Friendship Bracelet Swap

So I've started my friendship bracelet swap and have collected 4 different colours for each of my 3 swap partners. 

For Jayme

For Barbara

For Cidney

My little girl decided that she also had to have a friendship bracelet as well. These are the colours she wanted. She just had to remind me that red was her favourite color and that it had to be included.

For my daughter, Alicia

Friendship Bracelet Swap

I know that I have been a bit slack on the whole blogging at the moment.

Things have improved and I'm slowly getting to start and finish off some projects that are back logging if you like. I have some swaps that I'm trying to catch up on and I have a few projects that I need to finish off so they are no longer WIPs.

But I have managed to stay in touch with the blogs that I follow. Recently, Jeni from In Color Order was a guest blogger over at The Modern Marigold and reintroduced me to an old craft addiction of the friendship bracelet. 

Now how could I resist. I loved making these bracelets as a teenager and just felt an urge of nostalgia to be a part of this brief but exciting swap. I have 3 swap partners and endless ideas about what I will make.

So I'm participating in the Friendship Bracelet Swap for 2011.

Hiatus

I'm so surprised how busy I've been getting better along with the kids that the days seem to be flying by. I feel like I'm chasing my tail at the moment.

So many things have been put on hold at the moment and new ideas are floating around constantly that I just need a bit of a breather.

So this weekend and the up coming days, I'm spending some time playing more catch up. So bear with me and stay tuned. Things are moving on and I'm just glad that there is some normalcy happening again.

Weekly Quilt contest with the Quilting Gallery

Head over to the Quilting Gallery and vote for me in the Weekly Quilt Contest

I put in my Triple Irish Chain quilt that I made with Moda's Petal Pusher fabric. It was so much fun to make and it was a great pattern for a beginner to practice some strip piecing.

Here is the quilt I entered.  Don't forget to vote for me.....

W.I.P. Wednesday

Its a short week for me this week for W.I.P Wednesday. 

Firstly, everyone is still recovering from a bout of flu. My little man who has been the last to get sick was the only one prescribed antibiotics and is slowly on the mend. So life has been hectic and chaotic at the same time. After Monday's post about requesting Mary Poppins...well I didn't find her at all but just soldiered on.

I have managed to finish off some embroidery on the purple crazy patch block and stitch a gorgeous blue cat for my Friendship Block Swap with my local quilting group Murray Mallee Quilters. 

I have also knitted the back and one sleeve on my daughter's red jacket and am nearly half way finished on the second sleeve.

I have a few jobs and gifts I need to get off next week. Fingers crossed I can get back on the machine to finish off some little projects.

Calling out for help??

Where is she when we need her?  If I remember from the movie, she comes in on the East wind. 

Well I've decided that I need her today. I've already put out a wanted ad on Facebook for a pair of ear muffs, a set of octopus arms and a magic wand if anyone has any of those, they would be greatly appreciated.

But if you happen to find her out on your travels today can you send her my way....

Online Shopping

I love browsing the online fabric stores for new inspirations. I have been keeping my eye on some fabric from Tula Pink's range of Prince Charming Fabrics. I have really seen a different side to the fabric over various blogs and have fallen in love with it.

So I happened to be looking at the fabric again and I just caved in. Now I will wait for it to arrive with some Kona Solids. Many thanks to Kimberly Jolly at Fat Quarter Shop. I continue to go back and visit her again and again.

I would just like to thank all the people at W.I.P Wednesday that sent out their wishes to get better soon. I am on the mend and have been keeping busy with some stitching and knitting to pass the time. But as one person starts to mend, the next gets sick so its ongoing here. But I'm hoping that as the warmer weather arrives and there is more outside time, the bugs and germs will go away.

New Fabric at Fat Quarter Shop

I was just browsing The Fat Quarter Shop when I stumbled upon some just divine fabric that I have a small crush on. The mind just boggles when I see fabric that makes me want to make something or try out a new pattern.

What do you think??

 

Yummy!!!!

W.I.P. Wednesday

Its that time of the week again and I'm heading over to visit Lee at Freshly Pieced for another W.I.P. Wednesday.

I so wanted to finish off some of my W.I.P quilt along tops or other quilt tops this week but it just did not happen.

I did get a chance to have a night away with DH in Adelaide which is a 6 hour drive for us. We had Indian for dinner and saw a movie just like the old times (pre kids) but it was too short. Not only did we leave behind a sick child for her grandparents but Mummy has come home sick as well. Blah!!!

