Duckface People - A Pattern Test for Latifah Saafir

Hi Peeps!

As you know one of my things these days seems to be pattern testing LOL

It started out as an exercise for myself and my concentration skills...which can be why I quite often screw up the cutting and/or measuring LOL...but it's turned out to be so FUN!

I'm testing all sorts of patterns that I would definitely admire but not necessarily do and this one for Latifah Saafir does fall into this category!......I did a little squeal when she emailed me, cause she's like awesome and stuff and I'm a fangirl of her work!

I've had the 8" Clammy ruler for a while now and watched her tutorial video like 5 times but am still nervous to start.....

Anywho onto the Duckface People Quilt....LOVE IT!

My little helper insists on making the edges straight...which is actually really great, the pics of her holding it up were a little wonky though...I just need her to grow a little taller...which will make her almost up to my chest!!

Latifah's pattern is a dream to work with, there are several people included and as an added bonus a full alphabet and number layout. Each person has it's own table with the number of units required in each colour and a small pic of the person so you don't have to flick between pages to check.

For a visual learner like me....who doesn't like to read the words??.. this is the perfect pattern style, straight to the making!!

The cross stitch units finish up at 2" but with her technique they are straight forward to do

This wee sweetie is called Madeleine and I modeled her on my wee sweetie. 

 Latifah mentioned in her correspondence to me that she hopes people realize that all the people can be customized to suit your own tastes...it didn't occur to me not to LOL

I made the baby quilt version so I could get the complete quilt finished in the quick turn around time required and Sandra, my longarmer chose a gorgeous girly all over panto that shows up beautifully in the white negative space.

I used a long hoarded Art Gallery print from Curiosities for the backing and teamed it with and         B &W spot, I did have to purchase some white cotton batting as I was worried that my usual cream cotton batting would show through.....good choice.

Michael Miller skinny stripe for the binding and she's done.

Couple more pics to show off the quillting!

The pattern is at the printers as we speak so keep an eye out for the release.

Talk soon peeps xx

Linking with the girls Amanda Jean and Myra

Plus Squared - A Cautionary Tale, Take 2

Hi Peeps!

Yes it's me for the 2nd time today and ironically this is the 2nd attempt at this post as the first didn't save!......grrrrrr! 

Sometimes things just work against you and my advice has always been go back to bed and start again but the panicky ones are when you least expect them.

Feeling satisfied that I'd finally bound this beauty after several weeks of it being flung across the back of my sewing chair I threw it into the machine to ready it for thread checking and then the crinkly goodness treatment in the dryer....... cue freaking out face!!

I have no idea how?why?where these marks came from and am desperately hoping that my machine is not going to begin backfiring on a regular basis. 

When in doubt DO NOT LET IT DRY and throw it back into the machine with more colour catchers

Aaaand success, thankfully it was only on the back and sadly these inside pics don't do the colur justice, it's retained it's lovely saturation of colour against the dark background.

Absolutely fabulous pattern from Emily Dennis of Quilty Love fame. She has 20 PDF patterns available for instant quilty gratification and her patterns are all clear and well written with plenty of pics/diagrams...I'm a visual learner so this is important to me LOL

Having a quilt holder in the house I took full advantage and took a boat load of pics to try and show you the awesome texture the all over spikey panto created...

Quilts with feet hahaha

Blew the exposure out in this one so you can really see!

It was a great little scrap buster and used up some of my more obscure saturated prints that I looove but then get stuck with when trying to use and show them off to the best advantage.

In the most unlikely event that you have nothing on the go and need a new project I can highly recommend a Quilty Love pattern....but honestly any pattern that gives me an instant download is a winner in my book...regardless of whether I get to make it straight away or not??? LOLOLOL

have a great sewing weekend and we'll talk soon xx

Linking up with Amanda Jean and Myra

Week of Quilts - Day 5! I Made It!

Well I made it to Friday ! Woohoo!

