New Project...

I've been procrastinating, partly, before beginning this next new project. It's going to have to be "design as I go" to some extent because I am upcycling, to coin a term, clothes into a memory quilt. It is for a friend of a  friend. The fabrics are predominantly patterned nighties of her late mother, 2 PJ tops of (I presume) her children, and a bridesmaid dress.

So it's a challenge, for sure. I have been thinking about how to do this for some time, and have settled on Le Moyne Star, mainly because I have done that block a couple of times before, and I think it will work ok for the nighties, as I've already done it out of mens' shirts before for my first memorial quilt.

I'm not sure, as yet, how to use the bridesmaid dress - originally there was a design I fancied using that did ask for a silk to go on the blocks. My issue with this is that the quilt was a bit too small to be useful and I think the recipient really has a bed quilt in mind.

So this is going to be my first "Quilt Process" pledge project. I'm going to be a while making it, perhaps, and it is interesting (and brave) to track it as I go along.

First photos are the original clothes I am working from, then the fabric  and buttons, lace and ribbon I am left with after cutting the seams open and harvesting the fabric and buttons last night.

Planning stage:

• So now I am using graph paper and trying to work out the design and how much fabric I have.
• I also need to research how to stiffen the fabrics I am working with. The fabric is (unfortunately) poly cotton, emphasis on the poly! My experience with the shirts tells me that simply starching this fabric isn't going to be enough. The poly cotton shirts were terrible to work with.
• The other reason I need to do something to the fabric is that especially the white fabric is very flimsy and will be somewhat transparent - it will show the seams, the batting, and just needs a denser white behind it. I am hoping that this isn't going to prove too expensive. I am going to have to find some sort of iron-on solution - interfacing?
• The bridesmaid dress is offwhite - not fantastic seening as 2 of the nighties are white based patterns. I also don't know how to use the red without totally drowning the quilt. Mmmmm quite a challenge then.
• The little PJ shirts will probably have to make tiny squares to go within the border. I am thinking the bridesmaid dress ivory fabric ought possibly to be used in the border.
• I may have to buy a co-ordinating quilt fabric to make the materials go further. And probably for the border / definitely for the backing.
• The finished quilt will have buttons on it in some form, and I'd also like to use the little ribbons I cut off last night when I was beginning the fabric preparation.

Next post - early planning pics.

Not that I am taking the pledge too seriously but it is important in this case I think for me to keep track of my planning, and possibly interesting for someone else to see how I work. I am totally self taught so have no idea whether there are better ways of doing these things.

This quilt is to celebrate life. Family life. Remembering a loved one and joining with the present. It's what Sew La Vie came from - a real burden for Life. I'm praying I can do a good and fitting job to bless a dear friend's dear friend...

Are we there yet??!

I had an idea for Mother's Day for MIL and produced this quilted photo last week. I finished it today by adding a label on the back.

It is called "Are we there yet?" because that is the book LittleH#1 was reading to his sibs in the photo - a lovely photo of them all together, and Grandma and Grandpa are just about to go on their own little adventure seeing a bit of the outback, so I hope the choice is a good one.

It was the first time I have attempted mitred borders, and I am pleased with the end result, though there were a few tears last week and I "rang a friend" (well, friend's mum) but in the end I worked it out myself and managed it. I kind of kick myself when I try out something new on a project I need to get right the first time but it's my personality. I don't practise much in life, I tend to like to try to do it for real the first time, and want to get it right. I don't really have enough time anyway to spend sewing things that aren't actually going to turn into things, if that makes sense!

So, I finally cut into my stash of fat quarters that came free with a magazine subscription, they've been tempting me for some time. I puzzled over how (and whether) to label the back but decided it was important and in the end bought some new fabric pens, and used leftover border to make a border for the quilt label. I am as pleased with the back of the 'photo' as the front! I did google for ideas but (although I doubt my project is amazingly original) could find nothing similar on the internet so I just decided on the size and design myself. I am really pleased with how it's turned out, a nice "different" thing to do with a photo, instead of sticking it on a mug like everyone else. Nothing wrong with mugs but I can't compete in the photo stakes so am not trying. :) Maybe if I make a few more of these (my mum's next on the list!) I will begin to be able  to justify a new camera. Although the quality of my sewing photographs probably in itself does justify a new one...

