First WIP of 2012 - handkerchief corners

Here is a bunch of fabrics all cut up and ready to go.

I can't wait to dust off my machine and get sewing.

...and this little guy next

I finished him up just over the holidays. Here is a close up of the stippling - which I think is getting a bit better. I did the eye with one of the decorative stitches on my new machine. It worked out really well and gives him that dozy look I was after.

He is of course a pal for Pingu. I hope to do a few more mini quilts like this. They are so satisfyingly quick - I may end up with an entire zoo. It is also good practice of all quilt making skills - choosing matching fabrics, applique, stippling, binding.

A few 2011 finishes - "toot toot" first

 I have been meaning to get my friend's new baby quilt finished for ages. All I needed to do was the binding.

Sounds simple. But could i find one which I thought set it off appropriately. I tried every one of the materials in the quilt but they just killed it. White wasn't too bad but not very practical for a baby quilt.


 Finally I picked this red and white polka dot. It is perfect. What doesn't polka dot match really?

A shot of the back with those really cute cars. Toot toot.

And a close up of the quilting (this is my first attempt at stippling a whole quilt. Also done with polyester wadding which I don't think I would use again.)

 If you like the pattern, it is a free one called Thea's Puzzle Quilt by Amy Butler, modified to suit.

All rolled up and ready to go to its new home.

Lost Valley of the Dinosaurs

I can finally reveal the dinosaur quilt in all its glory.

It is for my nephew's top bunk bed so it is really long and skinny. It measures 39" by 72".

I tried to quilt big dinosaur feet on it, which if you stare closely you may be able to see in the close up shot. I was a bit disappointed with the overall effect. I think I should have done it in a contrasting colour to stand out on the back.

However I was much more pleased with the pocket up top. I used "The Bag Making Bible" by Lisa Lam which I received in December for my birthday from my sister (hint hint). Okay - I did ask for it but it is even better than I thought it would be. It has all different sections for each part of a bag. So I took this from the pockets chapter. It is designed to be a more 3D pouch so that you can fit bulkier things in. A good first attempt I think.

It is of course for a torch - because what do 4 year old boys really rather have - a hand made quilted in love or a piece of plastic that lights up!?

If you want to see more of Lisa's ideas check out her amazing blog here.

One final picture of the quilt as it has gone home to England already ( I apologise for the quality of the pictures, I waited all week to take them but it is so dark and wet and windy that in the end I had to just take them indoors.)

Sewing machine love

Since I have absolutely no finishes or even progress to show you I thought I would share this really cool photo.

I was in Manchester, England recently and spied this shop full of old machines. It's just a trendy clothes shop, not anything related to sewing per se.

Yes I am the only one in the street who is vaguely impressed with this display of sewing power and taking photos of it!

A Christmas WIP

I'm glad to have started one of my Christmas presents. This is a quilt for my nephew's "big boy" bed. He is mad for dinosaurs. Here it is all cut out and ready to piece.

The layout is going to be 3 panels across by 8 panels down of alternate colours. The large dinosaurs panel was meant to be fussy cut but I realised I don't have enough material for that. Too late to order more from the States. It means that some of the squares are a bit random in the placement of the dinos as can be seen below with 4 random heads.

But once it's complete I think it will give the overall impression of material. I hope anyway!

The material is of course the gorgeous Oh Boy Dino Print by David Walker for Free Spirit.

I may post a tutorial for this quilt if I get round to it - or get a lot of requests - or any requests really as I am hardly pulling a crowd... yet! ?We'll see how the Christmas shopping goes first.

First quilt sold

I haven't written in ages because I needed to use the time to actually sew. I worked hard all last week to get my friend's quilt finished (started here) and here it is in all its colourful glory.

The design is based on one that was blogged about at Film in the Fridge. My next quilt for my nephew (for Christmas - yikes - I haven't even started yet!) also comes from an idea from Ashley's site. That girl is an inspiration.

 All boxed up and ready to go.

 I tried a loopy quilting on this one as it was so big that I was not confident to do a free motion stipple design. It is by no means perfect but it gives the quilt a random look and is probably a lot neater than my stippling would have been.

I am so proud because this is the first quilt where money has actually exchanged hands. And my friend was really pleased that she now has her new quilt for winter.