Blog Archives

Urban Mod Turning Twenty

31/8/2020

A few months ago, I pulled out a bundle of fat quarters that had been hiding away in a box for absolutely years - these are from the Urban Mod collection by Art Gallery fabrics, and had been bought from J-Quilts. These were swiftly chopped up and pieced together again, using the Turning Twenty pattern by Tricia Cribbs. Once the quilt top had been made, I packed it away as I wasn't sure how i wanted to quilt it. and life became incredibly busy...

...well last month I finally decided to get it quilted, and took it along to Daisy May Quilting, a husband and wife team that live just a short drive from where I live. Val has been a quilting friend for many years, and this was swiftly transformed by her husband John - I chose an all over design for this one, and this design is called Kelly. I collected it a couple of weeks ago and was absolutely thrilled to bits with it!...

...there was enough backig fabric left over to make the binding too, and this fabric worked perfectly with the Art Gallery fabrics that I'd used for the front. I prefer wider bindings for my larger quilts and machine quilted the strips together, then machined it to the front of the quilt, ready to fold over and hand stitch to the back. I'm rather pleased with those mitred corners...

...and here it is on a photoshoot shoot. I chose a bamboo wadding (both wadding and backing were supplied by Daisy May Quilting) and it drapes really well. As the name suggests, this was made with 20 fat quarters, and is a great size - it's set out in a 4x5 block arrangement and is approx 70" x 86" - now I keep looking at a few more FQ bundles that I've bought in the past, as I need to make a new quilt for the bed in my spare room. Just deliberating over colours!

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Trousse Coeurs - Embroidered Hearts

29/8/2020

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I bought this kit by Un Chat dans l'aiguille - it's called Trousse Coeurs - Embroidered Hearts (by Christel Gouze Elbaz) back in July, from Poppy Patch. This kit included the pre-printed linen, full instuctions in both French and English, a colour chart, DMC embroidery threads, an embroidery needle and a zipper. I initially started this on July 30th, which was very appropriate as it was World Embroidery Day...

...once the embroidery was complete, it was left on my "to do" pile, while I was busy sewing other things. A couple of days ago I decided I really needed to get it finished! Both the front and the back of this small zippered pouch is embroidered with a different design, incorporating hearts, hearts and more hearts! Most of the embroidery is stitched with 2 strands of DMC thread, although there is some embellishment with a single strand of a silver metallic thread...

...I added a different zipper than the one that was included in the kit, as I wanted to use this mauve coloured one to match the lining fibric. I added neat tabs to each end of the zipper too, which was a slight change to the original pattern instructions...

...and here's the design on the other side of this pouch. This isn't the quickest bag I've made (the hand embroidery took forever) but I'm really pleased with the finished result. These patterns are lovely, the only issue is that as they're preprinted onto linen, you can't stitch them again, although it does mean you don't have to trace such an intricate design by hand!

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Stitching Makes my heart Happy - all 6 Folders

27/8/2020

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Well here are all of my thread folders, ready to put on my storage unit. The pattern is Stitching Makes My Heart Happy by the Australian designer Gail Pan, purchased from Poppy Patch. I've made these with a selection of fabrics from the One Stitch at a Time collection by another Australian designer, Lynette Anderson. These folders each hold 24 skeins of Cottage Garden Threads, and as you can see, one folder just wasn't enough! These have all been hand embroidered using a selection of variegated Valdani perle threads, supplied by Cross Patch, and embellished with a few vintage buttons from my button tin, in colours to match the threads and fabrics.

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Stitching Makes My Heart Exceedingly Happy

26/8/2020

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There's not much to say really - except that I've made 2 more of these thread storage folders! The pattern, Stitchig Makes My Heart Happy, by the Australian designer Gail Pan Designs, was bought a few months ago from Poppy Patch, here in the UK. It holds 24 skeins of Cottage Garden Threads, and as I had just SO many skeins, one folder just wasn't enough! I purchased more fabric and jumbo ric-rac trimming and set about making more, using those gorgeous varigated Valdani perle threads, supplied by Cross Patch for the embroidery. The folder below was embroidered using a variegated purple, shade H208 from the Cross Patch Welsh Summer Collection, and I've picked out some vintage buttons in colours to match. The buttons were stitched in place once the embroidered centre had been appliqued onto the front of the folder...

...my final folder was hand embroidered using a beautiful soft green variegated Valdani perle thread, shade H202 from the Cross Patch Fall Collection. Cross Patch do sell some amazing collections of perle thread, and they've worked really well as these designs are not too intricate. Again, I've had a rummage in my button tin to pick out buttons in colours to work well with the colours of the threads and fabrics. I've also used a perle thread for the simple big stitch hand quilting around the appliqued centre. I've now got more than enough storage for these Cottage Garden Threads, so this is the last one I'll need to make for a while, unless I decide to make one or 2 for my sttiching friends!

