Smitten Quilt - My English Paper Piecing Adventure - Part 3

Every time I make a new hexie it becomes my new favourite.  I am just loving every single stitch that is going into this quilt.

One of the questions I have been asked a lot is "What does the back look like".  There have been many questions about my seam allowance, glue basting versus thread basting and lots more.

Here is a pic of the back of one of my Hexes.  I find the 1/4 in seam allowance on the templates that I have been cutting is plenty for my paper piecing.  I am glue basting and if you have any trouble with the glue not releasing from the papers there may be a couple of things you can do.  Firstly make sure you are not using to much glue.  Glue on the paper (not the fabric) but not too close to the edge.  If you can't release the fabric from the paper try ironing the shape to "relax" the glue.  The steam will help release the paper and fabric.

With all the Large Hexagons now finished it is time to work on the smaller Hexies.  These are great fun and I have tried to work out which colours I need to add more of and add more of those fabrics in.

Which is your favourite Hexie so far? Who else is making a Smitten?

Jemima x x

F-A-N-C-Y Foxes!

I started Elizabeth Hartmans Fancy Fox quilt a little while ago and it was certainly time to get it quilted and bound and completed.  I must say I am not usually a purple lover but as this quilt is for a special young lady I am pretty sure she will love all the shades and purple prints.  

Having recently upgraded my sewing machine I could not wait to use one of the features my new Pfaff Performance 5.0 had that my older Pfaff did not.  With 5cm wide stitches machine quilting this quilt was a breeze as the machine was making the large wavy stitch with me only having to guide it through.  All sewn and Quilted using my favourite Aurifil Thread - #2024.

While it is hard to capture the Andover Chambray used for the background it has the most amazing silver metallic thread through it giving this quilt a glimmer that is beautiful.  The Chambray came from Hawthorne Threads and while I thought it may fray terribly - it didn't at all and even with the metallic threads through it, it was a dream to sew with.  Teamed with all the Purple Liberty prints I hope this quilt will be treasured for years to come.  

Jemima x 

Smitten Quilt - My English Paper Piecing Adventure. Part 2

Well and truly Smitten! I am just loving this quilt and deciding each and every piece that will make up each hexagon.  It took me quite a long time to decide whether I was going to Machine piece or English Paper Piece this project and I am glad I decided on EPP.

To hand sew my shapes I like to use Aurifil #2021 in 50wt.  This is nice and fine and perfect to make the tiny stitches.  I also love to baste my Hexagons with a Sue Daley Glue Pen.

There are now full kits available from Sue Daley Designs for the Smitten Quilt with all the pre-cut papers and acrylic templates you will need to make each of the Hexagons if you are planning on sewing yours also using the English Paper Piecing method.

If you have been thinking of starting a Smitten Quilt - do it!  You will love it no matter whether you sew it on the machine or by hand.  If you have any questions as well as to how mine has been sewn - ask away.

Jemima x 

New Pattern Releases

While it may be a little early to start thinking of Christmas it is not too early to start to think about your Christmas Crafting.  As soon as "Little Joys" by Elea Lutz (for Penny Rose Fabrics) arrived I knew exactly what I wanted to make.

With beautiful vintage Christmas designs and traditional colours in these fabrics I set about making my "Christmas Cheer Advent Calendar".  Little Joys is now available in Australia at these stores

Fabric Pixie

Patchwork on Pittwater

You can fill these pockets with which ever treats, sweets or little gifts you choose and all the family will enjoy this countdown to Santa's arrival.  

PDF Downloable Pattern for my Christmas Cheer Advent Calendar is now available at my Website and Etsy Store

Liberty fabrics melt my heart - I love the prints, colours, designs and feel of the beautiful Tana Lawn.  This bright bundle arrived from Ava and Neve and I quickly set about making this large cushion teamed with Essex Yarn Dyed Linen (Navy)

This new pattern - Confetti Cushion shows the beautiful bright prints and how striking they look set against a beautifully textured Linen.  

PDF Downloadable Pattern for my Confetti Cushion is now available at my Website and Etsy Store.

