Modern Medallion Progress

Handstitched :: Class ::  week 2 was all about embroidery.   It is the most time consuming week of all the classes and I'm so glad that Rachel has allocated a week of 'space' to give us time to digest the projects for each week's lessons. 

For this installment, Rachel told us what needed to be done for the embroidery borders.   She showed us how to fill the HSTs with running stitches and taught us how to make the satin stitches for the Satin Jewels.  

I've focused solely on the Modern Medallion quilt for the past 2 weeks as I wanted to get all the embroidery stitching on the borders done before the next lesson.

My HSTs running stitches :

It took me slightly over a week to get all 48 HSTs embroidery done.

My satin stitches :

Finish the last Jewel this morning.

I'm not too happy about my Satin Stitches though as I find the first 4 jewel stitches loose in certain areas.   I kept telling myself that this is a learning process but at the same time I thought of re-doing them!   I'd probably unpick them and do it all over again after we're done with Handstitched Class.

Rachel has also prepared 3 small embroidery projects for us - a headband, a stitch sampler needlecard and sashiko coasters. 

I did the needlecard last week and used these stitches to decorate mine.   The card is made of kraftpaper (which was included in the student kit) and backed with felt for sliding needles into it.  It measures 2" x 3" - a good alternative to pin cushion for those projects on the go, don't you think!?

From top : backstitch, double threaded backstitch, coral stitch,
up & down blanket stitch, double knot stitch, herringbone stitch

Back of needlecard

I've planned to do the sashiko coasters over the weekend and will definitely make the headband along with the flocked tank from week 1 later.

I am enjoying the class so far and love looking at my classmates' renditions too!  Looking forward to next week, where we'll be doing one of my favourites - English Paper Piecing!


Have a wonderful weekend!

I'm linking up to Find A Friend Friday at Sew Many Ways and

Katie's Handmade Parade at There & Back

A Finished Top and Back On The Needle!

Six months in the making and the hexagon charm quilt top is finished!

I have hand pieced 1,033 pieces of 1 1/2" hexagons to achieve the required size.

The top measures at 72" x 73"











There are no straight borders for this quilt as my daughter loves the hexagon shaped edging and wanted me to leave it as such.  I'll be adding more hexagons for the backing edges once the quilting is done.





It'll be backed with Topiary from the Parisville line by Tula Pink - it's one of my daughter's favourite prints.

I'll be hand quilting following an outline flower design using pearl cotton thread.

On another note, I have resumed knitting, it was my on-the-go project prior to piecing the hexagons.  I've picked up where I left off on the Mediterranean Lace Shawl - a pattern from 'A Gathering Of Lace' knitting book by Maureen Egan Emlet.  I have a few more rows before I get to the edging then on to blocking!

Hope to have more pictures of it soon!

Have a great week, everyone!

Handstitched :: Class :: - Week 1

I've signed up for Handstitched Class by Rachel @ Stitched In Color last month - class began on June 4th and week 1 has come and gone! 

Pictured below is my selection of fabrics which I'll be using for the Modern Medallion quilt - thought in 5 installments (5 weeks of lessons) with a week break in between.

Summerlove Collection, Oval Elements and Pure Elements by Art Gallery

This week, we learned about reverse applique.  Here is my version of the Modern Medallion centrepiece - reverse applique using blind stitch in pearl cotton :

The floral fabric is Beyond Bliss in Tangerine from the Summerlove Collection by Patricia Bravo and the solid is Pure Elements in Tile Blue for the Dogwood Blossom centrepiece.

I've used Oval Elements in Beaujolais Wine for the first border, Kona Cotton Solid in Snow then followed by Oval Elements in Mustard for the outer border.


Apart from the tutorials for the Modern Medallion installment, Rachel has also prepared detailed tutorials for multiple stand-alone projects each week!  This week 2 small projects were introduced - Flocked Tank and an Eyelet Needlebook project.  I've put the flocked tank top on hold for the time being and made the needlebook which uses the reverse applique technique surrounded by blanket stitch that shows little glimpse of the lining fabric. 

I've used moss coloured wool felt that came with the student kit, lined with Little Folks by Anna Maria Horner and pearl cotton for the stitching.  My running stitches are a little uneven and crooked, but I am happy with how mine turned out!  As the saying goes 'practice makes perfect!'

I'm having a lot of fun with handstitched class so far ( excited by all the new skills and techniques I am learning )  and can't wait for next week, where we'll be focusing on embroidery!

Have a great week everyone!

Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt

Early this year, a friend of mine, Nordzie wanted to make a farmer's wife sampler quilt.  Nahar and I decided to sew along with her and thus each of us purchased the book by Laurie Aaron Hird.  There are 111 six-inch blocks in the quilt.   The sampler quilt in the book is made from more traditional fabrics in muted tones - Nordzie has chosen that colour scheme.  Nahar, on the other hand, has chosen bright-coloured prints from her stash.

