Teeny Cushion Cover - Finished!

Hi there,

On my last post I showed you the start of my Teeny Cushion, and Yay! here it is, finished!!!

This was a little project using some of the scraps I'd been gifted and only two colours from my stash.

I was inspired by Patty of Elm Street Quilts who showed us the cushion she had made - HERE. On her wonderful blog!

Do you remember last time I showed you a photo of the plan, with the back  and front almost finished?

Top of picture is my pattern,
Middle -  reverse pieces,
and bottom is the main cover pre-quilting

Patty quilted hers using straight lines, but I'm not confident enough to do the same so I've quilted mine in sections using echo quilting.

You can probably see this best on the back:

I had a go at swirley lines but no Free Motion Quilting!

All stitched together! The two cushion opening on the back overlaps by about an inch - another time I'd overlap more, say, at least, an inch again on each piece.

To make a cushion, I used my original pattern piece (without the seam allowance), so that when it is filled it fits inside the cover.

Waiting for me to stitch the gap closed.

And it does fit very nicely, but for some reason it isn't in the cushion cover in this photo, but it was for the picture at the top of this post?!? What am I like!

But, Yay! that's another finish!!! All good, eh!

Just spotted a lovely new project today! 

Patty has been showing how to hand piece and quilt Pumpkins 

Go to Patty's blog, HERE, for instructions!

Next time I hope to have a finished crochet project to show.
I'm making a hat, hopefully! 
I've made a start ..... you can see a photo on my Ravelry page, under "Projects" ..... 
I'm there as "Knittybarbo"


But for now, I must go!

Look forward to seeing you all again soon.




Hugs,
Barbara xx

Another Squirrel, and two tiny finishes!

This week I suddenly realised I had a DrEAMi (a project I just had to stitch this minute!) and I was chasing squirrels ..... so I am linking to Sandra's DrEAMi link party, do pop over and see some of the lovely projects that other people were sidetracked enough to make this month.


A few days ago I visited a lqs, intending to buy some fabric to finish one of my cross stitch projects. I only needed a couple of fat quarters, and I'd seen just the ones I wanted on a previous visit but had resisted buying! Unfortunately I couldn't find those same ones this time, but while searching I picked up a whole bundle of fabrics I just knew wanted to come home with me!

There were a couple of projects I had in mind, and I was very pleased with my colour selection this trip.


Now this all started because I wanted to make a mini thread catcher for a sewing friend at my handicraft group. I had one thread catcher already made but decided I shouldn't give that one to my friend because the fabric came from another lady from the handicraft group ..... but before I got started on the thread catcher another idea came to mind.

These thread catchers are really tiny and I decided I just had to make something for my friend to keep the thread catcher in so that, hopefully, she wouldn't lose it straight away.

I remembered seeing a small pouch on Pinterest that had been made for use as a sewing kit. I searched and found the tutorial "Snappy Coin Purse" on Rashida Coleman-Hale's blog i heart linen.

Rashida used fusible interfacing ..... I didn't have any so I used cotton wadding. I downloaded her PDF but found the pattern smaller than my 8" square of fabric so I added a 1/4" all round. My flaps only just overlap so I might have altered the shape by enlarging the pattern, but that's fine, it still works for me!

I just love these fabrics!

Oh, and, of course, I quickly started making the blue and pink thread catcher at the same time.

It was a bit fiddly because I decided the rim was too small narrow first time (meaning the base wouldn't push up inside it properly) so I took it apart and started again. I'm really pleased with the finish the way it looks so far, and I will eventually update my tutorial with some fine tuning. This was the fourth one I've made practically finished, (it was a matter of finish the hem or write my blog post!!) and I think it is the best one so far! 

I even learnt how to use "pie" to find the circumference of a circle (but that's another story) ..... maths has never been my strong point.

there were a couple of other items I added to make it a proper sewing kit.

a plastic insert in the base and  it becomes a
 really handy tray for keeping things together too

All in all this was a sweet quick DrEAMi project!

