Tag Archives: quilting

patching it up

Posted on by
24

I still haven’t quilted properly. Not a full size one anyway. But I am loving this whole patchwork business. What’s not to like about cutting little scrappy pieces of fabric up, stitching them together and making something useful or enjoyable (or both!) Doona covers still don’t sound as exciting as a quilt, but for these three purposes they suited me better. So covers it was.

The hippy one (top- just in case you weren’t sure) screams flared pants, orange flowered coffee cups and …excuse me a minute while I part my hair down the middle, plait it and then go afro Mr Chocolate’s hair up. I can very much deal with that, as well… it says it all in the blog title doesn’t it?

These two scream practical. Two Monkey doona covers that were either old and very unexciting or unexciting and looked old. Either way, a doona cover suited their The Monkey’s sticky fingers over a quilt and a little upcycling was in order. Chop, chop, chop… and we are in Monkey business.

Now, what else can I cut up and turn into something else?….

making stuff…it really does feel good

Posted on by
38

Making stuff.

Bless my Birkenstocks it feels good. This last long weekend saw a flurry of sewing machine action, as I wasn’t home and distracted by the usual distractions. Instead distracted by these.

 Lap top cover. New lap top, needs new lap top cover. Thanks to this lovely lady, I wanted to make my own. Thanks to my mum’s 40 years of sewing expertise I didn’t throw it all in, after a hissy fit when the needle got stuck, the foot got stuck, and the foam got stuck. (Foam sandwiched between the fabric). A bit of granny geek going on here… I think it needs some crochet action on it though. Crocheted triangle or flower?

Grey cowl for my bandito Monkey Boy who stood still long enough for a slightly fuzzy photo.

Green cowl for my bandito Little Monkey who wouldn’t stand still and thought it was hilarious I could only take a really fuzzy photo.

 Quilting. I get it, I so get it. I understand why people get hooked on stitching little scrappy pieces of fabric to other little scrappy pieces of fabric. I only managed a doona cover last time, but this time it’s quilted. It’s tiny. Possibly the tiniest new baby quilt you will ever see, but I did it, and I’m itching to do more. (Sarah, if by chance you are reading this, close your eyes and forget you ever saw it.)

Making stuff…. it really does feel good.

patchwork, proteas and an iron

Posted on by
37

Proteas

Odd beautiful flowers, that will always make me think of my grandfather, (he used to grow them, not because he was pink coloured and slightly furry.)

An Iron 

What is it?

The Monkeys whispered. First to each other with small frowns on their faces and then turning to me in a much louder tone.

WHAT IS IT?!

That my sweet children, is something I never thought you would see. Something I had sheltered you from in your first innocent years. A ‘thing’ that so very rarely darkens our doorstep, there had not been a need within their collective memories to have ever cast their eyes over such a contraption. That my children…

That, is an iron.

Oh… and off they went.

I’ll say it now and I’ll say it proud. I am not an ironer, (unless absolutely, positively necessary.) Ironing is up there with sifting. Usually I can find some way around not doing it. I think there may be an iron at the back of the under-the-sink cupboard….maybe. Definitely no ironing board though. One would take up far too much valuable space in a flat, and I’d probably feel inclined to decorate it with whimsical fairy lights.

Patchwork

So The Monkeys got their first sight of an iron, and why was it up? I was in the middle of my first bit of quilting. My first ever baby step in to the land of quilt. Easter long weekend and we were not home. Instead I had access to some really large floor space, (for laying out) a permanantly positioned sewing machine (and over locker) and distractions for the boys. This quilt was not something I had rushed into. Over quite a few months, pieces had been cut out, patterns played with, much fiddling of fabrics had been done, just not at home. No time, nor space at home so if I didn’t get it finished this time, it would probably be another 6 months.

Not one for patience, and with a bucket load of enthusiasm under my belt, the kids were banished and I set forth.

Now to be upfront, me and sewing haven’t always been friends. There is enthusiasm for it, especially since having kids. I’ve got a machine, but it doesn’t come naturally to me. It’s hard work for this brain to work out which piece I’m supposed to be sewing. I don’t do it that often as it’s a royal pain to set it all up, do 5 minutes before little people come and ‘help’, finally get in the zone of it all and then have to pack it all away.

So a long weekend of sewing was planned, and a quilt none the less. Well that’s what I had planned anyway. Time raced by, and in my greedy need for wanting to take something home to be used straight away, it ended up being a doona cover. Not an exciting title is it… doona cover. But it’s mine, it’s patch work, I did every little piece. Miraculously there are no gaping holes, and a whole lot of it was made out of sample fabrics. (Got to love the thriftyness of patchwork.) As The Monkeys hollered for dinner and I whirred away on with my little foot peddle, I even got some pillow cases made.

I was having so much fun with the sewing machine. The ball was finally rolling again and I so wanted to do more, but my time was up. Those matching sailor suits for The Monkeys made from retro curtain fabric?… maybe next time.