WIP Wednesday - spooky sampler

 

I have started prepping one block a day of the Spooky Sampler by Melissa Mortenson which I purchased as a kit from Set Hot. I've even labelled up my bags so I'm retreat ready only five weeks to go.

I have even sewn two more circular ornament blocks for my Christmas Cheer by Corinne Sovey, so I decided to reward myself and sewed up two of the blocks that I'd prepped.

First were the three Ohio star blocks. I am a sucker for a star block and the Ohio star was my first love when I started quilting. I then stitched together the two large pumpkin blocks. Today I have prepped for the applique blocks and ironed the Steam a Seam to the reverse of the black damask fabric and plan to get at least the three bats cut out at our morning group today. The two spiders are much more fiddly with their legs.

I am keen to load the quilt top for the Free Motion Frenzy class with Karlee Porter and I have finished one more customer quilt, and one further quilt should be delivered today for a quick turn around.

Monday Make - Modern Quit Club mystery quilt

 

I finished quilting this quilt for a friend yesterday. It's a mystery quilt BOM from Modern Quilt Club Every month you get a slim box through your letter box with the instructions and precut fabric for that month's clue. No cutting, what a genius idea. Lisa also keeps a stock of the fabrics for any mistakes or for borders and backings. The fabrics for this quilt are all by @giucy_guice

I have one more of these mystery quilts to quilt for my friend and then I need to load my own quilt top to do the homework for a class I'm doing with Karlee Porter.

Sunday stash - Spooky sampler

 

I am giddy with excitement, I have a place on the Modern Quilt Club retreat in Yorkshire in October, just a month away. I immediately booked my place within five minutes of receiving the email, checked that I could have a lift from Liverpool and booked my flights. I should now book a night's stay at Liverpool Airport for the Thursday and Sunday nights.

The same day I received the Spooky Sampler Quilt kit which I had ordered from Sew Hot in anticipation of being able to go on retreat this year whether in the UK or locally.

I think I might change out the the green fabric in the kit as I'm not a green lover and this an unusual shade of green. Or I might just use as is. There is a lot of fabric in the kit and my plan is to cut one block a day until the retreat. If it's all cut out I may be able to reduce the weight of the kit as I only have 15 kilos of hold luggage. Probably a mistake on my part not going for a bigger / heavier suitcase.

I cut out the first block yesterday and I am slightly disappointed that there's not an overall cutting plan that I can find so you have to refer to each block and work out what fabric is used for each element from the cover photo.

The question is, will I be able to resist sewing up a block or two before the retreat? I think I need to make more progress on my Christmas Cheer quilt first. Perhaps for every two blocks of Christmas Cheer completed, I can sew up one Hallloween block?

Friday finish - one ornament block

 

My progress on Christmas Cheer by Corinne Sovey had come to a grinding halt. I had four round ornaments to tackle and then finally the large Christmas tree.

The good news is this is now on my design wall and I have completed my first ornament block and pieced the striped fabric for the second. Significantly that finishes all of the blocks for the first column. The next block to tackle is the missing ornament from the second column. That's a job for next week.

WIP Wednesday - cross stitch projects

 

I feel that I've made a decent start on Christmas Tree by Barbara Ana for Nikta Moscow. I have the structure of the tree  and aim to finish one side of one level of the tree each month so it will take me ten months in all ready for Christmas 2022. There are a lot of colour changes, so I am focusing on the top level and using up any leftover thread on other levels as I go. As I have finished my Frosted Pumpkin sewalong I am going to stitch this project every weekend.

During the week I am working on the 2017 Prairie Schooler Santa which I started yesterday. This project has larger blocks of colour so should be quicker. 

Monday Make - shortie pyjamas

 

I made a thing, feels like ages since I've sewn and last week went by in a blur of inactivity. I must be feeling a bit better as I sewed these up yesterday on my Janome Atelier 7 and my daughter's overlocker. Perhaps Miffy isn't considered suitable by some for adult pyjamas but I like them and it was the best of limited availability in my local fabric store.  ran out of fabric for the back so used a different grey, also from Rachel's Textiles.

Once you become a woman of a certain age, you appreciate shortie pyjamas and I have now made two for myself. Perhaps I'll pack one pair for the short trip to France we're making at the beginning of October. The ferry times are poor but we're making the best of the winter schedule so get half a day's visit to Pour L'Amour du Fils in Nantes, a ride on the mechanical elephant and a few stops on the way back to St Malo. I am not sure how my 93 year old father will react to the mechanical elephant but his ticket is also booked!!

Friday day finish - Tulip dress

 

I purchased the Tulip Dress Pattern by Sew Different at Festival of Quilts last month and Lizzie purchased the denim for me as a birthday gift. I remembered to prewash the fabric but was very disappointed that there was distinct fading on the fold of the fabric. So I improvised. I put an extra seam in the front of the dress, however  allowed a 1/4" seam and sewed a 5/8" seam. Rookie error! I then screen printed the bottom panel of the dress to cover the fading, I think that was successful and adds to the finished look. You won't see a photograph of me wearing the dress a it's a little too small. I can get it on but it's not a flattering look! 

