comfortstitching

mirror mirror

This is a very brave post for me.  Something I'd never thought I would see myself posting............................pictures of me.

I am not a mirror girl, I can walk past them very easily without looking in them.  I don't do hairstyles and I'm a big fan of make-unders.  I never take pictures of me. It's always the kids or my quilts or the garden.  I am far more interested in looking out than looking in.

But today, I was asked to send in a picture to Moda for their designers page and I thought to myself, it's time to get some new pictures taken.  So did I go to the hairdresser.....................no.  Spend hours getting ready...................no.

Did I just out the camera, take a few dozen shots that all looked the same on my self timer........................why certainly!!!!

You do notice things a little more in photographs than in real everyday get on with it life.

I never really realised that my hair was this orange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Definitely time to try a new hair dye to cover those................you know approaching 40 (yikes!) greys!!

How about all of you?  Do you like having the camera pointed in your direction?  or do you prefer to live life behind the lens?

pickledish quilt a long part two - piecing the arches

Back to pickledish quilt a long part one

This is where the fun begins!

You will need :-

Template A (see here for details)

Newspaper or thin copy paper

Fabric scraps or yardage 

pencil, paper scissors

rotary cutter, plastic ruler and cutting mat or scissors

Let's begin!

The fabric strips for piecing the arches need to be roughly wedge shaped.  

I cut my wedges by eye to be approximately :-

4" high x 1 1/2" wide along the bottom x 2" or so wide at the top 

Cutting them this size allows you to comfortably fit eight strips along an arch.

I also chose to cut mine from a mixture of scraps and yardage.  To cut from yardage, cut 4" long strips across the width of your fabrics.  Taking 4 strips at a time, lay them neatly on top of each other, then cut each strip into wedges along the length of the strip.

We are going to be paper piecing the arches to make sure they all end up at the correct size.  So, using template A cut foundation paper pieces from either newspaper or thin copy paper.  The quickest way to do this is to pile papers four or so at a time, draw the template onto the one on the top and cut all the papers in the pile at the same time. 

Taking your first paper arch, select a wedge shaped strip to start.

Place the strip right side upwards onto the paper, just to the right of the centre.  Ensure there is at least a little fabric above and below the top and bottom edges of the paper arch.

Take your second fabric wedge and place onto the first, right sides together.  Align the right hand edges of both fabrics so that they are exactly flush/level.

Set up your sewing machine and reduce the stitch length to around 1.5.

Stitch both fabrics and the paper together by stitching with a quarter inch seam allowance down the right hand edge of the fabrics.

Flip fabric strip two, so that it is right side up and press with an iron.

Increase the stitch length back up to your usual length (I use 2.5).

Place a third fabric strip, right sides together onto strip number two, aligning the right hand edges.

Holding the fabrics in place with your right hand, fold the right hand edge of the paper back to the left, so it is out of the way.

Stitch fabrics two and three together (but not the paper this time), down the right hand edge.

This is how the arch will look so far from the reverse, with paper still folded back.

This is how it should look with paper unfolded.

Only the first line of stitching will be through the paper, all subsequent seams will be through fabric only.

Continue adding strips, right up to and over the right hand edge of the arch.

Then begin piecing from the centre out to the left in the same way.

Make sure all edges are completely covered in fabric.

Press.

Turn arch over and using the edge of the paper as a guide, carefully cut away the excess fabric.

Ta da! - a finished paper pieced arch.

 

Working out how many arches to make

Finished quilt blocks will be ending up a nicely sized 20 1/2" unsewn, so they finish up at 20" each once made up into the quilt.

Use this measurement to work out how many blocks you will need for the size of quilt you wish to make.

Each block will need 8 pieced arches - so multiply the number of blocks you need by eight to give you the total number of arches you need to make.

If you wish to work out the approximate number of wedge shaped strips you will need - simply multiply the total number of arches needed by eight.

I am planning on making a  red, aqua and grey bed sized quilt of 80" square, which means I need to make 16 blocks, 128 arches and cut around 1024 little wedge shaped strips!!!

Better get cutting!

 

Working out how much fabric yardage you will need

It is best to use a large variety of different fabrics for the pieced arches to give the most interesting effect.  One yards worth of scraps will give you enough fabric to cut all the wedges for at least three of these large blocks.

It is going to be very hard to estimate an accurate amount of fabric for the solid parts of this quilt as I am nowhere near the stage of cutting them out.  Being curved in shape makes them much more difficult to work out on paper.  Very approximately, I will say that one yard of solid fabric will be enough to cut out 3 - 4 blocks. 

 

So what sized quilts and colour schemes and fabrics are you all planning??  Are you working to a theme, a set colour scheme or going for the 100% scrappy look????   I would love to know and see them turning up here!

Any fabric preview's would be very welcome.

