Under the Needle - Pixie Willow Pouches

Couple of zipped pouches - design by Pixie Willow on Etsy. Instructions confused me a little yesterday when making the smaller size but all figured out when making the larger size today.

Mug Quilt

Sometimes nothing goes to plan – started this mug quilt with a Fru Blomgren design and finished it today. 

May your day be filled with joy and laughter!

Had to change tack so many time as I kept making daft mistakes – my mind must be elsewhere at the moment.  Anyway, it will catch the coffee cup drips as I'm ready for a fresh coaster.

Fantastic Ribbons,Com

Postman arrived with a yummy parcel of ribbon, lace and dotty binding.

Fru Blomgren June Contest

My entry for the June contest. Cut it a bit fine this month, been busy and no sewing done. Lucky I had some Denim already embroidered so used that and a recycled zip to make my Foxy Pillow.

Front

Fru Blomgren May Contest

My entry - Recycled Denim.

Cover for my reserve/caravan machine. Looks loads better than the cheapo plastic effort it came with.

Love this designer, especially the Frida Kahlo inspired sets.

Transformed an old pair of Tim's raggy jeans, plenty left over to make their overlocker a cover.

Front

Whimsical Dog

Love the whimsical dog.  Design from Titania Creations. Turned my test stitch out into a cushion for the caravan.

All assembly done on the overlocker.  Haven't used it since we moved house 4 years ago and with all the dust and renovations wasn't sure that it would still work.  Gave it a good clean up, rethread and a drop or two of oil and it's fine.  Don't think a service would go amiss as it must be well over 15 years old and never had one.

Whimsical Dog Design

Under the Needle

Under the needle today...

A tea towel from Aldi and a child size coat hanger from Ikea have been transformed into a much needed household requisite as my current peg bag has seen much better days.

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French sewing roll

 

Made this today. Bit diddly. Hope it's going to be useful.

More Daylight

This great present was from Mum and Dad for my Christmas and Birthday.  It's exactly the right height to stand by the sofa or the sewing table and the swan neck directs the light down on to whatever I'm working on.  There's also a magnifier I can pull in for stitching and embroidery which is getting more difficult for me to see.  I wouldn't have been able to sew during winter if it hadn't been for my daylights, I can sew and knit as long as I like now with this large lamp flooding wherever I am with light.

Paul's Pressie

This is a photo of me sat at the computer in my sewing room - first photo taken by Paul on his Christmas present from me - a new mobile phone!  It's looking a lot tidier than usual as all the machines and other bits and pieces were taken upstairs to make way for Christmas - don't worry they're all coming down again gradually so I can get back to work.

Christmas Table Toppers

 Small table topper I made with leftovers from one the Christmas quilts - they go on the little tables we have around the house and they're handy to stand drinks and dishes on.  I did a bit of FMQ in the shape of large holly leaves.  These little projects are handy for confidence building with the FMQ.

Christmas is SO last year.............. Talking Threads

I've only just got round to watching the Talking Threads Christmas Specials and what a treat.  Parts one, two and three are available on line.  Poinsettias from organza, needlefelted cards, machine embroidered cards and a twisted, strip pieced bag.  Well worth viewing and I always think January is the time to do your Christmas sewing, or at least get it planned and buy in the supplies.  Leaving it until autumn means dark nights and so much else to do.

Talking Threads Christmas Specials           
Part One                     
Part Two                           
Part Three

More Sewing Videos.....

Sewing Republic is a Bernina site with a wealth of projects ideas along with techniques viewable on quality videos. Project patterns and instructions are downloadable in .pdf and a video demonstrates how to make the project up. A site to book mark for when I've got some browsing time.

Bridesmaid Dolly Bags

Here are the bridesmaid's dolly bags I've been making for my best friend's daughter's wedding. They aren't a good advert for my sewing skills - I have never sewn on anything so unco-operative and slippery, but they're done and I hope they like them. If there's a next time Annette - I'm choosing the fabric !!!

