QUILT GIFTING

Hello!

My sewing has been hit and miss lately...... I really need to tidy the sewing room and then sort out a few new projects!

I made a quilt for my friend's little grandson..... the pattern I have is called Hey Diddle Diddle but it is now called Playtime and is available here from Kariepatch.  I've made a few versions of this quilt but this one has to be my favourite.  As usual I put in some books and I tagged a Peter Rabbit soft toy on to one of the twist blocks.  

I used Matilda's Own cotton wadding for the first time on this quilt and WOW I love it!  It was a dream to quilt (on my Sweet Sixteen) and I love how it came out once washed and dried, so soft and crinkly.

Always include a book! 

Forest Friends for Archie

Peter Rabbit tagged along!

The princess quilt was a gift for a good friend (we did Tuckshop together at my son's high school).  The quilt is for her little granddaughter.  I did traditional cross hatch quilting on this one (on my Brother PQ1500)

Quilt for my friend

I purchased a new Go Cutter die..... the Train .....  this is just the engine on a little tee shirt.

New Accuquilt Go Cutter die!  

Reading pillow

Quilted List Taker

My tee shirt stash had some sizes I needed to use up so I worked up a few for my friend's grandies....

Tee shirts! 

A little friend had his birthday last Sunday so I whipped up a quick gift.  This drawstring backpack is so quick to make.  Finished size is 12" square.  Perfect for a little boy. 

A quick gift - drawstring backpack 

Plus a book!

Yesterday was my 63rd birthday.......  seems like only yesterday I was 21 !    I'm not certain but I think this would be my 7th or 8th birthday.  That's me bottom row 3rd from left.   My mum put on such wonderful parties for my birthdays ......... 

Cheers!

Happy Sewing!!

YES, I'M A BAG LADY.......

Some recent sewing and happenings .....

Vintage doilies turned in to a small tote.

the other side.

pockets inside too!

A friend asked me to make this bag.  She had seen one just like it and sent me the photos.  I really enjoyed chopping up my old doilies (I have a huge drawer full of them).  I use vintage linens in my home but I have a rule now.....  once a hole appears or the crochet edge becomes tattered, into the sewing drawer it goes!  The bag is just a simple nine patch on each side with the lace/crochet edge showing on the bottom row.  I used Calico for the background and added a fusible interfacing and fusible Pellon to give the bag some body.  A big pocket on the inside and handles that make it a shoulder bag if needed.  Done!

I am making a Teddy Quilt for my ODIBAG stash
(One day I'll be a Grandmother) stash
The whole block needs to be constructed so the Teddy
can sit in the window with his paws hanging
over the edge.
The Teddy is then finished with hand blanket stitch.

I have now completed all of the hand stitching, just need to build the flimsy.

This would have to be the cutest needle book I have ever received!
My sister-in-law was cleaning out her Mum's things and this
little gem was in amongst all sorts of sewing stuff!

It's like a pop up card!!  love it!

Hubby and I had a week away - once again up in Elliott Heads -
it is just so lovely up there.  Naturally I took my hand sewing!

I've been making these little Key Chain Pouches
Free tutorial by "Dog Under My Desk".. Neat
and Tidy Zippered Pouch
These make lovely gifts. 

Two more!
I made all of these on my Featherweight 222K

Figured I should make one for myself.
I used up the last teeny bit of this vintage green fabric and
a re-purposed metal zip.

September 11 was my birthday - the big 60 this year!

Okay, that's it for now.  I have other sewing to share but it's a secret :-)  I can show you next week!

This Friday my friends and I are going to the Craft Show here in Brisbane.  So excited!  YES.... I do have a shopping list!

Happy Sewing,

Cheers from Helen

AND ON TO THE QUILTING

Suddenly we are thrown into Summer!  hot today and it should not be!  far too early for Summer to arrive but it does look like Winter has flown..... not perfect sewing weather!

I pinned the Farm Quilt today.....   here is how I do my pinning ......

I use bulldog clips at one end to hold the backing
and batting/wadding only.
I then tug the backing from the other end ensuring
that all is flat.  I do add a few
pieces of blue painters tape to that end just to
hold it where I want it.
I then smooth out the quilt top and wadding.

I like curved pins.  I have pinned this top ready
to stitch in the ditch to start with.
Once the middle area is pinned, I move the sides over
and pin those.

Setting up my Featherweight 222K
I am using the giant adjustable extension table
from Sewing Buddies Australia
I removed it from my Brother PQ1500 and was
surprised to find that it fit perfectly on to
my Featherweight with no adjustments needed!

Perfect fit!

As I had shifted the FW over to my other table, I brought
in my 99K hand crank.  I will give her some
work to do.  Look at that ! - the Feathermate table (also from
Sewing Buddies Australia)  from
my Featherweight fits nicely on to my 99K box.

In preparation for quilting I gave my FW bed a light polish

I am using Gutermann thread in the bobbin but Aurifil thread
in the top so I did have to play with the upper tension - moved it from 4 to just past 5
I took a photo to remind me!!

So I am all set to commence the quilting!

A lovely surprise in the mail today
Thank you Leonore!
An early birthday gift - I love the zipper purse, very clever!
and the little turtle is for cleaning your computer or phone screen - how
cute is that!

Happy Sewing!

Cheers from Helen

BIRTHDAY LOOT! and some sewing, at last!

Birthday Loot!

