Working on 'I Love My Cat' Applique Quilt

Thought I better bite the bullet and try to find some background fabrics for the cat quilt. I have been putting it off because I have lots of dark novelty prints and large patterns that are difficult to work with in a quilt. Great for tote bags though.

I have very few blenders or even light colours. I decided on a fairly dark background for this block because the lighter florals that I tried made the cat look a bit washed out.

Another thing I noticed is that I seem to have a smaller cat than the one in the magazine. I enlarged this pattern ages ago and probably had another use for it in mind. I just assumed I had the right size for the quilt. Never mind. I will make the other cats the right size. This block has some foot prints on it so it will fill up OK.

This cute quilt is by Lynette Anderson. See my first post about it.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

I Love My Cat Wall Quilt

I love this quilt by Lynnette Anderson. Earlier this year I tore out all the patterns I liked from my magazines and threw the magazines away. I kept out a couple of patterns that I thought I might try this year.

The pocket was in view just under my sewing machine and I kept looking at it. Then last week I pulled down my scrap box and moved the pocket to the top of the box. Yay! I had started.

Yesterday I put together a cat body and I feel very pleased with myself.

However, today I have found a bag making challenge for November with tutorials and tips and give aways. Over at Elm Street Quilts. I already have my eye on my zipper box and will use scraps to make a little pouch to enter in the competition this week. Well, that's the plan anyway.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Go Wild Garden Quilt - WIP Wednesday

It feels good to get back to this quilt. I love all the projects in this book.
I prepared my applique sheets for easy tracing. I explain it in more detail in my quilt diary

Then made up one block ready for sewing. When I get my machine back from servicing I will be doing machine buttonhole stitch in purple embroidery thread. I am making 16 blocks instead of 12.

I have been very remiss with working on my quilts lately. I like order so I am getting back into a routine of working on a different quilt each week and posting twice a week. I feel like my quilt block pendants for GlassApplique are all under control now. Interestingly it is the photo taking that is the hardest and most time consuming part of setting up shop.

Once again all my fabric photos were a bit blurry so I took my laptop upstairs and checked each one as I took it. I don't think I took them any differently but all the new ones were fine!
Also there must be something up with my Flickr permissions because my Flickr photos don't show up as thumbnails for my blog. When I use a photo from my computer it shows up as a thumbnail in summaries. Things move so fast. As far as I know I set my Flickr photos so they could be pinned but I suppose I will have to check that too. I really want to put a 'pin it' button on my photos in my blog but I am always a bit nervous about changing the code in the template.

I did find out how to add meta tag keywords and meta tag author and a meta tag description to my blog. How to make some simple meta tag changes is here. You don't have to know much about computers to do it and it means people can find your blog more easily.

If you like reading my blog you should register to receive my posts in your email. I post twice a week and I am always sewing something new.

I am linking up with WIP Wednesday this week over at Freshly Pieced

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Country Cottage Quilting

Since I bought a fabric range to do the Go Wild Garden quilt from this book I figured I had to cut off all that I needed for the quilt before I could play with it. No good having a lovely cushion or tote bag if I don't have quite enough to finish the quilt.

I have been busily cutting and sewing so I now have all the nine patch squares done and all the pieces ready to make the block bases as well as enough for the border squares. The half yard of burgundy should do the narrow inner border.
I put together one block base just to get the feel of it. I am quite happy with how the fabrics have gone together. The appliqué elements will be made up from the darker florals and any other bits that fit.

I calculated that it took me 15 mins to cut out a block and 15 mins to sew a nine patch together. It then took me 15 mins to complete one block base ready for applique. This is 45mins per block x 16.

I now have quite a few pieces of the fabric left to play with though I am thinking a couple of matching pillow cases might be nice with a daisy on one side. The back of the pillow case will just have to be a blending homespun.
OK. That's done and this is what I have left to do the appliqué. I think I can get away with using some for a few small projects. I still have some BOM catching up to do. I don't even know which Wednesday we are up to but I think I need to do a bit more on my North Pole quilt this month.

Happy Quilting
Val

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Country Cottage Quilting SAL

Shirley from Colours of a Butterfly and myself are sewing some projects from Country Cottage Quilting by Lynette Anderson.
We have started with the Hollyhock Sewing set. The needle case is first.
We plan to post each two weeks. Next fortnight we should be finished the needle case.

After the sewing set we will probably do the Garden Pillow then finally the Go Wild Garden quilt. We haven't really thought about a timeline for the quilt. We will just see how we go to start.

I finished the stitchery for the front of the needle case. It is early days for me and needle turn. I quite  like the way it turns out. Nicer than visible stitching. Not sure I would bother doing a whole quilt this way. The Go Wild Garden quilt is raw edge applique and I will do the blanket stitch on the machine I think.
Anyone with the book thinking they might like to join in just let us know and we can sew together.

If you are not ready for Google+ you can comment from my Facebook or Flickr.

Val Spiers on Facebook

Val Spiers on Flickr

Happy Quilting,
Val

Country Cottage Quilting SAL and the rest.

I just love a good sew along and I am a sucker for a good BoM so I have quite a lot on the go. I seem to be fitting things in quite well so far. I have even made some extras like the fox and my crochet gloves.
I am determined to finish all my May obligations before the end of May and earlier if possible. As soon as the new owl came out I whipped him up ready to sew. My sewing machine is making some complaining noises so the sewing will have to wait a bit.

I got another block from "Summertime" glued down ready to sew and I will try to get a couple more ready. I am making a square wall hanging from 9 blocks.

I got the April Adventure block out and put it onto a little bag pattern. I will put the May block of cute post cards onto a zippy purse.

I spent some time working on my much overdue photo album from my trip last year. It is fun to look at the photos and remember stuff.

I like to use the iPad in bed just before I get up so I made some fingerless gloves to keep me warm.

I am making the needle book from Country Cottage Quilts with Shirley from Colours of a Butterfly. We are warming up to make the quilt with the watering cans on it. We will be posting some progress every two weeks. I did a bit of cutting and sticking to get started.

That's it for another week. I feel much better about blogging once a week. I seem to have more time for visiting and commenting on other blogs.

I am linking up with Applique Thursday.

If you are not ready for Google+ you can comment from my Facebook or Flickr.

Val Spiers on Facebook

Val Spiers on Flickr

Happy Quilting,
Val

Sew, sew, sew. Blog, blog, blog

I am so glad I am retired and have time to sew and blog.

Lots of positive things happening .

I received a lovely gift of some woven felt wool from Mel at the House on the Side of the Hill. It was a nice welcome to the Summertime Sewalong she suggested earlier in the year. There are not many sewing along because it is a fairly piecy looking appliqué and even I have decided I will only make 9 of the blocks to make a square wall hanging. It is nice to play and sew with felt.

I purchased some new fabric called Avalon from the Fabric Patch online .

A lovely lady sent me some photos of two block keepers she made with my cat appliqué on the fronts. I was so pleased she liked the patterns. You can see them at Mairsmusings.

I had a great time meeting some of the people behind the blogs at a sewing meet we had for the Brisbane Stitchers Inc. It is basically Brisbane bloggers but all sewers are welcome. Believe it or not I won the lucky door prize of a lovely pattern and a pincushion made by Maree of Ollie and May

I had my first go at needle turn appliqué when I started the Holiday lap quilt from It's Quilting Cats and Dogs. I have nearly finished two of the blocks. They both have some finishing off to do. I plan to make the quilt from the Avalon fabric.

 

I have also been doing more of the Debbie Mumm sampler . Some little log cabins, the fish and I have started the stars.

 

And the weather is just perfect today.

Happy Quilting,

Val

 

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