Sewing Adventures

It's been a wonderful week of sewing adventures. I've finished a quilt, and started new projects. Feeling inspired and happy!

Now I have to slow down on the machine sewing and cutting mat part, and lean towards more handwork during the day.

It's too hot here to be outside, even under fans, and I've had heat stroke symptoms three times in the last five days.

Before it happened today, I was able to start the binding on the QAYG Christmas bird table runner.

...And a whole lot of cutting out - I cut the rest of the fabric, and found I had enough for another 5 table runners - that's 6 in total with the same fabrics. Yippee! Lots of presents on their way.

While I pieced pictures from the panel to make the 8 inch square centres, I also stitched the red squares that form the centre line of the runner, using them as leaders and enders. (There are so many projects going around at the moment with four patches, I am tempted to make one, just while I am doing other things. Hmmm. Maybe I could use this bag of fabric scraps I put aside for a wedding quilt for my sister, and actually make her something.)

Pieced centres

Scrap bags - looks like I started a double wedding ring by hand. Groan. Next!!

Daytime sewing of binding on the monsters quilt, and stitchery is going to follow. Perhaps I can make the next table runner tomorrow night in the cool.

Started one of the pear tree stitchery projects

The Horsey Quilt is finished!

Last night my baby boy was asleep at 6:35pm! I started sewing at 6:37pm, and had a dream couple of hours at the already-set-up sewing machine! Woohoo!

First I started this QAYG table runner. As it was the first one, it took a bit of time to set up. I have the measurements now, and will be able to make more much faster. (More? You say. Of course! I have enough fabric for another three.)

Really, I think I need to take a leaf of out my friend Jo's book. She has been making Christmas gifts all year. I need to do the same. Maybe I can say one per month. Surely I don't need to give a hand made gift to more than 12 people?? Even for me, who loves to give hand made. Twelve should be more than enough.

Then I moved onto the couch for some hand sewing, and finished sewing the binding onto the Horsey quilt. Hooray!

I am really excited to finish it in time for Christmas.

It's reversible, so you get to see both sides, and the dog.

And here is a gorgeous pic of the 40th birthday doiley in its new home.What a lovely place for it! On a lamp! And now, who minds it if sits flat or not?

I hope you are having a simply wonderful day!

A Sewing Holiday At Home

Today, for the first time in a long time, I realised that I had my quilter's head back. I'm not sure you could say it's my "normal brain", but it's a "normal quilter's brain".

What I mean is, I am actively enjoying the projects I am working on, and I have the next three projects planned, because I know I will be onto them soon.

What do I mean?

I went to Sunlit Blooms local quilt shop for the first time today. I had barely been there 5 minutes when I had been greeted and welcomed by 3 different staff, and asked if there was anything in particular I was looking for. It was such a contrast from the other LQS I had been frequenting -
 where they don't seem to take any interest in what I'm making or ask me if I need anything (although I do like their fabrics). I enjoyed myself immensely, and found out that SB have two sit and sew mornings each week! Although they are about to finish up for Christmas until February.

Next thing you know, I am fondly caressing the Christmas fabrics, and there was nobody there to stop me from buying things for the next project! Well I did go into the shop holding this pattern I'd had for a few years.

Right now I have finished the quilt top for the wedding - it was quite windy today, this is the best photo so far. I am hand stitching the binding on the Horsey quilt.  The binding is machined onto Monsters. Soon I will have the bindings on, and I will be looking for some handwork.

This will be the border fabric for one pear tree 12 Days of Christmas.

This will be the border fabric for another pear tree 12 Days of Christmas.

Now I can choose the colours for the stitcheries, ready to work on in the evenings. I've had this pattern for absolutely years, and hadn't made it. The pattern says to use cereal boxes to keep the pears stable. Erm. No. That's not my style. I did have this cheap stiff "felt" from Kmart, and it looks like it will go with the border fabric. Terriffic.

Now I need to wait a couple of days before measuring myself to make the Christmas skirt. And yet, there is more time available to use the sewing machine before it is put away for a while. The next project in mind is a Quilt As You Go tablerunner in Christmas fabrics.

This means I have six projects in my head: Time For Love wedding quilt, Horseys quilt, Monsters Quilt, Christmas skirt, QAYG tablerunner and the 12 Days Of Christmas wallhanging I've been meaning to finish since 2010 - that's six years ago.

Does this ever happen to you? Hahaha. I made sure the bobbin was full so I wouldn't run out just before I finished machine stitching the binding onto the Monsters quilt, and instead I ran out of binding. Dang it! Had to cut another strip. Thank goodness I have a whole bolt of black Emma Louise muslin.

Totally exhausted and it's not even 7pm. I think it's time to hang up my brain for a while.

No wonder I'm tired - look at this. I've used a whole reel of thread this month.

