Block 8 of "Simply Blessed" by Rosalie Quinlan Designs, bought as a BOM from Under The Mulberry Tree, arrived from Australia about 3 weeks ago, and I couldn't wait to get started on it! These beautiful Tilda fabrics are complemented with Cosmo Seasons variegated thread shade 8049. The satin stitch areas were completed with a pale aqua and pale brown DMC thread from my thread box, to avoid a "stripy" effect. I spent early mornings before work, and evenings after supper, completing the stitchery by hand, which is so relaxing to do. This uses very simple stitches, backstitch, satin stitch and chain stitch. Then the next step was to get the appliqué completed...

...I traced the applique template shapes onto fusible water-soluble applique paper, which was then fused to the back of the fabric and the stitchery piece too. using the glue-stick method, the edges of the applique shapes were glued and turned under, then stitched into place in layers using a neutral coloured YLI silk thread. I often get asked about what equipment I use, and I always recommend buying the best you can afford. Some appliqué essentials that are in my sewing box are as follows: these Clover Black Gold appliqué needles have been in my sewing box for such a long time and they really are brilliant. The black shafts stop the needles from "falling" out of the fabric when you're stitching. Roxanne's basting glue is perfect for dabbing onto the back of the appliqué shapes to secure them before they are stitched into place. I've got several pairs of these Perfect Scissors by Karen Kay Buckley, and they really are the best for cutting out precisely. YLI silk thread is extremely fine, and I've got a few reels in neutral colours, and again they have been in my sewing box for simply ages. All of these were purchased from my local quilt shop Quilters Haven...

...once the applique layers were secured by stitching them by hand with the YLI silk thread, the borders were machined into place. I always use Schmetz Microtex needles size 60 for precision piecing, and I've been using a mid-grey mettler thread for piecing this project together. Only one block left now, which hopefully will be on it's way to me soon! I'm determined not to start sewing these blocks together until all 9 are completed!

The next set of stitcheries, US007 and US008 from United Stitches by Rosalie Quinlan Designs arrived from Under The Mulberry Tree in Australia. I ironed a piece of weaveline (a soft, fusible interfacing) to the back of the pre-printed linen, and made a start on US007. I really enjoy stitching with these gorgeous Cosmo threads as they have a fabulous sheen...

...once US008 was also completed, they were been pressed and packed away in my "United Stitches" project box. US009 and US010 have been dispatched and are on their way over from Oz. I can't wait for them to arrive!

Month 5 of The Thread Club by Lynette Anderson Designs arrived all the way from Australia, and this month's collection of Valdani threads hasn't disappointed. These threads are hand dyed, and the subtle changes in colour are gorgeous. This is a great way to try threads in colours that I wouldn't normally use, and a great way to build up a fantastic thread collection. These cute personalised thread spools will be put to good use with these threads!

My latest project is red, red, red - red spots, red paisley, red polka dots, red florals, and even the Aurifil quilting thread is red! I wanted this project to have a bit more structure, so I layered a very thin layer of polyester wadding onto a piece of fast-to-fuse. My Bernina 230PE quilted through the layers with no problems at all. This quilt-as-you-g method meant I could use all my red scraps...

...some red vintage buttons were stitched to one of the patchwork squares for decoration, and I used lots of spotted fabrics for the lining and the pocket panel. I added a clip for my keys. A button magnet is stitched to the facing so the bag can be secured. The facing was slip stitched to the lining by hand, and I added one of my labels too. Scrappy handles completed the look that I wanted...

...and here is the finished tote bag. The pattern is "Perfect Quilted Tote" by Elizabeth Hartman, and is available from her online store (there is a link on her website). This is really roomy, and will hold lots of shopping! 

I decided to prepare a label ready for the "Down In The Garden" quilt, and used one of the templates from Block 1 as the basis for the label. Leanne Beasley had included a few templates and stitchery ideas for labelling this quilt in part 10 of this BOM, but I needed something a little bit bigger! So I started off by tracing the outline of one of the designs from Block 1 of "Down In The Garden" by Leanne Beasley using a pencil, then ruled lots of lines across the template. The words were added "DITG" is from block 5, then I added the title of the quilt, my name, and Janette's name as she has played such a huge part in this quilt with her exquisite quilting, using the ruled lines as a guide. Some flowers from the original stitchery design were the last thing to be added. When I was happy with the pattern for the label, I traced over the pencil lines with a very fine black marker pen. Finally I had a pattern for the quilt label that I was able to use on my light box. I traced the outline with a Pigma Micron pen, and then added the details. Soft fusible interfacing (weaveline) was fused to the back of the background fabric, and I used 2 strands of embroidery thread to stitch over the traced design, that were left over from the original stitchery designs of the quilt...

I've used the pattern "Waverley Bag" by the Australian designer Leanne Beasley, and used fabric from the "Quilter's Garden" collection by another Australian designer, Lynette Anderson to make my latest project. After all the mini blocks were machine pieced together, I was ready to start the stitchery. The first mini block was fussy cut from Lynette's beautiful fabric...

