Thursday 19 June 2014

Patchwork and hand applique - A 'Block a month'.

Hello all,

I have been sooo busy last few days with one thing and another. I have finally finished a couple of projects, the first being the hand applique cushion cover. They were supposed to be two types of flowers, but they look very much like bells and stars!! Oh well, it's not too bad for my first attempt.



I made a simple border using the same fabrics, backed it with the green spotty fabric and added a zip.



Secondly, I finished the ripple cushion. Has I was working the ripples on this project, I quite enjoyed it, but didn't like the colours. I was just using up the unwanted balls in my dwindling stash!!! I need a yarn fix very soon (please)!!!


I now don't mind the colours, now I have finished it. It doesn't really go with my decor at home. It will get thrown from sofa to sofa and then shoved in a cupboard to be forgotten about!! Maybe someone will claim it for their home!!

The next thing I have been working on, is another hand applique cushion cover. 
I bought my first ever patchwork and quilting magazine this week and really got into it and started to drool over the fabrics and the beautiful quilts that can be made and treasured. 

Every month they have a 'Block of the month'. So I dug out some fabrics that I have been saving for such an occassion and began the challenge. . .  The Dresden flower
What a great challenge to use up my scraps and build a beautiful quilt.


I managed to increase the original template for the petals and flower centre by 200% with a photocopier!!! I was well impressed with myself, maths isn't my strongest point!!

Cutting and forming the petals was quite straight forward and easy. 
The pattern suggests machine stitching the petals onto the background, but hey, I decided to not take the easy option and I hand appliques the petals onto the background. I am sooooo pleased with the result!




Next was the circle. I am not sure about the fabric for this. It had the right colours but the pattern just isn't quite right. 
Now I thought I would mess this up, but again it went smoothly and quite well. I around the fabric around a cardbpoard template. I kept the template in place and then pulled away the cardboard before sewing up the last quarter of the circle. 



Ta dah!!!


So far, so good . . . right? Right!!


After putting on the boarder, I decided to attempt the dreaded quilting!!! I chickened this one out and went for 'in-the-ditch' quilting. Probably easiest to do, but found it quite tense. I probably had my tongue hanging out, trying to be really neat!!!

I LOVE IT!!!!!

Now, you may remember me saying it is a 'block a month' to eventually make a beautiful quilt!! But, I just couldn't resist using it right now. I will make another to save for the quilt challenge!!!

I didn't make another dress, things have been stressful enough this past week with unwell grandparents, cars breaking down and business being a bit slow (hence why I have had time to sew so much). So I eneded up buying a dress to take the pressure off!

I will say goodby for now and I hope I haven't bored you too much with my makery!
I will leave you with some lovely sweat williams I purchased and beautiful roses I cut from my garden!!!


Kel xx














3 comments:

  1. Ah your cushions are fantastic Kelly, especially the dresden flower - you're going great girl, well done! I love it too! Your jug of flowers is very sweet, and I hope the pressures around you soon settle and that your grandparents are well again soon. xoJoy

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  2. PS Thanks for your visit to my place Kel - and my reply is below:
    "I'm happy you like it so much Kel and I'm sure you'll enjoy making it, over and over again!
    BTW a skivvy is a sort of teeshirt but with long sleeves - I didn't think that perhaps others wouldn't know of that garment - that's quite amusing really for in Scotland we were familiar with the word in that other context too!!!" xoJoy

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  3. Your pillows are great, makes me want to try something like this!

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