I usually use the large cones of Signature cotton thread in grey or ivory, but I had a few reels in this colour and was able to use some up in the projects I've been working on.

Thank you for joining me. Rest assured, there will be more to see in the next few days.

My head is swimming

All I can offer is a sneak peak of the finished quilt top (interestingly enough, which some people have nicknamed a "flimsy"). Today we enjoyed some light showers, which were welcomed with open arms, but it made outdoor photography unlikely to succeed

The top was finished today, on such a high! The intense energy of the wedding even from across the seas has been with me for days. And it's a full moon!

The couple partook in traditional Indian celebrations over a few days,  but the official wedding was 9th December.

I am sharing some eye candy of the beautiful wedding clothes, and such a stunning couple.

Surely you can now see why I had to make something new for them, and not give something I made quite a while ago.

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When I saw these photos, I knew at once I had chosen the right fabrics to make their quilt.

My colour preferences have changed drastically since I moved 3,000 km north to Far North Queensland 3 1/2 years ago. I used to love warm fabrics - rich colours like a Turkish carpet, and reproduction fabrics exuding warmth.

It's far too hot here for such things. We will only use a quilt with cotton batting in the Winter. Cool colours are definitely the favourite for me, here near the beach - teals, blues, turquoises....

I am in the mood to make table runners and French Braid, so I was looking for pre cut fabric strips, as I only have a small stash here. Oh! What a time to be looking at fabric! So close to Christmas, the big websites in the U.S. - Hancocks and Fat Quarter Shop are having flash sales every day for the 12 days of Christmas. It's a great time for me to buy. Instead of A$70 for a pack, I've paid U.S.$20. Even with postage I have saved an absolute bucket load. The price works out the same as buying a few packets wholesale here in Australia, without having to buy a whole box of packs in the same range.

Thinking I had used up all my scraps of batting I was very pleased to trim the Horsey quilt and machine the binding on, because I had enough leftover batting to make two table runners! Yay!

I am half way stitching around the binding. Looking forward to finishing it, and another binding before starting my Christmas skirt!

My head is swimming with ideas and projects. Also this morning I was thinking that my sister turns 40 in six months. I just want to make her a wallhanging for her music room, something with Jazz. I wonder what I could find?

Later today I looked in a box of fabric I have and found this!

There are six squares. Enough for a wallhanging and some cushions. What a find! Needless to say, I was pretty excited! I wonder what I have that will go with it.

A bit of shopping, finished stocking and a WIP

Thank you Universe for a wonderful, wonderful day today!

There had been a light shower of rain overnight (first rain for months). The sky was still overcast this morning, making the air so much cooler. By 9:30am, the car was full of the smell of fresh basil, and other assorted fresh fruit and vegies... so delicious!

 It was early enough, and cool enough to go to the Handmade Renegade market. I hadn't been before, and it's only on once a month. What a market to go to two weeks before Christmas! I had found my tribe! Full of artisans and crafters, passionate about what they do, and with stalls everywhere. Every stall holder wearing their felt jewellery, or cutlery jewellery, or hand made glass beads, or quirky clothes. I am definitely going again, and I will take photos. The feeling was intense. I have missed it so much (it felt like I'd been living somewhere remote in comparison). My creative juices started flowing (as if they weren't already going nuts!). I satisfied myself with a homemade Vegan (sugarfree, dairy free, gluten free) "Magnum" ice cream, and a pair of glass earrings (to be wrapped up under the tree from the children).

Next stop: I bought two skirt patterns, and some half price Christmas fabric. But first, I have some finishing to do.



Sampson's Christmas stocking.

The fabrics were chosen to complement the stockings  made for his siblings, so they look good hanging up together.















Then, continuing with the wedding quilt (which I am thinking of calling Time To Love). These blocks were trimmed.

How convenient is it that the blocks are all on point? They are mostly needleturn appliqued, with some wool felt blanket stitch appliqued, which really helps give depth and a glow to the quilt overall.

I think these will look particularly good as cornerstones on the next border.

The blocks turned out to be larger than I originally thought when I drafted the pattern in a coffee shop, so I've had to change the plan a little bit, with two fabrics in the next border. I think it will be pleasing. Sometimes spectacular results are achieved when we deviate from the plan.

 The quilt has come along just magnificently so far, in such a short time.

Just one border left to add tomorrow, and I should buy more of the lime fabric for the binding, as I used it today when I didn't have enough of the pink millefiori fabric.

This quilt is coming along very quickly, and I believe it's all just working out with a little help from Above... and due to the "just do it now" attitude I've had to adopt as a Mother using whatever spare time I have. (Although, I have to say Thank You, for just how much support I have at home, with Daddy taking bub to the neighbours for a play so that I could sew).

I am hoping the quilt top will be finished tomorrow!
Then I need a day wrapping Christmas presents and posting cards.

After that, there are two quilts that need binding.

