Welcome to the North Pole November update

This is the final update for the SAL. Some of you joined up 2 years ago and several did a wonderful job of finishing their quilt early this year. Then a few more wanted to start this year.
I have put mine on hold indefinitely while I get over my obsession with dolls clothes. All my quilts are patiently waiting.
If you haven't posted about your progress yet make sure you add your link to the linky at the end of this post. This is as far as mine got. I changed the design quite a lot because I wanted it to look like a scene. I have started the last blue row for the top. It has the moon and stars on it and the other two reindeer. It is put away in a box for now.

Thank you to all those who joined in along the way.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome to the North Pole SAL for July

After struggling along trying to work in the restricted space of my temporary sewing room combined with a lack of resources - some in storage and my pocket money going towards rent and storage costs - I have finally decided to put all my quilt making and general patchwork on hold until get into the new house, towards the end of the year.

Instead, I am going to concentrate on the doll clothes side of my sewing. It is small all round and it also means I can pack up some of my sewing stuff to get a bit more organised.

In keeping with the Welcome to the North Pole theme I have created a small scale Christmas applique scene as a border for a pinafore skirt. I forgot to put in something to show the scale but the drawing is on an A4 sheet with a bit more taped to the end to make it 15 inches. The houses are about 3 inches tall.

I hope everyone working on their Welcome to the North Pole quilt has made at least some progress through July. The months seem to go so fast! Please link up your post or photo in the Linky. There are always lots of lookers. It is such a great quilt.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome to the North Pole SAL update for April

I have been busy sewing my felt stitchery and getting ready to have a stall at the local Easter Fair the last couple of weeks. I have also spent a bit of time on Pinterest. I found this lovely completed quilt by Gail Muller. I can't find anything about her or the quilt show it was in.

Link to the pin on my board

We sold a dozen items or so at the market and lots of people admired our work.
We were selling our fused glass pendants and earrings and some polished amber.

You can see my fused glass story here

Well you know what is coming now. I have to say I didn't get any further on my North Pole table runner this month. I hope you all managed to get some done.

I found some lovely clothes collections for paper dolls that I want to make into patterns for my American Girl 18" doll. I also wanted to sew on the machine rather than by hand. I have started the pinafore dress in this picture and will gradually create patterns for each item.

Click to visit my pin board

If you have a picture or a blog post about your Welcome to the North Pole progress please link it up below.
You can also add images to the Flickr Group

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome to the North Pole SAL for March

After flying to Sydney and spending time in the city I have caught a cold. I will never fly again without dosing up with immune boosting supplements. I took them when I went overseas for six weeks and I didn't get sick once.
That said, I did enjoy my time in Sydney. It is just such a pretty town in places. The Queen Mary 2 was in the harbour.

I returned home to some exciting mail. I won the charm and charm holder on Let's Book It at Vrooman's Quilts last month. Join in at the end of each month with a project you have made from one of the many books you own and be in the running for a quilt charm.

There are so many lovely pins and charms at Pin Peddlers.

I have done a little bit on my North Pole table runner. I sewed down two stars and the moon and put some rick rack on Santa's roof. I hope to do the other stars and maybe start some windows. The windows look very tiny and fiddly.

If you are sewing along this year please link up your march blog post below. It was great to see some lovely work from last year linked up last time. There are some new people this year and some picking up from last year. Soon there will be lots of finished quilts.

I posted a giveaway yesterday. The prize is a free Craftsy Class closing 2nd April. If you are not into Craftsy it is definitely worth a look.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome to the North Pole SAL for February

Hi everyone, I hope you are bouncing out of your seats waiting to get linked up. I made the decision to pay for a thumbnail linky service because pictures are much more interesting than text so even if you have a picture of some wrinkly fabric ready for your quilt I expect you to link up.

I put a call out now to anyone who sewed along last year to do a bit of a round up post and link up your progress. I know some were very close to finishing the quilt.

I still have my quilt to finish but I am not working on that until we move into the new house so I have started the cute table runner on the back cover of the book. I am doing it with a mixture of machine needle turn, which I suppose is really iron turn, and regular hand needle turn.

The straight pieces are easy to do with the machine using a blind hemming stitch and some fine thread. No. 13 is my stitch. It goes stitch stitch stitch zag and I make the length of the stitch around 1mm and the width of the zag about 2.

You can just see where the zag catches the fabric.

I am using invisifil  by Aurifil in a grey shade that blends with most colours.

For the needle turn by hand I am using the same thread and a fine flexible beading needle. I am not sure if it is the same as a straw needle used for needle turn but it works just fine. I will be doing the pointy bits by hand.

