Thursday 26 February 2015

6 sided Kaleidoscope needs list


Six sided Kaleidoscope quilt Needs list 

Sewing machine:         ¼” sewing foot , New needle + Spares and bobbins
Quilt tools:    
15” long clear ruler
Tri-Acu-Angle – 60deg triangle ruler (must NOT have the corners cut off and include measurement lines)
Rotary cutter and cutting board
                                   
Other items:    
hand sewing needle
Quilting pins (longer than standard pins)
Normal sewing pins
Quick n pick - unpicker
Scissors
Thread to blend with purchased fabrics for piecing.
                                  
Fabric: 
You will require 6 repeats of a pattern of your chosen fabric.  When shopping for your fabric,
take your measuring tape.  Most patterns are repeated approximately  either 24” or 12”.

If 12” repeat, you will require approx 1.8 meters for single quilt.  I recommend that you purchase two metres (or Double the quantity for queen size i.e. 4 metres). 

If 24” repeat, you will need approximately 3.6 metres (makes queen / double bed size). 

I recommend purchasing 4 metres.  This gives you fabric to accent borders or for binding. 
You can also include left over fabric into your backing fabric. 
For 24” repeat you should get approx 96 blocks.

Make sure the fabric you purchase is in one continuous piece.  Fat quarters and off cuts will not work.

Fabric pattern.  In my experience the smaller the print designs the more likely each repeat may not be precise.  Look for a medium to large print with a variety of colour.  Make sure you love it.

Any questions - or if you need help with your fabric selection, please contact me.

Shirls

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Customer Show n Tell

I try to encourage our customers to bring their completed crafts.  Yesterday one of our regulars popped in to show us what she had been making over Christmas.

First - a couple of shawls in 2 ply.






This little dress is gorgeous.  Its for a little Spanish girl and apparently the Spanish add either knitted or crotchet bodices to little girls dresses.
Front

Back
 Very inspiring.




Tuesday 17 February 2015

Completed class sample and gift idea

Yvonne has asked me to run my stacking bow tie class at Sawmillers in October so I have made a sample using some of her fabrics. With my last two cushions I had a little bother inserting piping.  Having now watched several online videos I have perfected the technique by making and sewing the piping into the cushion at the same time.  The zip was a breeze to.

I have started making my "secret Santa" gifts for this Christmas.  Yes I know its early but sometimes its great to potter with different quilting techniques especially hand work.
I got the idea of this pin cushion from as display at Cushla's quilt shop in Devonport (Auckland, New Zealand).  My friend likes Lynette Anderson fabrics and on a small scale this was achievable over a couple of weeks.
I used felt to form the base with tritex inside the bottom to stabilise it and to prevent it from tipping.  It is stuffed with pure wool fibre.  As I didn't have a pattern to work from so there are stages I would now do differently if I was to make another.  Its probably just a little tall, however will work well with Clover's extra long quilting pins.

Happy stitching friends

Monday 9 February 2015

Wonder clips - another helpful use

Wonder clips by Clover.  One of my favourite gadgets.  Initially designed to assist with the binding of quilts, I have also used them when sewing up my knitted garments.  At the moment I'm making mini hexagons and have found these clips very useful holding the fabric onto my papers ready for tacking.



Love these clips.
Shirls





Sunday 8 February 2015

Stonestead Outdoor Quilt Festival 2015

This morning I had the pleasure of viewing quilts outdoors, at the Annual Stonestead Quilt Festival.  Stonestead is the name of the original house on the property which also has its own quilt shop - Sawmillers.

A perfect start to the day with the sun shinning, a light breeze, lots of lovely quilts to view and to top it of - visit the barn for Devonshire Tea.  Yum.

Here are some of the photos I took this morning.  Quilts were being photographed by the event organisers and will be posted on the sawmillers website early this week. 
 sawmillersquiltery.co.nz

This is the view when parking my car.  Very hard to miss.

Walking towards the quiltery

Yvonne Mathews who runs the Quiltery

Sneak peek of the shop.  Sun pouring in via double doors to the side of the shop


Quilt made by Alice my work colleague.  She's been quilting
for a couple of years.   Visit her blog:
blossomquilts.wordpress.com


Check out the fabric used in this quilt.  The shimmering black and white
little squares creates movement within the quilt.  Very clever.

Do visit Sawmillersquiltery.co.nz to view all the quilts displayed in this exhibition.  Yvonne should have these photographs up early this week.

Happy quilting friends.