My First Quilt

I am so damned proud of this FO.  It is my very first finished quilt.  I might have started it months ago, but I finished it!  It is, of course, my Cirque d'Elephant Quilt, designed by Sew Much Ado.

I hate that these pictures are so washed out, but it iscaused once again by the weather we are having in the UK.   I think the pictures from this post show truer colours.

In a way I wish I hadn't pressured myself to finish this quilt in time for Christmas, because left to my own devices I'd still be hand quilting it.  I enjoyed hand quilting around the elephants in the beautiful turquoise perle thread so much, I probably would have ended up hand stitching with it all over the elephants bodies too!  That probably wouldn't have looked so great because of the heat'n'bond stiffening the fabric.  If I'd carried on filling the white areas, it might have been more successful.

Other than the hand quilting I machine quilting in straight lines 1/4" inside each of the coloured fabric "frames" around each elephant.  I used a walking foot, which helped, but there were still areas of puckering.  Mind you, those areas seem to have disappeared in the wash and tumble dry!

On thing that didn't completely disappear was a bit of the backing fabric that got ripped when I was ripping out a wonky seam.  After practically crying with frustration, I got my thinking cap on and used a tiny scrap of the trimmings of the backing and ironed on fusible interfacing to give it strength and sewed it over the hole in the fabric.  I'm pretty proud of how well it is hidden.

To be honest, it took me ages to find it photograph, and I knew it was there.  You can see the Aurifil 50wt thread I used for quilting in the above photo.  I'm pretty happy with the colour choice and I loved using this thread.  It was a dream to sew with.  You can see the shape of the quilting better on the back of the quilt.

After the disaster of not having enough fabric to have a single piece for backing, I love the way it looks.  It was extra effort, but the "window"on the back with my favourite piece of fabric on the quilt is great.  Can you see the little black label on the bottom left hand corner in the photo above?

I thought of doing a proper embroidered label, but time caught up with me and I decided to just used the labels I already had for other sewing projects.  The fabric in the window was this one.

Who could resist those cute aliens, who wish for Galaxy Peace?

Over the course of making this quilt, the thing that caused the most problems was the binding, as I explained in this post.  In the end I decided to rip off the spare binding from my test piece and attach that to the end of the binding I had and it just about stretched around the quilt.  The binding really was very narrow, but with a quilt this size it didn't mess with the proportions too much.  I have got some extra Kona in my fabric stash as a result of my humming and hawing over the binding, but I couldn't face starting again on the binding in the time I thought I had left.

This skinny binding did make for wonky stitches with having to sew so close to the edge of the quilt.  Thank goodness for an edge of fabric foot!  Because the binding was so skinny and my stitching so wonky, after washing and tumble drying the quilt, the stitching on the binding came away from the main body of the quilt.  In a couple of places I was able to anchor the binding back down by hand sewing, but in one section I unpicked all the machine stitching and started again.  In the end it was all pretty neat and no one will know it is there but me - and now you!

I am pleased that with all the problems that occurred with this quilt I was able to solve them with the aid of my lovely bloggy friends, the Internet and my own thinking.  I can't wait to see my nephew playing with his new quilt, when we finally get to have our very belated Christmas!  Yes, sadly I have yet to give away half my made Christmas gifts because we have been delayed in our Christmas visit by illness, weather and holidays.

I really should wrap it up before I give into the temptation to keep it!  For other finished objects, click on the button.

Quilting for Christmas

I'm in a self imposed race against time.  I really, really want to finish the elephant quilt that I started in March for my new born nephew.  I would like to give the quilt for his first Christmas, as I didn't get it done in time for my visit.  I think it is achievable.  I was certain it was achievable yesterday as I started sewing on the binding, but then it all went a bit wrong :-(

Anyone who follows me on Instagram may have seen evidence of my quilting.  I had help testing the comfort of said quilt.

She seems to approve, as she never sits on my lap normally.  Obviously a quilt is preferable to a knitted blankets.  As you can see from this image, I had got all the machine quilting done by the beginning of this week.  I used a walking foot and stitched a quarter of an inch from the inside edges of each of the "frames".  The quilting isn't perfect and there are some very strange puffy parts of the quilt, but as this is for a 9 month old to play on, I don't think anyone will care!

