Feather project bag

A while a go I did some small feather blocks in an effort to learn foundation Piecing. I really enjoyed doing them even though my iron broke. I wasn't sure what to do with them. I thought I might combine them with my fractal blocks I am making. Then I decided that perhaps I should make Rachel a project bag for her birthday. I have been amassing lots of purples, linens and stripes thinking that I might make something log cabiny / half squarey like this by Brooke.


I decided to use my fabric pull - hark at me knowing all the terminology - and make Rachel a bag. I am such a nice friend. These are such precious fabrics that I almost can't bear to use them. I just love looking at them. I love the Kaffe Fasset shot cotton, it's so soft.


So I cut into my stash deciding not to be so precious and haordy. I just cut some strips and put all the fabric away. It makes everything a lot easier. I do love improv log cabin in that way. So refreshing after all those precise points in the Jitterbug.


I was a bit worried it would look rubbish to be honest. I never really know if fabrics go together. I feel blind sometimes. Even though they were all a similar hue I still felt blind. I reeeealllly like how this block turned out. I want to keep it and hug it and have it always.


I am really pleased with how the green fabric held up against the purples. I love it. I want to make a whole quilt like this now.


Front and back together.


And specially because I love her, I am going to break into my uber cool zips I got at the quilt show. They are the perfect colour.


I backed each external panel with wadding, quilted them a bit randomly and trimmed them to 13 x 12".


I toyed with not quilting them at all but I did in the end as it makes the bag stiffer and allows you to do some stitching on top.


Here is an idea of the size. An ipad fits in with room to spare. I think I'd rather use it to store rulers and scissors and bits of a project. I reallllly want to keep it. The sign of a good present.


I'm really pleased with the muddy yellow lining. I wasn't sure it would go but I love it.


And I even put a little felt in to store needles. I am very pleased.

Bank holiday quilt finished!

 I really wanted this to be a small project. Just a bit of frippery to be over as soon as it had begun. Luckily, Penelope allowed me to do some sewing whilst she was awake and whilst she was poorly. Silver lining and all that. So I completed the top today. The first three blocks came together quilt quickly. I am sad that my other colour combos aren't as nice as the original ones. They are sunny and jolly though which is good.



The new adjustable computer table as been completely taken over by me. It's amazing. I can make it really high which is really useful. I love it! Check out my flat seams. Worth the extra effort. I didn't do them everywhere, just where they helped the fabric lie flat.


I love the scrappy feel and the offset borders. It's really Katy's idea. I have half-inched it. But I am into it!


I used up all my Alison Glass Sun Print fabric though. I am sad about that. It's really grown on me.


I managed to insert a bit of tiny thangle action into the borders. I wanted them to be a bit like the MapleO ones with small details in them.


I really like the Geese and Ribbons I put in.


Just need a backing for it now. Nothing really right for it in the scrap bin so I need to get thinking. Maybe something yellow. The finished quilt top is 31 1/2" by 46". Each block was 14 1/12" once I had added the borders. Perfect for a toddler bed.

Bank Holiday Block

A long bank holiday and absolutely no daytime napping... sigh. So today, after doing allll her favourite things, train, bus, museum AND playpark, I felt like weeping a little bit when she popped her head round the door in a chirpy manner just 20 minutes after putting her to bed. I was just in a happy place cutting out some fabric. So I did a test. I sat her down with a snack, 'Hey Duggee' on the iPad and her new jigsaw laid out in front of her, whilst I tried to do some sewing... and she let me! Well, for some time. It was amazing. It's a sign of the future hopefully.


I am really into looking through my Judy Hopkins book. It just has everything you would ever need. I mean how can you go wrong right? A while a go I saw the beginnings of a great looking quilt by Katy. I had the pattern for the Rising Sun block in my book sand I had some of the Cuckoo's Calling fabric so it seemed like I was destined to follow. I waited for a month thinking it might be a pattern in the next issue of her magazine but alas, no.


I have ground to a halt with the Jitterbug whilst I sort out buying some more white sheeting fabric. My star quilt is packed in the cellar so I can't finish that. My postage stamp is just as hand quilting stage and is reserved for evening work. My fractal quilt needs the next lot of fabric choosing for another block... But I wanted to sew! So I decided to just make two blocks like Katy's. So I made a nice cup of tea, took my time, and took over the new office desk which is not mine. It's great. It's big and not covered in my crap. Perfect.


I think being so peaceful and methodic really helped with my accuracy. I also cut all my units bigger than specified so I could trim them down before constructing the final block. I also used my swanky new iron to iron all the seams flat open. It really helps with some of the thicker seams. I really like this yellow fabric I bought at Duxford. It was one of the only things I bought but now it makes the trip worthwhile.


I am really pleased with the finished blocks. I had thought seeing as these are 12" blocks at finished size that I might create some 4" versions or 6" ones and cobble them all together. But... my blocks ended up somehow measuring 13 1/4"... I am not sure how that happened. So I might just carry on following Katy's modern sashing technique. So I might make some more blocks as these were a lot of fun to make. They feel very jolly somehow. I am going to run out of bird fabric though so it's time to think what else would go with them.