But I so love long car trips as I'm lucky enough to be able to do some craft along the way. So I basted some hexagons for the next lot of diamonds. 

There was also a request this week for a knitted jumper and I found just the right color red for my little girl and my pattern on the trip over to Adelaide. 

I also had some extra time to start of the knitting and when I went to bed last night the back was nearly completed. I forget how quick it is to knit little people's clothing.

So here is hexagon diamond number 20 that was completed this week. 

And if you happened to be following my blog I was busily making an IPad and Accessories case for DH. Here are some progress shots. Still a few steps left and it will be complete. 

So next week I just don't know what I'll have achieved. I just wait and see. But firstly, time for me to heal and get better. I hate flu season.

Part 3 - Quilted IPad and Accessories Case

In case you are wondering what is happening with Part 3. Its happening but I have just finished sewing together Part 2 this afternoon. 

I have started to put together Part 3 but I'm playing around with my cutting and measurements for the case. I'm also consulting DH in the process because after all it is for him.

But generally I'm a Mummy first. So my sewing and crafting time comes when there are afternoon naps and bedtimes at night. And like any parent, when the kids are in bed its time to put the feet up and there are days in which I just can't sit behind the machine a few extra hours to get the job done. So there's always tomorrow. 

But tomorrow DH and I are off for an overnight trip away with no kids. That's right no kids. We can't wait as it will be our first solo getaway since our son was born in 2009. So the kids are off to play and stay with Nanny and Poppy and DH and I are going out for dinner and a movie just like old times.

But I'll be back to link into W.I.P Wednesday. I should have some better progress photos of the IPad case then even if it will not be completely finished. Sorry guys for the delay but kids come first.

Summer Sampler Series

Yet again our US bloggers are out doing themselves over their summer break.

This time Lee at Freshly Pieced has joined two friends, Kate at Swim Bike Quilt and Faith at Fresh Lemons Quilts to make a gorgeous small sampler quilt. I just couldn't resist. A chance to learn a new block, a lesson about the block's history and of course an opportunity to use some new fabric in my stash that is just calling out to me.

So I'm joining this quilt along. As if I didn't have enough to do. So it starts next week and there will be three blocks a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I would like to think that I will keep up but you just never know.

So I've decided to use my fat quarter pack and some Bella solid Snow yardage to make the sampler quilt. I'll be using Punctuation by American Jane.

How appropriate. The name reminds me of being back in school.

Part 2 - QAYG, Quilting and General Sewing

So the next step is about getting our different pieces ready to put the case together. As I stated in my previous post, we are going to use QAYG method to make the case and pockets. I decided to go this way because all your sewing and quilting is done in one step.

There is going to be some general sewing in this tutorial. So we can start with this step first before we move onto the QAYG. In my design, I have created two compartments that will be used for the camera port and charger cord. (These were requested by DH).

I am using my normal sewing foot to make this part. Select your 4" X 10" fabric pieces and place right sides together. You should have two. Firstly, sew around 3 sides of your pieces of fabric that measure 4" X 10".

Cut the corners,turn in the right way and press with the iron. Put aside because we will be adding them to the case lining. I plan to add these on after I have cut out the template of the IPad case in part 3.

Now for the QAYG part. Its simple, its easy and its two steps in one. Sewing and quilting. I add my walking foot at this stage because it will be easier with the added layers. I also used a heavier needle in my machine to help go through the layers.

Step 1: 

Take your wadding pieces and lining pieces for the pockets and baste however you desire. I like basting spray. This is an adhesive that washes out after the project is completed.  Put them aside.

Next baste the wadding and lining of the flap.

We are then going to add our magnetic button to this part of the process. Measure where you would like your button to be.

The finished flap rectangle will be cut 4" X 8.5". I placed my button 1.5" from the top of my finished measurement for the flap. It is a good idea to mark where the button will be placed as you need to use your quick unpick to cut the fabric so that the button prongs go through the lining and wadding.

I then basted a 1.5" square of wadding over the back of the button. Then baste your top piece of fabric to the wadding. We are then going to quilt the flap but make sure that you don't quilt over the button or you will regret it later.

We are not going to baste our case lining to the wadding as we need to add our smaller pockets to the lining before it is attached. We also need to add the second part of the magnetic button to the outer side of the case. 

