A mixed day

Sunday was a day of bits and pieces,  I knitted while the grand prix was on, then did a bit of sewing before going back to the knitting.

 In one of the recent Mollie Makes magazine, there was a cover kit to make a purse.  I thought, these or something similar would make good gifts, so I finally gave it a go.

The kit had two different fabrics for the back and front, so it looks like two different purses.  It was a bit fiddly, but for a first effort, didn't turn out too bad.  I shall see if I can find some fittings, and make some more.

 Once I'd done that, it was back to my buttons.  This is my ball button, and I love how they turn out.  I can see using these on future projects

There are a few more buttons to make to finish the class, and I'm hoping to get a start on those today.

Skill |Builder Sampler-Blocks 14 and 15

I finally finished catching up with the blocks for the skill builder sampler, with these two blocks

 Block 14 a crazy quilt block with fabric foundation and improvisational piecing.  A lot are from scraps left over from other blocks made, so should tie in with the quilt as a whole.

Block 15-diamond dash with paper piecing.  This is the first time I've used this particular method, so it was good to have something fairly simple to try.

All being well, I shall be able to keep up with the other blocks as they come out, now I need to decide what project is next.

You Can Do It- Skill Builder Sampler

Slowly, I'm beginning to catch up with a few neglected projects.  The next ones on the list were the blocks for the Skill Builder Sampler.  I needed to catch up on five blocks.  Three got done yesterday.

 Block 12-House and tree-improvisational piecing, quite a challenge when you like things to be neatly set out and explained, but I am getting better.

 Bonus Block-my take on a waverunner block.  Now it didn't matter on this one that there was no pattern, I was quite happy going with the flow.

 Block 13-my favourite, a string block using paper foundation.  I think I would love to do a whole quilt like this, great way to use scraps.

And, not to be forgotten, another Dorset button, this one with a buttonhole lace edging.

Dorset Buttons

 The next fun task in the Buttons and more class, was to make Dorset buttons.  These are the first two I've made.

I have another finished after it was dark, so I'll show you a photo of that tomorrow.  This course is drawing to a close this weekend, and it will be sad to see it go, it's been fun.

Toggles

Well, I must say these are fun to do, and now I have my own little collection of toggles

 This pink one has been embellished with french knots,

 although I do like them without any embellishment.

 These two use the same fabric, but I've used different colour threads for the web stitches and buttonhole bars.

Great fun, and I'll definitely be making more

Buttons and More

I finally caught up with the lessons on Karen's Buttons and More course yesterday.  The more included a brooch and a toggle.

 The exercise at the end of last week was to practise using cut out, full cut out like these two buttons, and half cuts outs.  The first one with the lace frill, I wanted to do something extravagant and it reminded me of  a sunflower.  The inset is heavily embellished with french knots, web stitches, and bullion knots.  This one took longer to stitch than the other three put together, but it was fun.

 This one has folded, cotton lace on the inset, around the edge of the button are french knots.

 This one will be the brooch, I just need a smaller brooch bar than I have here to put on the back.  It uses a half cut out, with lace inset.  The other half is embellished with french knots.

 And to finish off, a simple button, patterned cotton inset surrounded with french knots. 

The next task is toggles, and I love toggles.  This one was so much fun to make and so simple.  There are more of these to come, so watch this space.

Oh what a fortnight

Our house has certainly not been the place to be over the last couple of weeks.  First Daniel brings home a sickness bug that takes a week to go through the family, and about the same time to recover from, then I go and immediately catch a stinking cold.  I've spent two days in bed in just over a week which is unheard off, I'm usually the one up at five and getting things done early.  As you can imagine, it's been a frustrating fortnight.  Hopefully, this week will see the germs finding a new home.

 In between the coughs and stops for blowing the nose, I did manage to get the next four crochet blocks done.  These took slightly longer than normal to do, apart from feeling sluggish, all but one had embroidery to do.

I feel sure the next installment can't be far away, so I'm glad to have caught up with these.  Now, I'm hoping to get caught up with other things too.  It seems too long since I've been organised and in a routine.

Pretty In Pink

Another quilty finish in less than two weeks, can't be bad.  I am very slowly working my way through the tops and getting them finished.  Most need the batting and fabric for the backs and bindings to be bought.  Where I can, I've used what I've had had home.

