Strawberry Fields Quilt Top

Strawberry Fields.  QAL by Lori D.  Size: 26" x 20"

I love this quilt top.  It now joins my ever growing 'To-be-Quilted' basket!

My needlecase swap from Mary C in Canada.  It's done in wool and roomy.  There's a whole lot of work in the small XS piece that has been tea-dyed after stitching .  Since I've been doing a lot of quilting and some sewing lately, I realise cross stitch is way way more time consuming.  Mary Glover is going at a snail's pace ...

Ilhan's shirt in progress.  It still needs sewing the sides.  I am thinking of sewing the French seams method, buttons and button hole and pockets.   Looks a little short to me.  Maybe If I used a slightly smaller hem I would be able to pull it off. 

More blouse fabric for myself.  Mostly cotton and cotton blend.  Second from right is a lining similar to acetate lining for a blouse I am planning.  And right most is cotton-linen blend gingham for some crafting.

Strawberry Fields in Progress

I am so enjoying this quilt.  It's a QAL called Strawberry Fields run by Lori last April.  There are a million pieces to piece but if you approach it 'methodically' it's a breeze I assure you.  I find Lori's QALs are somewhat challenging in terms of skill building and patience!  She surely has a knack of making quilts that pushes the envelope!  Not that I am complaining of course :)

After I complete Strawberry Fields I would have completed all 3 QALs that Lori has conducted.  Here's Midnight Stars and Cheddar Cheese & Crackers revisted.

Now to look into quilting them?

Stash and making of a bag

More Civil War fabric for my collection.  A number are Jo's fabrics . Took the opportunity when Z&S Fabrics were having their 50% off sale recently.

Yoko Saito fabrics that I got for my birthday will be used for the bag in the book and some from my stash.  It's for the bag challenge due end of June.  There's some applique involved and I better get cracking.

Cheri's Cross blocks quilt top is completed.  It's 18" x 28 1/2".

Bloggers’ Quilt Festival :: Spring 2011

 This is Grand Slam Quilt.  My first quilt that I made in March 2008.  The pattern is from Quilts & More Magazine Summer 2007.  It's finished at 60-1/2" x 84-1/2".  

 I made this quilt for my dad after his by-pass surgery.  It really was a rather big task for a quilting ignoramus like me to undertake.  I didn't know what I was getting into, in terms of the work involved, the frustration, the cost (yikes!) and eventually the quilting addiction I was about to suffer ;)  

 The rectangles were cut indiscriminately, seams were pressed anyway I fancied, blocks were not aligned, the machine quilting in the ditch were wonky at best, the backing fabric (a flat sheet) were folded at some places!   Because it was for my dad ... I kept at it ...

I think or at least I hope I've come a long way from that first quilt!  There's no turning back now.

Thanks to Lori for mentioning about Amy's Spring Bloggers' Quilt Festival.  A big thank you to Amy for hosting it.

Huswif Swap and More Birthday Gifts

 

My Yahoo Group Small Quilt Talk recently conducted a huswif / needlecase swap.  My partner was Mary C in Canada.  Mary said that she wanted to be surprised.  Since Mary is in Canada, I went the French style :)  Yeah corny I know :p  It took a whole 3 weeks for Mary to receive it. In this year and age, in 3 weeks one can fly to the moon and back!  Mary knows how I've been worried that it was lost.  But all is well now.

The cross stitch design is a freebie by Casamia in Italia.  Mary's initials flank the French maid.  Stitched with DMC3777 on 32ct Belfast Raw Linen.  The fabrics used are Rounneries by French General for Moda, with a piece of wool felt which has been blanket stitched at the edge.  Also some French linen decorative ribbons along the wool felt piece and to tie the needlecase.  I've used mainly the tutorials from APQ and Heidi's old blog.

 Gifts from Margaret W!  I absolutely adore the key holder.  I am using it for my house keys already! I like the fabric combo, sometimes the simple things are the best.   Great fabrics choices as usual which will be suitable for some XS finishings and 6 spools of lovely prim coloured cotton thread.

Lovely box from Lillie with a design by BBD (my favourite) stitched on top of the box cover. The box is quite sturdy and Lillie is utilising fully her lessons in cartonnage recently.  The box was filled with sewing thread and buttons which have been thoughtfully included due to my recent sewing blaze.  More Yoko Saito fabrics for the bag I am planning.

The 39 cross blocks measuring 3" square are completed and the setting squares are all cut..  Now to get them pieced!

 My crazy quilted plaid mug rug has been selected as one of the finalist by This-N-That.  So if you don't mind and be so kind, won't you vote for me?  I am No. 5.  Pretty please?  Much obliged!

It's my birthday ...

yesterday actually ...

 My birthday loot from Jess W!  I just love The Sampler Girl's Northanger Abbey!  In fact I've bought the pattern ages ago and never got to stitching it (familiar?).  The interesting thing about her gift as you might have noticed, it is not finished!!!  She said and I quote 'interactive gift'.  Gosh ... I think that must be a first on this planet!  And she has even provided fabric for a suggested finish.  Can you imagine that? ... the nerve ...  In her defense, the lame excuse of her sewing machine having broken down.

All in good fun I assure you.  But being the rebel that I am ... I am hitting for a small quilted wall hanging instead of the suggested small cushion.  And the included fabric and shirting will surely come in handy.  Also the very elegant antiqued monogrammed label.  Need to put on my designer hat ... ahem ...

And then there's June T's gifts.  For those who are unfamiliar with the fabrics, they are by the one and only Ms Yoko Saito for Lecien.  Her fabric trademark are dark, somber, taupe pallete of colours.  But therein lies it's beauty.  A small quilt with these fabric as borders would look super or maybe even a patchwork bag with some applique?  Now that I have some flower templates and the bag handle that June has conveniently included :)

Yes, I think  a bag is in the horizon with these lovely fabrics, after all there's a bag challenge due end of June!

 I'm back to a little piecing with a darling quilt by Cheri Payne.  It's her January free quilt pattern.  Cheri's one generous soul with a giveaway small quilt AND a free pattern every month. I've got 24 cross blocks done and another 15 to go.

Mug Rug for Lillie

 This mug rug for Lillie caused me some anxiety.  As it took some time for Lillie to acknowledge receipt of it.  The cross-stitch pattern is again by Plum Street Samplers.  Stitched on 28ct evenweave with DMC threads.  I had a hard time stitching on this unknown piece of evenweave.  The weave was rather tight.  The lovely thing about it is that it had little pink flowers printed on it.  The stripes are from a honeybun by Sweetwater for Moda called Make Life.  Machine quilted with polyester batting.

I bought some fabrics for my sewing projects last Friday.  And the silk organza that I spoke off in my previous post.  They are now all washed and ready to be cut.  The seersucker fabric above are for shirts for four little boys and the right most for a dress for a little girl.  And then there's the cotton-linen blend that I got for myself.  Absolutely love these fabrics.  I like the texture and the hand of it, not to mention the comparatively lower cost as compared to 100% linen.  I have the patterns all ready for them.

This is Part 1 of the patterns, there is still Part 2 to print, stick and cut.  A lot of work I must admit but it sure beats paying for shipping.

The Burda 8218 blouse is completed.  Turned out really well.  The pockets were a little fiddly though because of the curved corners.  I intend to make another with the grey cotton-linen fabric above.  I think it'll look slightly more dressy when worn with a scarf.