happy christmas to all across the quilty world

me and my daughter in typical competitive mode.........

stocking fillers

Thanks to Melinda Quilts Etc for her tutorial on pocket tissue pouches
they are addictive and take only 4 rows of straight sewing, but have a nice finished look to them
Here is my version:

Cut 2 rectangles fabric
5 1/2 " x 6 1/2"  = exterior fabric
5 1/2" x 7 1/2 " =  contrasting lining fabric

line up one short edge of both pieces, right sides together and sew  with 1/4" hem

Now line up the opposite short edges and sew with 1/4" hem, don't worry that the fabrics are different lengths, thats right

turn the tube you have sewn inside out and press

turn it over

fold the 2 short ends to the middle

hem each short side at 1/4 "

neaten up raw edges with pinking shears

turn inside out and use pointy object to turn out corners

fill with pocket tissues, best to unwrap them but keep them same way up in pouch

cute huh?

beware , they multiply if you don't watch out

liberty pouches rule

Just a quick update on my liberty pouch obsession

LOVE grey at the moment...........

liberty box pouch

Found this great  tutorial which dealt with my fear of sewing zips

http://modernquiltlove.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/perfect-box-pouch-tutorial/

I was in London today for a conference and during lunch time, I zoomed over to Shaukat , Old Brompton Road.
The staff in there all had there ears glued to their mobiles , but still asked me if I wanted help ( whilst on the phone ) and told me there was also a downstairs section  which was a cave of liberty fabrics wonderful, wonderful, oh oh TOO MUCH CHOICE
managed to get out with 6 half meters, and 6 metres polka dot cottons for linings

Look !

So back home to try the  pouch
have to show you the  first one for a laugh..........

looks like an avant garde something?

by 3rd attempt I was getting the hang of it  enough to use some precious liberty fabric
think its good enough to give as a gift.....
mmm, I feel a lot of pouches a coming on, be warned

we love kona solids

 Trying out the key quilt from  this book which arrived recently, compiled by Susanne Woods

this is the plan

I chose glacier, jade , chartreuse with ivory from my lovely kona colour chart

However, having major problems quilting it as I  microstitch basted it on my king bed, and  its just not taught enough. Too much puckering at the end of machine rows of linear quilting.

After struggling to get a few rows done, have decided that maybe a bit of hand quilting may work better......made a slow start.

Next time, must send  my quit off to have it basted on longarm, when I retire I want to move to somewhere with floor space to baste....dreaming of a sewing studio.................

velocity british designer challenge

Sent a lovely little selection from Jessica Hogarth's range, 'Velocity'
4 of us from London Modern Quilt Guild are playing, this is my first designer challenge, so under ( nice ) pressure!
first of all the fabrics........

they arrived in a wee bundle from Beth and last night I spent the time staring at them waiting for the muse to come to me.
I cut  a 16" panel for front  of the  bag.This fabric seemed ideal as a background .

 this fabric said 'River Thames' to me 

I cut 16 x 6 1/2" piece and joined 16 x 10 1/2 "piece of back ground fabric, then trimmed to make the  back 16" panel.

 Then a memory of my birthday this year where I sat having a wonderful lunch at the Blueprint cafe over the London Design Museum- looking out over the Thames ; so this was the inspiration for the  buildings on the far side of the River........wanted a  degree of 3D effect, so used a darker fabric appliqued on, then hand embroidered the  outlines with orange and royal blue perle cotton

Here's my Shard, Gherkin, City Hall etc.Had to have the Shard as its our newest most thrusting skyscraper, opening for its first visitors soon. If you stand on London Bridge station and look up, it makes you feel very woozy........its soooo high
Here's my little gherkin ( excuse the expression )

Backed the  whole background fabric square with firm iron on interfacing to finish the front panel

 Judith from London Modern Quilt Guild had suggested London skyline when we were thinking what to do, and once I saw the fabrics close up- this certainly seemed a good theme

For the other  panel I wanted to do what I had originally thought of, which was to do a more block-y design but used to show off the fabrics..........searched and found inspiration online...then decided that although I was not particularly drawn to the bicycle fabric, I could fussy cut a cute scooter and  machine applique it for a central feature

Running a bit low on fabric by this time, so used an assortment of scraps to make the handles

by this time I was a bit tired, but I am someone who HAS to keep going with a project until its done, I can't have unfinished things hanging around. However  I then   wasted a good half meter of heatbond when I meant to use iron on interfacing.....thought it seemed a bit crunchy when sewing the panel, sigh.....time for bed!

Made a green kona  cotton solid lining, and here is the finished project front and back, it is 15" square

I'm looking forward to using it around London,quite one of  the most beautiful cities in the world...........

quilted coasters

Enjoyed this lovely little tutorial on coasters
http://londonmqg.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/scrappy-coaster-tutorial/
Thanks to  Charlotte

Adapted it a little, did not piece, and used normal cotton batting, basting it to back piece, and removing basting once first round of edge topstitching done
In fact got a bit carried away ( are we surprised )
24 coasters later, have decided I must give it a break
Only so many you can give any one person 
Started randomly

                        made a pinky palette set for Sister Number 1

 some funky ones for Sister number 3 who has little ones at home

(Sister number 2 tends  not use coasters but she's getting cushions for Christmas)

lastly some for my mother , this time all same topside but with different coloured backs

its a great tutorial as it results in a nice neat coaster, always a challenge with small quilty objects!

starry starry night

Having got ' 50 paper pieced stars', now on number 3 and finally getting the centre piecing a bit more accurate
Seems that you must STOP exactly at end of sewing line on paper and then it became less of a struggle to line up, pin and match..aha
            
                                                     Number 1

Number 2, not very matchy in the middle at all

Number 3...yey, matching in the middle

Decided to celebrate, taught  Robyn how to make cinder toffee which she crunched away on whilst carving the pumpkin.  

Yellow Yellow

 Recently inspired by this simple old quilt

Decided to do a white + 1 colour ( mainly! ) quilt

Chose Ohio star block 

And hexagons appliqued on

Funky half triangle border

Now, just wondering how to do final border.........just got Carol Doak's paper pieced star book, but the CD was  a video of how to paper piece, I thought it would be like the CD with her other paper pieced block book where you can print resize etc....instead had to jam the book under the photocopier etc.........grrrr. 

Was thinking of adding 4 different stars at corners.....tried this one
I have great difficulty with piecing star centres, at least this way you do it via 4 blocks, which is easier to achieve

Maybe I will try it smaller in just white/yellow....hmmm, have to think now..........

Its FREEZING today in UK, winter winds arrived, time for more quilts on the beds folks