Little Apples

Little Apples. Designer: Aneela Hoey (Freebie).  Floss: DMC310, 321, 433, 3848.  Background fabric: Kona White (interfaced)

I think she's a cutie.  Although it took a bit of time with the filling it wasn't that tedious since full 6 strands of embroidery thread was used.  I'll finish it as a cushion cover.  I've bought some Little Apples fabrics and it should be here next week.  So I'll be good to go then.  Also got a couple of charm packs i.e. Shebert Pips and Little Apples both by Aneela Hoey for Moda.  I've got a quilt planned ...

Christmas Sampler.  Designer: Red Brolly (Freebie),  Floss: DMC.  Background fabric: Muslin (not interfaced) and Kona Snow

I love this sampler. These stitcheries / embroidery work up pretty quickly.  The borders for the appliqued pieces gave me some grief as it's difficult to get all accurate when there is no marking.  It's still wonky ... an acceptable wonky.  I've got another piece of muslin all washed and ironed for Bronwyn's latest Christmas freebie 'He's Coming to Town'.

Cake Stand / Basket blocks Doll Quilt Top.  Designer: Kathleen Tracy for SQT Challenge.   Size: 17" x 22-3/4".  Fabric: RJR red & Kona Natural

Can't get enough of red and whites ... thinking if I should make some Anvil blocks next ...

I love the details in this top.  This is the back tie, to accentuate my non-existing waist perhaps?  There'll be a notched sleeve hem too, so that'll be interesting.  I'm trying to push to envelope in sewing, challenging myself with trickier constructions.  The fabric is Heather Ross' Mendocino for Free Spirit.  I am constructing this blouse meticulously and adding some fine finishings, I've been learning.

About time I organised my garment patterns ... 

Walk in the Woods

 Yesterday was Deepavali and it's a holiday here.  I walked to the Forest Reserve Institute near my home.  It was bustling with activities of joggers, walkers and cyclists.  I think I'll walk there on Saturdays next time instead of public holidays ... less people and vehicles.  I stayed on the main roads but when I get stronger with my walking I'll take on some trekking.

Many years back I took tennis lessons here

And here's where I trashed out all my aggression on the squash courts! :)

It was a nice day albeit tiring, rediscovering the reserve again. 

Size: 12-1/2" x 13" with 1" finished squares

Simple 4-patch block quilt top.  It was a challenge on SQT.  I have wanted to work with some blues and browns and this was the perfect quilt.

4-1/2" unfinished Cake Stand / Basket block

This too is another challenge on SQT.  Red & White or any 2 colour challenge.  I did not take up this cake stand block challenge some time back so I'm now killing two birds with one stone :)

 I couldn't help not starting another stitchery design.  This time it is Aneela Hoey's Little Apples (freebie).  Love Aneela's illustrations, I may just get some of her other designs from her Etsy shop.  With stitching all 6 strands of floss, it sure is a different experience and I quite like the beady looking effect of it.  Now the filling of her jacket will be a task, with 6 strands my threads run out FAST!

 And here's a start on a small doily.  Faizon's blog is my go to blog for free tatting patterns. A generous soul indeed.  The pattern is Merriment doily.  I am tatting this with Zarina's hand dyed Hakelgarn tatting thread sized 20 Aubrielle.  Faizon will know that I'm not into 2 shuttle tatting so I am employing her tip of using the SLT (shoe lace trick) instead.

Christmas State of Mind

 A free stitchery sampler by Red Brolly.  Had a wonderful time stitching this sampler.  The muslin was divine to work with.  I did not use a stabilizer as the muslin was thick enough.  The muslin is from Bird Brain Designs. And the small pieces are Kona Snow solid, these were interfaced.  It'll be finished into a small wall hanging.

I completed the cross stitch piece last Christmas.  Christmas Eve Flight is a free design by The Sampler Girl.  With a couple of red and green fabrics from Judie Rothermel's Colonial Christmas for Marcus Brothers, I intend to sew it into a cushion cover.  Maybe even a quilted one.

LHN's Quilt Time Sampler, going really well.  If I am not quilting, I am stitching about quilting! Ha!

And it was about time I caught up with some of the Civil War blocks by Barbara Brackman.  You will notice that I've skipped all those tricky and applique blocks, the last thing I need are some crazy calculations!

