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fabric strips

Thursday, April 5, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Filed under fabric, quilting, sewing

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Today I spent many happy hours cutting some of my newer fabrics into millions of strips, in varying sizes - all around 2, 3 and 4 inches wide and a fairly standard length of 10 inches long.

It was a lot of fun - I really got into the groove of it and just chilled out while I sliced, sliced, sliced. Meditative. Thinking of what these will become.

I have spoken recently of how it frustrates me that I buy fabric and then have a hard time cutting into it and actually USING it. So I figure if they are already cut up, then it’s almost like I am just using up scraps - and I have no problem using up scraps. Using up scraps is a very good thing.

So, now these are scraps.

I enjoyed sorting them into piles of colours - red, black and white, green, pink, beige, a little bit of orange and some blue. There are some wonderful prints here. The numbers and letters, tape measure fabric and lots of dots. I also cut up the fabric that I stamp-printed a while back which also felt good. Cut it all up!

When I was done slicing, I hunted around for something to store them all in - I need them to be seen, to be visible, to inspire me. I was very happy to find some unused white plastic storage baskets that were the PERFECT size. Good, good, good!

Now I am organised and ready, no excuses! I love all the strip piecing that everyone is doing right now (thanks, Japanese Craft Books) and I am all set to join in, bigtime!

Of course, after all that slicing and dicing, I was ready for a bit of a rest so not much to show tonight. I did however, make another tissue holder cover, and hey! I got to use up some scraps! I have so many scraps now!

Ah-choo! Would you like a tissue?

Slowly, slowly, chipping away at my procrastinating and tidying up my clutter.

Baby steps.

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felted flowers

Thursday, March 29, 2007 @ 10:50 am
Filed under art, quilting

You might remember this little felted piece I did a few months ago:

It was a lot of rolling between bubblewrap but I was happy with it in the end. I was never sure what to do with it though, once I had finished it. I wasn’t sure about the “grass” along the bottom either.

Yesterday, I decided to do a little embellishment to it:

I did some simple embroidery around the flowers and then trimmed the piece down to size. Then I backed it with a plain cotton and added some pink binding, quilt style. Now I like it much better - still not sure what to do with it! I might frame it.

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dolly quilts

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 @ 10:42 pm
Filed under quilting, sewing

Tonight while watching NCIS and Numbers I finished up some handsewing. A year ago I scoffed at handsewing, now I happily do it. I was sewing the quilt binding for two little dolly quilts. Emma loves to drape pretty much anything over her dolls as blankets so I guess that she was telling me to make some more dolly blankets already!

These might be small (the one on the left is approximately A4 paper sized) but they are so cute.

And they are my first ever quilts. I LOVE THEM!

After I finished them, I sat and looked at them for ages, smilling and thinking how clever I was. I went all dreamy-eyed - no wait, that was me looking at Gibbs and then Don Epps. Oh, and my little cute quilts.

I know, I really should have ensured they were exactly square before binding but the dolls won’t mind.

The “wonky” patch placement and freestyle quilting was intentional, even if the not-very-square part was a little mistake. No matter, I am very proud of myself and I know Emma and her dolls will LOVE their new little blankies.

I think they look quite cool and graphic here without their borders. Eh, maybe that’s just me.

Thanks so much to Amitie Fabrics for sending me the Heather Bailey Freshcut squares - did you know that if you have a blog you can sign up to join the Amitie Blog VIP Club and they will send you little packages of fabric every so often! How nice are they? This time around they are having a little contest - so Amitie, please consider these my entry!

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a quilt for me!

Monday, March 12, 2007 @ 11:14 pm
Filed under quilting, stuff n nonsense

My mum made me a lovely quilt - it is just starting to get cool some nights so I have been able to put it over my knees while watching a bit of telly!

I knew that she was working on this but she only decided towards the end to give it to me, as a surprise! I helped her out with placement of the pieces and design/colour ideas but she did all the work. I was very proud of her - she only starting quilting about this time last year and she is well and truly hooked! It turns out, she was so happy with my help that she wanted to give it to me, which was so nice! Thanks Mum!