Hope you've all been busy stitching this week too!

Hugs,

Barbara xx

"Theme-tas-stitch 2017" - March Madness!!!!

Hello my friends,

Today I am joining in with Kerry over at Ramblings of a Biscornu Addict for her "March Madness"! ..... because it tickled me when I read about the idea, and I just had to have a go!!!

By the way, if you don't know what a Biscornu is, you will see one or two in Kerry's blog header as soon as you visit. You will also be able to read more about Kerry's themes for each month! Look in her header bar for the category "Theme-tas-stitch 2017" ! I think it's a really great idea to have a different target each month .... well done Kerry for sharing!

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The idea for March was to work on as many projects as possible.

My first project for March was something totally new to me!

This was a workshop, entitled "Printing for Quilting", held by my local Handicraft Group, (and I will blog about it in a separate post) so, for now, I'll just say: it was block printing onto fabric ..... tell you more in a few days.

The fabrics you can see here were my attempts!

The yellow and green fabrics were scraps I had tie dyed a couple of years ago at a Summer Workshop, which I thought might look better with some printing. Not terribly good photos .... you can't really see my printing very well!

This one is mine too - destined to become a book cover ....
one day!

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Then I joined in with a wonderful blog hop: Quilter's Laundry Day blog hop ..... it was such fun! You can read all about it in this post!

I met lots of bloggers I didn't know, and rediscovered a few I'd found earlier, and had lost track of! Shows how important it is to "follow" those blogs you enjoy! 

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After all the patchwork, and basting I wasn't sure how to actually quilt my block, hence I cut out, and basted an 11" practise block (basically a sandwich of 2 calico squares with polyester wadding in between them).

But I panicked when I found I couldn't FMQ (Free Motion Quilt), despite covering the feed dogs and using an embroidery foot!

It was pretty disastrous!

Such a waste of cotton!

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On my train journeys I was able to stitch a little more of my tulips in vase project, (mostly the stems)

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and, on last Friday's journey I started this project .....

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Stitching in the evening, I added a few leaves around the little blue flowers on this one!

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And yesterday I was working on "Cocoa Sampler"

It took ages just adding the heart
surrounded by purple stitches (not blue)!

Oh dear, only seven projects, I thought I would do more, I had another cross stitch kit poised ready to stitch, but "reporting in" date was yesterday, so all stitching is on hold for now! 

I haven't been able to work on the number of projects Kerry has! Tee hee! But, it was fun seeing how many I could stitch in March ..... and the month isn't over yet!

Now I'm off to do some visiting, and see what everyone else is stitching! Why don't you come and have a look too, at 

Kerry's Ramblings of a Biscornu Addict for "Theme-tas-stitch 2017", 

but don't forget to say "Hi" here first! Tee hee!!!!!

I look forward to hearing from you, and I especially love to know if I've given you that little push to join in somewhere along the way! (Smiles ... tee hee!)

Hugs,
Barbara xxx

FNwF - Simple Simon

Hello everyone!

I'm joining Friday Night with Friends (FNwF) over on Cheryll's blog - Gone Stitchin'.

I have been stitching along with The Splendid Sampler by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson, and you can read more about The Splendid Sampler on their blog -  here.

When I signed up to FNwF I thought I would work on these blocks:

"Happy Happy" - already in progress, and
"Simple Simon" - which I hoped to be able to cut out Friday afternoon, ready to stitch in the evening.

However, next week a decorator is coming in to redo our living room (we used to do it all ourselves but this time round we are having difficulty summoning up the enthusiasm we used to have, plus neither of us are getting any younger!). Although we had already bought the wallpaper, we still had to buy the paint, so to make sure we had the paint ready for the radiators we had to buy it Friday afternoon!

Which meant Friday evening I had to cut the fabric for Simple Simon, and Saturday afternoon I pieced it together. This patchwork malarkey was harder than I had imagined it would be! Happy Happy is still waiting unfortunately.

