Global Warming

Thank flip it is now cool enough to sew. 

My sewing room is in the loft conversion, and the heat that builds up in there has to be experienced to be believed. I am not accustomed to such giddy celsian heights of mid-20 deg and can usually be found slowly melting into a greasy puddle before turning completely mental a la Dave's Syndrome (Black Books - fantastic). But without the beard.

So I've made my pal's wee guy a sun hat, after the success of my daughter's one. 

My daughter's hat

I used a cut up pair of jeans for the fabric, and it turned out - ok, useable but not as neatly finished as the first one.
Could have been due to the fabric, the bias stretch; the different needles and thread; or because I havent been properly sewing while the room's been cooking, so am a bit out of practice :)

Anyway. I wil try to remember to take pics tomorrow, and let you see for yourselves....

And for all you other peely-wallies out there, remember - slip, slop, slap!

(slop your fifth iced pint of water all over you accidentally on purpose; slap your other half for saying its lovely, what's wrong with you; slip into a coma as your organs turn into a puddle on the floor)

Friday Finish - only 2 days late! :D

I know, I know, bit of a cheek really :D but I have been looking after a sick almost 6-year old, so couldn't really get anything done before now. She's a lot better, started arguing back today after a day of being sick (Friday) and a day of lying on the couch shattered (Saturday). Poor wee soul. Kids are at their most forlorn when they're ill.

Anyway.

I've been a busy bee today - the long weekend has been a fantastic aid to sewing. And the sun has meant a request for a sun hat for said almost 6 year old.
Thanks to Riley Blake and April Cobb, I have a fantastic pattern to work from. Kt chose the colours, and off I went...

First I fused interfacing to the fabric, and then cut out some shapes:

Two fabrics, as the hat is reversible. Three pieces for the brim, three for the sides and one piece for the crown from each fabric, and interfacing ironed behind each bit.

Quarter inch seams used to sew the pieces together, then topsewn with an eighth seam to secure. You can see that on the back of the red spot. Then comes the hard part - sewing the round shapes together. Not v good at this, but got better with practice - black one is better than the red one I did first :)

Spot the deliberate mistake? Yes, I had to unpin this one ... Just as well my hubby spotted this!

I put the two hat pieces together WS out and sewed them round the brim. All the curved seams and the brim were 1/2 inch, cut down to 1/4 to reduce bulk with notches cut into them to ease the curves.
Leave a 3" gap, turn right sides out, and topstitch around the edge. Et Voila!

One reversible hat. It's a teeny bit big, but better that than the alternative! Took me a few hours over the day but I am really pleased with how it turned out. I love the colours she chose too, they look amazing together. I'd like to say she gets it from me, but I reckon the wee smasher has her own style. I'd love to show you her modelling prowess but she was in a foul mood by the time I'd finished so this is the best shot I have:

 Hehehe :D

Blue Funk

I feel a bit sluggish of late. This is most likely a mixture of things - flu-type virus reappearance, looking after my hubby who is suffering another attack on his immune system, and my daughter who is being 5 and a half as well as she knows how. Thoughts of passed family members are weighing heavily too, especially poignant with Mother's Day tomorrow - well, today now. So have been a bit melancholy and low-spirited.

Surprisingly, there has been productivity despite this malaise. I finished knitting a pair of men's socks for a friend; made a cafetiere warmer for another friend (well, for her cafetiere technically) and finished the last square of a blanket I have been knitting for ever. It only needs sewing together and knitting a border round the edges. I am currently wrapped in a blanket I finished last year - a monster effort which took over a year to make, and no wonder: I used 3.25mm needles (that's old size 10, for the UK folk) to knit a single bed-sized blanket out of Rowan Felted Tweed. It was a labour of love, log-cabin stylee, and I really truly enjoyed it. I still havent taken a picture of this beauty, but now that I think of it, it deserves to be shown off for it's example of my fragile mental state testament to perseverance.

I'll get on it. And pics of all the other finishes.

It is nice to know that even in the midst of the lassitude there is comfort to be had in creation.

And I'm going for a cycle tomorrow.

Experimenting

Time for some quality experimenting, now that I have my latest commissions done and dusted.

Have been browsing some fantastic home design and storage tutorials online, such as Lunch bags, Buckets and Cushion Zip installation with a view to my next project. What really interested me was this: Round bottom storage buckets!

Picture from Film in the Fridge, an excellent blog if you havent found it already :)

Genius.

So inspired by this clever idea, have been experimenting with my own fabric stash. I had no interfacing at the time, nor much in the way of decor-weight or heavier weight fabric, so tried it with quilt batting instead.

First attempt - oookaaaaaay. Lot to be improved upon, but still functional.
Second attempt - better. More in proportion, working out a few niggles.
Third attempt - much happier with the results!

Check this out, in order of making from left to right (Tall one = first one, green one = attempt number three):

I didnt use anyone's pattern, just a rough idea in my head. This is how they were done, roughly:

• Cut out a circle for the base from one layer batting and one layer fabric, quilted together. 

