Sugar and spice

Two of my best friends have had babies this year. So I decided to make them cot quilts for presents.

But because the second of the two bubs only arrived on Friday and the first was back in Feb, I've didn't blog about the first in case my other friend guessed I might make her one too.

But now that both little cuties are safely here and both quilts have been safely handed over to their new owners, I can reveal the sekrit projects.

SPICE

We didn't know what flavour Jethro was so I had to make a quilt that could work for a boy or a girl.

I figured I'd start with green and see what happens, then I found the very cute frog print (Alexander Henry I think) and things went from there. Jethro's mum has always been an outdoorsy, sunny type so the colours seemed right for her.




This was the first quilt I'd actually finished to the quilted and bound stage, so I went with easy grid quilting. One day I'll do a machine quilting class and learn to stipple but not sure I'm ever going to be keen on trying it on a large scale unless I one day have space and money for a long arm machine (they look like fun).

This is the finished spicy orange and green quilt and it worked out well that he's a boy as I think it's more boy-ish. Especially with the tadpole border.





SUGAR

We knew that the lastest bub (who shall remain nameless as I haven't asked her mum about blogging her) was a girl which made life easier. I wanted to try a disappearing 9 patch pattern and knew I wanted to use pinks with a bit of green and blue and had a lovely time picking out these fabrics which were just divinely pretty together and made me think of sugared almonds or candy or fairy floss.



The disappearing 9 patch went together quickly (I guess you'd call this a colour co-ordinated scrappy version, each 9 patch block has eight pinks (four dark, four light) then the blue/green/floral in the middle) and you can do lots of cool things to form patterns with the blocks. You can also do three colour blocks to wind up with something like this, which I also really like the look of and might have to do one at some point. I did a triple border to set off the pinks. So here's my sugar plum quilt.





Once again I kept the quilting pretty easy by stitching in the ditch around each of the squares in the final four square blocks and doing an every other block small square of quilting in the big squares.

Now I have to finish my own big quilt which just needs the borders and a backing before I can send it off to be quilted.

Catching up

Yikes, time is speeding by and I have been awol from the blog. Everything is busy busy with a project at work and I also had to watch Series 4 of Battlestar Galactica, one of my favourite shows. One which Australian TV has, as usual, treated pretty shabbily in terms of programming. But anyway, I have been gulping it down in big watching binges and watched the last episode today. It made me cry which not many TV shows do. Though there was one plot thread that I didn't like the resolution to (not saying which due to spoilerness for Aussies who quite possibly haven't seen it yet). The rest was pretty good. And now I am sad that its over. Thank goodness for DVDs.

In other news, I'm slowly getting over my bug which has made the second half of March a bit of a write-off in exercise and socialising terms. I did my Nia class last night and have a three week intensive workshop tomorrow so hopefully that will get me back on the wagon. I'll have to work my way back up to Cardio Coach Volume 4 I think but I'll get there. Apart from that the weekend holds writing, napping and maybe a bit more sewing.

Which isn't that interesting, so instead I shall tell you Keri's exciting news...her book is debuting at #6 on the NYT list next week, so let there's be champagne and rejoicing. Go read about it at the Deadline Dames.

To finish, somehow I forgot to blog the bag I made last weekend, so here it is:





This is the Large Tote and Satchel pattern from Nicole Mallalieu which was easy to make and looks really good (in fact, my mum has already asked for one lol). I wanted to use the cute elephant fabric but thought it would be a bit much for a bag exterior. Luckily it went beautifully with some nice aqua duck cloth (it is aqua even though it looks pale blue in the photos). This was my first bag with a hard base (medium fast 2fuse and Vilene S520 in this case), my first use of fusible wadding (flap and strap) and my first attempt at o-ring straps too, so I'm pretty happy with the way it's turned out. Though I think I need to practice top stitching straps some more. Might be time for the good old post it note seam guide trick.

This weekend I'm going to hopefully put the border on my big bright quilt (my blue and cream one is off at the quilting place) and make a coin purse to match my Frenchy bag. Then we'll see what takes my fancy for the next project.

Vive la france

So later yesterday I thought I'd just cut out my pieces for the Frenchy bag so I could fiddle with it a bit during the week.

Only then I started it and not much longer after that, I had this.





Very cute and the Tula Pink Flutterby fabrics work really well. This is the handbag size and I'm definitely going to make the shoulder bag size as well (one more for the project list) because it's probably more 'going out in the evening' size for me than handbag size given I tend to carry a fair bit in my day bags. So I'll probably make myself a little matching coin/card purse and I'll be set.

I made the handles longer so it does go over my shoulder and I divided the pockets but otherwise, it's pretty much as per the pattern (well, except for the inevitable using fusible interfacing - light on the bag and lining and medium on the straps and top - instead of sewn in). Though I did leave the opening for turning in the bottom of the lining which worked well. Oh and I didn't topstitch at step 7, only at the end. All stuff I found in other reviews. Putting in the magnetic clasp was easier than I expected, so very happy overall.

Next on that list, the quilt back.

