A finish, nearly!

Tonight I will be putting the binding on this quilt. I made the top after christmas, a very generous gift from my friend Holly. Thank you Hun.

In real life the turquoise is not so dominant.

 I quilted it using a panto I picked up at a longarmers get together and Wonderfil Spagetti thread I bought at the NEC. I love the colour and look of the thicker thread but it gave me some tension issues. It is not perfect but I like it.

I am going to try to link up with Amanda Jean.

A pin cushion or two

Jane showed her little pin cushions here

http://janeweston.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/ring-for-quilter.html

I am a big girl with big hands

 I  made my smaller one first with a very big yellow button and found it useful when hand sewing but what I really needed was a pin cushion for my long arm and big pins.

I had been watching Calender Girls ( I love that film) while doing a pile of ironing and I thought a sunflower pin cushion would be good. I made up the pattern using a plastic lid from a Pringle tube and I have sewen it inside to ensure the pins don't come through to the back of  my hand. I used Batik fabric from stash, I used the walking foot to stitch cross hatching over the central brown bit to suggest seeds and made up the petal shape. I stuffed the center with chinchilla sand and used some wide flat elastic which goes round the widest part of my hand leaving my hand free for pinning on.

I got half way through and thought I was spending a rediculous amount of time doing this but now I am glad I have completed it because I really like it.

Thank you Jane for the inspiration.

Liz

New York Beauty Blocks

I tried a couple of new techniques yesterday while confined to barracks waiting for a delivery that never arrived, even though I phoned in the morning to check, Grrr. Anyhow I tried foundation piecing with freezer paper and using fabric glue instead of pinning pieces together.

 Using glue to join pieces together is something I will be doing again. I enjoy hand sewing these curves together but it is a lot quicker by machine so thank you Jane for the idea and sorry I can't remember the name for it. I did find the glue stick gave too much glue at a time so I will either need to cut a greater seam allowance or use an applicator of some kind.

I think I will be returning to my old method of stitching through paper for these foundation blocks as I think the points came out more accurately that way but I would concider using the freezer paper method if I ever get around to making a storm at sea quilt as the accuracy needed there is less important. I saw Dorothy was using this technique for making Log Cabin blocks very neatly and I like the idea and will be storing it for future use.
Only one more block for the set of NYB blocks but what can you do with 10 blocks? I think I will be drafting some of my own to add to them.

Till next time
Liz

April is here already

 Where is the year going?
I enjoyed a morning in the garden as Young Master Chaos enjoyed a post scout camp duvet day. Not wanting to tramp mud into the house and being too lazy to take my boots off off I rang the door bell and said the gardener required a box of tissues, a lipsalve and a cup of tea. I did have to ring the bell again to remind mater chaos the need for tea was getting desperate and this is what I found on the door step, tissues, lippy, tea and a slice of the marble cake I had made the day before with added chocolate spread on top. Got to love that boy X

Back to quilty progress, I was given this top some time ago and it has made it to the top of the pile primeraly because I had backing loaded and this fitted. I bought a panto at a LAUK get together and this is one of them, I quite enjoyed the flow once I had got into it although it is a little tricky. I am glad this is now bound and ready to be gifted.

I spent ages yesterday pressing seam alowances on  a quilt top that has been screwed up in a bag for years. I have done only 1/4 of it and my elbows are screaming at me I will have to use my lighter iron and press it in small sections every day untill it is ready to load.

Unfortunately the weather had taken a turn for the worst and we have rain (although that is probably best for my elbows or I would be tempted into the garden again) and we have a childrens party at the railway this afternoon so I am hoping it will clear later.

Till next time

Liz