Blog Archives

Flowerdale - Quilted and Bound and Labelled!

30/11/2016

I'd finished this quilt, "Flowerdale" by Gail Pan Designs earlier in the year. It had been with the longarm quilter J-Quilts for several weeks and I finally collected it a couple of weeks ago. My longarm quilter had done an amazing job with this one, as you can see if you click on the pictures below to get an enlargement...

...this had been hand quilted using the applique paper and glue stick method, and the blocks had been machine pieced with Aurifil 50wt thread. These fabrics are a selection from the Blueberry Crumb cake collection by Blackbird Designs for Moda. This was actually a kit that had been in my fabric box for about 5 years, as it took me that long to feel confident about tackling the amount of applique!...

...well, the binding is on, it's been labelled and will be wrapped up as a spacial Christmas gift. I absolutely loved making this one, and it may have been the first Gail Pan Designs quilt that I've made, but it certainly won't be the last!

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Jurassic Jamboree Baby Quilt

26/11/2016

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Several weeks ago I'd bought a super charm pack "Jurassic Jamboree" by Abi Hall for Moda from a local quilt shop, Kis Quilting Ltd in Ipswich. It was perfect for the quilt that I had in mind, and to complete it I needed some backing fabric - I was thrilled to find the same fabric range in stock at Puddleducks, so was able to get some for both the backing and binding - and finally some plain white cotton from another local quilt shop, Fiona's Fabrics, in Woodbridge. I used a favourite pattern, Charm Squares Baby Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman (this is a free download from her blog Oh Fransson!) and only took about an hour to piece together...

...most of last Saturday was spent quilting it in straight rows wit Aurifil 50wt thread in white, and machining the binding into place. This was folded to the back and hand stitched into place, using another Aurifil thread in this fab bright orange! One of my labels was stitched into the corner before the binding was machined into place...

...and now this has been given to the new baby (my nephew and his wife has a gorgeous baby boy a few weeks ago) I can finally show you a picture of the finished baby quilt. This really is a very simple quilt to make, and the rows of straight quilting does give it a lovely soft ribbed effect. Hope the new baby will be kept warm and wrapped up in plenty of love from his great-auntie!

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Aurifil Thread Club

25/11/2016

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I can't believe it was 6 months ago that I signed up for the Aurifil Thread Club over at Sew Hot here in the UK! Each month I get 4 fabulous spools of 50wt thread and these colours are just gorgeous! These threads are perfect for piecing and quilting and my Bernina loves them as much as I do!! Sew Hot has an offer on up until midnight to get 20% your order of Aurifil thread if you want to try them too - just use code SBS20 at the checkout. I might just have to indulge in a little more thread shopping as I do love a bargain!

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Leanne's House Block 9

24/11/2016

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The pattern for the final block of "Leanne's House" (by the Australian designer Leanne Beasley) arrived in the post at the beginning of the month, and I've been working on it in between some other projects. The initial fabric pack and the patterns were bought online from Cross Patch in Wales. Once the block was pieced together I started the hand embroidery...

...I used a soft, fusible interfacing on the back of the fabric to give it a bit of "body" and stops shadowing of the threads. I used DMC embroidery threads for this project. The heart was appliqued using appilque paper, a glue stick and apliquick tools. The heart was then hand stitched into place using Bottomline thread (this is a very fine 60wt polyester thread and is ideal for hand embroidery)...

...and here's the completed block. I'm having a sewing day on Saturday with my friend Helen, and I'm hoping to get all 9 of these blocks pieced together. Next month I'll get the fabric for the borders sent to me, so will show you the finished quilt top then, although I just MIGHT give you a little peek at the blocks sometime over the weekend!

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Sunglasses Sminkepung

17/11/2016

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Now this has been gifted, I can share a picture! This was made for a colleague who needed a small quilted bag to get bottles of solutions for her contact lenses. This fabric was perfect for this project - it's called "Sunglasses" and is from the "Vacation" collection by Henley Studio for Makower UK. I'd bought this a few weeks ago from Lovely Jubbly Fabrics when I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally in London. The pattern I've used is "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. This really didn't take very long to make at all, and I'll be busy making a few of these for one of two colleagues who need a "special" gift at the end of the year!

