Secret Santa present

On Christmas eve, as is the tradition in my family, and very often in France, we opened the presents. It was after Father Christmas managed to sneak in the living room while we were in the dining room (it was my 15 years old nephew this year). The youngest boy still believes and we all indulge him.

I opened my present from Secret Santa on BQL and was very pleased to find a log cabin bag. Thank you Secret Santa, whoever you are.

I hope you all had a great day.

Secret Santa

This year for the first year, I am taking part in the Secret Santa swap with BQL. I have received my parcel, and it is waiting neatly, still in the envelope.

On Friday I sent my own parcel and am allowed to show its content, without revealing who will receive it.

I embroidered the front of the needle holder with a design found on Cynderberry Stitches by Natalie Lymer called "Sweet and spotty Needle Wallet". If you look on the website there is a free download of this project in the column on the right.

The pin cushion is made with 2 squares sewn in a strange way.

You start with one corner sewn on the middle of the side of the other square. You keep going like this all the way around. I then added a button in the middle.

The 6 fabric coasters you have seen before in a post.

November Calendar

And November is going on quickly, Christmas seems to be running towards us.

This is my interpretation of our block for our perpetual calendar on BQL for this month.

The block was "Drunkards Path", and we could

machine applique a circle in the middle of a

square, then cut it in 4 to get 4 little blocks.

I complicated it a bit by putting 2 circles in, one being much smaller than the other. It was all calculated so that the final design would give the impression of a continuity between the squares on the block. It worked if you don't look too much in detail.

This photo was taken before the quilting-embroidery-ribbon were added.

I love the result, tried different fabrics, on the basis of a blue, white and red choice.

And then I thought there was still a lot of space in the red area, and added the embroidery (machine) and the ric rac ribbon.

It looks a bit old fashioned, which I find interesting.

I enjoy trying a different technique every month, and a small project gives you the opportunity to play a bit with fabrics, ribbons and quilting.

Soon I will be given the instructions for Christmas, I wonder what Kandy has done for us...

October calendar

And here is my next panel for the calendar organised by Kandy for BQL. Kandy also has a blog called"A break at home" where she posts about her sewing and her family, as well as looking after us on the group site .

This October we made some windmills, in 3D. They were easy to make and effective when finished.

September Calendar

And here we go again with my square for September in the British Quilters List Challenge for 2009.

This is a small interpretation of Log Cabin. The logs are cut at 3/4" and end up at ...oups ! 3/8" instead of 1/4". at the end my block measured 13 1/2" so had grown 1". But then when it is on the wall by itself nobody will notice.

I made my 16 log cabin squares and played with possible designs. Here are a few photos.

I chose the last design, partly because I had never done it.

And here it is pieced together.

And I wondered how to quilt it.

I opted for some kind of leaves, accentuating the diagonal lines. There are 3 in 2 corners of each little square.

They look almost like butterflies, or hearts.

August Calendar

How annoying when the computer doesn't work perfectly. I had some difficulties getting the internet these last few days, and my machine is getting slower. Time to buy a new one I suppose.

I have been sewing since my last post, but had no time to post about it. But my girls will all be back at school on Tuesday, and things should get better.

I planned (in my head) a long post about our August quiltlet for the BQL challenge. So here I go.

The idea was to use 36 half square triangles, made with 2 or more colours to make a 12 " square. When I visit the British Quilters List website I can see all the variations in design and choice of colours, and it is quite amazing.

I took some photos while working to show you my technique. Just if you are interested.

I used 4 fat 8 with slight variations in colour, 2 yellows and 2 reds. I put a yellow and a red right sides together and drew squares on the back of one. They were 3" squares with one diagonal drawn down a few of them. You really need to look at the photo.

I sewed 1/4" along both sides of each diagonal. So you start at the top of your squares, put the side of your 1/4" foot along the line on the right, follow it all the way, turn and come back on the other side of the diagonal. There is no sewing on the other lines, you use them for cutting your squares, horizontally and vertically. Then cut the squares on the diagonal : you get 2 half square triangles sewn in the middle.

