Why not!

So yesterday saw me pulling some of my favourite fabrics just because.

No deadline, no commission, no guidelines nor necessity, just because I wanted to.  Something for me, something frivolous, and unnecessary!  It's been a while since I just made something because I felt like it, for no reason, spur of the moment.

At first I thought I might just make a mini-quilt, but my practical side got the better of me, and so I plumped for a cushion; yeah we don't need any more of those either, but it was just the ticket.

And here, as promised is what I made...

I finished the binding this morning in front of the TV with the kids, (the joys of a rainy half term), and I couldn't be happier.

It's not perfect, some of the points are pointy, some are not, the quilting is more organic than measured and the pillow inset I had waiting isn't very poofy, but I love it.

I used the spool block template from Kerry & Lynne's 500 Quilt Blocks, transferring it to template plastic to mark the corner angles onto my spool/butterfly wings.  This was so I could use slightly larger corner rectangles, cut them on the diagonal, line up with my markings and have a lot less wastage - if anyone wants a demo let me know.

It was all pieced and quilted in, altogether now, Aufifil 50wt 2021, using my new favourite blender, white dotty crosshatch which is on offer at Simply Solids, backed with a grey home dec fabric, which I used for Sarah's bag and bound in Sketch.  It measures up at 20" square.

Now back to the other things.  Don't get me wrong, the bonus is, they are all enjoyable too, these things for friends, things for Retreat and things to stop the kids being quite so annoying grumpy this week!

500 Quilt Blocks

If you haven't got your hands on a copy of this little book yet, you really should, or at the least pop it on your Christmas list.  I've now had time to have a good look through mine and get making already.

The copy I have is the sweet UK paperback edition from Amazon.

Now I have to admit, I have many, many sewing and quilting books and patterns, and I rarely read the general How to blurb any more, so I have not read right through that part of the book, but that is not a bad thing.  I wanted to get straight to the pretties!

Where I think this book really excels is that there aren't great wordy, repetitive explanations for each step of each block, just cutting instructions and a tip or two if it is not obvious.  I love that.

If you aren't at the stage where you can look at a block and de-construct it in your head, then fear not, abbreviations and full instructions are there in the blurb so you will never be lost on how to, but once you are confident, you do not have to pick through pages and pages for the bits you need.

As you would expect from Kerry and Lynne, all the fabrics used to illustrate the blocks and projects are gorgeous, and they show the block variations off beautifully.  I so want to make all the projects, and for an instant fix, I opted for the cute pincushion...

I pulled solids to match an AMH scrap I had, and used Sketch in Mist and another scrap of Black yarn-dyed linen for this little cutie.

See that Koala chappie, a recent pressie from Salley down under.  He does a great job, and remedies my only niggle, which is not unique to this book, there's no little ribbon book-mark thingy.  I hate creasing my book spines, so something to mark the page between cutting stages is a must for me; if you have a spare marsupial or substitute at the ready, there'll be no stopping you.

So that's my tuppence worth, but honestly, I think you should just buy a copy, or better still, get someone-else to buy you a copy, and find out for yourself.  I know that this is going to be a valuable point of reference and inspiration to me for, like, forever!

Now I need to get back to some bigger projects, these mini-diversions are all well and good, but I am hoping for a big old quilty finish some time soon; there's just the small matter of piecing backing, basting, quilting and binding to sort, so maybe not that soon, but for tonight, my stuffing arrived; all 3 kilos of it!

xxx

Sunday Roast...

When I saw Kerry's XOX pin cushion over at the Liberty Craft blog last week, I immediately wanted to make an OXO one, because that made me laugh!

Apologies if you are not familiar with the nation's favourite stock cube, as you probably don't know what I am talking about, so here's a picture!

I pulled some Liberty red, white Essex linen and a 3/4 hour later I was popping in the stuffing!

Mine turned out bigger than Kerry's, not sure how, but not a problem.  My points were pretty spot on, which, with 1.5" pieces, is a miracle for me.

It finished up at 3"x 9", I put a piece of Vilene H640 on the inside, and backed it with some natural Essex linen, all stitched together with Aurifil 2021 50wt.

I know, I have about a squillion pin cushions, and only about 8 pins that have not fallen victim to my sewing machine needle, but they all look pretty, and don't eat anything; I have already made another one from 500 Quilt Blocks, which I will show you tomorrow!

Put the flags out!

I am going to go link with the Randomeers on Friday, (just to be extra random), because I failed in my photo assignment for Cindy, and will make amends tomorrow.  If you haven't seen her instalment today, you should, it's brilliant!

Today, some of the teachers were on strike, but the girls were still 'in', hubby and son had the day off, so I went to work.  I had my 'in-year review', which took hours, but set me up nicely for a trip to Tesco and then a pit-stop at the local fabric shop on my way home.

Tomorrow one of my fellow managers will be moving up into the village.  I had been dithering about whether to make some sort of house-warming gift, (bearing in mind no-one I work with knows I sew, or blog, or have this whole alter-ego going on!); but as soon as I saw Nova's bunting yesterday, dilemma resolved.

I bought some bias binding and a FQ of some Timeless Treasure pretty rose fabric, came home, and made some.  Just like that!

Apologies for the crappy pictures, the light was fading, and they will be all parcelled up before morning!

I remembered Amy's tip about using a piece of card to press the finished flags, and it worked a treat.  The flags are c. 4" wide and 5" long, and the bias binding in 1.5m.

I am still waiting for stuffing, but in the mail today...

It's bloody marvellous!!  The blocks all look beautiful, and the projects are gorgeous and I would still say that even if those super talented ladies, Kerry and Lynne weren't my friends!

I'll say a bit more about the book when I have made something from it, which I am hoping will be really soon!

So that's my lot, not long 'til the weekend, happy days.