Blurk

So last weekend I was feeling a bit buggy and all week I was EXHAUSTED and pushed it a bit by going out two nights so Friday afternoon I started feeling pretty terrible and yesterday was spent mostly asleep. Today I'm feeling a bit better but hardly full of pep. So it's been a sleeping and reading and lying on the couch watching dvds type of weekend. Which is annoying because I wanted to start my Frenchy bag and get stuck into the wip and get back into the exercise routine which had slightly gone out the window due to feeling not well. Guess that will have to wait a bit.

Friday, before I started feeling bad, I made these:



They're the Perfect Pouches pattern by Lazy Girl Designs, which I have to say is a very easy and quick to do pattern. I didn't have any batting, so just interfaced the back and it seems to work fine. I made the blue one first then was experimenting with the red one to see if I could find a way of doing it so you don't end up with raw seams inside that you zig zag. Short answer, yes, you can, long answer, yes you can with a french seam but it comes out a bit wonky looking cos the seams get very bulky around the zip and corners and it's hard to keep it squared. I think an easier option might be cutting slightly bigger so you've got a big enough seam allowance to turn the edges over twice. Or you know, living with zig zag or another finishing stitch. The way you do the zips in these is really nifty and clever and they're very quick to do. I'm going to make some bigger ones for packing and travelling etc.

This afternoon I made this (probably not the smartest idea. Sewing while slightly brain befuddled = unpicking).



This is the large boxed version of the Nicole Mallalieu coin purse design. I didn't get one side seam quite right, there too big a gap between the zip and the edge but I am considering these my learning versions. I didn't interface this one because I wanted to see what it was like without it. Answer, probably fine in a slightly heavier fabric but I'll do a light interfacing on the outer material in future versions to give it a bit more structure.

And now I'm going to lie on the couch some more and maybe wriggle my fingers over the alphie after I've recovered from a whole hour or so of sewing. I hate viruses!

Midweek fly-by post

It's been a busy week so far, lots on at work and then I went to see David Hobson and Teddy Tahu Rhodes in recital last night. Beautiful tenor and baritone. I'm not a huge opera fan, mainly because I find sopranos a bit hard on the ears sometimes but I do like the male voices, so this was great. Plus neither of them is hard on the eyes. I believe Teddy sometimes get called a "Barihunk" lol

Tomorrow night I'm off to see Wicked, so YAY. I've had the soundtrack for ages, so am very much looking forward to it.

In between all of this I've been getting little bits and pieces of writing down and also trying out my Nicole Mallalieu coin purse pattern. I've made the small one:



Which is cute and definitely coin purse size. I'm not a big coin purse size, so this has found a home with the VT.

I made the bigger size to match my Fleamarket bag.



It's much bigger, more like a small makeup purse. I think I'll try making one the same size but not as deep which would be a great size for throwing some cash, cards and coins in your bag for a night out when you don't what to cart your purse around.
The pattern is pretty straightforward, just remember to read her tutorial on zips on the website (er, if it's a LONG time since you'd put it a zip like it was for me lol).

Weekend wrap up

My weekend has zoomed by again. Friday I went to the Stitches and Craft show and bought a couple of Nicole Mallalieu patterns to try then came home and wrote.

Saturday was the ballet with Mum and Gwen and Betsy (I am the token young whippersnapper). It was a triple bill and all were good (though I still find Les Sylphide far too dreamy and soothing, or maybe I was just sleepy : ) ). Saturday night was Supernatural and I made some red velvet cake for the first time (YUM!).

Today I've been doing laundry and sewing and writing. Bad sewing mojo today, lots of unpicking due to making silly errors which probably means I'm more tired than I think.

Still I managed to make the first of my girly versions of the library bag (and do most of the prep work for the second, it just needs the final putting together which should only take me thirty minutes or so when I'm not quite this tired).



Next on the list...one of these Amy Butler Frenchy Bags, in some cute Tula Pink Flutterby fabrics I bought at AQC. And finishing the quilt back for my blue and cream quilt (yes, I'm aware I finished the top 2 years ago...you can't rush these things!). Which given I only have to cut three pieces and sew two seams should be do-able. It would be good to have that done before Easter so I can take it home to get the laying out and basting down (drawback to little house is nowhere big enough to lay out big quilts!)

And now it's time for dinner and a bit more writing and then more Supernatural. I'm almost done with Season 3 and then will be cursing the Aussie TV programmers like everyone else and saying WHERE IS THE NEW SERIES?

Library bags

So last week I said I was going to make some library bags for Beyond Pink and Blue's Rainbow Comfort Pack drive for kids who are victims of the bushfires.

So last weekend I bought fabric and today I made my first bag:



I followed Nicole's pattern idea. This is teen sized...I cut out rectangles 52 by 40 (yay for patterns with straight lines that you can cut with a rotary cutter - speedy). It took me about half an hour to measure up and cut pieces for two bags and probably an hour to sew (maybe a bit longer as I figured out the compartment pocket at the front and the mobile phone/cash and card/key sized patch pocket inside) and the second one will be faster as I've already done some of the prework on the pockets and know what I'm doing now.