After machine quilting, I got my perle cotton out and started hand quilting an outline for each of the elephants.

It only took two days to do all the outlines, and I really enjoyed it.  I'd forgotten how much I enjoy hand stitching.  I think with the next quilt I do, I may do most of the quilting by hand, or at least do some hand quilting.

It's not perfect, but I think that is why I like it.  It is a real contrast with the straight lines and crisp edges of the quilt's design.

After getting all this lovely hand quilting done, I got my bias binding out.  I purchased ready made binding because I was sure I wouldn't be fit enough to cut out and iron a tonne of bias binding.  I also bought a binding foot.  As it was the first time I'd used the foot I decided to practice on the scrap quilt sandwich that I used to determine tension for the machine quilting.  I tried about 6 strips and eventually decided the binding was too narrow for me to use the foot, as I couldn't get the edges of the fabric tucked inside the binding.  I decided to sew on the binding with a regular foot and fold it over manually and stitch from both sides of the quilt.

Everything was going so well, when I realised that I didn't have enough binding to go around the quilt.  I had used the binding to practice, thinking I had another pack of that colour, but I can't find it!!!!  In a moment of madness, I got my Kona Colour Card out and chose some Kona Cotton in Tulip from The Village Haberdashery and some Aurifil thread, that I hope will match, and decided I would be making the binding from scratch after all.

It wasn't until after I had ordered it that I realised that I could have just unpicked all the test binding I did and used that as well. DOH!  Ah well, I'll see if I feel like unpicking binding this afternoon and if no,t I'll wait and see what the Kona looks like when it gets here.  If I don't use it for this quilt, I'm sure it will get used somewhere else.

At this point I have to mention that I've also become a thread snob within just one quilt.  Using the Aurifil 50wt has spoiled me for every other thread.  It really is that nice that a complete novice can tell the difference from the other threads, that I thought perfectly adequate before using Aurifil!  I have decided to splash out and have ordered the Aurifil Colour Card.  It makes sense for me to get it because I never go into town anymore.  Having the colour card means I can order nice thread online and know it will match.  It wasn't cheap, but then neither is getting the wrong colour thread, or paying for a taxi fare into town to buy regular thread and then spending two days recovering from it.  I'd rather just get good thread the first time.  Having the Kona Colour Card has proved so useful already that I know I'll love the Aurifil one!

I think I've got plenty of time to get this finished, and if not we have a back up gift!  After this quilt is done I only have two more presents to finish, and one of those is nearly done.  I'm feeling much more in control than I normally do at Christmas.  I think it's because I decided not to make everyone gifts this year.  There is a much better balance between handmade by me and handmade from ETSY and Folksy, and regular shop bought gifts.  I'm pretty proud of my gift choices this year.  I think it's the first time in ages that I have felt so comfortable with my selections.  I hope the recipients love them as much as I do!

To look at other works in progress, click on the button.

Quilt Progress

I was asked the other day on Ravelry about the cot quilt I was making.  Do you remember it?  This one.

This poor little quilt top has sat untouched for what feels like (and probably is) months.  As you know, I've had a bad patch with my health and it is only now that the increased painkillers have left my brain free enough of fog to contemplate the next stage of sewing.

I intended to get a single piece of fabric to use as backing so I could just get on and make this into a quilt, but the fabric was just a couple of inches too narrow to be used.  So I chopped the bottom off the fabric and inserted a panel in the back with the remaining piece of my favourite fat quarter, surrounded by strips of white, echoing the blocks on the front of the quilt.

The fabric is the little aliens who are calling for "galactic peace".  I love this fabric so much and it is perfect for a little baby boy.

You might also note that the back and the front are now sandwiched around the wadding/batting and pinned together.  My lovely friend Clare came round yesterday for a chat and offered to baste it for me.  She knows how hard crawling around on the floor is for me.  I nearly wept with gratitude!  Just cutting the pieces for the back of the quilt nearly killed me, because they are such large pieces of fabric to manage.  I really don't want to give up quilting but I think that the large pieces of fabric and the putting it together is something that is almost impossible for me.  Clare has offered to help in the future if I want help putting blocks together and I may just take her up on it.

