FMQing Challenge, April

This month called for us to essentially follow a line ... to follow along on a drawn design.  Unfortunately I was not able to access the template our fabulous tutor Don Linn gave, but this gave me the opportunity to use one of the fabulous templates offered by Judi @ Green Fairy Quilts ... one of the first ladies who really inspired me to go for this, after seeing all her gorgeous quilts all through last year.

I chose to use Judi's Serenity template...

Not a wonderful image, but is does show a good quarter of the design.  I love the look that the pebbles adds to the design ... it really brings out the design beautifully!

I have used a plain white cotton thread in both top and bobbin ... not even embroidery thread this time!!
I also used the cheap polyester batting I've used for these 'practice' designs, and my blue Clover water-soluble marker to draw the design on the fabric.  I also chose to use white Kona fabric to bring out this design to it's full potential.

I had a little problem with tension in the last outer quadrant, but it was easy enough to remove and re-do.

I really enjoyed this design, love the look, and felt it came out quite smoothly ... I will definitely be using this design in future quilts!  Thank you Judi for making it available!!!

I also found that my FMQing stitching is becoming smoother with each subsequent attempt, and am really loving that I took on this challenge!  Thankyou SewCalGal for hosting!!!

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I am linking this post to the April challenge post.  Go have a look at the wonderful efforts all the other challenge participants have achieved this month!  I am truly loving taking part in it, and know others are too!!

April FNSI results

Well, despite my plans to write this post yesterday ... obviously that didn't happen, lol!

... Started this big long post ... lets try to shorten it, lol!

My day consisted of taking DD to the local indoor playground for much of the day ... coming home to vacuum and mop floors ... get DD ready and in bed ... and then begin my FNSI while watching a movie with my sister and Mum ... 'Men in Black' on BlueRay!!  LOL, really, I don't much see the difference!!! ... Oh, later I also put on season 6 of Criminal Minds - a favourite series of mine that I can watch over and over again!!

This FNSI, I was going to work on sewing down the binding on the AHQ quilt, but I decided to do something 'fun' ... some Vignette stitching!!

In actual fact, I reduced the pattern to 65% of the original size, and I have drawn it on a 10in square of Kona white.  I also added parlay on the back ... something I am trying out; it's a little lighter than the parlan I normally use.

I did start working on the butterflies the night before ... after I drew up the stitchery ... so Friday night I got to work on the teal flowers (just the circles, not the dots inside) and the leaves for the 'fuller' flowers.

Check out my late night visitor ...

So pretty!!!

I did get some more stitching done yesterday on this too ... Some circle centres (orange & yellow satin stitch) and beginning the red flowers ...

I am going to use this on an, unfortunately late, swap item.  I want to get this item done and sent by mid-week.

I have been working on sewing down the binding on the AHQ quilt today, and hope to either have this finished tonight, or tomorrow ... depends on whether my urge to go back to Vignette is strong enough, lol!  Better go back to my Criminal Minds ... DD is off with my sister at the neighbours' atm, so I am taking the opportunity as much as I can!!  Have a great week!!

** In case anyone is interested ... I was playing around with 'Picture Collage Maker' (Apple app) to make the collages ... First time I've tried it out, and I'm a pretty impressed!  I am currently using the 'lite'/free version atm, and might look at getting the paid version ... Once I got a feel for it, it was quite quick to put these pages together!

Hand-sewing ...

While I haven't gotten as much sewing done lately as I would have liked ... you know, uni ... I have achieved a couple of things I am quite happy about, sewing-wise ...

A month ago I asked for some advice concerning the quilt I was working on for Aussie Hero Quilts.

I wanted ideas for how to border the blocks ... since this is my first full-size quilt that I have made from dot-to-dot ... ever!!! ... I really wanted to make sure this one looks good!
The consensus seemed to lie firmly upon bordering the blocks with a thin blue border (to highlight the blocks), with a brown/burgandy wider border to frame.  This is the quilt, in sandwiched form ...

Can you believe that this was the first time I had done this?!!  Without spraying it?!!  All totally basted by pins with pin moors!  (Fantastic tools!!!  Seriously! If you have never used them ... and don't particularly enjoy using safety pins ... give them a go!  I bought a pack of 50 and really, I could have used at least another packet ... I will certainly be saving up my pennies for a couple more packets of these!!  They are fantastic!!!)  I have been using the pin moors in the binding stage too, and they have been mighty handy, saving me from being stabbed by the pins (not necessarily by the needle, lol!) a few times!  Here's a more 'current' pic of them in action ...