I'm going to make another one in this fabric (I liked the grey and blue camo, I figured it would appeal to boys or girls who don't like pink or girly stuff), same size and I've bought another fabric to make two more girly ones. I think I'll make those slightly shorter and thinner so they come out a little smaller for girls, so I'll probably cut them 48 by 38. I'll post a pic of those when we're done.

It was dead easy, all you need to know how to do is sew straight stitch and zig zag.

I bought a metre of each fabric and there'll be a bit left over...I'm rapidly developing a fabric stash. Yikes. I see more plastic storage tubs in my future.

Accidental sewing discovery

This kind of clothes brush (with the fabric-y velvety type brush bit) brushes tailor's chalk marks off fabric quite nicely.

Just in case anyone was wondering.

Busy busy

So Friday was the Australian Quilt Convention, so Chris and I toddled along and were semi-restrained. I bought a few bag patterns and some fabric, so there will be more bags along the line somewhere. Came home from AQC mid afternoon then critted and did a bit of writing.

Yesterday there was Lulus where there was much critiquing and eating of violet crumbles (and other yummy healthier things).

Last night I started making this:



And finished it this morning obviously. It's Grand Revival Design's Practical Bag and the fabric is just a quilting cotton from Spotlight that I thought was cute lined with a heavier black cotton (though the actual quilting cotton is heavier than normal and the design is printed on which makes it stiffer too). It was pretty easy to make (though I remembered how much I hate sewing black things though maybe I was just a bit tired. Or maybe I should've gone with green thread), took maybe three hours including cutting time. I found it a bit tricky to insert the straps perfectly neatly which doesn't really matter on this one as it's just a take shopping bag but if I were making one in prettier (and perhaps lighter) fabrics as a gift or to carry more as a big bag, then you need to be careful with your seam allowances. If I was making another tote one then I might make the straps a smidgeon longer (maybe an inch or two) just because I'm tall.

My other speedy project today was a new 'hanging thing for over the arm of the recliner to put stuff in' for Mum as the folks got their couch and chairs recovered. I made out of a thick slubby decorator fabric and am once again impressed with the Janome's ability to chug through fabric...it balked only at the very last corners which were getting close to 75mm thick I'd say, so I just caught those by hand. This is probably the first thing I've ever made without a pattern, I just looked at the old one and made something similar dimensions. It's just a rectangle with a compartment pocket which you could make deeper for a remote or something I guess. Would've been easier with an overlocker perhaps to finish the edges quickly without having to turn them under but it should work regardless. At least it was fast.



Next on the project list is a couple of library bags for this:

I'm going to do some teen size ones of the backpack style. So will cut fabric during the week and that can be my sewing time next weekend. If you sew (or even if you don't but can donate some stuff) maybe give it a go.

For the rest of the day I need to write, clean, grocery shop, exercise and then possible collapse.

And again

Apparently I am feeling sew-y today. This was quicker, maybe two hours and probably faster now I know how it's done.



This is the Flea Market Bag by Grand Revival Designs. The fabrics are Amy Butler (Daisy Chain collection, I think). No messing around with this one, er apart from the bit where I didn't quite read the pattern right and cut the straps too short then had to add a sewn extension, so there's some extra seams. It wasn't terribly complicated once I understood how the straps worked. I'm going to try the Practical Bag from the same company as well.

And now, I think I need to collapse on the couch!

Project for the day

I forgot to take my yoga mat with me to the Nia class yesterday and when I got home I realised I didn't have a mat bag as I've only ever used my mat at home.

I'd seen a free yoga bag pattern on Amy Butler's site (the Nigella yoga mat bag), so I decided to give it a whirl. Ta da!



I'm quite chuffed with it. It was pretty easy to put together (I even remembered how to ease curves and believe me, it's been a long time since I did anything resembling complicated sewing). The fabric is a cotton canvas, so I didn't have to use the interfacing. Though I definitely needed a heavy needle - there are a LOT of layers of fabric in certain parts, particularly attaching the bottom circle to the exterior bag where the strap is attached. I'm happy to report that my new Janome (did I blog about that?) didn't turn a hair, just chugged happily through the loads of fabric.

I'd read this review of the pattern (really, how cool is the internet?) and decided to take her advice. I made the strap an inch narrower, and the bag itself four inches longer. I decided not to lengthen the strap itself (wasn't sure if that would work with a drawstring closing) so I just attached the top of the strap four inches down from the top of the bag instead of against the top edge, turned the raw edge under and top stitched that then stitched another line of stitching two inches below to reinforce. It appears to be pretty strong, yoga mat aren't that heavy after all. And seems to have worked fine, though I guess you could lengthen the strap. I've made a channel for a drawstring cord (or shoelace or whatever I end up using) at the top by turning over an inch, sewing that down then turning over another inch and sewing with a gap for the drawstring. It took me about four hours including cutting out the fabric and a few breaks.

The longer length is good, my mat doesn't stick out. A note about the pockets, they're pretty close fitting, good for keys or some cash and a card but you wouldn't get a water bottle in there. There's a reasonable amount of fabric left over so I might even make a bag or something out of it eventually.