Friday, 25 July 2014

Quilt Now!

if you haven't heard about the new magazine on the quilty block, 
well, now's your chance!

The Editor of said magazine is none other than the very talented and amazing Katy of I'm a Ginger Monkey!

I am smitten over this great first issue, but I may be a little biased, because of these 





finally some of that secret sewing can be revealed! 
If you don't already have a copy and fancy winning yourself one, keep reading, and you may be able to see the full fancy photo's of these 2 lovelies by Katie and Justine.  And, read my article on Long Arm Quilting!   


The very lovely marketing team sent me an extra copy to give away to my blog readers! 
Yes, you lovely people! 

So leave me a comment, telling me what you like to see in a quilting magazine (just one comment only)  and I'll consult Mr RNG on Monday!


Monday, 14 July 2014

FAL - Qtr 3

Oh well, seems the more I declare, the less I get done, but slowly slowly I WILL conquer this list!
The fact I keep adding to it doesn't help really!

#1 Sunnyside Quilt (carried forward from qtr 1 & 2) - just needs quilting and finishing!


#2 Union Jacks - need to finish this one and get it ready to send to a friend the other side of the pond. (carried over from Qtr 2)


#3 Rapture Quilt - oh how I want to get this one done!  I have a plan and everything!


Its made it to the frame, and I've started quilting, but that's as far as it got.

#4  PB&J Kaleidoscope quilt -  if any are going to slip, this is it!  (carried forward from Qtr 1)

#5 Oriental top (carried forward from Qtr 1 & 2) - just needs quilting and finishing!



#6 Vintage Modern Quilt - would like to get this one quilted at least so I know if I am going to enter it into Festival this year!


Its been hanging up waiting for a quilting opening for some time. And is still hanging about waiting for a slight modification and some 'contemporary' quilting! Fesstival entry is looking unlikely now, but I'd still like it done.

#7  Sprinkles - I pattern tested this for Sue, (must blog about it) (Carried over from Qtr 2)


#8 More Pattern Testing, this one for Megan - love it so much I must finish it!




currently picked up and labeled into a bag waiting for an opportunity to sit and sew.
I've done some blocks, but that's it.

#9 and just for Sarah - Hunters Star quilt - Gulp!  this one is a monster, with more piecing than a box of dropped crockery!  Jury's out I'm afraid - but it made the list all the same!


Don't hold your breath on this one!

#10 Peppered Cottons quilt - these have been together since I bought them, ooooh at least 2 months ago!  


#11 FQR Samlple swaps


I better get a move on!

#12  This pile of fabrics into a cushion!



#13  and the pile of rejected blocks into a cushion.


So that should keep me out of trouble then! 
and being as I seem to be chipping away at these I should accomplish something!

Never mind the Customer quilts already booked in for the next few months!

Linking this up with Katy (i Hope) 




Thursday, 10 July 2014

Half Square Triangle Heaven

I was so excited to be given the opportunity to take part in the Oakshott Colourshott Bundle Blog Hop hosted by Lynn of Lillys Quilts



I drew the Spice Bundle


And immediately thought of sunset and had to start drafting my idea whilst I was still at the day job, so all my calculations have been noted on a scrap of paper! 

Everyone gets a little intimidated by trimming those Half Square Triangles, so what if there was a way to make 8 accurate HSTs in one go, no trimming required?

Well there is! 

These little fat Eighths are exactly 9 3/4" x by 22" 


Perfect!  from each F8th I cut two 9 3/4" squares


sorted them into the colour order I wanted, so they could be paired up, I moved one of the first colour to pair up with the last one


taking the first pair, draw diagonal lines across both axis, 

stitch 1/4" either side of the drawn lines


repeat for all pairs

now its time to trim


Each square will be trimmed in half, lining up the outer edge of your ruler at the 4 7/8" mark,

this is done both on the vertical and horizontal axis
check to ensure you are cutting through the center of the block too


Try not to move your block whilst cutting, if necessary rotate your board to make the cutting easier. 

You will then cut on the drawn diagonal lines


so that when you have done just 4 cuts, you will have 8 HSTs ready for pressing


I prefer to press my seams open, the blocks lay flatter


trim off your bunny ears, and lay out the blocks in order of sewing


my table wasn't big enough!


lay out the blocks in the desired design and stitch into rows, 
Join all the rows together to complete your top


Those 9 3/4" squares produced eight 4" finished HSTs!

so this little quilt is 32" square

layer up, baste, and quilt as desired!
(I love that statement!)


