no waste flying geese

As I mentioned previously I thought I'd try using different methods to make up the component pieces for my next batch of swoon blocks. Cutting out is my least favourite part of quilting so anything that  helps on that front is very welcome. I do have a Sizzix Big Shot , lots of folks really seem to get on well with using these instead of rotary cutting but  I have very few dies at the moment. Something to look into at some point regarding which dies would be most useful.




The swoon blocks use HST and Flying Geese blocks, the HSTs I have down pat now but flying geese  -  not so good.  I remembered Toni recommending the 'no waste flying geese' method so I thought I'd give that a go. This is the tutorial by Melissa at The Happy Quilter that I used and I have to say this method is definitely on my thumbs up list.

So to make four flying geese with unfinished dimensions of 6 1/2" wide by 3 1/2" tall I cut

1 x  7 1/4" square =  Large triangle or Goose

4 x 3 7/8" squares = Small triangles or Sky 

Everything went swimmingly until I was trimming them up at the end that I realised I'd ignored one vital part of the very clear instructions, sad face :(



Yes the part where Melissa very says,

"Clip your threads and then align your ruler along the drawn center line.  Cut your pieces apart along that drawn line."

I for some reason just casually trimmed with scissors which I never really do so why I did it this time I have no idea. Anyway lesson learned I now realise that although you can get away with trimming like that on some blocks with these you need to be accurate or you'll end up with wonky edges like I did. Those funny little edges where I've circles above are where the edges of my blocks should be.

Not to worry since this method uses less fabric I had enough left over to make a new set of these colours which I cut properly and they came out very splendid indeed. I only remade one set though as I'm keen to get these sewn together so fingers crossed the ones with the wonky edges won't give me too much grief when piecing.

So alls well that ends well and when I next follow a tutorial for the first time I might just switch off the telly and concentrate properly but the again most likely I won't ;)

Now.... tonight do I get these sewn together or do I take up 3 sets of curtains?

Bye for now




no waste flying geese tutorial

Dimensions for flying geese for swoon block, unfinished 6 1/2" wide by 3 1/2" tall
cut 1 x  7 1/4" square =  Large triangle or Goose
cut 4 x 3 7/8" squares = Small triangles or Sky

A busy old week

This week started rather brilliantly with a night out, yes a night out on a Monday, how decadent!! Last year myself and my pal Karen threw caution to the wind and bought tickets to go and see Paloma Faith in Glasgow. Those of you who know Glasgow won't be surprised if I say it was chucking it down with rain and blowing a gale but we didn't let that spoil the night. I have to say that Paloma was absolutely brilliant, absolutely amazing! I tried to take photos as we had a really good view of the stage but they didn't really work out so I don't have any to show you. I still have the songs whirling around in my head even now, boy she puts on a great show, she's very sweet, funny, very dramatic and can't half sing.

So on to this weeks sewing escapades....

This week I have swooned so that's me up to the grand total of four blocks, not bad for a years work eh! This block may be my favourite one yet but then I'll probably say that about the next one too.




Please try and ignore the hideous red carpet (and associated threads and fluff) in this photo, light is very hard to come by at the moment so this was the only place big enough with some form of daylight to take a photo today.

Also this week I've been doing a bit of last minute catching up with the Sisters' Ten Block of the Month run by Gen X Quilters. I'm so glad to be finally cutting into my Flea Market Fancy stash, it was one of those 'must have it, no idea what I'll do with it buys' so it's good to put it to use.

January's block is Grandmother's Frame which went together pretty quickly. I did do the HSTs slightly differently from the instructions so for each set of 4 HSTs I cut 2 squares of fabric at 5.25" sewed all the way round at 1/4" from  the edge and then diagonally cut the square into 4 triangles.

 

So that means I'm up to date for a very brief spell of time on the BOM front and made a teeny tiny bit of progress on the Finish-a-long list. Still got plenty to do though and I have a couple of commissions to do as well so plenty to keep me busy.

Bye for now

wip wednesday

I've made some progress on my Cosmo Cricket disappearing 9 patch block. It's waiting to be quilted and then finally turned in a cushion cover. I still haven't decided what kind of closure to put on it. I could do my 'go-to' zipper style or I could be brave and try a concealed zipper. I found this great looking tutorial  from Jess at Craftiness is not an Option for a concealed zipper (check out the gorgeous Loulouthi fabric - big on my fabric hit list) so I might just give it a go.

Also on may wip list as I mentioned yesterday is a quilt for my eldest son. It's really tricky finding fabrics for a 14 year old! He's not keen on pattern much so it has to be mainly solids. Raiding my stash I found the transistor scrap of Ruby Star Rising that I won from Sarah at Pings and Needles and boom suddenly I knew what to make.

   

I added a few of the oakshott cottons, some charcoal and beige organic crossweave fabric based on the colours in the Ruby Star fabric. I don't have enough fabric to make blocks really and I don't think that's what he'd like anyway so I'm going to make a quilt with two large areas of plain fabric divided by a strip of random shapes and sizes. If you hadn't guessed I'll be making it up as I go along which I'm hoping will be fun ;)

Completed in the last week are the AMH zipper pouch (new make-up bag for me) plus a new pencil case for Jamie. That's not a great deal really but considering my output last month I'm quite happy. The Cloud 9 cushion cover is still ongoing, well hasn't been touched for some time actually and the 241 Tote will be finished tonight after being neglected last week. The cross-the body bag is still waiting to be sewn, hopefully by next week that one will be completed too.

So that's my first WIP Wednesday. I'm hoping that I'll check back against this over the next week and that I'll stay on track with these projects and not get diverted by other goodies that I see online. There are lots of gorgeous quilty makes on show over at Freshly Pieced including this one from Megan at Mia Dolce which I'm fancying trying for my daughters quilt request - oh no another potential wip aaargh! ETA ( ok I realise that this link was from last weeks WIP Wednesday duh! but I still really like it , think I need a cuppa).

Bye for now

scarf-tastic

Well I’m still slaving over the sewing machine trying to get my long list of Christmas presents finished. Then there’s a load of January birthdays coming up too so there’s another list for that too. Anyone else making presents this year?

Meanwhile here are photos of the scarves I made a couple of weeks ago from some Anna Maria Horner Voile. In fact one of them is made from the voile I won from Celtic Fusion Fabrics.

I am thinking of making some more of these to add to my as yet un-stocked Folksy Shop. This will be a New Year project and I’m a little bit nervous of the whole idea. The trouble is I’m such a fussy mare that I may never put anything up for sale as it won’t be perfect enough. 

Anyway I must go and get some more sewing done. Hope you’ve all got Christmas under control and that you’re not missing too many parcels with all the delays just now.

Bye for now

Nikki