doing good...

So this month we had a request for feathers, AMH feathers - and the first time I made them (for another Bee I might add...) I loved the result but the process - OMG - pain in the posterial end.......

This time, I just got on with it - luckily I found the freezer paper template that I created the first time - although strictly speaking, I didn't 'find' it - I knew where it was because I'm a bit anal organised like that....

so, for this month for the Cherish circle of do.Good Stitches....

I quite like them

In other news....I recently started a new part time job and I seriously underestimated the impact on my 'creative' time.

There's a couple of things that stand out though - on the plus side, I'm finding I'm getting a lot more done in a shorter period of  time - cos you just have to do it in the time available so I find I'm using my available time much more efficiently.  On the downside I'm not getting any pj days - I LOVE (note, in capital letters, LOVE) pj days - I don't get dressed, or showered, my hair's all manky and it's BLISS - because you get the bliss of being, well, a bit manky and then the added bliss of feeling all fresh and new when you have a shower and do your hair....sigh........I guess there's always weekends......

Hope you get a pj day.....

Happy mail and Pay it forward...

It's always a bit exciting when you get one of those Australia Post cards to tell you there's a parcel at the post office - and even more exciting when you're not expecting it - the anticipation is delicious and made even more unbearable when the card says you have to wait until after 2pm.....so off I go to the post office, arriving at 2pm ON THE DOT....now, except for one time when it was a registered letter from my doctor telling me there's "some areas of concern" (which turned out to be no concern at all....bastards!!) I've always loved whatever the 'mystery' parcel brings....and I have to say, this was no exception....

It came all the way from Scotland, home of my birth, and incorporated linen, hand stitching, Liberty, a postcard which had a 'hieland coo' and Edinburgh Rock....such bliss in a package!

So why did I receive this bounty??  Many moons ago I answered a 'Pay it forward' from the very talented Catherine at Knotted Cotton - and I promptly forgot about it - but here it is.  Catherine sent me the most gorgeous pouch - and as mentioned above, with all the things I love.

Thank you so much Catherine - it's perfect -  I love the blogging community, so generous, and of course, I get to pass the baton on..

So, without further ado, the first 3 to leave a comment on this post will receive something hand-made by me within the next 12 months.  The only rule is that if you are one of the first 3, then you agree to pay it forward to 3 others when your turn comes.

So, if you're willing....good luck to you....

doing good - again

At the beginning of the year, I had to resign as the Cherish do.Good Stitches mama due to lack of time - it's quite a feat putting quilts together from blocks made by different people and then quilting them - especially in the time frames.  So, reluctantly, I resigned.......but, I couldn't really stay away.

I stalked what the girls were up to and saw what beautiful quilts they made and gifted to people who otherwise might not have had such a wonderful gift.

So last month I rejoined - not as the mama, and not as a 'quilter' - I rejoined as a 'stitcher' which means all I have to do is make two blocks each month and post them off.  This fits in with the workload from my Diploma and I still feel great about contributing...win/win :)

I've made two months worth of blocks and the October request has just gone up (AMH feathers....hmmmm)

september - cream and green - any block

august - warm and cool - scrap vomit style

It feels good to be doing good again................

Quick make......all about procrastination.....

I've been doing lots of reports and project plans and stuff in readiness for two exhibitions myself and my fellow textile artist students are going to hold in January 2014 and May 2014.  Seems like miles away but it's about now that publications need information for magazines coming our around that time, not to mention I have at least 6 pieces to make......and......sometimes, you just have to stop, get up, plant some veggies (which I have done - love Spring - and the Fat Bastard purple asparagus I thought I'd killed has popped up everywhere - bliss!) and sew something simple.

I was with my sister the other day, in Ikea, and she mentioned she needed a make-up bag.  The one's at Ikea were quite cute and very cheap, but she didn't want hot pink (the only one in that size) so of course I said, "You're kidding, that's what I do...." (well, they're cute, but not cheap and I can make one that's not hot pink)

So, instead of writing a magazine article and updating my project plan (and 50,000,000 other things), I made a little pouch for my sister.  A little Echino, some Kona and a pretty zip.  Done...

Right, back to it then......

