So the new cushion form arrived, so all cushions are now stuffed. And seem to have migrated from the floor to the bed.
Something rather lovely about an entirely homemade bed, don't you think?
Monday, 17 March 2014
Cushions taking over ....
So the new cushion form arrived, so all cushions are now stuffed. And seem to have migrated from the floor to the bed.
Something rather lovely about an entirely homemade bed, don't you think?
Friday, 14 March 2014
A dabble with dressmaking
A couple of Saturday nights ago, I was discussing the Great British Sewing Bee with my mum over a rather large glass of Port. And I had the absolutely hilarious idea that I should apply. I mean, why not? I can sew, right? It'd be interesting and fun and I *might* even get to be on TV and meet Patrick Grant. Which would be bearable, wouldn't it?
I even downloaded the application form.
Thankfully I was a little too tipsy to fill it in and when I woke up the next morning I had come to my senses. Because while I can indeed sew, it isn't actually the Great British Sewing Bee, is it? It's the Great British Dressmaking Bee, in all but name. And dressmaking is not a string I have to my bow.
It seems to me that most people come to quilting later on in their sewing career. Our recent Leeds MQG meeting was full of wonderful people who had "sewn for years". Made their own clothes, their children's clothes, their wedding dresses in many cases! And then picked up quilting.
Whereas I learnt to sew in order to quilt. I love making quilts. Also bags. And I've dabbled with children's clothes too, because they don't actually have to fit. But my dressmaking skills and experience are pretty minimal. I can follow a pattern, no worries, that's how I work. But while that will get you a garment, it won't necessarily get you a garment that actually fits.
Then there is also the fact I have a predominantly quilting stash - you can't make a frock out of a fat quarter you know. Quilting cottons are my comfort zone. I shop primarily online. Fine for buying quilting cotton, not so fine when feel and drape and hand are important. And also the yardage required to make an adult sized item of clothing gives me palpitations. 3 metres?? At how much?? AND fabric for a muslin? And lining fabric? AND interfacing?! Okay, you get the idea. It's a whole different world, dressmaking. It's so much more than sewing.
But there are so many lovely things to make out there. Some of the dressmaking blogs I follow are utterly awe inspiring. And I am very suggestible, so if everyone online is doing something I generally want to do it too. It was a Quilt-Along that started me off, remember? I just can't resist. So I did dabble with dressmaking, a little, a couple of years back when Kerry ran a Wiksten Tova Sew-Along.
It isn't perfect, but it did fit (although nursing boobs mean currently does not). I also made it before I knew what fabric I loved and as a consequence do not love the fabric. But hey, I wore it several times and it was a great start.
Then I made the infinitely more simple Wiksten tank. Which did not fit. At all.
And there ended my first dabble with dressmaking.
Then over the last 2 years of being pregnant and then nursing there have been more lovely internet-trend patterns cropping up. Made by Rae's Washi top and dress. I scratched that itch by making a few Geranium dresses instead.
And then The Staple Dress. I liked the look of this, simple and cute and just the kind of thing I would wear. I chose my fabric for it long ago, before it was even released - It's a Plus Koi Voile. And just before Christmas I snapped up the required yardage from M is for Make (ooh look, it's on sale!). But I still hadn't even bought the pattern.
I continued to umm and ahh, hoping I would lose a bit of baby weight and also not seeing the point in making an item of clothing I can't feed the baby in easily when I am with the baby 24/7. Then I saw Justine wearing hers at Leeds MQG and she and Karen gave me a kick up the bum to give it a go.
So I bought the pattern. It's available as a paper pattern now but I am allergic to tracing so I went for the PDF version. Printed, taped. And checked the measurements. Rather joyfully I matched the sizings for the XS size on both bust and hips. Rather less joyfully my waist is a depressing 6" or so bigger than the pattern measurement. I carry all my weight on my belly you see, such a great look and not one I like to draw attention to at all. Add all that to the fact that I am only 5ft2 and I knew this pattern was going to need some tweaking. It is an incredibly simple pattern but, as I learnt from my Wiksten tank disaster, simple doesn't mean it will actually fit.
