Block 5 of "Down In The Garden" (designed by Leanne Beasley) is much more stitchery-intensive and was waiting to be prepped. As I usually tape both the pattern and fabric with masking tape onto my conservatory windows, my arms were going to be killing me by the time I'd traced this design! I've got a small A5 size light-box which is ok for small projects, but I really NEEDED a bigger one! I decided that I really needed to invest in a super large light-box. As I hadn't spent ANY money on fabric while I was on holiday I deserved a little treat, so this morning I went on a little jaunt to Felixstowe, and bought this super A3 sized light-box, which is just perfect for tracing stitchery and applique designs. It uses a low energy light bulb, so didn't get too hot when I was busy tracing... ...I always use a Pigma Micron pen, to trace the designs, and I prefer the brown colour. The ink is permanent so you do need a very steady hand. 2 strands of embroidery thread will cover the traced lines perfectly. Now this just needs a thin fusible interfacing fused to the back of the fabric, and I'll be ready to start the stitching this evening while Mr F is watching football on TV!! I'd better hide this light-box, as my youngest daughter (the very crafty one) has already cast an envious eye over it. And if I'm not careful it might be "borrowed" and I'll never see it again!
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Well I'm getting there at last! This is a BOM "Down In The Garden" by the Australian designer Leanne Beasley, and was initially started last summer. During the winter months I put it to one side to concentrate on other projects. I've finally finished block 4, and this one has only taken me 3 weeks from tracing the stitchery, piecing the mini-blocks and putting the final stitches into place. As you can see from the picture below, the stitchery was completed before the applique... ...again there is a combination of appliqued butterflies fluttering across the block, and an appliqued heart... ...and the centre piece is a beautiful stitchery watering can filled with flowers. Several of my blog followers have asked me where they can purchase these patterns. I initially bought mine from an online shop her in the UK (that has sadly closed down) that used to stock lots of beautiful Australian patterns. There are links on Leanne Beasley's website detailing where these patterns can be bought. Block 5 is much more stitchery-intensive and needs to be prepped. I really need to invest in a super large lightbox as my arms are going to be killing me by the time I've traced only a quarter of block 5 if I carry on taping my patterns onto my conservatory window! I've got a small A5 size lightbox which is ok for small projects, but I really NEED a bigger one!
I made a start on stitching this block back in September 2013, then other projects sort of took over, and it was put back in a box until a few weeks ago. Stitching this has been very relaxing, especially early in the morning when everyone is still asleep... ...another mini-dresden plate adorns this block, and I did a short-cut method by piecing these together by machine and then they are appliqued into place using a neutral coloured silk thread, with a Suffolk Puff in the centre. I finally made a batch of these mini-dresden plates this morning, and couldn't believe how quick I made the 2nd, 3rd and 4th one... ...these 3 blocks form row 1 of "Down In The Garden" (designed by Leanne Beasley). Block 4 beckons, and as I've already completed the stitchery for it, I just need to prepare the applique - more pictures soon!
I actually did the stitchery on this block last year, and finished the applique this morning! Well my satin stitch was CERTAINLY improving by the time I'd moved onto Block 2 of "Down in the Garden" BOM (designed by Leanne Beasley) - well, it really couldn't get much worse after the fiasco of the bird's beaks! I used Leanne's tip of stitching around the outline with back stitch first of all, then sewing the satin stitch, and I must say it certainly looks much neater. This project uses DMC threads, and I've been using a size 9 John James embroidery needle for the hand stitchery... ....these cute blue birds are stitched with tiny chain stitch, (I am SO glad I removed the original mini-block and replaced it - these birds really do look SO much better) and the watering can is stitched the same way. Loving this bouquet of flowers!!..... .....pretty red appliqued butterflies adorn this block, and look so cute fluttering among the flowers. Needle turn applique isn't a technique that I'm particularly good at, so I decided to use raw-edge applique with fusible interfacing to secure them into place... ...time for a final press, and I'm ready to make a start on the applique for Block 3!!
