Stitch and Doodle

I have been so lethargic the last 4 days with a cold and cough. I wander in and out of my sewing room and cut a bit, stitch a bit or sketch a bit.
I have been playing with some tulips for a spring look. After making a scene with lots of little bits I decided I should have done large pieces so I sketched an idea with large tulips in a frame. I have not quite done half of the stitching on the little bits.

I have been to the beautiful Keukenhof gardens in Amsterdam in 2012 when mum and I went travelling together. The plantings are just amazing.
These are a couple of my photos. The gardens are a tourist site but huge and well worth visiting. We booked a 1/2 day bus trip.

I have been looking at bird images and even though I seem to be drawn to the cute little cartoon birds I think my style is more realistic. I sketched a pigeon collecting threads for its nest. Another spring theme.

Since it is actually autumn here I have decided to make a mini quilt with some colourful leaves and a brown background.

While walking around the shore I noticed lots of Blue Tiger butterflies.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Tiger_(Tirumala_limniace)_at_Narendrapur_W_IMG_4260.jpg

I thought maybe a Summer's Final Fling mini might be in order with this beautiful butterfly on it. They migrate south in summer to Brisbane and sometimes Sydney then fly back north again in autumn. I think the couple of dozen I saw must have been on their way up the coast. They are a tropical butterfly and like really hot temperatures. Apparently they live for about 5 months.
Now I think I need to get out my book for Let's Book It and make something.

If you haven't entered my giveaway for a free Craftsy Class visit here and click to enter. Closes 2nd April.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Being Creative

This month I joined up a fun arty group where you can use any medium to create something related to the given theme. March was 'garden'.
I made two tea cosies and a butterfly brooch and a pumpkin applique and stitched tea towel. My regular blog friends are probably sick of seeing what I made this month. Next month I will try to save my finishes up for the final reveal at the end but I was just too excited about it all this month :D

Front

Back

The yellow is felt background and the feelers are thin wire. See how I made it here

Thanks everyone for your nice comments on the flickr photos. I also enjoyed looking at all the photos and can't wait to visit blogs with the linky.
Being Creative is hosted by Julia Crossland. There is a linky on her site for visiting other 'Being Creatives' at the end of the month.

Cheers,
Val

Butterfly brooch

I loved my butterflies so much I decided to make a brooch.

View and download the butterflies.

I traced the pattern onto the fusible applique paper in reverse - actually I forgot to do it in reverse :)
Then ironed it onto a large piece of felt and fre motion sewed the edges and the details.
I trimmed around the felt leaving a 1/8' border. Sorry the pictures don't match. I reused the tea cosy ones.

I pinned it back on the felt and cut out a backing piece.
I cut a little rectangle to fit over a safety pin. Give it a bit of extra length for ease of sewing. PLace it near the top of the brooch so it hangs nicely when pinned on.

I used my zipper foot to sew close to the pin then trimmed it back close to the stitching.

I made some wire feelers and made a little knot to catch into the seam.

I used monofilament in the top and yellow in the bobbin and sewed the top to the back around the edge of the fabric with the top facing up. You will have to flip the pin over a couple of times to get around it.

Wear it and be happy :)

Happy Sewing,
Val

Butterfly tea cosy

I am part of the Being Creative group. This month's theme was 'garden'.
I wanted to make something all my own so I drew some butterflies from photos and put them on a tea cosy. This cosy fits over a medium tea pot - 2 or 3 cups.

View and download:
The butterflies
The cosy body
The cosy gusset

To make the butterflies I cut out the shapes and used them as patterns to cut out the fabric. Any future butterflies will be traced onto fusible applique paper in reverse. The fabric needs the extra control afforded by the glue.

I placed the fabric buttefly onto a large piece of felt and free motion sewed the edges and details. I then trimmed around the felt leaving 1/8" border.

I cut out the tea cosy body in 2 x outer fabric and 2 x wool for the lining.

I sewed a front outer to a front lining 1/8' from the edge to hold them together then I sewed on my butterflies in free motion just around their body leaving the wings free. I added the legs and feelers.

I sewed the back to the back lining close to the edge then with right sides together sewed over the curve between the dots.

In order to make the tea cosy stand straight I put in gussets. Sew one side of the gusset to the front from the bottom to the top seam allowance point. Sew the second side of the gusset from the bottom to the top seam allowance point. Repeat for the second gusset on the other side. You may have to trim a bit off the bottom of the gussets before you do the binding to stop the front kicking up.

I used a 2 1/2' binding strip folded in half. I sewed it to the inside and folded it to the outside and finished with machine sewing close to the fold of the binding.

Happy Quilting,
Val