Britannia Ovens (esp Range cookers) your experience

[craftyhunnypie]

Help! Complete novice here. I really want to do a bit of patchwork & quilting. Nothing too major - but want to have a go. Could someone point me in the right direction of basic tools, instructions, book etc please? I don't want to go on a course to learn it, as I'm tied up with other stuff that I do - so would prefer to do a bit at a time, when I can. Someone has said you can make templates from cornflake boxes & hexagons from bits of paper - that you sew round? It's all very confusing. I just want some extreme basics please.

Thanks

Emma.x

Edited June 6, 2010 by Guest

[Couperwife]

what about the mystery quilt? i just started with the mystery quilt ok, admittedly I havent finished it yet - but my mum had a go and made something really impressive

 

its only little - sort of cushion size, so you could practice with that.

 

hold on - ill see if I can find it here you go

 

hope this helps (a bit )

 

cathy

x

[craftyhunnypie]

Thanks Cathy. Hubby is setting about making me a 4 & 1/2" square template. Once I've done the patchwork, how do you quilt it - put wadding & backing fabric with it & go over the lines again?

I wonder what the little hexagon things are where you sew paper inside them?

Emma.x

[Couperwife]

er dunno, ive not got that far yet

 

sure someone who knows something will be around soon

 

cathy

x

[Christian]

If you are using squares Emma, put two together right sides facing and stitch down one side.

 

Keep repeating until you have the size you want, then turn it over and sew the seems down like this -

 

Select your wadding and cut it too large to fit over the patchwork top, and the same for the backing fabric.

 

Pin the whole lot together and start sewing along the lines from the middle to the outside, if that makes sense? The quilt will naturally stretch, so by starting in the middle and working out, it doesn't stretch as much.

 

I haven't started quilting mine yet, but will do this week some time.

 

Once you have quilted the whole thing, you need to bind the edges. I haven't got that far yet!

 

Good luck with yours!

[craftyhunnypie]

Ooo thanks for that Christian, really helpful. - I'll be cutting my squares today & hopefully I'll get to put them together. Got some fusible stuff, so thought a few chicken shapes on some squares would look nice. Do you machine round the apliques or don't they need it?

This is going to be fun & a real learning curve.

 

Emma.x

[Christian]

Even with fusible web, I would still stitch around the applique, just to make sure it doesn't come loose.

[craftyhunnypie]

Ok I've cut my squares & going to have a go at the mystery quilt A la Plum!

Will sew them together in a bit, but what template do I follow for cutting for the windmill effect?

If this works, everyone will be wanting one & I'll be super impressed.

 

Emma.x

[craftyhunnypie]

S"Ooops, word censored!" that! I've done my 12 squares & borders! I like it that much that there is no way I am putting the scissors to it. I might cut a few hearts & put those on a few squares with buttons in their centres. Oh I'm so pleased with myself. However, it is not perfect & I'm not sure I could get into patchwork & quilting. I'm not the best on my sewing machine. It's ok though & I could manage a basic little quilt or cushion, but nothing fancy. I'm better at knitting & crochet!

Thanks for your encouragement & help.

Photo to follow.

 

Emma.x

[Christian]

Well done Emma, it is so nice when it works isn't it?

[craftyhunnypie]

I'm just uploading the photo to photobucket..one min!

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.

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Taaaa daaaah!

 

 

As you can see my borders are wonky & my seams on the reverse are a bit squiffy. But hey ho I did it.

 

Emma.x

[craftyhunnypie]

Arrrgh, just realised the pattern on the brown squares is going 2 different ways! Arrrgh!

 

Emma.x

[Goosey Lucy]

It looks lovely!

 

Arrrgh, just realised the pattern on the brown squares is going 2 different ways! Arrrgh!

 

Still looks lovely! I'd tell people you did that on purpose.

[craftyhunnypie]

Don't look too closely at my borders, because I didn't measure them. Shhhh or the patchwork police will be after me.

 

Emma.x

[Goosey Lucy]

I think you're being too hard on yourself. For a first attempt I think it's great

[Snowy]

Emma that is brilliant for a first attempt! Definitely wise to start with something small. Why not do a few in the same pattern, slightly different colour combos? You'd get a lovely set of cushion covers, and your skill will improve with every one

[chicks afloat]

Regarding the template question, something which is a bit stronger to draw around is a laminate sleeve, you can insert the design or paper/fabric pattern piece inside to keep safe, ( slightly smaller than required finished cut patch to allow the sealing around the edges of the laminate sleeve). If you decide you like quilting then perhaps you may consider making a set of your preferred size squares, rectangles, triangles etc from a sheet of 1/4" balsa, draw up your templates on the one sheet and carefully cut out. Sand paper/smooth the rough edges and drill a small hole in the centre of the template, screw a small handle/k"Ooops, word censored!" and don't forget to write the size on the shape. Voila! I added a small hole so I could hang them up.

( Hope you don't mind me making the suggestion but quilting and crochet are 2 of my passions)

Regards, Chick Afloat of Sandbach

[craftyhunnypie]

Hey chicksafloat - small world - I'm in Sandbach too! A fellow crafter & chicken person in my town.

 

Emma.x

[Blackrocksrock]

Its really good for your first attempt - you should have seen my first attempt - but in those days no utube or omlet helpers!