Catch up

Hi all,

I guess it has been a few weeks since I did my last blog post. So what have I been up to?

Well I made a couple of coats for my boys. I used black corduroy and lined them with a really cool tech print patchwork fabric.

I used the Spring Showers Jacket pattern by Elegance and Elephants. They went together really easily, the only issue I had was with the length of the zip but I fixed that by using a piece of ribbon to cover the cut edges at the top. I made a feature of it and used different colours on each jacket.

Then I got horribly sick with pneumonia and didn't do anything for about a week and a half. But when my sewjo came back it was back with a bang!

I played around with the Hex-n-more ruler and came up with this quilt. I love it! It does have Y seams but they really aren't that scary anymore.

And last weekend mum and I got together and made Sew Together Bags. I had a great time!

I went a little crazy with my fabrics and used a different fabric for everything but I love it!

Right now I am working on the Gypsy Wife quilt and I have some dress fabrics washed and ready to go...so stay tuned!

Bye for now, Jess

 

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Time flys!

Hi all,

Wow, where is the month going? Over halfway through June already, one more week of school and the. Holidays again...I can't believe it!

I have so much to share again. My Friday schedule has gone out the window, I need to get back on track with that because it was good the be a bit more regular.

I finished the quilt that my cousin and his wife commissioned for their little girl...it took 6 months. The quilting really stumped me, I mooned over so many awesome free motion quilting designs and ended up not knowing what to do so eventually I decided to quilt it in a stipple because it is for a little girl and will get lots of use and plenty of washes. I have found all over quilting to hold up really well on all my quilts that get lots of use.

 

I used a Riley Blake wide width fabric for the backing. It is 60" x 90" in size and I quilted both of the quilts with Aurifil #2415. I kept the label fairly simple but included a card which had all the care details in it.

 

I also played with some left overs and made a matching mini. Which is soooo cute!

 

And for the backing I used some left over 10" squares.

 

While I had the quilting machine set up I thought I would finish a quilt from my UFO list...yay! Another top finally quilted!

 

I pieced this top 2 years ago on retreat and it has sat in my cupboard ever since. It is a great feeling to have it finished!

I also tried out the Jaybird Quilts Hex n More ruler.....I love it! And I made up the pattern Candy Dishes.

 

I am getting the other rulers and some more patterns to try now as I loved it so much!

 

I used part of a Noteworthy charm pack and Bella Grey for the front. On the back I used some Sunkissed fabric. Can you tell I love Sweetwater fabrics?! And these were pieced and quilted with Aurifil #2600. Actually the owl quilt above was quilted with Auriful too, another product I am really loving!

 

Well I think that is enough for now!

Talk soon, Jess :)

 

 

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Lunch bags

Hi all,

I missed my Friday blog post day...I was actually going to try and wait until I knew the lunch bags had been recieved but I just can't help myself! I have to blog ;)

I found out via Instagram that some close friends of ours had their anniversary a couple of weeks ago and I was disappointed that I didn't know. So I got stuck into making something that had been admired last time they visited us...Ayumi's lunch bags! My most fav lunch bag ever!

I used some of the enchino fabric that I won a while ago. It is so beautiful to sew with! Because I only have fat eighths I had to do different front and backs but I really love how they look. I used a layer of fusible pellon and insulbright. For the lining I used this food grade fabric called Procare that I got from the US.

I really love the hexi print in this range! I really have a soft spot for hexies!

Bye for now, Jess :)

 

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A Needlebook Swap

(I always start my blog posts as if I am writing a letter…I even tend to do this with text messages. Is this old fashioned? I notice most of the blogs I follow just start writing almost as if the conversation never ended. So, what’s the go? Do I say hello or just get into it?)

That’s enough thinking aloud for one post…I participated in a Needlebook swap, organised by Samelia’s Mum over on facebook. I thought it would be a fun little project. And I loved thinking about what I could make and then doing it!

This is what I made for my partner. I could not resist using the Mama Said Sew range by Sweetwater.

My partner said she liked blue so I added a hint in the inside.

And the back. I put the closure on the back, a little piece of velcro because I didn’t want to detract from the hexi flower on the front. I was inspired by this needlebook but I didn’t follow a tute I just made it up as I went.

And this is the cute little needlebook I received -

I especially love the Friends plaque! It is on the shelf above my sewing machine!