So I posted for help on Instagram and the lovely Lynne pointed Rachel in my direction. She talked me through figuring out where I needed the extra ease and grading the pattern out accordingly. I started by chopping the paper pattern at the shirring line and overlapping it by 1.25". That gave me a new waist and I graded out from just above it from the XS bust to S over the waist and hips. I figured any extra fabric could be shirred in whereas any pulling across the belly would be unsalvageable. And I only had yardage of my Koi voile so a muslin just wasn't an option. It still looked super long so I then chopped another 2" off the bottom hem and cracked on with it.
April explains every step clearly and with photo instructions. As it happens I can already manage a French seam but the pattern talks you through it. I skipped the pockets as the voile is just too lightweight for them to be useful and just followed the pattern right through to the bit where you end up with a surgical gown.
Yep.
I fiddled about a bit with a belt to choose my shirring line - I tend to prefer empire line clothing as that is more flattering to the belly area but a too high belt led to weird bunching around the boob area so I lowered it a little, I think it is still a little above the original intended line.
But done! And I LOVE it.
I can't nurse the baby in it without getting half undressed so it is my going out without her dress. I wore it last night with fleece leggings, warm boots and a chunky cardy as it was a chilly evening here in Yorkshire and was very happy indeed.
And I want to make more. Darn that quilting stash of FQs and half yards and darn that fabric fast.
In fact if anyone in the UK happens to have a spare metre of Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Denim that they'd be happy to swap for something from my stash - please give me a shout!! I have visions of cute contrast facings and pockets .....
I even downloaded the application form.
Thankfully I was a little too tipsy to fill it in and when I woke up the next morning I had come to my senses. Because while I can indeed sew, it isn't actually the Great British Sewing Bee, is it? It's the Great British Dressmaking Bee, in all but name. And dressmaking is not a string I have to my bow.
It seems to me that most people come to quilting later on in their sewing career. Our recent Leeds MQG meeting was full of wonderful people who had "sewn for years". Made their own clothes, their children's clothes, their wedding dresses in many cases! And then picked up quilting.
 |
| My first quilt |
Whereas I learnt to sew in order to quilt. I love making quilts. Also bags. And I've dabbled with children's clothes too, because they don't actually have to fit. But my dressmaking skills and experience are pretty minimal. I can follow a pattern, no worries, that's how I work. But while that will get you a garment, it won't necessarily get you a garment that actually fits.
Then there is also the fact I have a predominantly quilting stash - you can't make a frock out of a fat quarter you know. Quilting cottons are my comfort zone. I shop primarily online. Fine for buying quilting cotton, not so fine when feel and drape and hand are important. And also the yardage required to make an adult sized item of clothing gives me palpitations. 3 metres?? At how much?? AND fabric for a muslin? And lining fabric? AND interfacing?! Okay, you get the idea. It's a whole different world, dressmaking. It's so much more than sewing.
But there are so many lovely things to make out there. Some of the dressmaking blogs I follow are utterly awe inspiring. And I am very suggestible, so if everyone online is doing something I generally want to do it too. It was a Quilt-Along that started me off, remember? I just can't resist. So I did dabble with dressmaking, a little, a couple of years back when Kerry ran a Wiksten Tova Sew-Along.
It isn't perfect, but it did fit (although nursing boobs mean currently does not). I also made it before I knew what fabric I loved and as a consequence do not love the fabric. But hey, I wore it several times and it was a great start.
Then I made the infinitely more simple Wiksten tank. Which did not fit. At all.
And there ended my first dabble with dressmaking.
Then over the last 2 years of being pregnant and then nursing there have been more lovely internet-trend patterns cropping up. Made by Rae's Washi top and dress. I scratched that itch by making a few Geranium dresses instead.
