Foundation Piecing

I decided to have a little foundation piecing lesson. I really was not getting it from people's explanations. It just felt like gobble-de-gook. So I decided to give it a go, fully prepared to mess it up.


I probably should have ironed my fabric, but it was just small offcuts from the scrapbag.


Should I be cutting my threads as I go along? I also wonder if you could do it in a different order?


Wow! It really works! I am kind of sort of amazed. But this stuff actually works.

Jitterbug part 3

So next I made up some flying geese. I decided to use the technique that makes four geese at once as it's less wasteful than the single way. After all the wastage making the Swoon quilt, I am set on saving as much fabric as possible.  

I used this method. I've made two of the 12 sets so I need to make 10 more. 48 geese in total. I have all the measurements down pat now though so I am ready to go.

Since I had all the units though, I made up a test block and ta-da it all seems to fit.

Now I just need to make 11 more... I've made a start. Look at all the trimming I have got to do!

Jitterbug part 2

Here is the block we are making on the left. It breaks down into three parts really. Making the central 4 patch, the flying geese and the half square triangles.

I suppose that step two would be to cut all the units out as per the book instructions. That's 192 half square triangles. Jeez. I can't face doing it all at once. It would kill my spirit. Plus I am a bit worried I might cut it out wrong so I thought I might make a block and make sure it all fits. So that's my step two! I have decided to try and do an hour of sewing a night in the week instead of watching TV in the evenings so sorry for the dark pictures, but it works nicely doing this in small chunks. My attention wanders after a while as it is really a very big quilt compared to what I have been used to. It's a bit overwhelming if I think too much about it.

One route would be to just cut all my 2 1/2" strips and follow the instructions but I thought I might create my hsts in a different way with the fabric in fat quarters - instead of using the Omnigrid ruler they suggest. I have decided to cut bigger squares that will allow me to create eight hsts at once!

Here's the method (see picture on the right)

Add 7/8" to your desired finished size (in my case 2 1/2") = 3 1/4
Multiply by 2 = 6 1/2
That's the measurement of your square you need to cut!
Then just sew along the dotted lines and cut the others. Done.



Well I did that and they were a bit big so I tried a 6" version and it was perfect. I sew just inside 1/4" so that I have a sliver of room to trim them exactly to size. There's nothing worse than a square that's too small. I also ironed my seams flat in the middle as it will make some of the bulky points easier to sew, otherwise I find the fabric moves and bunches and things start to not line up. I also used a plain old pencil to mark my fabric. Sometimes simple is best.

So I'll be cutting 25 x 6 squares in total which will give me 200 hst. Right. Got it. Here are my test ones above. Plus a few Christmas gifts from my mum! A new blade and a 2 1/2" square. I have no idea if it will be useful or not. Only one way to find out!

Jitterbug part 1

So the quilt along begins! If you want to join in then you need the Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts book by Pam and Nicky Lintott. We are making the Jitterbug quilt featured on the cover. Sorry for the bad pictures, I broke my memory card so my phone is stepping in. 

It's a pretty big beast 56" x 72". Gulp. But why not? It's only 12 x 12" blocks, can it be that bad? Famous last words.

All you need is a fat jellyroll...

Oh dear, first problem. I bought a John Louden vintage jelly roll years a go with Rachel at Chilford. It might have even been the first Chilford she went to. They were on special. I put it away and never looked at it again. It's actually only 25 strips. You need 40. D'oh. So for the past year of two I have been collecting the odd repro fat quarter. So now I have 25 fabrics plus the roll. I might not use all of them.

For the white background fabric I intend to use the Egyptian cotton sheeting scraps I picked up from Empress Mills at Birmingham. I have no idea if I have enough but luckily they sell it online! It's lovely and soft, thinner than quilting cotton but lovely to use. I'm not even going to wash it first. I am done with washing fabric. I want my quilts more scrunchy not flat.

Fabric sorted. Part one complete. Are you ready for part two?

The Year Review

This year I made...
1. iPad case
2. Catnap dress contest
3. Square Toddler Floor Cushion
4. Pillowcase Dress
5. Purse
6. Cushion
7. Hexagon bag
8. Project bag
9. iPad mini case
10. Skinny Pincushion
11. MapleO
12. Teddy Bed Mini quilt

13. Magic wand

14. Wedding Quilt
15. Advent calendar

Not bad! Fifteen things! I am amazed at myself. The year of the small project has been a success. I have really enjoyed it, especially as some things only took a few hours to make. The cushions and the wand were probably the quickest. Makes me realise I could have gone that extra mile and finished them off a bit more professionally. Next time...

