scrap buckets

So, we're 13 days into the month, I've signed up for more challenges than you could shake a stick at (not true, you could shake a stick at hundreds of challenges) and... I've completed my second of the month!  This months Rainbow Scrap Challenge is green and I have made my green scrap bucket.

First though, you have to look at my purple scrap bucket.  It's compulsory.  I showed you the improv wonky log cabin blocks I made last month (intentionally wonky!), I sewed them together, added some height and width, quilted it and sewed it into another bucket.

All of my buckets are the same size, they start as 13" x 33" panels, are sewn with a 1/2" seam and the bottom corners are boxed at 3".  I'll let you do the maths!

They are all quilted with a piece of fusible fleece, then I add some firm interfacing and make up the bucket.  I then make another lining, this one is an old pillow case (I'm not wasting expensive quilting cottons on a scrap bucket - other than for the outside of course!).

They all also have a hanging tag so I can hang them at a later date when I've had the chance to sort my craft room out and have something to hang them from.

Here he is, filled with all my ironed scraps.  Yep, I iron them.  Only as I make each scrap bucket, the reds and yellows are all crumpled and stuffed in bags.  I find it pretty easy to iron new scraps I make before adding them to the bags and it makes it a lot easier to find and use them.

So here's Mr Green.  For the outside, I tried doing a jelly roll race.  Not with a jelly roll, just with longish scraps I had.  I cut them to 2.5" wide and sewed them end to end to make a very long strip.

It was supposed to be a leader and ender project, but I got carried away!  I then sewed along the lengths, cut, sewed, cut...  It was quick and fun to do, but I messed up a bit as you can see there is rather a large patch of that animal print above, and half of it is upside down!

I tried to line this with an old skirt lining.  Well no, I didn't TRY to line it, I did line it, but I'm not sure if it's green.  In some lights it looks dark khaki, in others it looks brown.  We'll call it khaki!

4 scrap buckets down, only yellow, red, black, grey, brown and white to go... then I have to start the solids.

sparkly!

A couple of weekends ago, me and my wonderful mum went to a jewellery class at The Bead Shop Nottingham.  It was Swarovski and twin beads.  I've only ever used Tila beads, so was looking forward to this.  For the uninitiated, twin beads are seed beads (the diddy little ones) with 2 holes, this makes them an oval shape.  Tila beads have 2 holes too, but they are square and flat.

We made this bangle.  Or rather, I made this bangle, everyone else made their own bangles.  I found the most gorgeous Swarovski crystals in the boxes our tutor put out for us, I knew I had to use them, even though I'd gone into the class with the idea of making a purple bangle.

I went for clear AB twin beads (AB just means sparkly!) and chose a purple seed bead, size 11/0, to match.  The bangle is reversible, above you can see the little domes made by the twin beads and the seed beads.

And this is the other side which shows off the crystals better.  In all fairness, these photos are CRAP so it's really hard to make out, but sparkly crystals and AB beads are a real pain to photograph.  Ah well, just imaging a sparkly bracelet, done that?  Good, that's what I made!

An early ALYOF finish!

My goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes this month was to make 6 blocks for my Bluebird Park quilt (I'm #60 on the goal link up).  If you haven't heard me mention this quilt before, it's because I haven't!  I bought a charm pack a while ago with a couple of FQs. Then I bought some half metres of the bunnies. Then half metres of the sketch-type fabric.  Then some more FQs.  Enough was enough, clearly I love this line, so time to make something with it.  Some of the bunnies will be put aside for the bunny quilt.

I don't have a pattern for this. I'm kind of winging it. I knew I wanted to show off some of the charms, so thought I'd start with some star-type blocks.  After cutting the fabrics for 8 blocks, I thought I'd have a play around before committing to a block.  Above we have option 1.

This is option 2, these are both sort of like Economy blocks, but a bit different.

Here is the original idea of a star.  I was going to have solid corner blocks, but the HSTs sort of happened!

And a star with the corners turned round.  At this point I was going to publish these photos and ask you which option you thought I should go for.  In the meantime I laid all the cut parts (the flying geese and the HSTs had been pieced) on the floor in the star formation and I knew that was the one.  So I sewed.

Phew, it takes a long time to piece 8 of these babies!

I now need a plan for the rest of the quilt  There's a gorgeous floral fabric, but it needs big pieces to really see it, so I'm thinking of having  some squares of that in the quilt.  These blocks are 8" finished, I'm thinking of sashing them to make the 10".  I also thought I might sash everything, but having gone online I can't find a single shop that has enough of one of the sketchy prints left - other than shops charging £3.50 an FQ!!  I'm going to make some more block - no idea what!!  Then I'll see.  If it needs sashing, I might pick a Kona or Klona to use.

