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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
I’ve been a busy little bunny these past few days.
And I can finally present to you a finished quilt top!
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!)
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…
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!
3and3quarters 