I have stitched patchwork before - I made a lapquilt - but I found this block a lot harder! Working on Simple Simon my sewing machine really didn't play ball! I had the "Walking Foot" in place, and I found my fabric kept skidding under the needle as I stitched. I had to frog it as I struggled to get straight seams.

I pressed my fabric a few times, and horror of horrors at one point I found I was ironing rather than pressing - that did the block no good at all! - but with a little more pressing it worked out OK, eventually! No way is this a beginner's block! (Not complaining - just saying!)

I suppose it didn't help that I was also stitching a binding around the lid to my Mini Needlecase,  which can be seen top left of the photograph, and working out how to mitre the corners.

Simple Simon

I hope you have had a great evening stitching and I look forward to visiting the other participants of "Friday Night with Friends".

I am so pleased you could join me today, and I will be even happier if you leave a comment to let me know you have visited, then I will be able to make sure I visit you too!

Have a great week!


Hugs!
Barbara xx

The Splendid Sampler - A start at last!

Have you seen The Splendid Sampler, organised by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson? If not you can find details here.

Like many of my blogging friends, I joined up! Then I thought "Just what am I doing!" As if I haven't enough stitching going on! But it's OK - there's no pressure, no-one expects us to keep up. And Pat suggests if we do get left behind, to carry on with the latest block and catch up when we can!

The first block was released on Valentines Day and from then onwards 2 block patterns are being issued each week for 52 weeks (on Sundays and Thursdays).

This is my first block, in progress:

Block 1

But I decided the green pattern was too busy, and I've changed it to match the outer triangles. The embroidery is nothing to do with the block, by the way, just thought they looked pretty together!

Finished!

As each block is issued there are links to tips on how to stitch them.

I have to admit I have appliqued the heart in the method I'm used to, which means that I make a template, cut my fabric adding a seam allowance, stitch a running stitch around the edge of the heart, pull the stitches tight around the template, press the fabric, leave overnight to "set", then stitch onto the background with very tiny stitches.


On Friday evening I will be sorting fabric and hopefully making more blocks for my Splendid Sampler Quilt, and then later joining in with Friday Night With Friends (FNwF) over on Cheryll's blog to show what I've stitched.

See you again soon!


Hugs,
Barbara xx

Edited to add:
Linking to Esther Aliu's WIPs on Wednesday Link Party

3 WIPs - Cross stitch, Patchwork and Knitting

Hello my blogging friends,

Thank you to those of you who have been leaving such lovely comments on my blog posts, they are all very much appreciated!

Currently I have been replying to all comments by email, although I prefer to reply here on the relevant page!  However, I appreciate that many who comment have a lot more followers than I, and consequently don't have time to return to each of the blogs that you have commented on looking for replies. I trust that by my replying directly via email it will assist you.

Warning to "No Reply bloggers" - Are you aware of this problem:

Being a relatively new blogger, I've only recently discovered the problem with "No Reply" bloggers - in that I have been replying to lots of you by email but hadn't spotted that when I press the reply button on the "comment generated" email I need to check the address below the space where the reply message is typed - and that's when I discovered the person I had been trying to contact hasn't been receiving any of my emails, and that is simply because they are set up as "No Reply" bloggers! It's such a shame because if you are set up as a "No Reply" blogger you won't ever know what lovely things people have written about your work and have tried to tell you, as you simply won't be receiving the emails!

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These are 3 WIPs (Works in Progress) which I am hoping to finish by early March, in time for my handicraft group's triennial exhibition! If I can finish these sooner, maybe I can turn to some of the many other hidden away projects that are calling to me!

1. Cocoa Sampler:

 Progressing slowly!

I have been stitching
at the bottom right hand corner.

A little slow stitching!

Unfortunately I cannot find some of  threads I need..... but I know they are here somewhere! I guess I will just have to stitch a different section until I find them!

2. Mini Thread Catcher 

Maybe I should rename this, as it is becoming more of a mini needlecase!

