Gestation

First, may I apologise to anyone who has commented and got no response. Blogger, in their infinite wisdom, have stopped forwarding comments to my email, so I do not always register they are here! I should be able to catch them eventually, unless someone comments on a fairly old post- I do love to know you have been here, and enjoyed ( or hated, even- I do not always love what I have done) some of my projects..

Now to the point of the post!

Some things take their own time. I think the Brazilian Post office comes in to that category.

Last year we did a swap. It was a Winter/Christmas swap. I drew they loveliest of ladies for whom to make. Sil, who lives in Brazil. The last day for posting was on November, but I knew I had lots of making to get on with, so I got my parcel off early. So my package went in the post towards the start of November.

I had pretty sparkly frosty looking fabric to give the 'chill factor'. and with some blue and crisp white on white, I thought a little scene would appear- Birdies in the snow, a few left over leaves, and we are set.


A wee play with borders,  some careful mitring,  fairly simple quilting, and I had a result. 

sorry about the 'Freds' in the picture... 

I know Sil loves all things Christmas, so I popped in a home made ornament, for her, reckoning 6 weeks in the post? Max, she will have this for her tree... 

And I sat back to wait..... and wait.... and wait!

Eventually I contacted the swap mamas. What should I do? Should I start again, now months later, and send another one? Or should I leave her in the lurch- no swappy quilt on her doorstep? Either option feels unfair, but what could I do? Post office here cannot trace it past our borders, Brazilian post is notorious... 

Mamas said leave it. So, reluctantly I left it. 

Then, this week, a whole 9 months later, News!

The package has arrived! 

Sil's beaming face is all that I could have hoped for, she is such a joy to give to, as she shows all her delight in the offerings . 

So, that is now home, and I think, after 9 months we should call it a baby!

and done!

That quilt is now bound, and is ready to land in it's intended destination. I am very happy with how the binding went on.
Any quilt police looking?   no?     well, I overlocked all round the edge before putting the binding on.

As the overlocker's 'bite' is just on 1/4" it gives me a neat finish, to which I can then apply the binding, and as long as my seam allowance is just a tiny tad bigger, the overlocking is hidden, and I have a neat secure edge to work with. 

And here is the back. There is a fun play of reflected sun from my windows on these ones, with the morning sun in my garden. 

I think I can call this one DONE

Adventures in FMQ

I have admired peoples FMQ for a long time. I have wanted to have that skill, so I could FMQ and feel, well, happy with the end result. But it takes practice. And I do not want to have to practise.

However, I had a little project just for me. So I am not inflicting my substandard work on another unsuspecting body. So, is this not the perfect time to get on with it?

I am going to pop this little fellow in my car- that emergency blanket you are meant to carry? Yes, this will be the one.  So, as it is for me, I could carry out the plan, to FMQ.

I started by doing one line of an old pattern that I like, seemed suitable, and that is adaptable. This first one is not FMQ. It is done using the walking foot and a blend of manipulation, organic line, and stop start while moving stuff around. I have used this leaf and vine pattern a few times, I lay no claim to it, but I always just did it off my own bat, without thinking too hard. That is the left hand vine on the photo above. 

Then, I put on my quilting foot, put my feed dogs down, and went for it with the FMQ version. The first try is that vine on the right in the photo above. 

 And then I did more lots. Some are better in some places than others are in other places. That is what practice is all about, though, isn't it?
Yes, I can pick fault all the way down the line, and there are some bits which would benefit from pulling out and restarting, but, the whole effect seems to me to be acceptable, if not perfect anywhere. I finally feel I have started to FMQ in a very rreal way. I have ended with an item I can be not too ashamed of!

Now, don't you be pulling too many holes in my work, I have very tender feelings just now!

What have I learnt? 

Reduce the pressure on the presser foot, even though you do not see that it should be needed as the quilting foot doesn't really hold the quilt down- It still helps!

Perhaps a broader sweep of pattern would be an easier start. I should have worked up to those fiddly leaves a bit more.

Be content with 'acceptable' do not insist on 'perfect' . 

For the lines across the bottom, which were done after the leaf pattern, I FMQed those too. There I found a better result with 'pedal to the metal' but trying to keep my 'feed' fairly slow and even going through. Still not perfect, but it will do!

I still need to bind it, but shall have to go and buy the fabric for the binding, I just do not quite have enough to do without.  Ho hum. 

Any thoughts, folks? How did you get on with FMQ? Have you tried it? Are you still too wary? 

Design issues

Confession time. Ok, I bought fabric. I needed a particular type of design for that birdie swap.


But, yes, but. I loved the colours, and the design, so I got rather more of it than I strictly needed. Apart from the fact that they were not exactly going to sell me just three or four motifs, now were they?


And I got some coordinating fabrics too.

And I had an idea for a quilt top using these with some solid alongside.

And then I got to planning.


So, the next thing is to look at how the motif will fit in the item, and to measure the repeat.

This is where it all starts to go pear shaped.

( Interesting reflection from the window there almost looks like a pattern piece... )

The horizontal pattern repeat  is 6". In other words, Quilt-Speak as it were, 5 1/2" finish, maximum. 

