Nicola Foreman Quilts - BLOG

The Write Stuff - Bugs and Critters

28/8/2023

A couple of years ago I bought this super Bugs and Critters fabrics by Nutex. I'd used it to make Zip it Up (a ByAnnie pattern) and threlittle boy I'd made it for loved it! Anyway, two years later I've still got some leftover fabric, so now I've made him a journal cover to match! I've used another ByAnnie pattern, The Write Stuff, and I've adapted it to fit a chunky A4 notebook. There's a zipper pocket on the front of the journal cover, which can store pens and pencils. I've used zipper by the metre from Zipper Station, in the same colour that I'd used for the Zip it Case I'd made for him previously.. ...

...there are useful pockets inside, and the notebook slips neatly inside the front and back pockets so it will lay flat when opened. I've used a spiral bound notebook with lots of dividers inside...

...the flap that fastens the journal cover together is held in place with a sew-in magnet, and I used a chnky black button on the front of the flap. This just needs to be wrapped with a few more books about bugs and critters - I hope Charlie likes it!

Bits and Bobs Sewing Folder

26/8/2023

A couple of weeks ago, we were due to go on a mini-break as Mr F was playing cricket in Wales, and I needed a hand sewing project to take me. Using this beautiful bundle of fabrics from the Blue Sky collection by Laundry Basket Quilts (purchased a few years ago from Cross Patch) were just right for the project I'd got planned. The Bits and Bobs Sewing Folder, designed by the Australian designer Gail Pan, was purchased last year from Poppy Patch, and it didn't take long to trace the stitchery design onto a low volume fabric from the collection. The hand embroidery was stitched with 2 strands of a deep blue DMC embroidery thread...

...once the hand embroidery for both the sewing folder and the small pouch was completed, the fabric was pressed and trimmed to size. The sewing folder was pieced together in a srappy arrangement due to the size of the fabrics in the bundle of fat eighths. Ric rac was added and embellished with colonial knots. Layered onto wadding, I machine quilted around the stitchery panel, and added some vintage buttons...

...the front of the stitchery folder has been hand quilted using ecru coloured DMC perle thread. I made my own template by folding a strip of freezer paper concertina-fashion, and cut out the shape of a simple curve. Folding out the paper, and pressing it onto the fabric with a warm iron, I was able to use the curved edge as a guide. The freezer was simply peeled off and placed along the bottom edge of the fabric for the lower curve. The folder is fastened with fabric ties which have been topstitched along both long edges and inserted into both sideseams...

...inside the folder there are a selection of fabric and clear vinyl pockets, which are ideal for storing sewing paraphernalia...

...the small sewing pouch has been pieced together in a scrappy fashion, and has been both machine and hand quilted. The back of the sewing pouch has a clear vinyl zippered pocket...

...a neat binding covers all the raw edges - this has been machined in place on the back of the pouch, folded over and hand stitched to the front...

...and here's the finished project. True to it's name, it's perfect for storing lots of sewing bits and bobs.

Aurifil Colour Builder - African Penguin

19/8/2023

Thanks to signing up to the Aurifil Colour Builder club at Oh Sew Sweet Shop I've been able to add to my collection of Aurifil 40wt threads. African Penguin is this month's selection, and is the final set of threads. These black, grey and white threads - shades 2692, 2625 and 2021 - really are beautiful and are great for machine quilting.

In Full Bloom Quilt Label

10/8/2023

Once I'd stitched the blocks together for my In Full Bloom quilt - (pattern by the Australian designer Lynette Anderson Designs) - I doodled some ideas for a quilt label. I always like to incorporate the theme of the quilt into the label, so using some of Lynette's flower motifs, I sketched some simple flowers along with a bee, surrounded by letters depicting the date and my name. Once I'm happy with the final design, I draw over the pencil lines with a very fine black sharpie. This enables me to use the pattern to trace my design onto fabric. I do yjis by taping the pattern onto my lightpad, taping the fabric over the paper, and tracing the design wth a fine fabric marker pen. Mt favourite is a Micron Pigma pen, nib size 005, in a pale brown shade (sepia). This size nib is fine enough that it can be covered with just one thread of a stranded embroidery skein. For this label, I've used a piece of the beautiful yarn dyed fabric that was used for the stitchery designs on the quilt, and a selection of the same coloured embroidery threads. Now I just need to decide how to quilt In Full Bloom, then I can hand applique the label to the back of the quilt.

In Full Bloom - Patchwork Blocks

9/8/2023

These gorgeous fabrics in soft muted colours are from the Secret Garden collection, designed by Lynette Anderson and produced by Lecien back in 2011, and they really are lovely to sew with. The fabrics were cut up and pieced together to make Broken Dishes patchwork blocks..

...the patchwork and applique blocks are joined together, set out in a 5x5 layout. A narrow inner border is then stitched around the blocks, ready for the outer border...

