Tuesday 30 July 2013

More Than I Can Chew.......

I think I may have done the proverbial, and bitten off  FAR more than I can chew. I normally reserve this talent for chocolate......but for reasons unbeknown to me, I thought I could branch out into my quilting life.
You may remember me blogging in the past, about my first sewing love of English Paper Piecing (EPP). You may also remember my weakness for on-line quilt alongs. Feeding this weakness, I recently joined with fairyfacedesigns.blogspot.com when she launched Swoon 2013, using Camille Rosekelley's Swoon pattern.
 Now....I didn't really have time to get involved with anything else, as I'm already working on a couple of secret projects. And I CERTAINLY didn't have time to get involved with my next bright idea. The original blocks are machine pieced, and measure 24" when complete. So, in a moment of deranged thought, and inspired by fabadashery.blogspot.com , I wondered what the Swoon Block would look like, scaled down, using EPP.
Nine hours of work later, it looks like this.....


Obviously, the red tacking stitches have yet to be removed, which will happen at some point in the future. The idea, for others in the Quilt-Along, is to make a whole quilt. Looking at the Flickr group, many have already completed their task. Using my block, which measures only 6.25" square, with pieces less than 3 quarters of an inch across, I estimate that I should have a quilt top finished by the Christmas of 2039.......Watch this space!!
Thanks for popping by. See you soon. xx

Saturday 20 July 2013

Happy Holidays.......

Yesterday saw the rather tearful, End of School Year, for me. One of the most horrible things about running a Pre-School, is that, at some point, those littlies are going to fly the nest in order to go on to Big School. You've watched them take their first steps in leaving the safety of Mummy and Daddy. You've watched them make their first steps into friendships. For 2 years, you've wiped bottoms and noses. Cuddled them better when nasty playgrounds have bitten them. You've frantically searched high and low when GaGa The Blankie has gone missing. You've gone wading into situations that would have the U. N. Peace Keeping Corps running for cover. Guided by Higher Powers From The Ministry Of Education (read that bit, with your tongue pushed firmly into your cheek), you've even plotted their progress, in the Mastery Of Scissor Skills and Paint Mixing. And then it's all over. You've done all you can for them and with them, on their Educational Journeys, and it's time to hand over the reins. Well, let me tell you......I HATE that part.....even MORE than I HATE the paperwork. Tears flowed for most of yesterday, and today I'm still feeling tender.
However, the Silver Lining in all of this, is that I'm now on holiday for 6 weeks. (When I say "holiday", of course I still get to look after my own "littlies", still do the housework, still do the shopping, still do the cooking, still do the U. N. Peace Keeping Duties......I am a mum, after all!!) And so in celebration of this, I finished my Fluffy Sheep Quilting Rainbow Charm Swap Picnic Rug. Now there's a title! It's in the tumble dryer, even as I type, getting all lovely and crinkled after it's earlier wash.
Here are some pre-crinkly photos......





If I do say so myself, I rather love this quilt. I backed it in a fun cotton print from Ikea, and bound it in a generic pink polka dot I already had. Egg mayonnaise sandwiches and sunny places, here I come...
Thanks for popping by. Enjoy your weekend. xx

Tuesday 16 July 2013

A Wonky Foot......

I've finished another birthday present. Hooray! However, "fun" it was not. It looks okay.....


.....if you ignore the fact that it's grown feet. But I literally FOUGHT my way round the quilting. I was using my walking foot again, and I think it might be wonky. I'm relatively new to walking feet (other than the ones I was born with) so don't really know how to fix things. It has always been a bit clunky, but now it doesn't seem to push down on the fabric properly. When I hold it in my hand and try and move the lever manually, the middle bit of the foot is catching on the outer part. And that is the full extent of my technical expertise. Bother.
This time it hasn't rucked the fabric, at least, so that is a small blessing......


It was a battle, though. Still, I hope my friend enjoys her new small picnic rug....she certainly has the weather for it!
Thank you for popping by. I'm going to go and work on my EPP.....with not a wonky foot in sight. (Present bunions accepted.) xx

Tuesday 9 July 2013

A Bit Browned Off.......

Amidst the heat, and Wimbledon excitement, work and report writing, I'd been making good progress on my picnic rug.....


As you can see, I'd decided on a simple cross-hatch quilting, using my walking foot. Things went swimmingly.
I found time to start a friend's birthday present, tweaking this pattern.....


...from this fabulous book......


I'm quite happy with the result so far.......



I should apologise for the lack of ironing, but I'd ask you to remember the title of this post, and to understand I've got a mild sulk brewing.
I've even made a fair amount of progress on my most recent EPP project........


....We even enjoyed our first "proper" BBQ with friends......


And then this evening, I sat back down with Picnic Rug, Machine and Walking Foot, happy to spend a couple of hours with these good friends, quilting back across the Rug. How wrong could a girl be?? They'd mounted a mutiny against me! I'm not sure if the photos will show enough detail, but the fabric has been pushed across the original sewing line. Look......


I didn't think this happened with a walking foot?? It hasn't before. I know the photos don't look too bad (maybe my camera is in cahoots with The Dreadful Trio??), but let me tell you, it's horrible in real life. I'm going to have to unpick. And I HATE unpicking.
I'm leaving you now to let the full blown sulk have free reign.......xx