Free Motion Quilting Class

Today I made it to a Free Motion Quilting Class with the lovely ladies at Just Quilting. 

I have lots of projects sat unfinished that are just waiting for a little something else, and I have been afraid to spoil all the work I have put in thus far by just going for it.

Well today I made a few inroads into Free Motion Quilting, the teacher Carol Parker was a lovely lady and gave us some great tips and advice and overall it was a great introduction into FMQ.  

It was a lovely day, the first half was spent practising some basic techniques and the second half  was spent making our little project.

We went prepared with layered sandwiches to practice on.

I have to say that I have tried doing this before but with a bit of guidance and some tips it was so much easier that when I was flying solo.

As you can see from my scribblings I still have a long way to go but the rest should be down to practice.

One thing I was not aware of was that you should never turn your fabric around whilst sewing, mark the top and work around the fabric always keeping the top at the top. 

In the afternoon we made ourselves a larger piece which most of us thought we might turn into a cushion cover.

Overall this is my 'almost' finished piece, it needs more fill at the edges and finishing off but I was quite pleased with the 'almost' finished article.  It is a bit angular where it should be curved and I didn't always stay on the lines I had drawn but for a first go it was easier than I thought.

I had no idea that there were templates for the larger patterns, I am just so naive and thought this was all done by sight! Maybe it is by some but, boy was I grateful for a stencil to follow.

The pattern we were to sew was first drawn onto the fabric using a stencil and the fill was freehand.

I do like the fact that this is a plain, mottled fabric and it is the stitching that makes the shapes and patterns rather than the fabric itself.

The other ladies in the class all did so very well and each and every one made something beautiful in a range of differing fabrics and patterns (mine is the dowdy beige one!).

Thanks ladies for another lovely day!

I am off to practice a bit more, as I have the bug now.

Back Soon x

Pretty Crafty Home Table Revamp

I have been trying to make my home a pretty crafty home this year with inspiration from the lovely Cherry Heart.

I picked up this little nest of tables at the Oxfam shop last year for £4.99 and they are a grand addition to our lounge (I forgot to take a proper before photo but this is them below).

In scuffed mahogany they were not really to my taste so I set to with my little mouse sander and a few coats of Dulux Parsonage Cream and a couple of coats of wax and hey presto some tables that actually 'go' in my lounge.

That shabby old chair is on my radar now I'm thinking a patchwork chair for the corner if I can work out how to do it!.

Back Soon x

June Monthly Makes

As I am miss June for the Monthly Make I thought I would pop in share some of the early makes already posted on the flickr group.

I was secretly hoping for a few jubilee inspired makes and I was not disappointed.

Where the Monthly Make has been blogged I have 'borrowed' photos and linked through to the blog, where it is not yet blogged I have linked to the Flickr photos for you to see all.

First off the mark was Rosa Lily with an adorable felt bookmark, I love the shape of the heart it's quite 'Tilda'. See Rosa Lily's uploads HERE.

Up next we have  Famfa from Busy Butterfingers, with some fabulous patriotic sugarcraft check out Her Majesty The Queen with Corgies and Inky Monkey. You can find more details HERE. See the uploaded Flickr pics HERE.

Cute eh?

Celtic Thistle Stitches has made a really great Patchwork Jubilee Bag, it's a really nice subtle take on the whole patriotic theme, you can see the bag HERE.

Kezzie from KezzieAG also came over all patriotic and created this Union Jack card recycling elements including an old easter egg box - brill!

Silvia of Slow Lane Made has been cooking. Gorgeous looking Oat and Lavender cookies, are you salivating yet? You can see the cookes HERE.

Keep up the good work ladies, as you will notice I've not make mine yet I must get busy!

Whilst you are here, fancy a swap?  My friend Lynda is once again being a darling and hosting a All Things British Blog Swap. 

I've been off the swap circuit for a while as I have been uber busy but I'm ready to play now and will be joining in. 

Fancy it, pop over and have a look at Lynda's post HERE.

Back Soon x

Pottering...

I have been pottering in terms of making things.  I don't have any big makes in the pipeline I seem to be flitting between crochet and cross stitch.  I was a bit relieved to be asked to make a bracelet for a friend recently, it was a nice change to get the beading stuff out again.

I made a couple of tigertail glass beaded bracelets and I was quite pleased with them both.  

Now they are with the recipients I am able to show them here.

Another little make was this pink cross stitch on pink evenweave.

I bought this frame from Laura Ashley in the new year sale last year and it has sat there for over a year just waiting!  

Shocking really, it only took a couple of hours to make this up, why do I put stuff off for so long, do you do that too?


I will have to get my make on for June as I am Miss June for the Monthly Make over at Annie the Felt Fairy's place. I feel like I should wear a sash and a tiara (I just might)!

Pop over and play, I will give regular updates on all the wonderful makes as the month progresses. You can find the flickr group here.

Back Soon x

May Monthly Make

I did it, finally after a couple of years wanting I made myself a Tilda angel.

When I saw the little fat angel I fell in love with it, I think I saw myself in there ;0)

Anyhoo, here she is, a little less scary now she has hair and a bit of a face.  The kids are still terrified of her and named her Scary Mary, bless her.

Before:

and after:

An under the dress shot, I made her a navel...

 and I tattooed her bum...

she proudly watches over my crafty bits in my cupboard.

Scary Mary will be my Monthly Make for May.

Back Soon x

Free Motion Quilting

I have been practising my free motion quilting and I am coming far short of the mark! Hours have been spent drawing my patterns out on paper, but I'm just not good at it.

I call my efforts 'scribbling on fabric with a sewing machine'. 

The 'creation' took me hours with the hexies and the scribbling so I decided to turn it into something I could use, a new case for my kindle. 

If nothing else it will be constant reminder that I need to stop reading and practice Free Motion Quilting instead!

I missed the last local free motion quilting workshop as I was quite poorly but there is another coming up next month and I have my name down for that, hopefully I will get there god knows I need it!


Back Soon x

Tilda Love

The new Tilda book is out.  

I popped into the Fat Quarters shop at lunchtime today (which was a little treasure trove!) for a couple of fat quarters and came away with this too.

I'm having a bit of a Tilda thing at the minute, I keep pouring over her books and as I am yet to make a Tilda angel, that is on my 'things to do in the near future' list.

Gorgeous modern girlies in their trouser suits and denim jackets.

How sweet would she look in my little sewing hobbit hole?

Cute or what, little Tilda Bugs!

I know some folk find them spooky as they have no face to speak of.  Hubbie has warned me that I am not to put one in our bedroom as they creep him out... he mostly has his eyes closed in the bedroom anyway so he'll never notice ;0)

I bought a few pretty little bits of Tilda and I'm planning to make a start soon on my own little angel.  I like this girl, from the Sew Sunny Homestyle book, she is a short angel and she is more my shape!

Who knows though I will be sure to show what transpires in all it's cute/spooky glory!  

What do you think, cute or spooky?

Back Soon x