Sashiko Cushion {Finish}

This one finally made it's way across the sea to the UK today, so I can show you the cushion I made for Nat in our little swap. After a few stumbles (and abandoning my original idea completely), I decided to use the sashiko panel I made for my tutorial in the Something New blog hop and make it into a cushion.

I cut a piece of batting the same size as the cushion insert (14" x 21") and used simple QAYG to add off-centered borders around the panel. The teal fabric is an Art Gallery solid - I've never used these solids before, but I definitely will again. They are just gorgeous - they have a really soft hand and remind me more of a voile than a quilting cotton. The texture once it's quilted is just to die for.

For the back, I used some Melody Miller typewriter fabric - which coordinates so perfectly with the solid on the front (and works really nicely with the thread colours I used in the sashiko).

Thankfully Nat likes it - but still, I'm pretty sure I got the sweet end of the deal with this swap :o)

The kids are on Easter break until next Wednesday, so I doubt much sewing will get done in the next week or so. I hope all of you who celebrate Easter have a great holiday!

xx Jess

Rudey happy mail!!

There is a bit of sweary language in this post, so if you're offended by such things it's probably best to look away. Now.

Ok for all of you left - SQUEEEEE! I recieved my parcel of PURE AWESOME from the legendary Katy today for the Sailor's Mouth Swap. There were several items in the Flickr pool that I have been secretly hoping might be mine - and I'm happy to say these were definitely one of them :oD Much happy dancing and giggles ensued.

Check this out! AMH Innocent Crush gorgeousness (and your last FQ? I love you Katy!) And yes, that is a pile of holy paper pieced poo. Love!

See those super cute flower paper clips? There was a whole packet of them, instantly stolen by Miss 2 ;o) 

I'm not sure how she knew, but my memory is like a sieve - so this little hoop is going to be incredibly well used :o)

Thanks so, so, so much Katy, you've made my week!

Busting for the parcel I sent to get to the other end so I can do the full reveal - hopefully soon!

xx Jess

For The Love of Solids Round 2

I finally got around to getting the thread I needed and finished off my For the Love of Solids swap big item. I'm pretty happy with how its come together, and I really hope my swap partner likes it!

My partner had requested stars in her swap info, and around the time this swap started Elizabeth Hartman had started her sparkle punch QAL, so I exhibited a total lack of imagination and went with a sparkle punch made from solids ;) I did make a small change, and used 2.5" squares instead of 3.5". The colours are based loosely on my partner's mosaic - I can't remember all of them but they include Kona wine, mulberry, lupine, lilac, berry, jade green and cyan (all from Sew Fresh Fabric on etsy) and the background is Kona coal.

I guess it could be hung as a mini-quilt (it measures about 19" x 30"), but I've sewn on some ties for it to be a sewing machine cover. My machine dimensions are bigger (so its a tight fit, and a bit short modelled on my machine) but I'm hoping it will be a perfect fit for my partner's machine :)

I've quilted it using a combination of machine and hand quilting - only because I am so insanely slow at hand quilting, it would have taken me weeks to get it finished!

All that remains is whether I make a small item or send something purchased (still not sure about this - but I am toying with making a matching thread catcher...)

Jess

WIP Wednesday: Stars in my eyes

After last week's stuck-in-bed sickness I am really, really glad to have my sewing mojo back. I tried on Sunday but still felt really flat, so it's been nice over the last couple of days to feel well enough to get some things done.

I finished my third Swoon block. This is all three of what I have so far:

I'm pretty happy with how they're going, although there have been a couple of great threads on working with large-scale prints which would have been brilliant to have read before making the centre block... I might possibly redo the big points, but I'll wait and see. I don't hate it, but it bugs me that the stripes don't align in all of them...

I've also started working on my partner's item for For the Love of Solids swap. I'm hoping she'll like it - she's a bit of a silent partner, so I'm working with what's in her mosaic and form. Here's what I have so far:

She asked for stars and her mosaic had similar colours to these (teals and purples, and wine-reds) so hopefully she'll like it. I'm (obviously) using the Sparkle Punch quilt along as inspiration - but I've made my squares 2.5" instead of 3.5" so I can fit more into the space I need to fill. At this stage I'm thinking a sewing machine cover, and I think I'll hand-quilt around the stars... It's a bit over half-way there size-wise.

WIP stats:

* New projects: 1
* Finished: 0
* In progress: 8 (I think...)

I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday and Fabric Tuesday

xx Jess

Name Game Swap

Anorina of Samelia's Mum fame is hosting a really fun mini quilt swap early next year.

Here are some of the swap basics:

It will be an international swap and is based on the idea of making a mini quilt for your swap partner, using their name / blog name in the quilt.

The size is up to you, but it should be bigger than a mug rug. I think work on a minimum of 9” x 12”

It will be a blind swap which means that you won’t know who will make your mini quilt, until it’s delivered by your lovely postal service.

Leave a comment here on this blog post if you would like to join. 

Sign up is open until 15 January 2012. Head over to Anorina's blog for more details - but I am totally excited about this swap - and a little nervous, since I have never 'written' on a quilt. But I'm always up for adding to my skill set, so it should be fun!