Quilt

Sorry ... back to a bit more stitchery today.  You may recall I mentioned the Jelly Roll 'race' quilt a few weeks ago (look for it on YouTube where there are how-to's).  A friend had asked to see my quilt and the easiest way for now was to pop a photo on here although as the quilt is large it was a bit difficult to take a picture in a small space.  I used two rolls of fabrics for this and the quilt measures 64 inches square.

I'd seen these  rolls of Tilda fabric and quite liked the colours, spotted the 'race' idea and decided to go for it.  An original Jelly Roll has 40 fabric strips and usually, I think, quite a wide variety of designs included whereas these contained 24 strips consisting of only 12 different designs which meant once they were all randomly sewn together there wasn't as much variety in the look as I would have liked.  Once it was all put together I felt it certainly lacked 'something' and eventually decided to appliqué motifs randomly over the surface to break up the stripey look.  I drew a template in a couple of sizes, then purchased pink fabric from the same range which picked up on the pink in some of the stripes so that I could scatter the flowers across the area - the quilt was also bound in one of the pink fabrics.

The photo isn't the best but as I said taking a photo of a large quilt in a small space is a bit difficult.  I'm still not sure if I like it or not but I do think it would have been better with a wider variety of fabric designs to start with.  The way they are sewn together really gives no control over how they turn out in the end and to my mind there are too many areas of 'sameness' here although I do think the flower appliqué is an improvement overall.  This was a project I just wanted to try - would I make another?  Probably not although I certainly enjoyed the process which is the main thing.

Dragonfly

This card is really built around the stamped and die cut dragonfly which I found amongst the clutter on my desk - couldn't bear to throw it away!  I found some pieces of the same colour card along with some Centura Pearl in white and put this together, adding a few gems along the way.  Luckily I've not forgotten how to put a card together while I've been on my sewing marathon!!

Background cut using Sue Wilson pierced square die with SW corners  added in the same card
Decorative dies - Tonic
Dragonfly - from memory it was a free stamp and die on a magazine
Greeting - computer generated

Time for Pixie Snippets Playground

Somehow I missed visiting the playground last week and I've actually not made a card for nearly two weeks - must certainly do something about that or I'll never get through my card and paper mountain!!  I do have something (yes you've guessed - another bag) for the challenge this week using the remaining snippets of my upcycled denim skirt which I'd cut up to make the dolphin bag.  I liked the look of this pattern, again from Debbie Shore, and thought I'd have a go at this small handbag which has more work involved than some of the ones I've made.  There are D-rings to attach the handles which I like; strips of contrasting fabric with top stitching and also a magnetic clasp which is always a bit of a worry just in case I poke the holes in the wrong places and thus spoil the whole project.  Luckily all went well and I'm pleased with the result.

Di has made a lovely card this week using a handy die which is of course the prize on offer and there are some great picks from last week's entries - do take a look and maybe make something using some of your own snippets.

Another Bag

I've really been in sewing mode just recently, mostly recycling charity shop fabric finds to make bags for the tombola at an upcoming quilt exhibition where we usually raise money for a chosen charity each year.  Today I thought I'd have a slight change by using some of the embroidery stitches on my machine onto new fabric to make this bag which is adapted from one of Debbie shore's clutch bag patterns.  Hers has the flap and bag made from one piece of fabric which I have made previously but found it a bit difficult to get the lining to lie nicely in the corners where the bag meets the flap (if you know what I mean).  This time I cut the flap as a separate item and attached it while inserting the lining and I must say this did lie a lot flatter.  I've shown the  back and front of the bag so you can see the embroidery which in hindsight might have been good if it had been on the flap as well although I think it looks OK with a plain area and anyway I wasn't sure I'd get the embroidery quite the same if I made another separate piece from which to cut the flap.  I should have done a large enough area at the start - again hindsight is wonderful!!  However I did enjoy doing this which I think is always the main thing.

Coincidence!

I was busily stitching one of these little zipped bags on Thursday afternoon and realised that I'd missed Debbie Shore's two hour sewing programme on Hochanda.  When I went on to their 'catchup' I was really surprised to see that her demonstration was of the selfsame bag as I had just completed - coincidence or what?  It is a handy size for either carrying make-up or maybe even a little sewing kit - whatever you fancy really and only a small amount of fabric is needed.  As today is chilly and very wet I thought I'd spend time at the machine again and have produced a second zipped bag as well as a shoulder bag using up some corduroy which a friend gave to me, knowing that I like making bags.  I must say it isn't my favourite fabric for stitching but it worked out OK in the end.

The zipped purse is called 'Emma' and I think there is a You Tube video explaining how it is made and the pattern is on one of Debbie Shore's many CD's.

A Bargain - or Maybe Not!

At our patchwork group meeting recently I picked up some strips of border fabrics at a bargain price thinking that they would come in handy for making bags for a Tombola at our upcoming exhibition. The problem arose when I came to look through my stash for suitable fabric to go with these strips because although I have lots of fabric one way and another there was very little of the right colour or size.  However I have managed to make two bags with what I had and I think the remaining strips will be left for the time being because my aim is to use up bits and pieces I already have rather than going out to buy more new fabric.  In my search I have found quite a quantity of small pieces which hopefully I can piece together randomly to make a few multi-coloured bags to brighten up a shopping day.  For the bag with a pocket I even resorted to upcycling a denim skirt which I no longer wear!!

Another Week

Another week has just flown by, starting off with rainy days but warmer than of late which of course has meant that things in the garden have suddenly started growing like mad - at least the weeds and grass have!!  Yesterday I just had to tackle the lawns again and also helped with the cutting back of some overhanging branches so today I've spent a quieter day sewing - made a couple of bags.  However today being Sunday  means it is time for the Pixie Snippets Playground card and I did manage to make something from some of the bits and pieces on my desk.  The image is from a little pad of cuties by Lili of the Valley, the kraft frame is the 'waste' from cutting out a decorative oval to which I've added some die cut corners from snippets of kraft card.  Background is an offcut from a larger piece of printed paper and the greeting was stamped and die cut.

Image - Lili of the Valley
Dies - Spellbinders and Sue Wilson corners
Greeting - stamp and bitty banner die from Stampin' Up.