So Here’s What’s Been Happening…

I feel as though I’ve been a little mysterious of late…

Lots of big changes and ideas have been happening on this side of the monitor and I feel as though I need to write them all down, just so I can get my head to process it all!

So, shall we start?

(I have a fresh cup of tea to my right, notes in front of my keyboard and a gentle rain falling outside. I think the timing is perfect!)

First of all, I’m not sure whether you’re aware of the fact that for almost two years I’ve been ‘unemployed’. Although I’ve been studying here, there and everywhere and I’ve been writing my blog, creating quilts and making YouTube videos, I haven’t been in a paying job for almost 24 months. And it hasn’t been for a lack of trying either! For the past year or so, I’ve been actively job searching/applying and being actively passed over, rejected and/or ignored.

So where is this all leading to, you may ask…?

I got a job! I finally, finally, FINALLY bagged myself a job!

Now, it’s nothing fancy, permanent or local (40 minute train trip into the city!)… It’s a simple casual retail job (my only type of work experience) at one of the big department stores we have here in Australia. Although it may seem simple-ish to some, it’s a huge deal for me, especially after searching for any type of employment for more than 12 months!

I start tomorrow (induction and store orientation) and then I start sharing my ‘happy retail face’ to the world again!

Source: Pinterest
Source: Pinterest

There’s something quite nice and strangely normal about finally having a job… It’s a calming peace-of-mind feeling that you’re contributing to society just that tiny bit more again and that you, as a whole, and your skills have some sort of worth.

I now also have peace-of-mind in building up my Savings again! Boy, has that taken a hit over the past few months!

(Luckily I still live with my parents! They truly are the best parents this girly could ever ask for!)

Next, is new University units! This semester, I’ve opted to study online at home so I could have the flexibility to work (see above!) as well as to concentrate on creating better content for my blog and YouTube channel.

I’m still on a Fine Arts Degree kind of track, concentrating more on Art History as well as Theory and Practical Arts along with Web Media and Communication.

Source: Pinterest
Source: Pinterest

I started two units last week, the same week I received my new job invitation, and am loving the flexibility it gives me to work at my own pace and when my mind is up to the task! (Plus it allows me to save money on travel AND I can sleep-in! No early classes for me thank you!)

So moving on from that, I’ve also been brainstorming some new ideas in reference to the content I want to create and share with you here and on YouTube.

I still want to continue with my Quilt Block Tutorial series as they are the most popular and most loved by my viewers. But I’ve also been contemplating on perhaps creating a crafting/DIY-ing type of series where I show you how to make nifty little projects, knick-knacks and thingys.

I would also like to start, maybe, filming/uploading weekly vlogs, but I’m feeling a little shy and self-conscious about that idea at the moment. Naturally, I’m a pretty quite person (introvert alert!) and I lead a pretty boring, non-dramatic and sheltered kind of life, so I can’t really envisage what exactly I would vlog about.

Source: Pinterest
Source: Pinterest

So I think I’m still in the very, very early planning stages on that one, but my little crafting/DIY series has a very promising future to it!

(Side note: Do you have any ideas/contributions of what I could make or would like to see me make? Tell me! Comment below or email me at 3and3quarters@gmail.com)

And lastly, I actually put a little bit of interest in my life last week (I admit, I’m not totally boring and yawn-ish all the time!) and went to see the Vivid Sydney Light Festival!

(Last week was a week of lots of things just happening!)

I made a little vlog of the night in semi-preparation for my maybe/maybe-not weekly vlog idea (which at the moment is border-lining the ‘maybe-not’) and I want to share it with you just in case you’re not really into the ‘YouTube Scene’.

Here’s a little story: The last time I went to this was 2012 and we went on a Saturday night, which was a BIG mistake! The quay-side was absolutely packed, I felt like a human salmon, swimming against the stream! I like to think that I’m a very patient person in all aspects of life BUT, when it comes to being trapped in a crowd of people, my patience deserts me and I get very irate and annoyed very quickly! Then you have to deal with people on the train home…

Source: Pinterest
Source: Pinterest

Yah… Nope. Not my cup of tea at all!

