Christmas sewing

Like just about everyone else, there was quite a bit of Christmas gift sewing (so couldn't be shown prior to Christmas) and my machines certainly got a work out in the couple of weeks leading to the Big Day...

L to R, top row - shorty PJ's, owl pincushion, personalised silky pouch, back of cushion cover, front of cushion cover
bottom row - market bag, journal cover and drawstring pouch, girl dolly, boy dolly, frock, more pj's

I made more pj's (Simplicity pattern) but didn't get a photo - by time they were finished I had to wrap them poste haste - and they were the same as the others, only different fabrics!!  The owl pincushion I saw on someone's blog and I can't for the life of me remember which one and the dollies are Mirabel softies.

The frock was a Burda pattern and was for my ma-in-law - and which I'll get back as she decided she didn't really like it!  Ah well, it'll do a turn at Chez Shocking's.

The return to clothes making prompted a visit to Spotlight during their sale and I bought 5 new patterns, for tops, bottoms and a pretty frock, plus the fabric to make them with - so more sewing in my near future - go figure!!

Vintage - who me??

One my do.Good Stitches circle has a really inspirational blog - always seems to be trying something new and creating, and sharing, her gorgeous items.  So I was having a read of Jo's blog before Christmas and immediately thought about the vintage linens my ma-in-law has given me - I don't use them at all and they sit in the linen press patiently waiting for an airing - I can't throw them out as most of them my ma-in-law actually made and the work(wo)manship is just amazing.

So I retreived one - and made a journal cover - I love having journal covers on all my notebooks - I've got a few, all for different reasons, and I use them on a daily basis.  Usually I play around with fabric, stitches and bits for a new cover but this time, I shamelessly copied Jo's idea...

front - the strawberry motif is machine appliqued and then stuffed a la trapunto - the colours scream 1950's!

back

This journal is what I'm using to jot down thoughts, action plans and business plans for the new ventures this year - so it's already well used!

If you have a go, make sure you link back so we can see how clever you are.....

Must run in the family....

I have many nieces and nephews - comes from being one of 7 kids I guess (;>) - and all of them, including my brothers and sisters, are very creative - sewing, photography, painting, drawing, knitting, interior design (and I include my sons in enjoying the creative bent)....so last year when we visited my little brother in Queensland, I noticed a pair of runners that his eldest son had been colouring - he'd used fabric sharpies (or similar) to design and colour oriental themes onto a pair of canvas high-tops for a friend of his - of course, I didn't get a photo (what an eejit) but I did ask him to create me a pair with a patchwork theme - and he did.  I received these absolute beauties...............

Cal had said he didn't know anything about patchwork so I directed him to my blog and Flickr pages to get some inspiration - and he's obviously been inspired by this quilt:

a similar quilt is available in my Etsy shop

What a talent - he's done a simply amazing job - thanks Cal - I'm trying to only wear them inside so they keep looking good - but it's difficult when I want to show them off!  Absolutely love them.

.............and for something a little different, my son and his partner bought me the Sew Wild book Alisa Burke for Christmas and on the weekend I got a little inspired:

hand dyed fabric, stamped, written on, stitched and embroidered

I started with the chorus of Adele's "Set fire to the rain" - which I am totally in love with and I got her '21' CD for Christmas too - and just went from there.  I purposely limited my colour palette to the blues and reds - haven't decided whether to make it a small wall hanging or to use it as a journal cover - I've stuck it onto my design wall until I figure it out.

......and in other creative pursuits...........I picked another bowl or 2 from the garden this morning (lucky I did - it's raining now!) - we're picking this much every other day and have enough carrots and beans in the freezer to last a year or two!

toms, eggplants, beans, peas, snow peas, sugar snaps, zucchinis, lebanese cucumbers, spring onions, carrots, corn, green cucumbers

QAYGFMQQAL - almost sounds like swearing -

which I did - several times - and loudly...

I cut the fabric (I'm using hand-dyed fabric), bordered it in spotlight prima homespun beige, used more hand-dyed fabric for the back, dropped the feed dogs and put the FMQ foot onto the new machine.  Had a quick review of the instructions, put on my el cheapo hy-flex rubber gloves and started.....top thread snapped (mumble, mumble).  Took off gloves, unpicked, gloves on, started again, top thread snapped (mumble, MUMBLE).  Gloves off, checked 'troubleshooting' section of instruction book, rethreaded machine, changed the needle, gloves on, started again.....much better, got all the way to the end, not too shabby, til I turned the damned thing over....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Gloves off, unpicked (at least it was easy to unpick), piece now looking like it's spent some time as bedding in the echidna enclosure at the zoo, walked away, poured a wine, sat back at the machine.  Rethreaded (I had missed the all important take up arm - how did I do that?? I've threaded machines forEVER..........)

..........gloves on and then had another crack...

and then another..............

This is so different to using the long-arm - for long-arm quilting, you move the head of the machine and the fabric is held in place by the rollers, not moving.  FMQ on the domestic sewing machine means the machine stays put and the fabric is what moves about - 'encouraged' by the wonderful hy-flex gloves - it's a lot more difficult than I expected (as you can see by the results - those flowers are not supposed to have a spider web in the centre!)

I know it'll get easier and I'll get more accurate as I practise along - and I need to have FMQ skills on the new machine so I can use them for my course (Diploma of Textile Art), which starts in a couple of weeks - so I'll persevere - but the 'blue' cloud created from all the swearing has not yet dissipated in the sewing room, so I may leave it be for a couple of days, think I might go and visit the Farmer...

Doing good stitches and my first 'bee' block

Anne wanted hearts for the Do Good Stitches quilt she's putting together this month - and even though she let us know details early december, I've only just got round to making the blocks up - what a slacker!

Here's mine...

machine applique on a plain grey background

pieced block, like the scandinavian hearts you see at christmas

Also this month sees the start of the Quilt Australia Bee that I joined last year - and Erin wanted a string block with a white centre, so....

so when I get them in the post tomorrow, I can cross those 2 off my list......

A question

One of the items on my winter/summer sewing list was to make hexagons for a quilt - these are using templates and are stitched by hand....well, I finished the hexagons (one of the great things about camping - time to sit and sew!) and have put the top together (by machine I might add!)- it needs a couple of borders but 'plain' borders don't seem to be right - I'm thinking pieced borders.......what do you think?

FMQQA with Laura

Laura, over at Quokka Quilts, has just launched her Free Motion Quilting Quilt Along - I am already behind the 8 ball having not prepared fabric, or adding the button (will get to that later) - and Laura has asked me, in my capacity as a long-arm quilter, to share a FMQ pattern or two - so I really have to get my skates on and jump right on in.

Fabric is chosen - lots of fat quarters I hand-dyed last year - so I'm off to cut them up and have a crack at the first 2 - will post photos when I've done them!

There'll be a linky thingy on Thursdays for a show and tell - so hop on over, get prepared and have a crack - Laura has created 2 fabulous videos to point you in the right direction and the voice over is very soothing....