Christening Present Simple Patch Baby Quilt

The measurements of this quilt are 39 inches by 50.5 inches or 99cms by 128cms.

This quilt is constructed of four packs of pre-cut squares which I purchased at Spotlight. I started off with two packs and then decided that I needed more, next thing I knew I was making yet another quilt. 

The fabrics includes stripes and florals, in green, dull yellow, orange and blues. Before sewing I arranged patches on the floor and compared squares (four patches together to form a square), then I compared the squares next to each other until I had a layout that I liked the look of. 

The boarder is a white printed fabric that I had purchased prior to starting this quilt, but when I laid out the other fabric that I had purchased this one just looked better. I like to lay all my boarder fabric next to the rest of the quilt top and look at it while squinting, or take a few photos on my phone and compare fabrics.

The backing is a striking purple floral violet fabric which I hopefully have enough left over to be able to use again on another project. 

The quilting thread I’ve used for this project is Gutermann cotton which I’ve purchased in 800m so I can use it for a few items. To blend with the green fabric squares on top I’ve used variegated green thread (Colour 9989) on the quilt top and variegated blue thread (Colour 9986) on the back. So that means that I had to load up my bobbins with the blue variegated thread.  I quilted this quilt by following the seams of the centre squares with the quilting foot, so there is no quilting in the ditch, but on both sides of the squares. I used a ruler and some tailor’s chalk to line up the boarder ends with the seams I wished to sew in order to ensure consistency. 

The wadding is pre-cut, pre-bagged cotton wadding that is my favoured wadding to use.  I cut as close to the needed length as possible, so that I should have enough left over for the next single bed or baby quilt project I wish to sew. 

 The binding is Ready to Sew quilt binding available at Spotlight stores for $19.99. I have used this same binding before and I was lucky that I had just enough left for this quilt. Although before I decided upon this binding I did pin it all around the quilt edge to ensure that there would be enough.   I used an aqua Gutermann polyester thread (Colour 763), as I think that it’s the best thread that matches this pre-made binding colour wise. 

 As I was finishing off hand sewing the binding my finance informed me that one of his friends had a baby christening that we were invited to. So it was lovely to know that I had a quilt ready in advance (instead of last minute stressed out sewing) as a gift for this occasion.

Baby Chevron Quilt

Baby Chevron Quilt

Here's a lovely little quilt that I finished this time last month and have been itching to blog about ever since. Unfortunately I have to prioritize sometimes and complete uni assignments, before I can commit any time to leisurely activities such as blogging.

This lovely quilt was purchased as a kit when I spied that it was reduced down to $20.00 at Spotlight around Christmas/New Years. I couldn't go past such a bargain! (I wouldn't even be able to buy the fabric for that).

The quilt kit is called Quiltologie. I was very impressed with the quality of the fabric and instructions and will keep an eye out for more kits from this brand. The binding was included in the kit and the fabric sizes are very generous, so there is plenty of room for error. I would recommend this kit brand to beginners, as it contains everything that they will need other than the wading and backing fabric.

The backing fabric is one that I have used before, as the boarders on the Baby Girl Quilt... Cat in the Hat (Posted September 30, 2014). I had just enough of it left over to back this quilt with. 

To quilt I have used white polyester Rasant 120 thread colour 0010, then to attach the binding or edging of the quilt I have used Gutermann polyester thread colour 763 as it is the one that I found best matched the binding fabric.

The batting I used for this project was the Sew Easy Cosy Natural 100% cotton pre-cut and bagged cot size from Spotlight. The size was originally 127 cm x 152 cm, however I trimmed what I would need (allowing for a few inches or around 10 cm extra on each side while quilting) just before I sprayed the quilt ready for quilting. 

This quilt was fun and very easy to quilt. I did start off quilting it more densely at one end, but decided that it looked and had a nicer feel to it with more spaced  out quilting. While quilting the zig and zag I left the needle in the fabric while I turned the bulk of the quilt,  so as to make sure that the stitches all lined up and I didn't lose my place. I enjoyed quilting this quilt, the zig zags were very easy to do and I will be quilting some more like this again in the future.

This quilt measures in at 130 cm x 107 cm,  or 51 inches x 42 inches which is a good sized cot quilt.  

