Zippered Pouches for Christmas

Some last minute Christmas gift sewing.

I got the idea from Red Pepper Quilts. And the instructions from this blog, and this blog.

Quilt As You Go Blocks

Recently we finished two 35-block sets of QAYG squares and sent them off to Jan MacFadyen with a set of binding strips as well. They were very gratefully received and have been made up into lovely quilts for donation to charities or refuges that Jan is in touch with.

Knitting hats

I have started my fourth child's knitted hat (or beanie) for charity donation. My friend Philippa started me off during our time in Tasmania for the orienteering championships. The pattern is very simple in 3x3 rib and easy to do in the car (as a passenger!) or in front of a TV program. Here are the latest two hats.

An Old Fashioned English Paper Pieced Quilt

When I was a teenager I made a hexagon quilt with the English Paper piecing method.  Family and friends gave me their scraps of fabric and I spent hours putting them together to make a bed sized quilt.  I don't remember why I started it or where I got the idea from but I thoroughly enjoyed making it and when I finished I gave it to my sister as a birthday or a Christmas present.  She still has it somewhere, and it has been repaired at least once.  It's probably quite tatty by now.
I've been wanting to make another for a while, especially since seeing Louise working on hers.  Recently I had a clean out of my sewing bits and pieces and came across a large box of dressmaking material remnants.  Bits I couldn't bare to throw out because they might be useful one day but were taking up a lot of valuable space.  Some were really pretty or had sentimental value because they were from clothes I made for my daughters when they were little.  So I hatched the idea to make them into a quilt - and an old fashioned English paper pieced quilt would be just the thing.  What better way to hang on to the little pieces of fabric that I love or that hold good memories?  Traditionally leftover and scrap fabrics were used to make quilts but today when you can buy everything you need the practice isn't so popular anymore.  I think it would be fun to make a quilt out of fabric I already have and to keep adding to it as I make more clothes.
I bought a small packet of plastic templates to play around with (available from Punch with Judy) and spent an evening cutting out pieces of paper in different shapes and sizes.

I looked online for ideas for different combinations of shapes. I found out that you can download and print shapes that you then just have to cut out.  You can also buy pre-cut shapes in all sizes too.  But I enjoyed tracing and cutting them out myself while I was watching TV.  Therapeutic work for my busy brain.

I've started preparing some fabric by tracing around my plastic template and then cutting out with scissors.  I've also tried out several different methods of basting the fabric around the paper.  You can glue, or you can use needle and thread.  I settled for this method of basting - one where you stitch through the fabric only, then when you come to take the paper out it just slips out, no need to unpick or remove the basting thread.

I think I've decided to make a simple hexagon quilt, cutting 6 hexagons from each piece of fabric to make a flower with a white fabric piece for the centre. That way I can make this quilt over many years, adding to it whenever I have leftover fabric.  Hopefully the white centre will tie all the different fabrics together to make a quilt that is both 'scrappy' but has some consistency throughout it.

This purple fabric is from a summer top I made a couple of years ago and still wear.  It may have a little bit of polyester in it and that's okay.  I will not be sticking to only cotton fabric for this quilt but will experiment with different weights and blends.  The lighter weight fabric I will back with interfacing first.  The only fabric I won't use will be the heavier denims and cotton drills and the slippery 100% polyesters as these would cause too many headaches.

This morning I went fabric shopping and bought some pretty floral cotton lawn to make a dress and a summer top for myself.  The scraps will be perfect additions to my quilt.   Two projects for the price of one?

An Impromptu Excursion

Anne, Lisa and I went to the Quilts in the Barn today.  Many quilts both modern and traditional in the theme of red and white. 

It was the perfect setting.  A red barn filled with red and white quilts. A cup of tea overlooking a green paddock. A sprinkle of rain just to remind us that spring isn't here just yet.

Even the tablecloths were covered in red and white quilts, (under a layer of clear plastic).

We were much inspired. Is it time for another group challenge?  How about red and white?