And a 'better shot' of the quilt ... though not completely, but you get the idea ... need to save that shot for when I finish sewing down the binding ...

I really love the blue ... it really frames the blocks!!!  Thanks!!!

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The other project I have been working on, this one since Christmas, has been Natalie Bird's 'Tis the Season' stitchery wallhanging.  Well, I have finished all the stitcheries, including the label.

Last I updated on this, I had two 'blocks' and the label to do...

I used the mittens with holly block as the label (above, centre), using a darker burgundy to detail the name of the wallhanging, the year made, and 'sign' my name.

Here are the completed blocks all ready to be bordered and made into a top ...

I have put this aside as I have not yet got my fabrics to complete this project, but you can be sure I will have this completed before this Christmas!

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And because I need a stitchery project to have available to me at all times ....

I have made a start on my 'Christmas Bon Bons' from Hatched and Patched.  I drew up three 'panels' earlier this year, but haven't gotten started on them until now.  I have decided to use Pellon on the back of these stitcheries for a softer feel (I usually use Parlan, which I love ...).  DMC304 is my thread of choice.

I have a few other things that I have worked on, swap items mainly, in the last few weeks, but I will leave them to a later post to show.  I am still waiting on hearing back from my March partner as to whether she has received the blocks ... If not soon, I will be making another couple of stars for her. A few other projects I need to work on, plus another assignment due in a few weeks ... Oh, and I have a 4 year old to entertain, lol!  Busy times, busy times!!!

March FNSI Results

** Edit: This is also my entry for this month's FMQing challenge ... I have done another square since, with all of the patterns, but this is my favourite pattern ... I didn't really like them when I was drawing them (too messy), but this was definitely my favourite ... Also, my camera is not working at the moment ... **

It's taken me so long to get this posted as I am just so darn tired, lol!!  Basically, FNSI went WAY late (4.30am) ... probably because it started WAY late (11pm) and it needed to be ready for a 3yo's birthday party the next day!!  Nothin' like starting things at the 11th hour, huh?!

Earlier in the week I'd purchased a couple of colouring books, a drawing pad, and some crayola twistable crayons (less messy fingers!) ... I mean, what 3 year old doesn't love colouring?!!!

As this didn't feel like enough (lol, I ALWAYS feel this way!!!), I decided to make up a cover to 'house' these items ... kinda like the 'Dear Diary' journal cover by Joy.  I love how easy her pattern is to follow!! And, although I didn't actually follow it, I did keep it in mind while I was making it.


The main difference was that I had to use upright pockets in both sides ... and the size was quite a bit bigger.  It took me a good 20 mins to work out all my measurements, but since I did this first ... and did all required cutting prior to actually starting to make it up ... it took quite a bit less time that I thought! ... Though, I did machine bind it, rather than finishing it off by hand as I prefer!!

Inside

The only real problem I had was that I added a seam to the 'bug' pocket (the bottom) on the right, a little too high, which meant that the colouring book sits even to the top of the folder ... I was hoping it would sit nicely inside like the drawing pad on the left (did that make sense? lol!).  

The only frustration I have now over this was ... I only bought enough of this fabric for this ... no extra!!! ... Looks like I'll have to go back to Spotlight later in the week to try to get some more!! This would be perfect in a baby's blanket!!!

This was also the first time I tried out this month's FMQing challenge pattern ... or, at least one of them ... a basic swirly.  As I chose really well with the thread colour, it actually fades away fantastically into barely noticeable unless focussed on it ... so I can only show a 'back' shot ...

This time the quilting felt a lot smoother, and more even ... not so close either!! ... I am loving this pattern, and am thinking I might use it on the Aussie Hero Quilts I am putting together.  

Oh, on that topic, thank you for those who gave their suggestions for how to frame the blocks - I am loving the (general consensus) idea of having a thin blue border between the blocks and a deep brown/mahogany fabric.  

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Must go get dinner ready, then add a 'new' movie to the iPod to watch while doing a walk on the treadmill tonight .... I've done three days of Jillian Michael's 'Ripped in 30' workout video and I am feeling great!!  A shame I'm not loosing much weight yet, lol, but I am sticking with it a lot better!!  She recommends on the dvd, to work out 5-6 days per week, with four weeks of workouts on the dvd ... I have decided to do it on a three days on/one day cardio rotation, with some additional cardio (walking on the treadmill ... my knees and lungs give out on me when I try to jog or run too long!) on the 'on' days when I can add it in.  As I have 16.5 weeks to lose 20kgs before my 30th birthday in July, I have a long way to go!!  Better start counting those calories, lol!!

Have a great week!!!