WIP Wednesday: the one with dresses

Probably more suited to teenagers than to me...

But it looks pretty good!

I feel like it's designed for a younger woman, or maybe that's just because the models on the packet look younger? But the style suits me, even though I don't have the skinny arms or bony back that my vanity would like. (I don't think about it too much; my back is my back, it does the job it needs to, and it has my (very pretty) tattoo.

The only thing that needs doing is the hemming of the dress. Which...will probably not happen at all. It requires me switching sewing machines.

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Anyway, other thoughts about quilting and stuff.

1. Summer Vibes Geometric Quilt Pattern:
- could make the "quick HST" sets, then just square them up
- how many HSTs required for a queen size?
- note the pattern, it's not just all same-size diamonds. Going to need to do a blockcount.

2. Simple Harmonics
- jelly roll strips, one background colour, anything that contrasts with the background?

3. Gift box. Zippered bags and pincushions and all kinds of odds and sods for giving away come Christmas.
- make a few more of these in the coming months
- could I do one bag a week?

WIP Wednesday: the one with organisation (sort of)

Okay, I need to finish off gifting quilts to my bible study group of the last five years. I've been intending to gift them a quilt for the last couple of years running, but now the group is splitting up (just switching things around and also different timings), so NOW IS THE TIME.

I feel like I need more quilt tops and designs to offer them. *sigh*

Also, I have collections that need using: Joel Dewberry, Kate Spain, Tula Pink, the Chinese silk I bought back in 2010... They're great collections, but they should be used together! 

QUILTING

I have five quilts to head off to the quilter, although she may only be able to do 3 of them. 2 are ones that I should be doing myself, but actually getting them done is the tricky part; I don't know if I have the time/energy to quilt them myself! Although it would also be good practice, right?

Quilter has time from next Thursday, which is later than I liked, but the response would be to give her a bucketload of quilts and then leave them in her care. I can do that, if I can get things together this weekend.

Break Free Or Build Upon - quilts 1&2 are the quilts that I have 

BINDING:

Still at least four to quilt. I should borrow L's tapemaker, I have that much tape to make... Although really the hardest part is selecting the binding. 

BORDERING:

Okay, I decided I would turn the French General 'backings' into tops. One rim-border in sharp scarlet, and then maybe a small 'extra' border in cream and pattern. So those need to be done. 

PIECING: 

As I said, I need more patterns - nice large, easy ones. I think doing more with the Disappearing 9-patch might be an idea, and can be done in many different styles and types and kinds. What about "A Year Of Disappearing 9-Patches" for a theme?

Curtains for the front windows.

Layer Cake Lollies pattern: here

Star Chain Quilt: here

Pop Shortcut Quilt:here

BACKING:

Tula Pink 'La Luna' quilt has been one of my Halloween hangs for a while - just put it up in the window, let everyone look at it. Need to actually back it and get it off to the quilter, so there's that. I think one of the postage stamp quilts also has to go.

THOUGHTS:

I need more batting. Must work out where's a good place to get it from - would much rather a LQS than a big organisation. I don't even know where the LQS are anymore after COVID, although there must be some still in existence...

And finally, some patterns that I spotted while travelling that would probably make great quilt tops!

Cousin Quilts - the 2022 version

These have been on the to-do list for an AGE and a half. Four years, to be exact.

Time to get 'em done!

Quilts for cousins: masterplan post from 2018 (can be adjusted as needful)

Plan:

1. work with colourways for each cousin/group of cousins.
2. go with a simple quilt design, the same for each 'family' of cousins

I've incorporated the Cousin Quilts into my 2022 APQ WIP challenge.

Whether they get done? IDK. But I have a concrete colourway and plan for each of them, and we'll work it from there.

One unfortunate thing: the old colour scheme post for the C4 cousins no longer has the colour cards. So I've gone through the new cards and actually downloaded a bunch of them. However, they're all of a 'type' and while it kind of suits? I really wanted the more vivid colour combos. That said, a quick Flickr search of 'design seeds' shows promise.

Aha! Found some old design seeds and have begun curating my own collection!

M: climber, earth tones

P: gamer, bright vivids

C: photogapher, classy

P: lifestyle, bubbly

2020 QAL Q2 Plans and Finishes

So, Q1 didn't exactly go as I planned, and Q2 has kind of been screwed up by a sudden rush of coronavirus sewing.

