NICU quilts

Here are some more NICU quilts that I made mainly from scraps. I like the size of these (27"), and that they are going to somewhere that they are truly needed.

Good timing!

I was taking a break from basting my coin quilt, and was doing some internet surfing and found this!

Although I'm already a wee way through mine, I always struggle to get motivated for the end parts, basting, quilting and binding. So this should push me along which is good. I'm also not technically sure mine is a coin quilt, as all the examples show rectangles, whereas mine is squares (using a charm pack) but I don't care I'm going to play along. I used one and a bit packs of charm squares from TulaPink's Nest range. I love it and I think it would be great for a pre-teen aged girl.

There are some truly beautiful quilts on the flickr page which is very inspiring.

Fat Quarter Quilt

I had a few fat quarters that I really loved, and wanted to showcase, so I went with a really basic pattern, with linen sashing


I went with a pieced binding, which I love



Also a good chance to practise my free motion quilting, which thankfully is getting better!

Stash alert!

Over at Sew, Mama, Sew they are doing a section about fabric stashs so I thought I would give it a go. I will try and take a picture at some point, but my craft room is so messy it is embarrassing...

• What do you usually sew?

Quilts mostly, some bags, some clothes. I'm hoping to do more clothes, and I'm taking a community dressmaking course.

• When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy? (i.e. If you see something beautiful, but you don’t have a use for it right away, how much do you buy?)

Mostly fat quarters, as quilt fabric in NZ is very expensive, so a fat quarter is a nice amount of money to spend.

• Do you buy on impulse or do you go out looking for something you need?

Impulse!

• Are you a pre-washer? If you are, do you wash your fabric before you need it, or only when you’re ready to use it?

No prewashing for me, when I want to use fabric i'm not about to mess round washing it.

• Do you iron it?

not until I use it

• How do you sort it? (color, print size, collection, etc.)

I sort by type, quilt vs upholstery vs dress, then by colour, then by size. My stash is primarily quilt fabric.

• Do you have any special folding techniques?

No, just whatever fits in the tray

• How do you store your fabric?

I have a four layered tray thing on wheels for quilt fabric and plastic tubs for other things.

• What tips do you have for building up a well-rounded stash?

Buy what you like! not what you think you need, or what is "in fashion"

• When do you say enough is enough?

When the quilt fabric doesn't fit in the trays.

• What are some of your favorite stash-busting projects?

Quilts, its good that you can do a bit of a quilt top at a time

• Do you have a current favorite print in your stash? Let’s see it!

I don't have one favourite, but lots of fun japanese prints

More Knitting

I was so excited about my new-found ability to knit, that I've taken on two more projects. And because I like to make my life difficult, i've taken on socks....

and a lace pattern scarf
I'm loving the knitting but I think there is a very real danger that I'll develop a similar obesession with yarn that I have with fabric!

Fourth and Final intstalment of christmas quilts

Here is the last of my christmas quilts. This one was for my partners mum, and she really liked it. I don't know what the name of this pattern is, if you know can you let me know?


Here is the back, it was a good idea but unfortunately its a little bit off centre, but not so badly that it looks bad enought for me to start again.
For this quilt I used a layer cake of portobello market fabric from Moda, which was great, as it was one less thing to cut

reversible book cover

I made a reversible notebook cover from this tutorial, and it was super easy. I made it from Amy Butler Daisy Chain fabric, which is a nice weight. If I made it again, I would make the bit that goes inside the cover deeper.



Whoops! I cut the orange the wrong direction...