For now though, I have a quilt sandwich and I am planning on sewing it together soon!  It will be my first attempt at actual quilting on a machine, even though it will only be straight lines with a walking foot, I'm stupidly nervous!

Whilst this quilt was waiting to be put together I decided to start a new knitting project to occupy me whilst watching the tennis and British Grand Prix over the weekend.  I had a craving for simple but elegant stitches that entertained and soothed at the same time.  I found this wonderful pattern, Favorite Scarf Ever, by Lisa Bruce, recommended by Crea in the City.  I knew this pattern would be perfect for a multi-hued yarn and it seemed to have the perfect blend of simple and interesting to suit my current needs. I even had the perfect yarn for the project.  Posh Yarn Daisy 4ply in 76 Trombones.

Sorry for the pink background but this photo was taken in a hurry so I could get it stashed away.  The yarn is 80% merino and 20% bamboo, just like one of the yarns I used in my second Color Affection Shawl that I recently finished.  I love this balance of fibres.  It results in a smooth and bouncy yarn that slides through the fingers with ease.  This yarn and pattern was a perfect match in my head.  It turned out to be true in reality.

I started this project on Friday and I am about 80% of the way through the yarn.  I split the yarn into two equal sections, as instructed in the pattern, and decided to knit both sections at once, the way I would knit two socks at a time.  It means that both sections will be equal in length and it feels like I'm knitting the scarf faster somehow!

It certainly involves less turning of a piece during the knitting process, which I suppose saves time.  I love the way the yarn has pooled in this scarf.  The zig zagging colours seem to echo the chevrons being created down the length of the scarf, despite the zig zags being at 90° to the knit pattern.

I love how bouncy the stitches are, and how well this pattern shows off the changes in the yarn colour.

I think the back is almost as pretty!  I adore how even my stitches are, since taking up Combination Knitting.  The back of stocking stitch never looked this neat before!

So these two projects are the ones that have taken up my time over the last week or so and I am really happy with both.  I'm pretty sure that the scarf will be off my needles in the next day or so, if I keep up my current rate.  I better start investigating my queue for my next knit!

Click on the button to look at other projects for inspiration!

Help Needed With Quilting

OK.  This is a shameless plea for advice.  As you may, or may not, be aware, I am working on a cot quilt.  I can finally confirm I have a completed quilt top.  It is my first EVER!  I have nearly finished quilt tops and blocks that are going to be made into quilt tops, but this is the first I have ever finished and it damn near killed me in the process, but lets put that to one side for the moment.

Here is the finished top.

I really love it and I don't want to ruin it now, and here comes the bit where I plead for advice because I really don't know what I'm doing.  I have some cotton batting and it has this on the side of the packet:

For ease and speed I wanted to simply stitch in the ditch along the obvious straight lines of the quilt and inside each "box" of the blocks, but I'm afraid that will leave too much of a space unquilted.  The white part of block on which the elephant stands is approximately 8" x 8".  If I leave this space unquilted will it look weird, or is it bad for the quilt?  I've never done FMQ and I don't know if I have the time or the stamina to learn in the week I have until we visit the recipient.

As I like the crisp look of the squares I plan on pre-shrinking the batting.  The instructions are for a top loading machine.  If I simply leave it to soak in a sink for a while and then get rid of the excess water with a towel will that do the trick, or does it really need a spin in the machine to get rid of the water before leaving to dry?  I'm asking because I don't have have a top loading machine because I live in the UK, where these are rarer than hen's teeth.

Right, on to the next bit.  I have found a piece of fabric that I think might work for the back of the quilt.

This mottled orange and yellow fabric is nice and bright.  I plan to is break up the back with a panel that has the three purple fabrics that have yellow and orange in them, divided with white fabric.  The panel will be bordered by white fabric.  Will this tie it together enough, or should I find another fabric which is more lime or turquoise in colour?  Basically will I get away with using stash fabric or do I have to the shops? I know the baby won't care, but the parents will, not to mention I'm more than a little precious with my very first quilt.

I know there are experienced quilters out there - please help me!!!  I don't want to mess this up after all this work.

If you want to see an actual finished project, click on the buttons below.  I'm only very tenously joining in with my finished top!

