Getting my festive on

Obviously it's the time of year for Xmas decorations.  Whilst digging out my tree and baubles I discovered a table runner which I finished last year but forgot to blog about.

It's made from a Christmassy charm pack using the Santa's Cookie Mat design from Ruby Blue Quilting Studio.  Good fun, a little fiddly, but definitely a design I'll use again.

I think I used a heat proof wadding but have never actually put anything hot on it. I did a swirly free motion quilting pattern and used different colour threads top and bottom.

Really love how this worked out.

Sewing on a school night

Progress is actually happening on the baby quilt, I've managed to squeeze in some sewing time on a weeknight and, bar some pressing, have now got the component blocks completed.  This will eventually become a zig zag quilt from A Quilt is Nice. I've made two previously and forgot how quickly they come together.

Wedding Banner Quilt...the saga continues

I think part of my problem with finishing things off is that I keep on starting new things.

Anyway over two years ago I made a quilt top for my brother and sister-in-law, which was used as a banner at their wedding (see post 5 Sep 14).  The plan was that it would be quilted and then used by them.  Like all the best laid plans this didn't actually happen, the quilt top is around 3m square and I've been somewhat challenged about how to baste it as I couldn't find a flat area large enough to accommodate the quilt and have space for me to move round it.  Well this weekend I've bitten the bullet, so to speak, and using a double bed as a work surface I've basted the quilt.

Even pressing the top was tricky.

I'm somewhat concerned that this method of basting is going to result in pleats in the backing, but it's the best I can come up with and I think a usable quilt on a bed with a couple of pleats is better than the component parts sitting in a bag in my house.

Back in the groove

Nothing like the impending arrival of a friend's baby to persuade you into starting a quilt! Hopefully I'll actually manage to finish this one before his 18th birthday.

It's taken me quite a while to find some baby fabric suitable for a little boy, hopefully my friend agrees.

Once this one's done I must really look into finishing all my half done projects and then thinking about tackling some of the kits, patterns and, if I'm feeling really brave, books I've bought over the years.

Mission UFOs

Not the little green men version, but unfinished objects.  In the process of finally tidying my sewing room, as I come to the end of the long task of making my house mine, I discovered plenty of half done craft projects. Much as I'm itching to start many new things I've realised that I need to make an effort to finish a good proportion of the unfinished, if only to create a bit of space for new projects!

The first project that came to hand was my Olympics mystery blanket...it seemed very appropriate (although it does commemorate 2012 not 2016). It also takes about a evening to complete each square...13 to go and then the Swiss darning an blanket construction can begin.  Just got to continue fighting the urge to hop projects or start something new!