Flying Geese Progress

Well I've made all my individual 'geese', now it's just a case of arranging them. I like the first idea below, but am trying other ideas before I start sewing.











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Patchwork Cushion Covers

Finally completed three hand-pieced, patchwork cushion covers, coming to Etsy soon!



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Gee's Bend Quilts

I heard about these amazing quilts a while ago, but stumbled upon a recent post on Deb Rowden's quilt blog. I searched for some images and found these. So original, modern and colourful and all made using recycled fabrics. Gee's Bend is a small, African-American town in Alabama- for a more comprehensive history see this website.

Japan Tsunami Appeal

All proceeds to British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal

Purchase here.

Log Cabin: big and small

Just having a play around with log cabin patchwork and my repro feedsacks... The small one is about 3"x3".



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Finished Wash Symbol Cushion

This has been a work-in-progress for far too long! Finally finished.









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Finished Star Pieced-Patchwork Cushion

Finally completed the hand quilting and made up into a cushion.






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Patchwork Love

here

Stars

I was really inspired by Garment House's star cushion and decided to make my own version using utilitarian/ repro feedsack prints. I love the juxtaposition of gingham, chambray and floral. This is a hand-pieced patchwork- so therapeutic after a chaotic day at school... Think I will eventually applique it onto white cotton/ linen to make a cushion cover.

Dresden Plates

I love this modern take on the Dresden Plate. I have loads of these made up ready to applique into a quilt, but cushions seem more appealing now! I really like the use of utilitarian fabrics.

Sugar Pop Quilt

So I couldn't resist using this fabric immediately and set to work on another baby quilt. I have almost finished the top, but need to add the border. I just find it boring to sew rectangles together...

☺ Intercourse Purchases ☺

Helena and I took a road trip to Intercourse, where we ate the most amazing crab cakes and bought the loveliest fabrics. Moda's Sugar Pop is to die for! I also couldn't resist some more repro feedsacks... must have been in a green mood!

I have no idea what I will do with these. For now, I am just happy looking at them!

Sewing for Sanity

Sew (ha ha)... I've been very distracted recently by some major changes in my personal life. My concentration has been way off and I have often felt like I'm on another planet... that is until I started sewing again! Nothing too complicated; just some patchwork pieces that I will turn into mini quilts eventually. Sewing is so therapeutic and has really kept me sane these past few weeks.

Moda Punctuation charm packs turned into a 'crosses' quilt from this book.

The finished quilt top:

Moda Rawhide charm packs turned into sawtooth stars (my own design):

Moda Rawhide

Some close-ups.

Sawtooth Stars

I am addicted to the new Singer and have been nosing through my mum's fabric stash. She has some wonderful fabrics- the Moda Rawhide collection being one of them. I have spent this afternoon making some 6" sawtooth patchwork patches, which I think look fab! I really feel like a girl from another era using this machine!

How to adapt the Port Elizabeth pattern: Basic to Intermediate

I have finally got around to drawing some ideas out for adapting the very simple Port Elizabeth sewing pattern, available on BurdaStyle. I hope the diagrams are helpful; please contact me if you would like any help or want to know how to adapt the pattern another way.

☞ Please remember this pattern has no seam allowance. You must adapt your pattern and then add seam allowance afterwards on every edge a seam will be ie side seams, shoulders, armholes, neckline, hemline and centre front if you have a seam here.

One of the simplest ways of personalising this pattern is to alter the neck or hemline. You can change the neckline to a scoop, V or square shape; you could add a V-shape or shirt style hem. You could shape the neckline and finish the edge with visible bias binding or draft a facing (I can add a diagram if you are interested).

A simple addition is a Patch pocket or an Apron style pocket, as below. Use the front pattern piece to draw a pocket pattern, as the diagram.

When you start to feel confident about pattern adaptation, you could start to cut the pattern into more panels and add a yoke. You will need to cut the bottom half of the bodice off and extend the bottom section as much as you would like it gathered into the top section. It is important to remember that 'what goes up, must come down' ie side seams and shoulder seams etc must be equal. On the diagram a=b and c=d.

Something simple to achieve that changes the look entirely, is to add a button stand. The centre front (or centre back) line becomes the central position for your buttons and buttonholes. Therefore, you need to add 1/2 inch either side of this (your button stand). You must then add a 1 inch facing and then add your seam allowance on every edge. This is simple to make: once cut, press along the seam allowance and facing lines and neatly tuck under. Stitch just under 1 inch from the edge on the right side to secure the layers together. Mark on buttonhole placement and add buttonholes and then buttons. Finish neckline with bias-binding.

Pennsylvania Purchases

✂ Fabric, Fabric, Fabric! Wow, what an amazing array of fabric shops in Pennsylvania! This is a selection of the purchases I made out there.

Checks and Seersuckers from JoAnn

Repro feedsack fabrics from Intercourse (Zooks)

Vintage-look fabrics from Strasburg

More vintage-look fabrics from Intercourse (Zooks)

Thrifted Ikat and patchwork square (Pennsylvania Dutch Country)

When will I learn?

When will I learn not to take on 3 million new projects at any one time?! I couldn't resist this set of fabrics...