2. Mini Needlecase: 

Deciding what fabrics to use for lining and pockets

Pockets and handles in progress.

3. Latest knitting project:

A waistcoat to be! I'm quite excited about this as it is quick to knit and growing fast! (When I get time to knit it that is!)

 I didn't get a chance to show this last week!

I've stopped knitting the Back so I can
 knit the fronts,to make sure
 I have enough wool to finish.. 

Excuse the shadowy photo!
Here is the first front piece.

Since taking these photos of my knitting I have almost finished the first front, but I don't have a photo yet! I hope to have a lot more done by my next posting.

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No doubt many of you will have seen: The Splendid Sampler organised by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. Sorry no flash button here, as I have forgotten how to add them! Perhaps one of my lovely readers could remind me?

It's going to be a year long SAL, 100 block quilting adventure, starting on Valentine's Day.

Looks like fun, although I'm not sure how far I will keep up with them, but I have joined up!  Are you joining in?

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I thank you for taking the time to visit me today. Do call again, some time soon!

And don't forget if you leave me a comment I will be able to visit you too!

Today I am linking to Super-Mom No Cape's Stitchery Party, and Design Board Monday at Bits 'n' Bobs. Why not pop over to see what everyone else is stitching!

Until next time, have a great week!

Hugs!

Barbara xx

Mid-December stitching

Hello Dear Readers,

I'm sorry I've been quiet for a while!

I meant to post last Monday - but missed my deadline!

Then Tuesday I found I couldn't get warm all day no matter how many heaters we had on, or sweaters or blankets I wrapped around me! By Wednesday I found out why! Without going into too much detail I have been suffering with the winter tummie virus, so I trust you all have your anti-virus programmes switched on, otherwise you might catch it!!

Truthfully, Darling Hubbie has suffered most, as he has had to take over all the shopping, cooking and household duties, not to mention looking after our very demanding little madam cat!

For the whole week I didn't feel in the mood for sewing or for looking at the computer screen for more than 10 minutes at a time - maybe I have that Cyber sickness I've seen reported in the news, too!

So this is what I had intended to post last week!

1.  Crewel Work - nearly there!

Chain, split and long and short stitch

It took me a long while to stitch this tiny flower. The chainstitch was fine but I hadn't stitched long and short stitch before and I really struggled to get to grips with it! I have since ripped out these stitches and restitched this part of the flower.

Then, one day last week, when I was laying in bed feeling proper poorly, I heard the post drop through our letter box onto the hall floor with a resounding thump - I was much cheered as I guessed the noisy object was the book I had been waiting for! And I am now the proud owner of a copy of Crewel Embroidery - A Practical Guide, by Shelagh Amor.

It is a little too late to help me with this flower, but I do have other ideas for Crewel work in the future.

2.  Patchwork Mini Thread Catcher:

A little bit of quilting! This is masking tape, easy to remove,
and easy to stitch alongside.

Not perfect, but I do love quilt lines!

3.  My Christmas project::

I was really pleased when I saw this lovely Christmas Tree was one of Super Mom -No Cape's Vintage Stitchery PDF's. I haven't stitched all the branches from the original pattern, as I was going to add some Christmas Decoration buttons - unfortunately the buttons are a little large for the tree so I am not using them.

I used DMC blanc in 6 strands

For those who don't quilt, the safety pins are quilting safety pins, for basting. I probably bought them about ten years ago, so maybe everyone is using adhesive now, I don't know, but I still use these and they do a good job.

As my heat transfer pencil wouldn't be
visible on red (being pink) I traced the pattern,
in pencil onto tissue paper and stitched
over the pattern.

I had forgotten how hard it is to remove
tissue paper from between stitches!

Starting to add some french knots and
stars around the tree.

Thank you for visiting my blog today, and I hope you would like to say "hello" and then I can visit you too!