New Project

As I have finished two enormous shawl projects (yes my circular shawl is complete, it just needs photographing) I thought I'd cast on another one!  This project is one I've been longing to do since the pattern was first released.  It has all my favourite things; colour, stripes and garter stitch.  It was so frustrating that the pattern was only available as a kit for a the first few months, but as my wallet was bare of the $89 it cost, I waited patiently for the pattern to be released solo!  I am, of course, talking about Color Affection, designed by Veera Valimaki of 100% Rain.  Veera designs simple and elegant but quirky items.  They are all instantly appealing, but this was the first one I HAD to make.

Now the pattern is out, I was very pleased to be able to raid my stash for the yarn requirements of this project.  I selected:

1. Black Bunny Fibers Superwash Merino Classic Sock, 2. Artist's Palette Sweet Feet Sock, 3. Araucania Ranco Solid Sock

They all have different fibre contents, but it doesn't seem to matter much.  The Sweet Feet Sock is amazingly soft and smooth, which is why I chose it for my main colour, as that is the yarn next to my skin.  I am making good progress and I have started using all the yarns though, the most recent photo I have, is from right at the beginning.  I have listed the project on Ravelry as Cloudy Skies, as this is what this colour combination makes me think of!

I love that all three yarns are semi solid, as that gives a more blurred appearance to the colour changes, I have a feeling that I will enjoy this knit right to the end!

The only thing I'm not enjoying is working with three yarns at once as they are getting twisted up all the time.

I have also been making progress on my cot quilt.  I think I got a kick up the backside when the recipient was born yesterday!  We are going to visit in about 10 days, so it might just be possible to get this thing done, if I don't muck about with fancy quilting.  I think it might well be stitch in the ditch all the way!

I have a slight problem with the quilt.  I have been using my 1/4 inch foot, was zipping along all happy, and then I realised that it wasn't sewing a scant 1/4".  By the time I realised I only had 2 blocks left to do, so I carried on, so at least there is consistency.  I looked at the needle position and realised that it needs to be over to the right, instead of in a central position.  Ah well, lesson learned, I just wish there had been a note somewhere about it.  At least this wasn't a complicated quilt with lots of seams.  The finished quilt will be slightly smaller than intended, but it won't really matter.

I have cut all the sashing strips now, and I have chosen a fabric for the backing.  It is a bright yellowy orange and I'll probably break it up with a strip of some of the fabrics from the top which will blend well, such as the cats, spots and aliens interspersed with white.

I know this quilt is taking forever and I am cataloguing every little thing, but I've always said that this blog is mainly my online notebook, so I can find my notes when I need to.  This is the first quilt that I have a deadline for, and intend to finish, and the first using this machine, so I need to keep careful and detailed notes for future reference!  I hope it isn't boring you too much!

Go and click the button to find some more works in progress!

Sewing and Knitting Progress

Today I can show you a little progress on the cot quilt front.  I finally got the Heat 'n' Bond Lite that I had been waiting for, and I have now made my final three elephant blocks.  I have to say, the Heat 'n' Bond Lite is pretty good stuff.  It's less rigid than the other interfacing that I had in my crafting cupboard, from eons ago.  I think I would use it again for this style of applique.  I now want to whizz on with the borders on the rest of the blocks, but at least I have the fiddly applique done now.

I'm loving this project and I hate not being able to just sit at the machine for a couple of days and finishing it off.  Ah well, things can't be changed, I'll just have to enjoy it when I can work on it.

In knitting news I have been knitting a bit of my socks.

Not much progress, but that is because I've been working on my shawls.  Still, I get great satisfaction from the way the stripes are lining up.

In shawl news, I have finished my KAL Shawl.  I did this far too quickly, but it does give me some leeway to start work on a new pattern that I've had in my head for a few weeks.  It's a sweet little shawlette that I hope I can create from the image in my head.  I've only ripped back once so far, but I only started yesterday.  I hope to have more to share next week about this one.

I have also been ploughing on with my Leaves of Grass Shawl.  The edging has taken forever!

Isn't it a lovely blob?  This is going to be huge when it is blocked!  Should be a fun adventure trying to block it.  I don't know if I have anywhere big enough to lay it down flat.  I may have to wait for a dry and sunny day and put it outside!

