Sydney Quilt Show Update

Received the letter yesterday saying my quilt has been accepted in to the show….

My Fancy-Schmancy Exhibitor Ribbon

Yipee!

Time to start quilting furiously so that I meet the deadline in early June!

Happy Sewing!

Sneaky Sewing…

Here’s just a quick update on my colour-block paper foundation pieced Log Cabins (phew what a mouth-full!).

I snuck in some time during the week to finish the brown, grey and black blocks and then continued on piecing them all together with the sashing.

 While I was on a roll, I pieced together the backing too!

Pieced Back All Ready To Go!

Then I found the perfect size batting in my stash for this mini-quilt! Bonus! After it’s quilted, I’ll bind it with the same cream fabric used for the squares in the sashing.

At the moment, I haven’t had to spend any money on making this quilt; it purely consists of scraps and fabric I had hoarded away for a rainy day!

I’ve never made a mini-quilt before. Regardless to say, I love it! Cheap, small and quick to make! What’s not to love?!

Happy Sewing!

University: Killer of Creative Dreams!

This is the reality of my life…

Sunday: Essay Writing

When I much rather be doing this…

Sewing Hexies!

Or this…

Crocheting!

Or even just this…

Eating.

Unfortunately, the on slaughter of mid semester essays and assessments have all but killed my creative dreams and mojo and instead have turned me into a Microsoft Word zombie!

Last Tuesday night I was able to break free from the chains of monotonous textbook readings and spend a few glorious hours quilting away on my sewing machine! Our glorious reunion was met with happy rumblings from the sky as a fascinating thunderstorm rolled through the autumn night sky!

**One of my favourite things to do is to sew while it’s raining, even better when it’s a thunderstorm; who knows why I enjoy this so much!**

Therefore, I was in my element! I was able to get some much needed quilting done on my Minimalist:101 quilt, slowly getting finished for (hopefully) exhibition at the Sydney Quilt Show in June. (There’s nothing like a looming deadline to get you going in a hurry!) Here’s where I’m up to with my quilting…

Almost Finished – Yay!

I’m happy. I’m pleased. I’m slightly nervous. And slightly panicking about getting it finished on time along with everything else happening in life!

Whaa! I need a holiday!

Happy Sewing!

Oh, the cleverness of me! (There’s no modesty here!)

Look what I’ve learnt to do; Crochet!

The chance finally came by to intensely learn the ins-and-outs of this tricky skill in my textile lecture a few weeks ago. The aim was to make a hyperbolic crochet form – that is, a form which is exaggerated or overstated in curve.

So whatever this actually does become, I’m proud of the effort and skill I’ve learnt in making it.

I also thought I would share my Sashiko embroidery project with you. This is another technique I’ve learnt in my textile class. This design has been based on two chosen forms of inspiration: Chevrons and direction (as in life’s direction).

This particular example has been stitched with a piece of cotton batting on the back, giving an added aspect of interest and dimension. I’ve consciously been aware to keep my design as traditional possible; that is, using navy linen combined with white (and red) thread for the stitches.

Sashiko embroidery is insanely simple and effective that I’ve begun to plan some designs that I want to stitch out in my own time for my own enjoyment. Hopefully I can share some of those with you soon – depending on how I arrange my time between never-ending university work and just-as-important craft time!

Happy Sewing!

P.S. Happy Easter too! He is Risen!

Life vs. Life

Textbooks – urgh!

I think it’s obvious to say that my quilting life does not mix well with my newly appointed university life!

Four and a half weeks into the semester, I’ve only been able to dedicate precious time to my sewing machine this past weekend.

After a hectic week of rushed essays and failed-in-revision in-class tests, I spoilt my self to a whole weekend of sewing (and movie marathons!)

And to this weeks flavour of the month project…

Where like all inspiration is found, I was intrigued by a wonky paper-pieced log cabin design I randomly came across on Pinterest and thought, ‘I could easily draw up one of those!’

And so I did!

Wonky Log Cabin Paper Piece Template

In a desperate bid to devour some of my ever-growing fabric scraps, I chose to construct the blocks in different colour ways from my scraps…

First block Triumph!

Pretty Colour Ways!

Each one is pieced in a totally random fashion: I approached the construction in a very laid back and non-pluss attitude. I think it worked out well!

ATM, the yellow is my favourite – so sunny and happy – and you can easily see the differing angles and what not.

I’ve three more to make: brown, grey and black. I’ll sash them together with white homespun that will really allow the colours to pop! Binding: possibly a creamy-type homespun…

Who actually knows when and if this little quilt will be finished…Life just seems too full at the moment!

Happy Sewing!

Quilty Textures & Giant Hexies!

Wow, it’s been a while since I last posted!

Life just seems to pull you in all different directions and it’s usually in the opposite direction to where you want to go!

I’ve been half procrastinating and half actively quilting the quilt I intend to enter the Sydney Quilt Show with. I’ve sent off my forms and have my fingers crossed that my quilt will be accepted into the show.

Here’s where I’m up to…

I just adore the texture that the dense quilted lines have given the quilt and I constantly catch myself running my hand over them, daydreaming of the end result.

I also really like the effect of how the different directions of quilted line interact and stop at each other.

The name of the quilt is Minimalist: 101, mainly because of the clean and simple design of the quilt. And yet, there’s nothing minimalist about the amount of quilting that’s being put into! I supposed the quilt name is a slight play on words – whatever angle you come from…

I’ve also been playing around with some giant hexies – we’ll not really giant-giant hexies but ones that are slightly bigger than the size I usually use.

These ‘giant’ hexies were the perfect size to use with my Charm Pack of the Ruby range from Moda, designed by Bonnie and Camille.

This is what I’ve got up to so far…

 

I’ll add a wider white sashing around all the edges, quilt it and then bind it with the same red as that of the sashing. I’m intending to sell this quilt once it’s finished in my madeit store…

Remember this little quilt…???

Well it’s for sale with FREE shipping!! It’s the perfect size for a snuggly lap quilt or as a jumbo cot quilt or for a small single bed….the list is endless! Check it out here. <<—

And just quickly – over the weekend I’ve been watching and absorbing the wonderful lectures given at QuiltCon 2013 on Craftsy…

It’s free to enrol and watch and I encourage all quilters to have a look at these lectures – they’re wonderfully inspiring and also make me feel slightly jealous for missing out on the fun that would’ve been QuiltCon!

Happy Sewing! xx

An exciting 24 hours!

It’s been an exciting 24 hours for this one person sitting in front of the computer screen writing to you right now!

Not only has 3and3quarters received a purdy new facelift, but now has a sister site dedicated to my love of baking! Yes that’s right, I’ve begun writing a food blog!

Called One Baker’s Daughter, my aim is to share my triumphs and my not-so-triumphant baking adventures in the kitchen. The recipes I use will be posted on the blog accompanied with very amateurish photos of the results.

One Baker’s Daughter Blog

Go on, take a look!

On the crafty front, I’ve discovered the very fiddly, very minute practice of MINI-HEXIES!!!

Squeeee – Mini Hexies along with my pink template!

Oh, aren’t they sweet little things! They’re the perfect excuse not to get rid of the tiniest little scrap of fabric…

I’m off to make more….

Happy Sewing! xx