#31 Empty Spools

#32 Carolina Lily

#42 H is for Hospital

#38 Ohio Star

#36 Kentucky Crossroads

#39 Hovering Hawks

#35 Star of the West

#29 Railroad Crossing

 I have done 35 blocks out of 43 (including yesterday's issue).  I may look into my previous blocks and re-do them.  Some I am not too happy with the piecing precision and some the colours just don't go right together.  We'll see when all the blocks are issued and decide then.  Here are my blocks together on Flickr.

Sewing and stitching

I got some garment sewing down and I have plans to work on the online sewing classes.  I've got to get some pattern drafting done too.

 This is a top by New Look 6356.  The fabric is a white cotton/linen blend.  I employed the tips I learnt from my classes.  I intend to make this again maybe in a different view a square or V neckline.  I will make a few changes namely widen the facing, and lengthen the sleeves.

  I've added some running stitches around the neckline, sleeves, hemline and vents.  It's 3 strands of DMC321.  Love that red.  Christmas must be around the corner!

 Then another pair of shorts for my dad.  The pattern is Burda Andre.  Fabric is dark blue cotton twill.  I've added 2 seam pockets and a back pocket.

 LHN's Quilt Time Sampler in progress.  Stitching on 32ct Cream Belfast with chartered DMC threads.  It's very rare that I start on a project the moment I received the chart and even rarer still if I complete it!  So we'll have to see what happens :)

Lillie's Birthday!

It was Lillie's birthday yesterday.  She said she had a fabulous day!  I stitched for her Blackbird Design's Souvenir de France (freebie) for the needlekeep.  It was stitched on 36ct coffee dyed white linen with 2 strands of Zarina's overdyed embroidery floss Aubrielle.  I went for a similar construction as the needle keep that my swap partner Mary C sent to me.

 

In keeping with the Paris theme I added the Kelmscott Paris needle minder and a mini charm pack by French General called Pom Pom de Paris.   And here's the whole package.

I am working on the Jacob's Ladder blocks.  Slowly but surely ...  Please don't mind the colour grouping.  I just cut and piece up some blues or red at a time and pin it on the wall.  They'll be moved around when I finalise the quilt top.  I am not sure how far I'll go with this but at this juncture it's twin sized i.e. about 140 blocks!  If you know me the quilt top may shrink to a crib size!

Some stitchery on the side lines :)

Christmas freebie by Gail Pan found here

 And then there's some joyful stashing :D

Fabrics from This-N-That

Rotating rotary mat is a genius invention!

Some lovely cross stitch charts ... be still my beating heart ...

This and that ...

I've been playing with some stitchery lately and having so much fun with it.  I traced Kaaren's First Friday Freebie pattern Apple 5 cents some time back on calico but only now I've earnestly completed it.  Actually I pulled out all my previous stitches and replaced it DMC 498 Perle Cotton #8.  I like the thicker texture of the stitches.

And I am currently working on Primitive Friends (freebie) by Jennie Baer.  Just the love that pig!  Working with Anchor 381 Perle Cotton #8.  The satin stitches were a challenge but Helen's tutorial definitely helped.

I also completed Barbara Brackman's block for a gift quilt that the Civil War Quilts 2011 Flickr Group is planning for her.  It was mailed out to Becky on Monday.  I've not been catching up on the blocks unfortunately but I will ...

I did a test Jacob's Ladder block.  And I think it has great potential.  I've even cut more prints and shirtings to make a few more blocks.  This will be quite interesting and we'll see how far I go with these blocks.  Their 6" finished.

 

Just by moving the HSTs around, you get a different colour arrangement.  Neat!

Basting them doll/small quilt tops

I basted most of the small quilt tops I've done so far.  There are still some not done since I ran out of cotton batting.  Will get that rectified pronto :)

 Some were basted with cotton batting for hand quilting.

And some were pin basted with polyester batting for machine quilting.

Also did some repair and finishing on some older quilt tops.

 Removed the border fabric as it was not of the desired fabric quality.

And swapped it with Moda's brushed wovens.  I think it looks better and will definitely quilt better too.

 Completed this doll quilt top called Underground Railroad by Kathleen Tracy by adding the two borders.  This is destined to be hand quilted.

And I'm putting in rows of fly stitches on Cheri Payne's Soot & Ashes (freebie)

I have enrolled in a 6 months online sewing course with eSewingWorkshop.  I find the videos very informative and Nehzat approaches it on a step by step basis.  No prior knowledge is assumed.  Great for beginners like me.  Nehzat's sewing skills are amazing.  Here's a slopper or basic block pattern for a straight skirt.  I am using calico for my muslin.  I have not marked or sewn it up yet for a test fit.  I intend to progress to an A-Line skirt sloper which is not too difficult and then to the pants and bodice.