WIP: Forest Friends baby quilt

The Quilting Queen came over to visit last weekend and we had a wonderful time. Despite a jam packed weekend including a musical, afternoon tea, and an extended shopping spree, we did, of course, manage to do some quilting.

We're working on something snuggly for a little girl that will be arriving very soon.

Forest Friends - finished quilt top

The Quilting Queen and I had a great time playing with the layout. As usual she spent rather a lot of time fixing my mistakes although I like to tell myself that I'm getting better.

The Quilting Queen having fun

I've also got some secret plans for these bits. I'm linking up to the exciting projects at WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

I have exciting plans for these offcuts

Just waiting for the backing fabric to arrive from Miss Ginger and then I can get started with the quilting. This may actually get done in time for the little lady to arrive (this may well be a first)!

Love,

me xoxo 

WIP Wednesday: Hexagon Quilt November 2015

I'm afraid I don't have much progress to report on the hexagon quilt front :(

You may remember this one...
from a month or two ago

My stitching on the tube plans were scuppered by the fact that I suddenly found myself on a project that allowed me to walk to work (not that I'm complaining about that in the slightest). However, now that I've found myself in Geneva for two months (very exciting!) I've managed to do a bit. Actually, I didn't bring sufficient supplies and have now run out of hexagons to sew together. Luckily, I will be flying back to the UK for the 1st weekend of December so I can stock up then.

Running low.
Nothing I can really do this these at present.

Speaking of stocking up, I seem to have run out of the white fabric I was using. I'm now obsessing about matching said fabric exactly, which will probably not be possible as I have no idea where it came from in the first place. My obsession with irrellevant details is really not helping. I've also decided that I need to match the background blue on this fabric ("Painted Mums" from Heather Bailey's discontinued "Fresh Cut" range), which is going to be tricky to say the least. Any advice?

Love, me xx

P.S. I'm linking up to Work in Progress Wednesdays over at Freshly Pieced.

WIP Wednesday: Pin-up tea towels

Current work in progress: embroidered tea towels with 50's style pin ups.

Pin-up tea towels: WIP

I love Sublime Stitching's "Most Awesome Tea Towels", which really are the best every for embroidery and for drying your dishes. Excitingly, I recently discovered that Ray Stitch, which is just down the road from me in Islington, carries Sublime Stitching embroidery patterns.

More soon,
Love,
me x

P.S. I'm linking up to WIP Wednesdays over at Freshly Pieced

Finally finished: Hidden Stars

It's finally finished!

I started this quilt as PhD write-up procrastination and now, two years after submission, it's finally done!

Hidden Stars: Done and dusted

Started: June 2013
Finished: October 2015
Size: Originally 135 x 135 cm now 190 x 190 cm (with sashing) 
Quilt top: Oak Leaves and Reel by Moda
Backing: Old duvet cover from my grandmother's house (pieced together as it wasn't quite big enough)
Binding: Dark red lining fabric
Batting: Hobbs Heirloom wool batting
Quilting: Machine quilted in the ditch and diagonals, borders in diamonds and stripes.
Label: Foundation pieced 8-pointed star, hand embroidered

I'm very pleased with how the quilt label turned out and so glad I took the time to make a proper one this time - it turns a rather boring, plain backing into something rather pretty, if I do say so myself.

Hidden Stars: Quilt back and label

I also really like the way the centre star is iridescent in the light. It's difficult to photograph but you can sort of see it on this photo:

Hidden Stars: shiny shiny star!

One last photo just because it was such a pretty day to go for a walk with a quilt:

Hidden Stars: Going for a walk in the park

I will endeavour to find some sunnier spots for photographs next time the sun is out on a weekend (might be a while then...)

Love, me x
P.S. I am linking up to Finish it up Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts because I've finally got something 100% finished to show off :) :)

WIP Wednesday: Hidden Stars - the push for the line

I'm just putting the finishing touches on my hidden stars quilt. After much musing and scheming, I finally decided on a design for the quilt label and decided to try out foundation paper piecing for the first time while I was at it.

I used this great template from the wonderful Anna at Six White Horses. Thank you Anna!

Step 1: Foundation piecing the star

As I wanted to finish the star's edges as opposed to piecing it with a background, I trimmed the edges down to 1 inch, folded and pressed them and then hand-appliqued the finished embroidered star to the back of the quilt.

Step 2: Trimming the edges down

 

Step 3: Trimmed and ready to press

As usual, I forgot to take photos of each step. Here is one of the final product being appliqued to my backing:

Step 6: Applique

Almost done!

Love, me x


P.S. I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced

WIP: Hexagon Quilt September 2015

I've recently taken to working on my hexagon quilt on the tube in the mornings. It's only a 10 minute journey and I only have a seat about 50% of the time but I've been making some (very slow) progress!

Hexagon quilt: tube ride WIP

On my recent trip to St. Petersburg I finally managed to decide on the overarching design and the quilting. I also want to do some fancy quilting in the white triangles that the design creates and have been playing around with the idea of using my initials in an art deco style font but I might do some sort of geometric design instead.

Hexagon quilt: design sketches

I'm planning on making a king sized quilt so the dimensions of the sketch aren't right but you get the idea. I laid everything out on my queen sized quilt today to see what it looks like in real life:

Hexagon quilt: design layout

Progress so far:
Individual flowers: 2 green, 12 pink
Sections: lots of bits sewn together - the longest continuous bit current has about 8 flowers
Total flowers:37
Loose basted hexagons: 24 white, 115 print

Hexagon quilt: 14 flowers waiting to be connected

I'm going to need a lot more white hexagons! I'm not sure whether to be lazy (and applique the flowers on to a white background) or crazy (and piece the white sections from individual hexagons). Being generally crazy, I'm leaning towards option 2. What do you think?

I'm flying to Germany for a wedding next week so hopefully I'll get a few more done on the aeroplane.

Love,
Me x 

P.S. This week I'm linking up to with Jessica's Monday Morning Star Count. There are some gorgeous projects going on over there - you should check them out some time!
Check out WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced as well. Seeing what everyone else is working on really motivates me to do more sewing - even if it's just some hexagons on the tube.

WIP Wednesday: Hidden stars binding

Hidden stars is almost done! I'm in the process of sewing on the binding. I managed to finish two sides before my poor little fingers got sore and my shoulders got stiff. I have terrible posture when I'm hand sewing.

Here are some snaps:

All squared up and ready to bind

WIP: Hand sewing the binding to the back

WIP: Front view of binding

Time to start scheming for the quilt label. I've promised myself that I will actually take the time and make an effort with this one instead of just sewing on a square bit of fabric with an embroidered name and date. Perhaps something star shaped...

I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced aka the font of all inspiration.

Love, 
me x