BABY GIFTS, LOG CABINS AND MONSTERS

Hello!

Let’s have a catch up….again🙂. I’ve been sewing most days.  Brisbane has had a couple of snap lock downs due to COVID-19.  Both Fred and I have had our first Covid vaccine shot.    

So let’s talk sewing………….

This baby quilt was whipped up from a leftover part of a panel, it was gifted to my lovely Butcher for his first baby. 

BABY QUILT, MADE WITH A LEFTOVER PANEL

I pieced this STASHBUSTER 2020 last year, finally got it together and quilted.  

MY 2020 STASHBUSTER

I had a play at making a bargello quilt, bought a lovely fat quarter pack from Oz Material Girls  called Lucy’s Garden.   It’s a very clever process to make this quilt, I really enjoyed it.   Click on the link …bargello…for the free tutorial.   

         
MY FIRST BARGELLO QUILT, IT’S IN LINE TO BE QUILTED NEXT

We have just enjoyed a few days down at our unit in Surfers Paradise… (click here)……beautiful weather..went in swimming every morning even though it’s Winter!  I took my Featherweight with me and pieced another Fat Quarter Slide quilt top…. Used up lots of large pieces from my stash.  🙂

  

WORKING ON ANOTHER FAT QUARTER SLIDE

I recently purchased the Creative Grids Log Cabin Trim Tool…. I’ve been having lots of fun making log cabin blocks from scraps and stash….. I used up the scraps from the Bargello quilt to make this runner….on my treadle!

LOG CABIN TABLE RUNNER…MADE ON MY 201K TREADLE

Another little monster wall hanging…. I love the monsters from Shiny Happy World   I just need to back this one and bind.  

MONSTER WALL HANGING

Quilting my Majestic Mountains quilt…..I made this quilt some years ago and I’m finally getting around to quilting it.  It’s made with repurposed men’s cotton shirts….. so soft and cuddly.   I’ve almost finished the quilting.  

QUILTING MY MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS QUILT

I made this farm quilt a while ago, recently gifted it to our neighbours new grandchild, a little boy named Fredrik🙂

FARM QUILT GIFTED TO A NEW BABY

USED UP SOME MORE DENYSE SCHMIDT FABRIC ON THE BACK OF THE RUNNER

LOVE TREADLING. 

As you probably know, I love making string blocks…. I had so much fun making this quilt….I named it Murder in Mesopotamia (Poirot) as it reminded me of a quern …the pattern is called Circle of Strings,

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THIS IS THE OTHER MONSTER WALL HANGING I MADE LAST YEAR, NOW I NEED TO GET BOTH MONSTERS FINISHED 

MY FEATHERWEIGHT SET UP AT THE GOLD COAST

I made another log cabin wall hanging using  lots of sewing themed scraps…also had a play quilting clam shells on my sweet sixteen using ruler work…. Getting better each attempt!

SEWING WALL HANGING

Another miniature sewing machine has been added to my collection… this one is a Grain.  My friend Ged found it for me in Wales…. It’s so cute!  I haven’t had a chance to get it up and running as yet but I’ve oiled it ready.  The table with the drawer is so cute and look at the cute domed lid! 

SURFERS PARADISE BEACH LOOKING NORTH

Brisbane was fortunate to be able to see the blood moon on May 26….

not my photo…. 

Well that’s it from me…🙂.  

Cheers from Helen

FARM QUILT AND CHRISTMAS SEWING

SPARE FARM QUILT

QUILTED ON MY BROTHER PQ1500

ATTACHING THE BINDING

TOOL BELT WITH TEE SHIRT

The rocket ship tee shirt I stitched last week went very smoothly but sadly the stitching this week went a bit crazy ...  I stitched the tools on the orange shirt first then started on the blue shirt. Different thread. I had so many issues with skipped stitches !  I tried all the tricks I know of but still the skipping occurred. 

In the end I just went around twice and left it at that. I then wrote to Sulky about this issue... the Sticky Fabri-Solvy is a Sulky product ....  It’s obviously a sticky needle issue but I use extremely good needles made for working on adhesive product but the Sticky Fabri-Solvy is a pressure sensitive product, you don’t actually iron it down.  Sulky advised that you can iron it down and that might stop the sticky residue issue.... I’ll try that next one I do.  

I MADE TWO TOOL BELTS WITH TEE SHIRT

BLANKET STITCHING ON MY BROTHER INNOVIS 1800

Another Christmas gift made... chalkboard roll.  These are very easy to sew.  I use a tutorial that unfortunately is no longer available but if you google chalkboard rolls you will find quite a few patterns and tutorials.  This tutorial here is similar to the version I make but I don’t add pockets. 