Then the vertical repeat is 3 7/8", so that puts us into 3 3/8" finished, maximum.
What on earth can I do with those figures?

Apart from that, either the pattern is not quite printed straight, or the fabric had warped, so it is not quite cut straight. There will be some waste.

So, watch this space, I am working on it! I have some ideas, but.....

Any suggestions out there? Please?

Received...

My birdie pouch came through just as I posted off mine to my partner.  so, here is what I was gifted with,

Would you believe, my brave partner had never installed a zip before. Well, I can tell you, I would never have known. She did a perfect job. 

And look at my goosey heads! aren't they just lovely! I love the bright colours and the 'attitude' they emanate! 

And then there were extras. Wee notelets, flannel printed with birds, and some plushies. 

I think I did very nicely thank you!

And the twist? I sent to her and she sent to me! fair exchange, eh?

last swap

I joined a group a wee while back, and have had a few swaps with them. Sadly the numbers swapping have diminished, so now the swaps are done. Not enough folk happy to make and post off to who knows where for the joy of an exchanged swap. So, my final offering for this group was
'Put a Bird on it... and in it!'

 I found amazing glorious rich fabric with a bird, just perfect for putting a porthole into, and showcasing the little chap


I love a sneak peek, so I out up this picture and my partner quickly responded, so I was certain she liked where I was going.  The blue linen I had had for another task, so it was a simple choice to make, and I had a pretty variegated thread which pulled up the colours in the bird fabric.

 I saw a tutorial on youtube, which showed how to make a pouch with multiple pockets. I vaguely followed that, but made my own dimensions, so this ends up with two large pockets, one small zipped pocket and two slips between the small zip pocket and the larger pockets. All fastened with one large zip across the top.


To put a bird in it I looked at owl pincushions here there and everywhere... I looked at how they were constructed and then off I went and redesigned the dimensions to make my own version- thank you everyone out there who has published their own versions!

Basically, you draw an isosceles triangle, then a shorter fatter one. Cut from chosen fabric.  Match the bottom edges, and sew one to t'other, and then sew the other side, wrong sides out , also stitching the top part of the larger one. Flatten him out, and trim the point, then turn. Fold down the top point and stitch firmly to the middle of his tummy. Gather stitch round the base.

Cut out a suitable size cardboard circle- I use the famous cereal packet for this- and cut a circle of fabric for the base about an inch larger in diameter. I then interfaced this circle, and gather stitched the edge, and pulled it in carefully round the card. Press like mad.

Now stuff your Wol, as fat and firm as you please. I used polyester filling, but walnut shells are probably better- just a major dirth of these in my house- and hand stitch the base to Mr Wol. Plump him up, add suitable eyes, and you are done. He is a really quick make.

Confession time- I meant his feathers to point down, but cut him wrong... so he has slanty feathers. Sorry partner.. But she is quirky.   She has been named Georgina, by her new human. Most suitable I think!



I was rather chuffed with the finish. I think there may be one or two more of these before I am done...

  When I was making my pouch I managed to make a boo-boo. I put my bird in facing the wrong direction. hey, it happens. So now, I have a piece that needs using, but is not quite what had been planned.

A few years ago I got a book- given? bought? not sure. called something like Zakka style.. This wallet was in it. not quite the same size, but I adapt most things, so a variation on the theme of the zakka style wallet appears.
I love how it opens out quite flat. You can see my birds facing away from one another. It works for this though!

Again, I think a few more of these may appear shortly.


A couple of owl buttons, and a few other sundries, and my parcel was ready to wing it's way across the Atlantic, which it managed in just under a week...

My partner has received her package, and seems to like it!

This was a secret partner swap, so nobody knows who is sending to them...  Sneaky swap mamas gave us each other! Fantastic sneaky mamas!


I will blog about what I received soon! It was rather lovely... don't hold your breath though.. I am busy just now.. Costumes.

Bee-ing for August

This month's Fat Stash Brit Bee mama has asked for 'Birches'
She provided background fabric, and also some neutral scraps, to which we add, to make the block.

and she also said, we could add leaves or birds if we so desired... I guess I desired... I love those little additions.. 

The block will be squared up to 12.5", and although simple in concept, is surprisingly tricky to get the edges of the background lining up... My seam ripper did come out to play... And I experimented with some freestyle curves. 

About those freestyle curves... I signed up for another swap... It is the type of swap I never did before, where it is a disclosed swap. In this one, I have been assigned my partner, and she has been given me to make for. So, both of us know who we are dealing with, and have discussed likes and dislikes before we begin.. The theme of the swap is circles and curves... so I used this block to do some gentle 'organic' freestyle curves. 

My project, without giving away too much about it, shall involve some more of these curves, and all the practice is definitely helping, and will also involve some applique, I know what I am planning and shall be posting some sneaky peeks and hoping my partner does not hate it too much! But I have some other thoughts lurking so, if I get negative vibes, I shall start over!here is a first teaser...

There are some gentle curves to be seen there, I think... 

and then, just to make you jealous... this little sweetie has come in to my life this weekend...                                                                                                     Her name is 'shimmer' and she is the daintiest of clematis. I shall have to find a good spot for her in the garden.