Espritpatch

It is now officially summer, but really only on the calendar... we have had about a week of warm and sunny weather mid-month and now we are back to cold/rainy/grey/horrible...  This month has certainly been busy, on more than one account really, but let's leave out the roller-coaster and concentrate on all craft-related, that's more fun really! It has been a month of destashing of lots of fabric,  I listed just over 100 (!) FQ on marketplace, lots are still available there.  Part of my destash has also been for long- abandoned  projects. In total, I have parted with 5 projects. I can't say I am proud to have started them and not finished them but I am happy that at least they are not filling the cupboards here and that someone will/may give them some love again. While sorting through my UFO, I got another one out, the Impromptu that I started in 2013 and made some blocks for it, still not finished but at least I fixed my mistake and made some progress! And I finished...

  Finally, a finish, just before the end of the month! I am so happy that this UFO is no more. It is now a finished quilt that I will be able to gift to a good friend before I leave. I just finished sewing the binding tonight, didn't have that much left to do really. And here it is, all done, finished, completed, ready to be gifted. Not sure why I took 5 years to get to this point but I am glad it is no longer a pile of blocks in a box. I used this lovely floral from my stash for the backing, it is pretty I think. And of course I quilted a few (secret) messages.  This was my OMG for June and I am happy to report that it is done. One more OPAM and of course one off my FAL (which has been carried through for so many quarters!). Linking to  Needle and Thread Thursday ,  Brag about your Beauties ,   Off the wall Friday ,  Peacock Party ,    Whoop Whoop  Friday ,   Patchwork and Quilts Celine

  I hadn't listen to a podcast for a long time but a few weeks ago I listen to the Love to Sew episode on zero-waste sewing . I checked the links from the episode and was intrigued by the ZWWave bag pattern  by bag.uettes. The shape is beautiful and I figured it should be easy straight forward enough to try this pattern for end of year gifts, especially this year when I have lots to make. I duly bought the pattern and printed it to try my first bag. The instructions are very clear and the pattern pieces are cleverly drawn so you can make about any size you would like.  Because I'm using faux-leather for my bags, I wanted them lined as it looks nicer. So after sewing the handles to the bag pieces, I attached the lining pieces to the bag, sewing through the top curves.  Last step was to assemble the 2 bag pieces to finish the bag. And that where I realised that the zero-waste bag is only zero waste if it is made with fabric that can be used on either side (no wrong or ...

  Another UFO has left the house. I can't even remember when I started these 2 snow people but I think it was over 10 years ago. I was planning to make them for my 2 older children(the youngest wasn't even born...) They were not that far off really but they've been sitting in a bag in the cupboard for years.  I think it was time someone gave them the attention they needed! Celine

  A few weeks back, while ordering haberdashery, a remnant of bamboo towelling fell into my basket with a plan to make some hand towels for our cloakroom. How difficult could it be?  Well the answer is not at all really. I divided the piece into 3 and all I needed was to serge the sides so it wouldn't fray and leave plush everywhere. Well finally on Saturday, the 3 hand towels were done and have been in use every since.  I must say I love the feel of the fabric and it is very absorbent. I might buy more! One more OPAM! Celine

  Actually, this is another UFO! but not such an old one. After I finished my Calvin wrap dress by True Bias last year, I decided to cut another one. I don't have that many summery sundress in my wardrobe actually and I really like the fit of the one I had just made . I had this fitted bed sheet that was wearing thin at the corners but was still good otherwise and that had a lovely design. So I decided to cut another Calvin wrap dress then and there. All the cutting was done last year but never managed to start the sewing. I guess it might have been the pressing of the bias binding that put me off1 With the #sewtogetherforsummer challenge on Instagram being a sundress, I knew I needed to finish this one by the deadline, Summer Day (today). I was hoping to make more summer dresses actually (looking in your direction Frankie Tankie or Rose City Halter Dress...) but of course I ran out of time!  Anyway after a franctic morning of cooking and cleaning on Saturday morning, I decid...

