It's Fits

The table topper is quilted, bound, washed and dried.

It's the perfect size for the space and now, the chess set, my little swap cushions, and the panda have a cosy home.  It also helps to hide the battle scars of the chest too, which is most important.

Scraps

Having finished the top for In Full Bloom, it was time to tidy the sewing table and deal with the leftovers.  I had some pieces big enough to go in my stash, lots of 21/2" squares to go in a future project, and even managed to get a crumb block.

That left the way clear to do something else, but first, the afghan.

The instructions were found, the third quarter made up and joined to the fourth quarter.  That gave me two halves.  These now joined together to form the whole afghan, just an edging needed to finish it.

Another one is nearing the end

My pile of quilt tops for finishing is getting smaller, and I picked a small one to do next.

This started off as scrap 2 1/2" squares that I put into four patches, then put into a quilt.  I'd like to use it as a table topper, so I didn't want it wider, but I needed it longer.  I've added some strips leftover from the blue quilts onto the ends and am now waiting for some fabric for the backing.  I did have enough batting in my offcuts, so apart from the back, it's all from scraps and leftovers. 

I won't be able to do any more on this until the fabric arrives, probably towards the end of the week, plenty of time to do something else.

Orts and all

It seems to be the theme of everything here this week, recycling and making use of things that would otherwise get thrown out.  This pillowcase is full of threads, fabric and batting trimmings that are too small for using and before it took over, I thought it had better be put to good use.

It would make the inside of a new dog bed.  I made a cover from an old curtain, I have no idea where it came from, but it was faded and marked and wouldn't have been used for anything.  I cut it up, sewed the bits together and made a very large pillow.

It's big enough for Finley to stretch on, and the inside is loose enough for him to rearrange.

Straight away, he was sniffing and pawing, and in two shakes of a cat's tail, he was settled.

I think Hamlet feels left out, but he took his go when Finley went out.  Maybe, when the pillowcase has been filled again, a cat sized bed will have to be made.

A New Wallet

I can't say I've been very impressed with a lot of the projects in Mollie Makes, but one in the current issue did take my fancy.  After my wonderful son decided to leave his bag, complete with wallet in a taxi,  and wasn't able to find it, a new wallet was soon top of the needed list.  Out came all my black fabric.  I didn't have much, but there was just enough to make this.

 There are four pocket on the inside to hold all his cards and a button to keep it done up/

Next time, I'll make the button loop longer, to make fastening easier, and I think some pretty ones might be in the making too.

This month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge is black, and, at the moment,  I think this may be my sole contribution.  I'm not sure what I can do with the little bits I have left.

mystery Monday-Finish single block Two

This is the second block left over from the mystery Monday quilt top.  I managed to find fabric pieces large enough to add the borders, making this about fifteen and a half inches square.  The backing is the same as the first table topper, and I used some brown for the binding.  This one has a much more Autumn feel to it.

I've also managed to find buttons for the little jacket, so that is now completely finished.

From the same place that I bought the buttons, I managed to find another pattern for girl's jackets that I liked, so, sometime in the near future, another jacket will be appearing.  

Mystery Monday-finish single block one

Thank you to all those that suggested using this blocks in the back.  I had thought of that, but decided to make table toppers out of them.

  Again, I've gone through my scraps and stash to find the borders and backing.

 I added two borders, so now it's the right size for a small table topper.

Some of the backing was also used for the binding.  I quilted in the ditch to keep it simple.  Now I will have to see what I've got for the second block.

Mystery Monday-Final Finish

 The main top is finally finished.  I wanted to make this into an ironing pad for my quilting.  At the moment, I usually have a towel on the worktop in the kitchen, but something a bit bigger and purpose made was well overdue.

I didn't have enough of the thermal wadding here, so I had to wait for my order to arrive, but as soon as it did, this came to the top of the pile.

The fabric for the backing and binding was a piece of sale fabric I bought earlier in the year.