So this year we opted to go on Thursday night. It was a bit over cast, cold and wet but the crowds were considerably less. It was brilliant!

I loved it.

(And I got to spend some quality time with my lovely mum!)

If you ever get the chance to visit Sydney, come early winter (May-June) and see these beautiful light installations illuminate out beautiful city!

And avoid the weekends!

So thanks for hanging around and reading my ramblings…

(A high-five and big gold star to you!)

I haven’t written a blog post this long and in-depth for a while!

I admit I haven’t had the energy (I’m currently battling a horrid cold!) or the time to do much sewing over the past few days.

The only thing I did last week was film and upload my Mini Double Wrench Block Tutorial and play around with some little HSTs…

A pretty sea of HSTs...
A pretty sea of HSTs…

Again, thanks for making it this far into my post – you’re simply the best!

(Sing along if you want to!)

Happy Sewing Friends!

xx

TUTORIAL | Mini Double Wrench Block

This is the third tutorial I’ve posted in row here on my blog – it’s as though I do nothing else!

Anywho – requests came through for me to demonstrate this block after the quilt I made this block with received a prized ribbon at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in April!

The Happy Quilt!
The Happy Quilt!

This particular block comes from one of my favourite patchwork books – 130 Mini Quilt Blocks by Susan Briscoe.

So enjoy watching and let me know if you’re going to give this block a go, I would love to see what you create! **see below of how to reach me**

Happy Sewing Friends!

xx

PS. Show me your finished blocks here:

TWITTER | @3and3quarters

or

INSTAGRAM | @3and3quarters

or

EMAIL | 3and3quarters@gmail.com

TUTORIAL | 7 Basic Embroidery Stitches

I’ve had quite a few request to make this video over the last few months, so I thought I’d finally get my act together and do it for you!

The stitches I cover include:

Back Stitch
Split Stitch
Stem Stitch
Chain Stitch
Blanket Stitch
Satin Stitch
French Knot

It’s quite a quick and very visually jammed-packed kinda video…

Let me know if you could keep up!! 😀

In this tutorial I use:

DMC thread/floss,
A no.7 embroidery needle
White 100% cotton homespun fabric
A 125mm/5″ round wooden embroidery hoop

And these are the books I recommend for any beginners out there:

‘The Stitch Bible’ by Kate Haxell

‘Embroidery’ by Penny Black, India Flint and Vicki Porter

‘Doodle Stitching’ by Aimee Ray

***

There are lots of other things beginning, growing and expanding in my sewing room atm!

This being one of them…

HSTs in progress!
HSTs in progress!

Think a ton of 2″ (ish) HSTs, lots of scrappy fabrics and a colour way of pretty blues & greens!!

Such fun!

Cheerio Friends

&

Happy Sewing!

xx

PS. Have you noticed something different??

My lovely blog has had a little make over!

Modern, clean and simple yet still keeping a lot of the features from the previous themes I’ve had.

This particular theme is called ‘Sorbet’ (ohh, lovely!).

x

TUTORIAL | The Love Heart Block

This new video has been a labour of love and pure patience!

For over two weeks I umm-and-ahhed and stalled and procrastinated over filming this block…

(Who honestly knows why!?)

But I finally got over myself and just did it!

And here’s where the ‘patience’ part comes in…

At the very same time it came to uploading this tutorial, it was also the perfect time for our internet to decide to run at an excruciatingly glacial pace!

(i.e. we had reached our maximum data usage! Boo!)

So, like any silly impatient Gen Y-er, I endured a 35hour upload time, slowly watching my video process…

One. Percent. At. A. Time.

**SNORE**

Eventually my video, which I started to upload on Thursday afternoon, was finally ready to publish onto YouTube Saturday morning.

Lesson learnt: be patient and never-ever continue through with an upload that has over 2000 minutes waiting time! NEVER!

Enjoy!!

Cheerio

&

Happy Sewing!!

xx

PS. Do you have any suggestions for future Quilt Block Tutorials?

Let me know in the comments below and I’ll add them to the list! x

FOR SALE | Pink Heart Baby Quilt

Pink Heart Baby Quilt
Pink Heart Baby Quilt

This sweet little quilt is for sale!!

I’ve just listed it on my online madeit store – CLICK HERE to see the deets!