Step 2:

QAYG is now ready to begin.  I will start with my case. You can quilt and sew your 2.5" strip any way you like. I'm going to do mine on the diagonal. Make sure the your stitch length on your machine is larger. I have a Janome and set my length at 2.8 for all quilting.

When you have finished covering the wadding with your strips and quilting at the same time, trim the edges so that you have a rectangle again. If you want to add more decorative quilting to your project please do but its not necessary because all the layers will be quilted already.

Next do the same process to your pockets with the 2.5" strips. Once these are complete you should have 3 rectangles, a case, a IPad pocket and a keyboard pocket.

Step 3:

Now its time to quilt your flap if you haven't already done it. Quilt it anyway you like. I'm going to do some straight quilting and cross hatch. This will ensure that I will not quilt over the magnetic button.

Now go and have fun sewing. I'm off to finish off my sewing so that I'm ready for the next part.

Part One - Quilted IPad Case

Are we all ready to begin? 

Well to start lets have a look at what we are going to need to make this item. Because I'm in Australia, we tend to buy pieces of fabric by the metre. So when talking about fabric requirements I will use how much I had in metres and not yardage.

Fabric Requirements:

5 pieces of 1/2 metre fabric (color choices were made by DH)

1.5 metres of homespun or fabric for lining and binding

Cotton Wadding (scraps I've collected from left over quilting)

Pelon or fusible interfacing

1 magnetic button

Please note that people are able to use any scraps from their stash to make this case. If you want to use up your scraps or precut fabrics just adhere to the cutting requirements for the tutorial.

To give you an understanding of what is involved in the piecing of this project, I will be using Quilt As You Go (QAYG). So the cutting requirements will be based on this. All sections of this project are initially cut and pieced as rectangles. I plan to use curves on the case so these will be shaped into the project once the QAYG is completed. The case will use bias binding as well to finish off the project.

Please note that I have made extra pockets to allow for the IPad accessories that my DH has purchased. If you don't want these with your IPad you can just make the outer case minus some pockets. I will outline what each cutting requirement is for.

Cutting Requirements:

20 2.5" strips from my fabric (4 strips of the 5 fabrics). These will be used to make the outside of the case, IPad pocket and Keyboard Pocket.

Case:

16" X 24" piece of wadding
16" X 24 piece of pelon or fusible interfacing

16" x 24" piece of lining. I used black homespun.

IPad Pocket:

16" X 11" piece of wadding

16" X 11" piece of lining

2.5" strip for binding top of pocket

Keyboard Pocket:

16" X 8" piece of wadding

16" X 8" piece of lining

2.5" strip for binding top of pocket

Small pockets (X2):

4 4" x 10" pieces of fabric

Outside Flap:

6" X 10" piece of fabric

6" X 10" piece of wadding

6" X10" piece of lining

Binding:
I have cut 2.5" strips for the case binding on the bias. I used some of the left over fabric from cutting out my lining pieces that had selvage attached. I have to apologise that I didn't take any photos of cutting out the bias binding as my camera was flat. But the basic instructions are for cutting bias strips is the following:

Put your 45 degree angle measurement from your ruler on the selvage of your fabric and cut off a small section. Then using your 2.5" measurement on your ruler cut strips as you would normally but diagonally across the fabric butting up the 2.5" against the edge you just cut. Your binding strips will be straight and the ends will be on the diagonal.

If you are unsure about bias strips. I will post pictures tomorrow of my strips and go through it step by step again with some photos.

Weekend Project - Quilted IPad and Accessories Case

So from a bit of a push from my special friend Simone at Quilting is My Downtime who has just come into possession of an IPad for work, I am finally putting together my tutorial for the Quilted IPad and Accessories Case. I am making it for the added accessories as my DH has purchased himself a keyboard and camera connection to replace his laptop. His IPad is his prized possession and is now used for just about everything including my own personal addiction Words with Friends.

Here are the photos I posted with the material choices I had for DH's IPad case. 

But I have made it achievable to be made with scraps or pre cut fabrics (ie: jelly roll strips).

So over the next few days, I will post the tutorial and instructions in Parts. I am yet to make the finalised project but will post instructions after each part has been finished. I may post a couple of parts over the coming hours and days. I think that this project could definitely be achieved over a weekend with little hiccups. When I have finished I will put the whole tutorial up on my tutorial pages with each part and photos included. 

Wish me luck as this is my first tutorial.