10/31/2009

My Imperfection 'Puckery' Quilt



Yayy...it's done today! I did the binding for 2 days. I pick solid colors. Love the cheery feeling from those bright color.

As you know I didn't make the puckers with purpose, at first these puckers were MISTAKES I've done in quilting. Along the journey I learned something from this quilt. I learned how IMPERFECTION could turned into something different (when you see from the eye of PERFECTION), but still I found BEAUTY in it.
Now I definetely LOVE my PUCKERY quilt! I also love the puffiness that made me want to touch and touch the puckers again.

My imperfection 'puckery' quilt remind me to Amy. She has started a group to share our imperfection moments in daily life. Love her idea!


One more thing:
For me ... doing hand stitches for binding is a perfect 'quiet' time for slowing and cooling down my mind from hustle bustle activities of the day.

It's time now for thinking my next project!

10/22/2009

Fabric Pumpkin : Halloween Decoration or Pin Cushion


I'm not celebrating Halloween here, but inspired to make a fabric pumpkin like this.
My idea is come from a book "Sewing for a Holiday" by Singer. You could use it as a small decoration for your Halloween party or just like me...use it as a cute pin cushion. It's up to you !

This is really a quick project. I also made this in the middle of my 'puckery' quilt project that has not finished yet. You only need to :















Cut eight 9 x 13 cm rectangle fabrics and draw a pattern of partial pumpkin on a paper.





















The partial pumpkin pattern is 7 cm wide and 11,5 cm long.
(sorry, I just don't know how to put the numbers into the pic).
Just fold one piece of fabrics you had already cut and pin the pattern onto it.















Cut along the pattern then soon you'll have 8 pumpkin pieces like these.




























Stitch with around 1/2 cm (1/4") seam allowance for 2 pumpkin pieces right together along one side using 8 - 10 stitches per inch. Leave thread tails at curved end.















Stitch remaining pumpkin pieces together, 2 at a time to make 4 sections. Stitch two pumpkin section together . Draw up thread tails to gather slightly along seam lines like this.
Just don't pull too hard :)


Look, the pumpkin pieces will look like this 'pumpkin' after you turned it right side out.
Stuff the pumpkin lightly with polyester fiberfill or leftover batting pieces. Fold the edge under itself and hand stitched after that so the small opening looks neat.












Also hand stitched the bottom of the pumpkin to close the opening.














For leaves:
Cut 2 rectangles of 10 x 18 cm green fabric. place wrong side together, fold in half.
My advise: You should use brighter green fabric than mine. This is the only green I have, so better use it than buy another :)




















Edgestitch next to fold through all layers.

Make fringed leaves by clipping the fabrics at 0,5 cm interval or choose whatever size you like.


Cut a small branch from a tree, insert it at the top of the pumpkin, secure with hot glue.


Also apply hot glue to stitched fringed green leaves, wrap strip around your pumpkin.
Tadaa...now, done!!

10/16/2009

Treating Puckers

I try to be 'friendly' with all puckers I had made on my quilt this week.
Look at this.....

I thought at first because I didn't use walking foot or a kind of fabric glue spray before batting that usually I see on other quilter's block (is it true?). Or maybe it's just my skill hasn't reached "no puckers" level yet :)
I remember that one of my new blogger friend Nina-Marie said she didn't use walking foot either, just regular foot with feed dogs up but having no problem in quilting. She said maybe because I used poly batt, not cotton batt so the foot doesn't move easier / smooth sometimes (and made puckers??)
There's no quilt store even less cotton batt here :(
Buying online would be very expensive, afraid!)
Well, I try my best in treating those puckers. This is the pic after I sew more organic lines in most of the area. Looks better :


Give up? No way....
Still in progress, hope I can finish this quilt next week.


10/11/2009

2009 Fall Blogger's Quilt Festival



Couple of days ago I knew from one of my friend's blog that Amy from City Park Girl hosted a 2009 Fall Blogger's Quilt Festival. Interested to join, yes! But then not confidence enough to move on...so this morning I emailed Amy and attached the pic of my quilt just to ask her opinion about it. Well, she said "Amazing..you should shared it with us, Henny!".

So here is my quilt, can be a table runner or wall hanging.


I had ever post about it here. I made this wall hanging using my scraps from left over bedsheet fabric I made before. Inspiring with one of Jacquie's quilt then I quilted it with organic lines. Two reasons why I love these style of sewing are: I only need to sew it in straight lines and no need a walking foot (still I haven't had it yet).

I hope my first participation in this Blogger's Quilt Festival would encouraged me to create another quilt project more and more and most of all having new friends :)

10/09/2009

Her Special Pencil Case

Finally ... we made up our mind to make her a pencil case with her own drawing that I had printed on fabric.
This is the first time for her (also me) to see her manga drawing printed on fabric.
Beautiful drawing!
I used a wonderful tutorial here, from Pink Penguin.


I think it's a quite good collaboration project, she draw , I sew :)

10/06/2009

Motivated both of Us

Yesterday we -my daughter and I- were working on this project.
These are all her drawing. I tried to help her transferred them to fabrics.
Uploading this unfinished project could motivate me because I often tend leaving my recent project if there's other more interesting one. Also motivate her to keep on drawing.






















Still thinking what should I do with this block, maybe a pencil case or tissue case..