Our Creative Space

The Hot Spot quilt is finished and I am very happy with the result.  I'll be taking a rest from projects for a while but the next one will definitely be for me.

For more creativity, have a look here.

Sunday Snippets

It has been a week of preparing, planning and counting down.  But we can always make time for good food and friends as well.

For a birthday edition of Sunday Snippets, head over here.

Our Creative Space

Over at STLT we are on a deadline.  Youngest sister's quilt needs to be finished before we head off on an adventure so the sewing machine has been in use every night this week.  The quilting is finished and I'm now pressing the binding ready to pin it on.  I was a bit nervous about my choice of thread - the author of the book that the pattern came from (Hot Spot quilt from Modern Minimal by Alissa Haight Carlton) said that she matched her thread to each section of the quilt, however as I had made a reversible quilt, this was never going to work.   The reverse side can be seen in the Sunday Snippets post below. So I took a deep breath and decided on chocolate brown, possibly influenced by what I had on hand.  Anyway, I am happy with the result, which I think adds a bit more interest to the piece.  I just hope that R agrees.

For more creative capers, head over here.

Sunday Snippets

Another week in a few pics - my theme this week seems to be brown and gold.  Unintentionally in sync with the time of year.

For more Sunday Snippets, pay Tinnie Girl a visit.

Sunday Snippets

Running a bit late this week but made the SS deadline.  How cold has it been?!

For excerpts from other peeps' week, head over here.

Bright spot

A very cute cardi spotted in a shop along one of our dog walking routes.  Taking a photo while keeping 2 x 24kg dogs under control is very challenging but I just had to snap this beauty.  Doesn't it look nice and toasty warm?

Sunday Snippets

Despite the final flashes of warmth yesterday, I think we finally are staring winter in the face.  That goodness for hydronic heating, and lovely indoor activities like quilting and DVD marathons while drinking hot cups of tea (and other bevies!).

For other snippets, have a look over here.

Our Creative Space

After having being forced to a halt on the Hot Spot project, while waiting for some fabric to arrive, I picked up a UFO.  As a relative newcomer to sewing, I don't have many of these, but this was my first project that was started two years ago in a burst of enthusiasm, then put aside due to the realisation that all was not going to plan.  It started as a simple Fence and Rail throw but I didn't do a great job of cutting the fabric and what I thought was a quarter inch machine foot wasn't, so when it came time to sew the strips together, the pattern didn't line up.  I tried a number of options to fix the problem, avoiding the obvious which was to just to unpick the strips and cut the blocks to a uniform size.  Needless to say, none of them were successful.  So last weekend, I unpicked the sides, measured the strips, cut the longer ones to a uniform length and put in borders.  Still true to form, I made another cutting error in the process that had to be adjusted for (you should be able to pick it out) but managed to salvage the project yet again and now I think it will make a good baby quilt for someone I know who is expecting later in the year.

So what have I learned over the last two years?:

- a quarter inch foot with a guide is an indispensable tool.

- despite being an accountant, quilting maths does my head in.

- cutting precisely remains my Holy Grail.

- don't agonise if something isn't perfect - a mistake can sometimes lead to something more interesting that the original concept (I repeat this over and over).

For other interesting projects, see what other Creative Spacers are up to here.

ANZAC Day

As ANZAC day is a time for reflection and solemnity, I think it is appropriate that today is cold, dark and gloomy.  It is fitting to have a quiet day indoors, enjoying the comforts of home that so many of those who fought, and continue to fight, foreign wars could never do again.

Sunday Snippets

Another wordless round up of the week that was:

Thanks to Tinnie Girl for hosting.