Bright Sky QAL - Ms Nightshade

A few months ago, Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts asked me if I would be interested in joining her Bright Sky Quilt Along?  Sure, I said.  No problem, I said.  And really, it wasn't a problem - I just got my skates on and got the quilt top made incredibly fast! Seriously, this is a super quick pattern to put together! But I then had to leave it languish in my pile of WIP's, because, Tokyo.

Anyway - today is my stop on the quilt along!  So I'm going to show you my version of the Bright Sky pattern.  And it's a colour palette I never really envisioned EVER using!

This, my friends, is Ms Nightshade.

 

Isn't she beautiful?  I was lucky enough to score a big bundle of Nightshade fat quarters from Quilt Jane earlier this year.  I know two females in my life who would die over these prints, I just had to wait for the right pattern to use them in.  And given Bright Sky's big scale pattern, I brought Nightshade out to play.  It took a lot of umming and ahhing to convince myself it was going to work!  I mean - olive, pink and black?  And CREAM?!?!!?  I ordered the solids from The Oz Material Girls (their quilting solids really are beautiful to work with!) and was pleased when they arrived and actually co-ordinated well with the prints.

The next step was to make the cameo of this gothic princess work.  Let me tell you - fat quarters and huge scale prints are not ideal!  It almost killed me not using a complete cameo, but I basically had to fussy cut this baby so that it was pretty much centred.  My fat quarter had the top of the cameo cut off - hence why the bottom is too!  The great thing about this pattern however, is that the centre block just had to be 18" square.  Which essentially means you can make that square up however you please.  You would have seen Alyce's latest version, which she made in to a star, well this one is just a frame around the cameo.  Winning.

 

I was VERY impressed with my points on the inner star!  It was relatively easy to put together in terms of the bias I was working with, but I was a tad worried during the process!

What I WASN'T impressed with, was how my outer star points ended up!  Completely my fault, and I am dreading having to unpick to fix the problem.  BUT, I can't really not have star points!  I'm thinking the reason behind this minor issue was that the outer star rectangular blocks were a little bigger than they should have been, so I SHOULD have trimmed them down a little before piecing it all together.  Doh. So that is my next step.

Now, a little dilemma I'm having is BACKING.  I searched high and low whilst in Tokyo for the perfect backing fabric - to no avail.  I even had lovely Alyce's help, but nothing.  If you head over to Blossom Heart Quilts today, she is having a little old giveaway - and all you have to do is suggest what fabric I should use for my backing.  I look forward to getting some options!

And just for laughs......here's an out-take from the photo shoot yesterday......

Was a tad bit windy....

I hope you like my version of the Bright Sky pattern!  You can find the pattern HERE and the full schedule of quilt-alongers is here:

Monday 29th September – Choosing Fabrics Tips

Week 1: Centre Star
Monday 6th October – Have Fun With Your Centre Star!
Wednesday 8th October – Echo by Molli Sparkles

Week 2: Piece Outer Star
Monday 13th October – Outer Star Tips
Wednesday 15th October – My Fabric Relish

Week 3: Piece Quilt Top + Backing
Monday 20th October – BHQ
Wednesday 22nd October – Ms Midge

Week 4: Quilting
Monday 27th October – Pretty Bobbins free motion quilting guest post here at BHQ
Wednesday 29th October – A Stitch In Between (Bright Sky mini)

Week 5: Quilting
Monday 3rd November – Elven Garden Quilts free motion quilting guest post here at BHQ

Week 6: Final Linky
Monday 10th November – Linky opens here at BHQ for a week

Voting:
Monday 17th November – Linky closes and voting opens for Viewers’ Choice award
Friday 21st November – Winners announced!

I'm also linking up with Freshly Pieced!

Sunday Stash & Dash - Whoops

Ummmmmm........ I sort of forgot that I sort of made a comment that I sort of wouldn't be buying any fabric before I went to Tokyo......

Whoops #1 - Last Sunday's trip to Ikea was for one purpose only.  My husband came along with me knowing that purpose, and when I questioned whether to get the whole bolt, he very cleverly commented "It's your money".  Well played husband.....