This was a overdue gift for a beautiful baby girl, so I've wrapped it up in some ribbon all ready for Bub's mum to unwrap. 

Star Wars Cushions

Star Wars Cushions 

I  made these well over a month ago, and have been meaning to write a blog post about them ever since! I made these for my brother's birthday. Last time I went to visit his apartment I noticed that there were no cushions. In fact everyone noticed and commented on it.  When I asked him if he had done this for a reason, or he just hadn't gotten around to it. He responded that he just hadn't gotten around to it. So I told him as part of his birthday present I would make him a few throw cushions. 

I actually had the inserts for the cushions already, as I have been meaning to make a variety of cushions to sell in my madeit.com.au store. However... last year was crazy busy with university commitments and a whole range of other things that seemed to happen one after another so I struggled to get anything creative done at all. Alas, my madeit.com.au store only has two listings in it for the moment. 

I love making cushions. I would make cushions all day every day if I could. The problem is where to put them all once they are made. This is why I was excited to make my brother some cushions as part of his birthday present. Cushions are a great gift. Cushions for someone who is cushions-less is even better! Also what a great excuse for me to continue buying Star Wars fabric when I see it! 

The black and yellow Star wars print I ordered online from Oz Material Girls. While the red Star Wars print I found at the Quilters Store at Salisbury. The calico I would have purchased from Spotlight. I love to have calico at home at the ready for a range of projects and repairs, so I usually have excessive amounts floating about the house in my various fabric hidey holes.

Once I had made the cushion cases up they measured 16 inches ( approx 41cms) and 13.5inches (approx 35cms). The red Star Wars fabric is one fat quarter worth, which I used almost all of. The black and yellow Star Wars fabric was two fat quarters worth, so I still have some remaining. 

The cushion with the black and yellow Star Wars fabric in the centre measures 11.5 inches (approx 29.5cms) with the red boarders measuring 1.5 inches (approx 4cms). The calico was used at the back for the 'envelope' of the cover. I like to fold over the edges a few times and then iron the calico. This way I can just sew one seam to secure them and stop the inside flap of the cushion cover from fraying when it comes time to wash it.

My son had a serious case of cushion envy when he saw his uncles gift! So maybe sometime in the future I may make some Star wars pillow cases for him. As he already has too many cushions. He used to steal all the cushions that I made for the lounge, and hide them in his room until I conceded and let him keep them. If I let him, the cheeky Muppet would have his entire bed covered in cushions!

Crochet Beach Bag

Crochet Beach Bag

For Christmas I never know what I want, so I usually ask for Spotlight or Lindcraft vouchers. I definitely use them and appreciate them so much! This is how I used some of vouchers from Christmas 2014. I made myself a crochet beach bag. Which I am now using as my everyday handbag.

I have been itching to make something out of tarn (t-shirt yarn) since I stumbled across it on YouTube while researching another project.

I searched the web and found some great free instructions on this blog... http://knittingandsomemore.blogspot.com.au/2009/03/colourful-cotton-bag.html by Bea from 2009. I actually found the look of the bag that I wanted to create with Pinterest and then looked for links to instructions until I found this blog. The instructions were easy to follow and I slightly modified them when making the base so give it more of an oval shape. Although I can't really explain how I managed to do it. I just added stitches until it had the look that I was after.

All up the crocheting of the bag base took roughly a week while binge watching TV series on DVD with my other half while we relaxed in the evenings.  However... to be fair, this was during holidays. So usually it may take me a fortnight or even longer to crochet the same size piece in the evenings. I used a N/15-10mm hook for the tarn in this project.

Each colour is a different ball of tarn. The red isn't a whole ball, as I used some to make a very basic macrame holder for one of my plants that was taking up valuable real estate space on the window sill. So I decided to make a macrame holder and hang it next to the window. I plan on making a more complicated macrame holder for my other plant to hang it over our bath. Hmm....so many plans so little time!

The handles were $9.99 from Lindcraft (they are also available at Spotlight) and I stitched them on with some black tarn before I added the calico lining.

The lining I double stitched by machine at the bottom so hopefully it will remain hole free for some time! Last minute I added a side pocket, so I can find my keys and such when I'm in a hurry. I made this lining bigger than my bag actually needs, to account for stretch with use.

