Tuesday Fun

 The lesson for today was Chinese knots.  To do this, you first need some covered piping cord.  The first one I tried, I messed up.  I panicked, it looked liked the end was sliding along the cord as I was pulling it back, so I stitched across to stabilise it, then realised, it was sliding down because it was doing what it was supposed to and was covering the cord.  With all the effort I ended up with a blister, but in the end it was worth it.

I have two Chinese knots.  I shall definitely make some more, finger permitting.

After that, it was onto something gentler, a hexagon making fest.

The little ones have already started appearing on the cloth, but there is more to do.

When I went up to damp stretch it at the end of the day, the first thing I saw was this:

a pile of pins where there shouldn't be any.

Apparently, Shylock decided this piece had finished damp stretching and he was going to help by removing the pins

Jellicle Cats

I love the generosity of bloggers.  One day out of the blue, I received a package from Terry, it was the most beautiful collection of batik cats.   Of course, I had to look for some special fabric to go with them, but I found some and spent a lovely hour or so playing.  The result was this:

 I made it in a completely different way to the wall hangings I've done before.  I pieced the cats, then made a sandwich with the fabrics right side together and some batting.  I made hangers and pinned them in place.  Using the walking foot, I sewed all the way around, leaving a space to turn it all the right way.

Once it was all turned out, and all flat, I then went around and sewed just inside the outer edge all the way around.  I was really pleased with how it turned out, and I hope you think I've done justice  to your wonderful gift.

Thank you so much for the gift, and the fun I've had putting it together.  Now I can enjoy looking at them every day and think of your kindness.

Mystery Monday-Week 12

 This week, the HST's are sewn together.  There are 32 of the units on the right, and four on the left.
As you can see, Shylock just can't resist getting in on the picture.

I think there are two weeks left of this project, so it will all be beginning to take shape.  

Mystery Monday-Week 11

You guessed it, more triangles, but after the weekend I had, it was enough for me.

Day of Change

As I was supposed to be taking Daniel to an art workshop, I knew that there wouldn't be much time for sewing, but with an hour to spare before leaving, I thought I'd see how far I got with binding the mats.

 The small cats mat got done first, and I still had time.

 Next came the mug rug/pot stand and it was time to get ready to leave.  Just as I got my shoes, there was a text on my phone to say the workshop had been cancelled.  What was I going to do now?

After about five minutes to collect my thoughts, I was back in the kitchen, put on a saucepan of sweet potato and chili soup to cook and the larger of the cat mats was on the sewing machine to be bound.

By the time I'd done this the soup was cooked, so off went the gas, and the table topper was next to be bound.

This has now gone to be washed.  The pencil lines I'd drawn for quilting(which I didn't use) need to be washed out, and the cats hairs need to be removed.  This one is not for them, no matter what they think.

By the end of the morning I didn't think I was going to have, the cats had two new place mats, all my waiting mats had been bound, and I had a large saucepan of soup!

Poshest Moggies in Town

As I said, these red scraps are going a long way.  This will be the cats new mat, as soon as it's bound.

 I decided, that as it was for the cats, I could try out one of the stitches on the machine.  I'm so glad I did, I liked it.

 It's the serpentine stitch, and has just the right length of curve.

 I do hope the male moggies won't mind the pretty backing fabric.

 Then came this.  I did think mug rug when I made it, but I think Daniel will end up using it as a pot stand, which is OK too.

The serpentine stitch was back in use, and more red scraps for the back.

I have one more the same to make of these, but then I really must get to binding them all so they can be used.  After all the mulling over colours, I think it will be safer to stick with black for the binding, it was the only way I could think of matching the backs and fronts.  That means I will have to order some more black.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge-Red

For the start of this month's challenge, I got out all my red fabric.  Surprisingly, I didn't have as much red as I had expected, and disappointingly, there wasn't much of it I liked.  The only solution was to slice it all up, rearrange it and see what happened.

The inspiration came from a quilt called Simple Strips from allpeoplequilt.com.

 As you can see, everyone wanted to get in on the picture.

Although I didn't like a lot of the fabrics, once the black sashing and borders went on, it took on a different feel.  I can't say I love it, but it is growing on me, and I'm sure I will find someone that will love it once it's finished.

Even after doing this, there are still some of the fabric left.  I am thinking of doing something similar again, but on a smaller scale, but I'll have to wait until I get another sewing day.

Borders Added

The blue quilt now has it's borders.

 Not to be outdone, Bear decides he'll have his minute of fame.

He just walked straight across to jump to the window to have a nose at what was going on.

Now, I need to buy some fabric for the back and binding.

Hearts

As expected, it didn't take long to finish the last heart, Jouy Style heart.  I now have all ten hearts stitched and will be on the search for fabric to tie them together to make a wall hanging.  Something else to add to the finishing list.

 I've also done another heart.  This is the first of 12 hearts being released over the year over at Raspberry Rabbits .  I did consider buying the Valdani threads used, but being a good girl, I decided to go with what I had in my stash.

 It is supposed to be on point, but as you can see, Hamlet just had to get in the picture.  As soon as the camera comes out, he's there.

That's him casting a shadow and showing the tip of his tail.  As quick as I throw him off, he's back, so I gave up and let him have his moment of glory.

Some more blue

I've never used strings or selvedges before, they were always the bits I threw away, but I've been learning from the experienced quilters out there.  I'd seen some tutorials and blocks that had been made using them, so, while I was piecing the blue top, I kept the strings.  I was going to keep them until I had a few more, but looking at them, I thought there were enough for one block. 

This was the pot holder/pot stand that resulted.  I joined them directly to the batting and backing fabric, so it was very quick to do.  

 The other scraps that found a home, were these cat motifs.  I appliqued them onto some pale blue denim and made it into a little hanger.

In the smallest room of the house, there is a little strip of wall with a hanging nail already waiting.  It's only taken three years to find something narrow enough to fit.

The post man has been very good to me this week.  He's brought me the border fabric for the blue quilt, and yesterday the blue thread.  That means I can now start to get a few things finished.