As usual, I'm working on lots of things

It's been a while, hasn't it? I need to get better at blogging regularly.

One of the reasons I've been a bit slack over here is that I've also started a sister blog over at Tumblr: Kafoozalum Crafts. I'm using that blog really as an image board, for quick in-progress shots and that sort of thing, and I'll still be putting longer posts and tutorials and things here.

Here are a few recent projects!

This is my first Dresden block. It was easier than I expected, just fiddly. This is another one that will be added to my new house quilt.

Speaking of which, here are a few more blocks for that one:

Excuse the crap on the floor!

I'm pleased with the seaming and so on, but I wish I'd used red in place of pink on that last one. The pink makes it feel a bit washed-out, I think. I might just make another one with red - the finished quilt will have to have some repeated blocks, so there's no harm in it.

The bunting fabric is from the Simple Life range by Tasha Noel. I love it, it's proper sweet.

And speaking of bunting...

I got a commission for a custom bunting cushion last week, and as I had extra flags left over, I decided to stitch them on to a length of ribbon and make real bunting to match. The customer mentioned the cushion was for a nursery, so I thought it would make a nice freebie for (presumably) a new sprog.

Here's another cushion I've made. It's going to be part of a set of two for my dad, for Father's Day.

The fabric you can see here is Cath Kidston cotton. My dad is a football fan and a perpetual schoolboy, so I think he'll like this. It's backed with green and blue generic cottons. The second cushion will be patchwork in the same fabrics.

And finally, my current in-front-of-the-telly project:

Hexagons! I am sewing them by hand, and they are tiny, so this is going to be a long-term project. Each hexagon has a side of about 2cm. Because they are so mini, I am mainly using scraps for them at the moment, which I love. I hate wasting anything, especially pretty fabrics, so being able to use even the tiniest little pieces is quite gratifying.

I find sewing them really quite meditative, which isn't a word you'll hear me say often. :D I cut them and baste them at my desk, then bring them downstairs to sew in front of the TV. I like the idea that as I work on other projects, I will generate scraps which can be added to this, so hopefully it'll eventually act as a sort of journal of my projects.

That's enough for the moment. How are you? :)

 

A quilt for a new home

Ever since my partner and I bought our house last August, I've been wanting to make a quilt in celebration of that. I'd bought a selection of fabrics but not really found myself inspired yet.

This weekend I finally found my brain starting to tick over with ideas, and made a start. I've decided to make a sort of a sampler quilt, using all different sorts of block designs. I've made two so far and I've got ideas for several more. 

First, I used English paper piecing (i.e. sewing by hand) to make a hexagon block, which I then machine-appliqued to a white background. The block measures 9.5 inches square, which will be the size of each block or patch in the quilt as a whole.

Here's the back, once the applique was done. I love the way the backs of appliqued things look.

The second block is a granny square. I had assumed this was a traditional block, but I've just discovered it's a relatively recent invention. You can read about it over at Blue Elephant Stitches. 

I measured this and found that it will trim perfectly to 9.5 inches without cutting off the tips of the blocks, which is rather pleasing.

Here's a close-up of the fabrics:

The fabric in this quilt is largely from Aneela Hoey's A Walk In The Woods collection. I bought a charm pack of it a while ago, as well as some fat quarters. I've since supplemented it from my stash (since a charm pack is nowhere near enough for a double bed size quilt) and I will continue to do so as I see fabrics I like. 

I really like the new Red Riding Hood print by Tasha Noel for Riley Blake, which you can see here. The colours aren't an exact match for the ones I'm already using (they seem brighter and more saturated) but I rather like that. I might have to invest in some, and if it doesn't match, well. I've bought myself some lovely fabric to use later. :)

Also this weekend, I worked on a Super Secret Project for my sister. On the offchance she visits here, I won't be posting any pictures that give much away -- but here's another picture of my cat "helping", in which you might catch a glimpse of what I'm working on.