Flying the Flag!!

Couldn't resist making some applique union jack tshirts for the 2 children who didn't have one already, yesterday. Last minute, day of wedding but really they were easy and didn't take long!

Bit scary doing something so permanent on a tshirt in case it inadvertently flies upside down (sign of distress, though not treason!). Had a panic once they were finished but no, I got it right. That would severely upset my perfectionist streak though no-one else would have a clue, I should think! (But you'd be less likely to see a photo on here!).

So - here are the 2 I did:

This was the first - I was going to leave the blue triangles to the imagination as the background was blue, but the artistic decision was made by LittleH#1 who wanted the flag to look authentic rather than artistic I think. Fair enough!!!!

Here's the second. I am happier with this one, and it was much quicker. I left the white to the imagination on this one, so it was much quicker as I only had to bond and applique the red and blue pieces. The original idea comes from a tshirt that I bought in a charity shop before we left England 2 1/2 yrs ago, and has been well loved in our family too - first by LittleH#1 and now LittleH#2, who is sporting it in the photo below.

So here they are!! All my lovelies watching the royal wedding in very appropriate attire.

Crafty notes:

• For some reason the method used to trace onto the fusible web and then iron on to the tshirt resulted in a problem with the red strips. Must be that it creates a mirror image, so I should have traced them the other way around. The instructions didn't say to do them the other way, but that's what I discovered. It's only the second time I've done applique - the first time was about 5 years ago. 
• The second tshirt was better sewing because I realised I should have swapped the needle. Had to quickly google to find out which Janome needle it was that I needed for stretchy fabrics, so now I know it's the blue tipped one.
• I have run out of white thread. The whole thing was done from stash, and the red, blue and white all come from old baby tshirts / pjs. The fusible web was already in my sewing box (result!) so now everything is sorted it was easy for me to lay my hands on what I needed. (And I remembered from last time that I had no white left. Doh!). No-one should ever run out of white thread. I need to remedy that today.
• It's given me an idea for a bigger project based on the union jack so that highly classified project will be revealed at a later point. But I will be looking for fabrics and trying to design something today. ;)
• Oh and LittleH#3 (and now as I mention it, LittleH#2) has asked for a space tshirt next. I am going to do a shuttle tshirt (for each of them, I guess!). Hardest part about that will be finding a plain black tshirt to make it on, I should think.
• So - I can't make clothes, but  I  can decorate them. ;)

Oh it feels good to be sewing again. :) The room was brilliant, and really made it easy to just do something on the spur of the moment.

Sewing Room!!!!!

The Easter weekend has also resulted in the completion of my (our) spare room project - to turn it into a sewing room!! Yay!!!!  I finally have my first space EVER where I don't have to take everything off the table so we can eat / do school.

Major problem that needed tackling whether I got my own room or not (did I mention I DID???!) was storage of stash. The spare room was the only candidate for a room with a possibility of some cupboard space for that. and  I am sick of having the stuff in crates (even semi-organised), stacked on top of each other and pretty much totally inaccessible to me without Matthew's help (and me making a lot of mess). So a while back I decided I'd prefer drawers or something like that, and have been resisting Matthew's offers to take me to IKEA because I wanted to sort the stuff a bit first, decide what I needed, and decide what furniture / storage we have already that can be re-used.

Shock tactics first. Here is what we were working with. Bear in mind, we've not long moved (OK, 6 weeks, but  I AM 30 plus weeks pregnant with baby#5 so things happen a bit slower... plus the room's been full of different things that have been sorted and put away, the sewing stuff is the last major "spare-roomy" problem).

So - the BEFORE photos:

Left hand cupboard, stacked boxes (inc dress ups - now a better home has been found for them in the children's bedrooms!)

Right hand cupboard - much stash and sewing table which is awkward for finding a home at the best of times.

Just general mess from sorting!!

So. Now the results.

I am glad we waited. I had the idea of using one of the children's Trofast IKEA cupboards redundant since the move inside one of the sliding door cupboards, taking its doors off and having it as an open shelving unit. Matthew thought we should keep the doors on but now he's seen what I had in mind also agrees it works really well. I have all my stuff I need to access when sewing in there on the shelves, so i will be sitting in front of it and can just turn around, get things, and put them back. (Note to self: Put. Them. Back.).

