I cannot stop......

Making little zippered pouches.    These are very quick and easy to make and very addictive.   After making one I had to make another, then another and so on.  They are ideal to use up all those pretty fat quarters that have been lying around for sometime.  There is one more ready to sew in my sewing room.

After making the first one I found that it was much easier to use a long zip, sew it in then bring the head of the zipper to the middle of the bag, sew across the zip at both ends and cut the zip to fit.   So much easier than trying to lift the machine foot past the head of the zip in the middle of the bag.

The charms on the end of the zips are those that I purchased at the recent craft fair.

Linking with Oh Scrap.

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Happy sewing all

From this.......

To this.

My rainbow quilt top has now grown into the correct size.   When doing the challenge only 10 colours were used however I added in the red with white and black with white blocks but the quilt was still not quite the right size so the pale pink and pale green blocks  along with the sashings and borders - that I managed to get on today -  have made all the difference.

It was a very cold and windy day - good for doing some pre-washing of the backing fabric and  I am using a lightweight flannel as wadding so that was pre-washed as well.  

I was lucky to be able to make an early start on my FNSI and am pleased with my achievement.   Next step is to sandwich and pin it ready for quilting.

Linking with Oh Scrap.

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Happy sewing all

Quilt Retreat

Each year for the past 10 years I have been invited to attend a quilting retreat and this year the dates chosen did not work for me so it was time to take matters into my own hands and do my own quilt retreat over the last 2 days.    There are some advantages such as no 5 hour round drive, no packing and unpacking of the car at either end, not having to pre-plan projects ahead, my whole sewing room to myself, not having to queue up to use the iron and of course there are very big disadvantages such as having to prepare all meals and clean up,  the opportunity to cruise around the room to be inspired and motivated by what others are working on and of course that laughter and chatter of like minded people.    I took this opportunity to re-visit the projects mentioned in my last post and pick up where these had been left off.   Firstly the item that I started at the retreat last year which was a variation of a rail fence. This was a very easy design and went together well but a decision had to be made - make it larger or end it where it is and a have a tablerunner.   I went with the latter and only had to make 3 more blocks, add a border etc.  You can see below that it is now sandwiched and pinned ready to quilt.

Next I unfolded the rainbow quilt - which now has a good home to go to when finished - and measured it  to find that it needs another row of blocks plus some sashing and borders to make it the required width.    It does have green in it already but the green was "shades of the rainforest" so this time I pulled all plain greens or green with white and made 6 more 9 patch blocks.

The next colour is pale pink - again there is already pink in the quilt but it was hot pink - so all the pale pinks with white or other soft colours were used.   So far these are only cut and laid out ready to be sewn.  

I needed a break from all this cutting and headed back to the rail fence tablerunner after breakfast this morning and worked solidly on quilting it, then after lunch on went the binding and yeah I have a finished item to show from my quilting retreat.    I am doubly happy as I had nominated one of these items to be finished by the end of the month for July's OMG.

I may even have sometime tomorrow to sneak back into my sewing room and get those pale pink 9 patch blocks finished.

It feels good to be able to tick one off the list and have another  on the way to completion.   I must do another "at home quilting retreat" in the not too distant future to see what else can be achieved.

Linking with Oh Scrap and Elm Street Quilts - OMG for July.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Dancing dress

Grandma do you have a dancing dress was the question that Miss M asked last week and the answer from me was "no but perhaps I could make one".   This obviously was the right answer  as Miss M then went on the explain to me what a dancing dress looks like......"it has a big twirly skirt and looks like my Cinderella doll's dress" which can be seen below.

OK leave it with me and hopefully there will be a dancing dress ready for your visit next week was my reply.   Fortunately for me many friends and relatives over the years have given me bit and pieces of their leftover  sewing projects which have been stored in a cupboard in my sewing room for an unknown one day project so into the cupboard I delve and come up with some blue fabric, pink lace and offcuts of curtain fabric - perfect for a dancing dress.       After 2 hours this is the result.

Hopefully this is what Miss M had in mind with her description of a dancing dress.   I did make the dress a bit on the big side so that she can pull it off and on easily and can be worn over bulky winter clothes at this time of the year.

Thanks Cheryll for hosting another FNwF.   I did cheat a little and start sewing this morning as I was on a mission to get this finished before the weekend as I did not want to disappoint Miss M by not having it ready.      I also made a lacy scrunchie to go with the dress but forgot to photograph it.

Linking with Oh Scrap.

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Happy sewing all

Scrunchies

I have it on good authority....ie via bloggers....that scrunchies are back in fashion.   I remember making these about 30 years ago...I guess the wheel is constantly revolving.     I decided to make one the other day for Miss M to firstly see how she liked it and secondly if it would stay in her hair.   It was a big hit with her and it did stay in place.

I have been requested by Miss M to "make lots more please grandma".    Not only do they look pretty in her hair but they are so much kinder to the hair than elastic.  

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Happy sewing all

This, That or.........

The other?     It is time to decide on my OMG for July and there is an embarrassing admission to make.   There are three projects that have gone from WIPs to UFOs  due to them having sat around for!!!!!!

The one below was from the Rainbow challenge that I took part in last year and has been sitting around my sewing room in this state since November last year.    Not too bad in the big picture I suppose.

The one below was something that I started as a project this time last year at a quilting retreat
and has not been looked at since.

And now for the big admission the hexies below dare I say have been sitting dormant in their box waiting patiently for me to do something with them since 2011.

One of these will be a completed item by the end of the month.  

Linking with OMG over at Elm Street Quilts.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all