Mustang Stephanie...

I know that this blog is primarily about sewing and making, but there are other aspects to my life and sometimes these will invariably seep into these pages. Today is one of those occasions. Whilst out on my rounds this morning, this is what I saw....

Some women dream about Manola Blahnik's, some women drool over Gucci bags. I fantasize about muscle cars and a Mustang is at the the top of my list. Thankfully I had my camera with me so I pulled over and took a few photos. If I ever come into money I'll buy one of these beauties, load up the cats and take off......I might even take my sewing.
I am very tempted to go back wearing my Daisy Duke hotpants, loiter around and hope that the owner ( please look like Steve McQueen ) turns up and offers to take me for a spin. Despite everything my mother taught me, I'd probably say 'yes.'

Squaring up...

Last week I was so full of gusto - that one inch square quilt seemed like such a marvellous idea. A few days on and I'm actually wondering what is wrong with me, or what is missing from my life that sewing together small squares ever seemed like an attractive idea. The possible answers frighten me somewhat....so let's just conclude that I'm feeling a little jaded and that, like marathon runners, I've 'hit the wall.' And I've only completed an 8 inch square. Things will pick up I'm sure....

So, my evenings have consisted of cutting and basting and ending up with this little lot....I'm actually wishing that the tin was full of chocolates rather than one inch squares.

And here is the first set of squares sewn together. I am pleased with it but it's very time-consuming. But it will be a true work of art when completed, and I'm not one to give up. I'm glad I've got the other quilt to work on too...the 4 inch octagons seem like giant shapes compared to these tiddlers!

I've decided that I'd like a few yellow squares within each 8 inch piece - and that's been a fine excuse to buy some ( more ) lovely pieces of fabric. Hopefully I can make up one or two of these composite squares each week. As well as putting together the octagon quilt. And working on the pile of other smaller projects I have. And birthday and christmas presents. I am off to the gym for a break : )

When one quilt project isn't enough...

Not content with the secret Snowball quilt, last week I began working on a new patchwork project, which will be another quilt for myself. I couldn't help but notice that my scraps bag was bulging so I began to think of a simple patchwork design which would best use the small pieces that I save. I have very many flowery cottons and I decided to turn these into one inch squares and create a quilt with a real floral intensity!

The first heady steps of making paper templates. Yes, I own a Paddington Bear ruler and am very proud of it too. I have had it longer than I care to remember.

First scraps selected and ready for pressing and cutting.

Some time later, beautiful small squares emerge. What I will probably do is sew enough squares together to make up an 8in or 12in square and keep making these until I run out of scraps ( not likely ) or enthusiasm.

I like to have something small and fiddly to work with whilst I watch a movie etc. Also, if Gus    ( love-of-my-life-cat ) is on my lap, he doesn't like having anything on top of him, so a larger piece of sewing or ticklish, dangling threads is out of the question. This project suits the both of us.

The Secret Quilt Project...

A few posts ago I wrote about my Fat Quarters from Thailand and the project they were destined for - a surprise gift for a very dear friend. Having now pressed and cut out the fabric, I thought I'd share my colour choices. The Snowball lap quilt is going to consist of 12 octagons each from 12 fabrics. I have so far basted 2 sets of 12.

Here is what I am working with....

The octagons are approx. 4 inches ( 10 cm ) across. The small squares which will fit between the rows are to be a dark blue colour. Although clearly this could be subject to change! I have spent quite a lot of time trying to decide layout of the patchwork and have opted for random placings rather than a set pattern.

I do hope I've chosen the right colours for M....she grows and adores delphiniums, and this was in my mind as a starting point. The turquoise and burgundy shades are a reference to a trip to the ballet at Christmas - we went to see Beauty and the Beast and both fell in love a dress in these colours which was worn by one of the ugly sisters!

So, another 120 octagons to baste.....I may be some time.

The bag lady...

I love flowers, I love vintage prints and I'm quite fond of a bit of purple. Imagine my delight when a few weeks ago I found a floral, purple, vintage bedspread ( we'd now refer to it as a 'throw' ) in a charity shop. I bought it and put it in my stash. Having ummed and aahed about it, I decided that a bag was a good use of the fabric - it's just so cheerful and eye-catching. And probably too rough to the touch to do much else with....