From just my scraps, and a sale piece of fabric, I now have two table toppers, (to be revealed over the next couple of days) and an ironing mat, I am impressed.  Thanks Chris and Barbara for another wonderful Mystery Monday project.

Another one is starting this week, but I don't think I can join in this time, I have too many other commitments at the moment, but I shall be following on with interest.  I've thoroughly enjoyed both the ones I've participated in.

UFO Challenge-May

I had a little time before we had to go out yesterday morning, so I attached the binding to the quilt and pinned it over for hand sewing the back.  I was able to make a start before leaving, but I packed it up and took it with me.

While the boys had their athletics session, I managed to get most of the binding sewn.  There was about six inches to finish when I got home.

Fortunately, it didn't take too long to do after dinner.  I did do another line of quilting around the centre of the quilt, which I think looks better.

That's another quilt off the list, and all being well, I might get June's done before the end of the month, but I'm not promising anything.  The knitting bug has caught hold.

Needle Books

I've been trying to deal with my scraps as I've been working, so I've been making crumb blocks.  I wanted to make some needle books, and thought some of the crumb blocks would be ideal for the covers.

 I made two different sizes. The one at the bottom was the first one, but I decided I preferred to do one that was a rectangle rather than square.

  I quilted the outside before adding the lining.

For both books, I added two felt pages, the inner page, slightly smaller than the outside.



All in all, I think I'm pleased with how these turned out.  I can't wait to think of more ways to use the crumb blocks.

21/2" Squares

At the moment, I don't have the money to buy the fabric I need to finish off the quilt tops, or to make something new, so I've turned to working with the scraps.

I've had a pile of 21/2" squares that I've gradually been sewing into pairs, so this week, I make some four square patches and then joined them together.  The result  is this:

This will become the centre panel of a lap quilt.  Now I need to have a look and see what I have to do some borders.  Hopefully, I can find something appropriate here, though I may have to wait until the Mystery Monday project is finished to know for definite what I have available.

Leftovers

When I had finished quilting and trimming the teddy quilt, I had some of the backing fabric spare.  It was too much to put in the scrap bag, so I thought I'd make some more balls.  I really enjoy making these.

 This one is my favourite.  Jonathan was impressed that it could spin when he threw it.

Now I am happy for the scraps to go into my scrap bag.  They will be incorporated into some of the crumb blocks  that are gradually accumulating.

Scrappy bag

I've had the Pick-a-Pocket Purse pattern from allpeoplequilt.com saved for some time to make.  As I had enjoyed making the scrappy blocks so much, that I would use them to make the bag.

The handles form the pockets on the front and back of the bag and was quite simple to do.

I like the way it turned out, my only disappointment being it isn't a little larger.  You never know, one day, I might make a larger one with different fabric.

Tissue Holders

At the beginning of the month, I was looking for ideas for using up my red scraps and found this tissue holder tutorial.  I had this in mind when cutting some of the scrappy blocks I made last week.

Some of the red scraps ended up in the squares, and I've used more for the linings.  I tried both methods, edges meeting in the middle and overlapping, and I think I prefer the overlapped ones.  I need to buy some packets of tissues now to put in them. 

Playing with Scraps

Twice in a about a week, my attention was pointed to this link to use up the small pieces of scrap fabric, or even not so small.  It seemed such a good idea that I unexpectedly spent the day playing with them yesterday.

 The colour isn't very good here,. just as I finished, the heavens opened, the sky went black and we had a hail storm.

I love the being able to cut the squares at any angle to get some unusual blocks. Even the pieces of fabric I don't like, have taken on new life and become attractive.  I've even used up the rest of the red scraps.  All I have left in red, is some linen, some of which may get used later this week.

I have some rectangles ready to be made into something else, the other squares will go to make up a quilt.  I still have some of the blocks left, so I'm thinking of cutting 31/2" squares from the pieces that are big enough.  Once I have some more strips of fabric, I shall certainly be making some more.

Now to get back to the things I should be doing.