Custom made templates

Long time ago, when I was, Pinteresting, as you do, I saw a gorgeous cushion at Cut to Pieces - and thought I'd have a crack.  I made a template from an old piece of Xray film and have to say, it was not the most accurate one I've made - I did a few blocks but because my template was so crappy, they didn't turn out so well and I stuck them in the UFO pile......(it was a considered choice not to include photos of the crappy blocks)

but THEN, I heard about someone who custom makes templates, and she lives in Melbourne and she was so lovely to deal with and TODAY - look what arrived at my house...

the grey templates are my homemade ones and the shiny green ones are the new ones

Lisa, of Sunset Seams, accurately laser cuts the perspex and puts in the 1/4" seam allowance and connection dots/holes - if you want them all - and then sends them to you in the mail - all for a VERY reasonable sum...have a look at how inaccurate my template is - the grey template is way too big at the bottom - oh dear -  no wonder my blocks didn't sit well!!

So now I'm off to do some marking, cutting and sewing with my new, shiny, accurate templates.....

So - if you want perspex templates, send an email to Lisa (info on her blog) - you won't be sorry.

Thanks Lisa -I'm rapt :)

A new tool.....picture heavy post tute

I don't know about you, but binding to finish off the quilt has always been a bit of a chore for me: miles of fabric that gets tangled in the ironing cord, round my legs, the sewing machine etc etc, unpicking dodgy joins and faffing about big time with pins (and usually some reverse sewing) to join the 2 ends once the rest is on the quilt.

With this in mind, when I went to the Quilt Show, here in Melbourne recently, I went looking for a binding tool I'd seen on Pinterest.  I found the tool, but the helpful assistant said she used a different one which she preferred and would I like that one instead.  "OK" says I, and I bought the Westalee "Bound to Fit" tool (it's designed and made in Oz)

Well, let me tell you - it's BRILLIANT!!

You can cut your binding strips with a 45 degree angle which are easily aligned and then, the ease at which you join them at the end is just fabulous, sweetie darling.  Let me show you......

First up you cut your binding strips, then, you line the 'Bound to Fit' along the bottom edge - the black part provides a ridge that helps you line up the binding strip more easily

I cut my binding at 2.25" wide - and obviously usually longer than this piece - it's just so you can see

Then you cut it, including the little straight bit on the bottom right there - this is what helps you join the strips together with more accuracy

Then, you turn your strip around (or turn the tool around - but not upside down) to create angles all going the same way - they'll be parallelogram shaped for those geometrically inclined

obviously way smaller than required!

To join your binding strips, you simply line up the edges and the little straight bit you cut means you don't have to try and gauge there the 1/4" seam will be

Then you sew - and I like to press the seam open to reduce more bulk, but I know some people prefer to press to the side

seam pressed open

binding folded in half lengthwise and pressed ready to attach to the quilt

Look at that - perfick!  and just wait til you see how easy it is to join the binding strips together once it's on the quilt..

So now I have a real quilt and I did all of the above to join my binding strips.  I left a 'tail' of about 8 inches before I started sewing the binding on as normal, then once round to the end, I left another 'tail' to give me enough room to maneuver..

Next you need to make a mark where the 2 'tails' have to join - simply fold the binding back on itself, opposite ways, and finger press (or iron) to create a crease - make sure your 2 folded 'tails' are touching each other..

Then, whip out your tool and align the white 'to fold' line with the crease - I've chalked the crease line in so you can see it better..then cut off the tail..

Next step is the other 'tail' - but remember to turn the tool around - and cut that tail off too..

You'll be left with this..

Pin them right sides together and stitch..

Finger press the seam as before, refold the binding and stitch into place..

BRILLIANT!!

This is the quilt completed after I stitched down the binding (by machine and using my trusty Clover binding clips - love them) - this will be for sale at Red Hill Market.

Westalee have a very helpful video tutorial.

I hope to stock these wonderful tools for resale - let me know if you'd like one :)

Moving right along.....

There's a sniff of Spring in the air, which means Red Hill Market is almost upon us - the first market this season is 7th September and I've been busy creating some new stock - I reviewed what I made last year and decided I'd been making things to sell, as opposed to making things I would want to buy - make sense????

So, I decided things needed a bit of a change up.......

I've been hand dyeing fabric, choosing my most favourite commercial fabrics, embroidering a little and obviously missed photo lessons (really MUST do something about that...).  I've got screen printed fabric drying ready to make up into some ipad covers, pouches and journal covers.

It's going to be difficult to let these makes go.....

ps - check out the awesome changes on Picmonkey - there's new features and I have to say, it's a lot more user friendly than Photoshop (which I also think is awesome, but it takes a bit of getting used to)

pps - England has retained the Ashes, so I'm pretty happy about that - good old Manchester rain!!