Sew what’s new….

Posted: April 28, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Craft, Patchworking, Quilting, Sewing | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

I’ve been busy with my sewing machine and just finished off this wall hanging the other day….

I tried my hand at free motion quilting for the first time…certainly something that needs lots of practice!  But it looks pretty good, even at the learning stages.  I thought the little birdie panel was especially cute so I made it up as a separate little panel and attached it with some of those hooks you use on overalls.  I added a few little metal charms and some lace to finish it off.

I also saw a gorgeous little elephant on the Riley Blake Designs website a while back (you can find the pattern and instructions here).  I thought it would be perfect for my friend Sam’s little girl Grace.  Here’s the finished product…

I must be a bit thick, but even when I cut it out and sewed it up, it wasn’t until I was filling it that I realised the elephant only has two legs!!! Hopefully Grace doesn’t grow up thinking that elephants have two legs.

I’ve ALMOST finished the bias binding on a gorgeous jelly roll blanket…with any luck I might get it finished in a few days and can show you.

Sew, what have I been doing?

Posted: April 15, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Craft, Organisation, Patchworking, Quilting, Sewing | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Well, what I’ve not been doing for the last week is scrapbooking!  I got my sewing machine fixed a couple of weeks ago after about 3 years of it being not working (I know, I’m slack, I was even more annoyed with myself when I found out the problem as it was simple to fix, but anyway, it’s working again now) and you may have noticed a fair bit of sewing happening on some of my scrapbooking layouts.  I thought it was time to pull out some fabric and after seeing a really cute tutorial on how to make some quilted baskets, I started whipping up some baskets for my scrap desk…still a few to make but here’s a peak at the first three…

I’m also in process of making a wall hanging with some fabric from the same range.  I have never done free motion quilting before and I’m going to a quilt class in a few weeks that uses the technique so I used this wall hanging to get some practice in.  It’s HARD!!!  Anyway, I have to hand stitch down the bias binding (job for in front of the telly!) and then I have some bits and bobs to sew on to it.  I’ll take a proper photo when it’s finished but here it is hanging out on the ironing board…

If you like the fabric, it’s called Nesting Place by Dover Hill and it’s a recent release so your local fabric store might have some.  There is another print (which I’m yet to sew up) that is birdcages and it’s exceptionally sweet.

And, one other sewing thing for the weekend.  Seem to have lost my pincushion (and some pins!) so whipped up this pretty lazy but, I think, cute, pincushion.

Disaster zone…well, maybe not quite THAT bad

Posted: April 9, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Organisation, Scrapbooking, Sketch | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

After setting up my lovely new craft area, I confess to having been a bit naughty about keeping it tidy.  Not an outrageous mess but I can definitely see some things I’d like to improve….

The girls over at Chook Scraps have a bit of a personal challenge going with lots of Chooks deciding to give their craft area an overhaul.  My plan includes getting a couple of wall shelves from Ikea when I’m over that way next (have to check with the Man that they will go on the wall ok and that he’s willing to put them up for me!!!  I know, useless of me but it’s just easier to get someone else to do that sort of thing).  I want to make some fabric baskets to store some of my stuff in and hopefully I might find somewhere around that still has some cropper hopper paper holders in stock.  That’s the plan anyway.

Despite the mess, I have done some creating.

Here’s a layout using the April sketch from Anna’s Craft Cupboard…

And here’s another layout using a sketch from March over at Stuck?!Sketches but I was too disorganised to get it finished in time.  I actually had it finished but had to go out and didn’t have time to upload the pic!!

Anyway, this isn’t getting my craft room tidy is it?