The Patchwork Housewarming Gift

Typical of the problems with moving home, my housewarming gift isn't going to be needed very soon as the prospective purchase of the new home fell through so I was able to slow up on the making and get some much needed jobs done in my own home and just work on the patchwork now and then.
I'm pleased to say that the quilt is now finished!
I only had to buy fabric for the sashing and backing, all the rest was from my rather large stash which incidentally, doesn't seem to have got much smaller!

My quilt worked out 62.5 inches square. This could be made bigger or smaller of course by using more or less squares or widening the sashings.
I sighed with relief when it was finished but got such a thrill to see it as a completed quilt that I started a new design straight away! It's a 'quilt as you go' which starts off very easily but I've given up for a bit now as I came across a tricky bit with the quilting halfway through so it's put away for a while until I think about how to tackle it.
I'll be back with photos of the new work started.

Housewarming Quilt

As a collector and maker of dollshouses, this design really appealed to me. It's a very easy one to make and it's a great stash buster! Absolutely any scraps of cotton fabric with any pattern can be put together to make up these little houses.
The instructions can be found in the magazine 'Love Patchwork and Quilting' Issue 25 2015.

 

It didn't take me long to make 15 squares, I can make one up while dinner is cooking so it's easy to fit one in any spare moment without having to take days out to work on it.
It's going to be a housewarming present and I think the design is perfect!

Cross Stitch Completed

 A very unusual occurrence for me, I completed a cross stitch project in record time, didn't lose interest and made it into a cushion for my sweet granddaughter!

I bought this magazine Cross Stitch Crazy, October 2015 and fell in love with the hares on the front cover.

The fabric I used to make up the cushion has hares all over it.

 I am so pleased with it the result.

I hope you're having a happy weekend!

Wonky Stars!

The discovery of 'Wonky Stars' was a real treet. I saw a tutorial on-line quite by chance and as I'd decided to make a small knee quilt/throw as a present and had bought material in preparation I got started straight away.
People who know me will be staggered to learn that I completed the project in under three days! (yes Oly, it's true!)
I'm not one for too many rules and regulations, timetables and set orders so this was like giving me a free hand and sure enough I loved making it.

 The fabrics I used.

 Making the corners didn't work this time, I forgot how to do them and despite watching another tutorial, they didn't turn out right.

The 'problem' is that I now have to make another one as I've decided to keep this one for myself but it will give me a chance to practice the corners again.
Have a good week whatever you're planning,

Jelly Roll Quilt Completed

Christmas and family life got in the way of crafting. I had to put everything away and make the house look tidy for once but last week I managed to complete the quilt for my granddaughter.

This is the Moda Jelly Roll that I used

The pattern is called 'The Classic Sampler Quilt' and is the first quilt in this lovely book.

My granddaughter was very excited, and after a thorough inspection she rolled all over it, 'swam' on it, then put her toys and books on it!

 I'm very happy it was a success!

Cuddle Stufflings

I made these little cuddly toys for my granddaughter recently, they were fun and quick to make, just what I wanted to fit inbetween some bigger jobs I was working on. The pattern is from a shop called Gingermelon on Etsy.

 They don't look like this anymore, they are victims of excessive cuddling with a bit of sucking and chewing! A big hit.

A New Seat Cushion for an Old Leather Chair

An old leather chair my youngest son was presented with was pretty much ok other than the seat cushion which was badly worn and torn.
Always up for an interesting challenge, I agreed to make a new cover.
I unpicked every bit of the old one and used it as a pattern to cut the new fabric.

 My son requested a tartan and I found the perfect fabric in Dunelm.
The leather was impossible to pin to the fabric for cutting so I used pieces of masking tape which worked very well.
After cutting I make the piping.

 Which I stiched to the top of the seat cover.

 Working carefully around the curves.

 

I placed a piece of wide, self sticking velcro to the centre of the underside to line up with an existing piece on the chair which stops the cushion slipping.

 I forgot to say that I ironed on some interfacing to the inside of the cushion cover to help prevent it stretching too much.

 I sewed in a zip to the top and bottom of the cover, at the back.

 I then completed the cushion cover by stiching everything together!
This is the finished underside.

 And this is the top.

And finally the new cushion on the chair! My son is very pleased, so I'm happy too.

I hope you're all going to have a very Happy and Healthy New Year - 2016!