Whoops #2 - I folded on my "I'm not buying Cotton + Steel, cos I don't need it" virtue.  And whilst I put it in my cart, I thought I best fill that baby up.  So I did.  Essex Linen and Indellible are now located on my shelves....  I have to admit - I bought the half yard of Moonlit under the premise that it was, in fact, a canvas weight print.  I was very disappointed when it arrived and was quilting cotton.  I had BIG plans for that canvas!  The store I bought it from have been made aware of their ambiguous wording and have thankfully changed it so nobody else will think they are getting canvas.  In the meantime, I'll just wait, ahemmmm, for the replacement canvas I purchased today from another store.  Whoops.

Whoops #3 - Really shouldn't be counted as a whoops.  I have wanted new business cards for quite some time - cos I've outgrown my cutesy pink and green "handmade children's clothing" cards.  I was very patient and waited for moo.com to have a sale.  They did.  So I got me some new cards.  They truly are much nicer in real life, but you know - this post is about dashing, it's 10.40pm, so this IG photo will just have to do!  I think they represent me just perfectly!

Over and out.

Wordless WIP Wednesday.....On A Thursday

Almost..... This was cut out and placed on my design floor Saturday night.  And pieced together Sunday afternoon.  Can't. Wait. To. Quilt. It.

 

 

I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced - You can too!

Sunday Stash & Dash

I think the "Stash & Dash" is going to become a regular post here for me!  I seriously cannot get my shit together during the week lately to write multiple blog posts!  So I now have 15 minutes spare and will punch this baby out using dodgy Instagram photos!  Sorry.....

Firstly, the stash part - I decided I needed another bundle of Wee Wander, so I wandered over to Westwood Acres and threw it in my cart.  And then decided to make my shipping worthwhile, I best fill that cart up!  I chucked in a fat 1/8th bundle of Color Me Happy and Full Moon Lagoon for good measure.  They were SO pretty when I opened it up, and although I didn't have anything in mind for the Fat 1/8th bundles, I soon found something.....

The delightful Lee over at Freshly Pieced just released a fabulous new pattern - Wavelength.  She has it on sale for a limited time, so if you pop over HERE you will find it.  I knew Color Me Happy would be perfect for this pattern, and just had to do some creative cutting with the little 1/8th's!  The above photo is 1.5 days work.  I'm using the template version, opposed to the paper pieced.  Basically because I don't have a printer, and I don't really want to ask my husband to print off 100's of templates at work!  I'm THRILLED with how it's coming together, and have cut out another two rows ready to add this week.  My youngest son was watching me lay it out and asked "who's this quilt for Mum?".......  Ummmmmm, I dunno!!!!

Another little happy package arrived, my 11th block pattern and fabrics for the Fat Quarter Shop Mystery Designer BOM.  I love this block, so cute!  Getting to the end of the BOM, so I shot over to Spotlight last Tuesday to take advantage of their 40% off fabrics, and grabbed some solids and a couple of little prints that will work beautifully will these blocks!

I have also come to the conclusion this week that I have finally succumbed to Quilter's ADHD.  I seem to be constantly starting new projects and jumping from one to the other.  Totally normal, I'm told, for quilters - but strange for me!  This little paper pieced Union Jack is the beginning of a  project my Wombat Stew friends are helping me with.  A London themed quilt!  It's going to be FAB!

And lastly, this is my April block for the QCA Bee #5!  Michelle asked for the great block pattern and asked us to use the cutest most fabulous feature fabric we had.  It was pretty obvious I should pull out my Jolli Pomme for the occasion!  She also asked for gem colours and to use some aqua in the block.  I think I covered all bases?  I love it!

Anywho, my 15 minutes is almost up, and I have television to watch!

I'm linking up - You can too!

T.G.I.F.F. - Small Projects - Large Impact

It's 8.28pm on a Friday night.  I'm frozen to the bones after watching a great grand final of cricket for my son's under 12 team (which they unfortunately lost), in the very chilly weather.  The kids are all in bed, the husband is watching the footy and I'm going to punch this blog post out fast and furious in order to go and park myself in front of the television, to watch some undoubtedly shady episode of crap.

