Framed, Centred and Sidetracked

It didn't take long to finish the alternate frames on these 1950s stitcheries.

The centre is complete. Yay! I was looking at the huge pile of "short bits" left over after the scrappy strippy log-cabin style borders were added... thinking What will I do with these?

I think I know what to do. Now the centre is complete, I will use up the strippy bits by joining them into long borders. I will go around the quilt centre as many times as possible.

Then it will need quilting - probably in some large flower design that is reminiscent of the 1950s dresses themselves. Followed by... hmmm... probably a plain brown binding. Or red. *grin*

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Then, I got so excited by this "almost-up-to-quilting-finish"... that I wanted to make pillowcases.

My friend Shelly found a fantastic online tutorial for making pillowcases. Click here to watch the video. You make a tube and turn it inside out. It's that simple.

These cat pillowcases are for a girl who is celebrating her 9th birthday in a month (yes, I've made them a bit early, but how cuuute is the fabric??)

Uh oh, I can feel a new and urgent addiction coming along. Stay tuned!!

Not what I expected...

This is not what I expected to show next...

I thought I would be working on the Yuwa Live quilt - but, the Vintage Flea Market quilt grabbed me with its bright colours and mix-matched fabrics.

Alright, let me explain the progress. The photo above shows that all blocks now have two rounds of scrappy strippy borders, as well as the beginnings of the frames around each block.

The blocks will alternately be framed in green and brown, then joined without sashing.

Ooh, why was I so tired last night? I just couldn't stay awake to sew any more.

Itching for stitching

I can't wait for a little bit of time to sit at the sewing machine. Of course there are the 1950s dresses (to be known as Flea-Market Vintage) ready to pounce upon, and here is a UFO I pulled out a few days ago.

These are squares from the Yuwa Live fabric range that have been joined. For some reason I also bought one metre of a particular fabric.

I've joined them as much as I could, then put them away for er.... well...a long time.

I was looking through some old magazines that are sold to support charity quilting, and found an advert for the Yuwa Live squares. The magazine was from 2002. *pursed lips*

Okay, let's let these fabrics live and breathe as a quilt, rather than stagnate as a UFO. I have selected border treatments, and here they are cut and ready to stitch on. (I've even cut the binding so I don't forget what I will use - one just doesn't know how long a project will be put away for).

Maniac on the loose!!

Yes, I am just going for it on the machine!!

No time for reverse stitching - I'm going full on!!

The 1950s dresses I started stitching in about 2006 (gulp) would like to be turned into a quilt. They were supposed to be stitched in redwork, but I couldn't resist adding lots of colour.

The fabrics I've chosen give a "flea market"-vintage-sort-of-look. They come from different repro eras - 1930s, 50s, and 70s retro with one or two modern designs that still look nostalgic really...

Okay, so that is one full round on each block (I made 9 of the 12 blocks) plus another strip at the top a-la Log Cabin style.

Stay tuned. I'm going to complete the second Log Cabin round, then border the blocks alternately with green and brown prints. That should finish the front... I've got some other retro prints for the back that I will play around with to make something Flea Market-ish.

Actually, that would be a good name for this quilt - Flea Market Vintage. I can just see some of these dresses at market stalls.

A little update...

I am still constructing the Garden Song quilt as a sample for my LQS.

It seems to be going very slowly... perhaps it's the amount of reverse stitching I have endured...

I am very keen to sit at my machine at the moment, and just sew like an absolute maniac!! (I really don't have time for unpicking)...

As for handwork - here is a little update on the 12 Days Of Christmas. I am still working the final border. This is a section of one completed strip.

There are four sides to a square quilt (funny about that eh?), thus, I have another three sides to stitch. The thing is, every time I pick it up, the blue pen has faded out. Bugger. And I have to re-draw it... It's not supposed to be a fade away pen, but I guess 6 months is a long time between stitches. Haha.

Right, let's finish the Christmas Quilt before Christmas 2011.

Maybe I should call it French Tiles?

I definitely feel like I have my quilting mojo back (where have you been????)....

It's going to be great to see this quilt on my bed in such a short time... (right Mum? hint hint - yeah, I know you are busy...xxx)

The outer border is on. I changed it from Carol's design, where the remaining strips and squares were cut up to make a border of little squares. I used a wide border from the "French Quarter" fabric range - it seems to be perfect with the "La Petite Ecole" colourings by French General.

Honestly, I like the modern and vintage mixture of texture and colour in the prints. It will suit a new or historic home decor.

I've attached a label to the backing - fusible web and machine blanket-stitch. I like to do this (when I remember), as it's difficult to steal a quilt and hide its origin when it has been quilted through.

I joined the backing. What a big job when it's a big quilt. The backing needed to be 2.5 metres square, so it takes about 6.5 metres for the back. I know, I could have used a wideback, but I love this fabric. And it goes sooo well with the front.

Look, even the binding is made, ready to attach. I am feeling virtuous. *wink*

No, really. I can't wait to have it on my bed.

Pyjama Day

Just call me a banana because I like staying in my pyjamas all day... heh heh...

Actually, it's not something I normally do.. but by about 2pm I had finished the four sides on all 25 blocks.By this time I felt justified having a shower and getting dressed...

Well, today is a public holiday - what else are they for??

Feeling so relaxed and comfortable, I decided to keep sewing (it's amazing what a difference a heater in excellent working order can make on one's ability to concentrate on sewing!!)

And this is the result - 25 blocks joined to form the centre of the quilt. Finished by 5pm. Yippee!! Then I raced off to dance class, did some other jobs, and thought "Hmm... I'd love to get the borders on this quilt before I see Mum tomorrow morning - I could give her the quilt and get it back on Saturday!!"

Ok, that didn't quite happen. But I did get the next narrow border on before bedtime.

What a productive day!! I can't wait to finish this quilt - I just want it on my bed!!

Oh. Oh.

There's something tempting about a Jelly Roll and Layer Cake still in their wrappings. (Maybe I should have taken a photo? Oh well... I couldn't help ripping open the packaging).

I've been looking and patting the fabrics for a while, taking them out of their storage er... paper bag (Yes, they have been with the other PIGS - Projects In Grocery Sacks - for quite some time) with the intention of making "Persian Tiles" - designed by my friend Carol.

Well, today is the day... I just had to cut them up. I fancied some simple straightforward sewing. I filled three bobbins (as I usually do... because I just HATE it when the bobbin runs out 2 inches from the end of the last seam).

So, I've filled three bobbins, and the machine is threaded... then I realised I had to select which squares to keep, and which to cut up. Then I had to cut strips. Oh. Oh.

So, all I've done is this:

Two sides added onto each of the 25 block centres.

Zipped up

This cute lil' zippy bag was a UFO. 8 of the 9 strips were joined together.

All I had to do was add the last strip, layer and quilt, sew on the label, insert a zip and stitch the sides....

Easy Peasy, and it's a finish! (yes, I am going to count it... hahahhaha)