Finally, a finish!

For the first time in quite a while, I have a finish to show!

Unfortunately, it's not one of the items on my huge list from earlier in the week, but it is something that I'm really proud of because it's a big first for me.

I've been to a two week long class at Raystitch in Islington,  their First Steps into Dressmaking class where we made an A-line skirt. I learnt so much in the 6 hours of lessons, and really enjoyed having a good chat with the teacher and the other two participants as well as lots of attention.  Apparently I've picked up some very bad habits through being mostly self taught! The wine and brownies were also *amazing*

The pattern is Amy Butler's Barcelona skirt, and the fabric was from the Washi collection. The bright pink lining was a bit of a spur of the moment thing, but I'm glad that I chose it.

We're off to a Christening and various other occasions in the next few months, so hopefully this will get lots of wear. I've made even more plans now for other skirts, so that's one more thing that'll stop me getting on with making all these quilts :-)

PS - please ignore the pink t-shirt, I don't think I'll be wearing it as a part of the final outfit.....

Here's a quick peek at A's quilt, see if you can spot why I've not finished quilting it yet - oops!

If anyone has any suggestions of how to make quilting this easier, I'd very much appreciate it. I've got a walking foot on, but it's turning into a mammoth task.I'm thinking about leaving the machine-quilted lines just on the middle section, and hand quilting around each block in the two outer columns. Thoughts?

Linking up to TGIFF at Mama Loves Quilts, even though this isn't a hugely quilty post sorry.

Plans, plans, plans!

Thank you for all the lovely comments on my adventure! The kids are all back safely now, and after 4 evenings of sorting, all the tents are away too!

I've been making lots of plans for projects I'd like to make, and thought I'd record them so that I can't (1) back out or (a) forget.

Plan 1 is to sort out the rest of the house before the end of the holidays. A trip to IKEA and many hours spent putting this together (all by myself!) was phase 1 of this plan.

Number 2 is to finish A's quilt for her first birthday at the end of the month. This is all pieced now, it's too big to baste or quilt here, but I'm visiting a friend to borrow her monster machine next week when hopefully I'll be able to get it all finished bar the binding. Here's a sneak peak:

Part (iii) is to do something with my Indian Summer Mystery charm swaps from the fabulous Jenelle at Echinops and Aster. I'm so glad that I signed up for this, as the fabric is just gorgeous -

I'm thinking that I might try using the tutorials at the HST Block of the Month at In Color Order, as they should work quite well, and they're certainly the right size. I'm thinking that I could make myself a wall hanging of 2x6 blocks, perhaps starting with pink-y ones at the top and ending with the blue-y ones at the bottom - I'm going to ponder further...

And the last part involves the dreaded C-word.......................................................Christmas.

I'm thinking about making table runners for our mums using a charm pack of this:

Photo borrowed from the Fat Quarter Shop

Not that I've bought it yet, but shhhhhhhhhh!

I think I might use some of the tutorials from the Charmed Prints QAL here to make them.

I am well aware that both of these QAL's are either finished or nearly done, but never mind - better late than never! I'm hoping that I'm going to hold myself to this now that I've written about my plans- please chase me up :-)

An Adventure

This post is going to sound far more like a diary entry than a normal blog post, but I wanted to record the last few weeks. Please don't feel obliged to read, there's sewing stuff at the end if you want to skip!

I've just finished a physically exhausting but totally amazing week in Denmark with 35,000 Scouts, not all of whom were my responsibility thank goodness! I've walked miles every day (the round trip to the showers was about 1.5 miles....), lifted and carried, lit fires (well, directed kids to light fires!) and pitched tents. I cooked so many meals for so many people that I ended up with blisters from stirring - but if you ever need to know how much pasta is required to feed 65 hungry people, I'm your woman! I've given out plasters, brushed knots from hair that's not been touched in days, given cookery lessons and so much more.

Mentally, I feel really refreshed, which is suprising considering how bone-achingly tired I feel. There's been lots of chatting round campfires getting to know great kids, and making what I hope will be life long friendships with the other leaders. It did me real good to have a clean break from work, even though it felt very tiring having to pack and prepare when everyone else was partying at the end of term.

Here are a few photos, no faces for obvious reasons. Hopefully they'll give you a taste of the atmosphere, which I don't think that I can adequately describe. Can't wait to do it again though!

We spent some of our down time lying in the shade avoiding the blinding sun - and comparing the sizes of our feet - guess which are mine?!

27 hours on a coach tires you out!

 Lots of canvas

Closing ceremony

After leaving the kidlets in safe hands for a second week of camping, I took some time to travel home in a bit more of a leisurely way. First I took the train to Copenhagen, where I learnt that you shouldn't make quick judgements about a city based on the impressions that you gain whilst leaving its train station! I had a lovely meal, chatted to a hilarious American man, and spent a few hours strolling around the city in beautiful sunshine. I only had a short time in the city, but it was enough to make me want to return.

The Citadel in Copenhagen - a military centre and ancient fortification; the Marble Church; Nyhavn

Next, I got the train to Hamburg, via a ferry that the train drove onto! I was really surprised by Hamburg, I was expecting it to be really industrial as the port is still so busy. The city itself is really nice though, a well planned mix of the industrial and the uber-modern. The new Philharmonic Hall is just stunning!

