A tiny slice of my life

This is a look at my life, and the many things I try to learn and do.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

A Lot of Lovin of Blogs on Blog Lovin

A lot of the blogs I read are shifting to BlogLovin as Google Reader is shutting down. So I thought would join them.

The link below will get you to my blog on BlogLovin, so come join me.

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6340737/?claim=g9cvfgzsajw">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>


 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

A finish a catch up and a Sneak Peak

Well I am on a roll the week and last a quilt quilted and bound.

 

I have caught up with the Mystery quilt by Sarah Fielke.

 

 

A sneak peek of what I am designing and working on with stars.

 

More updates when I get them done.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Tutorial - Wonky Star Blocks

Here is a tutorial for very little wonky star blocks which finish at 3" square, which means they are 3 1/2" square before being sewn together.

 

This is a good block to use up small scraps because you only need 1 x 1 1/2" square for the centre plus 8 scraps the make the wonky star points. The minimum size I would use is a 2 1/2" square cut on the diagonal.

Now I only iron this a 2 points when you iron the points flat and when you iron the finished block. See not too much ironing. Also a little bit of scissoring to trim of excess scrap when sewing star points.

Then a little bit of rotary cutter action to tidy up the point blocks.

I chain piece these to speed up the process.

For each block you need

- background fabric 6" x 3" which you subcut into 8 x 1 1/2" squares

- a print fabric for centre and star points cut 8 triangles these don't have to be perfect as this is the whole idea of this block

First sew a triangle onto the top left corner of one of the background 1 1/2" background squares, making sure that when folded back the fabric will cover the square. It doesn't matter if it is bigger as we will be cutting them back to size.

1- With the triangle facing towards you using scissors cut of the excess background fabric.

2 - Finger press triangle towards top ensuring that the seam is pressed away from the background fabric.

Sew another triangle to the other corner. Making sure you cover the end of the previous triangle seam.

Cut the excess background & triangle fabric off.

Now iron flat. Then cut back to a 1 1/2" square.

Now for some cutting.

Now you don't have to cut even with the original base you can move it up as long as you have enough overlap of triangle fabric.

All neat and tidy now.

Next chain piece the pieces together first a background to the right of 2 point blocks.

Then a point block on the centre print 1 1/2" square.

Then repeat on the left side of the blocks.

Now don't press at this stage because it is easier to sew the 2 rows together by just nesting and holding the seams flat as you sew. I always have the edge row on top with the centre row underneath. I fold the seams on the centre square towards the centre and the seams on the star point towards the outside.

Sew on one side piece then the other.

Now press and you should have 3 1/2" block. Because these blocks are so little they might be a little out but this will be taken care of when you sew the blocks together.

 

 

You can even fussy cut the centres.

 

Here they are all pressed and cute ready to be sent off to the Queen Rainbow Bee.

 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Some More Finishes

Here are the February - April blocks finished for "Sugar Block Club" by Amy Gibson from Stitchery Dickory Dock.
I was so pleased that I caught up till I pulled out January's block :-( I had done the background in cream ! Back to the cutting board this morning to re make it with a white background - insert grinding teeth.
Oh we'll when I have made it I will definitely be up to date.
Also yesterday Miss Le Coiffure basted a quilt for me so I can quilt it.
I ho I ho off to the sewing machine I go.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Finally Some Quilting Finishes ...

Finally I am getting somewhere with all the half finished quilt tops. Now this isn't a bad thing except as I empty my baskets I try to put away the leftover fabric and to my horror "tongue in cheek" I have found my fabric cupboard is full to over flowing.

Now when I mentioned this to Mr CLI he thought another cupboard was needed to take the overflow, now aren't I lucky because little does he realise to quilter a half full cupboard is a challenge to be filled.

Here are some of my finishes or finished as far as I can go at the moment.

 

 

Sarah Fielke's mystery quilt. I have finished the first 5 blocks. Blocks 6-8 are cut out but I ran out of white fabric, which I have now got so after this post I will be cutting and sewing them.

 

"Traffic Jam" by Pat Sloan using scraps, sadly I had previously hand cut all the little 2 1/2" squares to use as leaders and Enders. Why sadly it just shows what I spend my time on. No cost for this quilt except the grey.

Now I have never used grey in quilt before yet this is the second quilt this year I have used grey!

Now these 9 blocks are for a "Swoon" quilt by Thimble Blossoms. I was going to hand stitch these but the restrictions of my arm, yes I am still in pain & still waiting to have an MRI on my neck to find the cause of the pain, so reverted back to the sewing by machine.

Now these blocks are whoppers, 25 1/2" square, most blocks are only 12 1/2" so there was serious sewing. Now I just have to sew them together!

 

That's it for today till next time have a happy day.

Monday, April 1, 2013