French General - A Finish

Finally got to finish my French General Quilt, which I gifted to my Mum for her birthday this week.

I loved it so much I was so tempted to covet it for myself!  But I resisted, well, I guess that's an excuse to make another for myself! 

And Mum loves it!

Front

Back

Label

I basted it using the plank method and machine quilted it myself.  The doily label is a vintage doily I bought some time ago and to which I added the embroidered writing myself.

It feels good to have another quilt finished! 

Plank Method, As Opposed To Planking*

I discovered basting a quilt using the plank- method last year when I was making a quilt for the latest addition to Mr HP's side of the Family.

 I love how quick and easy it is and I had this whole cloth* quilt basted in no time and with little back breaking antics.

 Never before have I made a whole cloth quilt and only decided that this one would be because the fabric I have used has been rescued from land fill and is heavy weight curtain fabric, one hundred percent cotton or linen and originally from a decore store samples book. 

 The end result is a bold stylish quilt top that is 1.25 x 1.25m, large enough for a lunch cloth, lap quilt or picnic rug.

The weight is such that it's thick enough to use as a picnic rug but lightweight enough to use as a lap quilt in the warmer months.

Since the samples were free of charge, the only cost has been the backing fabric, which I paid $8 a metre for plus some leftovers from another project. The binding will be leftovers from Youngest Son's 21st birthday quilt.

I'm so in love with it, I haven't decided if I should keep it for myself or gift it.

* Seems I have my info. wrong here...this is not a whole cloth quilt but rather a 'summer quilt'.

*Planking, a brief history

Linking to Freshly Pieced ~ pop over to see what Lee and others have been up to in the quilting world in WIP Wednesday. Click on the button below to take you there. 

Blackbird Singing In The Dead Of Night

Yikes, can you see that?  2011!
The last time I worked on this quilt was around July 2011...that's four years! Four years!

So I've picked it up again. Why? I hear you ask.  For a couple of reasons.
1.  Our regular Wednesday Patchwork and Quilting class is on school holiday break and I don't want to work on my Celtic quilt unassisted. (The truth is, Anne is such a wealth of hints I don't want to miss anything she may have to offer if I continue to work on the quilt top on my own.)

2.  I've lost a project I'm making for my Sister.  Can you believe it?  I've lost a whole bundle of fabrics with which I've promised to make more cushion covers for my Sister! So in my hunt for the elusive project I unearthed the French General quilt top I have avoided for the past four years.

On closer inspection I realised that there is not much to do to finish off the French General so I've added some sashing and a border. 

Layering the quilt and machine quilting will be easy as it's not large, more a single bed topper size. If I'm organised enough I can have it ready for Mum's 82nd birthday in September.

In the meantime, I've made these upbeat drink coasters.

I know...they could also be mug rugs but for some reason I have an aversion to mug rugs, and the person I've made them for is slightly eccentric and I think he probably has an aversion to mug rugs too but I can totally see him using these to place his crystal cut glass scotch whiskey tumbler on.
The graphic fabric is the infill out of a panel of Milvale Quilt Labels.  I fussy cut these very carefully as I didn't have much area to play with.

The binding is a remnant from my Youngest Son's 21st birthday (Yikes again...in 2008!)quilt which I can't show you as that was before my blogging days.

A few weeks ago, feeling excited about the capabilities of my upgraded sewing machine, I practised  applique and free motion quilting on a square of fabric. 

 I'm always loathe to discard anything and the end result was a very scrappy raggy quilt made with some boring fabric.  The end result turned out much nicer than I imagined.

Now, I wonder where I've stashed that fabric?
Have you ever lost a quilting project among your stash?  And did you find it?  Was it where you expected to find it?

Have a happy sewing week.

Machine Applique A Finish And A WIP

Did I tell you?  

Early this year I started taking patchwork and quilting classes from Anne Sommerlad.  Judy Tyrrell took over the Post Office Patchwork in Glenbrook late last year and I placed my name on the class list hoping to get a spot in a class, any class; so I could get together with other like minded people as soon as possible.

I consider myself very lucky to be tutored by such a talented teacher and designer. 

My first assignment was to learn how to machine applique ... but a saga unfolded as soon as I started classes.  My sewing machine, which I purchase around seven years ago has caused me lots of angst and I was hoping Anne would perform a miracle and show me what a purring beast it could be.  But alas, this was not to be and I was urged to return it to the retailer from whence I purchased it.

When I returned it to the shop, I was told that my model of sewing machine had been issued with a tension 'upgrade'.  "So", I said, "there's been a problem with this model then?" I asked, "Oh no, not a problem, just an upgrade."  Came the reply.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I got the 'upgrade' under warranty and also got the sewing machine serviced and now this wonderful appliance is purring away like a kitten.

