The quilt top is finished.
It measure 44″ by 24″ – should be a good lap quilt size.
Nothing much is going to happen the next few days – I am just going to try to escape the heat!
Quilt Top Finished
Jan 25th, 2012 by SewWitty
Quilt is Coming Together
Jan 24th, 2012 by SewWitty
This quilt is coming together easily (at least so far). The above image is the first row.
I took the girls here today – it is a great place to visit on a hot day (it’s air conditioned) plus they had craft activities.
Quilt Progress
Jan 20th, 2012 by SewWitty
I’ve begun the new quilt.
It has been crazy hot here for the last few days and Miss A has an ear infection, which has ruled out swimming. As you can imagine that has made for a pretty tricky week – there has been movies and shopping (both air conditioned) and play-dates, but finally today she was allowed back into the pool.
A New Quilt Design
Jan 19th, 2012 by SewWitty
I’ve got a few projects on the go, but I am waiting for supplies. This quilt needs wadding, but I don’t want to take Miss A and P to the fabric store – too much nice stuff that they want and it always ends badly, and then this cushion for Miss P needs vliesofix, which I have ordered online.
So while waiting for these supplies I have designed another quilt.
It is going to consist of 12 blocks each 10 inch square. The two edge strips will be white (and will work like sashing). I’ve been inspired by the Fenced In quilt in The Practical Guide to Patchwork (By Elizabeth Hartman). The remaining four pieces will be one of six fat quarters (in the image above).
My plan is to rotate alternate blocks by 90 degrees (as happens in the Fenced In quilt).
The Quilt is Finished!
Jan 18th, 2012 by SewWitty
I finished the quilt!
In the end I machined sewed (not very well) the binding to the back of the quilt. It certainly saved time and I will definitely do it again. However, I need to keep in mind a few things:
- Cut the binding strips 2″ wide rather than 2.5″.
- Once I’ve attached the binding to the front iron it away from the front.
This should mean that when I stitch in the ditch on the front (made by attaching the binding) I should just catch the binding at the back.
Another Baby Quilt
Jan 17th, 2012 by SewWitty
Another baby is on the way – due at the end of February (not me obviously!).
It is 30 charm squares and a white border. I bought the charm squares ages ago from the Fat Quarter Shop (sorry I can’t remember the name). Everything including the backing and wadding came from my stash (slightly embarrassing that I have so much stock piled).
I just quilted it using my swirly free motion quilting (see picture below).
This time I didn’t lower the feed dogs while doing free motion quilting. I read about it here and thought I would experiment. To be honest I can’t see that it made much difference – I won’t be dropping the feed dogs in future. I did change the stitch length to zero and everything seem to work as normal – there are a few places where my stitches are too big, but that will just get better with practice.
This quilt came together really quickly – about 5 hours so far and all I have left is the binding.
Toe Up Sock Construction
Jan 16th, 2012 by SewWitty
I decided it was time for a new sock knitting challenge (obviously not a pair a month because I failed that one!). I’ve never made toe up socks and so I decided it was time. I watched the DVD that came with the Sock Masterclass, which made it look extremely easy (of course) plus I liked the idea of being able to stop when you’ve had enough (once you’re on the leg).
I found a series of lessons here and I’m giving it a go – I’m pleasantly surprised so far. I think I only had to try casting on twice and I found instructions on symmetrical increases in the Sock Masterclass book – now I just have to work out the heel and gusset bits.
The yarn is just a patons classic 8 ply.
Dino Quilt Backing
Jan 13th, 2012 by SewWitty
I made this backing for the dinosaur quilt. All the fabric is from my stash.
I thought Miss P might not be so keen on dinosaurs when she is a bit older. So now she can flip the quilt over and have a more grown up side.
I still have to pin it and quilt it, but I don’t have enough wadding and a trip to the fabric store with two girls is very unappealing, so I will wait until school goes back.
First Finished Object for 2012 – Socks
Jan 12th, 2012 by SewWitty
I started these socks in September – the actual knitting time was quite small, but I had a huge delay because I needed Miss P around to work out when to start decreasing for the toe and when she was around I would forget to do it!
This is a really basic sock – I knitted a tension square to determine my tension, measured her leg circumference and cast on the appropriate amount (40), which is just tension multiplied by leg circumference, and then knitted in stocking stitch.
Sewwitty’s 2011
Jan 11th, 2012 by SewWitty
Where did 2011 go?
Last year I made
- Four pairs of socks (I was aiming for 12)
- Two quilts and a quilt top
- Two dolls
- A skirt
- Finally finished Miss A’s birth sampler
- Embroidered and Appliqued four T-Shirts
- Finished knitting my scarf
- Made an apron for the school fete.
- Made fourteen hair clips
- Two cushions
- Knitted a jumper for Miss P (although it was too small)
- One set of quilted coasters.
- Machine Embroidered cards
- Designed 4 machine embroidery foundation pieced quilt blocks
When I look back over the year I am pleasantly surprised by how much I achieved. I would have liked to have done more, but at the time I felt like I wasn’t achieving anything.
I meet almost all of my 2011 goals (see here).
2012 is going to be the year of finishing things – I have the dinosaur quilt to finish, an applique dinosaur cushion to start (bit of a dinosaur theme) and I’ve just started a pair of toe up socks (but more of that later).
I’m going to keep working on my machine embroidery designs, challenge myself with my knitting and try to use the stuff in my stash!