Hi everyone!
Before I really start this post I have 2 things I must say, firstly is I am very sorry about the varying quality of photographs in this rather photo heavy post. Some of them were just quick snaps I've taken while making something and others involved me standing on the back of my sofa (no really) to fit something into the shot. Secondly in a "Note to self" type way I must remember to blog more often as I think blogger nearly died again trying to upload these pictures all at once :)
Anyway moving on I thought I'd share some bits that I've actually finished for a change :)
This is my Laura Gunn cushion with a massively over sized cushion pad inside! My first attempt at piping thanks to a great tutorial from Sew Mama Sew! The bird cages print is raw edge appliqued (I'm now, after spell check has had a hissy fit, not sure thats even a word but you get what I mean) and the front is echo quilted in a square.
The back had to look just as pretty as most often than not cushions in this house end up on the floor to be sat upon when watching TV.
Then I decided to help a lamp that had been ruthlessly destroyed by Issabella. When it came home from Ikea about 6 years ago it had a beautiful paper shade with pressed flowers shining through, however after 5 and a half years a fly chose to land on it. This provided issabella all the motivation she needed to attack it with gusto - All in the name of hunting the fly you understand! In the space of 5 seconds claws that rival a sabre tooth tigers (or so she tells me) had gone through the shade and the fly was DEAD. Madam was happy with herself and I needed a new lampshade.
oh and as its uploaded heres a pic with the lamp turned on, I think I need lower wattage bulbs.
Next up is a makeshift curtain/quilt I used the turning twenty pattern for it. I had a lot of scraps and FQ so I threw them at this quilt to see what would happen, then I decided, stupidly, to free motion quilt each block in a different pattern. It turned out like a pattern/quilting explosion!
Once the whole thing was put together I realised due to not having double glazing that we had an almighty draft coming through the sitting room window, one thing lead to another and now the quilt is hanging at my window doing all the things a curtain should while brightening up my walls :)
About a week or so ago I had them all laid out like this when my lovely mum popped over (She loved the birthday bag) "Ohhh they are pretty, do you fancy making me one like that?" came out of her mouth as soon as she nearly tripped over all the blocks laid out on the floor. Right now I'm wondering if it's possible to overdose on a quilt block?!? So for the last time until my swap ones come back, or I give in and make my mum one, all of the Bento's I've made to swap out
I hope who ever gets some of the quarters from these enjoys them in their quilt!
Right now I have 2 wip quilts both have a little story each - well it wouldn't be any fun if they didn't!
The first one is Sanctuary pattern by Pat Bravo but as I am making this for my other half he decided that he liked fabrics from her other lines, so a kit was out of the question. We also chose to change the border fabric and in hindsight I think thats when things came unstuck! By the time we had worked out fabric requirements from different lines I had managed to loose 3/4 of a yard. This only became apparent once the fabric had been delivered, a HUGE customs free paid and I'd cut all the other fabrics into strips. I can't find anywhere in the UK that has the fabric I'm short on, so the quilt is on hold until the 3/4 yard gets shipped from the US, but heres a look see at the fabrics before I cut them up just so you can get an idea what the finished fabulousness will look like :)
The second wip only got started this weekend. In the order that came with the customs free (Thanks HMR revenue and customs) was rather a lot of Amy Butler fabric. I wasn't too sure whether I wanted to do another Sexy hexy quilt with it or a Kaffe Fassett quilt pattern called Yellow Potpourri from his simple shapes book (I L.O.V.E. that book) So I thought I'd trial run the Potpourri pattern with my numerous scraps :)
I then hacked and cursed my way through the cutting until my other half offered to help (Sweet man) and this is what we ended up with
Yes there is 130 of those 3.5x3.5 squares.
I started sewing it up following the pattern but it wasn't scrappy and random enough for me as I kept catching myself shuffling through the piles to find squares that "looked better together" So I thought s*d it and threw each stack of squares into a bag and made myself pull them out randomly to try and create a more organic (Very Kaffe word there!) collection of prints.
This is what I have so far
(This is the shot that had me standing on the back of the sofa!)
With all of the flowers, birds and butterflies it reminds me of a summers day, I just hope it still does once its finished!
Well thats everything I've been up to over the last week or so, hope your not bored to tears! What have you been making or planning on creating?
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great week.
