so my next label I think I'll print onto that.
Hope all that helps someone. Love to hear how you do your labels!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
We are home from sewing with the fish!
I did take Mum's old Elna sewing machine over and managed to sew together a dozen 9 patch blocks. But space was limited in the back room, I had to share the table with fish in a bucket! Ewwww! So I managed some sewing. I must say I am looking foward to Monday when everyone goes off to work/kindy/daycare leaving me alone!