You have to square them up, in my case to 2 1/2".

I then played with the design of my block, trying to find something I had not seen before. I don't know if my result has a name already, but I'm quite pleased with it.

When my design was decided, I sewed the squares following Eleanor Burn's method. I took the squares 2 by 2 in a column, and sewed them together chain piecing all the way. I then added the 3rd column, and the 4th till the last squares were all attached. I realised at that point that some had moved. See on the right of the photo below. I changed that of course.

I try to alternate the way the seam allowances go, to reduce the volume that gathers at the meeting points. That was difficult to achieve in this case, but it makes the quilting easier.

I did some free motion quilting in the yellow, which got DD3 interested. She wants to try this.

There is also a photo of the back.

Instead of binding it I used a thick thread and a zigzag stitch all the way around. Cut the fabric left and sew again. I don't think the result is as finished as binding is, so will probably go back to my usual method next time.

I'll try to post more regularly now, I've got things to show you...

July block for the calendar challenge

And this is my piece for July in my challenge organised by BQL.

The technique we were using is Bargello, which I have done before with pleasure. Kandy Newton prepares the instructions for us every month, and finds something new every time. I am looking forward to next month's challenge.

I changed 2 things :

- first I sewed all my strips together to the point that they were making a tube. You then cut the tube in the other direction to get rings of rectangles of fabrics of different width. You use the seam ripper at different intervals so that your top fabric changes following a pattern that creates waves of colors. I don't know if this is clear enough if you have not done Bargello before.

You then sew each column to the next to create the pattern.

-the other thing I changed was that I quilted the top and the wadding together, and then used the pillowcase method to finish my block. I sewed the backing right sides together with the front of the block, leaving an opening to turn it right side out. There is no binding.

I like the final effect, although it doesn't look like a traditional Bargello; the effect of the waves is a bit lost, it looks more like modern art !

June Calendar

This month's calendar in the challenge organised by BQL was easier or faster to sew.

This is my take on it, inspired by the sea and the waves.

The result is very tactile.

I loved the fabric used for the frame, and wanted to keep the design on it visible. I think that worked.

The back below shows that there was only a little bit of quilting done, that's because with the 3D design it becomes very difficult to go between the waves.

May calendar

As part of our BQL Challenge for the year, my May quiltlet had to feature some machine trapunto.

I had some practice last year in my

quilting group, so the technique was not new to me.

You need to draw your design on your front fabric, or use some tear away with your design on it, and put it in front of the fabric.

Place some wadding under the design pieces, and quilt using your favourite technique. Then you carefully cut the wadding around the stitching. You only have it left where you want more volume.

The second stage is more like normal quilting. You make a sandwich with back fabric, wadding all over, and your top. You quilt all the background surface. Here we used a method called Mc Tavishing, named from a lady who started this in America. I tried and am no way an expert.

By the way I used a variegated thread.

The design I chose is the name of one of my daughters, Clara, and a flower. She selected the colour to fit in her bedroom.

And now it is on the wall, until it can go in her bedroom. The colour seems different on this photo, but it is lighter in reality.

Malvern 2009

On Saturday I was very happy to be able to go to the Quilts UK Malvern patchwork and quilting show. I have been doing this for a few years now and it is my treat of the month, I'm like a child in a sweet shop. Each time I feel I could stay longer and see more things.

The weather wasn't the best, and I got drenched walking back to my car at 5 pm.

There was a meeting organised for the members of the internet group BQL at 1pm near Susan Briscoe's stand in the marquee. There I met Mary A, Marian K, Anne, Margery and of course Susan Briscoe, but she had to stay in. I felt very proud to be told that my blog was being followed, by a real person. We all went outside to eat our lunch between 2 showers, horrible weather at the moment.

I looked at lots of shops, bought a little, and had a chat with all the french people I could meet. There were 2 women on separate stalls: Isabelle from Creative Quilting, who has a shop in Surrey, and Julie from Loving Fabrics who was recognisable from her accent, such a warm woman selling Toile de Jouy, between other things.