Then I will reward myself with a fresh project - a Christmas skirt! Exciting!

Thank you for my sewing machine

I am so grateful to have my sewing machine back, safe and sound! Mmmm.. the smell of fresh oil.. the whirr of a freshly timed and treated motor... ooh.. it's purring!

You deserve it my darling machine! You've done a lot of work in 12 years - just look at the list of finished projects down the side of the blog!

The Janome machine needed a new bobbin case. It was jamming as it turned, and the needle was punching a hole in the plastic bobbin case. This has happened about 4 or 5 times before. So, I asked the mechanic what causes it.

Here's your tip for a machine with a drop load bobbin (such as Janome and Brother) rather than a separate bobbin case (such as Bernina machines): When changing to a different coloured bobbin cut the thread very very short, right next to the bobbin. If you don't, the bobbin case can lift slightly while the used bobbin is removed, bending something underneath, so that it doesn't move freely and jams. The bobbin case can also lift if there is a thread jam. No sewing if the bobbin case has lifted! Take the cover plate off, clean everything out, and replace the bobbin case nice and flat before sewing once again.

And now, let's see the applique blocks pieced together.

I am just so pleased with the effect of the sashing and cornerstones already.

The minty green fabric in the following border is a little bit frosted, and will be repeated in the quilt.

Oh! How satisfying it is to see this quilt come together, that only yesterday was a pile of blocks under my bed.

Tutorial: How to accurately trim an applique or stitchery block to an unusual size

I've been using my own technique - The Lorraine Lowe technique - for trimming applique and stitchery blocks for years now. It probably goes back to my first time using Lori Smith's quilt patterns as they often end up at odd sizes such as 7 7/8 inch finished blocks.

What do you do when nobody makes a square ruler in the right size?

For this tutorial I will show how I trimmed down oversized applique blocks  (There always appears to be a bit of shrinkage in background fabric during the applique or stitchery. It is wise to start with a bigger piece of background fabric, then trim the block after stitching).

My blocks are from a Lori Smith pattern, with a 13 3/4 inch finished block. This means I need to cut them 1/4 bigger along each edge.

First I have some template plastic with a quarter inch grid on it. I usually like to buy one big piece, then cut it to the finished size of the block, but I am living in a smallish quilting community and this is what I could get.

First I used paper scissors to trim away the clear edges without grid, and sticky taped the pieces together.

Be careful. Sometimes the grid won't line up exactly. It seems to be square in one direction, but not the other

I had to measure with the laser cut yellow ruler, then trim away about 1/8 inch along one edge of the plastic. Now it is square, and it is the finished size of my applique block after piecing in the quilt.


Next I write the size on the plastic with a permanent texta.

Then I mark the centre of the plastic with a permanent texta.

Keep your sticky tape handy. Press the back of the applique block then place it on your cutting mat with the design facing up.

Position the template plastic square using your centre marking AND ALSO looking at how much applique is near each edge. Try to ensure there is a pleasing amount of space around the applique. This is why the grid plastic is helpful.

Sometimes you need to make a choice when placing your template plastic. The  design may be too close to the edge, and you need to choose what to cut off and what to go around. Whatever is covered by the plastic is what will show up in your finished block.

In this block I chose to cut off the bottom of the trees rather than to cut the birds wings.

The template plastic square may need to be placed slightly diagonal, which makes the edges off-grain, and more likely to stretch (be careful!). I choose to keep them as square as possible, but with this particular quilt I was adding sashing, so the block should stay pretty square if I pin each edge very precisely.

When you are happy with the placement, use sticky tape to hold the template plastic onto your applique block.

With your ruler, line up the grid with the ruler lines, allowing the ruler to overhang the template plastic by 1/4 inch. There should be no possible way your rotary cutter can cut the plastic. The cut will be made 1/4 inch away from the template plastic. Cut one side with the rotary cutter. 

Try to leave the block on the cutting mat without picking it up to turn it (I like to cut mine on an island bench). If you do need to lift the block to turn it to cut the next side, lift it gently while supporting the plastic and block together.  Cut each side 1/4 inch away from the template plastic using the ruler to measure.

Lift the template plastic square off the block. The sticky tape will stay attached to the plastic.

Press another block, position the template plastic where it is pleasing, and trim each edge, adding 1/4 inch on each side.

I usually trim my blocks down when I am just about to stitch them into a quilt, so that the freshly cut edges are not handled a lot, and are less likely to stretch if they are slightly off grain.

In this block it was more important to have the petals of the flower an equal distance from the edges of the block, than to have the centre in the exact middle (it may be 1/4 inch skewed, but it is still pleasing to the eye).

In this symmetrical block, lining up the centre vertically was very important or it will look like the flower is leaning to one side.

Thank you for reading my tutorial using the Lorraine Lowe technique for trimming applique blocks accurately.

Please feel free to share the entire post without editing or sampling.