I hand stitched the lining into the bag. My hand stitching isn't the neatest as I like to whip up everything on the machine. But it's good enough to keep the lining in my bag, so I'm happy with that. If this was a gift I would be fussier about my hand stitching.

I did forget to add a clasp for inside of the lining, so I may even hand stitch one in. Although I don't really need it and I have so many other projects to get stuck into I doubt that I will forget my little clasp. I have more tarn that I purchased with my vouchers and I already have plans to make myself another bag with the round base.  I think with the next bag I'll crochet the handles, as per the instructions I found.

Anyone reading my blog and would like me to follow theirs please comment below...I'd love to 'meet' more bloggers and creative people!

Single Hectic Eclectic Bordered Quilt. An Amazing stash buster quilt.

Single Hectic Eclectic Bordered Quilt. An Amazing stash buster quilt. 

 

My first UFO down for the year. What a fantastic start to the year.  I love the feeling of finally finishing off a quilt that has had to be put aside for other projects time and time again.

I plan to get more UFO's (Un Finished Objects) completed this year. The goal is by the end of the year to have no remaining UFO's remaining hidden in my sewing room cupboard, or in plastic tubs forgotten about under my sewing table. Same goes for the odd shoe boxes of fabric cut up and waiting to be sewn into something pretty, usable and useful stashed in various places around the house. 

This single Hectic Eclectic quilt is the other half of the previous Single Hectic Eclectic quilt that is currently up for sale on my madeit.com.au/Netto store.  Originally I had planned to make them into a double quilt, but then changed my mind and made two single quilts.

I love that they are both amazing stash busters. This pattern allows you to showcase so many different beautiful fabrics in a variety of sizes.

Some of these fabrics I purchased myself at a variety of fabric stores, one was from Big W, and others were given to me as a gift for Christmas many years ago. 

I can see myself making another of these style quilts again in the future. (Maybe when I have no remaining  UFOs lingering and making me feel guilty about not finishing my projects in a more timely manner.)

Some of these fabrics have been cut since I first started quilting. Prior to making these two single bed quilts, I made myself a double bed sized quilt. Although I now have a French Braid quilt on my bed, I do drag out my double HE quilt when it's needed to throw on the bed, or to give to a house guest that stays over. I've even used it as a picnic blanket on the beach when we went 4WD on Bribie Island. 

The backing is a black geometric print. I quilted this with a blue variegated thread. This one was Gutermann colour 9986. I like the way that it pops against the dark background.

The quilt top was quilted with Gutermann colour 919, which I ran out of during the quilting process. So the quilting was put on hold overnight while I had to wait to get another thread spool. 

For the boarders I had enough left over from my own French Braid quilt. I love this fabric. The reason that this quilt has a boarder is to make it to single bed size. This quilt has six squares across instead of the seven that the other quilt had.

For this quilt I decided upon a premade binding that took my fancy while trying to work out what to spend my Christmas vouchers at Spotlight on. Premade binding always comes in handy and is so hard to go past. I was lucky that I was able to get a different pattern this time.

As yet this quilt is not for sale. However I may change my mind on that. After all a girl can only have so many quilts in the cupboard....

My store is www.madeit.com.au/Netto

How to wrap a Quilt for a pink baby shower.

How to wrap a Quilt for a pink baby shower.

I know that I have been so slack with my blogging and sewing lately, and while I am hoping to turn that around this year... as always, I will just have to see how I go. Unfortunately studying full time at home, doesn't leave a great amount of time available for anything remotely fun... like sewing. 

Especially when you add things like virus/malware attacks during writing an assignment. Or having to stay up far too late to wait out a thunderstorm and then submit an assignment online. Oh the joys of studying online in Queensland's storm season.

I am still studying my degree online, and while at the moment it feels that it is taking forever, I am slowly, slowly getting it done.

I have called this quilt. I heart Raspberry. Due to the faint heart pattern on the white boarders and the Jelly Roll used being called Raspberry Parlour. I've made this quilt for a friend's baby shower for baby number two.

This quilt measures 43 inches across by 66.5 inches down. Or for those of us who use the metric system, that's 110 cms across by 169.5 cms down. So this is a decent sized single bed quilt.