 This was started earlier in the year, but I didn't have anything big enough, or suitable for the back.  This week I bought a piece of gingham, and added white to the top and bottom to make it big enough.

 Then slowly, but surely, I quilted it during the day.  Once that was done, it didn't seem too much of a chore to do the binding.  Again, this was in white, and I hand sewed the binding to the back.

Not a bad day's work in my opinion.  Now I need to work out which top is next and what is needed.  In the meantime, I am sure there are some small projects to be catching up on.

Tidying Up

 In the spirit of catching up on housework and other projects, the crocheted squares have come out.  While I've been busy with the embroidery, I've received two new packs.  One set of four have now been done, another set to do.

First Batch of Buttons

Not much going on here at the moment, but I did manage to get the first batch of buttons together

Buttons and More 2011

I couldn't resist doing another of Karen's classes, so I signed up for Buttons and More 2011.    This time, I treated myself to some silk.  Due to illness here last week, finishing my cloth, and waiting for supplies, my start was delayed.  This weekend was all about catching up.

These are all now being damp stretched.  This one has needleweaving, blanket stitch lace, web stitch and lots of french knots

 Noughts and crosses

 this one includes my first ever bullion stitches, web stitches, and french knots

And this is the first completed button, with padded embellishment and buttons.  These buttons have been sat in my button box for years.  It's the same button box that belonged to my mum, and her grandmother, with various additions over the years.

The top three will be ready for making up, but, as I'm out today and tomorrow, they may have to wait a couple of days. 

End of Embroider, Embellish, Create

I can honestly say, illness aside, the last seven weeks have been the most enjoyable for some time.  I have learned so much and achieved something I didn't think possible, all thanks to a good teacher.

This is the cloth as a whole.  The backing arrived while I was in bed Thursday, but I finally was able to spend the time to put it together, with the final embellishments yesterday.  I certainly hadn't intended it to be this big when I started.

I put a row of puffs along the bottom edge

You need to rotate this clockwise in you mind, blogger won't play properly this morning.  This is along the bottom edge, with more puffs going up the side and a small cluster of knots on the right

There's another puff alongside the muslin "bump"

This is the right edge, a row of prairie points.  They only go along this section, not top to bottom

On the right side, just three points, and three more puffs along the top section

 And now some of my favourite bits

The heavily embellished hanky

The cut work section

Again this should be rotated clockwise.  I love the applique and the little "pies"

More pockets with my special things

 Hidden delights

And the embellished "bump" with lots of loose muslin which I hope will get more raggedy with age.

This has been an exciting journey, and although I shall be pleased to catch up on some other things, I will definitely do some more of this.  A very big thank you to Karen for the opportunity, and I'd recommend any of her classes.  In fact, I'm doing her next one, Buttons and More, and now this is finished and everyone has stopped being sick, I've got work to catch up on.

A Final Goodbye

This is a final goodbye to Amy's BOM.  There was one block left over from the main quilt, and it's now a cushion cover.

I quilted the front, and then added a simple envelope style back.

Now, when I use the quilt, I can have a complimentary cushion.



21 Months

That's the length of time from start to finish for this quilt.  I started making the blocks in January 2010 and finally got the binding on yesterday.

I didn't have a whole piece for the back, so I did a pieced back.  To the piece of yellow, I used what I had left of the fabric from the block borders.

I used some brown for the binding, and in the end, got a quilt with a real autumn feel.  I've gone from hating the blocks, as they weren't brilliantly made, to loving the resulting quilt.  I am sure it will be getting plenty of use over the next few months.

I have one remaining block from this quilt, so the aim is to make it into a cushion cover.  Hopefully, illnesses permitting, that will be done this week, not many more months down the line.

Something a little Different

Some evenings, I've managed to do a little knitting to give my fingers and brain a little rest, and slowly but surely, a jumper has appeared.

 I got this one sewn up at the weekend and then blocked it,

This was knitted using 100% organic cotton, and has three quarter length sleeves, perfect for this time of year, when there is a chill, but it's not cold.

Not sure, what else is on the list of things to do this week, but I know there are a few things waiting to be finished, and supplies for new projects to buy.