Sunday 24 March 2013

New cushion front

I was lucky to recieve a layer cake of the Valori Wells Cocoon collection of fabrics for Christmas. I decided to make some new cushion covers for our sofa with them.
I haven't got very far yet but here's the first completed front.


Each block is a paper pieced and I FMQ a different design on each inner block and the outer triangles and left the inner triangles unquilted which gives some puffiness.

I bought an invisible zipper foot for my machine a while ago which I haven't tried yet and I'm intending on using it to insert an invisible zip on the reverse. I just need to buy the zip.....which is invisible so it may be difficult.
I've succumbed to joining instagram and would love some followers if anyone fancies joining me.
Maria x
 Plum and June
Fresh Poppy Design

Friday 22 March 2013

Scrappy half square triangles.


 I fancied making a quilt from this book.

 
This one caught my eye.

 It looked like the ideal quilt to use up the many scraps I've accumulated over the years. My problem was that it needs a large number of half square triangles and I couldn't face making so many.
 
 I then remembered a blog I once read where the quilter had a niffty way of making half square triangles as "extras" whilst making a different quilt (sorry, can't remember whose blog it was).
 Instead of using a scap of fabric to run the needle onto when you've sewn two pieces of fabric together, finished a line of chain piecing or finished quilting for the day (it stops having to break the thread all the time), she prepares squares for half sqaure triangles and sews onto these.


No more of this
More of this

If you don't mind it being a long term project it's a painless way of building up a pile of half sqaure triangle units.

Here's the first block I made using some of  the pre-prepared units and a friendship star.


Bye for now, Maria.

Monday 18 March 2013

Medallion Quilt

 We've been using this quilt for extra warmth this winter. When it's freezing cold outside, and there's snow on the ground, yet the sun is shining through the window, it's lovely to sit up in bed and pretend that it's a  summer sun shining onto the summery colours of the quilt (you can even take a photo while you're there). Even on a dull day this quilt brings some summer into my day.

I recently made another quilt with colours that bring summer into the house all year round.

Can I win a prize for rubbish photo? Does Santa give a clue to when this was taken?
I made this medallion quilt for my parents for Christmas. I used the Flora range by Lauren and Jessi Jung along with a few other fabrics. The central panel is a "storm at sea" and I just decided on the rest of the borders as I went along. It's fairly densely quilted in a variety of free motion designs. As you can imagine, it was, at times, quite a struggle to wrestle it through my domestic machine. I forgot to take photo's of the quilting but will do so when I next go to their house.
Plum and June



Maria.

Friday 15 March 2013

A very late Thank You.



I've just found this blog post which I started 6 months ago and never finished, it's very naughty of me, sorry to Ali.

In my last post I said that I would show the wonderful little quilt I received from Ali of Very Berry Handmade in the flickr Brit Quilt Swap. Isn't it gorgeous? The leaves have been needle turned and the colours are perfect. Ali put in a lot of time and effort designing and making the quilt. In fact she described it as a "marathon" in one of her blog posts! I also received some fabulous fabric and the most cute little pin cushion which is now in use. The quilt is now displayed on the landing wall where I can see it everyday.

 If there's anybody out there that may still read this little blog, I plan to post again soon,so do pop back if you fancy it.
Maria.
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