Something Small

Something Small, a photo by sewhappy45 on Flickr.

I have been wanting to make a quilt like this for sometime, but was never sure how to start. After I saw the doll quilt Nova made for the down under doll quilt I thought I MUST do it. She explained how she just went with it and encouraged me to give it a go.
I recently read a post on sillyboodilly's blog that had a small quilt made using patterned fabric, and I started thinking.....
What if you use a feature fabric then add other components like a design board. This idea grew. I have only used scraps for this project, except the main patterned fabric, it has a lot of feelings in this little quilt, almost like a little trip down memory lane. I plan to do more hand quilting on this, since I was so happy with the way my doll quilt turned out.
Happy sewing

Sonia

Puff, Puff, Pant, Pant! I Made It!

Doll Quilt Drying in the Sun

Phew I have just completed my doll quilt for the Down Under Doll Quilt Swap. I decided to add some hand stitching to the border. I found Kate's hand quilting blog here a huge help and I decided to take a leap, it was a really good feeling when I tuned it over and Yippee it worked! I have tried hand quilting before and have not liked how it has turned out but this time it was good. Now don't get me wrong I still need practice but Oh Boy I am happy with it. Big Thank You to Kate.
All I have to do now is wait for it to dry and bundle it off to my partner who I hope loves it and is happy with it...I love it and I am happy. I send this to them very happily and confidently. So that is my first swap. It is a lot of fun and now I will be waiting for the next one.
I have also been knitting lately, I have discoverd the fun of knitting socks but I am a very slow knitter and I enjoy sewing more, I will post a pic if I ever get them completed.

I am SO lucky

Yesterday I was so thrilled when the postie came and brought me my quilt form Sally for the Down Under Quilt Swap. It is so wonderful to get something that someone has made especially for you. It is such a lovely feeling and it was a happiness that I needed. I love the colours and the quilting pattern is great. I love this little quilt to bits and now I need to find a special somewhere for it.
I have been putting my doll quilt together and I am very close to a finish but I want to take some time to think about how exactly I am going to quilt it, to hand quilt or not?, that is the question.
Since it is the middle of our school holidays here in sunny Perth I have had little time for sewing, I have been reorganizing my house and there has been a little painting going on. Our walls have been bare plaster for way too long and painting is well over due.
Sally has a group for finishing UFO's Here I think that I may also do that as when I was cleaning I was pretty disappointed to see my unfinished quilts, could be time to do something about it.
Well enough chitter chatter, I better get tea started, I can feel the look....soon it will be the whine..."When's dinner?"
Happy sewing

Sonia

It has been a while

Well what can I say. Making a doll quilt for someone else was harder than it first seemed. It started well, I made a design then I started. All went well for a while but then I realized that I was a little lot out of my depth and so I scrapped it. I was so critical of my work, design, well everything I guess, so much that I made it not enjoyable. So after a brief break I came back with a fresh attitude and it has been wonderful. I haven't stopped sewing since the idea hit. I have always liked the drunkards path pattern and when I came across this alternative version I thought "this is it". I have really enjoyed putting this together and I feel that slowing down really helped a lot. I thought about colour, value and placement. The experience has left me feeling so wonderful and happy with myself. I will be making another for myself because I want one just like this and I want to keep this memory. I hope my partner loves it too, I have wanted to impress her.
Happy sewing

Sonia

Down Under Doll Quilt Swap

Down Under Doll Quilt Swap, a photo by sewhappy45 on Flickr.

Oooo Postie brought me some goodies

I was so excited yesterday when Mr. Postie brought these goodies to my door:

Journal Bliss, By Violette is my starting point for my art journal journey. I hope through this I will unleash the creative me and be able to let go of all the doubts that keep holding me back. I can't wait to get started.

The second book is Quilts, Baby! Linda Kopp has put this together, it is a group of different designers (sillyboodilly (Victoria Gertenbach) is one of them, I love her work, as well as Malka Dubrawsky, she has some lovely bright quilts in there.) Any how.. it is full of wonderful, inspiring quilts. The one pictured below is one that I am thinking of making, it is designed by Laurraine Yuyama. You know how I wanted to make a baby quilt and the frustration had me look for a book that would help resolve my problems, well this sure did that and more. I will be making quite a few from this book (not all will be for babies, I think these quilts are really too good to be just for babies. Another I am eager to begin, I feel inspired.

 These books came from another great online bookstore: Booktopia this is an Aussie bookstore, that also provides a brilliant service.
I just love books, I like to just sit and look through them over and over again. These two I particularly like as they encourage creativity of your own. And the baby quit book could easily be used to make quilts for teens and adults, they just need to be made a little larger.

I must end now, dishes are calling, have fun sewing

Sonia

Busy with wool

I must say sorry for such a long delay in posting. I have been sewing a little, on the doll quilt only. I received some sheeps wool and I have been totally lost in it.
First there is the cleaning of it, that isn't as bad as I expected and I find it good fun.
I pick through it to remove any weed seeds and such.
I have tried spinning, um that's not as easy as it looks. I need a lot more practice before I show anything I make. I do laugh at it though, one of the worst yarns you will ever see. Practice, practice, practice.
I have tried my hand at felting, oh now that I like and it is really fun too. The result is satisfactory for my first shot at it. I am wanting to incorporate it into a sewing project.
I am so in love with wool, it is so amazing.

I would also like to take the time to mention an online bookstore that I have come across. It is called The Book Depository I love their service and they have a great selection of books. I have also started to collect a few e-books and they also have a pretty good range of them too. I have been so happy with them I thought that I should share these thoughts. I love books and I am always looking around book sites for different craft books. Any how check them out, even if it is to just look over what they have.

Well I am off to play with some wool, happy sewing

Sonia