And then The Staple Dress. I liked the look of this, simple and cute and just the kind of thing I would wear. I chose my fabric for it long ago, before it was even released - It's a Plus Koi Voile. And just before Christmas I snapped up the required yardage from M is for Make (ooh look, it's on sale!). But I still hadn't even bought the pattern.
I continued to umm and ahh, hoping I would lose a bit of baby weight and also not seeing the point in making an item of clothing I can't feed the baby in easily when I am with the baby 24/7. Then I saw Justine wearing hers at Leeds MQG and she and Karen gave me a kick up the bum to give it a go.
So I bought the pattern. It's available as a paper pattern now but I am allergic to tracing so I went for the PDF version. Printed, taped. And checked the measurements. Rather joyfully I matched the sizings for the XS size on both bust and hips. Rather less joyfully my waist is a depressing 6" or so bigger than the pattern measurement. I carry all my weight on my belly you see, such a great look and not one I like to draw attention to at all. Add all that to the fact that I am only 5ft2 and I knew this pattern was going to need some tweaking. It is an incredibly simple pattern but, as I learnt from my Wiksten tank disaster, simple doesn't mean it will actually fit.
So I posted for help on Instagram and the lovely Lynne pointed Rachel in my direction. She talked me through figuring out where I needed the extra ease and grading the pattern out accordingly. I started by chopping the paper pattern at the shirring line and overlapping it by 1.25". That gave me a new waist and I graded out from just above it from the XS bust to S over the waist and hips. I figured any extra fabric could be shirred in whereas any pulling across the belly would be unsalvageable. And I only had yardage of my Koi voile so a muslin just wasn't an option. It still looked super long so I then chopped another 2" off the bottom hem and cracked on with it.
April explains every step clearly and with photo instructions. As it happens I can already manage a French seam but the pattern talks you through it. I skipped the pockets as the voile is just too lightweight for them to be useful and just followed the pattern right through to the bit where you end up with a surgical gown.
Yep.
I fiddled about a bit with a belt to choose my shirring line - I tend to prefer empire line clothing as that is more flattering to the belly area but a too high belt led to weird bunching around the boob area so I lowered it a little, I think it is still a little above the original intended line.
But done! And I LOVE it.
I can't nurse the baby in it without getting half undressed so it is my going out without her dress. I wore it last night with fleece leggings, warm boots and a chunky cardy as it was a chilly evening here in Yorkshire and was very happy indeed.
And I want to make more. Darn that quilting stash of FQs and half yards and darn that fabric fast.
In fact if anyone in the UK happens to have a spare metre of Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Denim that they'd be happy to swap for something from my stash - please give me a shout!! I have visions of cute contrast facings and pockets .....
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Been busy sewing!
When I was sorting out my lonely blocks for Alison's Soy Amado appeal one was claimed by my eldest daughter. Actually she claimed the whole Lucky Stars quilt months ago when I was working on it but she always loved this block the most of all. Could be the colours, perhaps? I had offered to make it into a mini quilt for her wall, but she didn't fancy that. She wanted a quilt, but that wasn't going to happen from one block, so I suggested a cushion.
We aren't really cushion people in this family. My husband hates them on the sofa and so they always end up on the floor. And as for on the beds - well it's enough of a battle getting everyone to just pull their quilts up so they dog can't sleep on the pillows, never mind adding extra bed making hassle! It's a shame really as cushions/ pillows are such a great way of using up a lonely quilt block, or trying out a complex or fiddly block or technique without embarking on an entire quilt.
.jpg) |
| This awesome flying geese cushion is by Kelly from Jeliquilts. You can find the pattern in edition 5 of Love Patchwork and Quilting. |
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| Paper pieced flip flop block which I made into a cushion as a gift for a friend. |
But eldest girl has really taken to them and seems to be building a nest of cushions in her bedroom. When I was expecting the baby we booted her out of the nursery and decorated her a new - at her request - pink fairy bedroom and I made her a couple of reasonably sized (about 24" I think) QAYG cushions from lots of lovely pink scraps.