• Quilt more batting and fabric together, and cut a length of this to use as the sides, (used my rusty maths skills) and measuring the circumference of the circle by using Pi x D. Sewed the sides together, sticking in one of my labels about half way up.   

NB Make sure you sew the base to the right end of the side fabric or you will have your label upside down. This is the voice of experience...

• Sew the base to the sides (right side together) using LOTS of pins and a slow speed with approx half inch seam.

• Turnedight side out and put aside for a minute.

• Cut second base and second sides from lining fabric, making them half inch smaller diameter and according side length. Sewed side, sewed base to side as above.

• Put lining into outer with all right sides showing. Pin sides together at mouth of bucket.

• Cut length of lining fabric for rim overlap - I wanted to have a good 2 inch overlap so used a 6 inch deep piece. Same length as side for lining. Sew short ends together. Fold in half lengthways, iron fold if desired.

• Pin raw edges to pinned raw edges of bucket, with fold on the inside of the bucket.

• Sew all three pieces together at top (inner, outer, rim). Fold rim overlap over the outside edge of the bucket, as in picture. 

My favourite one so far:

I was using some scrap fabric to experiment with so colour choices will be better in next batch. I also bought some interfacing so will try that variation out too. The quilted version is nice in an organic way but bulkier round the seams, so I imagine the interfaced ones will be firmer and finer.

     The overlap is not perfect either but I like the effect. The beauty of this version is that the seam at the top allows a sewn-in hanging loop while still having the overlap; the fantastic ones from Film in the Fridge dont have that option without a separate add on loop.

      The mathematics has not been perfect either - there was a fair amount of fudging it going on, and a few creases. Still, it mostly worked out, and sewing can be very forgiving :)

The lining looks the best in this one too, much less crumpled and it reaches all the way to the bottom nicely!
 
Et Voila! Sorry if my instructions don't make sense,  I have not taken any pictures of the process yet. And I still want to make some with the hanging loop so I can have a wee row hanging over my sewing table with all my bits and bobs in them. I'll just have to keep chugging away till I perfect them! Or till I get bored and try something else.... :D

Ta-dah! A finish!

Guess what I managed to finish? My two commission quilts, Oh yeah!

Have some loverly photos :)

This is the two of them together, not identical but fraternal twins. I used the same fabrics for both but went with whatever star fabric content I felt like at the time.

 

Another shot of the pair of them against my lovely beech hedge :)

I am quite chuffed with how they turned out, after being a bit ho-hum about them to begin with. I still have to finish some pillow covers but am not going to be long with that (despite all the ills that have been hitting me this last 2 weeks. Am beginning to think we are a secret germ-testing laboratory).

Really enjoyed this finish! Really looking forward to making something new! I sense some buckets in bright spring colours in the near future...

Ever Late To The Party

Blogland is so busy! I've been reading for a few years now, and am so impressed with how busy and creative everyone is. I have followed and loved the Swoon craze,

Swoon from Jennifer at Twin Fibers

the Granny craze,

photo from SewCraftyJess

 the Scrappy Trip-a-long quilts....

Chopped Rhubarb from Crazy Mom Quilts

you guys are awesome!

I have a Swoon pattern waiting in the shadows, with fabric set aside all ready to go; I have read the tutorials for the Scrappy Trip along with delight (how clever!) and seen the plethora (good Scrabble word) of handmade bags and scarves which are in every corner of the web.

How much of it have I done?

Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Nothing,

To be fair, I have been busy on my own stuff, but have not managed to jump on any of the virtual quilt trips with you all. Not even the step-by-step Bee In My Bonnet row-a-long has been attempted, much as I love it. Those coffee cups, so cute!

photo from Bee In My Bonnet 

 

 

So.
I'm nearly finished my twin commission quilts, and will be done with them in a few days. And after that......?

I did harbour thoughts of  this wee beauty for my daughter,

but have none of the laminated fabric required. And if my hubby sees me buying ANY more fabric he will probably (and quite rightly) do his nut.

So then,
Any ideas for the next project?

Anyone?

x

Finish it up Friday - the Sock Version

Hallo you lovely crafters!

Have been doing flip all* quilting myself here this last few days (and I cannot believe it is Friday already) but I have been doing some sock knitting. Because sock knitting is Very Portable. And when the place has been heaving with nieces and nephews and all manner of children needing to be entertained in the holidays, portability (is this a word?) has been essential.

In fact, these socks have been to: Heads of Ayr Farm Park, Troon Beach Park, Fullarton Woods, Craft Daft, Adventure Planet, and any number of stops inbetween. And socks are for niece who has been entertaining us, and esp her cousin, with her presence for a few days.

So as my finish it Friday, I present one Finished (WOOHOO) sock and one ALMOST and as good as finished sock. Used 3.25mm needles and James C Brett's Moonlight Sonata. I am usually a bit snobby about non-natural fibres, but I have to say I am pleasantly surprised by this one, It doesnt feel plastic, and knits up really nicely. I'm not sure how it will wear as a sock, but it has 10% mohair, 10% wool, 75% acrylic and 5% metallic for that extra glamour. This is my favourite colourway out of the lot.