So 2014 has been a good year for making things. Mostly I've kept to my resolution of making small things - no big quilts. On reflection I think I won't be making many more clothes for Penelope. It's just very expensive and they are too short lived. I prefer things which last forever. Plus she's really not girlie enough for most of the dresses. She needs maximum manoeuvrability. She is basically a cross between a dog and a monkey, either running or climbing. I might make her some legging type things when I see cheap jersey but that's all I have planned. The other dresses on my project list are on hold.

I think the big success for Penelope was the simple cushion. It is now Penelope's chill out cushion, she will accept no other. Occaisonally she will now lie on the sofa and submit to watching the TV, usually the first 10 minutes of Frozen or The Wiggles, that's about it. It is a glorious 10 minutes though. 

The MapleO is my biggest endeavour and most favourite thing. I love looking at it. I love the fabric combinations. I want to make another even though I already have one. I would like to make something else with the same fabrics. I don't have much left though so it would be pretty small. I realise I am a bit rubbish at generating my own ideas, I just copy other people's. Sorry guys. I just fall in love with things and when I try and make my own I fail somehow and they just aren't very nice in the end. I need to take some risks though and give it a go. 

New projects for 2015

Jay/Ray/Annie quiltalong - Roll up roll up! If you fancy joining us as we make the Jitterbug quilt from this book then check out my next post all about the quilt we are going to make. It's a biggun as well. You just need to buy the book so you have the pattern and we can all get going.

Miniquilts - I want to make some small ones for ipads and phones to rest on.

Posie improv quilt - another big project I have been putting off so we'll see if it comes up this year. I'd like to do it though as I don't think it will take too long and I have so much fabric set aside for it that I can't use it for anything else. So even if I just make the top, that would be something.

Triangle quilt - I'd like to make something from my own design. This is me giving it a go! A kind of sampler quilt of different sized blocks. I am thinking about it. I need to be brave!
Liberty ninepatch - A good use of my Liberty bits and I have some nice grey or green fabric for the skip blocks. I have the book 'Liberty Love' so I am all ready to go.
Maggie Rabbit - Penelope loves the one Rachel made her. My pieces are all cut and just sitting around so I just need to sort them out and get going.
More purses with zips - I love project bags. This is my next one.
Tova tunic - I just need to find the perfect fabric that I will wear. It also needs to fit well and not look like a sack. Rachel has bought the pattern but it only goes up to a size 12 so I need to get down to a size 12 first! I like this fabric or something plain and soft like Chambray with neon pockets like these

Projects for some time this decade

Clam shell quilt - I bought some mini templates from Birmingham. I might make a small bag. It's all a bit vague though, so maybe not this year.

Knitted handwarmers - I got given a book of patterns at Christmas and they look small enough for my attention span. I got given some tokens for my 40th which I plan to buy some Hiya Hiya sharp circular  needles with so I might make a pair of wristwarmers my first project. More in a later post.

Hunter's star mini quilt - Mum bought me this pattern from Birmingham.
Log cabin sewing kit - Another present from mum. She needs to teach me foundation piecing first.
Supertote - I am still hunting for the perfect fabric so maybe not this year.
Irish chain quilt - Another use for all my Liberty bits. I just love it. But maybe not for this year.

Projects which need completing
One inch Hexagon Purse - I just need to line and finish this but now I have lost the snap opener. I need to do a bit of a tidy up first
Postage Stamp - This is my first project of the year to attack. I am going to lay it out and baste it in Penelope's room this Friday hopefully. Then I can sit on the sofa hand quilting it in the evenings. Perfect. Mumple gave me lots of new Wonderclips so I am all ready to go!
Sawtooth Star Quilt - It's still too big to think about.

Resolutions from last year
To use up scraps
To not buy new fabric unless it's for something specific
To make time for sewing
To do more knitting specially a pair of socks!