Happy sewing

Jemima x 

Bits and Pieces

Earlier this year in my travels to Melbourne I visited the Morris and Sons store.  So full of yarns, wool and so many patterns and inspiration - it was a great stop especially if you love all things Crochet, Knitting, Embroidery and Cross Stitch.  I  chose these two balls of yarn for a Coco Cowl that I had in mind to make for a special friend.  I used Morris "Paddington" 6ply in Ink Blue and the amazing variegated yarn is the most amazing Debbie Bliss "Luxury Silk Dk" col 48041.

I have used Silks before but never ones like this - it was so beautiful to crochet and the colours are so vibrant and it has the softest feel to it.  I made this cowl from the Coco Cowl pattern by Tangled Yarns.  It is a fairly quick project and I have made a few of these before as I just love to crochet these.

I am participating in the #craftybirthdaybash1.  There are 12 of us in this group and each Month we send the Birthday person a sweet handmade gift.  It is an amazing group of very talented sewers and stitchers.  

I made this Kaleidescope Mini Quilt for Sarah who celebrated her birthday in May.  I made it all from Liberty fabrics from my stash and then Hand quilted the Linen.  This is such a fun and creative group to be a part of and - well it is my  Birthday Month next so I am truly excited.

Many of you know that I am a big Jen Kingwell fan and spent hours visiting Amitie Textiles as well when I was in Melbourne.  Jen's book - Quilt Lovely had just been released and all the quilts and cushions were actually in the shop when I visited.  There were so many amazing Quilts and Cushions in this book.  I fell in love with this one - "Small Wonders" and have made my own.  I just love it and no one is allowed near it on the couch.  I have plans for quite a few other projects also from the book.

Jemima x

Strawberry Picnic Quilt - New pattern release

I have no doubt that Tasha Noels latest range - Vintage Market will be huge hit. Designed for Riley Blake Designs and now available here in Australia this range has the sweetest prints and the colours in the designs are just sublime.

This range has some beautiful Fussy Cuts and those are what I wanted to feature within this new quilt design.  A modern twist on the Traditional Churn Dash Blocks to create a design that showcases these Fussy cut characters.

A sweet quilt filled with strawberries, fair stands, jam bottles and girls on bicycles.

Vintage Market will be available at these stores here in Australia

Fabric Pixie

The Stitcher's Cupboard

Minky Bear & Me

Peg’s Pieces

Fresh Fabrics Australia

Sew Stashed

Bellarine Sewing Centre

A Little Different

Sew Fab

Patchwork on Pittwater

Thorpe & Co

Black Tulip

3 in a Tree

The PDF pattern for Strawberry Picnic is now available here at my Website or Etsy store

I had this quilt professionally Long Arm Quilted by Carol Brady of The Quilting Cottage.  The design features strawberries and leaves.

Happy sewing

Jemima x 

Tulip Hiroshima Needles and a Bear Pillow

I have always believed that having the right Sewing Tools and Equipment makes all the difference to your love of sewing/quilting.  If you are going to spend your time hand making treasured items then have equipment and tools that help make this so enjoyable.

I recently got some Tulip Hiroshima Needles from Ava and Neve. I had been wanting to try these needles out for a while as I had heard such good reviews about them.  These are beautifully presented in coloured boxes and contain little "test tubes" that hold all the different needles and pins.  Made in Japan and using a manufacturing technique that specially polishes the needles for easy gliding through your layers of fabric.

I had never given much thought to the number and different types of needles I use when I making different projects.  I decided to make the Bear Pillow from Amy Sinibaldi's new book - Sweetly Stitched Handmades.

Using a bundle of Liberty fabrics from Ava and Neve I set about test out these Tulip Hiroshima needles. 

Embroidery Needles - I do quite a bit of hand quilting and embroidery work.  These needles have a large eye which is great for thicker threads such as Aurifil 12wt and Embroidery Floss.  They run very smoothly through the layers due to the special polishing process they are made by.

Patchwork Pins - beautiful fine pins with glass heads on them so you can use them near the iron.  (*Never, ever sew through pins on your sewing machine).

Milliners Needles - if you love Needleturn Appliqué then you will love these "Straws" - long, fine and flexible to work quickly as you go.

Sewing Needles - great for all your general sewing with cotton thread.  I have used them for binding and they worked beautifully through the fabric.

These needles are definitely a great tool to have and with different varieties available no matter what you like to sew there is a Tulip Needle that will be perfect.

Jemima x