I quilted 1/4" either side of my zig zag seams, but I just couldn't resist a little feather thrown in to reflect the movement in the clouds of my Sunset


and I matched up my threads as I went


So, the technical bits,  we all hate cutting those squares with 7/8" on, and then trying to get an exact seam and hoping the HSTs will work, so what if you could make 8 at a time without the difficult maths? 

Whatever size you need your finished HST to be in my case 4", times by 2 and then add 1 3/4", in this case equals 9 3/4"

I've used this method many times, and now I have my head around the maths, its easy every time!  
Give it a try!  I'd love to see your results. 

Up next on the blog hop is Susan the Gourmet Quilter

31 June:  Jo from My Bearpaw
1 July:     Kerry from Very Kerry Berry
3 July:     Nicky from Mrs Sew And Sow
4 July:     Helen from Archie The Wonder Dog
7  July:    Sonia from Fabric And Flowers
8 July:     Charlotte from Displacement Activity
10 July:   Trudi from Trudi-Quilting Prolifically
11 July:   Susan Claire from Gourmet Quilter

and my sunset tonight? 



Sunday, 6 July 2014

Quarter 2 - The full disclosure version!


So my madness was declared Here!

and so this is the full disclosure!

#1 Sunnyside Quilt (carried forward from last qtr) - just needs quilting and finishing!


Nope!  Not even moved from the pile!

#2  Kaffe/batik quilt top (carried forward from Qtr 1) - just needs quilting and finishing!


#3 Union Jacks - need to finish this one and get it ready to send to a friend the other side of the pond. 


Still remains in the pile or PHDs (projects Half done!)

#4 Rapture Quilt - oh how I want to get this one done!  I have a plan and everything!


Its made it to the frame, and I've started quilting, but that's as far as it got.

#5 Scrumptious HST quilt - another I need to finish soon.  Needs to become a class sample


Wooohooo!  Another one Done!

#6 PB&J Kaliedescope quilt -  if any are going to slip, this is it!  (carried forward from Qtr 1)

Not even taken a peak at it! 

#7 Oriental top (carried forward from Qtr 1) - just needs quilting and finishing!

Remains in the untouched pile

#8 Vintage Moder Quilt - would like to get this one quilted at least so I know if I am going to enter it into Festival this year!


Its been hanging up waiting for a quilting opening for some time. And is still hanging about waiting for a slight modification and some 'contemporary' quilting!

#9  Sprinkles - I pattern tested this for Sue recently, (must blog about it) and I'd like it done fast!


untouched.

#10 More Pattern Testing, this one for Megan - love it so much I must finish it!




currently picked up and labeled into a bag waiting for an opportunity to sit and sew.
I've done some blocks, but that's it.

#11 and just for Sarah - Hunters Star quilt - Gulp!  this one is a monster, with more piecing than a box of dropped crockery!  Jury's out I'm afraid - but it made the list all the same!

Hmm, 2011 on the box! remained untouched!  Sorry Sarah, its time will come, because its going to be so pretty when Its done!

#12  Big Star quilt (carried forward from Qtr 1) - honestly, I just need to finish binding the thing!


Yayyy!  Done!  

#13 and I forgot about these, til I got home, 2 Baby Quilts, part of  #BritBeeForever and Hadley is waiting to add the binding, on her list, so I need to quilt, trim and post to Hadley, so she can bind.  Definitely a joint effort here by the whole of the Brit Bee!


Done! - Blog post here

#14 Peppered Cottons quilt - these have been together since I bought them, ooooh at least 2 months ago!  


nothing like a deadline (even a self imposed one!) untouched!

So a respectable Four Finishes!
 Actually its 5 quilts, because one of them was in fact 2 quilts in one project!

So, in the same period I have quilted 18 customer quilts, one of which I made and have written a pattern for, 3 articles, and taught on 9 full day classes.  2 Quilt shows, 3 sets of Pea Room block of the Month, and had a weeks holiday! Plus the day job!

So linking this up with Katy, before the deadline of midnight tonight!