So here goes........  Three small (in size, not time) projects that have a relatively large impact!

First cab off the rank is this gorgeous paper pieced dresden, designed by Quilt Jane.  Jane put out a call for testers last week and I jumped at the chance!  I love me a dresden, and love me some paper piecing - perfect!  I second guessed my fabric selection for this block - choosing some of the Botanics prints - but I like how it turned out.  I was going to make it in to a cushion but just couldn't make a decision, so have left it to the side for now.  This fabulous pattern is now available HERE in Jane's little e-store.  It's a definite must have.

Next up is this awesome paper pieced stationery block.  Jane is the queen in our Wombat Stew paper piecing bee this month - and she wrangled Kristy in to whipping up this delightful block for us all to replicate in one colour scheme each.  I love how it has turned out and look forward to seeing all the various coloured blocks as they come together.  By the way - it IS meant to be a square block - I'm still yet to add the strip of white fabric to the right hand side!  Doh!

And last but certainly not least - today's project was this beautiful linen zippered pouch.  This is what happens when you realise you need a birthday present two days out from said birthday.  It is the first time I've ever worked with linen (it's actually a cotton/linen blend you can buy HERE if you're quick!) and I'm in love!  The lining is a divine yellow feather print from the Flora range.  I also pulled out the teal and yellow Sphere charms I left out of the Baby Blue quilt, and made a teeny little 4.5" star for one side......

And a row of 1" squares for the other.  It's also a first time covering the ends of a zipper.  This zip was the perfect colour to coordinate with the linen, but was a bit too small - so I literally winged it and whacked some of the teal on to the ends and sewed over it, then went on my usual pouch making way and hoped for the best.  Best happened!  I kept to very minimal quilting, with just a couple of echoed rows of stitching around both the star and the rows of squares.  I used Aurifil 50wt #2000 - the most gorgeous creamy gold colour, which co-ordinates beautifully with this fabric!  One of my gorgeous friends saw this on IG and SMS'd me to ask for a tutorial - so I shall try and get to that next week!

In the meantime - I have television to watch!  Ni-night!

I'm linking up - You can too!

W.I.P. Wednesday - Back to Black

After I finished my NYB yesterday, I wandered aimlessly around my house (cos that's what you do when you have no more children at home!) wondering what I could tackle next?  Not long in to wandering, I picked up my very substantial pile of black and white fabrics and took them to my cutting mat.  And this is what happened next.....

 

This super quick quilt top was put together in a couple of hours.  But don't let time fool you - there has been a lot of thought put in to it!  You see, I've been collecting black and white prints for quite some time, knowing there would come a time when I would NEED to pull a rabbit out of my hat.  Now is that time.  I will explain further once it's finished and belongs to whomever it is being given to.....

Amongst my pile of B&W was a fat quarter of those divine dragonflies.  I picked it up at the Quilting Convention last year, just because, and man I'm glad i did.  Oh and of course, the Ghastlies had to be thrown in for good balance.

I'm hoping to have this baby finished by the end of the week.  Wish me luck.

I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced - You can too!

Sew Cute Tuesday - Quick & Easy Projects!

Some of you may remember I received a huge addition to my stash earlier this year?  Take a look HERE to refresh your memories!

Well, this past week has seen me cut in to some of the more treasured prints from my Japanese haul.  These are just a couple of them…...

I made this gorgeous zippered pouch using THIS fabulous tutorial by Noodlehead.  I tried making one last year and failed miserably, so was VERY chuffed with myself this time round.  The fabric is a Joli Pomme print, and is just about my favourite in terms of quirkiness!  I mean, rabbits and owls holding umbrellas with life like apples??  LOVE!  The photos don't do it as much justice as it should have, but I was stuck with my iPhone when photo time came.

I used some treasured Kate Spain for the lining and think it works beautifully.  I love how wide these pouches open.

This was gifted to a work friend on Monday, but I have also managed to make another for a little Christmas stocking filler showcase coming up.  Cute yes?

And then today, I was trying to think of a gift to make for another friend's birthday, and the idea hit!  So I went ahead and made something I'd always thought I'd make "one day" - a teabag wallet!

