Little Quilt

Nothing like news of a new baby to get you planning something new and wanting to make it immediately.

I love it when a quick idea and plan works out. I think it is even better than I hoped for. The squares actually fit together. Hopefully tomorrow I will have the rest of the blocks done.

Slowly, slowly

Slowly, slowly this week. The rain has well and truly settled in which makes for restless little people and a very loud house.
I am slowly getting me head around what I need to do for The Stitches and Craft Show. I have a few patterns half written including my favourite fat fish. I am also slowly making a few more toys and bags to send to The Fremantle Arts Centre.

Melbourne

We are back from a few days in Melbourne with my sister and travelling with Eva was surprisingly easier than I thought. After twins doing anything with one child is not that bad.

We caught trains and trams and walked and walked. Much food was eaten and a little bit of shopping. I even found my dream shoes, but at $369 they didn't come home with me. It was so nice to see fabric in real life that I usually only see on the computer screen. I made it to Amitie, Meet Me At Mikes, Tessuti and the Melbourne Design Markets where I bought some great Ink and Spindle fabric. I can't ever see myself living in a city, but Melbourne is one city I would think about living in.

Today has washing and cleaning and sorting and hopefully tonight a little sewing.

Nina's Flowers

I am feeling a little calmer today. Hand sewing on binding while watching DVDs will do that to you.

I have had my doubts about this quilt while I have been making it. It is more pink and 'girly' than I am used to having in my house, but I think it is growing on me. It is definitely a hit with the small girls of the house.

More squiggly quilting with flowers. Now back to the pattern writing.

More Shoes

I know I have said it before, but I love comfy shoes. These were a present from Chris for my birthday last week. Not only are they comfortable, but they have hexagons on them!

I was going to write a witty and insightful look at turning 35, but sleep did not happen last night. I can't even blame Evie. She had the best sleep she's had for months. No I was thinking about the Stitches and Craft Show in Sydney. It seems like I really am going. Everything anyone has said makes it seem like the most fun, amazing thing. I hope so because at the moment it is the scariest thing I have ever said yes to. I have been fairly anonymous and have hidden in this blog for a few years. I sew and I show things on here, but I have met very few bloggers and crafters face to face. This is definitely so far out of my comfort zone. Not to mention all the other things in my head like, getting there, staying there, sorting out the children to stay back here, making enough stuff to take etc etc.

I used to be really good at adventure, Chris and I taught all over the state, travelled for 6 months overseas with no real plan. We would change the course of our lives with a split second decision. So when the opportunity came up a few months ago (and August seemed like soooo far away) I made one of those split second decisions. If nothing else at the moment I will have some comfortable shoes to wear.

Winter

It finally feels like winter here. I could whinge about head colds, sick children, trying to give them antibiotics, cold houses, non sleeping children, trips to Bunbury with three children etc. Instead here is a picture of some pretty quilt blocks and some magazines I have been reading on the couch.

Holiday Monday

A quiet holiday Monday here. Everyone is playing mini golf and I am quilting squiggles and little flowers.

Wool and Sewing

Less screaming from Eva last night so I didn't have to stay up knitting. Which is great, although she could do with a hat as it's cold and she is bald.
I finished reskeining a yarn order last night and it is ready to be sent. These are all kettle dyed, which is my favourite way of dyeing at the moment. So if you are going to the Sydney craft fair in a few weeks you will find it at Mosman Needlecraft. I think I am going try and replicate a few colours for myself over the weekend.

I have managed a little sewing in the past week. A new idea and a few blocks finished.

Amy Butler

A good mail day today. No bills and I received the new Amy Butler Software. Great projects that don't look too hard using great fabric.
There is also an inspiration gallery of things people have made using Amy Butler fabric, including a few of my soft toys.

Baby Tulip Quilt

Thanks for all the sympathy. She screamed again last night for a few hours. I wish the top teeth would just come through. We can feel them but can't see them yet.
The Little Tulip quilt is finished.

I quilted it with loops and thought I would add a few tulips as well. Mmm they kind of look like tulips, but they also kind of look like chicken feet.

Winter has finally arrived. It has rained for the last two days and it is cold. The fire is finally lit and I have been thinking knitting, especially beanies. Poor Evie is still lacking hair so needs something to keep her warm. I have wound three skeins of handspun so if she screams tonight I'll be on the couch with these.

Screaming Evie

Evie is a night screamer. It s something I have realised is not going to change at the moment. It has taken four months to realise this. We have spoken to people and tried everything. She just wakes up sometime in the middle of the night and cries for 2 hours. It is always about 2 hours. Even if she does go back to sleep (which doesn't happen often) I am wide awake waiting for the screaming. I have found a benefit of this. Time to think and this is when little ideas pop into my head. Like this one. It is some kind of flying bug.
The wings are not quite as I want them so time to cut out bug number two and have another go.

Shoes and Fabric

Back from Perth and the craft fair. Worth going to see all the lovely fabric and for all the inspiration, but it is not really fun with a one year old, especially not when you can't even move with the pram or look get close to stalls you want to look at. I did find a jelly roll of Flea Market Fancy. Before you ask this is the last one they had left and they didn't have any yardage either. I did check for everyone who loves this fabric as much as I do.

