I Love...

making useful things.

SEW HAPPY!

One pile of scraps + 3 lovely, quiet hours of cutting and sewing = lots of bags

IT`S FINISHED!

I have really enjoyed making this quilt...I had it spread out over my coffee table and every time I sat down to watch TV or had a few moments to myself, I stitched away. It was very meditative work and it´s a joy to look at. Look back here and here to see my progress along the way.

My first tutorial!

A quilted washing machine cover...

This was my washing machine before – boring and white. Here´s a tutorial for a quilted cover to brighten up your wash days. First choose fabrics that
look good together, florals, stripes, plains, whatever you like. Choose also a piece for the backing and cut it to fit the top of your machine, with about 2cm (3/4inch) seam
allowance on all sides. Take a strip of one of your plain fabrics and cut out some small pieces of clothing with a small pair of scissors (they don´t have to be perfect – I cut out half a piece, then fold over and cut the other half along the same lines). Pin the clothing pieces to your plain fabric.


Lay out a mix and match of fabrics to your liking, overlapping the pieces a little (seam allowance). When your happy with the look of your quilt you can start sewing. Sew the little clothing pieces to the plain fabric using the smallest zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine and the same colour thread as the background fabric. Then sew a washing line connecting the pieces along the top and some little pegs in a contrasting colour. Take your fabric pieces and start pinning and sewing together same length seams, (ironing the seams to one side on the back as you go). This gives you swatches with same length seams which you then sew together until you have one big piece. (You may have to sew extra pieces of fabric to some swatches to get the right size). Take the finished front side and turn it face down onto the right side of your backing fabric making sure the outer sides correspond. Start pinning from the middle outwards and when everything is nice and flat, sew a 2cm (3/4inch) around the outside (sewing forwards and backwards a few times at each end) leaving a gap of 10 cm on one side for turning. Cut straight across each corner for a nice finish and then carefully turn your fabric the right way out, iron the seam allowance at the opening inwards and secure with pins. Pin the top and backing fabrics together from the middle outwards until everything is nice and flat. Using a large zig-zag stitch and a contrasting

thread, sew over the seams and then zig-zag around the outside including the opening. Give your little cover a quick iron and let it brighten up your bathroom, laundry or wash room!

Quilting...

I really want to crochet a ripple afghan like this one BUT I have promised myself to finish the patchwork quilt I started sometime in 2007 first. So I took the quilt top out from it´s hiding place, pieced together some batting (wool fleece I had in my fabric cupboard) and cut up some old bed-linen to use as backing. I read Amy Karol´s instructions again from the book The Crafter´s Companion , which is still one of my all time favourite books. I sandwiched together the finished top, batting and back, pinned it all together starting from the center - this took ages as the quilt is 150cm x 210cm (that´s 60inches x 85inches). There is no way I could get all this fabric under my sewing machine so I am hand quilting it. This article Amanda linked to came at just the right time - hand sewing makes you slow down and take time to think while stitching. I am sure that slowing down is essential when trying to live by my motto for 2008.

Birthday give-away!

It was my birthday on Sunday and I spent a lovely day with friends - it was a beautiful day so we ate and played and chatted outside. I realise more and more that I have so much to be grateful for and I´d like to give something away...anyone who leaves a comment on this post over the next week has a chance to win my version of the bag on the cover of the Japanese book I mentioned in my last post. I´ll put all your names on bits of paper, put them in a box and draw a winner. I hope those of you who drop in without leaving comments (I have a counter so I know you´re out there!) will be motivated to do so, good luck!!!
AND THE WINNER IS......
ANNE IN OXFORDSHIRE!!!
Congratulations, send your address to me at kangoo1atgmxdotat and your little gift can be on it´s merry way!

Busy, busy, busy!

This is the amazing autumn sky I woke up to this morning. I love living in a house with a view.
I´ve been busy with my list and although it´s taking me a little longer than planned I´m getting there. I´ve also been busy crafting - a new bag, pin cushion, scarves and my first zippered pouch. Most of these things will be for sale in my Etsy shop soon. I wish you all a productive and happy day! (P.S three books have been given away and will be heading for Canada but Goodnight Nobody, Fabulous Nobodies and Housekeeping are still up for grabs!)

Fabric

These are the two lovely fabrics I bought from Mr. Schlinder. I don´t know what to do with them yet, maybe some more owls or bags. I´m sure I´ll find some inspiration on Flckr.


I have made 5 squares for a patchwork quilt which I will use as a cover for my bed. I´ve never made a quilt before so I wonder how I´ll go. I plan to make a whole bunch of these squares and then use a different fabric in between to put them all together. I´ll probably have to hand quilt it in the end because it will be too big for my sewing machine.
I´m so glad Thursday is over, now I can get into a more relaxed weekend mood, I am really tired after teaching all day and then driving home in snowy weather.
Have a nice Friday everyone!!!

This week´s projects

I recieved this great swap package from Lindsay in Chesapeake. It was the
Feb. swap at http://www.purplepinkandorange.com/swap/swapdetails.html



Thanks Lindsay!





I have prepared this parcel to be sent off to my swap
partner in the color-iffic swap-o-rama.














I made this funny cat with a Wee Wonderfuls pattern. It was much easier than I thought it would be. The owl was inspired by this on flickr and I made it with some of the lovely materials Lindsay sent me.



















I am having a real love affair with sewing, I love the colours and watching things come together. My first patchwork quilt is in the making and I will post some photos soon.
The group Sew? I knit! has inspired me to try something new and sew a skirt. I have never completed a piece of clothing I could actually wear so wish me luck. I will be making this.

HAPPY VALENTINE`S DAY!!!

A lovely sight was waiting for me at breakfast this morning!
I made this log cabin pillow for Erich, seen here.
Close-up.

Sew happy!

Seeing all those lovely things on other people´s sites and reading lovely comments about my stuff has really got me going. Self- doubt has plagued me in the past as I never really had much feedback but now I feel like I´m flying! I have all these wonderful materials that I´ve collected over the years and the colours are working magic on me, I can´t stop looking at these pillows I made today. I am dreading tomorrow though as I have to work all day.
I work about 20 hours a week in a job that I don´t really enjoy...I teach english which comes easy to me but I haven´t been able to bring much creativity into it as I work for a company, I have all my teaching material given to me and I must stick to a strict schedule. I live in a small rural village and the drive to work takes about an hour each way which only frustrates me more. When I got married my husband and I decided to have three kids and that I would be a stay at home mother who worked only for pleasure as my husband had a well-paid job. So we had the three kids and built a beautiful house that was easily affordable to run on my husband´s wage BUT he´s not around anymore and many things have changed. When we broke up I promised the children that I would do everything in my power to stay in the house that they love so that meant looking for a job. I know I should consider myself lucky to have one - many women who live around here have no qualifications and jobs are rare anyway - but I miss the old times when I had more time with my children and didn´t have to work so hard to make ends meet.