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Journey of a Quilter - The Borders

17/11/2016

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The fabric for the borders and binding arrived in the post from Cross Patch Patch in Wales, and it didn't take long to cut the borders, pin them in place and stitched them into place. My favourite Aurifil 50wt thread and a Schmetz Microtex size 60 needle was used for the machine piecing...

...I really did enjoy the journey of making this quilt, and now the borders are on it will be packed away until the New Year, when it will go off to be custom quilted.

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Anderson's Farm - Quilt Top Completed!

13/11/2016

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Anderson's Farm is completed! This gorgeous quilt is a mystery button club quilt, and was designed by Lynette Anderson Designs. I'd signed up for this with Lynette's online shop Little Quilt Store, and received the first block back in February. Each month I've received a pattern, along with a beautiful hand painted wooden button. (These will be stitched into place once the quilting has been finished). Once all of the 10 blocks were pieced together, the borders and corner stone blocks were added. An embroidered heart is appliqued to each corner stone block. I decided to use neutral coloured fabric for the hearts to showcase these beautiful Valdani threads that were used throughout the rest of the quilt...

...this quilt was pieced together using Aurifil 50wt thread, hand appliqued using applique paper, glue stick and apliquick rods, and was hand embroidered. I'll really miss getting these gorgeous parcels through the post every month. This quilt has been a real pleasure to stitch. Thank you Lynette to a wonderful design - this was my first mystery button club, but it won't be my last!

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Anderson's Farm - Borders and Cornerstones

12/11/2016

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The outer borders for Anderson's farm involved lots of strip piecing! I used my favourite medium grey Aurifil 50wt thread, a Schmetz Microtex size 60 needle and a shorter than usual stitch for the machine piecing and spend a busy morning selecting fabrics, sewing and sewing and more sewing - then when I had enough strips for the borders, machine stay-stitched a scant eighth of an inch from the outside edge to stop all those seams from unravelling!...

...the outer borders were pinned and stitched into place. The corner stones had the same embroidered hearts as some of the blocks in the quilt, and these were appliqued into place before the corner stones were added to the top and bottom borders. These Valdani threads are gorgeous to use, as the variation is very subtle and blend with the colours of Lynette's fabrics perfectly...

...a final press, and the quilt top is finished! I can't believe I haven't taken part in a mystery BOM before - I have absolutely LOVED getting a little package with a surprise inside it each month from Lynette. It's just like having a birthday every month!!

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Friends For Christmas - Block 2 - Three Friends

11/11/2016

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Yippee!! Look what arrived in the post today! Three Friends is the next instalment of this festive BOM Friends for Christmas quilt by Lynette Anderson Designs. I've signed up online with Puddleducks to take part in this BOM, amd just need a few more hours in the day so I can make a start!

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Anderson's Farm Block 10 - Friendship Oak

11/11/2016

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I'd only just finished block 9 of Anderson's Farm (a gorgeous mystery button club by Lynette Anderson Designs) and the next one arrived! Block 10 is called "Welcome Oak" and is made with only 3 fabrics - this pretty blue print, a neutral background for the applique and stitchery, and the wonderful wool for the appliqued tree. This was appliqued onto the background fabric using Lite steam-a-seam 2 (bought online from Barnyarns) and hand embroidered with blanket stitch using Valdani threads...

...the edges of the appliqued arch were folded over using a glue stick and apliquick rods, and appliqued onto the blue print by hand using a fine applique needle and Bottomline thread (this is a 60wt polyester thread and is perfect for hand applique). The hand painted wooden button will be stitched into place one the quilt is completed and quilted. The instructions for this block also included the information for making the borders, which will be pieced together soon. All the fabrics used in this quilt are also designed by Lynette, and are a mixture from her previous collections. The fabric pack including the wool and a set of Valdanin threads came directly from Lynette. There is more info on her online quilt shop Little Quilt Store if you want to sign up this using her newest collection of fabrics.

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<<Previous

Flowerdale - Quilted and Bound and Labelled!

Jurassic Jamboree Baby Quilt

Aurifil Thread Club

Leanne's House Block 9

Sunglasses Sminkepung

Journey of a Quilter - The Borders

Anderson's Farm - Quilt Top Completed!

Anderson's Farm - Borders and Cornerstones

Friends For Christmas - Block 2 - Three Friends

Anderson's Farm Block 10 - Friendship Oak

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