I'm linking to Super Mom - No Cape, why not pop over to see what everyone else has been making this week and see the lovely free Christmas PDF that Sue has for us.

Must dash, I'm off to write some Christmas cards!

Hugs!

Barbara xx

A sunny morning made me do it!

Hello My Friends,

It was lovely to see the sun again today!

It is very chilly here now, as we in England are starting to get some proper winter weather.

Saturday morning we had the forecast heavy snow, it even settled for a while, but then the snow turned to rain and was gone by mid-morning!  By early evening the ground was frozen solid and the next morning DH had to run out and pour hottish water in all the bird baths to thaw them out. At lunch time we had sunshine, but it was definitely REALLY RAW COLD!

Anyway, my point was "the sunny morning made me take some photographs to show on my blog".

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I am again today joining Sue of Super Mom - No Cape for her Vintage Embroidery Monday and Stitchery Link Party.

This week I have three projects I am trying to work on:

Patchwork:

I am sure it will come as no surprise to anyone who crafts, to find out that I am easily sidetracked.

I have recentky started this little patchwork project!

I "inherited" a package of patchwork squares, the sides of which are 1.5", and I am often thinking up ways of using them. This is a little hand stitching project. I haven't used my sewing machine yet, but it will have a frill around the top, which I will machine stitch in place.  There will be some hand quilting - yet to be stitched.

The little purse in the backgound has been lurking
 at the bottom of my blog for a while and I thought it
should have an outing as a finished item!

2nd side of both 

I thought I'd make a tiny "thread catcher", but now I have decided it needs a pocket or two - to hold my needle threader, mini scissors, mini tape measure, and, maybe a mini pin tin.  A mini pin cushion would be handy too!

Could be, this will take a few weeks yet to stitch .......

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A Christmas project:

I have been intending to make this red fabric (seen below) into a small Christmas bag, in order to carry a food tray. However I want to do some simple embroidery on it before bag construction commences.  I have now layered and basted the fabric ready for embroidering.  I just need to find or draw two small patterns to stitch. "Watch this space" as they say!

A project for Christmas

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Crewel Work:

On a visit to our local library at the weekend I was fortunate to find  "The Stitching Book", by Search Press, which has articles on sewing methods written by eight different ladies, one of them being Kay Dennis with Stumpwork - which is something else I'd like to be able to do!

Not surprisingly my main reason for borrowing this book was because it has a good section on Crewel work. I was so excited to find the book - it was the only one on Crewel embroidery I could find in the library that day.

One really useful tip I learnt was that the best way to keep track of the many differing shades of wool is to thread them through an embroidery ring, making them easy to distinguish from each other.

Organising the shades of wool. 

Since last you saw my Crewel flower I have outlined the lower petals with three rows of stem stitch and added French knots - unfortunately the knots on the RH petal have to be frogged - they were the wrong shade of green! Stitched before I discovered this wonderful "new to me" method of keeping track of the colours.

Latest stitching

I have recently found out that my flower pattern is from a book by Shelagh Amor.  I googled Shelagh and found a review of her book, "Crewel Embroidery: A Practical Guide",  on Mary Corbett's blog. Mary's review persuaded me this is a book I need to have!  If you read Mary's review you will see that Shelagh's book includes instruction on how to design your own pattern and this sounded just what I wanted - as I don't like using someone else's ideas/designs! I have ordered the book from Amazon and it is now winging its way, from the USA, to me! (I feel I need to point out I have no affiliation with Amazon, Mary Corbett or Shelagh Amor).

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Might I suggest, if you haven't yet discovered Super Mom - No Cape's Vintage Embroidery Monday and Stitchery Link Party, you really should pop over to see what everyone has been stitching. And Sue has another Christmas Vintage Embroidery Pattern to share this week!

Thank you all for visiting today, and for your lovely comments on my previous post, which are always much appreciated!

I love reading what you have to say, and being able to visit your blogs too to see what is going on in your world at the moment.

Hope to see you next week!

Hugs!

Barbara xx