 Hamburg - St Michel's Church, Martin Luther and the view down towards the Harbour

Next was Paris, my favourite city in the world. I think the pictures say it all really!

 The Sleeper train - I was very excited about this!; the view that I saw when I woke up; bridge covered in locks with love messages scrawled on; the Seine; the clockface on the fifth floor of the Musee d'Orsay; Notre Dame, with my wedding ring - we got engaged here four years ago!

 And finally, some sewing! I've been working on a couple of EPP projects for friends, one hexie cushion and one Rose Star block cushion. My friends are sisters who went to school with me who both have young daughters, hence the very pink and girly colours. Hopefully they'll be well balanced and not too much pinkness.

Action shot - sewing on the train from Copenhagen to Hamburg, just before it got on the ferry(!!!!); partially completed Rose Star block, with the fabrics that I'm using for the next rings; 

completed basted hexies for my other EPP project; I love this giraffe!

Piles of hexies waiting to be basted; a possible layout

So, quite an adventure for me. I have never travelled very far on my own - the furthest I've been by myself is London to Manchester! - so this has been really good for improving my self confidence. I didn't get lost, or mugged, and I had fun!!

I loved visiting the different cities, and can't wait to do more. The only questions are: 1. Where next? and more importantly, 2. When will the bank manager let me?!



Ohhh, and sorry to make this longer, but don't forget about this week's Blog Hoppers,
Aug 7
     Liz from What I Did on My Summer Vacation
     Susan from Canadian Abroad

Aug 9
     Kirsten from Gemini Stitches
     Stephanie from Sewing by Stephanie

I'm going back to catch up on the ones that I missed.

Home Safe!

I'm back from my little adventure, returned just in time to see this:

Netherlands v China then Germany v South Africa Women's Hockey!

I hope you won't mind me sharing some holiday pics, I need to sort through them and choose the best. In the mean time, I have 284 blog posts to catch up with so sorry if I haven't commented!

Kitchen Windows Progress

The Kitchen Windows quilt for my niece's 1st birthday is making some progress! All the blocks have been cut and partially pieced, I just need some spray starch before I finish the piecing as I've noticed that the print fabric has been stretching as I sew :(

The first (mostly) completed block:

Six of the twelve partially done blocks, on the pink that I'm using as the border fabric:

Here's two of the fabrics that I've bought for the backing, Meet the Gang Names in Rose and 1001 Peeps Towers in Purple (both from the Pink Chalk Fabric sale - such a bargain that shipping was more expensive than the fabric!) I think I might add in some purple solids to bulk out the back, I want the back to be less girly than the front so that she can swap and change as she gets older.

 How cute is it that the blush-y colour on the top of the skinny minaret perfectly matches the background of the names?


Proof that it does look something like the pattern! I might have to call it my "Zoo Windows" quilt - look at that cute giraffe :)

And a quick question if you've got this far - anyone in the UK have a recommendation for a good online shop selling wadding and spray starch? I can't remember where I bought my last bits of wadding from, or even what brand it was! Ta very muchly :-)

PS - I promise I will press the pink before I cut into it! I'll also try and find another camera that can pick up the differences between the greys and pinks, unlike mine!

PPS - sorry if I don't reply to comments straight away, I'll be off on my jollies in Denmark :) I promise to reply asap.

Guess what I'm doing on holiday...

Off camping with my scouts for a week and a half, then some solo traveling home via a few European cities - this should keep my hands busy!

I have got a few posts scheduled but won't be able to comment. Have a fun few weeks!

The story of the seam ripper and the naughty quilt

 Well, this quilt has been a trial and a half for me!

It was actually the first quilt that I started, and began it's life looking like this:

 

I arranged the strips in a sort-of rainbow order - except that I got a few pieces wrong and had to spend time with my lovely seam ripper....

I got that sorted, then realised that the seam allowance was wonky - 1/2" at one end, and 1/4" at the other! Back to that seam ripper again...

Next problem - the ONE block that was in the wrong place! After much deliberation, I decided to leave it as it was - I had fallen out with my seam ripper by now.

  I finally got it all pieced up and was happy with it. Taadah!

But then - we had a coffee disaster :-( when the cleaner accidentally spilt coffee on it! It was extremely quickly (and quite badly!) quilted without waiting for the walking foot which was on order. The binding was thrown on, quicker than I thought I could, and it was thrown in the wash following the advice of lots of lovely ladies. Please take note of the use of the verb "thrown" - it was appropriate!


The washing mostly worked, so here's the finally finished quilt! It finished up at about 36 sq inches - not huge but big enough to snuggle on the sofa. It is going to be loved and used as much as possible - after all, it needs to be after the stress of making it!

Some straight-ish line quilting here! I mainly quilted in one direction, with a few perpendicular lines. I left the squares on each end clear. Please ignore the puckers, there are plenty, but my machine just couldn't handle the layers and I didn't want to wait for the walking foot in case the coffee stain set too much.

Backing with more fabric from the same line, and some Klona White.

Nice mitred corners - I was very pleased with myself! There's no purple in the quilt, so I thought it'd make a nice frame by using purple binding.

Joking aside, I have learnt a LOT about making quilts in the process and hopefully won't repeat any of these mistakes!