Katy's HST class

I've been getting on with my homework for Katy's class this week. We started off making 48 x 5" squares in prints and 48 x 5" squares in a solid or background.  As I mentioned here, I was a bit short of time with one thing and another, so I grabbed a fat quarter bundle of Pearl Bracelets off the sewing table and a wodge of white on white for the solid, as it was all I had that was big enough to get all those squares from.  Fortuitously, in the bag I used to carry the fabric was my fat eighth bundle of Michael Miller's Mirror Dots, which I thought would provide a fab contrast, while continuing the circles theme.  

I didn't have time to plan or the brain power for maths on Saturday morning, so I just randomly selected fabrics that gave a rough rainbow range of colour, and started cutting squares.  Once we had a stack cut, rather than using the method of matching two squares, marking from corner to corner, sewing either side and then cutting into two, Katy told us we were going the bias route.

So we cut all the squares in half, and then matched the triangles and sewed together along the bias edges. As Katy said, learning to overcome the fear of bias sewing pays dividends in so many ways - not least in being able to sew curves with confidence.  

During my unplanned cutting, instead of the 96 expected squares, I managed to end up with 131!  Once they were all pressed and trimmed down to 4" and laid out on the spare bed which doubles for a design wall, I found I was one square short, so I rustled up a couple more and finished off the layout.

I'm going for an off-centred concentric rainbow squares kind of a deal.  Tonight, when I got home, I found out one of the various menagerie had decided they didn't like that layout and kindly rearranged it for me!  Luckily I'd taken a photo and could put it back in it's original format.

I decided to sew it together in blocks of 16 squares, and last night got the first three bits done and sewn together.  I took it super slowly, taking one pair of squares at a time to sew, then taking them back in the spare room to press and check the layout and line up the next one for stitching.  It means I'm walking miles between the spare rooms, but taking it very slowly and carefully seems to be paying dividends.  What do you think of it so far?

Hopefully by Friday night they'll all be sewn together and it'll just be a case of deciding what background colour to sent the finished mega-block into. I'm torn between dark blue, dark grey or dark purple.  I'm not sure white will really set it off -  - any suggestions? 

You'll be happy to know I did spot the mistake in this before I started sewing!

Life is a roller coaster...

I'm sorry I was away for longer than expected, but the weekend in Wales didn't go entirely according to plan, thanks to a mystery virus that landed me in hospital at the start of the week with suspected meningitis.  I'm very happy to say, after many somewhat painful tests, including a lumbar puncture, that was ruled out, but I'm only really now back in full health.

After that less than auspicious start, I went back to work on Thursday to confirmation of a promotion I'd applied for.  As this will come with a permanent contract, and a rather juicy pay rise, you can imagine that was fantastic news after the last few months. 

Then, to round the rapidly improving week off, remember this? Well, guess where I spent yesterday? Yep, only in day one of Katy's fantabulous class.  And what a great time was had by all.  It was all a bit of a panic getting ready for the class as I wasn't sure I'd be well enough to go, and then I had a last minute visit from my lovely baby sis, so it was a bit of a case of grabbing a fat quarter bundle of pearl bracelets off the sewing table, whichever solid I had enough of to cut 48 x 5" squares, (which happened to be a white on white by Makower) and in a last minute flash of inspiration, the fat 8th bundle of the Michael Miller mirror dots. (OK, not inspiration at all, they just happened to be in the bag I wanted to use!)

So we learned all about half square triangles, Katy had us cutting the squares in half and sewing along the bias edges to get us used to bias sewing - useful for curves and all sorts of other stuff.  And we got them all chain pieced - this is something I haven't done often, but I can see the advantages - speed and thread-preservation mainly.

One of the most exciting bits for me was using the electronic Janome's Annie has for the classes - I've never used a computerised sewing machine before and got more than a little excited about the fact the needle would always stop in the up position!  And the speed control.... I'm thinking I can see what part of that new pay rise will be going towards.....

So here's a little mosaic of the day. We were sent home with loads of homework, because we all gossiped too much and didn't sew enough!  I have somehow managed to end up with 131 HSTs instead of the 96 planned, and having done my layout ready to sew up before next week's day two, I've still managed to end up with one missing, so I've got one more to rustle up this evening and then I can start sewing them together.  Hopefully, I'll have it finished by next week, 'cos I don't want to end up in detention.....

Covet revisited

A while ago I did a bit of a mass covet and covetted 3 fabrics at once - just plain greedy, eh?  I've valiantly resisted the temptation to order Melody Miller's telephones from the States, (ostensibly to be loyal to Annie, but really because it's January, and with 6 weeks and Christmas between pay days, who can afford to splurge on fabric??)  What has helped with this is the little stack of one of the other covets sitting on my sewing table readily available for stroking and drooling.

However, I've discovered today that just being my fabric dealer for the last 10 months is no longer enough for Annie, she's now turned active pusher!  And I am going to have to resort to crime or selling body parts, as that other covet, Lizzy House's Pearl Bracelets, is now on pre-order as a fat quarter bundle.... at a discount!  

Just £60 will get you one of these scrummy bundles by the end of the month.

and I really, really, really want one.....  Click here if you do, too!

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!