Wacky summer sewing

I am enjoying summer holidays with the kids and to keep them entertained I bought some grey fabric and zippers to make a shark pencil case I pinned ages ago by Patchwork Posse .  DS2 enjoyed cutting with my scissors and the straight sewing, but in the end Lego was more exciting and he disappeared when it all got tricky...which was lucky as I was mumbling unlady like words, as I inserted the zip.  I wont be making another one in a hurry so was pleased DS1 wasn't interested!

I started to clean up in my sewing area and unearthed a pattern for a pieced pineapple block that Lisa had given me.  We were out sewing for the day and the cutting instructions were a bit wrong, so it got dumped in favour of something else.  But I just needed my pre cut bin of 2.5" squares and pre stitched half square triangles - and of course they were on hand now!

I already have a watermelon table runner, so a pineapple table runner was perfect for a new summer look!   Simple Love Quilts and Jackie Padesky Quilts created this pattern.

Lisa gifted me that cute caravan, I couldn't resist including it...along with some favorite cherry fabric.  And the best bit is this all came out of the stash!

In the "clean up" that became a sewing session I found the missing page of instructions on how to make thee flowers for my Scrappy Sprouts quilt.  

I decided to just get stuck into those curves and they turned out just fine!  So I must be cured of my curve piecing fear, thanks Ann!

Now I just have to finish hand sewing the tops of the flower and this UFO is back on the top of the pile....I think that qualifies it as an upgrade to WIP!

Happy quilting Sue.

Curved Ruler table runner

I finished making the curved ruler table runner - this is the free pattern that comes with the ruler.  I completed the top in a workshop months ago with Ann from Periwinkle Patchwork.

However it took me forever to go and buy backing and binding fabric to match.  Then it sat around waiting to be quilted.  I really struggled visualising an appropriate quilting pattern.  However a quick flick through Pintrest and I just got down and "did it"!  

I enjoyed quilting the wavy lines and was tempted to do the coloured curves in the same way, but I didn't want to over quilt the whole piece.  I am glad to have another finish before Christmas, now I just need to find it a good home!

Happy quilting Sue.

Modern Curved Ruler Workshop

My friend and owner of Periwinkle Patchwork Ann, came up for a weekend to teach us how to use the modern curved ruler.  Now you have to appreciate that I always avoid curved piecing, so I made these pieces, with fifteen years experience as a quilter BUT with NO previous curved piecing experience.

On the Saturday we all made this table runner to practise the technique.  I don't think it went too badly, certainly the cutting was a bit trickier to get use to them the piecing.  And the bonus is no borders!  Well that's my take on modern pieces, I feel quite liberated not having to add borders!

On Sunday we were free to make other patterns with Ann's help, and many of the ladies had started quilt blocks using the ruler. I was sharing a ruler with Mum (my error didn't tell Ann to bring enough rulers) AND talking too much, so just stuck with making a second table runner.  I think it turned out well enough, but this "flower" pattern was a bit trickier.  

 

So when I browsed the patterns Ann had for sale, I chose this "Urban Abacus" by Sew Kind of Wonderful.  Ann had a sample made up with a gorgeous raspberry background and colorful fun prints, it was so pretty and a great way to showcase a range of fabrics, such as a layer cake.

 Ann is an awesome teacher and everyone said what a fun workshop it was!  And I conquered my fears of curves!