I failed on the knitting but otherwise I did pretty well. I'm really getting into using scraps so I'd like to keep this up. I also did really well with my project notebook, making five of the thirty projects listed. It's been a really useful tool for seeing what I have and what I need in order to start a project. It means I can amass things slowly as I see them. So hopefully I can do more of them this year as most are very small and don't take long at all. There are a few big ones in there though which I should probably shelve for a while as I lack the funds to complete them. I did buy quite a lot from Birmingham this year with the last of my savings so with this in mind...

Resolutions for 2015

Use up all the fabric I bought from Birmingham

Use scraps

Make small things from my project notebook

To finish things and not have piles of projects lying around

Make more time for sewing (luckily Penelope hates homemade food at the moment so there is more time these days)

Try to knit a bit

Try to crochet a bit

Learn to foundation piece

Advent calendar complete

Here it is! Not the best picture, but it's been so gloomy recently, its hard to get enough light. I think it looks very Christmassy and jolly, a success! I bought some simple cream cotton twill for the backing, and some cheap poly cotton for the back. I bonded scraps of mum's wadding as I thought wadding would help stiffen it. I hope I never have to wash it.



I really enjoyed making each number. It was nice to have little mini sofa projects. I did have to invest in a few sequins but all the beads came from my childhood collection. They must be 30 years old! And all the felt was either bits I had myself or from a big bumper stash my sister gave me years a go.



I used prick and pounce to transfer the shapes of my letters and numbers onto felt. You push holes into your template with a thick pin then dab ground chalk through the holes. I made a dabber out of some rolled up wadding, it works like a treat. You are left with a perfect outline of dots on your felt which you then cut out. They were all perfect until I sewed them on. Now they are pretty wonky, but I kind of like that. Or do I? I might have to unpick the worst ones if they get on my nerves. Maybe my pinning was a bit weak.

These are a few of my favourite numbers:











It was a bit of a tight fit fitting in all the presents but it all worked out. I'm not sure I will have the energy to fill it every year, but lets face it, once she discovers chocolate, it's probably all over. It's mainly full of stickers which are the BEST.



See my earlier post for the pattern I followed and Jess' original

Making up something

I have been fiddling with the idea of making a small sampler quilt of some of the blocks I keep seeing around the place. I've never really designed a quilt before. I am not sure if it will look nice or not or how big to make it. Here is my rough pattern I drew up.

It's either:

1.0" squares making it 27" x 18"
1.5" squares making it 40.5" x 27"

I'd like to do it with these kinds of bright colours and a neutral grey background like this or with my low volume backgrounds.

There are 13 different blocks. From top left to right

1. Goose Tracks
2. Bear's Paw
3. Father's Choice
4. Memory
5. Hour Glass II
6. Contrary Wife
7. Ribbon Star
8. Sawtooth
9. Hearth and Home
10. Bear's Paw
11. Four Patch
12. Weathervane
13. Wagon Tracks

I might add a Carpenter's wheel or scale up some of the blocks. I am still playing

They are all to be found in Judy Hopkins' book: 501 Rotary-cut Quilt Blocks. It lists every block in lots of different finished sizes. I wouldn't be able to work it out otherwise.

There are so many to choose from, many are very similar to each other, making it hard to choose. Here is an example.




I have toyed with the idea of making the Moda Modern Building Block pattern as I like the idea of all the different sized blocks and the swatch like pattern layout. The only thing that puts me off is that it's a big quilt and I am sworn off them. I still like it though.

Here are some other people's which I like
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/203576845631810628/

After having a think and a play I decided that maybe it needed a bit of sashing. Otherwise it might just look too busy. I also changed some of the blocks.




Then I added some. Maybe it's all too much now.

Quilt Inventory

Recently I took part in the Soak Instagram photo challenge. I've never done one before and I thought it might be fun. It's a little bit twee posting up so much craft stuff in a space that really isn't about that so I felt a little stupid, but hey ho, I am kind of tired about how the internet forces you to 'portray' yourself as you want others to see you so I just went for it.



The best thing about it was looking through everyone else's pictures. I really enjoyed it. I'll be sad when it's over. The last day's challenge which is today is called 'soakworthy'. So you have to show a picture of something you think needs this special quilt washing detergent. I decided that everything needs it so I took a picture of every quilt in the house (apart from the tiny ones and one I forgot).



So for posterity here is my list of quilts. 24 in total. That seems way to many to my mind. It also made me see why mum names her quilts. I always thought that was a bit twee and overkill, like you are giving a quilt airs and graces but I do think it helps you describe them. My mental names are so boring in comparison. I haven't named them after the patterns they are from purely because I forget those names so it doesn't help me call them up in my minds eye.



