Projects for 2012

I've been doing a stocktake of the projects I want to make this year, or in some cases finish this year and I think if I record them here that perhaps I will feel more drive to finish them rather than get distracted with pretty new things!

Up first is finishing off these placemats for my mum.  I managed to finish off 4 before Christmas which were given to her for her early January birthday, but I need to finish the other 4 so that she can have a full set of 8!  The fabric is Bryant Park from Anthology Fabrics, paired with Kona solids.

 For once I've actually saved my selvedges, and I would like to make a pouch of some kind featuring them.  Hopefully that will come together quickly!

This is a bundle of Nicey Jane that recently joined my collection.  My friend Jenn and I went halves in some fat quarters, so now we both have a set of fat eighths.  I think we will do some kind of "challenge" with these, I already have the design in my head, but I won't start until Jenn can start too.

Late last year I showed you this stack of fabrics, which have become this neat little pile of squares.  This is going to become a quilt that I'm calling Sunset Plus.  As soon as I have time to layout all the squares I'll show you a sneak peek!

Also on the list for finishing this year is my Candied Hexagons.  I think I have less than 10 blocks to go now, and then the little edge pieces.  I doubt that I will get the top finished, the quilting and binding done, but I would be happy if I can finish the top this year.

Finally, and using my newly learnt Machine Quilting skils, I would like to quilt these two tops which have been waiting around for some time now to be finished off.  I've always wanted to quilt them myself, so I think this will be the year.

That's the list to start with!  What about you?  What are you making this year?

A finish!! ..... and another start!

I've been laid up on the couch for the last week with easily the worst cold/flu bug that I've had in YEARS!  You know the way there is sick, you feel off colour, and maybe don't go to work but all up its not too bad... then there is the other kind of sick, the lie in bed, can't think straight, can't see straight, stare at the wall, sleep all day (and all night) kind of sick? Well I was that second one.... I'm feeling much better now, and did manage over the weekend to get the bindings finished on our new placemats!

 I'm so happy with how they came out! I love the fabrics, it's a good combo of the bright colours that I love and more masculine colours so that they can be something that both Sir Pinkying and I love having on the dining room table.

In a great act of random timing, we just finished building our brand new dining room table (don't you love Ikea?!?) so we're all set to go!  I cut the strips all different random sizes, and then added the grey to either end, so none of the placemats are the same

Finally, because I've finished something, I've also started something new with these beautiful fabrics (that's "Baby Safari" from Northcott in case you're wondering, and some Kona Solids) for a very special friend of Sir Pinkying and I.

 I've done all the cutting, now I've just got to sit down to do the sewing.

W.I.P Wednesday

Lee over at Freshly Pieced does "W.I.P. Wednesday" which is going to give me a chance to list my current WIPs. Some of them you are already familiar with - but this is a more comprehensive list - all in one post - this could be a long one!

1) Hand sewing
Up first - Candied Hexagons - English Paper Pieced - 15 or so blocks to go, then insets and borders.  Feeling not at all guilty about this one!

 Celtic Applique - all scroll work basted down, but in need of being appliqued into place.  This is something that I tend to go back to when I'm looking for some hand work that is a little different to the hexagons!

 2) Piecework
Odd Fellows March blocks - all fabric cut for this quilt, including borders.  I haven't worked on them for a long time though and should probably get back to them!

 Asian Circles - I've done all the cutting for these and have a vague tickling of an idea of how I want to lay them out but need to find time to sit and sketch it out.  Sewed a few more of these blocks over the weekend and will hopefully get the the blocks finished this weekend.

 3) Completed tops
Urban Couture - this top actually doesn't have a name yet.  I've been calling it "Urban Couture" just because that is what the fabric is called... I would like to use this for free motion practice - but just not sure how to quilt it.

The "Sultry" quilt - another top with no name - other than it's fabric name!  I want to free motion this too, and I have a kind of swirly flower design in mind - but just can't figure out how to get from one flower to another. 

