Tuesday 19 November 2013

OK peeps I know it has been FOREVER !!!!

but like I always say blogging ain;t sewing and I need ot sew . I can't find time to sew and WORK and blog so blogging gets thin .

My reason to sew is because of orders classes and my tri pto the USA .

This lovely beast was a special order ... a lone star done for a family addition . The family are very proud of their native American heritage and the colours were chosen to represent earth sky , sand grass . as at the time we didn't know if the baby was to be boy or girl we went gender neutral and this is the sample that the uber proud Grandmotehr has chosen . Totally scrumpcious .
 To keep the machine turning and my friend Kat at Wonky stitch supplied I ran out some sweet baby items .
Simple light quilted blankets suitable for use in prams and pushchairs . using simple fleece as a backing and no wadding . simply bound easy to wash and use.
Speak to Kat at Wonky Stitch for prices and catalogue.

everyone loves Monkeys or so Sheldon from Big Bang Theory says . This top was one made by my friend Genevieve in Germany and returned to the UK for quilting .. It was quilted with ....

fanfare please ...

no. not particle physics models ..... Bananas !


Happy campers was arange of fabric that came from USA and was combined to make a series of various colour quilts . with sweet critter prints these are like I spy quilts . Quilted with acorns and leaves for extra woodland fun .



Now as some of you know I am quite keen on Free motion quilting . Mine is slightly quirky with a rustic charm . but I also try and help people get over their fear of FMQ and to do this I first of all taught Rowan .
She listened picked her picture .. boat at sea ... and she got on with it ... I love her attitude. SHe jsut proves that if you don;t know you cant you can ! 


so we had a go at different shapes ... we giggled at where the thread ended ! and trimmed it 
 We tried Fish  or fish with no eyes ....
 and then she spent hours thinking about making a picture for a friend I was going on retreat with .
she knew that Stephanie loves her trip to the beach and so she carefully constructed her beach scene.
She also incorporated a whale as Rowan adores whales... lord knows where we will have to take her to see them .
 
 She carefully picked out the trunk of the palm ... the waves . added texture to the beach .
I admit I helped on the jets for the whale and snipped the palm fronds ... sigh .
 A series of dinky trailers/caravans was then generated . mine
 So down to some more serious sewing and quilting ....
 
This was a piece I worked on for about 5 months... it is a
D9patch flying geese ... it starts as a series of 3 x3 5 inch squares sewn together ... then you cut through the centre .... then you cut each square into 2 triangles...
It picks up a glorious mixture of fabrics  and given my love of blues and green ... wel lthsi HUGE and I mean HUGE  beast appeared.
I need ot quilt this and will be doing it on frame . when I get a amchine quilting frame .
 
 As you may know I wash eading off to the USA .
EXCITING
I was visiting the Knoxville Mod Quilt Guild .
So I took them a home made gift .
This piece is micropieced  and reads from top to bottom ...
K
N
O
X
V
I
L
L
E
M
Q
G

done in orange and then bound in blue .
 
 
Now I am not sure if I told you about Miss Wish .
We brought Miss wish home from Sarah following a sad visit to the vets that indicated that wish couldn't have kittens. Rather than have Wish under stress in a breeding environment with a bunch of grumpy queens ... we offered her a new home where she would be top queen and have Leo to play with .
I am delighted to say she settle like a dream . The little madame lies a godo cuddle and snuggle and doesn't nibble too much during grooming time .. all good ..
she has podged up a bit . She likes a good snuggle on the ned and as you can see she is pretty comfy

 ahhh Heathrow airport ....
 I was so busy sewing I didn't really take many pics but I did take this of Lynne chatting. ... she made me laugh A LOT ...
 ahhhhhh my stash ... that retuned from the USA . Careful shopping in the sales online and a friend who went aboive and beyond dealing with my 13 boxes well
 
Thank you Bobbie.
 I admit to panic packing it on my shelves... I went back and put in new boxes and tidied seriously
some serious serious fabric
 As you can see the lgith in my room is excellent providing the sun can get through the cloud . ahh Britain in the autumn and winter .
 I made a temp rack for my fabric. Most of this is 3 or 5 m sections .
herringbone tape and 12 mm dowl   result .
 Now I did get a pic of my friend Nancy .I look like I have spinach in my frint teeth ... I don't ...
THe quilt behind us is the group quilt I roped people into making last year and I am OTM at the result .
 Feathers . made in jeanean Morrison ...
Straight line quilted
 
 Above is a pay it forward gift that went to Dorset to keep a pile of Maine coons warm .
Miss wish liked it ... a lot .
 Foundation piecing ..... I learned ot move the pattenr onto lightweight interfacing to save picking paper out . I hate picking paper out .
 I also made a pile of fleece hair bands to keep ears warm but heads cooler ... Rowan models the "jasmine"
 Awesome baby with her rotary cutter ... proof she does it all
 She made a lovely table set for her class teacher and some friends .

 Im running through a placemat sample pack at the moment .
These were called "peacock" Obvioiusly.

 Sweet .
 
THe lonestar was quilted and completed and posted
 the funkiest backsheet came from Hancocks of Paducah on special delivery ... the quality was AMAZING ... soft and smooth cotton .. best I have handled in ages .
 
 OK a quick diversion ... this picture was for sale in a gallery for £45 ... about $60 ... learn to Free motion people !

 More pleacemats and Rowan sets
 More foundation piecing this time done on interfacing ... hoorahhhh no unpicking paper .
I used the new peppered cottons I got from Simone at Pied Piper in Holt . and some oakshott cottons.
THe peppered cottons have more weight ... are very soft tactile almost .... light flannel ... with a smooth surface.  they handle beautifully and I will be holding them in EVERY colour very soon .
BUY SOME !
 My friend Genevieve is going through a lot of stress with her university degree and had 2 quilts she needed quilting .. bless her she trusted me .... and then sent me minky ... wel lthat was a learning curve . it came good in the end ... Here I am snuggle testing it . very cosy .
 
More placemats made with peppered cottons and some new XMas fabrics .
 Special commission baby bibs to go to Leeds

 Now this is something I was sort of working on and then stopped...
Not sure of what to do ...
not sure how to progress
The sea themed fabric cried to me but how to quilt it ?
Well I am a renewed convert to the double or twin needle. Set whatever wdith you want , set in yr threads ....
The beauty of this trial and error was this almost moving waterlike quilting and I am DELIGHTED .
 
So yes as you can see I have done laods .. this actually only maybe covers .... 1/3 of what I have actually done ...
 
I am not a dedicated blogger ... PS Santa can I maybe have another trip to the USA and maybe a quilt frame ??? xxx
Wishing you happy holidays .

1 comment:

  1. I know I have said it before. YOu are amazing. How do you do what you do? SUPER WOMAN! Everything looks great. I wish I would have been able to spend more time with you when you came to Knoxville. I will treasure the short time we did get to spend. PS santa could you send a vacation my way too!! I Could surely use one.

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