I finished the Lucky Stars block off with a couple of matching borders to keep it looking clean and simple. I really enjoyed the wonky straight line quilting that I did on the Soy Amado blocks so I repeated that here, again in grey 50wt Aurifil but this time with slightly denser lines, just a presser foot width apart. Then I made a quick envelope back from some organic Cloud 9 Koi cotton. I had toyed with binding the pinwheel cushion but didn't so I decided to try that out this time as I wanted to add a little pop of purple. It was very easy and no turning required - always nice not to have to poke out corners! But I did machine the binding down on the back which never gives my neatest finish. My stitch ditching on the front is perfect (if I say so myself) but I think I must always stretch and warp the binding somehow during the process and so the line on the back is far from straight. If it was to gift I would have handsewn the binding as I much prefer the look of a hand finished binding but I just needed to get this one done.
I've made a couple of envelope backs now and I'm not entirely satisfied with them, they seem to bow in a little. My zip insertion skills aren't perfect either but I think better than this. Both Sew Mama Sew and Crazy Mom Quilts have great resources for all sorts of cushion related tutorials. There are millions more of course, but these are the ones I used this time around.
Anyway. Big girl is delighted and it looks very happy with its cushion friends. Except I am still waiting on the pillow form so the orange one missing for now. I will add it in when it arrives.
I've done more sewing this weekend, a little dabble with dress making, but I'll blog about that in a separate post, soon.
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Some selfless sewing - for once
I'm a dreadfully selfish sewer. I openly admit that. I get precious little sewing time and prefer to spend it making things for myself and my children. I don't take commissions. I rarely make gifts. I loathe functional sewing - mending and hemming and other such torture. I'm even kicking myself for deciding to make my eldest some mouse ears for World Book Day this week. I have so many other projects I'd rather work on. Yep, selfish.
The exception is Siblings Together and our lovely bee. I thoroughly look forward to whipping up a block each month knowing it will always be super sized, straightforward and effective. This month's block for Carol was no exception and a fun return to my machine after a week off.
The block pattern yielded some extras too which Carol is planning to make into a second quilt for the charity. I love the fabric which is Storybook by Kate and Birdie for Moda.
Meanwhile a super selfless sewer, Alison of Little Island Quilting, has put a call out for quilt blocks. Her Soy Amado project. She is hoping to make 70 quilts to send to a home for former street children in Mexico City. These children have absolutely nothing nice of their own at all. She's asking simply for 12.5" blocks quilted onto batting and backing. I have been thinking about rounding up my orphan blocks for her, or possibly whipping a couple up from stash.
However as well as being selfish I am also something of a completer finisher so I don't actually have that many random blocks lying around. There was one fugly orange churn dash made as an initial test block for my own Siblings Together bee month.
And then these.
At the end of 2012, expecting a baby early in 2013, I signed up to a couple of block of the month (BOM) clubs. I didn't think I'd have time for much sewing with a new baby but thought a couple of blocks a month would be nice. And it was, for the first few hazy weeks, but then I discovered that actually the baby would sleep happily in a sling while I sewed and so I cracked on with other projects. And the BOM clubs fell by the wayside. One is the Pile O Fabric skill builder which I am determined to press on with because it teaches me so much. And I still want to learn how to FMQ.
The other was Don't Call Me Betsy's lucky stars BOM club. 12 paper pieced stars. I love foundation paper piecing. I chose some awesome fabrics - a rainbow bundle of Sketch along with the Mama Said Sew sewing guide print of which I bought many yards. I enjoyed making these blocks (except the pink and purple one because I hate the colours and the points suck). But - meh. I fell behind, lost interest, couldn't visualise all the blocks together, it all felt like a chore. And so when I thought of blocks for Soy Amado I thought of these. Then shamefully struggled to let them go.
DD1 has claimed the pink and purple botch job for yet another a cushion. But the others ... a mini quilt perhaps? I could perhaps make another to balance it more....