Unfortunately, this quilt is only open for purchase within Australia…

(P&H rates are insanely expensive atm!)

Share this post with anyone who you think will cherish and love this quilt!

Cheerio

&

Happy Sewing!!

xx

PinkHeart7

Stop-Motion Embroidery #2

Late last night I had a small moment of triumph!!

I was determined to get this embroidery finished!

And I did it! Yay!

So this afternoon, during a lull in our Mother’s Day celebrations, I uploaded and edited all of the photos I took and made this rad little film…

The pattern I used for this was from Urban Threads.

If you’re a mad keen lover of embroidery and love something a little bit more modern/alternative to that of the more traditional embroidery designs, I urge you to take a look this awesome website!

They have ahh-mazing stuff!

(And the prices aren’t too bad either!)

I always love having a good little needle-point on the go…

It keeps my fingers and mind busy when everything else around me is a bit hum-drum and beige!

Cheerio my friends

&

Happy Sewing!!

xx

So Many Side Projects!

This is how my sewing list works…

I have a main project/quilt on the go at all times – currently it’s my Friendship Star Quilt, which is in a state of half-started quiltiness!

Then I have lots of other little side projects sprouting out from my sewing room, (usually lying on a coffee table or sitting mid-stitch on my desk), that I seem to begin to occupy/procrastinate my time with.

This post is dedicated to those side projects that are currently distracting me away from quilting this!

{Side Project #ONE}

Stop Motion Embroidery

When I get a chance to sit down in front of the telebox, I’m coolly stitching away at this number.

Heart Embroidery
It’s current state!

Every two minutes I take a photo of my progress, resulting in an effect that looks a little like this.

I’m so close to finishing this one! Hopefully I’ll be able to edit and upload it within the next few weeks!

{Side Project #TWO}

Mother’s Day Appliqué

This Sunday in Australia we’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day and because I’m as broke-as-two-bob-watch, I’m making this for my mum!

Ready to start stitching!
Ready to start stitching!

It’s a sweet little applique design I found in a quilting book in my library called 101 Full-Sized Blocks.

I thought this would be cheaper and a lot more personal than buying her real flowers – at least these ones won’t die in three days!

I’ll hand-stitch a satin/buttonhole stitch around all of the shapes, baste and bind it turning it into a mini wall quilt.

{Side Project #THREE}

Heart Block Video Tutorial

Another Quilty Tutorial is on its way to be uploaded onto my YouTube Channel.

You may’ve seen this cheeky little sketch in my Instagram feed a week or so ago…

IMG_2681

I’ve always loved the pixelated looking heart block design…

So I’ve drawn up my own design and will be sharing the how-to process with you very soon!

{Side Project #FOUR}

Mini Spool Wall Quilts

Mini Spools

I made up these blocks sometime late last year and have been wondering what to do with them ever since.

Happily, I was inspired by my Mother’s Day project and quickly whipped them up in one evening to the point of just stitching on the binding.

The over-all purpose of these making these little wall quilts is to sell them in my online madeit store,Love along with Side Project #FIVE…

{Side Project #FIVE}

Little Wallets

I made some more of these this week and still have another three waiting to be completed!

Little Purses

These five pretty little purses are waiting to be sent out to new homes…

If you live in Australia and are searching for a last-minute Mother’s Day gift, these could be what you’re looking for!

 ***

So there we have it. Five little side projects waiting their turn for my attention.

Well actually, some of them aren’t really that little

If only there were more hours in the day…

Cheerio

&

Happy Sewing!

xx

Essential Tools For The Beginner Quilter

Now, I’m not sure how many of you who are reading this little post are beginners…

But, if you are, you’ve stumbled upon the right blog at the right time!

Huzzah!!

Because my latest little quilty-chat video is all about the essential tools that I believe you’ll need when starting out in the quilting game.

There are tons of different tools that we (as more experienced quilters) could try and convince you (the naive beginner quilter) to begin with – i.e. fancy rulers, differing thread weights, designer patterns, expensive sewing machines.