I have the stars and moon cut out. These three are positioned ready to stitch. I am using freezer paper and cutting out with a seam allowance. I have learned that you don't snip anything until you are actually sewing and then only just before you sew it down. A few frayed threads makes it almost impossible to sew down properly.

I look forward to seeing what others have been doing so far. Please link up. We all want to see what everyone has been doing.
Remember:
Include a link to my post in your blog post
Link your post URL not your whole blog
Linking to a photo is fine too
After linking visit 2 links before you and leave them comments
Come back again later and visit two links after you and leave comments.

Don't forget to pin your work and +1 others posts on google plus. I think there are still a lot of books on book shelves that can be dusted off this year.
You can also join the Flickr group and add you photos whenever you like.

Not into Google Plus?
Leave a comment on
  Flickr
  Pinterest

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome to the North Pole - 2014

Ho! Ho! Ho!
A whole year since I first got this book. I have made a good start on my version of the quilt but just had to lay it aside while I tried to move house without stressing too much.

There have been lots of people keen to be part of the SAL for 2014 so here we are again. I invite anyone who still has some work to do from last year to stay with us and anyone who wants to pick up a UFO or start new is welcome to join in.

On the 4th Wednesday of each month you will need to do a blog post or upload a photo to flickr. Since linkies are just a fabulous way to share and archive project progress I will set up a linky to show off what you have done on my 4th Wednesday post.

When I first found this book I looked around quite a lot and eventually found one or two quilts that people had made several years ago. I was quite excited to see that number 11 link on the 1st page for a google search was a valspierssews post about this pattern. No wonder more people are finding the SAL. It is such a great pattern it deserves to be found.

This year since my quilt is in storage for 6 months (I only brought Go Wild with me to the rental house) I am going to make the little wall hanging and because it is only small I am going to practice my needle turn applique. The wall hanging is on the back cover. I have started to cut out some freezer paper shapes in readiness. I am off to Spotlight on Tuesday to get some night sky background fabric.

You can read more about the quilt and how much you will need to complete each month to finish it in a year on the original Intro post.

It seems the book is still available from Piece o' Cake for $16.95 USD plus postage. Scroll down the book list until you see it.
It is also still available from UK Book Depository $17.87 AUD with free shipping.

I have made a button with some of my blocks since I don't think I can rightfully use the book cover. You can grab the code and put it on your blog.

<a href="http://valspierssews.blogspot.com.au/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCQ9_uRohDYzl0yvURZGN__SI627JWUBzEPuxlVXQ6Dgic7uEJscJxJonMbyXv2KoVX6kItECvuUYVtRoulfN3jULjgkCG-_CmNSdtv0o-Ynnf7d7amLxdh5kMUksTE1n_wJOTXeRl2M/s150-no/wtnp+sal.jpg" height="150" width="150"/></a>

Happy Quilting and Crafting,

Val

Wip Wednesday - knitting for my 18" doll, a bag and a quilt.

I have a talent for cobbling together several different design ideas. Occasionally I come up with something different enough to be considered original. I saw the range of gorgeous knitted clothes made for dolls by Maggie and Kate Create and just had to attempt writing a pattern for my 18" doll along similar lines. It will be a long cable cardigan with a collar. The fashion concept is not mine but the pattern made for my doll will be my original pattern. So far I have only knitted the back but it looks nice.

I like to knit in my back room looking out on the yard. I can see the bird bath and lots of birds just hang about. The crows are a cute couple. They will come to the bird bath together and sometimes they just sit together. Here they are on the back fence. They sat here for nearly an hour just canoodling. Their nest is in a nearby tree. I don't think it is finished yet. The cockatoos have been visiting the bird bath too.

I keep a bird observation sheet. You can see it in the knitting photo. I got the idea from somewhere else and made it my own. If you use Pages on a Mac you can have my bird observations page.

The bag I am working on is also a mixture of ideas from others. I have all the pieces ready to sew.

I have used lots of features like the bag at Patchwork Pottery.
I have changed the top so the zipper will curve over like many of the zippy pouches I have pinned.
I have added a flat pouch on the back to hold my iPad at the ready. It just slips in. No zip top. Because I would also need room for my purse and lipstick I needed the bag to have depth so I kept the gusset for the bag section. I want to put it over my shoulder so I have a long strap like a messenger bag.
The applique dog I got from the beautiful designs at Paste. Denise Fiedler makes framed pictures using vintage printed pages cut into shapes. Here is my applique plan.

Because Christmas is unbelievably close I have kept working on my North Pole quilt. I finished stitching around the applique pieces on the third row and I did a bit more on the Santa row.

