Q3’s promises aren’t much different than the last two. However, that Rainbow Coin quilt will be done soon, because it is going to be in the VMQG’s first quilt show this August!
1 Rainbow Coin Quilt
2 Flannel QAYG Throw
3 Candy Flower Pillow
4 Marmalade Squares II Quilt
5 Scrappy Name Tag
6 VMQG Challenge Placemat
There’s going to be some big finishes this time. Happy sewing all!
Bunnykins….BK……..Beeksie…..Beekerton…..
He was gift from Bean’s grandparents when they lived in France. This is what he looked like when he arrived.
Four years later, we decided he needed his own quilt. A reward for devoted service. He’s a seasoned veteran in the bedroom, earning his stripes (and greyish tinge) during sleep learning. Beeksie is so important that he isn’t even allowed to leave the house, unless he goes on vacation. He’s supposed to sleep during the day, but lately he’s been sneaking down to the living room and disappearing. The quilt should encourage him to stay in bed.
Bean chose and arranged the mini charms and sat with me while I sewed them together. She particularly enjoyed the blast of steam when I pressed. It might be what kept her there a few times. She also helped to choose the backing and binding. I finished the binding overnight and when she found it in the morning it was whisked up to Beeks and he was promptly tucked in.
That’s one comfy bunny.
Here he is showing us the back.
Will I be more successful this quarter? Maybe.
I will rollover all but one previous projects, the Zen Chic coaster.
1 Rainbow Coin Quilt
2 Flannel QAYG Throw
3 Candy Flower Pillow
4 Marmalade Squares II Quilt
5 Scrappy Name Tag
I will add this mini for a certain stinky little bunny.
6 Beeksie’s Blanket
Also, this VMQG Challenge project due in June.
7 VMQG Challenge Placemat
I’m having trouble coming up with enough I Spy like hexies from the fabric given, so there will have to be some from the stash.
Looking forward to your finishes. Good luck to everyone!
Well, here it is. My Q1 Finish-a-long contribution.
Yes, it’s a coaster. Math makes me shut down, so I wanted to experiment with how to make a nice sized coaster without doing any real measuring. This is from a mini charm pack of Zen Chic Figures and I made a disappearing nine patch. I learned this block from Cluck Cluck Sew’s tutorial. It finishes at 5×5 by some miracle. I put the shiny batting in between, so it is somewhat thermal.
I took a good bash at my Rainbow Coin Quilt, I really did, but between a sore back and two small children, I did not have the strength after 8PM to be crawling around the floor basting a quilt. I was also a bit frustrated by the raggedyness of the bottom. I did hack a ton of it off, and with it many of the coins. Not sure how it all went so wrong.
rainbow coin quilt
Congrats to everyone on the fabulous finishes! Perhaps my list next quarter will be less ambitious….
#2016fal
Well I’m done with chickpeas. Sorry, I lost interest. There’s a few more chickpea things I might show you, so don’t worry, but I’d much rather sew.
I cancelled my fat quarter club subscription from Earthly Goods. The shop is lovely, but the fabrics I was getting weren’t really my bag. So I joined the Color Your Stash club with Fabric Shoppe instead. 12 fat quarters a month plus a spool of Aurifil. However, my stash is pretty, ahem, “colourful” already so I don’t need any more fabric. I had to commit to making one thing a month from the package. Although I did get the Christmas package, I didn’t really feel like making Christmas stuff mid December. There is a plan for that fabric next Christmas, so I think that counts.
January’s pink package arrived yesterday and thanks to hubbo making my children disappear all morning, I made something already. Behold the I’m Obsessed with Bunnies Pillowcase!
Now, I’m going to link to this pattern because it is a cute design and FQ friendly. However, the instructions are duff! I have no clue what kind of witchcraft they employed to get the trim on to this pillowcase, but it cannot be done. Dunno, maybe I’m just addled. If you can work it out, do let me know. I could have made this in less than a morning had I not had to work out a new way of attaching the trim. If you decide to use this pattern, here’s what I did.
Make the 40 inch tube but don’t press in half or fold over. Put the right side of the trim inside the pillowcase on the wrong side and sew a scant 1/4 inch seam.
Press this seam towards the trim side of the pillowcase.
Now fold the other raw edge over a 1/2 inch and press.
Flip the raw edge around to the outside of the pillowcase and topstitch all around.
I see many more pillowcases in my future.
I don’t know what the kids do with these hashtags, but here’s one anyway. #coloryourstashclub
Remember that fat quarter club I joined? Well here’s what this Amy Butler fabric inspired me to do.
That’s right. I made this tote bag, courtesy of Happy Zombie. I received and used three fat quarters within two weeks. This is unprecedented.
I can also say that I am not the worst top-stitcher in the world.
A few changes:
I made only one pocket.
I sewed the straps on a little closer because I wasn’t sure if I would catch the sides of the pocket otherwise.
