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The inner border for Seaside Town has been added, but now I'm deliberating over the blocks that make up the outer border. The foundation pieced houses are so cute, as are the 16-patch blocks, and I'm very happy with them. I loved making the Snail Trail blocks, but I'm having second thoughts about the colourway I chose. So I've shut myself in my sewing studio while I make some more. I may be some time!! 
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 My absolutely AMAZING sister Becky had her head shaved yesterday morning to raise money for Cancer Research UK in memory of our wonderful dad who sadly lost his battle with this bloody awful disease 15 years ago. He would've been incredibly proud of Becky - and she still looks beautiful even without her lovely long hair. If you would like to donate, Becky's Just Giving page is still open and you can use this link here.  After a hectic day, I've spent a very relaxing couple of hours walking in Captain's Wood, at Sudbourne. This is just a short drive from my home and as well as seeing plenty of hares and deer, this evening a special treat was a spectacular sunset. All this practically on my doorstep.  The kite tail meanders over several blocks of Seaside Town - (this is the mystery button club quilt by Lynette Anderson Designs that I started back in April 2017) - and Hugo is holding on to the string! The ribbons on the kite tail are all hand embroidered using variegated Valdani Threads....  ...the kite string was drawn onto the fabric once all the blocks had been completed and sewn together. I used a very fine Micron Pigma pen in a brown colourway (this is permanent so you do need a steady hand) and outlined the "ribbons" in backstitch before adding the satin stitch. The backstitch gives a nice edge to stitch against. A quick press on the back and it will be ready for the borders to be added!  Month 12 "End of the Rainbow" is the final instalment of Seaside Town, the mystery button club by Lynette Anderson Designs - this pattern, alonv with the cute hand painted wooden button, arrived in the post from Cross Patch in Wales. I was hoping to get this block finished while I was on a quilting trip to Yorkshire, but I just ran out of time...  ...well finally the applique and hand embroidery (I've used variegated Valdani Threads for that) has been completed. Lynette suggested in her instructions to use a bias marker with optional adhesive strips, but I just made normal bias strips, with dots of Roxanne Basting glue to hold it in place, then secured it using Aurifil 80wt thread by hand. The kite tail was drawn freehand, and travels along several blocks, with randomly coloured bows that are satin stitched. The final embellishment is the hand painted wooden button, which will be stitched in place once the quilt is completed. Now the next step is to add the inner border, and complete the blocks for the outer border.  "Bird in a Basket" is finally completed! The pattern for this gorgeous cushion is by Lynette Anderson Designs - this was bought from Lynette's online shop, Little Quilt Store in Australia. Patterns and buttons are also available from Cross Patch in Wales here in the UK. This was made with a combination of techniques - machine piecing, hand applique and hand embroidery. The applique was completed using the applique paper and glue stick method along with Apliquick tools. The hand embroidery was stitched using variegated Valdani Threads - then it was machine pieced, and machine quilted very simply with Aurifil 50wt thread. The final touch is a cute hand painted wooden button which was stitched in place once the cushion front was layered and quilted. I decided to finish my cushion cover differently to Lynette's instructions as I prefer to have a removable cover, with a zip inserted in the back. Once the front and back of the cushion cover have been sewn together a single fold binding has been used to cover the raw edges.  Another little peek at "Bird in a Basket" - this is a pattern by Lynette Anderson Designs, and was bought as a kit from Lynette's online shop Little Quilt Store in Australia (patterns and buttons also available from Cross Patch in Wales, here in the UK). I'm really loving these 3D flowers! This has been hand embroidered using variegated Valdani Threads. I've used Thread Heaven to condition these embroidery threads, as they are quite friable, especially the darker colours. Just two more 3D flowers are needed, then I can piece the cushion front together. Happy days ahead in my sewing studio!  The long journey north to Scotland was very productive and I was able to get most of the hand embroidery of "Bird in a Basket" completed by the time I'd returned home, late yesterday evening. These variegated Valdani threads look gorgeous, especially on the satin stitch flower petals. Once I'd unpacked the suitcases this morning, and loaded up the washing machine, I was able to spend a couple of hours sitting in the conservatory enjoying the sunshine and playing around with the applique.  30 years ago I married this wonderful man - although this was many years before I started quilting, I had been dressmaking for a long time (one of my 2 O-levels gained from school was dressmaking) and although I wasn't brave enough to tackle my wedding dress, I did make my bridesmaids dresses with my Frister and Rossman sewing machine - sadly that machine died a few years ago! I really miss the wonderful fabric shop that used to be in Ipswich, Gordon Thodays, where I bought the peach satin for the dresses, along with yards and yards and yards of lace! Happy Anniversary Mr F - here's to the next 30 years!  The Ultimate Travel Sewing Companion is packed with a hand sewing project ready for my holiday - Bird in a Basket was with me on my hols last week but I was too busy to make a start on it! As I'm travelling to Bonnie Scotland today, this will keep me occupied on my long journey 😊  |
 About me...Hi - welcome to my quilting blog! My passions are my family, my dog, my friends and sewing, not necessarily in that order! 
 
 
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