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

You can comment on my:

Flickr photo or

Facebook page or

use google plus below

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

WIP Wednesday - North Pole update

I felt pretty pleased with myself for getting this quilt out to work on. I still may have a chance of getting it finished by Christmas.
I finished sewing down the truck shop, trimmed the 3 blocks and sewed them together. The wadding is on and I have to outline quilt all the houses and trees. To completely finish these two rows I have to do some stitched snow flakes.

I am still wondering what fabric I will use for a border. The next three rows are done on plain dark blue like sky. I think I would like to find a starry fabric for the border.

This week I worked on my gecko mat too. Here is a peak. It will be finished up for Friday.

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

You can leave a comment on my

Facebook page

Flickr photo

or log into google + to comment below.

Happy Quilting and Crafting.
Val

August update for Welcome to the North Pole

Can you believe it is the end of August! I will have to put some serious time into my North Pole quilt to get it finished. This month I only did a bit more on the Santa block. I still want to stitch on some snowflakes and each row has some finishing to do. All the big stuff is done except for the stars and moon at the top but they should be pretty quick to do.

 

I hope everyone managed to do a bit more this month. It only takes a bit at a time to get things done. I hope none of you have packed it up as a UFO yet!

Happy Quilting,

Val

 

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Welcome to the North Pole June update

It is great to see everyone making progress on their blocks. With about 5 months to go there is still lots of time left to work on it but it is probably a good time to rethink or review your plan. I am determined to finish my quilt before this Christmas and may have to speed things up just a little. I need to make sure I have enough wadding and I will also need to purchase some backing and border fabric. I will be keeping my eye out for some discount fabric if possible but if I find the perfect cute fabric I am prepared to pay the price. Gingerbread men or snowmen might be nice for the back and snowflakes for the border.
Here is what it looks like so far. Still quite a lot to go but it is coming together. I changed my Santa and reindeer to a bit more traditional I suppose. The reindeer left on the ground just wasn't slick enough :)

I have been nursing my machine along a bit lately so I have put off applique sewing and put my efforts into cutting and sticking and some straight sewing.
I look forward to seeing what everyone is up to.

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

North Pole QAL - May update

I have made some progress but not a lot to show for it. I managed to get all but a few bits glued down for another house. This makes 6 blocks with just a bit to do to finish them off. I have put off doing any appliquing sewing until I get my machine serviced so this last block is not sewn on at all. I bought some blue homespun to make the sky blocks. I have 6 blocks in white at the bottom of the quilt and 9 blocks in blue at the top. The first blue blocks will have the barn on them on the horizon. I have reversed the barn ready to trace it onto the applique paper so that will be next. The top two rows of blocks will be for Santa's sleigh and the moon and stars. I have found a Santa and sleigh in another book that I will be using. It just looks a bit easier to applique.
I have seen some great blocks done for May already. Doing a bit each month makes the project much less formidable. I keep telling myself there is plenty of time before Christmas. Maybe in September I will have to pick up the pace a bit. I really want to get it finished this year.

If you have some progress posted please link up that post below.

Just sign up to google+ to comment but...
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

April North Pole QAL

I love the little houses in this quilt. They look a bit fiddly but most of them are quite straight forward. I hope everyone managed to do a bit this month. I have two more blocks nearly done. I still have to decide on a roof for the Chinese take away.

If you have made some progress put it in a blog post and link your post to this page.

Happy Quilting,
Val

North Pole QAL - March Update

I can't believe how easy it is to get excited about new projects and let the older ones rest for a while. If this wasn't a quilt along with others this quilt might slip into the great unknown - a box in a wardrobe somewhere. But since I am part of a group I have been busy this morning doing my quilt as you go quilting on my first row. Yes, I have to admit I feel a bit like I am doing my homework at the last minute but I feel good that I got some more done.

I did some shadow quilting around the houses and trees. I will probably do a bit of invisible quilting around the doors. I will be doing some hand stitched little snow flakes around as well.

I plan to do some more houses next month. I just want it to cool down a bit more so my sewing room will be a bit cooler during the day.
If you have done a bit more this month link up with the specific post so there is a record of our progress.

Happy Quilting,
Val

February North Pole QAL

What a fun quilt this is. I worked hard on two more of my 12 inch blocks and now have three sewn together. I have a couple more trees to put on then I will put on the wadding and do a bit of outline quilting maybe and a few swirls in the snowy sky. I will also add some hand stitched simple snow flakes in Pearl cotton No 5.
I am feeling decidedly weary but every visible part of the house is clean all at the same moment in time. Even after all the days we have spent cleaning and tidying we both spent another 3 hours this morning. Anyway, I have just taken a few snaps with my iPad of the blocks on my sewing table.