Placemats - these are going quite well - all the binding is made for them, and I've machined it on to 3 of 8 placemats.  I'm hoping to get the machining of the binding finished off this weekend.

I also have two other tops that are in need of quilting - both have actually been basted but I haven't been game to get started! 

Now that I look at the list, it really does seem that perhaps it is the lack of maching quilting experience that is holding me back.  I'm hoping to go to a free motion class later this year, so hopefully that will help!!

Work(s) in progress

I thought I would give you all a quick update on some of the many projects that are in progress here.

First up - what does 89 English Paper pieced blocks look like?? A little something like this!

 I've been really enjoying watching this pile grow, especially as I've never hand sewn a whole quilt before, so there is a real sense of accomplishment with this one.  I'm also quite happy that this project hasn't gotten sidelined by other projects!!

So here is a little look at all the blocks laid out.  I needed to lay them all out so that I could figure out what I need to do for the remainng blocks.  I'm quite happy with how this is coming together, the colours are working quite well, and I only have about 15 blocks to go before I can start stitching them all together!  I'm really glad that I did lay them out, I've actually made one change to the positionings since this photo was taken, there are two blocks that are nearly identical quite close to each other... so I moved one!  Can you spot it??

My second update is on the placemats that have been in progress for a while.  They're all quilted, and late the other night I made 480 inches of binding (yes, that's right 480!!) and started sewing the bindings on.  I've done about half of them and then I'll have to stitch them to the back.  It's going to take me time but I'm getting there!

Placemats in progress and a sneak peek

 Over the weekend I made a lot of progress with the placemats.  I've now sewn all the strips together into "placemats" and I've trimmed them down to size.  Well, kind of..... I actually managed to trim 3 of them SMALLER than what they are meant to be - I guess that's what happens when you're trying to watch Masterchef and trim at the same time!

 To add insult to injury I also managed to cut my finger on my rotary cutter!  I've never done that before, not in years and years of quilting! I'd (stupidly) locked the blade open while I repositioned something on my cutting board, and then as I went to pick it up, I pushed a finger against the open blade! whoops!  Anyway, Sir Pinkying got me a band aid and I finished cutting!

Moving on to my sneak peek - don't you love it when a squashy package arrives in the mail?  Even better if the package is really STUFFED full.  That's what happened to me today - and here are the spoils

 This is 'Far Far Away II' by Heather Ross for Kokka fabrics.  It's a beautiful blend of linen and cotton and features some gorgeous designs from all your favourite fairy tales

 Sleeping Beauty

 The Owl and the Pussycat

 Rapunzel - just gorgeous!  I can't wait to get started.  It's going to be used together with a pattern from this book - which also recently arrived by post!

I can't wait to get started, but I will finish the placemats first.  I need to try to focus on finishing one project before starting another!

While I've been gone....

So, I realise that it's been some time since I've posted, and it's really just that life has gotten in the way of me having some quite time on the computer to blog.

Sewing wise I've been working on my current projects, and also one more thing that I didn't share with you the other day... because we just moved house I've been wanting to do some new placemats for us to use for dinners and things like that. I absolutely LOVED the High Society range from Anthology fabrics, they have a good compromise feeling in that they are not too girly, but are quite earthy and fun.

So I've been making some placemats for us - just some little touches for our new home.  I picked 5 of the prints above to be included (taking out the ones that were too flowery) and added Kona solids in Coal (I think).  At the moment they look like this - stacked up waiting to be finished

But soon they will look more like this.  I had lay them all out to ensure that I had a "random" enough look in the designs of each placemat.  I've already bought the special thermal wadding and I'm going to use a dark brown for the binding, hopefully they'll come together!

The other thing that I've been doing is a little "gardening".  We have lots of outside space here and I would really like it to be a lush green oasis - but given my brown thumb past we decided that I should start small - 3 herbs - and see how I go with these!

p.s. don't forget to keep dropping in to Chasing Cottons to follow Rebecca's great beginner's quilt class