I nearly finished this, and then I found the end wouldn't graft onto the starting row.  I've obviously gone wrong somewhere.  I'm about 3 stitches out.  I've had to rip back so I can reduce the extra stitches over a reasonable amount of edging, so it doesn't bunch up.

So far I have pulled back 48 rows.



I might rip back for another 20-30 rows and then try again!  So disappointing to be so close to the end, and then having to fix something from hundreds of rows previous.  I will get it finished this week though.

I feel like real progress has been made this week, I wonder what I'll have to share with you by next week!  I feel like I have got my crafting mojo back, after swimming through the fog of the increased levels of painkillers over the last couple of months.  Hopefully things will get back to being a bit more predictable again.
Click on the button to have a look at what other people are creating, and I'll show you my finished shawl when I have some decent photos.

I've Been Sewing!

I know it's a small miracle, but I have been sewing.   I'm really excited about this as normally when my pain increases I have to lay off the sewing, but recently I have been working on ways of managing to continue to sew, despite my increased pain levels.

The main method of managing my sewing is to actually do what I'm supposed to do - PACE!!!  This is the first thing you learn when you are starting to deal with a chronic condition.  You learn that you need to break tasks down into manageable chunks, to do little and often rather than do things in one big push.  You learn to stop before you start to hurt more than usual and to carry on doing a little bit even when you feel rubbish.  It's meant to help you even out your highs and lows and stop you doing serious damage to yourself.  I always found it really hard to pace with sewing.  I would get stuck into what I was doing and get distracted, and the next thing I knew I was lying on the sofa in agony.  So rather than carry on sewing last time I was really bad, I stopped so I didn't damage myself.

I have decided that this time, I will not stop sewing, I will just be more strict with myself.  I will only work on my sewing projects for 20-30 minutes a day and no more.  And so far it is working!  I'm really proud of myself for sticking to my guidelines. It means that I am moving slowly on with a project I really want to finish.  I don't think it will be finished by the deadline set by an impending birth, but I think the recipient will forgive the lateness of the gift.

The project is a cot quilt.  It has elephants on it!  I fell in love with it when I first saw the pattern on Sew Much Ado.  I am hoping that this will be my first finished quilt.  I have started two other quilts, but they are still awaiting their sashing and their putting together and quilting.  This is because they are both fairly large sized quilts and I have been put off by their size.  This cot quilt is meant to be a finished size of 45" x 45".  I think I can manage that.  I have cut all the block fabric out and have decided on a layout.

I apologise for the poor photo but I used my mobile phone camera and it was an overcast day.  The photo was meant only as an aide-memoir so I would know how to construct my quilt top.  You can see some of the fabrics a little more clearly in the following photo.

By the way, that little table top ironing board is one of the ways in which I have aided my pacing.  It is incredibly light and when it is put on the table, where I do my sewing, it is the perfect height for me to do my pressing.  It means I can put the board up without having to ask my partner to do it when he comes home from work.  I can use it whenever I want.  As it is not free standing it does not take up any extra space, so it can be left up if I know I'll be using it again the next day.

With this quilt I have been working slowly, day by day, sometimes having to rest for a while before starting again.  First I cut each fabric out and now I am working on the elephant applique.

I have done 6 of the 9 blocks!  I am being held up after ordering more heat n' bond, but I will probably start attaching the border to each of the finished blocks while I wait.  I am so proud of what I have accomplished with this quilt, by breaking it into little bite sized chunks.  I know it won't be finished in time, but I'm sure the baby won't mind getting it for Christmas!

The pattern recommends sewing the applique pieces 1/8th" inside the outer edge.  I decided that I didn't want the ragged edge look and decided to try out the zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine.  It was so nice to use something other than a simple straight stitch.  This machine was supposed to grow with my abilities, but I haven't really tested it much of late!

I'm quite proud of how well I managed to control the machine, even if a few of the zigs went a little awry, essentially the edges are all encased within the stitching.  So tomorrow, if my heat n' bond doesn't arrive, I will stitch on the border to one of my blocks.  It is always difficult to stop after each little session, but I want to keep on sewing and I can only do that if I stick to my own rules and only do a little each day.  If I can't stick to those rules, sewing will be banned again, and that would break my heart.  I really think quilting is the way forward in this new future of paced sewing.  It naturally breaks itself up into small sections.  I hope that my first machine quilting endeavour will lead to me finishing up those original quilts that never got to completion!  At least this quilt will be small enough for me to wrestle around the machine (I hope).