I have created some gorgeous Anne Sommerlad designs.  What do you think?

 Above is my first assignment, quickly followed by the second (shown below) to reinforce my newly learnt skill.

This is the centrepiece of Anne's Celtic Throw design which she converted to a king single bed quilt for me.  I have chosen my own colour scheme which will be revealed as the quilt progresses.

Above is a close up of the detail.
I'm over the moon with the results!

Once more, the above cushion design is Anne Sommerlad's.  Isn't it just exquisite?
I have used Anne's design unchanged but chose my own colours using mostly fabrics I had in my stash.  It was a little bundle of fabric remnants I purchase some time ago at some fair or other.

The seat cushions are made from a polka dot and marbled fabrics I purchased from Post Office Patchwork.

I'm now inspired to replace our now tatty cushions with some newly made colour co-ordinated covers to replace them.

I'm linking up with

Two (2) Make-In- An-Afternoon Projects

I'm desperately trying to get my sewing/crafting mojo back after weeks of resettling our Mum from her big move.  She has moved out from what has been the family home for over half a century.

At the end of it all, Mum had a bit of a health scare.  What could have been a drastic outcome, she is now being treated for what the doctors call 'a mini-stroke'.  My sisters and I now are coming to terms with the realisation that Mum, despite her resilience, is aging and will become more and more dependent as time goes on.

In her younger years, Mum was an enthusiastic seamstress and I was into my teens before I ever owned a dress with a 'label' stitched into it. Believe it or not, my first 'label' was a gift that was sent to me by an uncle who lived in England.  The next one was probably one that I bought with my own money when I started my first job as a sixteen year old.

So, I found out recently, that Mum's stash of fabrics (which amounts to a couple of hundred metres) was in fact a 'revenge' stash.  Back somewhere in the middle of the last century, my Mum would buy tobacco, cigarette papers and safety matches at the end of her work week to support my Dad's nicotine habit. In revenge, she would buy herself some fabric to add to her stash.  It's a bit sad that she didn't get to enjoy her stash which I have now inherited and am pondering what to do with.  I am trying to sell some of it for her but as yet not having much success.

My sister wants me to make some cushions for her so I will be going through the stash to see if there's anything suitable.

In the meantime...here is a little skirt I whipped up for Little Miss Six from a sequined stretchy fabric which I found in Mum's stash. 

I have made this skirt for her previously, from a piece of leftover cotton print but I adapted this great little tennis skirt to make a dance skirt.  I used the largest size pattern and added a quarter inch all around to allow for a bit of extra length and to add a touch of twirl to the skirt. The last time I made the skirt, Little Miss six was probably only four years old, and she'll be seven very soon.  

I hemmed the skirt using a 1.5 inch wide strip of the selvage folded in half and stitched to the bottom edge in the same fashion as the waistband.  I used the selvage because it has no sequins on it.  This gave me a little bit more length too, especially since hemming it in the normal method would shorten the skirt.

When using knit ribbing, make sure it is knit fabric that is intended for ribbing and not for making tee shirts. Tee shirt knit will not give you enough support for a waist band.  I learned this the last time I made this skirt and the resulting waist band was way too lose. 

On Tuesday afternoon, I made an entire quilt top for our niece who is expecting baby number three in November.  For niece's baby number one I made a quilt like this and for her baby number two I made this one.  Both are boys...they are now expecting a little girl and I fell in love with the cutest quilt top kit/panel which I found in a quilt shop in Cobar on our recent holiday.  

Isn't it just the best? And yes, Cobar has a quilt shop!

I was very surprised at the speed with which the quilt top came together.  It is very easy to make and the only thing I wasn't happy with is the length of the quilt which I altered by adding a strip of sage green polka dot fabric from my stash top and bottom to make it a longer quilt.  I like to make my cot quilts large enough to be used as a bed topper once baby is old enough to go into a toddler bed or even for a single bed. 

I hope this inspires others to get back into the swing of sewing after a major life event which has thrown you off course.  Sometimes we just have to take little steps...

I have linked to 

When All Else Fails...

Read The Instruction Manual

My Alphabet Quilt is coming along nicely, but not without some angst.

I decided that I will do some free motion quilting on this cot quilt but in my haste thought I knew it all and happily quilted away on my sewing machine without realising the boo boos I was creating.

For some reason I assumed that if I used the selection free motion floating on my sewing machine menu and the open toe stippling foot, then there would be no need to drop the feed dog.

Initially I had even assumed that I needed to use my walking foot.  Just WHAT was I thinking?

After many frustrating attempts, failures, and unpicking metres and metres of thread (wasted, I might now add), I decided to very CAREFULLY read my sewing machine handbook.