More Joli Pomme and some Kayo Horaguchi.

And some very contrasting black and white prints for the inside.  I used THIS tutorial and let me tell you - super quick and easy!  Whipped them both up under an hour.  I can see more of these in my future…..

These two little projects are also the beginning of my gift sewing for Christmas.  SEVEN. WEEKS. AWAY. PEOPLE.  I'm trying very hard to avoid making a list of what I need to get done before then, and so far it's working!  Tomorrow I shall be back to show you a very spur of the moment quilt top I put together last week……  Another gift I can almost tick off my list that doesn't exist!  Yay me!

How's everyone else doing with their Christmas lists?

I'm linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday - You can too!

W.I.P. Wednesday #22 - Quickie x 2

A very quick W.I.P. Wednesday post tonight - which is fitting given the speed in which these two projects are coming together!

A couple of weeks ago, a friend showed me a quilt her Step-Mum made for her when she was 12.  It had certainly seen better days - well, it was 20+ years old, so many a day seen!  Her eldest son had loved it literally to death, and it was falling apart and really on death's door.  So she asked me if I could make a new one.  Well, two new ones - because she knew once the nine year old had a new quilt, the five year old would want one too!  I was more than happy to oblige, and the only guide she gave me was to make them boyish colours, but not babyish prints, as she wants these quilts to last them into adulthood.

The first one I used a fat quarter bundle of Art Gallery - Urban Mod.  I had this cut out, pieced together and ready to baste by the end of day one.  And quilted it this morning.  Binding will go on tomorrow!

And the second I cut out and starting piecing together after lunch today.  It's another Art Gallery range - Indian Summer.  I quite simply cannot believe how bloody quickly these disappearing nine patch blocks go together!  I wanted something relatively quick and easy, and the gang at QCA were great when I questioned in there the other day!  So given that I still have tomorrow and Friday off work - I am aiming to have both of these bad boys finished by the weekend!

I'm linking up with W.I.P. Wednesday with Freshly Pieced - you can too!

Find Me A Soapbox!!!

I've just been aimlessly wandering around Facebook, you know, checking out what everyone's up to, reading inspirational quotes and looking at cute photos.  And then I see it.  Again. 

The word "retard".

Seriously, what year do we live in?  I could almost understand if we were still in 1485....

But we're not.  It's 2013, and this word has been well and truly outed as a derogatory term used to call people who have disabilities.  The fact that it is still used so widely to put people down, make fun of others AND give shit to people with disabilities makes me really cross.  Yes, I'm cross!

Now, I'm not perfect.  I think we've established that over the years.  However, I am a grown up.  I have grown up to realise that such derogatory terms should not be used.  That with growing up, you learn to use your vocabulary.  Broaden your knowledge and all that.  Apparently this does not happen to everyone?

Maybe I'm a little bit precious about this?  Maybe because I've spent the past 16 years of my life working with people who just happen to be living with intellectual disabilities, I'm a little bit touchy on the subject of derogatory labels?  Maybe.  Or maybe it is just because I'm a human being with empathy.  And common sense.

For God's sake people - start using your brain before you post something on a social media site that could potentially upset or offend your friends.  Think about the fact that you may very well have friends or family who actually have family members living with some type of disability.  And think about how you would feel if you child, sibling or someone you love was being called a "retard".

And yes, I am writing this very hasty and annoyance fuelled blog post because if I didn't, I would be blurting this all out on Facebook, possibly offending others who actually like to call people retards.  How is that right?

Ok.  Stepping down off my soap box.  For now.

Do you have any words or labels that really offend your sensibilities?  Share.

** Disclaimer - I am not saying I don't use labels for people - I use the words Dickhead, Idiot, F*ckwit etc quite often..... But it's generally very warranted!

W.I.P. Wednesday #14

A nice quick post from me today!  I've been flat out again, and just returned home after three hours out to find I'd left the sandwich toaster turned on.....oops!  Luckily the house is still standing.