For other, less slow, works in progress, click on the button!

Festival of Quilts 2011

I have been very lax in not sharing my photos from the Festival of Quilts, held at the NEC in Birmingham, this year.  This is my second year of attending, and THIS time I remembered not only my camera, but spare batteries AND a memory card - WOOOHOOOOO!  I was also well prepared because I bought the catalogue this year, so when I took a photo of a quilt, I also took a photo of the number of the quilt - well call me clever!  I actually know what each quilt I photographed this year is called.  (I'd just like to state that last year I took a camera without a memory card, took about 3 photos and my batteries died, I also had no clue what the quilts were that I photographed - so no one can say I don't learn my lessons the hard way).

So now we have a looong post full of photos that are, at the very least credited. I apologise that the photographs are not great, but it is really hard to take photographs of large quilts when people stand in front of them and you also can't get far enough back.  To be honest I'm amazed I have as many in focus as I have! 

Winner of Art Quilts 101 - First Amateur Award
Octopussy, by Janneke de Vries-Bodzinga, Kollumerzwaag, The Netherlands

444 - Highly Commended
Homage to Henri by Liz Howlett, Lewes, UK

423
La Grande Perspective by Susan Short, Fleet, UK

358
Interference 1 by Leah Higgins, Eccles, UK

365
Enchanted Forest by Helen Howes, Ravingham, UK

777 - Winner Pictoral Quilts - Judges Choice
Hot Africa, Janneke de Vries-Bodzinga, Kollumerzwaag, The Netherlands

901
Enchanted Divocean by Margaret Taylor, Durham, UK

These sea horses were a good metre high and were suspended away from the wall.  They were just so engaging and endearing, I had to get a snap.

953
Velvet Cushion by Ruth Singer, Leicester, UK

I knew this cushion was by Ruth the minute I saw it.  For those of you who haven't heard of her, she wrote Sew It Up and the pattern for this is in the current issue of Stitch Magazine (It's a US based mag I'm afraid, but it is well worth looking at).

924 - 3rd Prize Quilt Creations
Secret Garden in the Starry Night, by Rami Kim, Rocklin, USA

Ostrava Quilting Bee Pieced Together 178 Blocks from All Over Czech Republic

Stitch Your Soul did an in depth post about this quilt, which gives all the information that I couldn't find!

Marina Mamanova

These works were part of a display by one artist and they were stunning.

708
Inside Noah's Ark-All Safe Aboard by Louise Jessup, Ashford, UK

I loved this quilt.  Apparently it is from a drawing in a child's book.  We stood in front of it for ages, looking for the different animals hidden in plain view.

711 - Highly Commended - Judges Choice
Dassehra by Bente Kultorp Andresen, Hafslundsøy, Norway

This quilt has been so widely discussed in blogland, I'm not going to bother going in to great details.  Needless to say, it was breath taking and looked more like a painting that textile art.

662 - Highly Commended
Hexagons & Stars by Lucie Summers & Jenny Spencer, Worlington, UK

Despite my many selections of quilts with bright colours, I still love a clean looking and muted quilt now and again.  I just loved the embroidery and quilting on this one.

665
L'Arcobaleno Sul Mare (Rainbow on the Sea) by Rossana Ramani & Graziella Cini, S Dorugo Della Valle, Italy

668 - Highly Commended
Connected by Linzi Upton & Mo Fettes (Longarm), Banchory, UK,

I cannot convey how much more appealing this quilt was in real life.  My photos do not do it justice.  In the album there is a close up of the quilting.  I just love the artistry.

673 - 2nd Prize - Two Person Quilt
Mexican Sunset by Margit Schommers & Claudio Pfeil (Longarm) Erfstadt, Germany

7
Festival, by Yvonne Kervinen, Osthammar, Sweden

I did take more photos, but these are the ones that really appealed to me and were mostly in focus.  If you want to look at some of the other stuff I took, you can see the Picasa Album below.

2011 Festival of Quilts

I hope that the length of these post explains why it has taken me so long to put it together.  Maybe next year I'll get even better photos, and I'll be able to report much quicker!