Le Jardin Quilt - Completed!

Hooray!! I have made it down the final stretch and have finished my Le Jardin Quilt. (A free pattern designed for the Girls Own Stitching Club by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly Designs).  I am so pleased with the finished quilt.  I have enjoyed every step of making it from embroidering the pretty designs to choosing the fabrics (all Tilda!) to piecing, quilting and binding it!

I did have to enlist a little help in the form of my son and his girlfriend regarding the choice of binding fabric and  they did a good job because I think the binding is just right!

I would just like to say a big 'Thank you' to Bronwyn Hayes for her lovely designs and her generosity for sharing this quilt free on her website.

Hope you like the finished quilt as much as I do! I've just noticed while I was looking at these photos that I haven't added the buttons I said I was going to.  I'll have to audition them to see if I like them or whether I'll just leave it as it is! 

A lovely new book!

Just popping in to share with you a lovely new book that I have just received!

I saw this book a little while ago on Amazon and I was immediately drawn to the quilt on the front cover. I love the modern style and clean, fresh colours. I also like the hand stitching, so I ordered it for myself!

The book is called 'Playful Petals' and is written by Corey Yoder.  Now I have been able to browse through the pages and look at the other projects in the book, I am very glad that I have a copy!!  It uses some very simple applique techniques to make some beautiful quilts and pillows. I think I will be making a project from this in the very near future!

Hope you all have a happy St George's day!

'Le Jardin' Quilt... some progress!

Hello, today I thought I would share with you the progress I have made on my 'Le Jardin' Quilt. (A free pattern designed and shared by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly designs).  Since you last saw it  I have added the borders. These included some appliqued heart designs in the corner squares.

I did not follow the finishing instructions to the letter, as I did not add the ric rac embellishment suggested and, I only appliqued one heart shape in each of the corners. Instead of adding the second appliqued heart, I added a small embroidered flower to each of the heart shapes.

Next, I cut a piece of backing fabric and some batting and was ready to baste the three quilt layers together.  This time, instead of pinning with safety pins, tacking with my tack gun or sewing lines of basting stitches, I decided to use individual stitches (like the tailor tacks used in dress making) placed here and there to hold the layers together for quilting. They were easy to put in and, I think they may be easier to take out once the quilt is finished and I love saving time when I can! I'll let you know how they work out!

I then quilted in the ditch between the pieces of the individual blocks.  I carried the straight lines of quilting out to the edge of the border pieces.  I didn't over quilt it as I did not want to spoil the embroidered panels.  I am happy with it so far.

Next I need to choose some fabric and cut strips for binding it. When the binding is finished, all the tacks have been removed and the threads are tidied up, I am also going to add a few buttons here and there.  Hopefully it won't be too long now before it is finished!!

Ruby Cottage

I am pleased to report that I have tried out my new light box and it works very well.  I now have the design for Ruby Cottage (a pretty little design by Gail Pan) transferred to my background fabric and all ready to be stitched.

I have even tried to start stitching it a couple of times but, I think the physical and mental energy I have used moving home has finally caught up with me. Every time I sit down for some relaxing stitching I fall asleep! Perhaps I'll have more to show you next week!

Thank you for visiting and I wish you all a wonderful Easter weekend! 

A new tool

As quite a number of the projects I have been working on recently have included stitchery and, I have really enjoyed stitching the hand embroidery, I decided to invest in a helpful new tool to make transferring the embroidery designs across to the background fabric easier. I ordered myself a light box and it arrived on Monday.

Now, of course, I am impatient to try it out, so I looked out a pretty little embroidery pattern that I have had waiting to be made for some time.  It is a another cute little pattern designed by Gail Pan called 'Ruby Cottage'.  

I love Gail's pretty cottage patterns (I'm secretly hoping she writes a book dedicated just to her cottage designs!) and, this one is no exception!  In the pattern Gail makes the stitched design into a small wall hanging but as it's finished size is 16 x 16 inches, it is the perfect size to make into a cushion and, that is what I am going to do!  I just need to pick out a background fabric and then try out my new light box to transfer the design for stitching.

It will make a perfect companion to this cushion which I made a few years ago and is sitting nicely in my new house!  I'll keep you up to date with my progress!!

Thank you for visiting me!

Completing 'Le Jardin Quilt'

Now that everything has been unpacked and put into place, I am in a position to finish the beautiful free project designed by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly Designs for the Girls Own Stitching Club called 'Le Jardin Quilt'. Before I left Switzerland I had finished the nine individual blocks and had put them to one side until I was in a position to work on them again.

All my beautiful Tilda fabrics are now available for me to pick out fabrics for the border, binding and backing. So many to choose from, which one shall I pick?

You may recall I finished the last block only a week or two before moving. Since then I have printed off the instructions for finishing off the quilt.

The next stage was piecing together the nine individual blocks into one central panel which, I had the chance to do this weekend.

Now I need to add the borders, make a 'quilt sandwich' with the batting and backing, quilt the layers together, trim it up and finally, add the binding and any embellishments to the quilt. It shouldn't take too long and I am looking forward to showing you the finished quilt!

Hurray!!

Look what has just arrived in the post to coincide with my sewing space being ready to use! 

The latest issue of Vignette.  I love this magazine produced by Leanne Beasley of Leanne's House and, I have been waiting very patiently for my copy of issue 11, as I am excited to continue making Leanne's beautiful four-part quilt called 'Mrs Beasley's Sampler Quilt'.

I loved working on Block One, which consisted of piecing together mini blocks to make one larger block, adding some applique and then embroidering some delightful butterflies and flowers over the top.

I have sorted out the fabric pieces I carefully prepared for Block Two last time and I can't wait to get started!!

Two weeks later....

So here we are exactly two weeks since we took possession of our new house and I am almost finished with the unpacking.  My sewing area is looking quite nice although I am sure there will be some rearranging of ornaments and maybe small pieces of furniture both here and, throughout the house, until I am happy that it is as I want it.  Everything apart from a few very small bits and pieces has been unpacked and I am feeling quite pleased with how everything has fitted in.

This huge pile of cartons and packing paper is due to be collected on Wednesday.  Once it has gone I shall be able to give everywhere a good clean and I will start to feel more at home!

I am hoping to start some new projects very soon.  I have missed my sewing time and I can't wait to get started again!

Hopefully next time I will have a new needlework project to show you!!

My first post from England!

Good morning!! This is my first post from a lovely sunny England! This is the new view I have from the top of the road when I walk the dogs to the park. 

It has been a very busy time but, we have been in our new home a week now and so far, so good!  There are still quite a few boxes here and there to unpack but, progress is being made!

Inevitably, I haven't had time for any stitching since I arrived as I have been too busy unpacking boxes!!

However, I did treat myself to a lovely new magazine to read in the evenings when I have unpacked enough boxes for the day!!  It is called 'Your Handmade Home' and is a very pretty magazine with lots of lovely ideas.  It is published by 'Immediate Media' who also publish a number of other lovely magazines.

I have also been reading my a few of my favourite blogs when I have the odd quiet moment and I found a really cute tutorial over at Sandra's lovely blog 'Cherry Heart'.

When I have finished unpacking my sewing area and have located my crochet hooks I think I am going to make a couple of bunnies!  Hopefully it will be in time for Easter!!