Twiggy Dress

I made this dress a month or so ago and have been wearing it ever since.  It's the 'Twiggy Dress' pattern from Style Arc patterns.  I don't know why it's named this as I am definitely no Twiggy! It's made out of a winter knit and I wear it with tights and a long sleeve t-shirt underneath.  It has just enough curvy-ness in the princess seams to be flattering and the neck and sleeve bands can be made in a contrasting colour if desired.
I am definitely going to make it again as it is currently my favourite dress.  This time in a summer cotton.
Check out Style Arc's website as they have a lot of really up to date patterns, that are drafted in ready-to-wear sizes and measurements.  I am currently making their cargo pants and so far they fit perfectly so no fiddling with crotch seam and waist adjustments as I usually have to do with other commercial patterns.  The bigger commercial pattern companies are still using 1950s proportions, and I don't know about you, but I no longer have a barbie doll figure.
The only criticism I have is that there aren't many instructions with the patterns so they probably aren't aimed at beginners.  But so far I am loving the style and the fit and the no-fuss one size patterns, so I will definitely be buying more from them.

Queen Anne's Lace scarf

I finished this scarf.  Just in time for Melbourne to turn on some brilliant Spring weather.  Of course being Melbourne I know she's just tricking us and there will still be plenty of chilly days to come before the onset of summer.

Louise got the free pattern from somewhere online and passed it to me after she'd finished with it.  I made a few modifications and added some dangly bits.  I've now passed it on to Anne...

New Cushions

This week I have made two cushions from class samples - one from long ago (New York Beauty foundation piecing at Gail's in Ballarat) and one from recently (Harlequin Stars foundation piecing using freezer paper from Ballarat Patchwork).

I didn't think I would make quilts to go with these blocks so cushions seemed a good idea. The New York Beauty one has the addition of some Alexandra Henry Heath fabric in black which I love.

It feels satisfying to have some more UFOs completed!

Things I've learnt about thread and needles

1. If the machine is not sewing properly, 99% of the time it's either the fault of the thread I am using, or the needle.

2. To always use good quality thread in my new sewing machine.  I found out that sewing with poor quality thread results in uneven and puckered stitching.  (I bought 12 new rolls of top quality thread from ebay, and my machine sighed with relief - it did, honestly!)

3. Use the correct needle for the job when it's needed.  Ball points for knits, jeans needles for denim etc.  But at the same time have lots of universal needles in different sizes on hand because they really do sew most things.

4. Blu-tak the needle container to the side of the machine so I remember which needle is in use, and I can pop it back in the right place to re-use if it still has some life left.

5. That sewing machine needles have a life of about 8 to 9 sewing hours.  And that they are designed to bend or break when put under stress, so that the machine is not damaged.  If you suspect the needle is old, your machine is skipping stitches or when you start to hear that popping sound - it's time to change the needle.  (Skipped stitches could be a sign of wrong type of needle too ie. to sew knits you need a ball point or stretch needle - a universal needle will skip stitches on these fabrics.)

6. That it is okay to use polyester thread for piecing if it works best for this project, or universal needles for quilting if that's the needle on the machine.  I do whatever works best, there are no hard and fast rules.

More charity quilt blocks

This week we met for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon to make some more charity quilt blocks.
 We started these some time ago and decided on a couple of different themes according to the fabric scraps we had to hand.  A 'manly' quilt using the darker and more neutral patterns, a 'ladies' quilt using the florals, and a children's quilt using the brights and motif fabrics.
Here's a close up of the children's...

 and the neutral blocks...

17 finished blocks!

We managed to finish 17 assorted blocks on the afternoon to add to our already considerable pile.  Hopefully we'll eventually make enough for 3 quilts to donate to those who are in need.  This quilt as you go method is very easy and great for using up scraps, and can be done by a group who are also busy drinking tea and having a good chat...

Run out of thread?

Recently I was all set up to do a paid sewing job when my sewing machine decided it didn't like the cheap thread I was using.  I had been given it for the job along with 4 cones of overlocker thread.  I didn't want to spend time fiddling with tensions on my machine and I didn't want to have to make a car trip to go and get some better quality thread.  And then my eyes set upon my overlocker.  I had been given 4 brand new 5000 metre cones of white thread.  I hadn't run out of thread, I had 20,000 metres of it!
I was using these for seams with the overlocker so why not the sewing machine?  This thread was good quality.  But how to get it off the cones and onto something that could be used on the sewing machine?  I could wind it onto some spare bobbins, but how?  I needed a telescopic thread stand, so the thread would wind evenly.  The overlocker came to the rescue again.  I placed it back to back with the sewing machine, and leaving the cones where they were, threaded one of them through the sewing machine's thread guides and wound lots of bobbins. 