This weekend I'm hoping to make another set of shortie pyjamas and then I will make this dress again in some linen I purchased at Festival of Quilts, but in a size larger.

Have a lovely weekend.

September 2021 plans

 I plan to be more productive this month but also set myself more realistic targets. There are four months left of the year and I have completed two out of my four remaining UFOs. Will the random number picker be kind to me again? The two remaining UFOs are achievable in a couple of days so I'll now  start drawing up a list for 2022.

1. Draft pattern for Go Big Baby Bear

2. 2017 Prairie Schooler Santa - I have been completing these in a random manner so I think I'll complete all of the cardstock postcard sized patterns first.

3. ATW BOM for September

4. A second pair of shortie pyjamas

5. A second tulip dress in navy linen in a size larger than my first attempt.

6. Start Christmas Tree by Barbara Ana

7. September UFO - Poppy Treffy tea towel

August 2021 achievements

I was away for the first part of August at Festival of Quilts and then visiting friends in Yorkshire and since my return I feel like I've been walking through mud. I haven't written either of the two quilt patterns but I have finished a few projects:

2021 Prairie Schooler Santa

Project for cross stitch camp - Halloween Barbara Ana

ATW BOM for August

Christmas wreath which now needs to be made into a cushion in September.

Tulip dress 

Monday Make - Molly

 

I have finished my Cross Stitch Camp piece for August using the called for DMC threads and stitched on 14 count aida in the colour coastal by Picture this plus from The Homemakery

I love the pattern but I should have changed out the main colour of the dress for more of an orange as it shows on the print out of the pattern. I am now on the look out for a silver or grey frame to start a Barbara Ana wall.

The September cross stitch camp project is a showstopper. I have been dithering about what I want to stitch as I just don't have the perfect fabric in the correct count for any of the projects I'd like to stitch. So I think I will just chose one of the two Barbara Ana kits I have from Nitka Moscow Perhaps I'm in the mood for some Christmas stitching?

Friday finish - Masters in Medical Physics

 

I am thrilled that my daughter has completed and passed her Masters in Medical Physics at Aberdeen University. I was almost as thrilled when British Airways announced they were going to continue flights from Jersey to London Heathrow as that makes our trip to Aberdeen at the end of November for her graduation much simpler and we can purchase a through ticket. we must remember to pack our thermals for that trip.

Lizzie has been back for two weeks, she had planned to be back for a week but became ill so decided it was better to stay here with us and this week she has been busy sewing some of the fabric she bought at the Festival of Quilts.

First we have two versions of the True Bias Shelby dress. The second is in fabric from Lady Mcelroy fabrics. Having made the first version earlier in the year, Lizzie upped her game to make the second version with a better finish and slightly bigger.

Lizzie's photos always show off our beautiful island. The first photo is on the coastal footpath and the second is at Greve de Lecq.

Yesterday we went on an out of town charity hop hop with friends. Not many purchases were made but we had lunch at Durrell Zoo and took a few snaps of Lizzie in her Liberty London Petra Pants. The fabric was bought from Rosenburgs and the Petra pants is a pattern by Closet Core Patterns.

Lizzie leaves today but I am sure there will be two more finishes to show you next week. Once she's gone I will break out my new Janome Atelier 7 and my old machine will be Lizzie's Christmas present. Lizzie's plan is to find a permanent job, preferably in Scotland and then put down roots and find a home with room for her sewing machine and overlocker.

WIP Wednesday - like walking through mud

Having finished my Christmas wreath last weekend, I moved back to working on Molly by Barbara Ana Designs but I feel like I'm getting nowhere very fast with anything at the moment. My plan is to finish the dress today, then move onto below the skirt and then the sun and stars which are just two colours.

I am then planning t start Yellow Submarine by Blackbird Designs. I have it kitted up but in mostly overdyed flosses but the colours are much more muted than shown in the pattern, so I think I will use the DMC conversion instead.

Monday Make - Christmas cheer

 

The Christmas Cheer Wreath is now complete. Next month The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery will release finishing instructions to make the panel into a cushion. I need to go to Rachel's Textiles and buy some red pom pom trim and I plan to line the back of the piece with a pink fabric so as to emphasise the blush coloured fabric from The Homemakery. The piece is stitched as designed apart from the colour of fabric and I am thrilled to finish it.

WIP Wednesday - Cross stitch camp

 

After much dithering and navel gazing, I finally chose my Cross Stitch Camp project for August 2021. The criteria was using a new to you floss or fabric. I chose this Picture This Plus hand dyed Aida which is so soft and paired it with Barbara Ana's newest freebie chart called Molly. As always I didn't have all of the called for flosses so I have ordered them from ebay and I'm hoping they arrive today or tomorrow so I can finish this project before the final installment of the Christmas Wreath by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery is released on Friday afternoon.