Truly, I've been thinking these thoughts for many, many months and done nothing. This has been on my WIP list for the best part of year and, dare I say it, was rapidly becoming a UFO. And how I hate UFOs.
I asked the question on Instagram but as soon as I posted I knew the answer. These blocks are not getting any love here, quilt them up and send them somewhere that they will.
So I did.
Super quick straight line quilting with pale grey Aurifil 50wt. I marked one wonky line then quilted the others a presser foot plus a bit away. Long stitch length and super fast, all 3 were basted and quilted in less than 45 minutes and in time for the school run. One is a bit shy of 12.5" which I didn't realise till I came to trim it, but I hope Alison can make it work. I'll get them to the Post Office this week.
If you'd like to clear up some UFOs or lonesome blocks or even make some fresh ones for a great cause there is more info here and in the Flickr group. It feels pretty good to be giving something back.
The exception is Siblings Together and our lovely bee. I thoroughly look forward to whipping up a block each month knowing it will always be super sized, straightforward and effective. This month's block for Carol was no exception and a fun return to my machine after a week off.
The block pattern yielded some extras too which Carol is planning to make into a second quilt for the charity. I love the fabric which is Storybook by Kate and Birdie for Moda.
Meanwhile a super selfless sewer, Alison of Little Island Quilting, has put a call out for quilt blocks. Her Soy Amado project. She is hoping to make 70 quilts to send to a home for former street children in Mexico City. These children have absolutely nothing nice of their own at all. She's asking simply for 12.5" blocks quilted onto batting and backing. I have been thinking about rounding up my orphan blocks for her, or possibly whipping a couple up from stash.
However as well as being selfish I am also something of a completer finisher so I don't actually have that many random blocks lying around. There was one fugly orange churn dash made as an initial test block for my own Siblings Together bee month.
And then these.
At the end of 2012, expecting a baby early in 2013, I signed up to a couple of block of the month (BOM) clubs. I didn't think I'd have time for much sewing with a new baby but thought a couple of blocks a month would be nice. And it was, for the first few hazy weeks, but then I discovered that actually the baby would sleep happily in a sling while I sewed and so I cracked on with other projects. And the BOM clubs fell by the wayside. One is the Pile O Fabric skill builder which I am determined to press on with because it teaches me so much. And I still want to learn how to FMQ.
 |
| I know, it's the worst photo ever. It's dark and these colours just don't take well. Apologies. You get the idea. |
The other was Don't Call Me Betsy's lucky stars BOM club. 12 paper pieced stars. I love foundation paper piecing. I chose some awesome fabrics - a rainbow bundle of Sketch along with the Mama Said Sew sewing guide print of which I bought many yards. I enjoyed making these blocks (except the pink and purple one because I hate the colours and the points suck). But - meh. I fell behind, lost interest, couldn't visualise all the blocks together, it all felt like a chore. And so when I thought of blocks for Soy Amado I thought of these. Then shamefully struggled to let them go.
DD1 has claimed the pink and purple botch job for yet another a cushion. But the others ... a mini quilt perhaps? I could perhaps make another to balance it more....
Truly, I've been thinking these thoughts for many, many months and done nothing. This has been on my WIP list for the best part of year and, dare I say it, was rapidly becoming a UFO. And how I hate UFOs.
I asked the question on Instagram but as soon as I posted I knew the answer. These blocks are not getting any love here, quilt them up and send them somewhere that they will.
So I did.
Super quick straight line quilting with pale grey Aurifil 50wt. I marked one wonky line then quilted the others a presser foot plus a bit away. Long stitch length and super fast, all 3 were basted and quilted in less than 45 minutes and in time for the school run. One is a bit shy of 12.5" which I didn't realise till I came to trim it, but I hope Alison can make it work. I'll get them to the Post Office this week.
If you'd like to clear up some UFOs or lonesome blocks or even make some fresh ones for a great cause there is more info here and in the Flickr group. It feels pretty good to be giving something back.
