patchwork cushions

This weekend was all about making cushions!

The string patch cushion was made from the smaller (because I went wrong) patches from my first attempt!!

I then deliberately cut another couple smaller and made a cushion front (it has a white and multi coloured spot envelope back)

I decided to turn the hexes I had started to sew together into a cushion after all. I figured that if they bugged me now then I probably wouldn't be able to muster up enough enthusiasm to turn it into a big quilt...the big quilt will be more carefully planned.
I backed it with a dress I rescued from the to be ebayed pile.
In the meantime, I am getting organised. I will sew up all the hexagon patches before I arrange them in a 'random' pattern...and I am getting a lot of pleasure from seeing them in my new filing system (shoe box!!) Some of my new favourites, fabric gifted to me by Gem.

Thank you for signing up for the colour swap..if you haven't already...comment on this post by Monday 22nd.....if you are feeling particularly full of mojo, there is another lovely swap here.

a helping hand

As well as the fabulous fabric squares I received from Mary, I have been very lucky this week to have 2 more parcels in the post with a helping hand for my hexy quilt.

2 more fabric stashes for me to be envious of!!

Thank You Beki xxxxx the squares are ready to be turned into a hex and some of yours can also be seen in the string patches I blogged about yesterday!!

Thank You Mary P xxxxx I will be chopping squares later and also some string strips too.

So with the help from my very lovely bloggy friends, I shall be able to make a quilt big enough for a double or king sized bed rather than a cot!!!

I am having a wobble about the hexes stitched together so far. They are not random enough.

I should have pieced all my hexes, then laid them out, but I wanted to start sewing them together and then I made a mistake when I first started stitching and instead of unpicking I changed plans and went for a block of one colour. However I've started thinking that when the quilt is big it will be just that little bit too random and not what I wanted ...after discussion with mum (who was hexing before I was even born!!) she suggested that I add a few more onto the one's I have done and make a cushion and start again with the quilt (*sigh* had I mentioned how slow it is?!?!).

I think she is very probably right..I don't want to put all this effort in and then it bug me as its the wrong sort of random!!!

Does anyone else struggle with 'random' like I do??? Is random really a very calculated well planned thing??

(also did anyone else have to REALLY force themselves to chuck the offcuts from the string patches??? I did stare at them thinking I could reuse, but resisted and got rid!!!)

string patches

Friday found me with 2 and a half child free hours. I had prepared for them all week. I made sure I had strips of fabric and I cut squares out of lining fabric.

The sewing machine was dusted off after more than a months rest and brought downstairs.

I set myself up a little ironing station on the dining table next to my machine (saves moving you see!!), remembering why I ended up with new oilcloth in the first place I made sure it was well padded.

I'm not a tidy worker...

And I found them surprisingly easy. You see I am very untrusting! When somebody tells me something is very easy I tend to think - for you maybe!!! But it really was simple.

(thats not to say that a few weren't messed up......)

Once all the strips are sewn on - pre trimming - I have to say I wasn't overly impressed, as I don't have great vision! But once trimmed...

I began to be impressed!

I made extra work for myself by roughly trimming down with scissors first, Then using the cutting mat and rotary..and a new to me metal ruler....I made them all the same size - 6 inch squares .....

Like I said I know I didn't need to trim with scissors first but as I don't have a square template and I needed to see the grid on my cutting board, I found this an easier way of doing it. I'm not very confident with my rotary cutter and mat!!!

It was at this stage that I found a few that hadn't made the grade, I had not used long enough strips in a couple of places and there were gaps and joins......not the end of the world....meet the 5 1/2 inch squares :D

I am very pleased with how they have turned out. Even with the wonkyness of the strips in places (bottom right green paisley for starters!!!). Such a simple process, yet very very effective. Some of my favourites.....

Obviously now I have 2 different sized squares then I will need to find 2 different projects, and as I'm hoping that in round 2 I won't make mistakes, then hopefully all future squares will be 6 inches. The smaller squares I may turn into a bag front or something.....

patchwork

My latest ongoing project...my hexy patchwork...taking shape...v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y!!! I love doing it but it does take a while to look like its going anywhere when you are time limited like me.