Monday make - 2021 Priairie Schooler Santa

 

Started and finished this cross stitch last week. One job for today is to list some of my completed patterns on Ebay as I won't restitch them. Love the racoon.

Stitched on 32 count Belfast Vintage stormy night from Peakside Needlework.

Next I need to start my Cross Stitch Camp project for August amongst many other jobs.

A cautionary tale

 

I spotted this pattern by Sew Different for a more flattering tulip dress whilst at the Festival of Quilts. I purchased the blue corduroy in York at Sewcialising and Lizzie purchased the denim for me at the Festival. I also purchased some navy washed linen from Higgs & Higgs but that must be stashed away in my husband's car and he returns on Monday.

Yesterday I traced the pattern onto Swedish tracing paper from Pattern Trace and realised I needed to wash the denim. I was disappointed to spot that the denim is faded along the fold. I will have to put a seam in the middle of the front of the dress and remember in future to check the fabric before purchasing.

Today's job is to cut out the dress. According to the pattern it should take four hours to make, which I hope to do tomorrow.

WIP Wednesday - Tokyo

I was so pleased to start and finish this block yesterday for the ATW BOM with circle line studio. Once again I was playing fabric chicken but this time I cut the large pieces of background for the tag and next to the spire first. I had a small amount of fabric left which has all gone into a scrap bag for when I next see my friend Gill in October. I was very pleased to give her two bags of scraps when I saw her at the Festival of Quilts and in return she gave me two quilts to quilt for her.

Here are my blocks so far. The only remaining place that I've been to as represented by a block is Paris and I'm still not certain that I want to make the other blocks but I can't see a way around it.

In other news, I had a very disappointing delivery on Monday, I was expecting my new Janome Atelier 7 and all that was delivered was a box of accessories!! The machine is scheduled to be delivered today but as I haven't received a request to make a Customs declaration, I doubt it will be delivered today.

Monday Makes - Festival of Quilts

 

I returned last night from our Tour de Yorkshire including our trip to Birmingham (not in Yorkshire). Lizzie and I spent a day being stewards at the Festival which gave us early entry to the show and Lizzie managed to spend up  storm in the thirty minutes before we had a stewards' briefing. The Rosenburg stand is always popular and they were happy to serve Lizzie early and she had the salesmen all to herself. She may have also returned several times after that to buy some more fabric. She went with a plan of what she wanted to make and only purchased fabric to make those items.

I purchased a second tulip dress pattern and bought two fabrics to make the dress at Festival and and a further purchase in York from Sewcialise. I may have also purchased a new sewing machine.

Onto the quilts, here is Lizzie in a handmade top and matching face mask with her quilt in the complete beginners category. Excitingly she was shortlisted for a prize. She didn't win a prize but it will encourage her to sew more. We also met Mark - a Sewing Bee entrant and she gained a number of tips from him.

I wasn't shortlisted but I was thrilled with how my entry looked and I wore my red linen tulip dress. The linen also came from the aforementioned Rosenburgs.

It was also my birthday on the Sunday of Festival and we had two celebrations - on the Saturday we did a Dalek themed escape room at Resorts World. Apparently we chose the most difficult of their escape rooms but we did escape. One the Sunday we had dinner as a family for the first time in 11 months at Carluccio's in Leamington Spa. Matt's £20 steak was disappointing but it was great to be together again.

I didn't craft at all whilst I was away so today I hope to get back to my happy place having slept very well last night. 

Friday finishes - Festival of Quilts ready

 

I bought this pattern by Cool Crafting and the linen to make it from, two years ago at the Festival of Quilts. So why do I wait until the week of F0Q 2021 to actually make the dress? Reducing the length of the dress took the most time and was the task I'd been avoiding. Lining up the pockets too time too an now that I've put the dress on, I think I need to remove the pockets as they spoil the line of the dress.

Otherwise the dress fits well and I plan to make another - hopefully a bit quicker this time around.

Another project the has lain around and only needed under an hour to finish it were these reindeer face masks. Even though they are now seasonally inappropriate, they are complete and in my pouch of face masks. I have also finished a pair of shortie pyjamas ready to pack.

Come back next week to see what I purchased from Festival of Quilts.

August 2021 goals

I am away for the first week of August so I should be easier on myself this month. at the time of posting, I don't know what our chosen UFO for August is but I have finished ten out of the twelve projects, so fingers crossed it's one I've already finished. There are five months left in the year and only two projects that I haven't finished from my list of UFOs. Fingers crossed for an already completed project.

I am doing a pattern writing course, so I need to complete two patterns first, one sample is already sewn.

1. Go big baby bear

2. Twinkle twinkle

3. 2021 Prairie Schooler Santa

4. Project for cross stitch camp - Halloween Barbara Ana

5. ATW BOM for August

6. Corinne Sovey Christmas

7. Christmas wreath, the stitching for which will be completed in August and made into a cushion in September.