New Project: Happy Dance Quilt

Hello, hello!

It's been my birthday and among other lovely things I have received some very nice new fabric, printable, dissolving freezer and the most divine fine nosed micro serrated scissors! My world is very happy and very small!

But before I show any sewing stuff, here is a picture of my garden by the conservatory. I have planted it for Spring time so we can enjoy the flowers even on a rainy day. The pictures don't do it justice. If only I could include the sweet scent of the honeysuckle and all the flittering birds.

So I have been preparing my next project! First, print the templates and cut and stick together..

Look at that, this will be the centre part and then there are free downloads for all the following blocks. I really like this simple design. Here are my chosen fabrics, Ambleside by Moda. I'll throw in some extra colours too as these greens may not be "green enough" when cut into leaves.

Making Circular Flower Middles

Applique: Mylar circle templates

The designer of this quilt has a different method for circular flower middles to the one I usually use. I like to use Mylar heat resistant plastic circles and a circle of fabric cut a little larger. Stitch gathering stitches around the fabric with the mylar glued in the middle. Draw up the stitches, iron it with plastic inside, remove the plastic and you have a perfect circle.

Applique: Wadding circle templates

So I am trying out this method and I am not so sure about it yet, but maybe because this is such a large circle it's not such an accurate finish. So I am going to keep going. Here's what you do:

Bondaweb circle of the finished sized circle, ironed onto wadding, cut out. Now bond the wadding to the middle of a slightly larger fabric circle and run gathering stitches around. Draw up and press. Hmm, mine went a bit wobbly and the wadding didn't hold the shape so well. Maybe she uses different bonding glue. They are nice and puffy, just less crisp around the edges. Maybe once they are stitched down it all sorts itself out. We shall see. One draw back is though that, if you are like me and constantly change your mind you can't re-use a made up circle because it's bonded to wadding.

Here's what I've got so far

 And that's it for now, laundry calls ..

Blue Quilt Applique Done

Where have I been? Whatever have I been doing?! We've all been sewing away behind the scenes .So on the 2nd June with a chilly breeze outside and gusting winds howling across the top of my chimney pot there will be no gardening distractions for me today!

I have been sewing up my blue quilt with all the applique. Every border is different, which I thought would make it easier and more interesting but the only thing is they have to look balanced. Butterflies came to the rescue and filled up the gaps and I love them anyway. So here is a pic of the completed applique.

 I wanted some of the colours to fade in and out of the background, however this isn't the best picture I'm afraid. I have then added french knots to the flower middles. I'll be back with some detailed pictures later. This quilt has been a real challenge in letting go of perfectionism and I don't think I have worked on anything with such determination before! What follows are the quilting details and I will be back with less technical sewing updates later.

Quilting In the Ditch

Here I have ditched all of the blocks in the centre using a quilting needle 70 and a transparent polyester thread by Superior Threads which was definitely the best option as the colours vary from dark to light. The thread is very fine, like hair! and disappeared into the seams so there is no ugly plastic shine. It wasn't a problem to stitch with a slightly lower tension, however for starting and finishing I used micro length stitches forwards and then backwards instead of knots or having to tie and bury knots by hand. 
Machine set to:  normal stitch length, walking foot engaged.
In the bobbins I used Shade colour: Pearl, Brand: So Fine Thread by Superior Threads. Bobbin Genie plastic washer.
So with all the blocks in the middle stabilised I can take out the pins. I started out with the curved small basting safety pins but I do find that they can pucker up the back if I'm not careful enough, plus I don't have many. So I resorted to the following and would recommend it.

Basting the Sandwich

Long, fine Clover pins, flower head or glass headed. Then you can use Pinmoors to stick on the sharp ends. OR I tried cheap ear defenders which seemed to work just as well. These are much quicker to take off as you sew and perfect for the applique. I removed them once I had outlined the applique so the bulky ear defenders didn't get in the way.  I like the curved safety pins for stitching in the ditch of the blocks.

I taped the backing fabric to my large table and smoothed on the cotton batting and well pressed top. I thought I'd try not using the basting spray this time as I wonder if it causes more thread snags as I free motion. Now that It's done, I think my technique has vastly improved and so there were far less thread breaks!

Work Space

My best friend during this quilting bonanza has been Pledge Polish!! And its the only time I shall be polishing so regularly! Keeping lint and fluff from the work tables and machine area is key. A smooth slippery surface that the quilt can glide across as you work is much easier to work with and aids smooth stitching lines. Supreme Slider for the free motioning too.

