WIP Weds

A semi-productive week, I've felt compelled to get some domestic duties out of the way but also really just wanting to get stuck into my sewing to do list (I either find the chaos a distraction or I put my blinkers on).  

One finish this week...

Completed: 

Elijah's Monogrammed Pillow

A reasonably simple applique cushion/pillow cover.  It was blinkers on to get the pillow completed by the deadline, throwing the kids a bone every now and then... you know how it is! :-)

New/In Progress:

L-R Innocent Crush, Kei Honeycomb; DS Quilts

New Bonnets for Scarlett

I cut into these fabrics today and have already started assembling these summer bonnets.  I hope to have them finished tomorrow.

Habitat Bow Tie Quilt - No progress although I think I have found a backing fabric.

Scarlett's Ripple Blanket - No Progress

To Do/Wish List:

You'll notice the list has grown this week.  After writing last week's WIP Weds I kept thinking of projects that should be on the list, you know the ones you notice you need as you go along your daily lives.  

Homewares/Clothing:

Belt for Luke Skywalker Costume

Hometown Table Runner for MIL
Christmas Table Runner or Pillow
Santa Sacks
Xmas Presents
Leila & Ben Dress/Charlie Tunic
Desk Table Runner
Scarlett's Dresser Table Runner

Pelmet for Scarlett's Room?

Choir Library Bag

Lounge Room Pillows

Kenwood Mixmaster Cover

Quilts:
Hunky Dory
It's a Hoot
Max
Lewis
Hometown for MIL
Wedding Present for Kate & Callum
Swoon

Linking to:

Monogrammed Cushion

Click on the pictures for a bigger view

Here's a cushion I whipped up on the weekend (actually, I wish whipped up were true!).  I didn't have a pattern, just made it up as you go type of thing.  It was a present for my great-nephew Eli's christening.  I really don't know why I'm so ambitious with three little people under foot!  I didn't make it as a mini-quilt although the thought did cross my mind (see over ambitious plans below).  The "E" has fusible wadding to give it a bit more dimension.  I use a glue stick to position my applique for sewing - it is so much faster.

I used Rachel from Stitched In Colour's zig zag binding tutorial, no matter how you do it binding takes so much time!  The finish came out pretty well, only a couple of small places that needed hand stitching on the back but that was due to me not keeping things even.  I also found that I had to put in a couple of stitches on the mitred corners but I need to check with Rachel whether I did something wrong.  The spot fabric is one I picked up at Spotlight last week, it almost looked like the colour was bleeding slightly after I washed it but after a second wash post completion (cold water & white vinegar) it looked alright again.

If you think that was ambitious, this is my original design I put together on Thursday night using five different fabrics.  Really, there was no way I was going to do that block and make it into a cushion cover in two days!!  I would like to try this sometime though when I don't have the pressure of a deadline.  

Linking to:

WIP Wednesday

This is my first WIP Wednesday post.  After about six months I finally feel like I have something to contribute (also I think putting your WIPs down on a list helps to focus on what needs to be done).

One finish this week...

Completed: 

Baby Boy Bonnet

I love quick projects that you can start and finish in an afternoon.

New/In Progress:

Habitat Bow Tie Quilt

Unbelievably I managed to cut all my blocks and piece 50% of them this week!

Scarlett's Ripple Blanket
I'm ashamed to say that I started this over a year ago!  It's only about a third of the way there, maybe I can aim to have it finished for next winter?

To Do/Wish List:


Elijah's Pillow
Luke Skywalker Costume
Summer Bonnet for Scarlett
Hometown Table Runner for MIL
Christmas Table Runner or Pillow
Santa Sacks
Xmas Presents
Leila & Ben Dress
Hunky Dory Quilt
It's a Hoot Quilt
Max's Quilt
Lewis' Quilt
Hometown Quilt
Wedding Quilt for Kate & Callum
Swoon Quilt

Linking to:

A Baby Boy Bonnet

A good friend had her second little boy on the weekend so after contemplating what gift I could make with supplies on hand it was obvious that a little bonnet would be perfect for the upcoming summer.

After auditioning a number of fabrics from my boy stash I originally chose the "Beep Bots" fabric paired with a green and blue dot instead of the denim, but I only had a fat quarter and it's supposed to be for Lewis' superhero doll on my to do list.  Since I have a fair bit of denim and beep bots and they were a great match I thought it was great to be able to reduce my stash a bit.  Luckily I also had the ribbon, and the matching threads (blue on one side & green on the other)!

The pattern is available here but if you don't sew you can also buy a boy (or girls) bonnet here.

Sunday

Family Day at Luna Park with Jack's work.  Playing with Instagram for the first time and wishing Blogger was more user-friendly with uploading photos.  Giving up and making my collage in Powerpoint instead (much easier!).  Being thankful for the southerly and rain and for hanging out with my peeps.  Hope you've had a nice weekend too!

Habitat Quilt - Cutting Completed

I've just finished cutting fabric for my Habitat bowtie quilt.  It was a bit of a marathon since I haven't made a large quilt before.  Through inexperience (or stupidity) I set about cutting the Habitat fabric one fat quarter at a time... d'oh!  No wonder it was taking ages, I had a lightbulb moment and realised that I could cut multiple layers of fat quarters at once, this saved a lot of time.  It was certainly much easier to cut the Crossweave in yardage, folded and folded and cut into strips first.   That's when the rotary cutter really makes sense!  