Here goes!
1. Christmas Joy - 2000 - Mum
2. Baskets or Butterflies - 2002 - Mum
3. On-point nine strip - 2004 - Mum
4. Conran half squares - 2008 - Me
5. Seaside Rose - 2008 - Mum
6. Country Album - 2010 - Mum
7. Broken Dishes - 2010 - Me
8. Hearts and Flowers - 2010 - Mum
9. Spring Bouquet - 2010 - Mum
10. The Country Quilt - 2010 - Me
11. Stars - 2010 - Mum
12. Wild Things - 2010 Mum
13. Yellow squares - 2011 - Me
14. Grandad's sheet - 2011 - Me
15. Material Obsessions crazy quilt - 2011 - Me
16. Always Believe - 2012 - Mum
17. Rosie Rabbit - 2012 - Mum
18. Penelope's Hexagons - 2012 - Me
19. Penelope's Chevrons - 2012 - Rachel
20. Nighty Night Owl - 2012 - Mum
21. Swoon - 2012 - Me
22. Swoon offcuts - 2013 - Me
23. MapleO - 2014 - Me
24. Batik Buck-eye - 2014 - Mum



Broken Dishes is the only one which escaped the photo as it was in a box. D'oh. (Update! I have since found two more quilts by mum in a cupboard). And of course it doesn't include any that I gave away or are two small to be folded. It's still quite a haul.

13 made by mum the machine
1 made by Rachel
10 made by me

(Plus the ones I missed out. 1 by me, 2 by mum)

Postage Stamp Complete!

Gold star. Finally. After starting my postage stamp quilt project in October 2011… then putting to down. Picking it up again in Jan 2012… then putting it down, picking it up once again in July 2014… yeah yeah yeah. Finally, today, I have finished making the quit top. I have sewn my last 3/4” block. Phew. I almost ran out of the calico mum had given me. It really was touch and go and some of the Liberty fabric is all but gone. Small slivers remaining.



I really can’t believe I have finished it. I have spent some concentrated time on it over the past few weeks as I really would like to move on. I want to use all the precious leftovers in my scrappy Posie improv quilt. I feel that I have finally ferreted away enough nice bits of fabric in order to start this. I'm really pleased with the borders. I nearly didn't have enough strips of squares to do this. I had to cobble together a few emergency ones at the end. Of course I worked out the maths wrong so that the squares don't join up in the corners, but I just decided I didn't care.



All my planning was basically in vain. I predicted 4.5" blocks; they were 5 1/8". I thought the final size would be 36 x 52: it is in fact it's 47 x 66". I am not sure how this happened but it's all fine.



In the end I sewed each block into groups of 4, then groups of four into four (16 blocks) then sewed two 16 blocks together three times. So it all made for an even quilt. 8 x 12 blocks. All the blocks line up pretty neatly which is amazing. There was a lot of tugging fabric going on to achieve this.

I'm really pleased with the finished top. It feels very tasteful. I spent a long time choosing the fabrics so that I had a slightly purple colour bent. It really appeals to my 'little house on the praire' traditional quilt feel. Time for something really modern after this.

Now I just need to go to my mum's to beg some of her wadding from her enormous roll in the cupboard and piece my backing together from the discounted Liberty fabric I got at Birmingham. Oh and then hand quilt all the plain blocks like this 

Next projects:

Penelope's advent calendar - I really need to get cracking!

Posie improv quilt

Sawtooth star quilt - so nearly complete

Hex purse - just missing a bit!

Fat quarter repro quilt - lost the pattern!

Why does my list never seem to go down?

Advent Calendar

I have been thinking about Christmas. Is this the year of the advent calendar or can I put it off another year. I could not bother at all, but if I am honest, the one my mum used to do for me was better than the actual day itself so I feel mean denying her of the same pleasure. The other thing holding me back has been the absence of nicely designed Christmas fabric. I find it all really traditional and boring usually. Lots of dark green and red which is not really my thing.

I ummed and ahhed with making something without pockets like this great felt number from Purl Bee. It does have pockets, but what are you going to fit in them? It is really nice though. I worry Penelope will chew/eat/lose the bits though and it will get moth lying formant in the cellar. I am considering it though.