  Another quilt-along that I started years ago (in 2012) and that has never been picked up again. Just Take 2 blocks were released twice a month by Brenda Papadakis and the quilt was supposed to be made in 2 colours. I duly started in January 2012 and made a few blocks during the first half of that year and then it was parked for later...  There were lots of different techniques in the quilt, including a big applique block (Hawaian if I remember well) that I never found the courage to start. Another bag that I have emptied last week and sold on to someone else. I had a lovely message from the lady who bought them from me, saying she was surprised I had let go of the blocks as they were beautifully made. This was so nice to hear, and I am happy that they are getting used finally. Celine

  Another very old project... I will confess that I used to be a swap addict! The swap blocks were from before the high speed internet since they were made in 2006! The idea for this swap was to prepare some blocks with 3 raw edge hearts applique on top of each other. The hearts have an indent on the side and in the middle to be sliced up. This is a variation on the "bull eye pattern". After the blocks had been swapped, we were supposed to cut them in 4 (in half vertically and horizontally). Next step was to pick pieces from 4 blocks and assemble them together into a new heart. I had started rebuilding the blocks but not all of them. I even used some blocks to make photo album covers. I had made those in 2013 for the wedding of my son's favorite teacher and probably had one extra. You can read all about it here . When I found those blocks, I knew I would never do anything else with them so it was time to let them go and share the love. They have now found a new home! Celi...

  Not long after I first started quilting, I decided I would make a Double Wedding Ring quilt for my parents' 30th wedding anniversary.  I bought John Flynn's book to use his method where you cut strips of fabric that you assemble. You then slice the pieces and you sew back to make an arch. It is quite difficult to explain but a lot easier and quicker than cutting some shaped pieces. Before starting on "the" quilt, I decided I should practice so I picked some Christmas fabric to make some blocks.  Of course, once I was confident with the method, the Christmas pieces got parked away for later and I decided to get started on the real one. Well, those pieces have been stashed away for all that time (nearly 20 years) and I never did anything with them, I doubt I will ever do. So last week-end I decided it was time to let them go to someone else, who will hopefully make something of them. I had previously posted the complete story behind my double wedding ring for my pare...

I am still into the big tidy up/clean up/declutter activities here, partly why I am sewing so little. Part of the exercise has been to go through "parked" projects and decide whether I really wanted to keep them/I had hope to finish them one day or if I had completely fallen out of love or they would require so much more that I know deep down that I will never complete them. One of the projects that came out of its box was my "Impromptu" quilt, which has been on my finish-along wish list for a long long time. I finally got all the pieces out and tried to work out where I was at and what needed to be done to get it on my bed. I started it as a quilt-along in 2013...  This is where I realised why I had parked it... at some point, while slicing a 9-patch block, I made a mistake in my cut. Instead of fixing it then and there, I stashed it away for another time. Well, I am happy that the time has now come and I have unpicked the mistake and am fixing it now. I also tried...

After finished the Modern HST sampler, I didn't want it to sit there for ever. So we got the quilting frame out about a week ago and I duly quilted it over the weekend.  I want for an easy all over pattern and added a few personnal notes for the recipient.  For the back I  used a floral I had in my stash and that was just big enough! It is all squared up ready for binding now. And I've cut the binding this weekend for the leftover fabric I had so hopefully it should be finished before the end of the month. Watch this space! Linking to  M onday Making ,   Monday Design Wall ,  Midweek Makers ,  Wednesday Wait Loss ,  Needle and Thread Thursday Celine

  It must have been the colder month of May ever, it has felt like February for most of it and I have been in my winter clothes almost every day. Let's hope June brings some sun! Of course I had a long list and plenty to do this month, and of course I barely scratch the surface once more!  I finally got my HST blocks from 5 years ago out and made 2 more to have a square quilt top. It only needs quilting now! And I also finished my Nautilus swimsuit I didn't quite finish my Utility coat but I am not far off, I just need to pick it up I guess. And I started a new quilt-along Flabellum, which is nearly finished too! And I made 39 blocks this month! Somehow, it seems that I didn't work on many projects but made good progress overall! Maybe that's the secret! Linking to May Furtle Celine