Terrible lighting conditions - late arvo on a rainy day

The stats:  96 Habitat small blocks; 96 Habitat large blocks; 96 Moda Crossweave blocks.  This is what I'll be working towards using tutorials here and here.  

Soundtrack Gorillaz, Plastic Beach loving this track especially at 2:20:

Wordless Wednesday

My sewing mojo is back...

Linking here.

Two years ago today...

Images of my wedding from Uber Photography

Jack and I got married.  We celebrated last night by going on a movie date!  It was really such a treat to go and see a grown up movie together, something we have not done in a few years (and we used to go all the time B.C.).    We saw Moneyball - not at all a romantic movie but I was just keen to see something really good and it did not disappoint.

Today I took my Mum to visit my Dad's grave, it's their wedding anniversary tomorrow (it would've been 59 years!!!!!).  Tonight Jack and I will be hanging out with the kids and then maybe watch Breaking Bad after they go to bed (are you a fan?).

Renovation Drool - Brooklyn Limestone Kitchen

One day I would love to design my own kitchen - choose the cabinets, handles, appliances, layout.  How much fun!!!!  If I had the opportunity to do all that then this is the inspiration for my dream kitchen:

Image via Brooklyn Limestone

I am a purist so this style would fit in perfectly with our Post-WW1 house (c1924).  I love the floor to ceiling cabinets, the white detailed cabinets, the black limestone benchtops, that tap (faucet), the french door fridge, the pendant lights.... I could go on and on.  If you're intersted you can see the rest of this kitchen and the amazing renovations over at Brooklyn Limestone.  You can also see some other kitchen drool here.

What does your dream kitchen look like?

Big School

My eldest is starting Kindergarten next year which is the first year of primary school in NSW.  We have been doing a Transition to School programme which is great because he's getting to know a couple of the teachers and make friends.  After our first session last week he came home and sat at the table drawing (which he does a lot).  This is what he made, all my three kids going to "big school" together.  He got so many details in there, the school uniforms, the lunchboxes, the coat rack with a jacket and hat... and you can't go to school without your swords!!

Sydney Modern Quilt Guild

Being a stay-at-home Mum and a very new quilter, one thing I have been longing for is a craft group where I could meet like-minded people, learn lots of cool stuff and be inspired.  Having followed blogs for about a year now, one thing I noticed was that in the US there are Modern Quilt Guilds and the stuff they do looks fun!!  About 6 months ago I started searching the internet for a Sydney or NSW equivalent but nothing was around.  The only quilting groups or guilds are for traditional quilters and whilst I could learn a lot about techniques, I find a lot of it quite drab.  For me a quilt is more than just a bunch of blocks, more than anything it's the fabric.  If you've been following my blog for a while then you'd know that I am a bit of a fabric addict (I really need to show you some recent purchases but I am a little embarrassed by my hoarding).

Anyway, you know how it is on the internet, somehow I ended up finding a blog by a couple of ladies who are starting up the Sydney Modern Quilt Guild.  I was super-excited, got in contact with Claire & Suzanne and attended the first meeting a couple of weeks ago!   It was a bit of a hike up to Waitara but the guild is keen to find alternative venues in a more central location, so I'm hopeful that I won't have to travel a long way for every meeting and that it won't put off other people from attending.  Since we were at the pub most people ordered lunch and there was time to chat and meet lots of lovely ladies.  There was some general discussion about the future of the guild (which included sewing days, learning new blocks, swaps etc.) and then time for show and tell.  Not everyone brought something, me included since my only two quilts are with their owners.  Here are a couple of quilts I photographed on the day, I forgot to take down details of the owners.  D'oh!  Please let me know if you have any idea so that I can give them credit for their work:

 I believe this is another Thimble Blossoms pattern - Wild Thing!

Some Prints Charming used in this

It's still early days for the guild so expect the first few meetings to be more about finding it's feet.  If you're a "modern" quilter looking for an alternative to the traditional quilting guilds then you can find more information and fill in the Call for Interest form on the Sydney Modern Quilt Guild blog.  The next guild meeting is scheduled for Sunday, 27 November.


Tell me, do you have a craft group where you get inspired and get "craft-talk" off your chest?

Thimble Blossoms Patterns

Hello strangers.  Yes, it has been quite a long time since my last post.  The longer you leave it the harder it is to actually feel like you can write a blog post again.  After a few weeks of thinking about it I am finally taking the plunge!!  

I wanted to let you know that Thimble Blossoms are having a Halloween 30% off sale so it was about time I bought that Swoon pattern I have been swooning over for months and months.  I have also been eyeing off Jellybean because it's such a sweet girly pattern and looks easy to put together with a jelly roll.  Last of all and a completely impulsive purchase was the In a Jiffy pattern after I found this quilt on Flickr about an hour ago!

Ever since Camille posted her new patterns on her blog I fell in love with her Swoon quilt.  I loved the look of them in her pastel shades from the Ruby collection but then Swoon blocks started popping up over the blogosphere and I knew I really, really wanted to make this quilt. 

Image via Thimble Blossoms

This is my favourite Swoon block in one of my favourite collections - Good Folks (more about that in a another post):

Image via Fussycut - is there anything that lady does that's not fabulous?

For more Swoon inspiration check out my gallery on Flickr.

Here's Camille's Jellybean in Ruby:

Image via Thimble Blossoms

In a Jiffy -  this looks like rainbow caterpillars or worms to me.  What a gorgeous quilt for a new baby.

Image via Eulenstern

Here's another I had previously hearted a while back!

Do you have any patterns that you are swooning over right now but need an extra nudge to buy them?