But making lists helps me parse what's really important in my sewing, mostly because I decide whether or not I really do want to sew that after all when I look at the lists. :)

Finished

Of my Q1 finish list I managed four things! FOUR! That rarely happens!

1. I finally made mum's laptop sleeve.

2. I finally sewed up the hem on B2's dress.

4. I completed my Sydney Mod Squad quilt blocks for the 2020 quilt.

5. I decided on a quilt (well, two actually) for the 2020 Sydney Quilt Show: my Break Free Or Build Upon quilt, and a new one that I'm calling Interconnected.

Of course, deciding is not finishing (or, let's be real, even starting).

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Planned to finish

1. Penny Patch: On The Roof
I've already done two of these, just got to do the 2nd two. They were originally the quilts for the C4 cousins, but I don't think the patterns really suit them anymore. I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but I might as well finishg the tops.

2. The Quilt Is Lava
This was going to be the raffle quilt for my mother's charity group last year before I changed my mind and made something a little less boldly modern. Again, I don't know what it's going to be used for, but I need to use up scraps and stuff and this is the project I've chosen.

3. Break Free Or Build Upon
Just needs quilting!

I slso have the 2020 UFO challenge which looks a little nuts:
- mum's laptop case
- c4 quilts 1+2
- c4 quilts 3+4
- penny patch on the roof
- 3:10 to Mendocino
- stars of avo
- the quilt is lava
- dancing starts
- 50 stars of blue (might make it 49 stars, or need to work out what else to do with this)


Planned to start

1. Interconnected
Intended for the Sydney Quilt Show. Will probably have a permaculture theme to it. Needs cutting, piecing, quilting.

I should probably start that ASAP.

2. A Plaid-ish quilt in Cotton+Steel.

3. A Power of Three quilt. I was thinking maybe from Heather Ross Mendocino, since I still have a lot of that and want to use up the scraps where possible, and this has the option for squares as small as 1.5"

4. A shoulderbag for mum. Although I gave her the laptop case, she actually wanted a particular fabric that was very pretty but I couldn't bring myself to make the laptop case from it, because laptops are only a couple of years, right, while a bag can last much longer...

I decided on the Clydebank Tote by Sew Sweetness. Just gotta patch the fabric together because the print she wanted isn't large enough...

Hoo boy. Never let it be said I don't aim high.

2020 sewing plans

I have been terrible with sewing for the last year, in spite of having quite a lot of time available because I've been out of work.

This is partly because I've drifted away from my regular quilting group people, and partly because I've been focused on my writing and my garden instead. I've been making very few things, and what I did was mostly finish off UFOs. And I haven't been very successful at that.

This year, however, I at least have to:

• make my mother a laptop sleeve
• make my sister 2 dresses
• finish 9 quilt tops for the cousins in time for Christmas
• quilt a bunch of quilts that are just lying around
• finish a couple of UFOs at the least

Exactly how I'm going to do all this, I don't know. There aren't enough hours in the day.

We're Home!

After a month gadding about the globe, I'm finally home again. Lovely as it is to travel, it's equally lovely to be home. (Except for the bit where I have to go into work. That's not so great.

I have fabric (some Liberty, some Vietnamese silk) and many plans!

Things to be finished by the end of this month (time-urgent)

1. sewmystashmini

2. hexiedownunder

Things that are scheduled for doing (classes, QALs, etc.)

3. Meadow quilt class by Lizzie House (26th September at Hobbysew)

Things on the plate for doing

4. C+S Charm Swap finish-along using Treasure Boxes by Tracey Jay Quilts

5. Heather Ross "Imagine Greater" quilt using the Yuma pattern (link goes to Gotham Quilts' quilt-along).

6. Parental cushions (probably for Christmas TBH).

7. Summer dresses and tops with my Liberty fabrics.

Amidst all this, I have to start planting out my garden for summer. It's going to be a busy few weeks, I think...

WIP Wednesday - the one with HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Okay, so, I'm supposed to be going to a NYE street party right this instant, but I'm putting it off to write a blogpost for WIP Wednesday!

(I'm not actually in a party mood.)

eta: I went, I chatted, I ate and partied and socialised. And now I'm home and THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.


WIPs

The most major one is my stepbrother's Penny Patch.