 And believe it or not I still have one more finished quilt after this one!

But let's just get to today's Quilt...and just quietly my current fave...don't tell the others!

The pattern is from Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine Issue 33 and is called Stargazer, by Anjeanette Klinder.

I used my hoarded Amy Butler fabric to inspire the fabric pull, the print blocks are paper pieced but it's a simple block that would be great for a beginner and has such striking results.

And I'm thrilled with the two different quilting motifs used in each block by Sandra. I know that the chenille backings aren't her favourite especially the really thick ones but she's very tolerant and does a fabulous job!

Despite the plush of the chenille and the fact that it looks barely used there was a teeny hole....

So I used this random Dresden block that I found lying around and appliqued it over the hole using a blanket stitch so it could be incorporated into the quilting.

In my never ending and sometimes futile attempt to reduce my scrap bins I went with a scrappy binding using some of the left overs from the blocks

It finishes up reasonably large at 60" x 72" but I think that's the perfect snuggle size, especially with the weight of the chenille backing which makes it extra cuddle worthy!

And so concludes my week of quilts, well at least Monday to Friday and there's one last one tomorrow, but I'm pretty happy with finally getting my ass back into blogging LOL

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish It Up Friday and Myra for Finished or Not Friday

The Week Of Quilts - Finished WIPS for Every Day of The Week...Monday to Friday that is!!

I know that's a grandiose blog header but I'm aiming to document a week of finished quilts!!...just so I cover my butt I'll change it to include quilt tops??!!

I've finally starting moving my stash up from the garage into my new sewing space (baby son's old room ) and I'm slightly mortified at the size of the stash and the random UFO's I've been unearthing!

Meanwhile a new cuzzie baby boy was born down the coast ( East Coast of the North island ) and he needed a quilt....cue this ridiculously cute Monster print from Robert Kaufman at my LQS.

So a stack of Kona Cottons in Blue and Grey....

Aaaaand a 60 degree ruler later we have a pile of 6" triangles....ready to test the point matching skills of any die hard triangle quilt fan!

I thoroughly enjoyed the repetitive nature of this type of sewing and with the company of some Netflix...how did I live without this before???....the top was busted out in two nights.

A wee while back I was the lucky recipient of a giveaway hosted by my Gorgeous Sparkly Boy, Molli, and the sponsor was Ms Midge, who you all know is an Aurifil brand distributor.

I chose this sexy variegated silver/grey thread for my topstitching from my winnings and it slid through all three layers like a hot knife in butter...divine...barely any lint even though I used a flannel for the backing.



Here it is all bound and yummy looking



I did a basic 1/4" quilt outline from every seam



Which showed up beautifully on the backing



I machine bind most of my quilts now but particularly baby quilts so they can be washed multiple times without fear of the binding coming loose.

Bound and labelled ready to be loved...which after hearing from the Mumma it is very much.:)

These bibs were also found in the ridiculous stash/hoarding downstairs and all they needed was a bit of velcro...too lazy for snaps LOL

OK peeps one quilt down and hopefully four posts to go?!

Stash Bee Finish - Get Your Glasses Out!

I'm just going to make your eyes bleed from colour blindness....you're welcome..mwahahaha

I've got commitments up the wazoo so I will make this short

and sweet

The quilt is part me and part Stash Bee Hive #6 2016, thankyou girls I absolutely love it!!

The link to the tutorial post I did for Stash Bee is here and the original version by Ara Jane from Whatarajaneloves.blogspot.com is here

 With all that headache inducing colour on the front I chose a black and white square print for the back

 Sandra from Wise Owl Quilting used a really cool variegated thread in a geometric interlocking rectangular all over panto....say that sentence really fast!!!

Last of my Summer anenomes look great against a squished up quilt.....off to the spa now with a gazillion colour catchers.

Linking up the love while Amanda Jean is on Spring Break with Myra for Finished or not Friday and Shelley who's hosting TGIFF