Quilter or Topper?

A question was posed to me about mid last year (yes, I hang on to things) ... the question, from a fellow quilting class member, was: "Are you a Quilter or a Topper?" 

... Umm ... The stupid look on my face prompted the questioner to explain what she meant.  "A Quilter pieces the top, bastes the quilt sandwich, then quilts it" ... Ok, got that ... "A Topper just enjoys the piecing/patchwork and predominately sends the quilt to a long-armer".  She then followed up saying that she's a "Topper".  She really enjoys the patchwork and man.oh.man is she good at it! 

This simple question has been mulling around in my head for a while.  I do absolutely love the patchwork side of things and get such a kick out of having points match just so, but when I see all the wonderful quilting out there I get a certain glint in my eye ... my husband doesn't like this glint ... it usually means it's going to cost him a lot of money!

My birthday and Christmas are quite close together so I asked for a joint present which I normally kick up a major stink about - but it would be different this time - because Janome was having a major sale and I was in the need of a major machine.

I'd like you all to meet my new Janome Memory Craft 8200 QC! 

Hmm might need a bigger sewing table!

Up until last week, he's been sitting, unopened, in his box ... I was too scared to use him. Finally hubby threatened to return him, so I had a strong cup of tea (*ahem*) and opened.the.box.

Sheesh!  What took me so long? - This machine is fantastic, I love it, I hope it loves me in return and we live happily ever after together (Sorry, I've been watching a lot of Frozen with my girls).

The first thing I did was drop the feed dogs, add the closed toe darning foot and let rip!  This is what I got ...

Really short stitches, ok, going too slow ... then really long stitches, ok, going too fast ... then fairly even stitches, better but still need to practise heaps!

I've found that my hands like to go round and round, loop to loop rather than meandering so that's what I did mostly.  I'll just go with the muscle flow until I have some nice even stitches then I'll stretch myself from there.

Had a go at writing my name

Ultimately I'd like to get to a stage where I'm confident to quilt this flimsy.

Jammy's Jumbo's Quilt Flimsy

I've sketched out a plan of how I would like to quilt it ... do you do that or does it just come to you as you go?  

I feel I need to plan it at this early stage of my FMQ journey.

So there you have it ... I've decided that I'm going to be a "Quilter" ... wish me luck!

Sx
Linking up with:
I Quilt at Pretty Bobbins (for the very first time)

Pillowcase Drive

*Caution this post may contain pirate phrases*

Ahoy me Hearties! (Hello friends)

Blimey! (Exhortation of surprise) ... I've just sewn something that's not pink!

These were made with lovely fabrics from Sarah Jane's 'Out to Sea' range,  I was lucky enough to hornswaggle (obtained for a steal) a few FQ's recently during the #greataussiedetash on Instagram and could.not.wait to turn them into the pillowcases that they are now!

Sarah Jane "Out To Sea"

Secret loot (treasure) can be hidden in the pockets on the front left hand side of the pillowcase.

 I purchased some pirate shaped bath mitts from Spotlight after failing miserably at making a simple pirate 'softie'.  Long story, but let's just say I suck at drawing faces.

Pirate Bath Mitts - Spotlight purchase

These Pirate Pillowcases have been made for the 2014 Handmade Cooperative 'Oncology Kids' Pillowcase Drive.

Click here to find out all the details

Make them, send them, put a smile on a little lad or lass's boat (face ... boat-race-face ... cockney slang ...savvy?).

These pillowcases are my first finish for Q1 - 2014 Finish Along and I'm feeling topgallant! (very good).

Link to original Finish Along List

Time to go and ship this loot!

Sx
Linking up with:
Sew Cute Tues at Blossom Heart Quilts
Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story

Farming

There is still plenty of 'Farming" happening around these parts.  Three more little masterpieces (even if I do say so myself).  

I call them "masterpieces" because I get such a great sense of achievement from finishing each little 6" block.  Perhaps it's because I'm hand piecing them and I get to spend a little more time with each block, quietly sewing away ... peaceful ... apart from when I'm working with these black and white stripes - pow!

Farmer's Wife Block 108 "Windmill"

Nor is it peaceful working with this orange - double pow!

Farmer's Wife Block 15 "Buzzard's Roost"

After all that action I decided it was time to give my eyes a little rest ..