Here is some progress on my flying by the seat of my pants quilt.  When I showed my husband the other day as I was adding rows, he asked me what it was?  I told him it was a bucket.  Clearly.  I think what he meant was, why am I making it?  Or who for, for that matter?  I'm making this because I can.  Because I love the fabric, and I'm learning some new techniques along the way.  One thing I am also learning is that my mathematical skills, or lack thereof, are not the best for making up a quilt layout!  But I'm getting there!

Apologies for the folds - but I just got it back out of my shelves and wasn't turning the iron on in 35 degrees heat!

What started as a simple little old dresden, is becoming what I think is a very beautiful potential quilt.

I was most annoyed when I got this back out to work on and realised that the "white" fabric I had chosen to use in this project, is actually more of a cream colour.  But - I wasn't going to start all over again - so upwards and onwards!

I am most impressed and in love with my little lines of geese!

I took it out in to the sunshine to photograph, but these photos really still do not give the colours of this Sarah Fielke fabric range any justice!  They are divine.

And that's it my friends!  I did start another project, but actually finished it this morning, so you shall have to wait until Friday to see it!

I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced!

 

Chinky Pixie - A quick & easy book week costume!

Like a million other children this month, my kids have celebrated "book week" by wearing costumes to school today, dressed up as their favourite book character.  The kids have known about this event for quite some weeks.  And admittedly - so have I.  Cadyn decided from the day he knew, that he would be going as Specky Magee, basically because he is not a fan of getting dressed up, God forbid he would draw any attention to himself!  So, his costume was easy - his football gear already sitting in his wardrobe.  Chelsea, on the other hand, could not decide whom her favourite character was, because she reads so many bloody books it's almost impossible.  BUT, Sunday afternoon she decided on Chinky the Pixie - from The Magic Wishing Chair book, by Enid Blyton.

Let me paint a picture for you......  It's 2pm Sunday afternoon.  We begin googling images of Chinky.  By 2.15pm I'm admitting defeat, and telling Chelsea she will have to find something else, because there's no way I'm going to have time to sort a bloody pixie outfit!  Come 3pm and I've got some ideas from my sewing group on FB, and I'm in the car on the way to the shops.  Half an hour later I'm home with supplies and making a bloody pixie outfit.  I thought I would share, basically because it had me stumped for a bit until my brain warmed up!  So here it is......A quick and easy book week costume.

MATERIALS USED - 1.5metres Homespun Cotton $9.00; 50cm felt $6.00; Tights on sale $1!  Cotton, pencil, pins, scissors, sewing machine!

1. Grab a good shorts pattern.  The one I use is actually the bottom half of the Bailey Romper pattern, and it is THE easiest shorts pattern EVER.  You can purchase the pattern HERE.  

2. The PDF pattern goes up to a size 5, I have upsized it to a size 7, as shown in this photo, but given that Chelsea is a size 8-9, I upsized it a little bit more!  You can see my post about upsizing HERE.

3. To change your shorts from regular to Pixie style, just draw some jagged lines at the bottom and add a little length if needed.

4. If you have pinking shears (jagged edged scissors) cut your edges as shown above.  This will lessen any fraying.  I made the edges uneven on purpose!

5.  Two pattern pieces required now done.

6.  I was directed to THIS FREE PDF for a pixie/elf hat.  It's super simple!  I used felt for the hat as it has a little more stiffness/body than the homespun cotton.

7.  The PDF is for a toddler size hat, so once again I upsized it a bit more to fit Chelsea's head.

8.  Cut out hat pieces.  Then just a matter of sewing all around the edges, trim the curves and turn right side out.  Then hem the bottom.  

9.  Done!

10.  Shorts all sewn up!

11.  For the top I used another PDF pattern, this time it's the  Whimsy Couture Easy Peasant Top, which you can get HERE.  This takes very little time to whip up!  

12.  Instead of hemming the bottom and sleeves, I got out the pinking shears again and did the same jagged effect.

The End Result!  And yes - I know there's now a red hat - further googling yesterday found that Chinky in fact wears a red hat, so thankfully my good Mother had some red felt and I was sewing that at 9pm last night!  Phew!

One very happy Pixie!

Chelsea was very happy to report this afternoon there were NO other pixies at school today!  

Do your kids have dress ups for Book Week?  Are you a last minute costume gatherer, or far more organised than me??