JANUARY

Happy New Year !

January is not really the month to get much sewing done...... our weather is usually awfully hot and humid.  This January has been a little surprising.  We did have some hot horrible days but just lately it's been quite pleasant.  My projects this month ........

READING PILLOW
GIFT FOR A FRIEND

I love making these Reading Pillows but somehow I got myself confused with the measurements for the pocket so this one only has a very shallow pocket.  A little book still fits so that's okay 😀

BY AIR BY RAIL BY SEA
YES! IT'S A FLIMSY!

I'm pushing myself to get the By Air ...... quilt finished.  I cannot believe this but I've been working on this machine applique project for three years!  YES! THREE YEARS!    I finished up all of the blanket stitch and now have it to the flimsy stage, just waiting for more of the backing fabric as I fell short when I went to layer the quilt.

ZOE ZEBRA QUILT IS PINNED AND I'VE FINISHED
THE DITCH QUILTING 

Although I enjoyed making this quilt, it really was meant for machine applique (I did it by hand) so I'm pleased to be up to the quilting stage now.  I've done the stitch in the ditch quilting so now it moves over to my Sweet Sixteen for the Free Motion Quilting.

HERE'S THE BACKING

THE TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC
 

My hand sewing project at the moment is The Teddy Bear's Picnic blocks .. pattern by the Red Boot Quilt Company .   It's a lovely project and I'm really enjoying it.  To keep the applique soft, I use the method where you cut away most of the fusible web from the centre of the shape (so on the head of the bear, it's only got the fusible web around the outside edges, I have cut away the middle area.... this makes it much easier to stitch through the eyes and nose.  Here is a tutorial by Pat Sloan.  I do this to the larger pieces but leave the smaller pieces intact.

Siggy Block

How lovely to still be receiving Siggy Block requests.  This one will be on its way to The Netherlands soon.  You can find the information about the Siggy exchange here.  I have been in the Exchange for many years now.  Today I was stitching in a coffee shop but sitting outside so I tried out my new battery powered fan from Aldi.... works a treat!

I sew my siggy blocks on my Singer 99K Hand Crank..... very peaceful and quiet using this machine.  It sews a beautiful stitch.  I like to give each of my vintage machines a project, this keeps them oiled and maintained on a regular basis.

SINGER HAND CRANK 99K

Cheers!

Helen

PLAYING PAIRS

My Mum & my Featherweight 222K
Mum looks amazing for someone who will be 95 in July
My Featherweight looks good too, she is 58!

Our pretty rows

Last week I took my Featherweight 222K over to visit with my Mum in the Nursing Home.  We set up out in the little dining room.  I had taken over some packs of charm squares and placed them on the table for Mum to put two together and hand to me and I did the sewing.  Mum did very well with this considering she has Dementia and really cannot see too well at all.  Now and then she would "drift" but for most of the hour and a half she seemed to enjoy the process.  We laid out our rows and surprisingly Mum worked out that I had more rows to sew and then we would have a tablecloth!  At one point she said to me "oh, this is patchwork" and she also figured out that we were doing rows of six by six.   Interestingly Mum was able to work out if she had two different squares as every now and then she would say "oh no, those don't go together".  Although she cannot see too well, I took her hands and ran them over the sewing machine.  She was amazed at how small it was.  I told her all about the Featherweight sewing machine and how old mine is (1957).

We spent a very enjoyable morning and next week we will do it again, this time putting the rows together.

Siggy from Frederika, Norway

I am still participating in the International Siggy Swap and last week I received this lovely block from Frederika in Norway.  It is still exciting to receive a little envelope in the post and read all about different places around the world.  Thank you Frederika, I love your little shoes!

I think I have missed posting about a few Siggy Blocks from last year so will update with those soon.

The machine appliqué is going well.......

Choo choo....... I am up to the By Rail row

Pattern:- By Air, By Rail, By Sea
Heather's Designs

I am enjoying doing the machine appliqué
Sewing on my Brother Quilters Edition 

Another version of Sylvie Sunshine
this one for a little friend.
Sewn on my Featherweight

Happy Sewing!

Cheers from Helen

I'M LATE, I'M LATE...... WITH AN UPDATE!

Delightful Stars   Section G

SIGGY BLOCKS RECEIVED

Lots of lovely additions to my Siggy collection, thank you ladies!

I haven't achieved a lot of sewing lately, always seems to be something else to do.  Our weather is turning cooler so I'm hoping to get caught up soon.  The Zoo quilt is still waiting for its binding and I have Lesson 6 to make for the Delightful Stars quilt-along.

Happy Sewing!!

Cheers from Helen

ONE MUG RUG ... DONE!

FRONT OF MUG RUG

BACK OF MUG RUG

I am participating in the Quilting Gallery Mug Rug Swap.  We will be sending two Mug Rugs to our participant but we will receive two Mug Rugs from another participant.  I will be sending my Mug Rugs to someone overseas, so I thought one of the Mug Rugs should represent my own Country.  As I am also in the International Siggy Swap, I have a large collection of Australiana Fabrics so I have used these in this first Mug Rug.

I have used the single binding method as seen HERE - it is great for little projects like this!  I have cut my binding 2" for this project and was able to machine sew the final join.  This method gives such perfect corners!  As it is single binding, there is much less bulk.  Love it!

Now to think of another theme for the second Mug Rug!

The next Civil War block will be posted tomorrow..... how exciting!  I can't wait to see what we are doing next!

Happy Sewing!!