And Sew The Fun Begins

8th October, 2015

I don't mind saying I know I'm already behind the eight ball, its not about keeping up, but the journey I go on. Well something like that.

Last week saw the start of the long awaited 1930's Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt Sew Along. Three blocks we were given directions for. 3!!. So while I only have 1 completed, I thought I may as well share what I have done with Gnome Angle's Link up party. With a bit of luck I wont be the only one that is taking my time.

After purchasing the book and reading some of the lovely letters that are in there, I tossed and turned as to how I was going to make my quilt. Should I paper piece? Should I do templates? Should I use the machine or should I hand sew? The answer is wait and see on the day. So far I have decided to hand sew as this allows me to sit in the lounge room with the family. Plus they are starting with the easy blocks so hand sewing is not that bigger drama. So one might assume I am doing templates, but that would be wrong. As its squares and half triangles to begin with I'm just using my good old rotary cutter and rulers, after I sit and work out the measurements that I need on the diagram that comes on the cd with the book. Lucky for me being a 6 1/2 Inch block the diagrams are life size, provided you print actual size and not scaled.

Print out from CD that comes with book with my scribbles

Drawing on my sewing lines after cutting shape required

 

Keeping it all together in plastic sleeve until I get around to sewing

Storing all my cut out blocks in my yellow folder.

Finding the time to work out measurements, cut, mark and sew. I know there are long term quilters out there sighing at my long way of doing things, but hey its how I work. Hopefully I will find more time to sit and sew this coming week. But I do have one block to show off and that is #12 Becky.  Its back in its plastic sleeve and will go into a leaver arch folder and wait very patiently for me to finish the remaining 98 blocks.

 What a good named block to start with. Until next time.........

Bec.
 

All Sewn Up Or Is It?????

Monday 7th September 2105,

Last year saw me take on the new hobby of patchwork. So here is my major project that I ended up showing at the Henty Art, Quilting and Photography Exhibition.

 This was all my own design and sewing. The quilting I did get done by Pandora Quilting in Wodonga. She does an awesome job in there and I certainly wasn't about to try and make my first quilting attempt at a king size quilt. I dont think my little Elna would have survived.

And now it has rightful place on my bed, well not at the moment as I had to pull out my big winter doonah. But it will find its way once back once the nights warm up.

The next question was what to do next. This year I have managed to pick up casual work and between that and other family commitments I have not joined in with the local sewing group, so I have found a Sew Along to join in online. It starts on 28th September, so for once I have not discovered it half way through but will be able to join in from the start. It is a sample quilt, which normally I don't like, but sometimes we need to stretch ourselves and I do need to learn some new skills. So why not.

If your interested, click on the button above and check it out. I must admit the main reason I'm doing it is because Angie, who is helping to put it all together, is based in Australia. Granted there is others helping so some of the schedule is US based, but I love the fact that there are things being done on the Australian time zone.

Ok I have to go and start looking for some fabrics now.

Bec.

Sew what......

Wednesday 25th June, 2014

Wow, its been over a year. My poor neglected blog.

I have found a new way to lighten my purse and spend my hours.

Sewing. I've dabbled with sewing for many years but never really got stuck into it. I never saw the point of quilting. Honestly how many quilts does one person need?

Then I met Sharon. She runs  Sharon's Sewing Service. I needed a zip replaced and I was too lazy to do it myself so I went for a visit. Not only does she sew but she has a patchwork fabric shop. She invited me along to her one of the sewing days that she has at her place and I was hooked.

This year to encourage the ladies of the community in their patchworking/quilting/sewing she organized a friendship quilt. We meet once a month, Well twice a month now, and learn a new block. Everyone that wanted to participate put their names in a hat. Along side that hat was another hat which had the names of blocks that Sharon is teaching us through out the year. Names and blocks were drawn. The plan is simple enough. Person named decided on a colour and that was the colour theme for the block drawn and all the blocks sewn for that block are given to that person. So here have been my contributions towards some lovely ladies quilts.

The Merry Kite

The Palm Leaf - using Foundation Paper Piecing

Card Trick

Attic Window

Toad in a Puddle

Dutchmans Puzzle

Also along the way I have done some other various sewing activities.
Before we tackled the palm leaf, we did another class on foundation paper piecing as no one had ever done it before. In case you didn't know its sewing material onto paper basically. The best part is you don't have to worry about bias or the grain of the material.  It is a bit tricky at the start until you get the hang of it.

You have the material on the back and sew along the line. You do one section at a time so there is lots of getting up and down to trim and iron in between each new piece of material. So the picture above show what both sides end up looking like once you have finished. There are plenty of tutorials out there if your interested. 

I ended up using mine to make Miss E a tablet cover. There is a panel on the front and back

I then needed a sewing book to keep all my papers and designs in so I made myself a cover to go over one of those A4 display books.

Now I am having a go at hand piecing. I did these ones myself at home

The photo below is of my very latest hand piecing project. The Atlantic Jewel. I'm going to be game and see if I can do more and turn it into a quilt, but I have to get this one sewn first. It took me ages to cut out the middle bit to get all the lines to match. Here's what it looks like just laid out.

There are 8 triangles in that middle piece. Sharon was showing us how to use fabrics with borders or patterns to create new patterns.

Sew sew sew, as you can see I have been keeping myself busy.