Now I need to finish my mini for the Down Under Doll Quilt Swap (DUDQS) and post by the end of this week. I have already received mine (and I love it) but I will wait and do a full post once my partner gets hers!

By for now,
Jess :)

Scrappy hexagon bag

Hi all,

I borrowed this book from my SIL about a month or so ago -

 
Natural Patchwork by Suzuko Koseki – who also designs fantastic fabric too BTW! There are some beautiful projects in this book, but this is what I chose to make…

 
The hexagon patchwork shoulder bag. I love the scrappiness of this one! I used a pack of scrap charms I won a while ago and added a few special fabrics from my stash.

I added a zippered pocket to the lining, with a silver ring off one side for keys or whatever. I also used a magnetic snap to hold the top together, this was my first attempt at this one and googled how to do it just to be sure I was going to do it right. Thank you to all the fellow bloggers who put little tips and hints on their blogs!

The straps are leather bag straps from Clover. Really nice and soft!

Biting off way too much!

Hi all,

I seem to be starting a lot more than I am finishing…I think it is a disease.

It all starts with some new reading material…

I borrowed Sarah Fielke’s book from the library, it is a great book! I am considering buying this book just because the foreword is so inspirational!

Natural Patchwork is a book I borrowed from my SIL Debbie, it is full of beautiful projects and some fantastic bags! Which is what this panel if hexagons is for….

This will be the front or back of one of the bags. I have pieced these on the sewing machine using a Marti Michell template that happened to be the right size, don’t you love it when that happens?

This pinwheel is something I just had to figure out. I suppose it is a bit naughty, we saw these quilts at the craft show and asked how they were made, the man showed us a special ruler that cost $15 which really isn’t too bad and I nearly bought one. But I thought it looked easy enough to figure it out on my own and here is what I came up with.

I used some leftover squares from a Happy charm pack and some yellow out of my stash for the border, it isn’t finished yet as I am still deciding what to do next on it.

Also playing with the same set of Marti Michell templates…this is for another mini quilt for my mum. The segments are called uptown (or something like that) and tumbling blocks.

The Starburst Quilt pattern is one I got from the craft show because when I saw it on display I loved the block. Since then I have seen it again in blogland called Swoon, exactly the same block except different size.

Hooterville….what can I say. When I saw this pattern a while ago on the Material Obsession blog I knew I wanted it and then last week mum told me she had ordered some stuff from their shop and I said “quick ring them and put the Hooterville pattern on your order!” – saving me postage you see!

So, as you can tell my to-do list is getting way tooooo long!

Before I go I want to ask you – do you like rainbows?

I have seen this done in the US but never joined in. Now Lilabelle Lane is starting up a swap for us Aussies and Kiwis! Go and check it out if you are interested – more players are needed!

Holiday Adventures!

Hi all,

Yesterday we got home from a week at the beach at Elliott Heads. There were a few drama’s, but we are still new to caravanning so I guess that is to be expected…..forgotten ropes, leaky windows…. but there were good times too.

Playing around some rock pools.

On the beach at Burrum Coast National Park near Woodgate. We discovered a great little camp ground that you need a 4wd to get into.

The Boardwalk in the same national park. Great for the kids and their scooters.

I also checked out the 2 quilt shops in Bundaberg…

The Fabric Palette…A great store with a fantastic fabric range, they even have dress fabrics. I forgot to take a picture inside, it is a beautiful shop with exposed rafters and big open space.

The Quilters Shack…The store front is very, very deceiving. Let me show you!

This is the front of the shop, the door is just to the right. Some gorgeous Debbie Mumm things available here!

The back of the shop!

I have to admit this shop blew my mind….So big and spacious, absolutely (almost) anything your quilting heart could desire! They have all their bases covered - kids, batiks, repro, 1930’s, japanese, blah, blah, blah.

I actually got a bit overwhelmed and ended up just getting a few fat quarters. But it is definitely on my visit list again for next time, I will be more prepared!

In my next post I will share my purchases with you, I haven’t taken photos yet!

I also got some sewing done!

I started some rainbow hexie flowers.

I am using 1/2” hexagons, they are sooo cute! If I say so myself LOL

I don’t really have a plan for them, but they are great for a bit of hand sewing!

 

PS. Guess were I was today? I will blog about it in a few days!