To sew, I used one bobbin on the top and one on the bottom.  Problem solved.

Friday's meeting

This week we were a small group of three - Louise was crocheting some more on her lovely blanket, Michelle brought her finished jacket and PJ's and was working on a needle case like the one she made at Christmas, and Anne brought her finished French General cobblestones quilt and had dug out her Japanese quilt as you go circles to add on some more.

Saturday's meeting

This week we were again zooming along with projects. Michelle was continuing with her hand piecing, Louise had a lovely ball of variegated wool, from a visit to The Bendigo Woollen Mill on her recent road trip, that she crocheted flowers with, and Anne was getting to the end of the borders of her "Northern Lights" quilt using Tilda fabrics and pattern from Norway (since finished). Karyn came for a chat after a long meeting at work.

We also enjoyed a sponge cake for afternoon tea!

This week's work

This was scarf week - Leita had finished her "corkscrew" scarf and Michelle almost a crochet scarf and started on a hat! Both too shy to model them. Leita was knitting up some pretty wool in rib. Anne was continuing with her Norwegian Tilda quilt.

Weekend Retreat

Over the Queens birthday long weekend we had a great time at Vickery Quilt and Craft Retreat in Alexandra. Lots of craft, relaxation, fun, and fine food as well as the local quilting group's exhibition, visits to local shops and the annual Truck and Ute Show (complete with wood choppers) to entertain us in between stitching.

Leita produced this Rubik's Cube style quilt from her eldest daughter's instructions:

Sue knitted a lovely cowl and started on  a second one:

Lisa bound her two queen size quilts with the help of speed stitcher, Barbara, and continued with the hand quilting as well as finishing off a blouse she had started at home:

Colleen designed and finished a quilt top for her eldest son using her extensive selection of batik fabrics from her trip to Bali last November:

Anne completed numerous rounds of  a medallion style quilt using a kit purchased from Tikki Patchwork in London which uses Tilda fabrics by Norwegian designer Tone Finnanger:

Louise made  a lovely quilt top using bright scraps and white fabric from a tutorial by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts:

Karyn finished a quilt top for her nephew from a pattern called "Love Beads" by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr and arranged to have it quilted by local longarmer Marlene of Redgate Quilting:

Charleston Girls Quilt finished

I've finally finished this quilt (apart from the label and neatening those stray threads).  I had a lot of fun quilting it.  The BSR function on my machine was a dream to use and I kept thinking, it's too easy - I must be doing something wrong! 
Although by then I was due for something to go right as originally I had chosen the wrong backing fabric and batting and as soon as I began stitching in the ditch I knew I should stop and re-evaluate.  But did I?  No. 
And so once I did decide that the quilting was all wrong I had a lot of unpicking to do.  Fortunately I had used a large stitch and by going carefully and only from the back it only took one day to unpick entirely.  Another day to re-baste (with extra basting stitches this time.)  And on the third day I was happily quilting again after re-thinking the quilting pattern as well.
I am much, much happier with the result now and am so glad I took two tortuous days to unpick and re-baste.  Thank heavens for holiday weekends.
This week I put the binding on and, trying something different this time, I sewed it on the back and turned it on to the front where I finished it with a decorative stitch.  Number 131 on my Bernina machine. 
I am very pleased with the results and am looking forward to getting it up on the wall later this afternoon after I deal with the last of those stray thread ends.

Next I will finish the matching cushions that I began because I love this pattern so much that I had to make extra.  The bonus was that I had something to practice my free motion quilting on before tackling the quilt.  I pinned them to a quilt already hanging on the wall just to see what detail I'd be able to see with each different thread I was deciding between.  The quilt police will probably slap my wrists for risking pin marks on the other quilt.  Oh well!

Kit for Charleston Girls quilt originally purchased as a block of the month a couple of years ago from Catharina's Country Collection www.cccpatchwork.com.au