I also bought a nice lot of fabric from Amitie (and had a nice chat with Jenny), but most of that is on the line drying so no picture today.
I then headed into Perth straight for the army surplus store and snapped up a pair of red Mary Jane Dr Martens in my size. Pretty much the perfect shoe.

Grey Cardigan and More Pleats

I finished the Mossy Jacket for Evie. The details are on Ravelry. She wasn't too happy about photos this morning.

I cut into some of my favourite Liberty fabric last night for a top for Evie - couldn't find the pattern I needed so I winged it. Probably not the best idea but I think it looks ok on. I also made a little pleased corduroy skirt to go with it. I love how fast you can make babies clothes. A couple of seams and a bit of elastic and it's done.

Pleasted smocks for the girls. Amelia claimed this fabric when I first bought it. She thinks it is the bestest fabric ever.
Grace changed her mind about seven times when choosing fabric for her top. Crossing my fingers she still likes this when I show it to her.

New Look 6775

We had a quick trip to Perth on the weekend as my sister was over from Melbourne, we have another one planned for this weekend. The house is piled with washing and the floor has lots of little bits of 'squashed stuff' all over it. So I have been sewing. Pleated tops nearly finished for the big girls and a smock for me. Suzy made this pattern a while ago and I really liked it. Even though I think we have extremely different body types I gave it a go and I think it fits, even if it does look like I am wearing a doona cover which is ok beacuse it was one.

Curves

I've always admired quilts with curves in them especially drunkard's path quilts but could never see myself making one. Until now. I've discovered the Curve Master Foot.
I can't believe this tiny little piece of plastic can make something so easy. These were done with no pins, not a single one. It did take a couple of tries to get it right, but once you get it, it is so easy to do.

Quilt Tops

I have been trying really hard to actually make some of the ideas in my head and not think about them too much. It is all about quilts and quilt designs in my head at the moment. I think it is the cooler night weather (although the days are still weirdly warm). I finished this quilt top. It is quite big and I wasn't able to get a good picture of it all yesterday, but here is some of it.

After I finished I decided to make the same pattern with smaller blocks and it was quite a quick and easy baby quilt project. I'm trying to be organised - so many babies are due in the next six months.
Another quilt made from a jelly roll. This pattern used the whole thing. Here is a quarter of it.

Now to get inspired to baste, quilt and write the patterns up.

Wonderland

Wonderland by Momo is my favourite fabric line at the moment. I turned some of it into a quilt over the weekend. I just need to add some borders and the top will be finished. This is one of those projects that came together perfectly. I was playing around with EQ6 and realised the design would be perfect for a layer cake which I happened to have handy. Using precut fabrics is definitely my favourite way of quilting at the moment.

Teapot Coaster

My kind of brother in law (sorry Paul I'm a bit stuck for a better description) asked me at Christmas for a teapot coaster. I honestly thought he was just being a bit sarcastic, but he's asked me again four months later so here Paul not only have I made a teapot coaster I have written a tutorial in case you ever need another one and I don't make it quick enough for you.
The coaster is 10 inches square.
Out of some patterned fabric you will need
1 piece 4 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches
1 piece 6 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches.
I used linen for the other pieces and you will need
3 pieces 2 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches
1 piece 10 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches
2 pieces 6 1/2 inches x 4 1/2 inches.


Arrange them as follows and sew together. I sewed the 2 1/2 inch squares to the patterned fabric first and then the big rectangles to the bottom of the T. You should have 3 pieces now that can be just sewn together.

Cut out some batting (I used wool) and some backing fabric about 12 inches square. Layer them and pin to hold them in place.

I used 2 strands of embroidery cotton to sew around the T to hold all the layers in place.

I cut about some binding 2 1/2 inches wide and think I used about 50 inches. I cut across the width of some fabric which was only 42 inches wide and then cut an extra 8 inches or so and sewed the two pieces together. Fold it in half lengthwise and iron and then attach to the front of the coaster right sides together mitring the corners. Fold to the back and hand stitch in place.

It looked kind of lonesome so I thought I would make a coffee pot coaster to keep it company.

The winners are ...

Thankyou everyone for your lovely comments.
I used the Random Integer Generator and it came up with 1, 57 and 85.

So numbers
1 http://polka-dot-daze.blogspot.com/
57 http://txtwins.blogspot.com/
85 http://akhilashandblog.blogspot.com/

Email me at twolittlebanshees at hotmail dot com and let me know your addresses and I will send you a pattern and a few bits of fabric.

Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend and had more sleep than we have had thanks to Eva last night. Crossing fingers that we don't have screaming all night tonight and everyone is not tired and irritable tomorrow.

Mossy Jacket Progress

The nights are getting colder and I have pulled out the Mossy Jacket and am making some progress. Thought I had better finish it before Eva is too big to wear it. I love the grey yarn I am using. I think she will need a few tops made from Liberty to wear under it.