Blousy Blooms Pillow Cushion [Hidden Zipper + Pointy Corner Removal Tutes]

Haven't done any #selfishsewing in quite a while so took a day off from the computer (writing blog posts, tutorials, newsletter and sewing patterns) at the end of last week to have an afternoon at the sewing machine.

Everything Stops For Tea

Oh, the factories may be roaring with a boom-a-lacka, zoom-a-lacka, wee,

But there isn't any roar when the clock strikes four, everything stops for tea

Jack Buchanan, 1935

Time to share a few more project photos from last year that I've found still on the camera.  This time, it's kitchen accessories - oven gloves, tea cosies and trimmed towels - last Christmas was definitely the year of the tea cosy for my kids and Mum - we all loooove our tea.

Earlier that year I made these aprons for everyone and blogged about them here

Guests, Like Fish, Begin To Smell After Three Days

For Christmas I had the idea to make everyone a matching set of kitchen accessories - this is the set I made for my eldest son's partner, Ana.

It was the first set I made and there's lots of pics of the finished pieces.

Fabrics:

"paseo de los muertos", De Leon Design Group for Alexander Henry and Belle Epoch by Kaffe Fassett.

Oops, seems I forgot to take pics of Joe and Katie's sets, though I do have a couple of phone photos that I sent to my daughter, Flicky, to show her what I was making at the time.

The Alexander Henry fireman fabric always makes me giggle.

Fabrics:
"ready for action" Alexander Henry; 'Keep it Sassy! Olive Sandwiches for Moda; and 'Labrinyth - Charcoal', Ikebana by Dear Stella
Lotta Jansdotter glimma 'Marby'; Amy Butler Alchemy 'Queen Ann's Butterflies'; and Dear Stella 'Confetti Dot - Peony'

On the phone, I found this pic of trimmed towels,

and I was surprised to discover more on the main camera too.

There's an extra towel in the pile - it's one I made for my Mum to add to her accessory set that I've already shared with you - how come I remembered to share these here and forget about the others I'd made?!!!

I did find this pic of Mum I haven't shared before, it's a great one of her wearing her apron - love this, she's so happy.   

To wrap up with that 1935 song by Jack Buchanan, I found the original version on YouTube and here it is - how very, very British!

Disclaimer: 
This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.

 

A Foundation Paper Pieced K-9 Friend

I've joined a new Bee and the instructions for our first block were to create an alien/sci-fi character block.

The Queen Bee loves dogs so I thought I'd go with a canine theme, the obvious candidate being K-9 from Doctor Who.  A quick internet search and I found a foundation paper pieced 12" finished block version of K-9 by Caroline @Trillium Design.  You can get hold of her pattern here on Craftsy along with several other Doctor Who blocks, and it's currently free.

I've made K-9's body using Robert Kaufman Quilter's Linen Grey and 2 grey Kona solidswhile his collar is Kaffe Fassett Jupiter-Red.  The background fabric is Dear Stella Designs 172 - Piper ZigZag (Orange).

Some of the sections were just one piece of fabric or had large areas that weren't sewn in place - so I used a basting stitch and stitched around the edge of each section to hold the cut fabric in place - you can see what I mean in the photos above and below.  

This meant a lot more work once the block was complete to remove the paper and any visible basting stitching but I think he was worth it.  

I ironed the section seams to one side in a way that makes the body and head be higher than the other sections to make him look more 3D.

I'm not a Doctor Who fan - though I've watched it for 50 years and if pushed I'd have to say my preferred Doctors are Jon Pertwee and Christopher Eccleston.  These days I sew while watching it under sufferance with my husband and daughter, can't for the life of me understand what all the fuss is about but 'horses for courses' and all that.  

Jon Pertwee/Christopher Eccleston/K-9 with Tom Baker

I hope the Queen Bee likes him, he is kind of cute in a robotic sort of way.

 

 

   

     

Exploring Brooklyn, NYC

After our NYC Metro Mod Quilt Guild meeting back at the start of April, a group of us headed down into Brooklyn to see the Quilters' Guild of Brooklyn Quilt Exhibition at the Marriott Hotel at Brooklyn Bridge.

I didn't bring my camera so I've just got some pppp (pretty poor phone photos) to share but hopefully, they'll still inspire.  Here's just a snapshot of the exhibition which is heavily biased towards my more modern tastes and also to people I'm friends with ;D

 



Now for my friends' quilts:

Bernadette Forward - who blogs over at New Quilts On The Block

Robin Strauss

Above and below quilts by Christine Janove, who taught me to quilt (read about my very first quilt here) and to whom I'll always be immensely grateful x

Here're my friend and ex LQS staffer, Robin Strauss (you saw her Global Rising quilt above), teaching a Dresden Plate class that we just had to take part in - Robin you were wonderful, hope our heckling didn't put you off ;D

Now that we'd made the trip out to Brooklyn two of us decided to take the opportunity and explore further so we went in search of the Brooklyn General Store.

What a find, you can see from the pics that it's a little gem (as always I asked permission to take photos).

A range of all fabric types and weights, yarns, notions, books and they do classes too - I won't list all the brands, you can check them out on the website - strangely their Facebook page is a personal page and not a business page and I'm not up for 'friending' a business myself, I prefer to 'like', but if that's your thing here's where you can find them on fb.

A peep inside the classroom (below).

You know that working in a fabric store I'm always interested to see how other stores operate from

how they display the fabric - seemed to be mainly in colour groups and some by type;

cut it - the minimum cut is 1/4 yd and they tear the fabric (giving you a truer crosswise grain line) but if, like me, you prefer to avoid misshapen fabric edges and like your fabric roller cut, then they'll do that for you too;

price it - prices were on each bolt and looked like the majority of standard quilting weight cotton was around $12 to $13/yard

swatches - forgot to ask :(

It's an all round nice store, good atmosphere, and the staff answered all our myriad of questions.  One thing to note is that I believe the classes fill quickly particularly the serger sewing.

Downside - it's a bit of a trek to get to, 128 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231.  I checked it out on Google maps and if you're visiting Manhattan and using the subway it's a 33-minute journey from Macy's, Herald Square - that's 22 minutes on the F train then an 11-minute walk to the store.  So maybe it's more of a local destination store than one for the general fabric tourist?  That said if you do make the journey out I don't think you'll be disappointed and there're some great places to eat and drink between the subway and the store too.

And if you're wondering what I bought ...

Two Morris Modernized in Aquamarine - (it's killing me typing modernized instead of modernised in connection with something as English as William Morris), Kaffe Fassett Shot Cotton in Raspberry and Three Sisters Etchings - Dobby Dot in Aqua.

Have you ever been to Brooklyn?  Is it on your bucket list?

For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my side bar :D

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.