...a pieced outer border is finally added to the quilt top. The finished top measures 38" x 38" and will make a very pretty wall hanging. Now I just need to decide how to quilt it, whether to by hand or machine. Oh and I need to doodle some ideas for a quilt label too!

In Full Bloom - Stitchery and Applique

30/7/2023

Another kit that has been on that very long list is In Full Bloom - purchased many years ago, this had been carefully stored away, waiting for "just the right time" to stitch it - and it was finally that time! The kit included the set of patterns, (this was originally a block of the month back in 2011/2012) a full colour sheet showing a picture of the completed quilt, all the original fabrics (these are from the Secret Garden collection, also designed by Lynette Anderson) and some beautiful yarn dyed fabric that was to be used for ther stitchery backgrounds. I traced the design using a lightpad (a very thin lightbox, and this large A3 sized one has 3 levels of brightness which is really useful) and a Micron Pigma pen - my favourite one is the finest nib, size 005, and a light brown, sepia, colour...

...once the designs were traced (the ink in these pens is permanent, so you do need a steady hand when you're using them), the hand embroidery was stitched using a combination of DMC and Cosmo embroidery threads. I used the solours that Lynette suggested, as I was using her original fabrics. The stitchery designs were then pressed, and cut out - there is a template included in the pattern for this - ready to be prepared for the applique part of the project...

...the edges have been turned over, and hand stiched into place using a very fine thread - the stitches are almost impossible to see. These appliqued blocks will be joined together with some Broken Dishes patchwork blocks later, to make the quilt top.

Heirloom Stitching

24/7/2023

These GORGEOUS Aurifil 12wt threads arrived in the post today from Cross Patch - 5 little spools of 50m each in shades 5868, 5023, 4644, 2930 and 1285, these threads will be perfect for some hand embroidery or hand quilting projects.

Aurifil Colour Builder - Pangolin

20/7/2023

Thanks to signing up to the Aurifil Colour Builder club at Oh Sew Sweet Shop I've been able to add to my collection of Aurifil 40wt threads. Pangolin is this month's selection and these brown threads - shades 2360, 6010 and 2312 - really are beautiful and are great for machine quilting.

The 1618 Cottage Bag - Construction

17/7/2023

Once the hand embroidery and applique for The 1618 Cottage Bag was completed, I was ready to construct the bag. The lining was attached to a piece of wadding - the pattern suggest "bag batting" and the only structured wadding I had was ByAnnie Soft and Stable, which was a bit too thick for this project. After an unsuccessful attempt to put the bag together, I unpicked a few seams and re-did it using Pellon H630, which is a felted polyester wadding, and worked much better. I made the pocket strip by reinforcing the fabric strip with a piece of lightweight interfacing, folded the pocket strip in half lengthways, topstitched along the upper edge and layered it up on top of the wadding and lining. Dividing lines were stitched through all layers to form small pockets, which can be used for string needles and threads etc. The front of the bag was attached, then the zipper was machined to the main body of the bag...

...the bag base was quilted, and attached to the main body of the bag. Clover Wonder Clips are perfect for holding the thick layers together, and I hand basted the components together before machine stitching - the binding was folded over to cover the raw edges and hand stiched to the base of the bag. The lid was attached in the same manner as the base...

...the final touch was adding a decorative zipper pull. I used some scraps of leftover fabrics from the bag to make the tiny Suffolk Puffs, and used a few vintage buttons from my button tin. The instructions for this aren't included with this pattern, but are with another one of Lynette's designs, called Badger Cottage...

...the internal pockets are really useful for storing needles and threads, and although it's quite a small bag - it's approx 6.5" x 7" - there's lots of room inside for my other sewing bits and bobs too, and as you can see I've already filled it with everything I need for my next hand sewing project - which, surprise surprise, is another "Lynette-project" that has been on my to-do list for ages.

The 1618 Cottage Bag - Applique and Hand Embroidery

10/7/2023

Way back in 2020 a parcel from the Little Quilt Store (when it was based in Australia) popped through the letterbox - and it's been sitting in that VERY big box of kits in my sewing studio ever since! As my regular followers know, I made a list of all my kits at the beginning of 2022 and updated that list again at the beginning of this year. So finally, it's time to make this one! The 1618 Cottage Bag, by Lynette Anderson Designs, is a small quilted bag - the kit contained the pattern and all the fabrics required. This project uses a combination of both hand embroidery and hand applique...

...the hand applique was prepared using the Apliquick methd. I first saw Lynette demonstrating the Apliquick method of applique at the Festival of Quilts back in 2013, and have been using this method ever since. It gives lovely crisp edges to houses and roof topd, and I find it so much easier using the Apliquick tools rather than my stubby fat fingers - needleturn applique is definately not my thng! The embroidery has all ben stitched using a selection of variegated Valdani threads...

...the embroidery stitches are quite simple ones, and the variegated threads are especially lovely for the stain stitches flowers. Now the centre panel has been finished, I'm ready to start on the bag construction, but I'm leaving that until the weekend when I can shut myself away in my sewing studio for a few hours!