A Christmas Present

My mum collects anything to do with The Twelve Days of Christmas. The local quilt shop near mum's place had fat quarters of this cute fabric by Anni Downs
I decided to make a place mat and two coasters to give to mum for Christmas this year.

The fabric has the cutest pattern.

I FMQ'd 'Christmas 2014' and 'valspierssews' on the bottom corner. It is visible but not a feature. I still have to soak out the marker pen.

You can just see where I quilted with a pear and a partridge over the centre.

I put a corner label on so the edges are sewn into the binding. The angle is on the fold and I just stitched across it. The backing fabric is cute too. I wish I could afford several metres of this collection.

The coaster is a bit bigger than normal so a cup and a biscuit fit on.

I pieced it with two pieces back and front. I left the diagonal seam mostly open on the back so I could sew all the way around the outside then turn it through the gap. I quilted with a cross, catching the seam in the back.

My other sewing has been doll related. I am supposed to be making some vest samples for the next pattern but just couldn't help making a little tote bag. I hd the idea drawn up in my notebook and I had some new pink fabrics. The bag is about 5" square.
I also had some fun making a little bag decoration.

The back has a zipper pocket perfect for a little girl to use as a coin purse.

My latest doll clothes pattern publication is a dress. See the link in my right sidebar at the top.

I am quite pleased with my finishes this week.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Little Christmas Bits 22

Yes, I have made 22 little things for Christmas and I think that is about all I have in me. Time to take a break. I have really enjoyed the hunt for suitable projects and then the satisfaction of finishing them quickly.
Here is my last item. I so love the little cross stitch projects.

Here is my complete Christmas decorating for this year. I just couldn't bring myself to bring all the decorations in from the garage. The plan was to have moved house by now. It is really hard to sell though. Now the plan is to have moved by next Christmas. Always good to have a plan :)

Thank you to all those who commented and visited and shared my posts. I think I must have had a few people looking at my Pinterest and a few new followers there too. It is great to see who pinned my pins because then I get some new people to visit who I know must have some similar interests. It is definitely better than just doing a search for pins. So thank you to the Pinterest lookers.

I will try to stay away from the computer for a while after today. I may just make up a Christmas header with the projects I have done for Christmas.

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Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Little Christmas bits 8

Getting behind again! I did finish the stitching yesterday but had to spray it with water and let it dry before sewing it.
I found 4 delightful 'chickies running around getting ready for Christmas' stitcheries at Bee Tree Designs quite a while ago now. She has a page of free patterns. If you scroll down a fair bit you will get to the chickens.
I made a tree decoration with the baking chicken a few years ago. This time I stitched the present toting chicken and made it into a slit and turn hexagon coaster. Nearly forgot - I enlarged the original design to 125%. I find bigger designs easier to stitch.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Little Christmas bits 4

Today I have made a pieced santa coaster. I had a picture of six Christmas coasters on my Christmas Pinterest board and the Santa was one of them. I also found a block that had four triangle Santas of different sizes put together. Seems there is no pattern, free or otherwise to be found on the internet. It doesn't look too hard to make up. It is just equilateral triangles. This time I just cut triangles the right shape. It may be easier to do it as paper pieced so I intend to draw up a pattern and share it tomorrow. I also discovered a useful freezer paper pieced tutorial that I want to try.

Here is my coaster. I fudged the binding a bit but it is pretty fiddly with those short sides. The eyes are laundry pen.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Hexagon Coasters - slit and turn method

I am adding a tea cup story so I can link up with the Tea party at Rose Chintz Cottage. 

I don't often buy cutesy tourist mugs but I just couldn't resist this one with all the iconic animals of Scotland. I picked it up in a big souvenir shop just as we left Edinburgh Castle and I really enjoy having a cup of tea and thinking about past trips and future trips to Scotland. I had to carry it safely all the way down to Bath on a two week road trip with my mum then get it home to Brisbane Australia. It was worth all the effort. 

I picked up a craft book on the free table at quilting group on Wednesday and it had a lovely coaster pattern in it. So simple and neat. I have been using this slit and turn method with my pincushions and I have used felt backing for some coasters and the slit and turn method but I hadn't thought of sticking an applique piece over the slit. The pattern is by Julie Nixon and available from Craft Lovers for $4

This gingerbread coaster pattern idea is free at Janome

A large hexagon shape can be downloaded for free at Math - Salamanders. Just scroll down a bit. Add 1/4 inch seam allowance to this one. Draw the smaller hexagon 1 inch in.

Here is a bit of a tutorial.

The interfacing, the helpful pin and the dot guides are my ideas.

Main fabric - cut two large hexagons
Wadding - one large hexagon. (Lately I have been trimming the wadding by a quarter inch)
interfacing - one large hexagon
Feature fabric - one small hexagon using fusible applique paper.

Interface one piece

Pin the wadding to the other piece

You need this pin to help you separate the fabric layers when you cut the slit. It is underneath as you sew so be careful not to drag it out. I had a lot of trouble separating the fabric layers on my first one. You just can't feel if you have one piece or two through the interfacing and wadding.
I now cut a 1/2 inch slit in the top piece before sewing and I spray baste the wadding to the other piece with just a squirt.

Put a little dot to aim for in each corner.

Snip all the corners. I used my little curved scissors.

Pull on the pin at the back and the interfaced piece in front to separate the layers and snip the slit.

Turn and press.

Fuse your applique piece over the slit.

Finish the raw edge.

More Linking Up
I found a lovely Create-a-long linky party over at Moments with Liz. This first quarter is a living/dining room theme. I thought my coasters would fit in here.

Happy Quilting,
Val