Slow Going

It's been summer holidays here so I've had both my lovelies home with me during the days, and it feels like time for me has become a thing of the past. Sewing has been slow this summer.

Looking back I have managed real progress on a few projects though.

My quilt for my sister's really coming along, over 18 months since I agreed to make one.

                                    

I've finally finished my butterfly from mud, pies and pins off, and now have a finished cushion for my husband's grandma.


I've even got a back made and a border chosen for my winter geese cushion

Partly this progress was because I snuck a couple for days home alone by taking annual leave and sending the kids to childcare anyway (bad mummy!).

However, it's also thanks to a a blog post from Ellison Lane, Girl interrupted. Somehow I'd been imagining that all these amazing creative people must have peace and quiet to focus on their crafting. How do they do it? Do they have time alone in the house? Can their kids entertain themselves for more than ten minutes without fighting? Do they have super human powers in organisation or the energy levels of a 5 year old?

Girl interrupted had some of the answers. Its about learning to work in a way that I can do a little and often around the rest of my home life. So I've worked out where to keep my cutting mat and rotary cutter so I can sneak in a few cuts without risking the kids reaching when I turn my back, I've found a spot to leave my ironing board up, so I can leave my work out, and press a little if need be, and biggest change of all, I've got the machine out and sewed while the kids have been playing.

One lovely side effect of this is that they've been enjoying this. The little one's chosen scraps and made me sew up some pockets to play with, while my lads been displaying his favourite scraps art gallery style to show his daddy.

 I'm totally sold on it.

Small Things

It's that time of the month again... yep, that's right. Le-Challenge is open, and this month the theme is small. 

As I've got a few big quilts I really should be getting on with, I chose to go for a small make. I had a few scraps of Indigo Crossing collection, which I'd been planning on giving to the kids for collage,  and chose the lovely English Paper Piecing pattern from Mud Pies and Pins . 

I thought maybe It was a bit of a cop out trying the 3" butterfly, but to be honest the individual pieces were small enough for me - it really pushed my abilities. The stitches may be a little clumsy in places, but if you take a step back from it you really don't notice.

One of the nicest things about a small make was how little time it took  - the actual butterfly was done on a afternoon at my mates house while our pre-schoolers entertained each others. Bliss!

I appliqued it to a light blue polka dot, added my 2nd ever attempt at embroidery (please be kind!) then used a few larger scraps of the Indigo Crossing to make the back. Some stuffing a a bit of whipstitch later and my mini cushion was done.

The question now though, is what on earth do I do with a pillow that's 4 by 5 inches?


If you haven't already, consider popping over to Le Challenge and see what other lovely small things have been finished up this month. There are already a few cuties to see.

Feather

Well over 12 months ago, I won a cute selection of charms from Pile O Fabric (thanks Alyssa!) and had a go at an improv feather. Ever since then the poor thing's been sat at the bottom of a pile of half finished bits and pieces. 

Last week I had a good old clear out, and there it was, right where I left it, just a little more wrinkly. In need of a rescue. 

So, some starch, spray baste and a little hand sewing later and here it is. my feather cushion.

I wanted to keep the quilting simple (and quick) so it's got a double line of green around the feather, just incase that hand stitching doesn't hold, and some nice wavy lines following the horizontal lines in the background print.






The left over batting I used is a cheap and cheerful offcut from my first quilt, and the high loft has given a lovely bumpy texture, great for hugging




You might have noticed there are no pictures of the zip.....

All in all, I think it's safe to say I need a bit more practise here. It's not pretty. I definitely need better idea of what I'm looking for when buying zips, more consideration of colour and maybe a good tutorial or three to get me started.

Thankfully, the zip ugliness is nicely hidden from view when the cushion's resting in it's new home, so it won't be spoiling my enjoyment one bit.

Linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, and also Can i get whoop whoop  at confessions of a fabric addict. Thanks for the linky parties - knowing a few people might pop by and take a peek at what I've made keeps me motivated!




