And Sew On - I Like Big Stash

I've been working on the final And Sew On blocks from Kristy at Quiet Play.  This is August's block, entitled I Like Big Stash.  I wish I really did have a cupboard full of fabric and that it was as organised as this one!

Before I'd sewn the sections together, I couldn't see how this would work at all.  It didn't look like anything, let alone what it was supposed to.  But then, as if by magic, it transformed!

The piles of fabric used some very tiny pieces, but they weren't difficult at all.  There was one part that I resewed 4 times as I kept putting it on upside down!  I think it was one of those pieces of floor...

If this was my stash cupboard, it would be my Bonnie and Camilla stash cupboard, so I'd have to have others for the rest of my fabrics.

Oh, I wanted to show you a tool I use when paper piecing.  One of my guild mates laughed at me, but I actually find it really useful for smoothing down the pieces when paper piecing and especially for pressing seams open with patchwork.  It is just so much easier on small pieces than a massive great big iron.

I tihnk it's a Clover Mini Iron, but I might be wrong.  Finally, I have a shot of the back of my block. Just because...

Related posts

block 1 - Measure Twice
block 2 - disaster
block 2 - You little ripper

block 3 - Spoolin' Around
block 4 - Snip It Real Good
block 5 - All About The Iron
block 6 - A Stitch in Time
Block 7 - Rotary Cutter

looming again

I've had these pictures saved in a post since I went on holiday in August, I don't know why I was saving them and didn't just write a post about them!  It's more looming.  I know I promised to show you how to set up the loom and why it's so great, but I still haven't done that - maybe that's why I was saving them.

I made an extra loom bracelet of a design I'd made up myself.  What I didn't consider, and what I still haven't checked, is whether I have a ribbon end of the right size to attach to this!

What do you think?  I used a turquoise (beads I stole from my mum!), aqua, purple and a lovely copper that was part of a mix.  I'll have to track down some copper size 11s as I love them.  I used nymo thread to do the weaving.

It took me ages to tie all the ends together and then tie them in groups so they lay flat!

I tied each thread in pairs first, with its neighbour to the left and to the right, then into three groups. I hope that will be secure enough.  You can see here that the turquoise beads are a tad bigger than the others, despite all being 11s.  It makes the bracelet slightly wavy, but I don't think you'll notice when it's curved round my wrist.

Before I whipped that one up, I made another small, 7-bead wide bracelet using one of the patterns from the class.

It's a little bit dull with all that white.  I'm not sure what would make it better though.

Writing this post has made me itch to do a bit more looming... maybe I'll even remember to take those photos I promised!

Diddy little tiny petite box

Before I start, I just wanted to say hello to my new readers.  Wendy, I am unable to reply to you as you are a no-reply blogger and when I clicked on your name to take me to your blog, it came up with an empty Google + page.  For those of you that don't know, if you join Google+, you become a no-reply blogger and no-one can find your blog!  If you've left me a message and I haven't replied, it's because I can't find you.

Anyway, good morning ladies.  I have a quadruple whammy for you today!  I have completed another item from my Wipocalypse list, I have completed a project for my Craft Book Challenge, I have an item to link to Fiona's New To Me in 2013 linky AND I have something to enter for Craftbuds Craft Book Month!

Today's project came from Little Beaded Boxes by Julia S. Pretl.  Little yes, easy? NO!  I had numerous problems with this little beaded box, unfortunately I didn't think to take photos until near the end.  You start with the base, no problem.  Then there's the sides, also no problem.  Then you get to the hem.  Now, the instructions are not very clear at all.  I completed the sides and then attempted to make the hem.  After I'd ripped it out for the third time as it clearly wasn't right, I realised that you didn't complete the sides, you left 2 rows undone, then made the hem, then came back to the sides.

It was also at this point I realised I didn't have enough white beads.  The pattern calls for Miyuki Delicas in size 11 which I'd been using.  They fit together perfectly.  I got on Ebay and ordered a load more.  Except I didn't.  I ordered Miyuki beads, not Delicas.  I blame Ebay as I'd searched for Delicas so what was it doing putting non-Delicas in the results?  After beading 3 rows of hem, I realised it wasn't right.  I dispatched Mr CA to the Bead Shop to buy more Delicas.

See the difference?  The ones on the left are Miyuki sead beads and they're round.  The ones on the right are Miyuki Delicas and they're tubular.

Fourth time lucky and I completed the box.  The author says the hem is the most important part of the box, yet her instructions for that part are rubbish.  The rest of the instructions are good though and the little boxes are lovely.

Wondering what this hem I keep harping on about is?  See below, see the rope like rows of beads at the top?  That's the hem  It's to stop the sides flopping so much and to give something for the lid to sit on. 

The beading is done using a beading needle and Fireline, a clear plastic thread that is very durable.  The actual beading is very relaxing, I enjoyed most of this box, just not the whole hem-debacle which took me about 4 days!  Overall it took 2 weeks to make this, but that's evenings only, after work for an hour or so, and half that time was probably unpicking!

To be honest, I amazed myself with my patience.  I'd like to think the next box will be easier as I now understand the hem.  Next box?  Yep, I know I'm crazy but I want to make another.  I just have to buy some Delicas and find a bead weaving use for all the Miyuki seed beads I bought!

The finials and the feet are made with ordinary beads and I chose these crackle-effect ones from  my stash.  They have a ring of seed beads around them and I did get to use the Miyuki ones as it called for round seed beads!

This box is very diddy.  I'm not sure what I'll use it for, maybe nothing.  Maybe it will just sit on the mantelpiece and remind me I do have some patience.  Oh, I haven't explained the "little".  It's 2" across and 2" high.  Yep, tiny.