Sunday, 2 March 2014
End of February, start of March
Time to link up with Lynne at Lily's Quilts for Fresh Sewing Day. I'm going to try to do this each month and do not only a recap of the month just gone but also lay out my plans for the month ahead.
So February is a short month, plus I've been away for the last week of it, AND it was the month I started writing my blog ... so they are all my excuses for a rather pitiful mosaic of (almost) finishes.
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Top left, knickers for Jo in Sonia's Valentine's knickers swap. Rather a lot of sewing energy spent on those.
Top right, a cushion finish with a random pinwheel block.
Bottom left, the February Siblings Together Quilting Bee block for Anna.
And bottom right my Playground quilt top.
I am the kind of sewer who tends to work on one big project at a time rather than lots of smaller makes so I can't imagine future monthly round ups will be much more prolific!
A particularly lovely finish to February was getting home late Friday night to a mysterious little parcel containing this:
It's a very generous piece of those sweet green biking Catnap mice so kindly sent to be by Mary, a fellow fabric-faster who saw my wanties post and decided to help out. I'm not sure what I will do with this yet but it will be something for the smallest girl.
I did also purchase a 15m roll of cotton batting from Lady Sew and Sew - thanks for all the recommendations - so from now on it will be lack of motivation not lack of batting stopping me from actually finishing quilts rather than just tops. It arrived just the day before we left for Center Parcs so no basting has happened as yet!
Which brings me to me March to do list. I usually make a WIP list but then forget about my intended makes so this combines both WIPs and WNQIPs (works not quite in progress) - but for which I have the doings and intentions. Just need the time!
It's too dark to get a picture of my project board so ...
- Siblings Together March block
- Voile Sparkling Cider quilt - piece top, baste, quilt, bind
- Playground quilt - baste, quilt, bind
- Skill Builder BOM <sigh>
- Soy Amado QAYG blocks for Alison. I have some lonely blocks and want to do this. Read more here.
- More knickers! Because mine are super comfy and I love them.
- A Staple dress with some lovely Koi voile. Going round in circles on this but Justine gave me a kick up the bum yesterday so I want to get the pattern and get to it so I can wear it to our next Leeds MQG meeting. It should be a quick make.
- Oh and some baby boy bibs for a friend's new baby. Fanfare flannel, lovely.
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| Fabrics all pre-washed and ready to go ... |
Also linking my tiny new little blog up with Lynne's Small Blog Meet
Saturday, 1 March 2014
I'm back
Took advantage of having a different half term to most of the rest of the country and spent last week at Center Parcs. Was very lovely to be well out of WiFi range for a few days and we enjoyed some almost tropical southern spring weather, the chance to get back on my bike for the first time in a long time and taking both girls swimming everyday.
I'm not much of a photographer I'm afraid so this is all I've got to show for the week, my big girl enjoying a very low adrenaline pony ride.
Alas, no sewing achieved at all. I had hoped to have my Playground quilt ready to bind but unsurprisingly that is still a quilt top so I took my long running handwork project, the April block from last year's Pile O Fabric Skill builder BOM instead. I (almost) sewed three torturous rows together in the car ... and then abandoned, again, in favour of reading books in the evenings instead. So, sewing pictures also lacking, this is the total of my achievement for the week. I am absolutely determined to get this block finished, indeed to get the whole BOM finished, but my word I am finding it slow going.
Anyway, back late last night, not even unpacked, I was back to it this morning, off to Leeds for the first very exciting meeting of the newly formed Leeds Modern Quilt Guild. So exciting, I got to meet the lovely and very organised Lisa Sew who made me a super pair of knickers last month, plus lots of other lovely local-ish sewing ladies. Today was just a planning and organising meeting but we'll be doing some sewing next time, a whole day of social but uninterrupted by small children sewing, can't wait!
Justine was there with a small selection from her Simply Solids empire. No fabric for me but I took the opportunity to grab a couple of pieces of exciting hab dash that I've had my eye on for some time, the lack of postage cost was just the push I needed. She has a gorgeous new website btw, go have a look.