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Another Contoured 3D Face Mask

25/8/2020

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I recently made a Contoured 3D face mask, using a pattern and tutorial by Japanese Sewing Books. It was really easy to make, and I've made one for a colleague too. This pattern is simple to put together, and is comfortable to wear. The pattern is a free PDF download, and is available in 6 different sizes.

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Life's A Journey Quilt

23/8/2020

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Over the past few weeks I've been dipping in and out of a variety of projects. This pattern is Life's a Journey quilt by House on the Hill Design Company, and was bought as a kit that included the pattern, fabrics and buttons from Coast & Country Crafts and Quilts...

...I've hand appliqued the applique shapes, using Lite Steam-a-seam 2 to fuse the fabric shapes to the background fabric, and 2 strands of DMC embroidery thread in matching colours for the blanket stitch. A strip of fabric has been frayed and tied in a floppy bow on the hand embroidered hair...

...simple hand embroidery and button "flowers" are scattered at the lower edge of the centre panel. More buttons are used to trim the appliqued hearts. These were slip stitched in place using a very fine 80wt Aurifil thread. I've hand quilted around these hearts very simply using a variegated red Valdani perle thread shade O78...

...more buttons are holding the tabs in place along the top. The rest of this wall hanging has been machine quilted very simply, with a neat quarter inch binding. A small hand embroidered quilt label, with a raw-edged applique heart and embellished with a vintage button, has been stitched by hand to the back, and finishes it off...

...and here's the finished wallhanging, all ready to put on display in my sewing studio. This is approx 24" x 32" and I'm using a very simple wire hanger with a dowel rod for hanging this one.

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Contoured 3D Face Mask

20/8/2020

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After much deliberation, I've finally made my first face mask! I'm not going to give you my personal opinions about whether I agree with them or not, but wearing a face covering has become the new normal for going shopping. I made the Contoured 3D Face Mask by Japanese Sewing Books - the pattern is a free PDF download. This is a great design, it's a perfect fit (the pattern gives you 6 sizes to chose from) and there's a video tutorial to show you how to make them. It's really simple to put together, and I've already cut out fabric to make 4 more this evening!

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Stitching Really DOES Make my Heart Happy

16/8/2020

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I know - I've made another one! This pattern - Stutching Makes my Heart Happy, by Gail Pan Designs, is a super folder for storing 24 skeins of Cottage Garden Threads. I carried on a theme using a selection of fabrics from the One Stitch at a Time collection, by Lynette Anderson Designs, which were bought as a few fat quarters from Poppy Patch along with some jumbo ric-rac trimming...

...this one has also been hand embroidered using a variegated Valdani perle thread thread, this time I've used shade O537 - this was part of the Rainbow Collection, bought from Cross Patch. A fe more vitage buttons were picked from my button jar, and were sttiched in place on the front of the folder. A ring of hand quilting with a plain ecru DMC perle thread was sttiched around the appliqued circle...

...inside there are 24 fabric pockets to store these gorgeous variegated, hand dyed Cottage Garden Threads in a variety of colours, each skein neatly stored in it's own pocket...

...smart fabric ties are used to fasten the folder, and a neat row of topstich in a matching colour is machined along the edge to finish it off. I've nearly rehomed all of my CTG collection! Thankfully I still have some fabrics and buttons left to make one or two more of these fabulous folders.

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Hexie Flower Templates

9/8/2020

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A set of these Hexie Flower Templates arrived in the post a few days ago, and I'm really looking forward to seeing Julia Roworth from Cross Patch demonstrating them on Create and Craft TV later this morning. These super templates come with a pattern book with full instructions and lots of ideas. Now I just need to make a cuppa and I'll be ready to settle down on the sofa with my feet up and catch up with the show!

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Wish You Well - Block 8

7/8/2020

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Here's the 8th block of Wish You Well - it's the 2020 I Stitch Club, which is a mystery block of the month, designed by the Australian designer Gail Pan Designs and is available from her website as a PDF download. This combines a mixture of hand embroidery and applique (you can use whatever method of applique you prefer). Each month you're sent an email with a PDF download with the pattern instructions, colour picture of the completed block and a full size traceable stitchery design. You also get a bonus project each month. I've used a GORGEOUS selection of fabrics for this project, that are from the Super Bloom collection by Edyta Sitar, which were purchased from Cross Patch an online shop based in Wales here in the UK...

..as you can see, I've used some vintage lace trimming on this block. I've got quite a collection of vintage lace trimmings and ribbons, moustly sourced from charity shops and vintage markets. The stitchery has been hand embroidered using a selection of DMC, Cosmo and Valdani embroidery threads. You can click on the pictures below to enlarge them if you want to see them in more detail. This is such a pretty BOM, I'm really looking forward to seeing these blocks all pieced together!
If you want to take part too, click on the link on the sidebar of my blog to take you to Gail Pan's website where you'll get all the details.