What do you think on the instructions so far?  do they make enough sense?   need more detail?  more pics?

Let me know!!!!!!!

Pickledish quilt a long part one - cutting the templates

Hello!  and welcome to my pickledish quilt a long!!

Here are the links to all quilt a long posts so far :-

• part one - cutting the templates is below
• part two - piecing the arches
• part three - piecing the ovals
• part four - making the blocks

I am so very glad so many of you have decided to join me, this is going to be a lot of fun.  Firstly do NOT panic. The above image has been digitally created using mosaic maker and is not my finished quilt top.  So far I have only made one block and you can see this has been repeated to create the above mock up to give an idea of what a finished quilt will look like.

This is not a difficult quilt to make but it does take time, it is definitely not one to make for a deadline as you want to be able to work at your own pace and enjoy the experience.  There is curved piecing involved but it is not difficult once you get the hang of it.  I am aiming to write instructions step by step and pic by pic, aimed at someone who has never tried curved piecing before.

The first part of making this quilt is the most boring part of the entire project.  It involves printing off and making the templates you will need to make up your blocks.

VERY IMPORTANT - Once you have downloaded the templates, select to print them and the printing dialogue box will appear on your screen.  Please make sure that you select 'none' in the 'page scaling' option before printing the templates otherwise they may print at the wrong size.  Once you have printed them, please measure the square template (B).  Each side should measure 3 1/8".

Download Pickledish quilt templates

Unless you are making a mini quilt from one quilt block, you will need to use the paper templates to make sturdier ones out of either card stock or template plastic - see directions below.

If you are making a mini quilt, it will suffice to use the paper templates, you will however need to make the full size pattern pieces needed for the centres and corners using templates D and E - follow the directions below. Please also see additional notes on layout here.

Making the templates

You will need :-

One copy of the pattern templates

About 3 sheets of A4 sized card stock or template plastic for making the pattern pieces

pencil, ruler, paper scissors, sellotape

Cut out the pattern templates from your copy.  For pattern part E (the centre of each block), you will need to use template E to create your own full sized pattern piece.  Take 2 x A4 pieces of card stock or template plastic and sellotape together at the back.  Make a straight vertical line down the centre and a straight horizontal line across the centre.  Take template D and line up its dashed line corner on the central axis in the top left hand quarter.  Draw around template E.  Repeat in all four quarters to make the shape shown in the picture above.  Cut out the shape.

Next, take template D and a piece of A4 card/template plastic.  Line up the long straight edge of template D along the right hand edge of card/plastic and draw around.  Flip the paper template over, so it's reverse side is facing upwards   Line it's 45 degree slanted edge with the 45 degree slanted edge of the drawn template shape and draw around again.  Make sure the bottom right hand corner is 90 degrees ie. perpendicular.  Cut out the shape.

Pat yourself on the back, as that is the really tedious part over!

For template parts A and C, use the paper printed templates to create templates out of card or plastic.  You will only need to cut out template B if you are planning to cut your squares from scraps or if you would rather cut your shapes with scissors instead of a long plastic ruler and rotary cutter.

That is all for part one!  I will be back tomorrow with a far more exciting instalment..............making the pieced arches for the ovals - trust me, you will be in quilters heaven.... 

In the mean time, you might want to add the 'Pickle dish quilt a long' button to your side bar for easy access to all quilt a long posts ( I will be adding a list with links to all quilt a long posts at the top of this post as we go).  Copy and paste the code below to create a linked button in your sidebar.

<p><a style="display: inline;" title="pickledish quilt a long" href="http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/comfortstitching/2010/09/pickledish-quilt-a-long-part-one-cutting-the-templates.html" target="_self"><img style="width: 180px;" title="Button" src="http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/.a/6a010536fd6c85970c0133f4a056cc970b-200wi" alt="Button" /></a></p>

You can also join my flickr group here, where you are welcome to add all work in progress pics ( I will be in pickledish heaven swooning over all that eye candy!).

*NOTE - if you wish to make a mini version of this quilt and especially if you wish to make an embroidered version similar to my original mini, please see important additional notes here.

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Can't wait for everyone to start pickling along with me!!!

Go to quilt a long part two - piecing the arches

pickledish..............and a possible quilt a long

I have wanted to make a pickledish quilt for ever.

It was always in my eyes one of those patterns that proper quilters made and the very first time I clapped my eyes on one I was in love.  Not just love love but everlasting 'get me to the church on time' love.  Which is pretty apt really as this pattern is also known as a double wedding ring.

So, the other day, while I was dreaming up a quilt house that my little embroidered skipity girl could go live in, I could not get the pickledish pattern out of my head.  I weighed it all up and thought, let me try this in a trial sized mini quilt and I will see if can 'commit' to a full scale with bells on version.

Oddly, this pattern is not really that difficult to put together.  I would even go so far as to say...............................I enjoyed it.  Alot.

