This year I feel that I am finally getting my gifting mojo back. A combination of more time, more sleep, more planning and more funds. It's all good. It has meant that the Farmer's Wife has been on hold pretty much since Easter when I started planning 'The Birthday', but it's actually been quite nice to have a little break from it. I wasn't that bothered by some of the recent blocks so I don't have that many to catch up with.
But back to Rachel's birthday present. I wanted to try and make it a bit special this year as I have been so rubbish for the last three years.
So here is my pile of goodies. On the left is a great pattern by My Paper Crane. It's only £1! I thought it would be a good joint project for us to make. I am really into the idea of doing some English Paper Piecing that is a bit modern. This seems just the right starting point. So I printed out all the templates on card for her and gave her one of my nice coloured bulldog clips from Tiger; the best shop in the universe.
On the far right you can see my attempt at a block. Gosh I was rubbish. I really need to get better at this. All my stitches were showing quite badly so I spent ages looking on the web for a way to make them more invisible (the search continues). Then quite a few bits just don't line up. Then my quilting in the ditch is all over the place. But you know, I love it because it's the first and it's in Dashwood Studio's new range: Cotton Candy, which I just love. I got mine from The Village Haberdashery.
I think maybe it could have benefited from a solid in there if you were going to make a whole quilt out of these fabrics. It's pretty tempting, but I could do with being better.
Next to that we have a project bag I made. I started this when I was in Cambridge at Easter. It's a pattern in mum's book. It's also all mum's fabric! The little bottle and the tin beneath it are from an antique shop in North Yorkshire. The fat quarter of fabric and the white roll of sheeting offcuts are from Empress Mills. The line lace thread is from my mother in law who gave me all of her lace making threads. Then last but not least, I made a mini quilt from the pattern. Phew! Quite a lot. Here are some details.
This is a 6 inch block. I just put borders round each edge and then something a little more off the wall on one side. I really want to keep it! The zip is from Empress Mills.
I'm pretty pleased with the inside. I binded the edges which I am not sure is the best way to make a bag but I don't know the other way.
I love the pale green colours. They are all mum's Amish colours. I really wanted to keep it.
And the back is raindrops in similar colours.
I reckon you could stuff a decent sized project in there.
I really loved this tin when I saw it. It was in a little shop we saw as we drove past up north. It turned out to be full of old food packaging. The guy who owned it said he got a lot of stuff from undiscovered air raid shelters. Coooool.
I decided to fill it with knock off wonderclips which are always useful. Job done!
No comments:
Post a Comment