Anyway, that was my long winded way of saying that, even though it's early in the month, I've smashed my ALYOF goal!

fabric

Yep, I've been shopping again!  It's all Kerry's fault.  OK well maybe not all her fault as she only sent me links to one lot of fabric.  And OK, I did ask her too... but I can't blame myself!  I followed the link she sent to Hulu where I found these Bunny Hill Jubilee fat quarters and had to buy them in grey and purple.  

See the cute little bunnies?  Whilst I was there, some Kate Spain Daydream metre cuts fell into my basket.  Yes, they fell!

Then the Quilt and Stitch Villagein Uttoxeter happened.  Oh, I could probably blame Kerry for this too as she was with me and did purposely put one of the FQs right into my hands!

There was some non-bunny fabric bought.  At the top are essential blenders, half yard cuts that were too barganious to say no too, and a full metre of the text print from Littlest which I bought at Pin It and Stitch.  The Polka dots were £3 for half a metre, you can't say no to that, and the other FQs were all on sale too.

Unfortunately, most of the bunny fabric wasn't...  The two left hand prints are from Quiltessential, the grey one is a print I believed to only be available in Canada so despatched the ever-helpful Sandra on a mission to find it.  Sandra, I've found it!  I bought an FQ of Wee Wander, even though there's only a small bunny on it, a couple of ric-rac bunnies prints (one of which I discovered I already had) and that cute green one at the front which was scandalously expensive but once I'd seen it, I had to have it!

I also had a little help from my friends!  Kerry dug out the bunny panel at the top and the cute red print of the flying bunnies (OK, they're probably hopping, but they look like they're flying!), and the lovely Ange gave me a full FQ of the one on the left and the scrap of pink with bunnies in buckets.  Thanks ladies!

So here's the full collection so far.  I believe I counted 39 FQs.  I think, think, that means I have enough for a quilt... BUT the rainbow isn't complete so I'll collect a few more, but be more restrained on the colour (yeah right!).  Now, I spotted the bunny on a scooter at the show and wasn't sure if I had it, I looked up my post on my blog and saw I did.  What follows is really for me, so I can check it if I'm out and about, or online shopping and need to know if I already have a print.  Feel free to go and do something less boring instead (Why Don't You reference for the Brits of a certain age).

Blues - plenty of aqua, and pale blue, possibly need more darker blues/teals.

Enough cream and pale yellow, possibly a darker yellow and another hue of orange.

Green - not sure, there's a decent range there, but it doesn't feel complete.

Greys and whites are well covered.

A darker purple is needed, as are red-based purples.

Good on the reds, not bad on the pinks, but need a pale shade and a brighter one.

And these are the scraps I've found/been given.  

Related Posts

where it all began
a present
more bunny fabric
who bought those?

Craft Book Review - Adding Layers

Good morning.  I have another book review for you today, and a massive failure!

Today I'm going to review Adding Layers: Color, Design & Imagination (affiliate link - if you do click over and buy something, I'll get a few pence towards an Amazon voucher).

image source Amazon

I was given a review copy of the book by C&T Publishing however this review and all opinions are 100% my own, I was not told what to say.

This book contains 15 projects, broken down into 3 sections - Working the Stash, Working with Templates, Working with Scale.  The book opens with a few pages of general quilting information, then has some advice and tips on working with templates and speciality rulers.  This information was quite interesting to me, as I've never worked with either before.

Kathy starts each pattern with a bit of an explanation of why she chose that block and fabrics, then moves right on into the instructions.  I have to be honest, this quilt is not for a beginner and I was a little out of my depth.  But you know me, I jump right in with both feet.  I chose to make a Follow the Sun block from the first section, thinking it could be my purple block for the RSC.

It didn't quite work out.  I followed the cutting instructions and cut out the fabrics using two templates.  I then cut out the centre.  To do so, I had to draw and cut a circle of a certain size.  I do not own a pair of compasses.  I stalked around the house, tape measure in hand, until I found a round object of the correct diameter.  I can't help thinking they could have included a circle template.  Now, I'm pretty sure the experienced quilters amongst you can see what went wrong...

Yep, that circle was too small.  Or rather my pieced ring was too big.  I suspect it was sloppy seams.

I tried giving it a good press to make it work.   Yep, good move Wendy, it looks perfect now (!)

I need to unpick and resew some of those seams.  Some hints and tips in the book for perfecting that stage would have been extremely welcome.