I realised I was making two mistakes:  

1.  I had not adjusted the tension. 

2.  I had not dropped the feed dog.

Once I realised I needed to make these adjustments I did some practice runs on large rectangles of sandwiches and made this hold-all from one sandwich I had FMQed. 

My Alphabet Quilt is now quilted, but far from perfect.

It's amazing isn't it, how we can fool ourselves into thinking that a panel of fabric will save time.

I bought this particular panel on special in 2012 and while I do adore it, once I started quilting I realised how time consuming it could be because if I let my perfectionism take over I would actually be hand quilting each letter of the alphabet.  It took a lot of obsessing before I convinced my self that there is just not enough time to do this.

As you can see, my finished FMQ is not the smoothest flowing finished product, so again, I have to allow myself the reasoning that for a beginner it's okay.

So here are a few hints for those just starting out on FMQ on their sewing machine.

SOME Very Basic Free Motion Quilting DOs & DON'Ts

DOs:

DO read your machine instruction manual very carefully and follow it to the tee.

DO pre-wind as many bobbins as you can before starting your project

DO clean and re-thread your machine before starting your FMQ project

DO change your machine needle to the appropriate size, my machine suggest a size 80/12

DO spend as much time as practical making some sandwiched rectangle to practice your FMQ

DO practise 

DO be adventurous  

DON'Ts:

DON'T clutter your sewing area

DON'T sew too slowly - once you've mastered FMQ a little, you'll find sewing faster will actually give you a better, more even result

DON'T be afraid to invent  new styles for FMQ

DON'T give UP practising FMQ

DON'T give up

I found this video helpful  (and this) to get me started.

Tardiness Results in Post Out of Synch

I haven't been very good with my blog posts lately.  Life just seems to get busier and busier.
My sister  visited us in May, for her sixtieth birthday celebrations. She lives two and a half thousand kilometres away in sunny Queensland.  She spent four weeks with us , sharing herself  between her siblings.
We celebrated by having a Sound of Music themed party.  My sister, always the family clown, had a couple of changes of outfits...her first was, Liesl sixty years on, yes, that's right, sixty years on and the other was Maria as a nun.   Here is "Sister Maria" receiving the quilt that I made her. She loved it and she was so surprised to see what I had done with her blocks.  She couldn't wait to get it home.

And here she is as Liesl sixty years on.

Other Sound of Music cast members to attend included Whiskers on Kittens, Me (a name I call myself), lots of boys in lederhosen costumes, Baroness Elsa Schrader, and Maria as a novice.

Since then, I've tackled my next quilt project for Mr HP's niece's third baby.

G is for giraffe, and...girl.

Here it is ready for pinning.

And here is the backing.

Aren't these lambs just so cute?

It is a rather simple quilt, and I'm counting on getting cute appeal from the fabric itself.

Cheating I know, but what inspired me to keep this quilt uncomplicated is the expectant mother, who I know will allow her baby to use this quilt however she wishes.

You see, this Mum already has twin girls, and almost five years ago I also made the twins quilts. The two quilts made for them were almost identical, and I know that both girls love their quilts and treat them as security blankets.

You know, this, I think, is the highest complement for a quilt maker.

I like to see my quilts being enjoyed.

Oh, and by the way, baby number three is due 8th June, so I better get cracking...

Linking up to 

WIP Wednesday

My sister's quilt is finally being labelled. Her birthday was yesterday but we have a great celebration planned for this coming Saturday and I will be gifting it to her then.

I try and embroider the labels of quilts given for significant occasions and of course, I always find myself struggling to add this finishing touch to the completed quilt.

Come hell or high water, it will be complete!

And my next quilt is already sitting by my sewing machine waiting for its first stitches.

Somewhere in all of this is a Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt, a commission, to be sent off to the U.K. which is lagging behind dreadfully.  Thank goodness its new owner is not in a hurry.

Linking to

Almost Finished

A quilt isn't quite finished until it is labelled right?

So, I'm still contemplating what I should have on the label.  But other than that, my Sister's quilt is ready to gift for her sixtieth birthday.  Her birthday is next week but I think I can stretch this out until the party which is the week after. I like to embroider most of my labels so it will take a bit of extra time.  

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy seeing the unlabelled but otherwise finished quilt.  

My apologies for the yellow tinge to some of the photos,  I took them at night. 

This frill neck lizard is finished off in 3D. 

Kookaburra

Sturt's Desert Pea

Waratah Flower

My sister made the appliqued/machine embroidered blocks many years ago.  She gave them to me when I took up patchwork and quilting and I've hung onto them for some years now.  I hope she likes what I've done with them! 

I did some free motion quilting in the floral blocks and the rest was quilted in the ditch. 

Linking to