I will be quilting as soon as normal service resumes, which will be from Tuesday because the schools go back. To say I am looking forward to this is quite an understatement.

Any return to normality will be welcome because my hubby, who is already ill suffering from post-viral fatigue (90 weeks and counting), has been struck down with a heavy cold, and has been unable to leave the house even more than usual, leaving us all slightly cabin-fevered. Yay for school and immune system recovery! Yay for me getting some free daytime hours!

* means none, nothing happening, to all you non-Scots out there :)

Small but perfectly formed

Updated to join with Crazy Mom Quilts linky Finish it Friday party!  (I think that it counts that I've finished my quilt top, even though its not the whole thing yet )

Even though I have been a bit under the weather, some things are ideal makes when sitting cosily by the fire, in front of some excellent telly (or in this case, Supernatural on dvd).

Check these out - what do you think?

Cushions were bought, and decorated, little brooch motifs are detachable for washing. Each one I finished was my new favourite :)

PS Borders on Arrows quilt, just needs basting and quilting and binding. Well that will keep me busy for about 10 minutes. ha.

Blue for you

It's late and I should be in bed, but am chuffed after finishing all the machine sewing on my latest quilt - blue squares on a white background. It has looked good over my rail the last few weeks, and I'm surprised and pleased that the basting spray has held it together that long. Pics to follow.

Cutting continues on the mystery quilt, with the blues (bit of a blue theme developing just now, am like Picasso but with more hair) almost done and have started on the reds.

Def needing my massage this weekend :)

PS have just bought a blade sharpener - Truecut Rotary Blade Sharpener. Anyone know if its any good?

Mind the Gap!

Spaces appearing in my quilts to sell collection - Yay! Have sold this cute wee one:

(About 4 feet sq, fabric is Freebird by Momo)

And now I need to get on with making some more. Ideas yes but not been able to concentrate long enough so far. Hopefully now the household is back ion a routine again, I will feel the muse inspiring me and the mojo working. 

I wonder who the muse for quilting and patchwork would be?
Hmmm...

Failure to Launch

Hmmmm. Hard to get started in this weather. Trying to get into stuff, but lots of everyday life getting in the way of serious crafting. Not bad everyday life, I mean friends coming to visit, little'un starting school, hubby not feeling well, going out for an evening or two, is pretty good really. But am not getting my head together for some concentrated making. Ach well.

Plenty of time coming up for that. Have done a couple of wee things, coasters, hearts, some place mats. Pics? I think so.....

The Little'un wanted a gym bag with Hello Kitty so this is what I managed to rustle up with some IKEA fabric and ribbon. She liked it, and I think it turned out well. Not bad for some unpracticed sewing and bad interfacing hehe. You're not getting a close up thanks to the crap camera, but excellent from a distance :)

ummmmmmmm......

I have finished the bedspread, which is as good as its going to get. I am annoyed that I made some rookie mistakes,

    (Image from sodahead.com)              











and that I had so much extra work to do on it, but it is finished, it looks pretty good overall, and hopefully its recipients will think its ok.

Now I am wondering what to do next.

(image from imageenvision.com)

I'm away from my fabric stash right now, on holiday, and have some knitting with me, which is great but sore on the elbows. Stupid, stupid tennis elbow. Knitter's elbow. And am I the only person to have sprained an index finger from too much knitting? I remember one Xmas my hubby was away and I knitted loads with all my spare time, and when I was at work I coudn't pick up things because my index finger was so tender. Hmmmm. Just me?

Anyway. While I wait for the last bit of wool for my throw to be delivered (lovely, lovely internet shopping!) I am pondering the next quilt. I have a blue and white square one to quilt, its been basted, but I need a start of something new.

Baby quilt?
Throw?
Double bed size?
Table mats?

Am going to be at the Stair Community Fete in August (date??) and will need some little things for that, so I may indulge my need for quick, easy projects and make some table mats and doll quilts. Yes, sounds good.

Now for some inspiration:

Check out Hillary Lang's wall on Flickr :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillarylang/531878280/

Lovely!

Ta-Dah!

Finished! With washing and drying and everything!

Here's the whole quilt, in not brilliant detail, because the camera has decided it is not long for this world. Hmph.

Really chuffed with it though (the quilt, that is). Have taken the Irish Chain to the corners and placed the hearts in between, 7 blocks x 7 blocks, so 49 in all - 24 Heart and 25 Chain. Plus a 4 inch border and pieced striped binding, which I love.

 This one on the right shows the backing. I pieced a colourful strip down the centre of the quilt to make the back a bit more interesting. Duck egg sheeting. All over stipple quilted.

The whole thing shrank by about 3 inches after washing, which is ideal really - the quilt looks textured without being too crinkled. Finished size 89" square.

I dried it indoors - this is a Scottish summer after all - and it took a couple of days laid out on a sheet on the floor.
Even managed to keep the cat off it :)

Detail of the quilting, and a heart. I love the wee owl print here, though I can't remember where it came from.

Note the wee label sewn into the binding - Handmade by Fankle. That's me!












So...what do you think?