I have lots of patches made up...I made a decision that no 2 patches on my quilt (yes quilt..I aim high!!) will be the same so I have made a good start cutting squares from my stash....
Some more squares ready to go....I still have a shelf left to snip from....but I have been greatly helped along on the no two patches the same thing by a lovely blogging lady who wanted to do a swap for her string patchwork (you have to scroll past Mary's simply stunning almost finished hexagon quilt to get to the part where you see her simply stunning string patchwork patches!!) I asked Mary if I could swap strips for squares and now I have a pile of fabric squares to play with and deep envy of Mary's fabric stash!!!!!Whilst cutting out strips (even with a rotary...most definately NOT my favourite job, the cutting bit) I decided to cut double and attempt some string patches myself...too late for this challenge...but I plan to make a few!! In the mean time...I found a way to keep a certain someone occupied for a whole half hour. (excuse the yoghurt coated jumper) Laying out the strips of fabric...and I swear I also saw him stroke them as he lined them up!!! I have high hopes for this boy!!

purling

Whilst we were away my lovely husband celebrated his birthday. We marked the occasion by having a leisurely breakfast where nobody spilt anything, then catching the metro to catch the Staten Island Ferry. This would provide us with a marvellous...and free..view of the Statue of Liberty. It was cold, and windy, and wet ...and lovely husband was underwhelmed by her size!!!( I quote...hmmm thought it would be bigger!!!!) But it was lovely. Even lovlier was that after we had got off the ferry, back on, then off again in Manhatten, we caught the metro once more up to SoHo, heading for Sullivan Street. Here. I'll spare you the lousy map reading tales and the walking round in circles ones too and get onto the fabric I bought for myself. Whilst lovely husband stood like a spare part!! Not many men would be prepared to do this for their wives on their birthday lol!!!

It was my turn to be underwhelmed....whilst the little shop was full of beautiful quilting fabrics...there was nothing there apart from a couple of designs that blew me away.

Now in the shops defence, I am most certainly not a quilter and have an untrained eye, but I was just expecting some more 'wow' factor fabrics....like lots of them on this site.

The staff were friendly..left me alone to dither whilst being there to help...and the prices were good. We pay a lot of money for quilting fabric in the UK!! Most of the fabrics were about $9 a yard so half a yard cost the same as a FQ over here.

These photo's were taken in my bay window....no idea why the light is so awful.

From the left the 1st 2 are Aunt Grace Classics - I love the blue and satsuma orange together.

The middle 3 are Aunt Grace Authentics - these will be turned into a hexy patchwork lap quilt...

The next 3 are Amy Butler - from her new Love range.

I also got a yard of this Alexander Henry nursery print...well it said nursery to me...I will save this for making new baby gifts.

Apart from the authentics, I bought because I liked, with no project in mind, which is why my haul is quite restrained. I had no projects in mind and as I said before nothing else totally bowled me over....now if I'd have found other fabric shops the story could be very different!! Next time we go I shall research fabric shops with more care!!

undeserved kindness

A while ago I sent a piece of manky old oilcloth off my dining table to Sarah of Red Gingham. Sarah has blogged about it here.

I say manky...it was perfectly fine...once I cut round the iron mark....someone was ironing on the dining table....don't ask!! I was glad that it could be reused as I would have stored it away and never used it.

Returning from holiday I collected some parcels from the sorting office and got a very lovely surprise.

Too lovely. Sarah is very naughty...look what she sent me.....

fabric...and sweeties....(m's and m's as C calls them...they are gone!!!!)

cute kiddy fabric.....christmas fabric...red and white christmas fabric...perfect for me. Just my style. But Sarah knew that. Does anyone else sometimes think their blog friends know them better than their real life ones???!

I am going to have such fun making with these fabrics...now the holiday is over Christmas must begin!! I have some serious crafting to do....

I just love the bird decoration attached to the ribbon...love it!! Such a lovely touch to make a special present even more special...I may steal the idea for Christmas Gifts....

Sarah you are a star...I told you that you made me cry. I was totally overwhelmed. And I hope you get a warm fuzzy feeling knowing you made me very happy :)

SC do London - haberdashery!

Here's the first part of my shopping from the SC day trip!
I had no real shopping list. I had been saving up my pennies just to buy things I didn't need. My favourite type of purchase!!
Except these...
This was on the list - I needed oilcloth to cover the table I use in my workroom. And as I was in CK, it would have been rude not too!!
And the little boys need a blind in their room- so with a little help from my friends I chose this.....
and may I say how nice it was to shop with people who offer more than a 'buy it if you want it' or a 'yeah its alright'!!!
These are CK dusters which will be turned into a cushion at some point - not the most exciting purchase!Liberty was a real treat, I think it had been 15 years since my last visit. I managed to (finally) choose some prettiness....just a small amount of each....At the moment we are still at the stroking stage. Is it wrong to like fabric so much. I'm an amateur in the fabric stash stakes but I'm enjoying working towards professional status!! Just have to make the odd thing now and then so that the husband thinks it is all Really Useful and Essential!!

In Macculloch and Wallis I got some fab bias binding. And ricrac.
I've used the sexy red gingham binding today making this......And last but by no means least buttons -
cute transport ones....
fab London ones...
and cute gingham pastel coloured ones from Liberty.
Totally random unnecessary purchases - fab! There are more non-haberdasery pretties to come later!

Some of you have said how you can't read my posts when they show on your blog....could be my playing with the post dating thingy - its not working properly!!