I have decided that I will write the house and shop names on with fabric pen. I am not very good at small writing in embroidery.
I know some of the group have done a bit more this month. Please put a link to your post in the linky below. This makes it easier for everyone to check out our progress.
Happy Quilting,
Val

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January North Pole QAL

Here we are at the end of January already but I know some of the quilt-alongers have already done some of the blocks. The schedule calls for getting your fabrics organised by the end of January but it never hurts to get a bit ahead of the schedule. If you are anything like me something new seems to pop up that has to be started :)

One of you I know has signed up for a very cute BOM called Dolly and Me. I am so tempted. There are several shops selling it as pattern or kit.

Where was I? That's right Welcome to the North Pole. 

I need to stay on track. 

I pulled out all my Christmas fabrics because I wanted to make it bright and colourful. Also instead of dark blue backgrounds I have planned white for the bottom section and night sky blue for the top section with Santa's sleigh so it will be much lighter than the one in the book.

Because I wanted a quilt to go on a bed I had to make it a bit bigger. I also wanted a scenic look rather than disjointed blocks. I pulled out my 12 inch scrapbooking papers (the ones I have had for 15 years and have been eaten round the edges by silverfish) and started drawing up some blocks.

This is what I came up with. 

Rows 1 and 2

Rows 2 and 3

Rows 4 and 5 will be sky  with stars and Santa

Santa and his sleigh will probably be straight off the pattern because it is a bit hard to redraw it.

I wanted snow flake fabric but I didn't have any and I couldn't see just what I wanted on the internet so I settled for white. I think I will hand stitch some snowflakes on each block.

I started Mr and Mrs Clause's house and almost have it finished. The reason it is not finished is I found a wall hanging kit that I planned to make for my mum and just started it. It is cute sandpipers on a beach. I will show that one another time.

Almost finished

If you are quilting along add your name to the linky and link it up to your post about the quilt. 

If you are not in the QAL but you have some blocks or have made this quilt you are welcome to link to your post about them. Only link up if you have a post about the quilt Welcome to the North Pole.

Please leave a comment if you visit even if it is just Hi Val, just looking. If you have a blog I always like to look back. Also make sure you have an email connected to your profile so I can reply to your comments.

Happy Quilting,

Val

North Pole Quilt a long - 2013 and now 2014

2014 update:
Lots of interest again so the SAL continues.
It seems the book is still available from Piece o' Cake for $16.95 USD plus postage. Scroll down the book list until you see it.
It is also still available from UK Book Depository $17.87 AUD with free shipping.

It is always more fun to work on a project together. Though we can't actually share the sewing we can show off what we have completed and encourage each other to do a bit each month.
Welcome to the North Pole is quite a large quilt with lots of applique. I am going to make mine with fusible webbing and machine outlining. I have never tried needle turn applique so I don't really know if it is harder to do.
If you want to complete the quilt for next Christmas it will mean two blocks a month but making a quilt is meant to be fun so there is no real need to do it in one year. It would make quite a comfortable two year project.

Here is a possible one year timetable.

February - Mr and Mrs Clause house and Trees & Reindeer
March - Elves' Recreation Centre and Sprinkles Ice Cream Shoppe
April - Elves' Bunkhouse and North Pole Carryout
May - Carl's Trucks / Delilah's Doll Shoppe and Three Trees
June - North Pole pole and The Marble Shop.
July - Royal Toy Works etc
August - Slick's Sleds and North Pole Bakery
September - Reindeer Barn and Stars at Night
October - Santa Delivers on Christmas Eve
November/December - border and finishing.

Having said all this I have changed the design quite a lot to suit myself so my quilt will be made of fifteen 12 inch blocks with more of a scenic feel like the table runner. I made the houses a bit bigger and have left out a couple. I found some pictures of polar bears and penguins that I will add too.
Depending on how I am going for time I would like to make the table runner as it is on the back cover using needle turn applique. Though I still might do the long straight bits with invisible hem stitch on the sewing machine. I have set myself a lot of cross stitch to do this year so I am thinking that will be enough hand sewing for me.
I am very excited to get started on this quilt. I bought a few more pretty Christmas fabrics for half price the other day. My quilt will be quite bright. I can't do any sewing til I get the background whites but I will start some house cutting out this month.

If anyone has the book and just wants to make some of the blocks we would love you to join in.

If you join in plan to do a blog post about your progress on the last Wednesday of each month.
For January we can share some pictures of fabrics we have chosen and any individual plans.

Happy Quilting,
Val