I also had a long chat with the owners of a new company, no affiliation, who started 8 months ago to import australian patchwork and sewing magazines to the UK. Alison created Manor House Magazines and sells to shops as well as private subscriptions. She offers several publications and explained that she receives them a week after they appear in the shops in Australia, because they are printed in Asia and sent directly to her in Marlborough. Her website is www.manorhousemagazines.co.uk
I think it is nice to see somebody creating a company in our crafty domain.

I won't show you any photo because of the copyright laws, but it was a great show. Now I'll wait for the autumn one, as I won't be able to go to the Festival of Quilts in August in Birmingham.
Back to some sewing.

April Calendar

This a my April Calendar in the challenge organised by BQL.

We were asked to create 9 little bags with the technique of the reverse applique, which I didn't do on paper but using a tear along support. I redrew the bags as I couldn't print the models in the right format, and really enjoyed that. After putting the quiltlet together I free machine quilted it. The finished size is 12 1/2" square.

I had great pleasure in doing this project, and I think the girls really like it as well, so it might go in a bedroom upstairs in a month.

March Calendar

This is my work on the March Calendar for BQL challenge.

We had to include a photo and I chose one of the family on holidays last year, to remind us of a good time, yes that's me at the back. My 2 oldest daughters are now nearly as tall as me, how time flies.

It took me a long time to get started on this project, but once I got going it was done pretty quickly. The squares are all colours from the photo, and coming from my basket of scraps. There is still quite a lot in there, not much difference from before.

I had already tried printing on fabric, to make some labels for the back of quilts; but I had never used a photo. I think it works really well, and I didn't lose too much definition.

Now back to the projects that need to be finished for Easter. Deadline coming.

February Calendar

In the BQL challenge this year we have to make one little quilt per month. This is my February block.

I used the technique of Quilt As you Go to make the 4 triangles, including the lining at the back. So there was no quilting at a later stage involved. But the result is not perfectly flat, which is a bit disappointing.

I also think that the white to represent the snow that we have at the moment, doesn't show off much with a cream wall in the background. So I am wondering about some improvements like some embroidery to enliven this piece, or buttons, ribbons...

I need to find the time as well as I want to get on with other projects.

January Calendar

So this is my new challenge for this year. Every month we are to make a small panel, and attach the month's calendar beneath.

January is inspired by Kandinsky, the round shapes are appliqued on the background and attached with a small zigzag stitch, or button hole stitch.

The only thing left is to attach it to the wall; I bought a bar to put a net on windows, and sawed it to the right size, it fits very nicely.

I need to post it on BQL, as well. I'm ready for the next one.

December bag

I know it is not December anymore, but I (nearly) finished this bag on the 31st of December, to end the BQL challenge of the year. Nearly because I still had to sew the gap at the bottom, and put the sewn bias to close it.

And so this is the last one of the bags made following Kandy's patterns. I really enjoyed this challenge and think nothing now of making bags, I know I can do it. We learned different new techniques, and having a finishing date every month helped me stick to the schedule.

The bag measures 14" high by 14 1/2" large, plus the handles.

I have added a pocket inside.

And on this last photo you can better see the fabric and the gathering channel.

The challenge for 2009 is a perpetual calendar, and I have finished the first one, photos to follow shortly, I just need to hang it on the wall.

You can still join this new challenge by going on to BQL's website (British Quilter's List). This is going to be a lot of fun.

November bag

The year has gone so fast, I have finished my November bag (well in fact I finished it on Sunday 30 October, otherwise I don't get the next pattern, too late, but had no time to post in between).

We have another bag to make for December and the challenge will be finished. I am sure there will be something else for next year, so if you want to take part go and register with British's Quilters List (BQL).

This month's bag is a courrier bag, big enough to carry a laptop. I used some fabrics bought last August in France, and the lining was a present from Karine, coming all the way from Berkeley, California, with little asiatic signs. Sorry the lighting isn't very good as the weather wasn't very nice for a few days.

I need to get on with some Christmas presents, but I also want to make the next bag, and I said I would help in school tomorrow as they have a lady coming to explain felting to the children. So I guess I'll better get busy.

(back of the bag on the left).