I stuck with a shape and size which works for me.

Assembled components pressed and pinned and ready for sewing.

And a few hours later, the finished item.

I am very pleased with the colour of the lining - an old pillowcase, bought on my charity shop trawl and washed and put away for that special project. I do like it when there's that piece of fabric that's 'just right' for one's needs - it justifies all the boxes of fabric I have in my possession!

Vivienne who?

I've been quite slack with sewing and posting recently - just too tired to do either. I started going to Spin classes last week - I've wanted to try it for ages and a new gym nearby has 9 classes per week. It's absolutely knackering and I love it! No, I don't go to all 9 classes, that would be lunacy. Two per week is plenty. And lunacy. Anyway, whilst my poor body adjusts, the sewing has taken a back seat. However, I finally managed to finish my prototype skirt! I began it months ago just as a small project to work on alongside the bed quilt. I've never made a skirt before, as simple as they are to more experienced sewers, I'm sure. As a fabric addict and print lover though, it's a must. So, I simply went right back to basics and did what seemed sensible - traced around an existing skirt of a similar style which I have in my ( bulging wardrobe ) possession and took it from there, adjusting length as necessary. I used an old duvet-cover rather than mess up and waste fabric which I had spent good money on. And here it is!

Duvet-coverness aside, I wouldn't be ashamed to wear it - which has got to be a good sign. Having said that, I've no idea if the length is ok...I may put it on and go out feeling all stylish and carefree - and then find I cannot walk in it...but walking's very over-rated haha! It's a simple pull-on design with a drawcord through the waistband - the drawcord itself was the most time-consuming part since I made an inside-out tube and then spent ages trying to coax the thing, using a variety of long and pointy implements and finally tweezers, the right way out. I would perhaps do it differently next time. I am very pleased with the drawcord hole thing - hand-made no less! Only because I was too scared to do it on the machine...

The ric-rac trim was for sentimental reasons - when I was about 9 years old, I had a flared green skirt which had 3 layers of ric-rac around the bottom. Ah happy days!

Having got a few mistakes out of my system and realised better/quicker methods, I would have another go at a skirt - probably just as well because over the past months I've accrued so much fabric by saying to myself  ' That'll be perfect for a skirt '.....  Anyway - anyone who sees me wearing this item of clothing - please do tell me how lovely I look, and please forget about the fact that it used to have another life on someone's bed.

Fabric from far-flung places.....

Look what arrived this week!

These are my new Fat Quarters from Thailand! How exciting! Like lots of other things in my life, they are courtesy of ebay. The purple floral fabric is from a seller I have purchased from in the past and I adore him. I'm not sure how I can, since I've never met him....but I just like the fact that he's called Pim, is always so courteous and polite, packs the products beautifully and er, sells fabric. What is there not to like about him?! He's bound to be gorgeous. I don't want to think about the possibility that he could, in reality, be a 30 stone hairy bloke called Dave who slouches around in tracky bottoms and who actually works from an industrial estate in Coventry...no, I'm not thinking about that.

Look at these things....

They're for my next patchwork quilt and having collected most of the bits, I just needed a few pieces in the right colours, Oriental in feel, and with the beautiful gold detail. And they're perfect. Now, I swore blind after completing the bed quilt that I would never ever make a quilt again haha! But this is to be a very manageable lap-quilt of approx. 4ft square and thus an absolute doddle to work on compared with the uber-monster bed quilt.

The quilt is to be a Christmas gift ( yes, yes, yes we're in March, I know ) for a special friend M. As in James Bond but she's much better than that. She doesn't yet know about this blog so I'm trying to retain a sense of mystery - just in case I'm found out! Anyway, M is a very dear friend and the first one I made when I moved to Leeds. She and her husband have been extremely good to me over the past 16 years and I so want to give M a special gift which reflects how grateful I am and how much I hold her in esteem.

The plan is that the design will be a 'snowball ' pattern, 12 fabrics in total. I think I've chosen the right colours for M. I'll post the full brigade when the shapes are cut and basted etc. I can feel some fabric pressing and cutting approaching....a new patchwork project...nothing beats it.