Plum Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 My ES was impressed he asked me to make him a top for his birthday but seeing as he rejected my Aran sweater at age six the answer is no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 That is a beautiful baby jacket - is there no limit to your talents - The quilting and the free motion quilting you do is so so good - nothing comes up to that one. Such a talented lady. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 That is very beautiful indeed! Lovely colours too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Thank you the yarn does the work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 MINION!!! Oooh I love Minions - I'm sure she'll be highly delighted! And congratulations Grandma to be! Lovely and warm cardy for the wee bairn!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Ooh Plum, that's lovely! I've used variegated sock yarn, it turns out a sort of Fair Isle pattern but that is really effective as a cardigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 Just tried the ancient wool winder of my mom and it's awesome! It makes lovely loose balls and it's very addictive. I wish I had more to wind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 OK Plum - this is it! Before and afters! Well after I emptied the bottom cupboards I shoved everything on the shelves: Halfway through re-ironing and refolding so that they are neater and flatter: And finally - there are a lot of s"Ooops, word censored!" bits in the old mixing bowl. It was my grandmother's - or maybe mum's - and it got cracked down in the kitchen and I didn't want to throw it away. It's sort of overflowing now! So that needs to be re-organised now!!! The blue chickens were a secret Santa from here. And this is what I've been up to - all cut and ready to sew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 yum, yum, yum I want to rummage in your stash and rifle through your books! Next project and it'll look like first picture but doesn't it feel good while it lasts. I admire you cutting all the fabric in advance I've never done that. Too chicken, I'd find cut wrong. Get sewing then and make a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 I would have loved to rummage there too - loads of fabric - thought I was bad!!. Good that you have a project ready to start too. I like to cut out mine too before I start except for the sashing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Murray is relieved that I'm actually using some of the fabric! It's built up over a period of time - mostly when we first went to the US and I discovered Walmart had pretties. It also had some poly mixes that I don't really like using - but fine for little gift bags and lavender bags smartened up with lace or ribbon. Started on daughter's quilt with some of those - still unfinished! Then another trip to the US when we had to buy a huge expanding suitcase as we toured Florida and I marked out the quilt shops along our route. Best punishment for naughty children was to spend valuable playing time stuck in a car while their mother wandered around buying up the shops! Heh heh heh! Also the exchange rate was soooo good that I had more shipped over - their postage rate was only $9 for a big envelope and not much more for a bigger one so it made it very economical compared with the costs over here - that's if you found fabric! Now it's something like $26 for a flat rate envelope. Of course you may have to pay duty over here for the imports but it still is cheaper than the shops - especially when they do sales. One fabric shop has been slowly closing down and I've bought loads from her - mainly florals, but there was also a cute teeny rooster shirting one - had to have!!! All in all it's built up over something like 19 years or so - since then lots of quilt shops opened up over here within reach so each have been visited! The baskets on the left contain unfinished quilt tops - DD's being in the top of the trio! The small one on the right of that contains fat quarters - or maybe half yards. The floral sewing basket on the right contains my applique stuff, with fabric on the top for applique. The bottom storage box on the right contains quite a few bits of junk that needs going through and next to it is a pile of papers and magazines to sort through. Back to the left hand side the mixing bowl with s"Ooops, word censored!"s and in front a basket with even more s"Ooops, word censored!"s to go through. First time I've ever cut everything up first - I usually cut and hand sew as I go. But now I feel the urge to practice with the machine for faster results. And once I've done that - my son's quilt WILL be completed! I just needed a quick fix first! Must admit I loved getting the fabrics out and remembering where they came from and why I bought them - either in a fit of excitement or as proper co-ordinating fabrics for a project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 No it's still not the same as having a rummage ourselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Well when the house is all decorated and smart rather than the pit we have at the moment then come on over. Although if you'd like to wait until I'm a bit closer Plum - you can come and visit me in Hereford! Or Worcester. March 2017 the house goes on the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Well the bits that had to be joined and sliced have been done. Just a matter of joining it all together now. That was a lot of slicing - I had to go and buy new blades for the rotary cutter!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Christian, the Weyhill quilt shop is having a sale. I went to get some thread (can't sew if you haven't got the thread - plenty of quilting thread though) and some fat quarters accidentally fell into my hands. Now trying to think outside the box. Have some interesting patterns - amazingly none are florals!!! Lots of interesting neutrals that I wouldn't even have considered in days of yore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 Now now Valkyrie, you know I am only a 30 second walk from that shop. Why didn't you message me and pop in?? I haven't been there for months, been too busy with the allotment and other stuff. Plan on making a quilt to take with me to Germany at the end of October, to hand sew the binding on - log burner on and chill out for the evening. Pieces all cut, just need to find a couple more hours in the day to sew them all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Oooh I didn't realise you were so close! I'd love to pop around next time. *Note to self - plan ahead* The top is now finished and I tested it for size on our bed - it's huge and drapes over the floor at the ends of the bed. I think it's one for giants! I'm assuming it allows for a pillow header thingy. Our bed is kingsize and the sides are fine - just top and bottom is too long. On the other hand come the dreaded winter at least it can fold up to keep our feet warm! And Muz likes it so that's fine. I wasn't sure if it would all go together, but I did as instructed - put it all on the floor and if anything stands out oddly then it shouldn't be there. So I had one fabric that I swapped and it all seemed to be fine. Am liking the finished look too. Must take a photo. One fabric is a left over from the trip around the world quilt on our bed already - it's certainly faded an awful lot on the old quilt!!! The first completed quilt I ever made a fair few years ago! Also popped into the other quilt shop on Friday and I've booked into an evening talk with Janet Clare (introducing her new Moda fabric range). Ricky talked me into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 I must pop in there as haven't seen Ricky for months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I think she's lovely - had many a laugh there. But tadaaaaaaaaaaaaa the moment you've been waiting for - the quilt top before quilting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 That is truly beautiful - you are very talented doing that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Crumbs, I was going to say that must have taken ages, but I know from the posts above when you finished the cutting out .. it looks wonderful. I don't really do quilting - was it one of those designs where you sew several strips together and then cut them up so you've got mixed blocks? That's where I always get confused! it looks amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Wow it's gorgeous. Better than the original. I love the dark lines of squares running through it. How will you quilt it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Thankies peeps. Yes it was one of those cut long bits and join and cut again to make squares. Then big squares were added to the 4 joined smaller squares to make an even bigger square. Eventually all the bigger squares are sewn in a long line with the triangular parts at the ends. I wasn't sure when I had the bits but pleased the overall look is nice. Er hubby did keep saying I was obsessed with it. And I suppose I was - just wanted to finish something. I think I'll probably hand quilt it but nothing spectacular ( )because it is so heavily patterned and nothing would show up, so I think just straight lines going cross ways. I think if I machine quilted it, the bulk might not sit in the hole in the machine! On the other hand I need a hand quilting session and I can do that downstairs any time. Ooooh decisions decisions!!! Didn't notice the darker lined squares until you pointed it out! Happy accident! It was all a random thing. I even have 2 of the same fabrics adjoining - told Muz and he said he couldn't see - and it took us ages to find it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 It is stunning, my mum has made several quilts by hand and a couple with her machine, I just wouldn't have the patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 Lovely! But oh my goodness, how big are those squares? 2"?? I wouldn't have the patience. I made a baby cot quilt once with 2" squares and it took me ages...... I tend to use 6" squares now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