So, not surprisingly, I am going to get that ring on my finger and make that commitment to make a mummy quilt to go with my baby (no embroidery this time).

I was wondering............in a very hopeful kind of a way...............if any of you would like to join me????????????  Because you know how much more fun it is that way.  Rather than little old me, stitching away all on my lonesome...........

Fancy it?  Let me know if you do and I can go about drafting up the pattern for us all to do a bit of pickling - quilt style together.  

Here as some more pics to (hopefully) convince you that you need one too :)

So what do you think?

Do you need one too?

Please say 'yes' and make my day................

Update : the pickledish quilt a long has now started.  You can find part one with links to all other posts here.

Visit my flickr group to see everyone's progress here.

Heaven is..........

.....playing with yummy fabric all day,

I don't think I have had this much fun sewing in ages, probably because I'm using all my most highly hoarded fabrics all at once.

 And it feels surprisingly exhilarating, even while knowing this might cause me to (gasp) run out of some of them.*

*Best done while not actually thinking about this bit though.

I have got to admit, it might actually be worth running out of a few fabrics for this one.

every week should start like this

Today the postman brought me a parcel.  Not just any old parcel but my kind of dream package.  The kind I would wish for if I had a dandelion on hand to blow a wish on, full of delicious patchworked/quilty treats made especially for me by Megan of Lucy & Norman as part of the urban home goods swap on flickr.

It contained.......

For starters, my dream sewing machine cover - My machine has never looked so good, so young or been so complimented by me.....

A beautifully hand pieced pincushion, divine little linen and hexagon pouch and some yummy threads.

There's some serious swooning going on over here....

and here......

and here.  

Megan did the best job in reading my mind and making me exactly what I wanted.  I don't think I've ever seen so much fabric yumminess in one place at one time.

 Could my week have started any better?

Well now my machine is finally undressed (!) and ready for action, I suppose I'd better stop swooning for a few minutes and actually sew something.

Today Skip-ity girl is finally getting her very own quilt to live in......

more soon......

Wednesday guessing.......

A couple more peeks.....

..just where is this going????????????

??????????

Clues - It's for the savvy seasons swap.  It's erm quilted and er patchworked and that is binding.....

Care to take a guess??????????

savvy squares

Firstly, I'd like to say a completely and utterly heartfelt Thank You!!!  to each and every one of you who stopped by give your congratulations on my news.  It really means a heck of a lot to me to have your support at such an exciting time.  

Hopefully I will be able to give you a little look at the rest of the designs soon (very very soon) right here.  The fabrics will premier at fall Quilt Market in Houston but (you might want to look away at this point) will not start shipping until April.  

So, in the meantime, I will just have to keep your eyes occupied with other candy.  Like..

me cutting out lots of squares from lots of fabric in order to fashion them into something savvy and seasonal for the savvy seasons swap on flickr.  

At this point I am unsure where this is all going so I'll just keep cutting squares until some lightening or other strikes. 

How about you?   Having a happy Monday???????

New fabric designs by me for Moda!!!!!!

You know the big secret I was talking about a couple of weeks ago...

This is it!!!!!!

My new fabric collection for Moda fabrics is launching at Fall quilt market!!!!  And I couldn't be more excited to finally be able to tell you.  The collection is named after some favourite sweets of mine, have you ever tried sherbet pips?

There will be more revelations soon but for now I'll leave you with the image above, taken from one of the fabrics.

EEeeeeeeekkk  I hope you're as excited as me!!!!!!

Decking the halls (again)

Pretty much one year ago, I showed my first ever designs printed through Spoonflower on this blog post here .

I had bought myself a yard and naively asked if anyone would like to buy a fat quarter from it.  Very naively.  By the next morning I had enough requests to sell several yards and so it continued over the following few weeks.

I used my fabric to make several Christmas-sy dec-ky items last year, 

which you can see here, here and here.

A couple of things bugged me about the fabric last year though - some motifs worked better than others, there was a little bit too much white space around the images and there was a bit too much white in general!  So, this year, I have re-jigged the design, taken out some of the bug-gy motifs, cuddled the pics together more and added a big dollop of pink.

What do you think? better? or worse?

I've ordered a couple of yards and have put them for pre-order sale in the shop.  The main reason I have ordered early is that I will be quite busy this autumn and as a result of this I forewarn you that the shop will be closed for pretty much the whole of October!!!!  Nothing will be shipping in or out.  So if you fancy the look of this fabric and can see yourself playing around with some for your Christmas crafting pleasure PLEASE order early!!!

Other than that, I hope September has started well for you!

I am feeling very ache-y today on account of beginning the 6 miles a day of walking to get my girls to school and back.  This will be the case 5 days a week excluding holidays for the next few years, so if I get a little moan-y or un-intelligible over the next few weeks, I hope you understand!