Well, how was your week?

Hi, I've been back at work for about 4 weeks now and this week I'm feeling a bit discombobulated.  Normally by now everything has settled, but so far no.  As usual I have also spread myself too thinly and am feeling it.  I think the two things aren't helping; I do feel for my family.

But moving on from that, I have actually managed to get things finished!!

There was Moira's block...


A needle book for a swap...


And a start on the first of my ATC's for 'Very Berry Handmade' Ali's swap...
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I like to leave the final reveal for my swap partner!

So maybe not all bad.  Hope your week went well and enjoy the weekend.

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts.

Binding with pictures!

It's been awhile but I have at last done some more bias joined binding.  Not only that but I remembered to photograph each stage (I think).  I guess you could call it a tutorial but so many have done it before and I don't even think it is different, anyway I ramble...

Leave about 6 inches free at each end and each end should over lap by the width of the binding and a bit more.

Lay the binding out and crease each end so they join (butt them together)

Cut one end to the crease 

With the bit cut off open it out, lay it on top and perpendicular to the other side (this give you the join point plus the width of the binding)

Cut any excess off (cut is made on the further side from the crease)

Putting right sides together, lay the shorter end perpendicular and on top of the other side.  Draw a line across the square that is made.

Stitch along that line.

Check that the stitching is correct in direction and length before trimming

If you stumble across these instructions, hope they help. 
Enjoy!

Some finishes

Things have been complicated for the last few months, but sorting themselves out now. 
Two weeks ago I wanted to show you these finishes:

It's a large doll quilt or small table topper.  It's also my first try at free motion quilting and it's very 'free'!  I have had huge problems with the thread snapping which I think is down to the small eye on the needle; 2 people have now told me that you need a larger eye.  

Since this I have only done straight line quilting so I need to try again and see if the larger eye and not more expensive thread will solve the problem.

I also finished my cathedral windows from FQR.  Not sure if I would do it again or if I just needed to do a bit more machine work at the start.  It is lovely and surprisingly heavy for it's size.

Last week was also tricky and I didn't get the sewing machine out.  Instead I made a box.

Interesting learning curve;

• I need curved needles to make it work, hence the improvised one in the photo.  I took a regular needle and bent it around the edge of the ironing board!  

• Despite measure twice cut once the cutting could have been better, but all in all I am very happy as now I have somewhere to store my ATC's.

Yesterday I finshed 2 mug rugs.  Well, there was one that just needing binding and for some reason I just hadn't got around to it.

The other I started on Thursday evening as I have always wanted to try string blocks but not make a whole quilt.  I was very pleased with how it looks and also to have it done before dinner yesterday.  

So that's me, hoping that you like the photos and enjoyed the summer.

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts.

It's wordless Thursday

I've been trying to post for the last 2 weeks but life is unravelling.  Not too many wonderful days, so here are photos, enjoy!

Just needs binding now

Another top done. Getting ready for Christmas

I made a box! (Spot the improvised curved needle)

Couldn't help but buy more fabric and start another quilt!

Twice in one day?

Well, things are a bit calmer now we have food.

Yesterday I managed to finish the centre of the scrappy quilt top I have been putting together.  

I think I was channelling a log cabin thing at the end.  I quite like it in a 'wow that's everything, everywhere' way.  So today in the everything else to do list I threw in a trip to the local fabric shop to get the border fabric.  

Here is where I could do with help, what colour for the border?   I looked at orange, yellow and blue was favourite, but the shades were wrong.  I'll try the local quilt shop next then online.

After lunch, I went for a quick win with a flexi frame purse.  I bought the frame at FQR 2013 and it was one of those things that I didn't want to just put away and forget about file carefully.  I altered the top as the frame I had was smaller than the one in the tute.

The opening isn't as big as I expected, you can't really test it until you put it together, and it has a wicked snap shut!  Probably not suitable for small people.  The man has asked for one for his change but a bit more manly.  Think I'll try another shape for his.

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts.

My FQR 2013 Roundup (part 1)

I had hoped to do this last week but found myself off the grid all week while on holiday. It did mean that I got lots of hand sewing done, but more on that later.

So there are lots of round ups with better photos than I have; I forgot to take any! So I'm going for the next best things, the people I met and shopping.

Friday; meeting Jenna was very cool and I can only thank her for taking care of me that first evening.  We went to our classes and agreed to go to the Village Haberdashery after.  So after 3 hours of photographic instruction with Judith, which was brilliant fun, especially for us compact camera people!  Jenna and I went shopping!  I came back with this lot

Village Haberdashery shopping

Jenna mentioned The Staple Dress that Mandy had been wearing, and how quick it is to make, and I have been after that Collette pattern for a while.  The scraps are for a top I started a while ago, I needed some more variation.

Then I met my room mates; Jane, Moira, Angela, Jo and Kate.

Saturday; the day of free motion quilting.  Trudi was informative and helpful as I machine quilted with hand quilting thread and broke a needle *hangs head in shame* (because for 2 years I advised people on thread use!).  

Mandy gave me some tips on my curvemaster foot, which, 1 year on and never been used successfully, will be written up to experience as the chance is it's a duff one as I can't fit it onto my machine.  And introduced me to Aurifil which did quilt like a dream.  

I never knew thread could be so involved and I did buy a reel of Aurifil, but only one after Ann told me how much she loves it but her machine doesn't!

My FMQ attempts and Aurifil

Rachel had planned to take a group to Shaukat for a quick Liberty fix.  I went, but didn't buy as it would have been for a Staple Dress and I wasn't sure of the quantities.  I'll be heading back though as the Liberty was extensive and I have plans!

Francine and I rushed back for our afternoon sessions and I spent 1 1/2 hours practicing my free motion design.  It's interesting how differently you have to think to keep the pen on the page.  Every so often I lifted so I started again.

There was time after for some for some EPP so I sat at a quiet table with Mandy and others and sewed.

So that's part one and two will be coming soon, but I have to go do things with the kids so until later...

First finish

It went quiet over here because of the testing times at school.  A whole new situation for me and I found it quite draining.  All over now and the sun has been out too!

Maybe last month, I finished my cushion cover and it now replaces the destroyed one.  

I really like it, even the bits I could have done better (aren't there always those!)

Now it's going to be a short post (I think I have to do each FAL in a separate post), but hopefully there will be more this week as school is off, although the yearbook that I have to finish is calling and I really need to get it done.