Gadgets

The Kwik Klip is one of my favourite gadgets. I use it to open and close the curved safety pins I use for basting. If you are still opening and closing by fingers only, you have to try this out. So much less stress on the little muscles in your fingers and hands. Made a huge difference for me.

Shari

Teeny Tiny Squares Quilt Swap

My Teeny Tiny Squares Quilt recipient has received her quilt so I can now show it to you. Rita (no blog) of Phoenix Arizona is delighted with her quilt. I'm so glad she likes it. It's scary making something for someone you don't know...

Each square is one inch and the sashing is 3/4.

I took photos for a tutorial which I will try to do sometime. And I have enough strips cut to make one for me, or someone else...

Hmmmmm....

Shari

Bushfire Quilt Project

These are the blocks I've sent Tia for the

Bushfire Quilt Project.

I had a little trouble with these blocks and

more than one seam was sewn more than once!

I am so spatially challenged sometimes!

Shari

Teeny Tiny Squares Mini Quilt Swap - Received

I joined the Teeny Tiny Squares Quilt Swap and

have received this lovely quilt from Kristin (no blog).

Edit: Kristin has a blog.

It measures 17 inches square. Each of the little squares is 3/4's of an inch. Isn't it just fabulous! I am so happy with it. I have a little table that is perfect for it.

Kristin also sent along a half yard of lovely Christmas fabric. This sure will be good for some sewing I hope to get done well before Christmas (if I don't procrastinate too much or get side tracked).

I haven't posted the quilt I've sent for the swap as my recipient hasn't received it yet. Shouldn't be too long, but it does need to go to the States...

Cheers!

Shari

20 Minute Mini Vacation

Yesterday was one of those days. Early autumn. Hint of warmth and coolness in the breeze at the same time. Brilliant blue sky with white clouds. I left work about 1:20pm. My journey home takes me through the beautiful Swan Valley with fields and vineyards, past Lilac Hill, over the Swan River and through the quaint village of historic Guildford, cut through Hazelmere (big wave to the in-laws), past more fields, a little industry, more fields and horse paddocks then turn in to my neighbourhood, wave to the ducks by the lake and then home. Altogether the journey takes 20 minutes.

I had the windows down, wind whipping my hair around. Radio playing great rock and roll songs - really loud. Singing along - really loud.

Does life get better than these little moments?

Hope you find moments of joy in your day...

Shari

Mini Nine Patch Tutorial

I'm not really going to number these steps.

Sort through your stash and select your fabrics.

I selected blues and an off-white scattered print background.

Cut 1 1/2 inch strips from each selected fabric.

You will also need 1 1/2 inch strips from your background fabric (not shown).

I cut from WOF (FQ or LQ) as I didn't mind having leftover strips.

From each blue fabric cross-cut (2) 6 1/2 inch strips.

Cut (1) 6 1/2 inch strip from the background fabric (not shown).

From each blue fabric cut (1) 3 1/2 inch strip.

Cut (2) 3 1/2 inch strips from the background fabric (not shown).

Strips laid out for one block.

Strips laid out ready for chain piecing.

Carefully stack them next to the sewing machine.

As I chain pieced I made sure that the I carefully set aside the third strips from each set so as to keep them in order after ironing. As I cut the threads apart between the strips, I kept them in a pile so that the last one I had just sewn was on the bottom and the first sewn was on the top. Leave the stack of 'third' strips at the sewing machine and head for the ironing board.

Carefully press the strips open, being careful not to distort the seamline. I pressed to the blue fabric every time. The stack should now be being reversed in order, as the set on the top of the stack is placed on the bottom of the new stack. This will place the sets in the same order as the stack left at the sewing machine.

Back to the sewing machine to chain piece the third strip to each set. Pay attention to which side you add the strips. The long strips have the background fabric in the middle. The short strips have the background fabric on the outside with the blue fabric in the middle.

Chain piecing.

We now have our strip sets to make our nine patches.

Square up and cross-cut (4) 1 1/2 inch strips from the long set.

Square up and cross-cut (2) 1 1/2 inch strips from the sort set.

Surprise! You actually have enough little strips to make two little blocks!

Place the strips for each block in a little stack, ready for chain piecing.

I stacked them next to the machine just as I did the strip sets, ironing before adding the third strip. When sewing, ensure the seams are butted up next to each other snugly. I didn't pin these little ones and they turned out fine.

Not knowing any different, I chose to press these seams open.

Teeny Tiny Nine Patches. They will finish at 3 inches square. I laid them out on the fabric I chose for my sashing. I used 1 inch strips for my sashing. I have not done any instructions for adding sashing. Maybe another time.

Mini quilt basted and ready to go.

I machine quilted in the ditch around each square with a thread that matched the sashing.

TA - DAH!!!

I'm not an authority. This is just how I did it.

Nine patches are just about the easiest block after squares.

Cheers!

Shari

Little Sewing Tip - Scraps of Thread

Do you have bobbins like this?

I think of them as scraps of thread.

I use these like I do scraps of fabric. Most of my sewing is scrappy and I don't worry too much about thread colour. I use bright thread scraps for my bright fabrics and dark thread scraps for my dark fabrics.

But it's not practical to use them as the bobbin - they run out too quickly. Instead I pop them on the thread holder on the top of my machine. I get to use them right to the end. Thread scraps are also good for little hand-sewing repairs, which thankfully I don't have a lot of.

As news of our devastating bush fires fades from your headlines in the US, it is still very much a reality here. Aside from the terrible human cost in terms of lives and property, there is a huge cost to the bush animals and the environment. The region destroyed is a major water catchment for the Melbourne area, and already tough water restrictions are bound to get worse. There are just so many implications long term that the mind cannot get around it.



The amazing generosity of the Australian public, both private sector and public sector, has been enormous with over $40 million donated to date and more coming. Coles supermarkets (one of two major chains here) are donating 100% of all profits from tomorrow (Friday 13 Feb) to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, so all you good Aussies do your shopping tomorrow at Coles.


A really big thank you to all those who are doing something to raise money or who are working to make quilts.

Cheers


Shari