So not a success for me.  Having said that, I do like the patterns in the book and think that a more advances quilter could make some beautiful quilts using the patterns provided.  I'm going to put this one back on the shelf (or back in the folder on my computer) and come back to it in a couple of years when I'm (hopefully) a more competent quilter.


Book stats:

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Stash Books (7 Feb 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607058472
• ISBN-13: 978-1607058472
• Product Dimensions: 25.3 x 20.7 x 1.1 cm

Disclaimer:

I was given a review copy of the book by C&T Publishing however this review and all opinions are 100% my own, I was not told what to say.  Amazon links are affiliate links.

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Craft book review - Jewelry for All Seasons
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May Goals

So, with April declared a success, it's time to see what May will bring.

Needlequest

This month is blackwork.  That means it's time to put on my big-girl pants, get out my Save the Stitches and start again, stitching over 2 this time. 


Sew Kitschy paper piecing bom 

This month we have a fab food mixer, I want to make this as another trivet (we love the two I've already made, but can't wash them fast enough!), and also last month's teapot as another coffee mat.


2014 FAL 

A quick reminder of what's on the Follow Along List:

1. Chair cushions for dining room - done

2. Finish the latch hook - not looking as unlikely as it did at the beginning of April

Edited to add: Please, please, please, please do NOT refer to this as a "Union Jack" in my earshot.  It is NOT a Union Jack.  I have NO plans to take this on a ship and hang it from the mast.  This is a major bugbear for me.  It's called the Union Flag.  It is only a Union Jack on a ship

3. Silhouettes x stitch - getting close to finishing, hopefully this month


4. Jacob's quilt - this needs quilting and binding.  I have finally ordered a new darning foot so some FMQ on this will be happening soon!

5. Mosaic tray.  Come on Wendy, a bit of grout and a splash of paint, you can get this off the list!

Something Old, Something New

"Old" - I WILL finish the silhouettes cross stitch.  It kind of has to happen as it's for Father's day in June.

"New" - again, I'm going to wait and see what I feel like making/doing!

Something New for 2014

I hope to join in again this month, let's wait and see. 

A Lovely Year of Finishes

For this month's ALYOF, I'm going to crack open something new.  I have these wonderful Bluebird Park fabrics and a charm pack and it's time to make a decision on blocks and make a quilt!  Clearly not all this month.  I intend to make the final decision and piece together at least 6 of the blocks for this.  Not too onerous.

Craft Book Sew along

I'm not going to nominate the books I'll use in advance, I'll wait and see what happens.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge

This month is green, I'm going to carry on making scrap buckets for each colour.

Smalls SAL

I'll add a companion to Mr Colin Bunny, but I'm also hoping to do some more on Quilty Stitches.

Sampler Along

This month it's canvas work.  I really, really fancy a go at this challenge, but let's see if I have time.


Related Posts

April review
April goals
March review
March goals
February review 1
February review 2
February review 3
February goals
January review

coffee matt

I actually made this coffee matt weeks ago.  I tend to take photos of whatever I've made or is in progress at the weekends when there is some natural light as I work full time.  I upload them to the computer and drop them into blank posts - you may have realised I tend to only blog about one thing at a time.  I find it easier to find things I've blogged about that way (after all this is an on-line making diary as much as anything) and I find other people's posts with multiple projects/subjects hard to digest sometimes.  I then schedule the posts, roughly 2 days apart, and then write them as and when I get a chance.  I'm not sure why I suddenly felt the need to share that with you, but I did!

Anyway, coffee mat.  My coffee machine has a little hole in the bottom of the tray.  There is another tray that fits inside but it means my little jug doesn't fit under the nozzle so I take it out.  Hence the need for a mat (I also stuff a j-cloth inside but it doesn't stop a bit of mess).  I made some a while ago, but they're all stained now so I'm replacing them.

I found this block on Pinterest, I just had a look at my boards and can't find it, apologies if I've used your tutorial and not credited you, though I didn't use the tutorial, I could see how to make it from the picture.  I drew a quick sketch and coloured it  in to follow as I sewed.

I had a charm pack of Java, I've had it for years, since I first started sewing, and decided it was time to use it.  I like the little coffee bean print.

This was pretty easy to make and my points aren't too bad!  I sewed it right-sides together with a piece cut out of an old tea towel, then turned - no binding.  It's 12" square.

Some quick straight line quilting either side of the seams to keep the layers together.

And we're done!  Only problem...

...with the coffee machine on top, you can barely see my lovely piecing!