Top is done!



And quilted!



But I have to bind it tomorrow.



I should have sewn the binding on this morning, so I'd have it to sew at the NYE party tonight. Hindsight.

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Otherwise, there's all the tops that need backings:



And a bunch more WIPs from previous years.

2015 shall be The Year Of The Finishes. (And The Year Of The Scrap Projects. And The Year Of The Stash.)

Starting with tomorrow, a.k.a. "The New Year's Day quilt". Maybe. :)

To Do list for September

With house things just about to start, I need to work out what really needs to be done and what's just make-work.

My sewing space needs to be packed up first, largely because we'll have to dismantle it to get everything else in the rest of the living space out. So this week is packing, packing, packing. Helpfully, my mother has let me know that I can store some destash fabric over at her house for a while, until I work out how to get rid of it. There's quite a lot of destash fabric, still - largely because I'm realising there's all this stuff that I will never use in my regular projects.

I'm presently looking into whether there's an organisation in Australia like Siblings Together, for which I can make quilt tops (since I don't want to do the entire quilt). Anyone know of one?

So my aim in September is to pack up my sewing room, finish the projects that are due during September, and any WIPs where there is time/space to get them done.

To Be Completed
1. See You In September bloghop project.
2. Make Modern Magazine mystery quilt
3. Build Me Up Buttercup (borders)
4. USA Hurray (borders)
5. All Around The World (borders)
6. King Of Bling (#redletteraustralia borders)

To Be Left Out For Doing Slowly
1. Millefiori Madness

Everything else can be packed up and go into storage for doing later. It has to; I don't have the time to manage it all. As it is, I should probably decide which sections of Millefiori Madness I'll be doing and just cut and bag those sections (along with a diagram of what's needed for that section) so it's all a whole lot neater.

Having to organise all the things I have is going to be a big headache: I have everything from 'bag notions' to 'dressmaking notions' to 'planned projects' to general stash. And it needs to be sorted before the move because I won't have space to do it afterwards!

*sigh* So tired.

2013 goals

I always think it's a good idea to put some goals down. Aim for nothing and you'll hit it every time, right?

2013 goals
This year I’m going for simple again:

1. 12 quilt tops in 12 months
2. enter into at least 1 quilt competition
3. develop longarm quilting skills
4. get all my quilt tops from the last few years quilted

I haven’t entered into any Birthday Block swaps this year – quite deliberately. Last year ran me aground and I don’t have the time/energy to do it this year.

Quilt-Alongs (blocks)

• QAL: GenX Quilters: Sisters’ Ten– with the Rhapsodia collection
• QAL: Pile o’ Fabric: Skill Builder Block – pick FQs

gifts (will probably cross over with the quilts listed above)

• Gift: Kings and Honey (“Honey” by Elizabeth Hartman in Kaufman’s Valley Of The Kings) – for Jo
• Gift: America the Beautiful (reds, blues, whites) – for Alli
• Gift: rainbow brights - for Genie
• Gift: traditional and dramatic - for Sue
• Gift: rich and modern - for Bec and Wes
• Gift: bright and pretty - baby quilt for Noah and Jenny
• Gift: bright and pretty - baby quilt for Shaz and Drew

12 quilt tops in 12 months - details

• 2 two scrap quilts (one of them a string quilt)
• 2 “birthday block quilts” (from my 2011, and 2012 block exchanges)
• 2 made from the 2 “charm jelly cake” sets I still have
• 2 made from layer cakes

enter into at least one quilt competition - details
The Sydney Quilt Guild Show in June this year. At least the Eternity quilt, and perhaps another quilt, although I have to think about which one it’s going to be…

develop longarm quilting skills - details
Having done the quilting for my Eternity quilt, I know how to use the longarm at the LQS and will have to start using it for some of the ‘bespoke’ quilts I’m making.

get all my quilt tops from the last few years quilted - details
Mostly this involves getting the quilts out to my quilter in Wollongong. Although there looks like there’s one who’s much closer (as in, next suburb over) so I might start using her more and Thirroul Custom Quilting less. I’m going to miss Jo and the process of choosing the patterns, though!

And it will probably be reasonably pricey, which can’t be helped too much, alas. Quilting is not a cheap enterprise.

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Finally, I should update my blog header. The current one is annoying me. Maybe this weekend...