A lovely new pair of snips to replace the blunt embroidery scissors I am always scrabbling for to trim thread and some Flatter pressing spray.
I do love a pressing agent, I started using spray starch on the insistence of Alyssa and that BOM last year and was a total convert. I don't prewash so I find it essential for getting that off bolt crease out of the centre of my fabric. Also if you ever use precut FQs or F8s it makes smoothing those out a breeze. I do quite enjoy pressing and this makes it go so much easier and quicker. It also gives body to your fabric, and if you use enough layers can actually make it quite stiff, perfect for stabilising the fabric when cutting lots of triangles or other shapes with pesky bias edges. I've been working with voile lately and haven't had any problems at all thanks to the starch.
My preferred brand of starch is this earth friendly starch which I buy from Lakeland. I have tried the Dylon stuff from the laundry aisle at the supermarket but it doesn't work as well as this. Then I was converted to Best Press, also purchased from Simply Solids. This leaves less residue than the starch and doesn't stiffen the fabric as much but still makes pressing much easier, I even use it to iron my daughter's school polo shirts - the only thing I ever press besides fabric! I prefer the unscented version.
But Flatter is the new thing and comes in some seriously delicious scents. I went for Yuzu which is a citrussy orange, yum. I'll let you know how I find it.
But this week I will be mostly sewing this gorgeous stack of voile blocks into a quilt top.
I'm not much of a photographer I'm afraid so this is all I've got to show for the week, my big girl enjoying a very low adrenaline pony ride.
Alas, no sewing achieved at all. I had hoped to have my Playground quilt ready to bind but unsurprisingly that is still a quilt top so I took my long running handwork project, the April block from last year's Pile O Fabric Skill builder BOM instead. I (almost) sewed three torturous rows together in the car ... and then abandoned, again, in favour of reading books in the evenings instead. So, sewing pictures also lacking, this is the total of my achievement for the week. I am absolutely determined to get this block finished, indeed to get the whole BOM finished, but my word I am finding it slow going.
 |
| My EPP pouch which I took to LMQG but left in my handbag, talking too much to sew, sorry! |
Justine was there with a small selection from her Simply Solids empire. No fabric for me but I took the opportunity to grab a couple of pieces of exciting hab dash that I've had my eye on for some time, the lack of postage cost was just the push I needed. She has a gorgeous new website btw, go have a look.
A lovely new pair of snips to replace the blunt embroidery scissors I am always scrabbling for to trim thread and some Flatter pressing spray.
I do love a pressing agent, I started using spray starch on the insistence of Alyssa and that BOM last year and was a total convert. I don't prewash so I find it essential for getting that off bolt crease out of the centre of my fabric. Also if you ever use precut FQs or F8s it makes smoothing those out a breeze. I do quite enjoy pressing and this makes it go so much easier and quicker. It also gives body to your fabric, and if you use enough layers can actually make it quite stiff, perfect for stabilising the fabric when cutting lots of triangles or other shapes with pesky bias edges. I've been working with voile lately and haven't had any problems at all thanks to the starch.
My preferred brand of starch is this earth friendly starch which I buy from Lakeland. I have tried the Dylon stuff from the laundry aisle at the supermarket but it doesn't work as well as this. Then I was converted to Best Press, also purchased from Simply Solids. This leaves less residue than the starch and doesn't stiffen the fabric as much but still makes pressing much easier, I even use it to iron my daughter's school polo shirts - the only thing I ever press besides fabric! I prefer the unscented version.
But Flatter is the new thing and comes in some seriously delicious scents. I went for Yuzu which is a citrussy orange, yum. I'll let you know how I find it.
But this week I will be mostly sewing this gorgeous stack of voile blocks into a quilt top.
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Siblings Together with Lily's Quilts
I am over at Lily's Quilts today chatting about the quilt I have made for the Siblings Together Quilting Bee. So Hello! if you have come here from there. I'm new, so there aren't too many posts yet, so I hope you will stay and have a look round.
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