I reinforced the strap by backstitiching before going down the other side.
It turned out the perfect size for magazines. Luckily, the recipient is a great fan of travelling with magazines.
After we moved in here and I used the dryer a few times, I decided that it didn’t dry great and maybe needed a duct cleaning. So I called the man whose sticker on the was on the front. Easy. I was at work when he came, but the message relayed to me by Hubbo was that the dryer was fine and dandy. I was just putting in too much stuff. Too much stuff. Because I had only just taken a class in how to do laundry and was working on my practicum.
I started hanging all the laundry on a rack out of spite. That’s right, spite, of a man I’d never met.
It wasn’t really much of a change. I already had a rack going because many of my shirts don’t go in the dryer. The only things I didn’t hang were diapers, towels, and bedding. Until summer came along. The Loftorium is like an oven come 5PM so that most things will dry within 24 hours. Not so much in the rainy winter.
Anyway, I got $75 out of the deal.
The power company will give you $75 if you save 10% over a year. I signed up last July and a few weeks ago they cut me a cheque because I saved 21%! It was mistakenly addressed to Man.
Guess what I spent it on?
This lot came from Raspberry Creek.
And this one came from Fabric Shoppe.
And these two lots came from Bee Yourself Fabrics.
I can’t resist the mystery scrap package. Now all I need is a plan…..
I seem to have had a week long birthday!
On Friday, I got a package from Earthly Goods. I had signed up for their four fat quarters a month club the week before and I hoped it would arrive for my birthday. I tried to wait until Monday, but I had to rip it open that night. For $21, tax included, and free shipping in Canada, it’s a great deal. You can choose from Beautiful Balis, Collections, or Kids Stuff. I chose Collections and got four pieces from Amy Butler’s Belle. This is not something I would buy, but it’s lovely and I already have a plan for it. They don’t really do online sales, so I encourage you to phone them and join up! Support this lovely shop that has just moved to their third location.
Sew Sisters has a very tempting Kona Solids club as well. Maybe Christmas…
On Sunday, I had a mini lie-in and a “pre-work” coffee break. I used this time to look up tote patterns on Pinterest, finalise my decision and print the instructions. I may have printed more than one, but since my sewing machine has a broken gear, I can only plan.
On Monday, my actual birthday, I was greeted by a pile of presents on the breakfast table. Man gave me the gift of cheese. One fancy cheese knife, two types of fancy crackers, fancy red pepper jelly, and a gift certificate to Les Amis du Fromage!
Then two of my magazine subscriptions showed up.
As if that wasn’t awesome enough, he then offered to drive me to the fabric store! I spent at least 45 minutes at Spool of Thread unchecked, but spent less than $100.
$20 on quilt backing and borders in Kona Peapod
$20 on fat quarter frivolity
$8 on Kona Solids for the stash
$12 on a Clover Chalk pen thingy
The woman in the store was super helpful. She gave me advice and opinions. I hate it when you ask salesclerks what they think and they say “Oh it’s up to you”. Like I’m going to come back to the shop in a rage because the colours didn’t match.
Tacos were proffered but I spent too much time gambolling to make it to the restaurant.
I also got a card from my parents with proceeds for an electric blanket. I plan to get a twin. Man has no need for any heat giving device. I see now how people spontaneously combust.
I received a phone call from my brother.
On Tuesday, I got a lovely card from some dear friends and a phone call from my BFF.
There was also wine. Nothing unusual there, just thought I’d mention it.
On Wednesday, I got two packages in the mail. Two! One from the aforementioned BFF containing a card about boobs and a director’s clanging board thingy. Now when I make my amateur {ahem} art films, they’ll look a little more professional. The second was from my in-laws, deep in the Welsh countryside. Kaffe Fassett’s Quilt Romance! Brilliant! Not only did I have one of his books on hold at the library, I had thought to myself how lucky Hayley was to get a Kaffe from Roy for hospital reading. Although she’s not at all lucky. Who’s going to wash Roy’s anorak and make sure he has that ratty bag?
And then my brother and sister-in-law came over with more treats. Dog treats! Somersaults! These are so good, despite the fact they look like kibble. I recommend salty pepper. There was some cookies, nuts, and fancy gummy fruits. The cookies were mostly gone before they left.
On Friday, I ordered my electric blanket.
And on Saturday, we cheesed.
and I love every wonky inch. I have to thank Melissa at 100 Billion Stars for inspiring me to make something. Of the hundreds of quilts and toys and sweaters and socks and bibs and hats I have bookmarked, few have been started and none have been finished. Until today. This Mug Rug tutorial made me go to my stash and put a little something together.
I collected some scraps and started to slice, practising my rotary skills.
I was so pleased with that one that I made a second one. It’s no fun to drink tea alone.
This was my first real attempt at quilting and I’m pretty pleased with myself. There’s three new projects cut and waiting for me, so off I go!
crafty bites 