Do you like a Danish?

I am thinking of some other directions for that Christmas tablerunner swap..




This is a more graphic option for my partner if she likes it...a Danish woven heart, traditionally in red and white but I could do other colours...?

A tablerunner of hearts down the centre? 


All red and white?


Different colours?  Aqua and white, lime and white, purple and white...?


This green background - a bit bright for me really - but it could be something more neutral...?  Natural linen, grey for that Scandinavian feel, a more muted shade of green


So many choices...but am I heading in the right direction?

Free Motion Saturday!

Friday was about tidying and cleaning the house, having lunch with Eloise and chat but as you all know Friday is supposed to be about Free Motion Quilting....well I plead that I did this week's pattern last week!  What not good enough?  You are right so here is another attempt to get my squares square and not like rooftiles...


The first effort

The second effort...

Look at my nice neat regular boxes!  Are you impressed??  This is the back of my FMQ. 

I worked from the bottom up - first the pattern as suggested then about 7 rows up I didn't make a complete box but went along, up, along and down in several rows so they made box shapes when the rows went together - that was much quicker!  A bit like this...

What is my secret to  such a regular pattern - this was the material on the front....

In rows 5 and 6 I did turn the white to the front and because I had practiced the movement with the checks it was more regular than my previous efforts!  Is this cheating?  Sort of!  Or perhaps it is just using my fabric stash to my advantage...give it a go and see it it helps!

I then went on to make a few Ohio stars...

If we do bubbles or circles in the future I will definitely be looking for dotty fabric to practice on!  


Now you know my secret but there is apparently something called 'muscle memory' - I heard about it from the piano teacher my daughter has - you can programme your hands and brain to do movements that are repeated often maybe we can tap into this with our FMQ..?


If you want to know more here is a bit about it on wikipedia.  Once you learn how to form your letters for instance and you write you do not need to think about how to write the letter A - so if we can do the same with our machines and patterns we should be able to let our hands take over and relax a bit more....at least that is the theory.






Hope you had fun with your FMQ  and linking up with the delightful Cindy again!

Tablerunner Time!

If I am not to incur the wrath of my friend Susan and the disappointment of my dear partner then I need to get started on my Christmas Table runner...


I had the idea of using a book I have had for a long time - I had originally thought it was for a wall hanging and was surprised to find out that it was for a full-size quilt!  At that time I had not quite worked up to quilt size so it has sat on my bookshelf waiting patiently till yesterday!

I got it out, brushed it down and opened the pages for the umpteenth time but this time I have cut out some fabric, lain the fabric on various backgrounds, swapped some fabrics around, cut out some others and come up with this simplified, miniaturised version....

Be honest what do you think?


Too much?  Too little?  Too many colours?  Not enough?  Too dotty perhaps? Any features you do not like??  




I was thinking of adding a simple red [edit : or maybe aqua] border as there is already quite a lot of green and quite a lot going on!




Well at least I have started on one project - though I may need to think again


But now I do need to start on a cushion or two.....


PS those funny looking things with bits of paper are going to be reindeer and will get legs and antlers once they are stitched down - too skinny a piece of fabric and it gets chewed up so I stitch and then cut what I don't want away...

  

Pretty Puffy Pouch!

Thanks for all your kind comments celebrating that fantastic win I had on 
Lily's Quilts.  When I came back down to earth I just had to make this....

from Ayumi's  puffy pouch tutorial at Pink Penguin - if I am honest I have to say this is the hardest of Ayumi's tutorials I have tried so far but not because it is badly written - no, no! 


First of all I found the linen less forgiving - I had to remove a few stitches and the holes were showing - eek!    


Also, as I didn't have the right size of flexi opening, I went for the velcro finish which meant my stitches were showing on the top of the purse and they were not as nice as I would have liked.  When I do this again - which I will - I will use the flexi opening thing and avoid the need for stitches.  But if I were to use velcro again I think I would use a patterned fabric for the top part!


I need to try out some more of these delightful tutorials at Pink Penguin as they are extremely well written with lots of photos so easy to follow....but she is one clever and very precise stitcher so all her things look fabulous - mine I think less so...but with practice I will improve!


This little pouch is going on a journey with my scrappy swap items, instead of the little fabric basket - just something my partner mentioned made me change my mind....so here is the final package

Now you will have to excuse me as I have two swaps to stress over....at least until I start sewing!

Lucky, lucky me!

I don't deserve it I know but I will be putting it to excellent use I can promise you that!


What ?  You ask!


My win from the lovely Lynne @ Lily's Quilts and Signor Aurifil, Alex Veronelli


Yes I won a gorgeous box full of Aurifil thread, not just any box but 'Mark Lipinski's Ultimate Collection of 48 spools of thread all contained in one large double sided suitcase.' 




And just yesterday I was wishing I had a bit more Aurifil to play around with ....

Some days wishes do come true...








PS If you think this seems very calm I am still floating up in the troposphere and just haven't come down yet - it's all right I'm wearing trousers and one of the biggest grins ever!

Thank you blog buddy day!

I know a give away is sometimes used to boost a blog's number of followers but I just wanted to send a pressie to someone I like who has been kind and generous with her encouragement and support.  Who has organised something I have been involved in and had fun with.   And still is organising - I think it's in her blood...


So this little parcel is off to someone to say thank you ....but I'm not telling you who it is yet - though you may be able to guess!

Hope she likes it and it is useful to her.  

Maybe you can see I have been practicing my FMQ or FME or whatever it is and trying out a variegated Aurifil thread - to sew a pumpkin!  This one isn't a scary jack the lantern one - more of a Cinderell's coach type one I hope!

  

Are they bananas?

Well I now have two swaps to concentrate on - the fabulous Christmas tablerunner swap and the Brit Quilt Pillow Fight (AKA Cushion Combat)!


My ideas are forming and it looks like it will be Christmas for all!

My table runner partner hasn't asked for FMQ but I was wondering if I should do something a bit like this....

But in red or aqua thread on white, or white thread on aqua....with bigger houses and trees....or am I getting too ambitious with newly found FMQ skills???


Or it could be something like this?

Which is based on the designs in this book....

I have asked my partner in the Flickr group so I'll have to wait and see if she answers - or has she....?


For the cushion I am tempted by a ruby red or white or linen background with appliqued Mistletoe in green and white buttons for berries - more of a looker than a comfort cushion I must admit, though it could always be turned over to the back - must make sure the back looks pretty too!

This is something like a design that is made by a company that she likes but I am not sure whether it is the type of design she would actually go for.  Nor am I convinced that it is good enough!  Certainly not after the banana comments I got in the Flickr group.  Thanks Laura you made me chuckle!


May have to think again!