If you want to see more of the projects I've completed from Craft Books, hop over to my Craft Book Challenge page where I've listed my 174 (yep, I know!) craft books.  Next to each one, if I've completed a project from it I have listed it and most of those are clickable to see the blog post.  

Now to find something non-beading to do!

My own personal disaster story

Morning ladies.  I realised I hadn't done an update on my tumble-down house.  The building work is all done now and we only have some painting to do once the plaster is dry.  Oh, and the entire kitchen to fit, paint and tile.  Do you want to see how it came about?

I'm following up from my last post on the subject, so if you missed it and want to see how bad it was before, click on that link.  The photo above is the corner of the dining room.  We now have a doorway leading to the cellar where once there was just a wall with a humungous crack in it.  

This view from the kitchen shows the new lintel.  The one before was wood (I think) and very bowed.

This is the kitchen ceiling, above the doorway in the previous post.  There was an empty crisp packet up there, an early Walkers one.  Maybe I should have sold it on ebay, could be worth a fortune, after all it was "vintage".

Here's the entry from the kitchen to the dining room now clad in plaster board.  

And from the other side of the doorway.

Of course, they filled that hole (not sure if the crisp packet is still up there or not...)

Then they plastered and put in the door frames.  It looks so much better already.  The pre-plaster that they put on was the smelliest thing on earth. It stank of wee and as it was the kitchen, dining room and both hall ways, the entire house stank of wee.  Delightful.

And here it is all plastered and waiting to be painted and have the doors fitted.  I'm going to wait to do that until the kitchen is fitted.  I've only removed the brick dust from the main areas as we don't see the point in doing a massive clean only to have the plasterers round and then the kitchen-fitter sawing wood and stuff.  Now I just have to wait, there's been a bit of an issue with the fitter and getting it done could take some time.  I'm trying not to cry about it too much.

Alphabet Chart - DONE!

I bet you are all very relieved to see this blog post title - that's it, you'll never have to read about this damn project again!  This is number 14. -  Alphabet chart on the list.  In the comments some have you have called it a quilt, others a book and I realised I'd never actually explained.  It's neither.  It is to be hung on a wall, like the poster versions most kids have.  Want to see it?

I've just realised I never measured it.  Well I must have to cut the interfacing and backing fabric, but I didn't write it down.  Each square was 6", I sewed with a 1/4" seam allowance, making each square 5.5" x 6 across = 33" wide, and 5 tall = 27.5" high.

I took some closer up photos as it's hard to see on the top photo where I was standing on a sofa!

Have you got a favourite square?  Any letters where you would have done a different image?  Do you know what the orange blob is yet Samantha?

I like the rabbit best, but then you already knew that.

I kind of wish I'd kept track of how many hours I put into this project, it was a lot, I can tell you that.  I started it about 3 years ago!

Here it is without the letters added on.  I was also sewing up a little drawstring bag to keep the letters in and, would you believe it, I got it wrong.  I completely messed it up and haven't had a chance to remake it.  It's my goddaughter's birthday on Saturday and I'm not sure when I'm seeing her but I might not have time to make a new one!

Oh, almost forgot!  I twin-needled!  Oh yeah baby.  It's actually really easy, just like normal sewing.  I used pink and yellow threads with white in the bobbin.

I backed it with this very appropriate fabric that I bought about 3 years ago for this alphabet chart and have been sitting on every since.  Phew, I'm exhausted, pass the coffee someone!


Related Posts

A, B, C, D, E, F and G
H and I
K, L and M
J
P, R, S, U
T, Y, Z
X and N
O and W
V and Q

And Sew On - rotary cutter

It's now September and I've just finished July's block for the And Sew On BOM, hosted by Kristy at Quiet Play.  I actually made this block in August and intended to make August's block but had forgotten to print it out and my printer, along with my computer, is currently residing under half a ton of brick dust (oh! the building work is finished!  I must remember to post some photos... still got the kitchen to install though so I'm still living like a student and the house is still a mess).  So I made July's block first.

Ta dah!

No failures.  I'm sorry, I know that makes me a very boring blogger.  Like Kristy, I intend to do all the hand sewing at the end, embroidering details like the lines on the cutting mat (the green square above).

This involved a lot of tiny pieces, but that's fine, I quite like that.  It's big angles I can't do!  I found this block easier than the first block.

Oh yes, one slight oops with a seam allowance.  I just added an extra bit in.  It will mostly disappear in the seam allowance of the finished hanging anyway and if anyone does notice and point it out I'll just call them a loser and bury them in brick dust.

I'm halfway through August's block, just got to get some time to sew, then Septembers incredibly complex block and then the finished "thing"!  Don't get too excited ladies, you know what I'm like at finishing stuff... it'll be on next years WIP list!


Related posts

block 1 - Measure Twice
block 2 - disaster
block 2 - You little ripper

block 3 - Spoolin' Around
block 4 - Snip It Real Good
block 5 - All About The Iron
block 6 - A Stitch in Time

The last of the squares

I have finally finished all the applique on the alphabet chart squares!  

I'm not going to make you guess as I know it's a hard game!  This is V for vase.  Hopefully it will be more obvious which is which when it's all stitched together in alphabetical order!  My original plan was to embroider daisies, but I decided the buttons were more in keeping with the rest of the chart.

This is Q, that's meant to be a quilt.  I started off doing a Queen but her face was ridiculous.  I threw her away and then realised I couldn't find the rest of the 6" squares I'd been using for this chart so the style of the backing fabric is a bit different for this one.

More letters were made... see, that one that someone thought was an orange blob is actually the number 9!

I really quite like that ladybird.  The matching fabric on the kite square and the K was an accident...

The end is just so close...



Related Posts

A, B, C, D, E, F and G
H and I
K, L and M
J
P, R, S, U
T, Y, Z
X and N
O and W