Shine Bright Star Quilt

My youngest is in Kindy ... such a special time ... watching their little blinkers widening from home life to the big world outside. She is half-way through the year now and today is her first day back after the school holidays. Uniforms washed and pressed ... new lunchbox, new water bottle and a new quilt made by me for Kindy nap time.

At the beginning of the year she said she didn't want me to make her a quilt for Kindy nap time (Aww, I was heartbroken).  But, I smiled back to her and asked what she would like instead.  "Something from the shops", she said.  Ok, I get it ... something shiny and new to go with all the other shiny new things.

I love this quote ... it's so her and so me whispering in her ear

A happy little accidental fabric placement

So off to K-mart we went.  She scanned the isles and found the perfect little pillow and blanket just for her (and the 3 million other kids that would buy exactly the same stuff churned out by the juggernaut ... I thought to myself ... somewhat sourly).

I included a lot of low volume fabrics like this so she could enjoy and discover the little details while she rested

I bide my time ... hoping that by not making a fuss ... she would come back round.  And you know what?  It only took two terms of school (... only ...) but she finally asked me in these holidays to make her a quilt for nap time.

shimmers of gold metallic prints

A dark backing because they nap on the floor

I tried not to sound too eager (yay! woo whoo, happy dance, fist pump, take that K-mart!) and began working on it the minute she went to bed that night!

I remembered to add one of my labels (I often forget to!)

It's finally finished and she took it to Kindy today ... I can't wait to hear all about nap time when I see her shiny, beaming, little face at school pick up.

The sun pillow is from K-mart, she still loves it and to be honest I do to!  

Sx

Quilt Stats
Size is 40" x 60"
Fabrics on front: main players are a mix of Paperie, Backyard Circus and Spotlight
Backing is from Spotlight
Quilting thread is Aurifil variegated 50wt #3660 (shades of pink)
Binding is Liberty

Linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday, Let's Be Social, Finish it Up Friday

This picture makes me happy

Tooth Fairy Coin Purse

Today was an exciting day ... our oldest daughter's first baby tooth fell out - eek, ack, gag - exciting!!!

I started planning this little coin purse the moment she felt her tooth getting wobbly.

My daughter picked out her own fabrics ... Lizzy House as the feature fabric ... what can I say?  The girl is still star struck from our day in Kings Park with Lizzy.  

Some Art Gallery Paperie (designed by Amy Sinibaldi) for the lining.

We decided that the baby teeth needed a safe place in the coin purse so I made a little "tooth pocket" to go inside and embroidered some closed eyes with some DMC thread (two strand thickness)

I purchased the cutest ever Candy Ball purse frame from here

Here's how it was looking before the "frame wrangling" began ...

Front: Outside

Looking inside from the front

Now all I had to do was work out how to sew the frame in ... well I knew how to sew it in, but holding it in place and centred, without using glue was proving to be a bit of a pain in the &^%$## ....

So I did what all frustrated quilters do when stumped ... had a cup of tea ... ate half a pack of chocolate biscuits and ... asked Google for the answer.  

Luckily Google came up with the goods before I managed to stress eat the remaining half pack of chocolate biscuits ... Use basting stitches to secure it first!  Duh! Here's the post that helped with that light bulb moment.

Finally a result!

Front

Back

Inside

I used metallic Aurifil Brillo #517 ... aka tooth fairy dust thread ... to hand sew the frame to the body of the purse ... not my finest moment of hand sewing ... but my daughter loves it all the same!

Advert your eyes if gappy smiles make you squeamish!

Tooth Fairy time!!

Sx

Linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday, Fabric Tuesday, Let's Bee Social and Finish it Up Friday

Makers Tote and That Time In Sydney When ...

In May this year I was lucky enough to attend the Perth Modern Quilt Guild's Mother's Day sew-in.

We have lots of talented people in our Guild, including Bev who is a master at bag-making ... Bev kindly agreed to run a Maker's Tote workshop for those of us that are 3D sewing challenged (pick me, pick me!).

Bev got us off to a great start but it took me a few more home sewing sessions here, and there ... I also had to buy a few vowels making and attaching the binding ... But I got there just in the nick of time for a special trip to Sydney that I had planned.

 I used Anna-Maria Horner's Fibs and Fables for the outside in two different colour-ways.

A cotton weight denim for the gussets and binding.

Kraftex for all the pockets bound in selvage from the front panels

and a mix of Fibs & Fables and Loominous for the interior and pocket linings.

The handles I made myself using some left-over denim from the binding and Kraftex.

So far so good with those handles ... although I can see a stress tear trying to happen in the single thickness section of the Kraftex near where I have attached the handles to the bag ... so I may need to redesign these ... thinking cap on.

Overall, despite the swearing, I did enjoy making this bag.  The swearing was due to using Kraftex for the inside pockets.  They made the bag stiff and therefore it was difficult so squish the bag through my machine to sew on the gussets and binding.  Not the pattern's fault.  Just my fault for pushing the limits in material choices.  But I'm glad I did persevere with the Kraftex.  I love the look and the pockets are nice and sturdy.  They will soften over time, with use ... they'll get lots of use ... because this is my new favourite bag.

So many happy memories with this bag already ... Oh the places we will go and the people we will meet!

Makers Tote meet "Jen Kingwell" and "Tula Pink" - squee!!  My friend Denise and I had the absolute pleasure of meeting these two cool cats at the recent Sydney Craft and Quilt fair

If I look stunned ... it's because I am!

Bought my first piece of Tula Pink fabric at the show and guess who signed it??

and of course the party hasn't started unless you've had a selfie with Sparkle!

My bag and I had a wonderful time in Sydney ... including meeting a lot of the peeps I communicate almost daily with on Instagram.  It was surreal to meet them in real life at the IG meet up kindly organised by Kristy from Quietplay, Keera from Live Love Sew and Molli Sparkles ... my head is still in a spin!

With so much talent in our own backyard ... you'd think I'd be inspired right?  But actually I feel like a rabbit caught in head-lights ... stunned ... unable to move.

I think I'll just sit here for a while ... ponder all that I have seen and experienced and hopefully my brain will start functioning again!

Sx

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