Tuesday 29 April 2014

FAL Finish 2- Paper Pieced Potholder

As I said last time, I have another finish for the FAL and once again it's something started recently, this time it's a bit of paper piecing for my kitchen.  This months fab pattern from Kristy at Quiet Play and the Sew Kitschy Sew Along was a teapot, and as I have a new kettle I figured it deserved a little pretty to sit on.  
Sew Kitschy
As you probably realise by now, I'm rather partial to spots and polka dots, so I decided to include a few in the block, and here is what I came up with. 
I love a bit of hand binding, all done and ready for it's kitchen debut. Pattern by @quietplay
I re-did the binding as the black bike path print I used originally (also on the back) just didn't work for me for the binding.

I will be back soon with another finish, unfortunately my thumb had a disagreement with a knike (and the thumb lost), so hand sewing down the binding is going to be a little difficult for the next few days :o(

Ange xxx

Friday 25 April 2014

FAL- Cushion Finish

As I said last time, I have 16 things on my FAL list, and I am determined to make some good progress on the list this quarter, and with nearly a month down, I have made some great progress on 3 projects with 2 finished, and a third v nearly there (just sewing down the binding, planned for the evenings this weekend).  So first up was the cushion for Amelias Christening.
This pile needs to be made into a cushion before Sunday.
I managed to finish this at 11pm on the Saturday night before the Christening, so 12 hours before the deadline, and I am pretty happy with how it turned out, especially for a project I made up as I went along.  
I couldn't get a pillow form the size I needed so I bought a bigger one and cut it in two, for anyone else thinking of doing this, don't!  Well not without considering the number of feathers crammed inside these cushions, and ensuring you work on a smooth floor rather that a carpet, whilst wearing something they wont stick to.  I don't know what the delivery driver who turned up half way through thought, but he looked pretty surprised when I answered the door covered in feathers looking like a giant semi plucked chicken!
 
The fabulous embroidery pattern is by LiliPopo on Etsy.  She's a fab UK based artist and pattern designer, based in Cornwall, and her designs have a really magical quality (in my humble opinion), I couldn't resist purchasing one of her multi pattern packages, so I definitely have more of these in my future.  The design is called Catching Wishes, which I thought was a pretty sweet idea for a little girl.


 The name is appliqued on using bondaweb and then sewn (by machine), and her middle name was embroidered on, as was her Chrsitening date.  The cushion has been lovingly received, I got a phonecall from Amelias mum the following day thanking me, she was still blubbing, and it was lovely to have a gift so gratefully received :o)

Right, I will be back soon for finish number 2.

Ange x

Thursday 10 April 2014

FAL Q2 List

Right, for Q2 I am going to put on the 14 unfinished items from Q1, plus add on the other things I have started in the mean time, which need to be done asap, so I should see some nice progress, and be able to tick a few things off the list (who doesn't love writing lists in order to tick things off them!?!).

So, the new items are:
1. Christening Cushion for Amelia (needs finishing by Sunday, eek!).
This pile needs to be made into a cushion before Sunday.

2. Potholders, or in this case, somewhere for my new kettle to sit and to protect my new kitchen worktop, using the fab Kristy at Quiet Play's paper piecing pattern for April, and these fabrics (including the £3 Bike Path as backing from Fabric Guild).
And inbetween other jobs, making some progress on this today. @quietplay

3.Crochet Blanket
4. Hexy 2
5. The Weekender
6. Secret Squirrel
7. My Sampler Quilt

8. Siblings Together Quilt
9. Plus Quilt
10. Stitch Tease House Quilt
11. Simply Solids Quilt 12. Star/Bright Sampler Blocks
13. Improv Mini
14. Portholes blocks

15. EPP Star Embroidery Pouch
16. Hand Hoop

I've put the ones I think are most likely to get done this quarter in Italics, but we'll see how things work out!!

Ange x



Sunday 6 April 2014

FAL Q1 Success

Before I update about my list, I need to say thanks to everyone for all of the lovely comments on my last post, I do have some more thank you's for lovely hand made gifts, if I can just get a few photos and a few minutes to spare!
 
Well I started Q1 with 18 items on my Finish Along List, and despite a rather busy quarter (on a personal level) I did actually manage a few finishes, well 4 to be precise, as well as making progress on some others.
 All done for Alison @littleislandquilting #soyamadoquilts
Hexy pouch finished, that's another one off FAL, yay!

1. Hexy 2
2. Hexy Pouch
3. Alphabet Embr Quilt
4. The Weekender
5. Secret Squirrel
6. Baby Quilt
7. My Sampler Quilt
8. Siblings Together Quilt

9. Plus Quilt
10. Stitch Tease House Quilt
11. Simply Solids Quilt 12. Star/Bright Sampler Blocks
13. Improv Mini

14. Portholes blocks
15. EPP Star Embroidery Pouch
16. Hand Hoop 

17. Skill Builder BOM 2013 blocks
18.Crochet Blanket


That progress would be all the better if I hadn't started some new projects, but fortunately some are smaller and have deadlines coming up, so will have to get finished fairly swiftly, more to follow once I set my new list for Q2

Ange xxx