Time to get serious!

I came across a simple pattern a few days ago and it really grabbed me. Too often I'll browse patterns or people's designs and think how great it would be to give them a go, though when I see something that I just 'have' to do.. That's when I know I'm on to something!

Here is a link to the pattern I am trying out.. Bijou Lovely Quilt Tutorial

I was able to get to the fabric store today to get a few things to begin.

If you are after a good adhesive for fabric so you can do some applique, try grabbing some vliesofix - It is so easy to use. . . All you need is an iron!

As you can see, I've chosen some fun spotty and stripey fabric to work with and an ivory background so the patterns stand out (just like the tutorial).

I will say though, that I have chosen to make my circles a little bigger than the measurement used in the tutorial and my squares are bigger too. I have been careful to add an extra inch to all sides of the squares too for seam allowance as I don't want the circles being too close to one another once the squares are sewn together.

I was also very lucky to recently be given a walking foot for my Elna (it is a Singer foot, though is fairly universal), I have done a few practice runs on it, though can't wait to use it to quilt this one up in the end!


Until the next installment, happy sewing! :)

I think I am done for today. Pretty happy with today's efforts though, with adding another row of squares and a few borders around all edges.

It could probably do with another border all the way around though not sure when I will get it done at this stage, or if I will just quilt it as is.

Off to the local fabric store tomorrow for some backing fabric and batting (and possibly some fabric to start my next project too!)

Here are some pics.. Please excuse the shot of my daughters room - It's a little chaotic! :)

            

Nearly done!

I have finished off on the squares now and am slowly just adding more to the sides as borders. I have decided I will finish this one off as a single bed size for my daughter's room and will possibly do a matching pillow case once I'm finished with the quilt.

At the moment the top just covers the top of her bed so a few extra bits as borders around the edging should make it bigger and hopefully, better! :)

Yet still to pick up some batting and a backing piece, though I'm hoping to do this over the next few days and finish it off completely.

I have already decided on the pattern for my next quilt. It is a bit simpler so shouldn't take me as long to do (as a beginner!) And the pattern looks amazing too!

Thinking about using some applique just to add a bit of 'pop' - It should be interesting, that's for sure! I'll hopefully add some more pics soon. . .

Learning new skills

Today I used some special iron-on applique paper/glue (I have actually forgotten the name..) and did my first applique trial.


You iron on the applique paper to some fabric, draw a design and cut it out, peel the paper off and then iron the design onto the fabric you want to use as a background. Then you sew around the edge carefully using a zigzag stitch, though this in itself took some time for me to figure out just how small my zigzag stitch should or shouldn't be!

But.. I got there! Here is a pic..

See? Isn't it cute? :)

I also managed to complete another row of the quilt.. It's coming together slowly! Won't do much over the weekend, maybe another few squares though we have a busy few days ahead.

On we go! :)

A quick sew

Okay, so I didn't get what I was hoping to do, done.
But... I DID manage to sew 2 rows together! Horray!! :)

And a closer view..

There are a few strips just out slightly though considering this is probably the biggest thing I have sewn I'm not that phased about it. I am getting pretty worried about having to sew the backing and batting together though and wondering how on earth my little Elna will handle such a big task!

More soon.....

A quilt like this needs a name!

So far I am up to 19 squares on the 3 Dudes quilt - Which I am relabeling to the "Gypsy Quilt."
Don't you think it has a bit of a gypsy look? I am loving all of the colours which the photos are not doing much justice up until this point, unfortunately. 


I planned on doing more than just 3 squares today though sleep got the better of me once my toddler was down for his afternoon nap. Was such a hectic morning I think I wore myself out!


Tomorrow afternoon is looking better to get some more done though, I hope.

I am thinking of doing maybe 24 squares all up, then doing a few rounds of borders around the edges of this quilt front. I was thinking of going and buying some fabric too do put between the squares and give that another go.. I am a little scared that I will mess it up but surely I have to get this right at some stage, right? It remains to be seen! Let's see what I can achieve tomorrow!

To border, or not to border?

I was busily working away today at my sewing desk and decided that it might be nice to share a photo of my little work area. It isn't much, basically a desk near a window. Though this house hasn't much room, I'm hoping one day to be able to move the desk in front of a window as there's something nice about sewing in front of an open window I think!

Above: I have two machines, an Elna 1000 and a Toyota SL1T Overlocker (my baby!)

Above: Sewing some strips together, in order to make up the squares.

Here are some squares already made up.. I have 16 squares made up in total now. I am getting a bit nervous because I know that in another few rows I will be looking at sewing them all together.. and adding a border before I quilt it all together (the part I am nervous about..)

This is what I have so far.. I probably won't sew all the squares in this sequence though it's fun to move them around and play with the colours and patterns!

I was thinking about "trying" to add a border around each square though it terrifies me after my last effort.. Which makes me think I should do it so then it won't worry me so much... Ho hum! Decisions, decisions!!

I am new to this blogging thing.. So I'll start off by telling you a little bit about the aim of this blog. I started sewing about seven months ago, when my mum bought me my first sewing machine. Up until then, I had only done simple sewing in high school as a teenager, though the basics were easy enough to recall. 

I started watching tutorials on youtube on how to make simple things for the home, things like coasters and table runners which were pretty straight forward for a beginner. 

I then moved on to making clothing for children and although I enjoy doing this, also love the challenge of learning something new now and then too. 

So I am attempting to learn more about quilting.. Note the word 'attempting'.. I say this because my first attempt at actually doing a quilt for a friend didn't turn out at all like I had planned. And when I say that, I mean it didn't turn out at all! I set my sights on what I thought was a fairly easy design with panels and borders and yet had the hardest time putting it all together! It turned out to be a nightmare.. It looked like one too, sadly. 

So I decided that I would not give up. Instead I decided to start a blog and I will (do my best to) update it regularly on whatever it is that I am working on or learning about. I'll try and upload photos of what I'm creating as I go, as often as I can too.

My first mission - To create a quilt with blocks only! I am using a design (You can view this on youtube if you search for Missouri Quilt Co. and search for '3 dudes quilt')..




I have already done a few squares so will upload some photos now.

Stay tuned.. I need as much support as I can get! :)
 
Here's the beginning at 4 squares..

And at 9 squares..

More to come soon . . .