Sunday, April 29, 2018

Custom Order, Small Items and a Treasure Box

It's Sunday again and time for an update on what I've been up to lately. 

In my previous post I mention I had a custom order to do.


The customer wanted the name 'Lisa' added to it and more hair on the nurse. 
The hair was not a problem, just some FMQ. I don't have an embroidery machine so had to hand embroider 'Lisa'. It's a long time since I've done this kind of embroidery, some ripping, but I think it turned out OK. 

I made a couple of mug rugs from a panel last year and both sold in my Etsy Shop.
What was left of the panel has been sitting on the sewing table for some weeks, actually since middle March. I made a few, prepared some, but got bored with them and put it on hold. After I finished the drawstring bag I didn't know what to sew so decided to finish more mug rugs.


These are maybe small as a mug rugs, but big enough for a mug and a small snack. 



These are bigger and cute as summer mug rugs and great as a gift or Holiday memento. 


A small wall hanging. 
These items will be listed in my Etsy Shop.
(I don't think I have to mention the relief I felt when the last one was done?! lol)

After I finished these mug rugs, I decided to try something new.


This pattern caught my eyes and I had to try it. 
The pattern is in centimetre and I should have known better than trying to convert centimetres to inches; IT DOES NOT WORK!!!  Lots of trial and error before it ended up in the bin! :( From there I decided to do my own pattern (measurement) in inches and I had no problems. 
NOTE: Please do not look at the color combination!!! lol This is a TEST and I have used different fabric quality; chintz, bed sheet, thin cotton and cotton mix. I didn't dare using my quilt fabric just in case it ended up disaster (as the first try did!) Now that I'm confident in how to make it, I'll make one for my shop, just have to decide on colors.  

My 'insanity' quilt blocks


Accumulation of 1.5 inch squares turned into blocks. 
I made 8 36-patches blocks this week; 288 squares sewn together! 

In the treasure box:


Look what I found! :) 
When I was hunting high and low for a embroidery hoop (drawstring bag) I ended up looking in a plastic container hidden under other containers. I had totally forgotten about these log cabin blocks I made in 2010! Yep, that long ago! I made a log cabin quilt for my friend's mother and you can see it here. (Love that quilt). I have nothing left of these pretty Nancy Halvorsen fabrics and I think they are OOP. I'm not sure what to make of these blocks, not enough for a quilt, maybe a table topper. Also rediscovered some patterns and other things in that treasure box. :) 

Birthday and Christmas in the mail box this week! :) 


Poppy fabrics for a UFO (wall hanging). The idea is to fussy cut the poppies and do an applique wall quilt. It's the first time I'm doing something like this and it need some serious brain work! :) 


Batting and backing for 'En Provence'
The black and white charm pack is for the same wall hanging where I'm going to use the poppy fabric and the blue charm pack is for the Irish Chain UFO. 
This should keep me busy the next weeks! :) 

Meteo predicts nice and sunny today; time to start our hiking season! 

HAPPY QUILTING! 

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Tuesday, April 17, 2018

En Provence and other UFOs

JEEZ! Where did the last 3 weeks go?! I must have been busy! 

First of all, THANK YOU EVERYONE who left a comment on 'which color on border' to choose on my scrappy UFO! You can see the UFO here. All good choices! I have yet to decide, but I'm leaning towards black or the dark blue.... 

Yes, I have been busy and I have worked on some of my UFO's.
I have a flimsy and that is Bonnie Hunter's 'En Provence'!


This is the very first time I do a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt. My goodness!!! All those small pieces! lol It took me almost one week (marathon sewing) to do 'unit 2 - 7' before assembling the quilt! Color combination outside my comfort zone, but I do love how it turned out! 


I had already done 'unit #1': 221 scrappy 3 inch (sewn into quilt) neutrals 4-patches (beginning last year, I think it was?). I did the required 221 4-patches because I thought I was going to make it the original size. At that point I didn't continue, because a) I got bored with it and b) I didn't have many purples and the 'right' greens. I purchased a few fabrics (last year), but didn't feel for working on it. It was put aside, and yes, it became a UFO! 
Bonnie's original 'En Provence' measures 87" x 87" and consists of 16 blocks, that's huge! I decided to shrink it a bit and made 9 blocks and it measures about 70" x 70". This size, it will be much easier to quilt on 'dear Nina'. Batting and backing is ordered and I hope to get it in about 3-4 weeks. Yes, shipping takes that long from the US to the middle of nowhere in the Indian Ocean! 

I finally got the backing for Pat Sloan's 'Grandma's Kitchen' . 


 I took several pics showing the backing, but clever me managed to delete those pics before they were transferred to the computer! DUH! Thread basted and ready to be quilted. 


Red and white #2 is also thread basted and ready to be quilted.

Have you ever tried the 'Bloc Loc' ruler? It is said to be 'the best quilting innovations since the ruler'!


 I purchased 2 different sizes; 2.5 and 3.5 inch (they are available in different sizes). 
I'm using the 2.5" one for the pinwheel blocks I'm making for this scrappy quilt 


I made some blocks this weekend and after getting used to the Bloc Loc ruler, I'm convinced I 'can't live without it'! lol More to trim, as you can see! :) 



UFO's are put aside this week since I have a custom order to work on. 

A set of 4 blue and white place mats are done


and available in my Etsy Shop
https://www.etsy.com/listing/590524364/quilted-placemats-blue-yellow-place-mats


WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL WEEK AND HAPPY QUILTING! 

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