But, I think it’s more important to arm you, newbie patchworkers, with the most simple and basic tools to get started with. And then, as you become more confident and dedicated to your craft, by all means go get those fancy rulers that will help perfect your HSTs (that is Half Square Triangles); go and buy every shade of your favourite weighted thread; stalk those uber-cool quilt pattern designers on Instagram (a guilty pleasure!); and treat yourself to that sewing machine you’ve had your eye on for the past six months!

By the way, I am no professional when it comes to knowing what is best for each individual quilter. I chose the items stated in this video from experience when I worked at Spotlight. Eager newbie quilters would come into our store and ask, ‘What do I need to make a quilt?’. And so, this is what I would direct them to…

Here’s a list of all the items featured in this video:

Quilting Step By Step’ by Maggi Gordon
The Practical Guide to Patchwork’ by Elizabeth Hartman
– Fiskars Classic Stick rotary cutters, 28mm and 45mm
– Sew Easy Quilt-N-Sew Ruler, 14″x5″
– Fiskars Self-Healing Double-Sided cutting mat, 18″x24″
– Mundial Dressmakers Shears, 9 1/2″
– Tonic Studios Non Stick Precision Scissors
– Birch Quilters No-Melt Flower Head pins
– Birch Quilters Tape Measure, 300cm/120″
– Gutermann threads, 100% Cotton and 100% Polyester, 250m spools
– Clover Seam Ripper
– Philips Iron | Model: Azur
– Birch Quilters Curved Steel Safety Pins, 27mm
– Birch Quilt Basting Spray, 350g can
– Brother Innovis 200QE Sewing Machine (not seen)

So if are that eager newbie quilter – welcome to the fun, the creativity, the endless possibilities and ever evolving world of quilting!

You’ll love it!!

Cheerio

&

Happy Sewing!!

xx

P.S. Come visit my YouTube Channel for more quilty content!

Inspiration & Where I Find It…

I’ve been asked this question quite a lot recently, so I thought I’d write a post listing all the wonderful places I find/get my inspiration from!

Let’s begin here…

{ #ONE – PINTEREST }

Over the last few years, it’s safe to say I’ve browsed on Pinterest at least [at least!!!] once a day.

Too much?

Boarder lining on crazy?

Yeh, sometimes I think so but without this wonderful [and addictive] online resource, there are a lot of projects that may not have come to fruition.

For example, I was inspired to make my ‘Happy Quilt’ by

a quilt I saw on Pinterest.

blog10

This quilt has gone on to become one of my ultimate favourites aaaand has just won me a coveted Sydney Royal Easter Show Ribbon!! Whoo!

If you’re the creative type and are not on Pinterest, may I take this opportunity to encourage you to create your own boards and get pinning!!

There are some crazy, helpful, outstanding, mesmerizing and uber-creative ideas on there that I’m sure will knock your socks off!

{ #TWO – YOUTUBE }

There are so many wonderful patchwork/quilting/sewing resources on YouTube that it can sometimes be a little overwhelming to know where to start.

So I’m just going to list the channels that I’m subscribed to and you can check them out in your own time.

Missouri Quilt Company

Fons & Porter (Quilty with Mary Fons)

Riley Blake

Fat Quarter Shop

iheartstitching

Craftsy

[And of course, there’s my channel!!]

Amanda Rolfe

 Do you know of any other good quilting related YouTube channels? Let me know in the comment section below – I would love to check them out!

 { #THREE – CRAFTSY }

Oh, where would we all be without Craftsy!?

I have learnt a great, great, GREAT deal from Craftsy: hexies, foundation paper piecing, general block construction, fabric cutting, ironing techniques – you name it, I’ve learnt it from Craftsy!

Another one of my most successful [and favouritist] quilts came from a Craftsy class and that is my ‘Jacob’s Ladder Quilt’.

blog11

For ages I was looking for the perfect project to use my beautiful DSQuilts fabrics with and along came the Jacob’s Ladder Block episode in the Magical Jelly Roll Quilts class.

And, whaalaah – what I produced was a beautiful, scrap-happy, two-tonal quilt that everyone seems to have fallen in love with!!

{ #FOUR – INSTAGRAM }

I’ve been on Instagram for a good few years now, but only recently have I used it as a form of inspiration.

