Wednesday, August 8, 2012

WIP Wednesday: the one with the New York Beauty!

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

It's been a blocky kind of week. And still rather crazy busy.

On the personal front, it was my birthday on Monday and I...didn't celebrate it. :) Not for fear of age or growing old; mostly for lack of time, space, or inclination. Actual party-ish and gift-ish things will mostly happen on Saturday with the family, although I 'celebrated' with a donut of Evil and some Lindt hot chocolate:

Birthday donut and hot choc

Not as good as home-made cake, but we suffer as we must!

And my lovely friend Jenn gave me these rainbow-chicken cloth baskets as a birthday gift!

Birthday baskets

Aren't they beautiful? Handmade! And useful! They're going to be pin containers and scrap baskets and all kinds of useful and helpful things in my new sewing space:

Sewing  space

Yes, it's still a mess. Yes, it's less than optimal space usage. Yes, that's a Barbie doll in a pink bikini on the railing. (I've had her, oh, 15 years now, and still haven't gotten around to making her something more covering. Poor girl must be stone frozen by now.)

But see out that window? See how clear the yard is? WE GOT RID OF THE JUNK! No more old cabinets, old oven, old stove, old sink hanging around, messing up the space. But clean yard! (Until the trees leaf all over it again, but nobody could stop that.)

And there'll be more rearranging and sorting and working out come Saturday when the parentals are coming around for a day of organising. :)

Finished!
New York Beauty
The original plan for the NYB was to do a full set of blocks, only I didn't end up liking the fabric or colour choices I made.

So I planned to finish all the ones I already had cut and ready to make and put together a mini quilt/table-runner/wall-hanging/thingamawhatsis.

Block 7:

NYB: Block 7

(too dark on the 'inside curve')

Block 8:

NYB: block 8

(not so sure about the blue spikes with the blue background)

And that makes 6 blocks (only 5 individual blocks of the NYB 10 block collection):

New York beauty

I'm saying it's 'finished', because, well, I did what I set out to do, right? Only, I'm not sure it's what I actually want. Wall hanging? Bench runner? Cat mat? Bother the choices!

The Snowflake Block
My project of sekrit sekritiveness!

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This block was originally designed by Madame Parfait who does the most ah-may-zing blocks. She called it the "Rainbow Blossom" block and posted pictures back in October last year, promising a tutorial on how to make it, although she hasn't updated with the tutorial yet. Hopefully everything's okay in her world. Anyone know? She’s been quiet for a while.

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In the meantime, I'm putting a tutorial together at the behest of Penny Poppleton, quilter, mum, friend, and evil enabler extraordinaire! Currently, the process involves strip piecing, and a need for really accurate seams. (My seams are most commonly describable as 'inexact'.)

Tutorial coming later this week. (I promise!)

WIP

Snowflake Block tutorial
I'm halfway through putting together a tutorial for this - I just haven't had the time to focus my attention on it. Also: I will need to run it past at least one 'recipe tester' to make sure that my instructions make sense to 'people who aren't me'.

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I think I'll have to divide the tutorial up into three sections: strip-piecing, assembling the panels, assembling the block.

First part to be posted tomorrow, and then the second section hopefully on Monday.

Mum's Impstar!
Finally started sewing the binding!

Impstar binding

It's coming, Mum!

Waiting In Line For Something To Happen

Le Petit Poulet
- still in blocks

Go Back To The Jungle, Turn The Quilt Around
- still waiting for binding
- I picked out the binding fabric, though!

Build Me Up Buttercup
- still waiting on borders
- Penny Poppleton handed me a bunch of extra Sanae to put a border on it, but I think I have to wait until I work out what fabric I already have...

What have you been working on this week? There's a Linky Party over at Freshly Pieced, with lots of lovely lovely WIPs!

27 comments:

  1. LOVE your snowflake block. So, so pretty. I'm thinking about a Christmas tree skirt like this. Maybe. Nice work!

    The NYB blocks look great too! I like the blue spikes with blue background just fine.

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  2. I love your snowflake block! It is beautiful!

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  3. OOO!! I love your snowflake block! I can't wait to see a tutorial for it!!

    And that cupcake looks amazing! ;)

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  4. Can't wait to see the tutorial and try out the snowflake block. My seams are also "inexact" so it might be a challenge for me!

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  5. I Love love love your snowflake block! Seriously awesome and what gorgeous colours!!

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  6. I absolutely love your snowflake block... just gorgeous!

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  7. Love, love love the snowflake block. I think that might be repetitive seeing the other comments...but I really do!

    And as for seams...I NEVER look to closely at mine ;)!

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  8. Soo soo pretty! Looking forward to the tutorial.

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  9. Pretty Snowflakes! Have fun finishing up your W.I.P!

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  10. I love the snowflakes block!! So pretty!! Will be following the instructions for sure!

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  11. The snowflake is awesome! I will be checking back for further direction on that one :)

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  12. Happy birthday! I'm having the same problem with my NYB blocks. I'm not thrilled with them and I don't know what they want to be.

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  13. Happy Birthday to you!!

    I think your sewing space is pretty amazing! Nice lighting and space is great.

    Gorgeous blocks!!!

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  14. Happy birthday! Love all of these blocks!

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  15. I love the snowflake block, looking forward to your tutorial. My seams are a bit inexact too! the NYB looks lovely, great work!

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  16. how beautiful! so excited for your tutorial!

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  17. your snowflake block is so stunning....love it!!

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  18. Hi, I love your NYB. WOW, so pretty. I want to make one now for a table runner. Thanks for sharing

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  19. Wow, that snowflake block is gorgeous! I'll keep an eye out for the tutorial.

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  20. Love that snowflake block - gorgeous colours. Will definitely be back for the tutorial. And the NYB blocks are amazing - I'm in awe of anyone who has produced any of those, as I've not had the courage to try any myself!

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  21. Whoa! LOVE your snowflake. The NYBs are cool~! Thanks for doing up that tutorial - will be watching for it.

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  22. I for one can't wait for the tutorial. I've had an image of that snowflake on my computer for a year, wishing I could figure it out.

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  23. Okay, that snowflake block is simply incredible. I love seeing new designs! So pretty. :)

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  24. I love the snowflake block! It's stunning. Also, I feel all sewing areas need a barbie in a state of undress. I share my room with a four year old so we have barbies a-go-go, usually nude. It keeps things lively!

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  25. Your snowflake block is beautiful! I've been wondering about Madame parfait too...

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I try to answer every comment made, but if I forget to respond to you, I sincerely apologise! Thanks so much for coming by and commenting!