(the spaghetti sauce wielding other half failed to stain this one, but the 'it's a cushion' comment I got from him was distinctly underwhelming. Thank goodness for crafty friends and crafty online spaces!)

x

Summer hats

I'm so proud. I've made my first ever items of clothing!

Okay, so it's a couple of reversible bucket hats for my boy, but it's turned a worn out pair of jeans and couple of fat quarters into something we'll use all summer. Happy me. Thanks to Kitsch Bitsch for the tutorial

Here are some pics:

The boy's happy too, despite raging tonsillitis. I love calpol even more than fabric.

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Winner

Thanks for all the great help with background choices guys! 

With the help of a random number generator (called Dave), we have a winner.

   'in response to I really like #4 right off the bat since the butterfly really pops out (the charcoal head does get a tiny bit lost but maybe some embroidery to bring it out). #5 is close but the pattern blends into the wings sometimes. But I may be bias because I think a navy pillow would look perfect on my cream colored couch in my charcoal grey living room ;) Thanks for the chance!, by Jules.'

  By coincidence this was the comment that tipped me over into choosing Navy, too.  The embroidery idea took hold and I'm sure will be used again when the fabric in my stash isn't quite right. a new skill to learn and a way to save the pennies = a win/win situation.


I'll be sure to add a picture here once I hear from Jules about how she'd like her prize

Le Challenge: Nature

Butterfly in Blue

Hello to anyone coming over from Le Challenge, Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day or Life Under Quilts! Here' my butterfly in Blue. Le Challenge's theme this month was Nature - a few spring time family walks and the release of this lovely EPP pattern by Mud Pies and Pins coincided nicely and my theme was chosen. I wanted a delicate floaty feeling, so used some a liberty lawn scrap pack, but ran out part way through. Not great planning, but it did mean had to have a proper think about how to bring in a different style of fabric. I decided to make more of a contrast between the two wings, as the front and back often look different in real life. I found this love volume print in my stash where I could align the prints along the wing. I got totally stuck on what background to use - in my mind I'd wanted a soft green print with lots of movement, as if it were flying in the spring grass, but nothing I had quite fitted the bill. Thanks to the comments from the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway visitors I decided on the navy, and here's the finished article. (Giveaway closed 16 May, Thanks to Jules for the super helpful comment - check your inbox!)

Blue Butterfly

I did a bit of hand quilting to keep it all together.

A super helpful commenter also suggested embroidery to try and stop the butterfly's head disappearing into the background, so I gave it a go. I kept it fairly subtle with a pale blue thread (blanket stitch, if I recall school home ecc classes properly). I may need to learn to do a bit more -  it was a great 'sitting in the garden watching my wee one on her bike' kind of activity.

Hand Quilting and Embroidery Detail

The giveway's still open, but as soon as it's closed and the winner picked I can finish this up completely

Winner choice is

• Butterfly cushion, or
• Butterfly wall hanging, or
• 2 of the fat quarters below.

Blue and White

Blue Flowers

Ditzy Red Print

One's things for sure - I really enjoyed this little project and I will need to make more butterflies. I can picture a meadow full of small ones hanging in my kitchen

Butterfly Backgrounds

IT's Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day and I've got no time to enter any giveaways so thought I might do one instead. (so please excuse awful last minute pics) Giveaway closed, 16 May - thanks to Jules for your very helpful comments and easy to find email address -check your inbox!

I'm mid-way through a cushion cover / wall hanging featuring a butterfly from a mudpies and pins pattern and am totally stuck with my background choices. 

Would you pop on over and find me on instagram at blair_girl2, then come back here and let me know which background fabric you like best and why?  The most helpful comment or the one I like most will get the choice of a a couple of the left over FQs or the finished cushion or wall hanging, whichever you'd prefer!

I'm hoping to link up to Le Challenge on the 15th May, so I need to get busy sewing!