 

I’m still struggling with my sore back so not so much sewing the last few days.  

Cheers!

Helen

MONSTER MASH

Hello!

Well here we are in August... 2020 really has been an upside down inside out year!

I’ve achieved lots of sewing since my last Post....

Monster tee shirts for my nephews little family ..  the monsters are taken from the pattern Mix and Match Monsters by Shiny Happy World.   I did not use a stabiliser behind the appliqué as it was ironed on fusible appliqué so the actual fusible web is enough to act as a stabiliser.   The stitching is all within the appliqué, it doesn’t actually have any stitching on the shirt.   This method is just straight stitching, still with feed dogs engaged so not sketchy appliqué. My 1800 makes this easy as it has auto lift which is fantastic for appliqué.

 

      

I’m still hand stitching farm blocks... this is my project to work on when we are out for coffee.  

I’m still enjoying making string and selvedge blocks on my treadle...  I now have the 10” foundation papers from Missouri Star .. our phone books are very small so I only get a 6-1/2” square from those ... the 10” papers will enable me to make larger blocks using longer strips. 

I’ve made the kangaroo block for my machine appliqué version of Land Down Under.. Pattern by Red Boot Quilt Company. 

Here’s my Half hexagon  quilt all finished...washed and dried.    This one will be for the new single bed I’m planning on putting in the office/treadle room.   

Last October I pieced the Casablanca Sunrise top (pattern in Quilt Now) so I’m quilting it all with the walking foot and will use it as a table topper. 

On my Facebook I mentioned my tool box I now keep just about all of my tools that I use on my machines.  I find this works well.... everything in one place. 

Another idea I’m now using.... a work basket for the days sewing.... anything I use throughout the day goes in this basket so I’m not constantly searching for snips, seam rippers, pencils, pins  etc etc. 

I’m making a quilt for a good friend of ours.... he has been giving us jars of his home grown honey for years so when I found the bee fabrics I knew I had to make him a knee quilt.  I’m using a wide single fold binding on this one.   I think I’ll do a tutorial myself on how I do this as most of the ones I have found do not do it wide like I do.   The actual quilt is just yardage front and back, no piecing. 

New gadget alert....... I recently purchased the Creative Grids Folded Corner Clipper...... I’m using it to pre-trim the ends of binding and to trim the join at the end as well.  This ruler is fantastic!

There are a few other projects in the works but I’ll keep those for the next Post.

Cheers for now,

Helen

STAYING AT HOME... AND LOVING IT

Hello!

Well here we are at the end of May... how did that happen?

The sewing marathon continues.....

I’ve delivered two quilts... first the Civil War STASHBUSTER ....

PIECED ON MY 201K TREADLE, QUILTED ON MY SWEET SIXTEEN

The backing was a floral piece I must have bought years ago ... use it up, use it up!

CIVIL WAR STASHBUSTER
GIFTED TO MY BROTHER ROBERT

Our beautiful Scarlett has received her Farm Quilt ...  I’ve lost count of how many versions I have made of this quilt.  The Pattern is Farmyard Friends by Ella and Skysie but it appears to be discontinued. 

FARM QUILT FOR SCARLETT

THE BACK OF THE FARM QUILT

I’m treadling my days away.... I really enjoy treadling!   I’ve completed piecing a stash of log cabin blocks, two more STASHBUSTER quilts and now making string blocks. I use a 6-1/2” square of phone book paper to make my string blocks.

ANOTHER STASHBUSTER .. ALL CUT ON MY GO CUTTER

THIS I SPY  STASHBUSTER IS VERY BRIGHT! 

STRING BLOCKS

A GIRLY STASHBUSTER TO GO WITH THE I SPY ONE

TREADLED THE I SPY STASHBUSTER

A STASH OF LOG CABIN BLOCKS

 

 LOG CABIN BLOCK - I START WITH A 2-1/2” SQUARE THEN ADD MY STRIPS, TRIMMING AS I GO

STRING BLOCKS
NO PLAN FOR THESE..... PERHAPS ANOTHER TABLE RUNNER!

Hubby and I have been going out for our coffee but that’s all we are doing.... not venturing too far. Although we could go out for a meal now, we are reluctant to do so  We do get a take-away each week though.  I’m still to go to the hairdressers and will be booking that appointment soon. My nails are desperate for a manicure but I’m holding out as long as I can.    I did go fabric shopping recently😀. I was gifted a gift voucher for Peppermint Stitches, my LQS. They take appointments so I booked a half hour last Saturday.  Managed to spend the voucher plus some!