Last year I started this BOM "Down In The Garden" by the Australian designer Leanne Beasley. Lots of techniques were used to complete Block 1 and I am so thrilled with it!! Piecing mini blocks, fussy cutting, more piecing to make the large block, stitchery, stitchery and MORE stitchery, and my first time of using Cottage Garden threads - hand dyed stranded cotton, already cut into lengths and absolutely divine to sew with!... ...well I really enjoyed the stitchery, but put off doing the rest for several months. These mini-dresden plates were a bit tricky (I'd never actually made a dresden plate before, so turned to my very crafty sister for some expert help). I didn't really like the middle discs as per the pattern, so made some Suffolk Puffs instead, and this was secured into place with a dab of Roxanne's basting glue before being stitched down.The applique hearts have been sewn into place with a very small slip stitch using a neutral coloured silk thread...... ...this really does look so pretty - goodness only knows why I didn't prepare these dresden plates and hearts last year. Although the first one took a little while to master, I decided to get the other 3 made while I still had my machine threaded! Now to get the butterflies on Block 2 stitched into place!
What to do on a rainy Saturday morning? A rummage through my box of Lecien fabrics, and I found these that are mostly from the Flower Sugar III range. I needed to make a gift for a very special person who has a birthday in a couple of weeks, so set to work using the pattern "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. I thought I'd used the last piece of this gorgeous lace-trimming, but found it screwed up in my box of zippers! I've still got some in different colours, but this is the last I had in this colourway. I've been desperately searching for more, but so far I've had no luck... ...the beautiful soft green fabric was left over from the Butterfly Garden quilt that I'd made a few years ago, and was perfect for the binding along the opening of this bag. Now I just need to buy a few more "pink" bits and bobs to tuck inside and it will be ready for the birthday girl!
This weekend I've finished making a selection of cosmetic bags, made with the pattern "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. These fabrics are by Lecien, that I bought last year from Sew and So's at Bungay and were left-overs from a tote bag I made a couple of weeks ago. Each bag is different, made with different scraps of fabric and lace trimmings... ...I'd made one of these bags a couple of weeks ago with some of these scraps of fabric and lace, and blogged about that one here. This shows a close-up of the zippers and the trimmings that I used... ...down among the bluebells in a shady spot at the bottom of my garden seemed the perfect place for this morning's photo-shoot. These will do in my "gift box" so when I need a present for a friend in a hurry, I'll have the perfect present!
These beautiful fabrics from the Pastel Floral Collection "Princess Rose" by Lecien (bought from Sew and So's at Bungay a few months ago) were just perfect for my latest project - a Secret Santa gift for one of my colleagues who just loves pink and who loves my bags - so this was the perfect combination, along with my favourite bag pattern, "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, and a little bit of lace trimming from Little A Designs. The front of the bag has been quilted very simply in straight rows with a pink variegated King Tut quilting thread. I used a very small blind hemming stitch to attach the lace trimming into place after the quilting was completed and the top edge neatened ready for attaching the zipper... ...as the recipient loves pink so much, the bag is lined with the same pretty floral fabric that I used for binding the front edges before I inserted the zipper. Oh and yes, of course the zipper just had to be pink. One of my labels is tucked neatly inside the side seam too... ...and I even used a PINK ribbon to tie around the top of the cellophane bag! Of course I couldn't share this picture with you until AFTER she'd been given it at work on Christmas Eve - although she guessed straight away who her Secret Santa was - and she was absolutely thrilled with it!
I've had a busy few days getting the last of my Christmas gifts made -now I can relax and spend the next few days getting my last minute shopping done! This is a matching set of toiletry bag and cosmetic bag. The pattern is "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, and the fabric is from a selection of the "Flower Sugar III" range by Lecien. I used white quilting thread by Mettler for a simple cross hatch design as this complemented the white lace trimming and the white zipper, and contrasted nicely against the bright red fabric.
Using the pattern "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa and a selection of Lecien fabrics (this time purple and green) from Sew and So's of Bungay and some lace trimming from Little A Designs and I was all ready to get creative! This time I made a matching set that can be used a toiletry bag and a cosmetic bag. I've quilted these very simply using a cross-hatch design and a straight-row pattern too. This time I used olive green zippers to match the binding along the edges of the bag. The pink lace and velvet trimming is used on both bags - and each bag has a small label sewn inside too.
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About me...Hi - welcome to my quilting blog! My passions are my family, my dog, my friends and sewing, not necessarily in that order! Archives
July 2023
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