Then Katie posted this bundle from Elephant in my Handbag in her fabric roundup and I thought 'Yes! this could either be gross or great!'

The fabric arrived and I am pleased to report I think it might turn out great! It's really crisp and vivid which I like and the pink and green colour scheme is much more my thing. I hoiked out some offcuts for the pocket linings. The colour scheme from the giant hexagon quilt seems to match perfectly so it will be a good scrap buster.



As for the design, well I am going to just copy the great one that Jess made for Mabel. I have no idea what the real sizes are so I am just making it up based on my smallest pocket being 3". That's big enough for some small plastic trash right? I really like Jess'. I hope mine doesn't end up looking like a disco traincrash. I have drawn up a grand pattern. I wanted it to remain as faithful to Jess' as possible. Did I get it right? Who knows!

State of Play

There is no one project to talk about here, rather a whole heap of half started ones or ones on the boiler, such is life. It seems to just be the way I roll. I was trying to do things in order, one project at a time... The mini purse being my current squeeze. I have my mini hexagons all ready to back with vilene. I even cut out the vilene, I just need to iron it on. I have lost the vilene. I am loathe to cut more as it must be somewhere so that project is on hold. So I am floundering around with other bits.


I did find a nice offcut of linen (Ikea stuff from Sam's pencil roll) in the cellar though (where the stash currently lives) for the purse. So that was a result. I do have a whole metre of linen from the local cheap craft shop £4.50! But actually, it's not very nice. Sigh. This is very annoying. Just look at it! The one on top was from Ikea. It wasn't that cheap which is annoying as you've gone all the way to Ikea under the impression that everything is cheap.

So I jumped on the new linen when I saw it in the local craft shop. I never stopped to think it might not be the same. It's got these streaks in it that just look a bit like a regular pattern and it's not soft like the Ikea one is. They are just weird. I need to use it for something that will never see the light of day like a cushion lining or something.

Anyway back to the next project.


The big thing is the postage stamp project. I have moved on loads with it thanks to a full day off working on it. Here are the last 4 blocks all ready to trim down. When I first had Penelope, i tried to do a block and I totally ballsed it up. I thought I would never be able to get it right, but I am glad to report that once I wasn't in a rush, it all went swimmingly. The final blocks are all 5 1/8" square though instead of 5" which slightly confuses me. What an odd number?


I have made up the larger blocks almost. Just two more to make and the main part is done. Then I just need to construct the borders. I really hope I have enough precut strips of postage stamps left as they are time consuming to make. I am really keen to get this finished now that Penelope is in her single bed.

One inch Hexagon Purse

Another day, another piecing project to keep me occupied on the sofa. I am mad for it. Rachel and I decided to make mini hexagon purses. There are two that inspired me. This one by Jessie or this one by Leila. The second comes with a tutorial so I went for that. I finally went through all the dusty bags of Liberty fabric that mum gave me and separated it into tiny scraps and folded pieces which are now in their own special box. Some of them smell of my aunt, which I know is an odd thing to say, but she was infested with moth and was always using various moth deterrents which stank. Whenever I smell that same caustic, musty smell I think of her. One bag smells of that so I am afeared it will have moth, but I just stuffed it all in together so it's too late now!



My hexagons are going to be 1" as I got a bit scared when I saw how small the 1/2" templates were. They seem tiny at 1". I got my templates from Totally Patchwork. They don't seem to show any templates less than 1 1/4" on their website, but the man on the stall at Birmingham assured me you could just ring up and buy more. Maybe I'll make the proper smaller version if I feel bold.



My flex band is 5" though instead of 3 1/2", probably because I wasn't thinking when I saw it at Birmingham.



I've been using my wonder clips a bit to secure my fabric but you don't really need to. I find little appliqué pins a bit easier to be honest. but mostly I just use my fingers. It makes me think that 1/2" wouldn't be too bad after all. I stopped using the fabric glue as I find it hard to get the papers out afterwards and you don't get that satisfactory bump in the fabric edge to sew into. I am probably not gluing well, but I just thought it easier to sit their mindlessly sewing.



I didn't even cut my shapes very accurately but the more I do this kind of work, the more I realise you don't really have to. You can keep them square if you like. I just try not to waste fabric. So you can imagine me just dipping into my scrap bag, sniffing moth smell and watching the Bake Off. That's my rock n roll lifestyle.