As for me, I've decided to use mostly Ruby and Bliss fabric lines by Bonnie & Camille for Moda.  I'm mixing in with bits and pieces of scraps from previous projects too.  We've agreed to make 2 blocks per week - a workable number, as each of us in the group has other projects in the works too.  We're now at Week 16 of the sew along.

These little 6" cuties were fun to make and some of them came together quite quickly.  I'm doing blocks in random order, starting out with the most basic blocks and moving up to the more difficult ones. 


Here are my 4 latest blocks :

Block # 58 - Mother's Dream

Block # 60 - Noon & Light

Block # 65 - Peaceful Hours

Block # 66 - Periwinkle

So far, I've made 32 blocks altogether for my Farmer's Wife quilt.

I'm having a great time already with these blocks, and it'll be fascinating to see how everything starts coming together over the next year.  It's really interesting to see my friend's interpretation of the same blocks too.

By the way, thank you again for the kind comments made on my Flower Garden Quilt last weekend.  Your comments brighten my day.  You are all so awesome!

Have a good week!

Quilting Gallery Contest Entry

Hi everyone!   Just a short post to ask you nicely if you would consider voting for my quilt 'My Flower Garden' which I've entered in the Quilting Gallery weekly contest this weekend.

Do you remember this quit  which I've blogged about here?

My quilt came about after seeing this quilt in the Australian Patchwork & Quilting vol. 18 no. 9 issue back in 2010.



I've used Marti Michell's 3/4" hexagon acrylic template and followed her dot-to-dot piecing technique.  There are more than 4,000 hexagons in this quilt, all hand-pieced and the centerpiece were hand-appliqued to the borders.

I've hand quilted in-the-ditch for the centerpiece and used variegated thread for the ribbon pattern on the borders.

I've used cotton batting and a wide width fabric for the backing. 













The whole process took me 13 months to complete and I'm very proud of it!  It being my first big quilt and everything was done by hand, no sewing machine used here!   It measures  85" x 95".

Here is the whole quilt :

Go on over and have a look at all of the lovely quilts HERE...  but feel free to vote for My Flower Garden if you like it!  

Thanks!   I appreciate your time!  =)

Have a great weekend!

Zakka Style Sewing Kits

I was thrilled when my copy of Sewn by Hand by Susan Wasinger, i (heart) patchwork and Zakka Style by Rashida Cole-Hale books arrived in the mail recently.  These books are fabulous - full of small cute, fun sewing projects and the instructions given were clear! 

After browsing through them, I've decided to make a sewing kit as my first project from the Zakka Style book. 

I've made one for Haslina as a birthday gift.   I've used Robert Kaufman's Essex Linen in Sand for the cover and pockets and Natalie Lymer's Woodland Neighbors in Grey print for the lining :

I've enjoyed making it so much that I made another for Nordzie using Essex Linen in Jungle and AMH's Summer Totem in Tart print :

another for Nahar using Essex Linen in Dusty Pink and Joel Dewberry's Dogwood Bloom in Berry print :

and another for Kak Dah - Essex Linen in Sand and Alexander Henry's Starling In Pink print :

then another one for Zila - Essex Linen in Jungle and Amy Butler's Disco Flower in Tangerine print :

Reason why I couldn't stop at just one  was simply because my friends at my small quilt group has birthdays just a week or two apart from each other, so I thought I'd just sew up for all of them at once! hahaha  

I've made a double fold binding for the ties instead of leather strings suggested in the book and used several stamps, lace trimming and buttons to personalise the gifts.  This is a quick and easy project to make up and they were such a pleasure to sew.

I made one for myself too... I've used Echino Fall 2011 Forest Patchwork in Multi print for the cover and pockets and Kona Solid in Grey for the lining.

Can't wait to pass these prezzies to my friends at our next 'Pieceful Ladies Quilt Group' meet!

Happy Sewing Everyone!

May 2012 Giveaway Winners are ...

Thank you to all 148 of you who participated in this giveaway!   I love reading the best handmade gifts received by all of you.  Thanks again for making my giveaway a success!   It was fun and may become a frequent thing on my blog... whoot!  Your comments were so appreciative and encouraging... 

For the draw, I've separated the names according to the 2 colours preferred - red / blue, thus I couldn't use the random number generator.  So, I did the old fashion way... cut the comments up, dig deep and pick a winner for each colour choice!

The winners of the Japanese Knot Bags for Sew Mama Sew's May 2012 Giveaway Day are....

Amy Butler's Wine Paradise Garden Japanese Knot Bag :

Sydney Cole

Blue Japanese Print Knot Bag :

Michell

Congratulations Sydney and Michell!  I will get in touch with you via email to get your address and I'll mail the package right out to you.

I had so much fun visiting your blogs ( haven't quite finished visiting all of you yet, but I'm looking forward to it ) you all are a talented bunch!


Have a great weekend everyone!