Wood for the Trees

Yesterday could have been a sewing day, but it became a declutter your sewing stuff day. I like going through it all every now and again and it reminds me what I have (Too Much according to some people). I bought a bag from Ebay for my quilting cottons and invented a new rule - when that is full it is time to use some fabric before buying more. It's only half full now so I still have some buying power.

I did away with all my dressmaker pins - they're hard to see in fabric and even harder to locate on the floor so my pincushions look very bright with the plastic headed pins - sorting them out was a similar job to watching paint dry!!

My painting shares a small part of my sewing area so that got a once over. Located a bagful of paint I should have disposed of at the last tidy and that went onto Freecycle - four replies so far.

Quite a satisfying day. Will get some proper sewing done later.

Is it a sin?

Is it a sewing sin not to hand stitch the hems of your curtains? I've thought about this for a couple of weeks since hanging the curtains and pinning them to the right length.

My decision was that it would be a bigger sin to leave them hanging there pinned but not sewn because I couldn't get round to doing the hand sewing. I don't see very well and my hands hurt holding a needle for any length of time - so decision made. Into the sewing machine and there they are all done. We really are pleased with these, they fit in very well with the colour scheme. We never get visitors, maybe a couple of Scouting friends now and then and our childrens' pals - none of them will ever notice the curtain's dark secret of sloppy hemming.

Convergence Quilt Workshop

Jenny and I went to Hutton Buschel on 15th March for "Convergence II". The tutor was Beryl Frank who was super and easy to follow. The Convergence Quilt came from Ricky Tims' book, which I bought from the Book Depository later as I think I would like to go further with this type of quilting. I finished it today and it is ready for hanging. It was fun to do and not too complicated. I thought the plain purple pieces needed something, so machine quilted them to give some texture - that gave it what it needed.

Quilting Workshop - Japanese Bag

Here is the Japanese Bag - work in progress. Went to a quilting workshop in Hutton Buschel, N Yorkshire yesterday. When I arrived and saw the sample bag, I realised that the fabrics I bought last week weren't going to be quite the thing - but the ladies running the day had a selection with them so no problem. I've continued working on it today and completed the hand applique. Putting the bag together will have to wait until my next sewing time. Shouldn't take too long now the fiddly bits are done. Will post a photo when it's finished - soon I hope. Next workshop is in March - Convergence quilt

Crazy Pieced Bag (Work in Progress)

Another work in progress, started at a workshop at the quilt show. Sally Holman was the tutor and we completed piecing the back of the bag. The kit contained plenty of fabric and embellishments to continue working on it at home. The scan does not show the colours at their best - the selection in the kit is a lovely combination of creamy, yellowy fabrics. Sally showed us different embroidery stitches which could be used to embellish the seams, embroidery thread is included with the kit. She also showed us how to make a "Suffolk Puff" - a fabric flower which will adorn the front flap of the bag, along with lace and beads. I'm looking forward to working on this - piecing is quite my 'thing' at the moment.

Great Northern Quilt Show

Sunday 9th September I had a great day at the show in Harrogate. My friend Jenny came with me and it was much more fun having some company - I usually go on my own. We took two workshops, one with Sylvia Critcher called Corded and Stuffed - a square pincushion combining Italian quilting, French cording and English quilting and the other was a crazy pieced embellished bag with Sally Holman. I thoroughly enjoyed both. The techniques we learned are things I would do again. There wasn't time to finish either of the projects, but I have almost done the pincushion and will complete the bag soon. Photos to come later.

I have never been to such a quiet show, but that meant that it was easy to get around and see all the stalls - it was my first quilt show and I'm already looking forward to the next one. The quilts on display were beautiful and inspirational.

Did a bit of shopping including fabric to make an "Out of Africa" quilt. I can't start this yet as there are other works in progress, but once these are done this one is next on the list.