Farmer's Wife Block 4 "Basket Weave"

Ah yes ... feeling much calmer now ... and that's 3 more to add to the Progress Chart.

Hope you are all having a productive week?  I'm playing with a new toy ... or rather, reading A LOT of an instruction manual at the moment, but it will be oh.so.worth.it!

Sx

Linking up with:
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Sew Kitschy - January and a Winner!

Betsy peered into her oven ...

Yes! Her soufflé had risen perfectly!

 ...  she smiled to herself as she used her new oven mitt and hot pad to remove her fluffy masterpieces and hoped that her husband remembered to bring home the French Champagne.

Have you met Besty yet?

Thank you all very much for giving me a good "telling off" last Friday ... the winner of the Castle Quilt scrap bag is ... 

DeborahGun24 January 2014 15:48

Love the confession - and I am with you. I don't keep all my scraps - only the large ones!

Congratulations Deborah!  I'll contact you shortly for your postal address.  I hope the scraps are big enough for you to keep otherwise this whole exercise would have been futile!  

Is a scrap bag give-away (after a big quilt finish) something you would like to see happen from this blog on a regular basis?  I'm a bit scared to throw them in the bin now ...

Serena x

Linking up with:
Paper Pieced Friday at Quiet Play
Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts 
Riddle and Whimsy hosting TGIFF

Deer Pillow for Kindy

Here she is ... basking in the sunshine of a 3D pinwheel block.

Deer FPP Block from Kristy of Quiet Play

I'm slightly excited about these 3D pinwheels (tutorial found here) so you may see a few more of these little delights popping up on this blog.

Big girl's school can be exciting, full of adventure and all that is new ... but it can also be a bit scary ... especially for "us" Mums handing our little ones over for a WHOLE day to, let's face it, a complete stranger.

The pillow is a little, ok - a - lot, overstuffed due to me purchasing the wrong length pillow from Ikea.  But it's polyester filled so it will pad down with use (she says).

Basic Envelope Close Back

May this little deer give my little dear some comfort while she's there and not here (perhaps I should make one for myself too!)

I now declare this deer pillow Sew Given!

Serena xx

Linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts

Sunday Stash - Aussie Destash

If you were on Instagram on the 23rd of Jan then you probably got a feed full of the fabulousness that was the #greataussiedestash.

Bloggers and fabric hoarders around Oz dusted off their stash, gave that fat quarter one last stroke and bravely put it up for sale.

I picked up these goodies ... and YES ... I have a plan for them ALL (cue wicked laugh).

Yes ... I'm one happy little Vegemite!

Happy Australia Day!

Serena xx

Linking up with Sarah who is kindly hosting Sunday Stash

The Confession and a Dear Deer

I suspect I'm causing quite a stir over at Mila+Cuatro ... Sarah asked if I'd like to contribute to her fabulous Scrap 101 challenge.  My answer was "yes" of course - but I think my post might have given her a bit of a fright!

I hope that you'll come back and forgive me for my sins by entering in this give-away ...

It's a scrap bag from the makings of this quilt ...

Hopefully you'll all support me in being more 'Scrap-ful' in future!

You can enter by just giving me a good "telling to" in the comments and the winner will be chosen randomly (by that thing-a-ma-jig that I haven't quite figured out yet).

In other news - ahem - how about the weather?

I've finally found a bit of time to make this sweet little deer ... Yes there is a deer in there amongst all that pink!

Yes it's a night shot :(  I just couldn't seem to find the time to sew, photograph AND shop the Australian destash all within daylight hours - must work on my super-human skills :)

Kristy from Quiet Play has been hard at work again creating some absolutely gorgeous FPP patterns of woodland creatures - you can find the pattern in her craftsy store.  Whilst you're there check out her new Aussie animals range too!

This little pink deer is destined to become my eldest's Kindy pillow ... yup she's starting "big school" at the ripe old age of 3&3/4's (the 3/4's count!).  She'll turn 4 this year and the Aussie government have made 4 year old Kindy compulsory here in Western Australia (not sure about the rest of Oz?).  So off to school she goes (weep).

We were going to do another Unicorn pillow like this one that I made last year,

... but when she saw the little deer she changed her mind quick as a flash - as all 3&3/4 year olds do!

Serena x

Linking up with:

Scraps 101 at Mila+Cuatro
Paper Piecing Friday at Quiet Play
TGIFF
Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Moms Quilts