Goodbye 2013 and good riddance!

So, it started with dreadful flu and it's ending in similar fashion with a chest infection, so I for one will not be sorry to see the back of this year. I started it thinking it couldn't be worse than 2012, but it had a real sting in the tail waiting for me, which I suspect will take most of 2014 to get over properly.
However, throughout the year, I used sewing as my distraction, and so have a reasonable number of makes to show off in this round up of the last 12 months....
I managed 8 quilts altogether, (there's more at the end) although half of these are still WIPs! My resolution for 2014 is to get them finished.

There were 4 mini quilts all of which I loved and 3 of which were gifts

This was the year I got back into dressmaking and I have a couple of projects lined up to start the year off.

There were a fair few bags too - I loved making these and again, there's plans for a couple more in 2014.

And lastly there were a few other bits and pieces that missed the mosaics above.

So, sewing wise, not a bad year, and I'm starting another quilt this evening - it's a scrappy tripalong for my neighbour. His wife very sadly passed away suddenly this summer, and, thanks to me, had just got into quilting. He has asked me to make a quilt with the fabric she had bought just before she died. It's an interesting mix of fabrics to say the least, but it will mean a lot to him, and seems a positive way to end this 'annus horribilis' and start 2014.

So, thanks to everyone for your warmth and friendship throughout the last 12 months and here's wishing you and yours health, wealth, but most importantly, happiness for 2014!

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Another productive weekend...

I have had a busy few days, sewing wise. On Monday, I realised the birthday I've had since Christmas to make a quilt for was less than a week away! Cue some slightly panicked piecing, some less panicked unpicking, and some late nights - 1.45am in particular on Thursday.  I understand the birthday boy was so pleased with it he has insisted on taking it to bed with him tonight - cos you need a quilt in 30' heat!!

So having got that delivered on Saturday morning, I decided I would have a go at a full size Aeroplane bag to carry my sewing machine to Retreat.  I had some Glimma canvas - well, after coveting it back here, it would have been rude not to buy it when it came into stock - and having done some measuring, decided a normal size would be perfect.

It didn't start well. Janome had complained bitterly when I asked her to sew the headliner foam for the model aeroplane, and she was not pleased to see it return. No matter how much I tried to placate her with promises it was all for her, she spat her dummy and the headliner and canvas came to a knotty tangled end.  When I tried to unpick it, the canvas just disintegrated. Swear words were exchanged but then I had a brainwave. I had some lightweight HeatnBond and so I used that to fix the canvas to the headliner - perfect.  

Next came the base, and as I once again had no Peltex, I used headliner foam and an extra layer of duck cotton. I decided this time to cut the headliner slightly smaller and hold it in place by basting the canvas to the duck cotton..... Nope, fraying again got in the way, and so I stitched vertical lines about two inches apart, effectively quilting the base. Have to say, it might have been a 'fix', but it actually looks good - I like the extra texture.

Other than completely losing the plot with the pocket, and so ending up with the lining upside down,

and being so peeved I decided to forego the other zip pocket, the only other hiccup was the zip. Now, I spent 5 hours altogether making his bag, including cutting out, but about half of that time was spent wrestling with the zip, and I have to say, the blinking zip installation is the reason why I won't tackle another one. It is an absolute beezum - and believe me, those are not the words I used yesterday - and I can't believe there isn't a better way to do it.

Anyway, it's done now, and after an initial heart-stopping, 'it doesn't fit' moment, all is fine.

So then, having nothing else to do... (That is so not true I can't begin to tell you) I decided my life would not be complete without a skirt made from Ruby Star Sparkle telephones. Had I known then what I found out later, I might not have been so quick to use so much of my treasure, but hey, too late now. This is an a-line skirt, and I'm not convinced it isn't a little TOO a-line, so I might alter it yet.

Today was spent getting my stuff ready for Retreat, and then this evening I had a little play at some paper piecing. I don't find foundation paper piecing easy to say the least, so the first one took me nearly an hour! Luckily the second was much quicker.