I used red thread for quilting the top, to contrast with the white love heart boarders around the red and pink central jelly roll fabrics. For the bottom I used an ivory thread which really popped against the dark background on the backing. I used Gutermann threads, the red was colour 156 and the ivory was colour 919.

The batting or wadding of the quilt is natural cosy 100% cotton quilt batting that I've purchased pre bagged from Spotlight. This time I cut a queen-size piece of batting in half and have used it for two smaller quilts. Not sure if it worked out to be cheaper that way, but it was what I had on hand.

The jelly roll was purchased from The Quilters Store in Salisbury. Since moving to the south side of Brisbane, I've slowly been able to explore the different stores on this side of town. (Now I have the best of both sides of town, as I can go and visit the quilt shops on the north side when I visit with friends or relatives.)

The jelly roll/rolie polie used to construct this quilt is called Raspberry Parlour by Riley Blake designs. When looking for ideas on how to make a quilt from a jelly roll I stumbled across some great ideas such as the 'Jelly Roll Quilt Race' on YouTube. My favourite video was the one by the Missouri Star Quilt Company.

Although I didn't like the look of the angle of her strips when pieced together, so I just joined them straight.

The backing is a mix of black homespun and a lovely raspberry and white print fabric. I've cut the raspberry fabric slightly off centre. The white quilted thread really stands out on the black backing fabric, but blends in with the print fabric.

The binding is a fabric which has a mixture of both red and black colours which I felt would look good from the front to frame the quilt, as well as from the back.

I really enjoyed how quickly the jelly roll strips made up the centre of the quilt. It was fun to do. I'm already hooked and plan to do more quilts in this style.

As you can see from the photo this is how I wrapped the quilt for the baby shower. The ribbon was just long enough at 2 meters.

Baby Girl Quilt...Cat in the Hat

Baby Girl Quilt... Cat in the Hat

 I should be typing up a report for uni which is due next week, however  I'd much rather be doing this. (Well...I'd much rather be sewing!) So I have made a deal with myself, once I get this blog post done and out of my system. (Let's consider this my warm up for my report writing?) It is report time!!

This baby quilt is the size of a cot quilt. The quilt is a long overdue baby gift for a little baby girl. The little baby girl's, mum's nick name is Kat, so I am being very witty by giving them a Cat in the Hat quilt. Plus it's just too cute...how could I resist? I wish that I'd been able to source fabrics like this when my little guy was a bub!

In the background of the Cat in the Hat panel it features text from the famous Dr. Seuss book. I'm sure by the time baby girl is a teenager...both mum and dad will be able to recite the entire thing!

The quilt panel was purchased at a Spotlight store. The red fabric that I used to 'frame' the panel was also purchased from Spotlight (although it was originally intended to be a backing fabric for a different quilt project).  The blue binding (edging) fabric was originally purchased to be the 'framing' fabric on the quilt top. However when I laid the fabrics out next to each other it was just too much blue, especially considering that this was a quilt for a little baby girl.

 

The batik fabrics were purchased from a speciality fabric store. The batik fabric strips were approximately 20cms wide (which is usually a store's minimum cut for batiks).

 

The wadding was pre-cut cotton quilt wadding which is sold in bags at Spotlight. I love this stuff... it's always the size that it states it is on the bag. It's easy to quilt and it's warm. Perfection in a bag.

 

 

  

 

 

The backing consists of seven batik designs. I have sewed the quilt top first and then used the 'quilt as you go method' to both quilt and complete the backing at the same time. The stitching for the backing is not visible in the method. As always... I YouTube how to do this, as it's great to have a refresher on how it's done. To learn how to do this, check out 'quilt as you go' by the Missouri Star Quilt Company on their YouTube channel.

 

 

I have used blue variegated thread for where the stitches show on the quilt top. The binding was finished in slip stitch, with a light blue thread that matches the light blue geometric print that was used. This time I  purchased the threads needed at the same time as the fabric, which is very organised on my part. (This almost never happens!) I usually end up running out of thread and need to try and match the thread I've already used.

 

I actually finished the last two edges of the quilt while I was visiting with mum and bub last week.  It was either that or I would have them waiting at least another week on me to finish the quilt. I'm happy that the quilt is with its new owner, already being used.