I am in Cheryll's Fat Quarter Birthday Exchange and this is the beautiful selection of brights I received from the other members.  I chose brights after working with the Civil War fabrics last year.... I needed a change of scenery!   I absolutely LOVE each and every piece of fabric!   I had a wonderful birthday morning enjoying my cup of tea and opening each parcel.   Thanks girls! 

A couple of weeks ago I made some presents for my little great-nieces and nephew....

Chloe and Bridget each received a Colouring Wallet (Pattern by J. Casa Handmade

LINK TO PATTERN

Inside the Colouring Wallet

I made Lachlan a Snap Trap Wallet, you can find the pattern HERE

Chloe also received a Snap Trap purse from me... it was her birthday last week as well!

I took this photo to try and show you the "snap trap" part of the wallet.

The pattern for the Childs Colouring Wallet is great!  I have made a few of these now.  They make a quick present for a child.  You can "grow it up" a little by inserting pencils instead of crayons.  The pattern for the Snap Trap Wallet is another "go to" pattern when I need a quick gift.

Today I finished sewing something but it's a secret until after next Friday....  the person I have made it for reads my blog and I don't want to spoil the surprise!

Good news on the home front too......    Fred came home from hospital yesterday (after being there for nearly two weeks!).  He is still not 100% well,  but happy to be home.

Happy Sewing!!
Cheers from Helen 

ps:  blogger is playing up, the photos kept going all over the place!

HEY!! I KNOW IT'S MY BIRTHDAY..... but

I'm still preparing my Birthday post!  So in the meantime, I thought I would share this with you.........

As I'm not getting all that much sewing done right now (well, I am quilting the Monkey quilt and I have finished the Lullaby in the Night Sky quilt) I thought I would go back in time and tell you about some of the quilts I have made............

 

First up, is the "Hat and Buttons" quilt I made for Matt.... many years ago!   Matt always wore a cute little legionnaires cap on which I had sewn his collection of buttons and badges.  Everywhere we went, we would collect another one to add to the hat.  Naturally, Matt got to a certain age when the little hat would not fit him anymore so I cut off all of the buttons and badges and kept them in a jar.

and eventually I made this wall hanging .......

It is hanging in our hallway and has many more badges added to it.  Each year I buy the new release Anzac Day badge and pin it to this quilt.

I think this quilt will always hang in our hallway, it's a lovely way to connect to the days when Matt was just a little boy.

I will do another "QUILT STORY" soon........


I will be back with my BIRTHDAY POST tomorrow, just waiting to take some photos.  I do want to thank everyone who has sent me Happy Birthday wishes.  I haven't updated my blog lately.  Unfortunately Fred has been in hospital for over a week now.  He went in with high temperature and feeling very unwell.  He had an infection which has been treated but still the temp remains and he is still feeling low.  

Cheers from Helen

WHERE TO START???

BLOCK # 30   PETERSON'S STARS & STRIPES
CIVIL WAR QUILT
 I cheated with this one and used a stripe fabric for the foundation and then appliqued the star with hand blanket stitch.

 I have had lots of fun making these Swatch Books.  The pattern is by Keyka Lou

  and it's great!  The blue and green ones I made for my stitching friends.

 This is the one I made for myself, it's already stuffed full of fabric and patterns AND.....
my quilting calculator!   Quilter's FabriCalc.

 I have made a little business card wallet, pattern also by Keyka Lou.  I have filled it with all of those rewards cards you seem to collect.  Keyka Lou does have a great pattern for a proper Loyalty Card folder, which I will also make when I find time:-)

Market Bag (you know I LOVE this pattern by Artsy- Crafty Babe)
this bag is for a friend who is having a market stall soon.

and here is one I have made for my Niece who is an artist!
I thought this fabric was just perfect!!

Last Sunday September 11th was my birthday (oh yes, yet another one!) and my BFF always takes me out to the Redlands Quilt Extravaganza.  I bought myself some lovely new patterns.......

Gorgeous new patterns!!
these are by "The Birdhouse" Natalie Bird

close up of the designs

don't you love the verse???!

I couldn't resist these lovely little books - full of beautiful designs for embroidery!

Close up of the Christmas Stitchings to celebrate the season designs.

Close up of the All Creatures Great & Small designs

Birthday cards:-)

Naturally I just had to make
myself a new bag for the day out...
this pattern is the
241 bag
by Noodlehead
LOVE IT!

How cute is this?!  It's a beautiful
sewing bag!

Finally found some new scissors!
The pink ones are Fiskars
& the beautiful big Tailor shears
are by Mundial (all carbon steel)

and a new sewing box for my table!

New Denyse Schmidt fabrics
have arrived at Spotlight
so of course, I just had to buy some!

New quilt pattern - my Niece is expecting
her first baby in February
So I've started collecting fabric!
The pattern is called..
Lullaby in the night sky
by Natalie Ross In Stitches

I KNOW!  more baby fabric -  but this is my
Niece's FIRST baby!!!!

Another fabric collection, the pattern is called
Hey Diddle Diddle
Designer:  Karen DuMont, KariePatch Designs
it was published in Quilt Almanac 2011
another quilt I am planning for the new baby
due in February.

So my friends.....  you can see that although I've been VERY SICK... I still managed to create, shop and buy!!!  Hey, what else could I do??!!!

You will need a rest and a cuppa after reading this post, hope you have enjoyed reading!!  and thank you for all the emails sending me get well messages..... they must have worked!!

Happy Sewing!!