Trofast cupboard adapted for storage in the left side of the fitted robe (and new plastic pots to organise everything into useable pots), new hanging storage from IKEA containing small projects, fabric bits and bobs, etc. Also a hardly visible new little table top ironing board that I discovered by accident also has a hook to hang up on the clothes rail above the cupboard.

Right hand cupboard:

The stash has all been sorted and put away so I can access it. In the cupboard on the right we have recycled the wire basket drawers the boys had been using before we solved their wardrobe problems, and I have different bits and bobs of larger fabrics in there, with all my smaller fatquarters, childrens print bits and leftover plain quilting fabrics at the top. So I can choose what I need from there no problem. Have also got a mending drawer (or 2) full of boys’ trousers from last winter which was particularly hard on their knees, and a few pairs of trousers that can be sacrificed to mend the others. When I choose to!!!!!

I have only one crate in use on a higher shelf - full of IKEA "as-is" purchased heavy cotton drill, which I don't need to use a lot but do need to be able to get at it easier than if it were stored in the garage. (Bag next to that says "Quiltaholics" by the way, one of my favourite hang outs and where I made my first project. That's the only "...holics" round here!).

So - the table has been commandeered from the playroom (we don't need a separate table for school work in this house) and the angle poise lamp is another new IKEA purchase. The table is drop leaf so can be kept down when the machine is not up and being used.

And finally, the room also doubles as a retreat for any of us needing some time alone for reading, music, prayer... Wicker basket contains books and bits and bobs to use during those times, and the CD player is for the children, really, for audio books. I plan also to have my iPod dock set up in here for watching podcasts / listening to music as I sew.

So we enjoyed some audio story Bible time in there before the children went to bed!

Voilla!!!

Easter bags...

A number of years ago, I was given this fabric from Jo-Ann's by a friend when she went home to the US for a trip. I used a bit for a project but last night turned the stash upside down and inside out looking for it(following moving house) and the dining room and kitchen were covered in boxes, wadding, fabric, and the traumatic sight of a few unfinished projects. Cruelty to crafters, getting all the stash out at once. But I was grateful for Matthew's help cos the boxes are heavy and we are going to re-organise everything so I can a) get to stuff and b) use it.

Anyway, Easter egg print is useful once a year, and last night was going to be it or I would have to wait till next year. And I wanted to give the little easter Haigh's choccies a little differently. So here they are. VERY quick to make, and tied only simply with ribbon round which is sewn on one seam. I've used that idea for childrens' party bags in the days I wanted to have a "no-landfill" gift bag for the children but also had time to make 25 bean bags to go in 25 party bags. Mind boggles. This year they got a tennis ball each and no bag!!!

Good to use the sewing machine again though! I plan to be strict with myself and mend some of the boys' trousers that need knees patching because there are a lot of nice pairs with holes in the knee that didn't even last the whole winter last year. I am glad we've moved to a house with carpet (but now don't have a useful wooden floorboard living room to tape down my quilts while I baste them). Somehow I think it will be a while before I need to embrace that problem. :(

News Flash.

I. Am. About. To. Make. Something.


:)

\0/

Quilter's Block.

I have a SEVERE case of Quilter's Block. At least that is what I am calling it! I haven't made anything since January. The panadiere was the last creation (and I was desperate to make more). We've moved house instead. So that was the original block - needing to pack sewing and everything else away, find a house (that bit was the trickiest, we were 2 weeks away from homelessness), and then move into it.

The "Block" now is my conscience. I have to teach the children, though yes real life is doing a lot of that too. So in all conscience, with boxes (still) to unpack, homes for things to find, little mouths the feed and Little Hs to teach... I can't exactly spend every spare (ha ha) minute sewing. I have lots of ideas, and do need to make an ideas list. That will help with the Quilter's Block no end. Cos I will feel like something is happening and I will have some sewing time soon. I'll carve it out from somewhere. With Little H-Joy due in June, if I don't do some sewing soon it's going to be AGES before I do any more and I did have big plans for this sewing year.

Just had a realisation, though, that I don't have a nice hard wooden floor any more for pinning out quilts before, well, quilting them... I guess I will have to look at how other people do it. I doubt you can do it on lino. And I doubt even more that the lino in the kitchen would EVER be clean enough...