All in all a busy, hot, weekend. I suspect there will be little sleep being got tonight too as it's so warm again

A model Melody aeroplane....

I suppose it's the same the world over - every time someone designs something, we feel the need to try and amend it in some way - hopefully for the better. A few weeks ago I saw someone had tweeted a smaller version of the Aeroplane bag, and I was so impressed I started to hatch a plan...

I had intended to make a full size version to take my sewing machine to the Retreat, but while I was waiting for an LMQG sewing day for that one, the idea of a model aeroplane, as it were, started to develop.

I have some lovely Melody Miller Ruby Star Sparkle heavier weight fabric-you saw some of it for the Super Tote last weekend.  A small straw poll confirmed that the blue/green phones would go well with the aqua viewfinders, and so the pieces were cut and off we went.

I printed the pattern off two sheets to a page, and then adapted the follow on measurements to fit.  

This bag has a lot of interfacing, and as the fabric was heavier weight, and as it isn't payday till Monday and I didn't have exactly what I needed, I improvised!  I used headliner fabric in place of the Annie's Soft and Stable - which is when my beloved Janome started to let me know she wasn't a fan of the project!  I had no Peltex, so I used a very stiff fusible something or other - it's worked, it's very thin, so added no thickness to the seams, but I have no idea what it's called!  And I did away with the Shape Flex or any similar replacement altogether!

So, as you see from the photo above, I cheated again with the straps, this time with some jute webbing, which picks out the glittery gold stars on the phones quite nicely.

I picked a Zen Chic grey for the lining, because it had the same kind of creamy colour in the rings as the background of the phones, and I thought the rings echoed the viewfinders.  I put a small zipped pocket on one side and a divided patch pocket on the other side for my phone.

Now, I am guessing the small size didn't help my cause, nor did the fact that I chose to use a chunky zip.  And I love the chunky finish.  But it was an absolute sod to put in!!!  I got very, very cross.  And Janome really didn't help.... she had a right old strop, and in fact we are not friends at the moment - she might not get her nice new Aeroplane carrier at this rate!

But, after much swearing and tugging and re-stitching, and over-stitching, and unpicking and doing it all again, and working out how the heck to not sew the wrong bits to the other wrong bits......

Ta......daaaaah!

And here it is with a mug for scale...it's about 9.5" high and 13" wide. Cute, eh?!

Covet(s) of the week

I think it's safe to say I'm not really looking forward to Christmas this year.  However, I'm looking forward to the arrival of 2013, the end of a terrible year and the arrival of some truly lovely fabrics.  

My wonderful friend Charlotte gave me some of the lovely Lizzy House Pearl bracelets that she was lucky enough to pick up at Market in Houston in October, and I have decided to save them until the rest come out to make a rainbow style quilt in memory of mum.  It'll be more pastelly than bright, but after her service, there was the most beautiful full-span rainbow visible for a few minutes, which after all the rain, seemed like her way of letting us know she was proud of what my sisters had arranged for her.

I'm really loving all the text fabrics at the moment so I can't wait for this one from the Architextures range by Carolyn Friedlander - it comes in a white on black version too, which looks equally scrummy. I have a tiny charm pack of this, also a Market-related gift from Charlotte, so I might use that to make a pouch for one of my sisters for Christmas - if I can get my sewing mojo back in time, it's somewhat absent at the moment.

Lastly, but possibly most eagerly anticipated is the new Melody Miller range - I cannot wait to get my hands on these phones....  I've been craving them ever since I saw the market coverage, and I have it on good authority that the lovely Annie will have it in stock soon after the new year.  So guess what's on my Christmas list this year?? Yep, Village Haberdashery gift vouchers!






But there's also some really, really exciting news.... divine as The Village Haberdashery's online shop is, Annie's launching a real-life bricks and mortar version in West Hampstead.  It's planned to open in the New Year, but you can get a sneak preview on the weekend of 15 & 16 December, and there's more information here.

Do come along, do a bit of shopping and show Annie your support - she really deserves it!