As you’re probably all aware, Miss P is a huge dinosaur fan – we have a quilt, a cushion and a T-Shirt, so when I saw this book at Dymocks I just had to have it. You can find more about it here.
Both girls have requested this dinosaur …
On a cursory reading it seems OK.
Filed under Inspiration, Knitting
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).
Filed under Inspiration, Quilting
Where did 2011 go?
Last year I made
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!
Filed under Inspiration, miscellaneous
Yesterday I bought two books from Amazon (the Australian dollar is doing so well).
Modern Top-Down Knitting by Kristina McGowan and
Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop.
Reviews to follow in due course.
Filed under Inspiration, Knitting
Slowly working away on my knitting. I’m intrigued by knitting in the round and I’m quite keen to try a big person version. Maybe something like this or this (although this my be beyond my current ability).
Filed under Inspiration, Knitting
My self-imposed challenge of blogging every day has meant that today I’m struggling to find something to write about. As we all know, craft takes time and although I have made some progress on my knitting – it would look very similar to yesterday’s image.
Today I made chocolate cup cakes. I made Chocolate Cake No.2 from the Golden Wattle cook book. Stuck them into patty pans (it made 9) and then sprinkled icing sugar over the top.
Filed under Baking, Inspiration
Today the girls had to go to school as something Western Australian. This is Miss P dressed as a redback spider. It’s been the best costume – it’s simply a black t-shirt, black leggings and I sewed four extra legs to the t-shirt (stuffed opaque tights). We’ve taken the red patch of the back and used it as a Charlotte (from Charlotte’s Web) costume.
Filed under Inspiration
As I’m still caught up in a tangle (somewhat of my own making), I went for a walk to the DNA Tower (see above – image from lifeonperth.com) to get out of the house, get some fresh air and a new perspective. It has worked for the moment.
Filed under Inspiration
I bought the Homespun magazine (not the current one but the previous issue) because it came with Inspired Machine Applique with Michele Hill DVD. I love doing applique, but I’ve never worked out the best way of attaching my shapes to the background fabric.
Michele’s (she’s the one on the left in the image) quilts are amazing; complex with lots of intricate looking shapes.
Here she is laying out her pieces …
She had quite a simple technique (probably hard when you try it yourself). She copied the design onto applique paper which she then ironed onto the wrong side of the fabric. Cut the shapes out (this is probably a bit tricky), removed the paper and ironed them onto the backing fabric.
She then stitched around the pieces using a blanket stitch an embroidery sewing thread (she prefers rayon).
She has a great method for stitching points – she simply stitches across the points.
I should point out that she would normally use a matching thread (she used the white to make it easier to see).
Michele had a really personable style and a really relaxed approach to the process. If you are at all interested in applique, I would recommend seeing this DVD.
Filed under Applique, Inspiration, Magazines, Quilting
I went to my local fabric store and came home with this skirt kit (as you do).
So many new projects and nothing is getting finished – I am working away on my quilt and the spiral blanket!
Filed under Inspiration, Sewing