Instagram has given me the access to follow the accounts of some of my most favouritist quilters, thus allowing me to see what they’re currently working on, where they’re getting their inspiration from as well as take a glimpse into the glamorous [and sometimes not so glamorous] side of a quilters life.

Instagrammers I follow...
Just some of the Instagrammers I follow…

It has also given me the chance to network with other quilters and creative minds from all over the world, sharing in each other’s current creative pursuits!

I’ve also found that Instagram, like Pinterest, is a great resource to see what is currently in ‘vogue’ within the quilting world – i.e. what fabric lines, shades, tones and prints are in, what forms of quilting others are using to finish their quilts, what shapes and designs of blocks are being made etc.

Plus, it’s a great little resource that’s nice and handy on my phone! SCORE!!

{ #FIVE – BLOGGERS }

I love reading other quilting blogs – it’s where people can be completely honest about their work.

Blogs give us the opportunity to share passionately about where we find our inspirations, what we hope and dream for in the future and how we somehow manage to find sprinklings of time to indulge in our love for patchwork and quilting. We use this platform to share our life-loves, our families, our struggles, and our successes, our obsessions and adventures!

Apart from my long list of wonderful WordPress blogs that are tiered up in my Reader, here are just a few other creative blogs that I love to ponder…

Stitchery Dickory Dock

Diary of a Quilter

Oh, Fransson!

Pink Chalk Studio

Tallgrass Prairie Studio

 Tell me some of your favourite bloggers!!

{ #SIX – BOOKS }

This seems like a bit of a medieval notion doesn’t it!? Getting inspiration from books when we have a wealth of knowledge at a finger tips on the web!?

You may not know this, but I’m on of those ‘self-taught quilters’ who learnt the fundamental basic of patchwork and quilting from books!

My first patchwork/quilting book!
My first ever patchwork/quilting book!
My little library!
My little library!

If I was stuck on a particular element of quilt making, I would search and search for the answer in a book before I would ever think about consulting the Internet.

I’m proud of my little library of patchwork/quilting books. I admit, it is growing ever so slowly…some of those good quality quilting books can be a tad pricey!

Have you got any favourite patchwork/quilting books that you love? Please, do tell!!

So, my encyclopedia of inspiration has come to an end. Although, I will never rule out including more in the future!

Honestly, after all that writing, I simply find inspiration for my work from everything around me – nature, movement, colour, shapes, mood, space, texture, people, experience – the list is endless!

I find that the resources that I’ve listed in this post allow me to harness the ideas that are raging through my head into do-able realistic projects. Otherwise, they’d still be up there, Dub-Stepping and Flash Dancing away in my brain!

So, til next time –

 Cheerio

&

Happy Sewing!!

xx

‘Like Diamonds In The Sky’

I’ve been a busy little bunny these past few days.

And I can finally present to you a finished quilt top!

Friendship Star Quilt Top

Friendship Star Quilt Top 2

I like to the think of the star blocks as

‘Like Diamonds In The Sky’

So pretty!

Admittedly, the whole thing needs a good press – especially around the edged sashing – but still, it looks good!

 So it’s now onto the next stage!

Basting!!

I used to dread when it came to this part…

Lying all over the floor and busting my back sticking pins into a quilt. It’s wasn’t my cup-of-tea so to speak.

But to the rescue came Quilt Basting Spray!

And now, what was a whole day job has become a 15 minute job! (That is: basting and ironing times combined together!)

blog9 I plan to back the quilt with this floral print that I have literally a whole ton of and am desperate to use up as quickly as possible! And then bind it with the white/navy stripes.

 I’m also trying something new with the thread I’ll be using to stitch my quilty lines.

I’m going to give this a go…

blog8

It’s a spool of Gutermann Sulky Machine Embroidery thread (100% Cotton) that has variegated shades of navy blue/turquoise/purple/maroon.

I’m hoping the shades will blend well with the fabrics that make up the quilt top.

Although the thread seems a little thick than usual, I have my fingers crossed that my machine can take it and feed it through evenly enough as we go along!

 So for the rest of the week (and no doubt the weekend too!), I hope to be parked permanently in front of my sewing machine!

 Cheerio

&

Happy Sewing!

xx