...wise words were stitched in the final mini block. Mini block 5 had an appliqued bucket of tulips. The applique shapes were made using the applique paper and glue stick method, and hand stitched into place with a silk thread. Then the stitchery was added...

...3 very large appliqued daisies were scattered over the cushion (mini blocks 3, 4 and 8) with colonial knots stitched randomly onto the centres, and an applique heart was added to mini block 6...

...once all the stitchery and applique was completed, The cushion top was layered up with some backing fabric and wool wadding. The layers were spray basted together using 505 spray, and then the cushion top was quilted very simply with Aurifil thread. "Stitch in the ditch" around the centres of the mini blocks and I also quilted around the appliqued daisies and the heart...

...fabrics from t same collection were used for the backing. A neat enclosed zipper was used to close the back of the cushion, and single fold binding was used to cover all the raw edges. This was machined onto the front of the cushion, and then folded to the back and slip stitched by hand...

...a plump feather pad was used to fill the cushion cover. I had a quick photo shoot in the garden before it started raining again! This is now being put away ready for my mum for her birthday later in the summer. Hope she'll like it ;) 

Look what I collected from the longarm quilter yesterday! It was really too blustery to get a decent outdoor photograph so this is the best I could do. "Down In The Garden" is a quilt that was a BOM designed by Leanne Beasley that I started back in 2013 and finally completed in 2014. This was machine pieced and hand embroidered. A few weeks ago I delivered it to the incredibly talented Janette at J-Quilts and she has certainly done the most fabulous custom quilting. I'll get the binding done at the weekend and will add some more pictures then.

You can never have too many bags! I'd made a tote bag over the weekend to keep ll my sewing projects in, and decided to make a smaller zippered bag to keep my sewing bits and bobs in. I used the pattern "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa and some fabrics from the "Quilter's garden" collection by Lynette Anderson Designs. Lynette sent me a bundle f these fabrics to play with a couple of years ago and I've really enjoyed sewing with them over the past few days. This has already been filled up with some threads and a hoop and a needle case and a pair of scissors - and is tucked into my sewing tote bag ready for my next hand sewing session! And I've already got my next project lined up with more of these beautiful fabrics!

A few weeks ago my postman delivered a super parcel from Patchwork Chicks - "Hexagon Sewing Bag" by Lynette Anderson Designs. This super kit contains absolutely everything you need to make this small bag including the fabrics, wadding, embroidery threads, paper hexagons and even the wooden buttons. I traced the design onto the background fabric using a Pigma Micron pen and my lightbox...

...a small piece of weaveline interfacing was included in the kit and this was fused to the back of the stitchery design, then I was ready to get this in my hoop and start the stitchery and applique - and yes, I used my apliquick rods, applique paper and gluestick for these small pieces of applique! A final press when it was finished, and it was ready to be appliqued onto the pocket of the bag...

...I decided to make my bag bigger than the pattern suggested as I often have several projects on the go at once, and my friend Lynette had kindly send me a bundle of fat eighths of the same "Quilters Garden" fabric a couple of years ago, so I added them to the fabrics in the kit and sorted through my huge collection of patterns for a suitable bag. I decided to use the pattern "Perfect Quilted Tote" designed by Elizabeth Hartman...

...this is made using the QAYG method, and was quilted with Aurifil thread. I used pellon wadding for the bag, as this gives a more structured finish. Once the front panel was completed, I appliqued the stitchery design onto the front, then made another panel for the back of the bag...

...this pattern has excellent instructions for a pocket panel, with a pocket that closes with a zipper, and a slip pocket too, which has a bound edge and is reinforced with some lightweight fusible interfacing. I added a key fob which I thought would be useful for clipping a pair of scissors onto...

...and here's the completed bag, ready to be filled with my hand sewing projects so they're all together ready for when I want to do some hand sewing! I'm sure it won't take long to put all my hand sewing bits and bobs in here. This really was a simple bag to make, with very well-written instructions, and I'll definitely be making more of these with this pattern.

A couple of weeks ago, US005 and US006 of United Stitches by Rosalie Quinlan arrived all the way from Under The Mulberry Tree in Australia, and I couldn't wait to get started on these little stitcheries! I fused some soft interfacing to the back of the screen printed linen, popped the first one in my hoop and I was ready for an evening of stitching!...

...these Cosmo threads really are beautiful to stitch with. I was having a few issues with the thread shredding, but a new packet of John James embroidery needles soon solved that problem! Once US005 was completed, it was time to make a start on US006. Both stitchery designs are printed twice, so I can make 2 wall hangings for my daughters...

...and then it was time for a quick photo-shoot this morning, and then I can start stitcheries US007 and US008. Once these are all completed, they will will be cut into 4.5" blocks, and pieced together with Rosalie Quinlan Designs "Chirpy Lola" fabric range.