I created an L-Shaped work station to support the quilt as I stitched and had this butted into the corner of the room so that the quilt didn't flop onto the floor creating weight and drag. I take my shoes off to operate the foot pedal. I also noticed it was far easier if I kept the quilt "fluffed and puffed up" rather than laying flat, immediately around my stitching bed. The advice is often to roll the quilt up into the harp of the machine, but I have repeatedly found this to make the quilt cumbersome to handle and hard work repeatedly re- rolling, so I don't bother with that anymore! Just stuff and puff it!

Machingers quilting gloves, even for the stitching in the ditch make the quilt so much easier to handle. I have a little table to my right with all my notions easily to hand but not easily knocked to the floor by the quilt or my elbows! I tape a plastic bag to the right of my sewing table for all the threads and fluff.

So, on a sunny day I'll take some nice pictures of the good bits!

Other updates will include the Class stitching updates, some shots of my garden and the stitching exploits of my cabin visitors, not to mention 2 more finished items and 2 new projects of mine! So, bye for now, I'm off for a blustery run with the dog!

Hand Pieced Christmas Star Patchwork Panel

Well yesterdays photographs were not very good, its a balance between memory usage on the site and getting detailed pictures. Hmm, so I need to work on that.

It's been a productive day, look what I've made with the diamonds! You can see the order that they need to be stitched in.

This is what I have ended up with. Considering I wasn't exactly fond of the fabrics or the idea of Christmas themed fabrics, I can't quite believe that this has turned out so well. I loved adding the border of rectangles which I just trimmed by eye each time I added another strip. I would like to make this part of a mini sampler quilt and incorporate some foundation piecing as well. So my next challenge is going to be improving my skills on my Electric Quilt software. I definitely want some Dresden plates...

One final thing on this panel, the outer red points, turning the seams in was tricky. Helped along by some spray starch sprayed into the lid so that it is a fluid and then brushing  onto the corners, tease into position and then dab with a hot iron. Worked a treat  and the sewing machine stitched without a hitch.

My last quick project for the day, I can't take credit for. I saw this done somewhere on the web and fancied having a go. It's a super fast Christmas star decoration which I think would be brilliant as a Christmas style bunting or garland, personalized gift label or whatever else you can think of.

As it's late I'll post up the pics which are completely self explanatory. I stitched on the machine, normal straight stitch width. I used a Frixion pen and some wadding scraps. Just sandwich the wadding between the fabric front and back, right sides out and stitch on the line. Remember to tack a ribbon loop inside before you sew. With pinked raw edges this is so much fun to make and really, really fast! Yes it will fray, but that's alright. You could layer organza over a print or stitch together strips and mark the template on the resulting pieced together fabric. Add buttons, a bell, bow, whatever!

I like Christmas sewing!

Christmas Diamond Paper Piecing

Gosh it's a busy time! I have had a super lovely day today, finished some sewing and had the pleasure of spending the day with my sister's family. We made a big roast dinner, listened to Christmas music and put up my Christmas decorations.

My son, Max is away in Cyprus right now and my Husband, Charlie is in Australia of all places! It's quiet, just me and Charlie boy, the dog and the crackle of logs on the fire.

So, I have been sewing! Mainly for the sewing class I am teaching at Beales in Bedford. We are working on English Paper Piecing. So far we have dabbled in simple hexagons and now are taking a break from that shape and moving to diamonds as it's a festive shape for a decoration. I have fussy cut these to create a kaleidoscope pattern in the middle.

In the center there is a 6 point meet and that can be tricky to get a neat finish so you can always stitch on a button or two or make a sweet little label like this one.

And look at this apron! I just love this! It has two gusseted pockets which means I can fit all of my notions and spares inside. Its a mid weight denim, tough but flexible enough. I saw lots of variations on the internet, some with sectioned pockets, but I'm glad I just have two large ones, a really flexible space which I can reach into and grab what I need. The applique, I would do differently now, but it was quick and fun.

What else have I been doing? Have a look at these cheerful, festive fabrics

There's a fun reindeer print on an oatmeal background. I just love the image of a reindeer! I don't really much like novelty fabrics, well not until now. Besides, I think it is really good to try and use different fabrics and unfamiliar styles, keeps the creativity going. As long as you don't hate the fabric that is!

These diamonds have a 1inch side. one is fussy cut.

 So I made 6 sets of those and added larger 2 inch sided diamonds. Next, my favorite bit, arranging the proposed layout. Isn't that a pretty little flower that has appeared in the middle?

I have added more, but that's for next time! Back soon...