Scrappy Trip Around The World

Finished!!!

I can tell you, I'm SO excited about this. Are you ready for photos?

A grand total of 1296,  2-inch squares.

I had a hard time trying to photograph all of it without having someone hold it up. And I couldn't take the shots outside, as it's been raining a lot. So the best I could do was drape it over the sofa:

Then I needed a model for some perspective, so I grabbed the nearest thing that was passing by:

"I'm not Milo!"

A closer shot of some of the squares:

I think I made the right choice for the backing too - a sea of calm to balance the happy chaos of the scraps on the front. You can also just make out the swirly quilting on the back:

Making this quilt was truly a labour of love. If you asked me if I would attempt another one, I wouldn't say yes. I would say DEFINITELY yes!

Happy quilting, and have a great week ahead :-)

UFO Progress

I know I've started a new solids quilt, but a few days ago decided to tackle my Scrappy Trip Around The World.

So armed with determination I hunkered down and got to quilting.

This quilt measures 6 feet square, so there was a LOT of upper arm muscle involved!

Also a lot of quilting sessions involved. I remember complaining marvelling at how long it was taking to quilt this.

Is was my first time quilting swirls on a real quilt, so I had little swirls, big swirls, uneven swirls, eliptical swirls, 'is-this-supposed-to-be-a-swirl?' swirl...

And then to my great delight, I came to my last swirl.

Squaring up:

For the binding, I went with a solid navy blue, to even out the scrappiness of it all.

By this time I was keen to finish it off quickly, and considered machine binding it, but then a movie came on the telly, so I got comfortable on the sofa with my needle and thread :-)

I'm down to the last few feet of stitches, and then I'll have a finish to show - yay! But before I go I just have to share this next photo. It was taken after quilting, when I had lain it down on the floor for inspection. Milo sauntered in to inspect and immediately made himself at home :-)

Milo approved!

Have a great weekend!

Scrap Busting Again

It rained heavily last night. I point this out because it hasn't been raining much at all in my part of the world. So you can imagine what a welcome respite it was. *grateful*

I crept away to my sewing room, listening to the rain lashing against our windows... and pulled out a scrap bin :-)

So it became Saturday night, with just me and my scraps...

A happy mess!

... err, with a little furry animal keeping me company (not really, coz he fell asleep).

There was no plan at all - I just started piecing random scraps together.

A block ...

A strip ...

Becoming even bigger blocks!

This might just become my next scrap project :-)

Have a great week ahead all!

Previous Finishes

I've started a couple of new projects, and was about to share my progress here when I realised that I haven't posted some earlier finishes. So I thought I had better be a bit more organised and list them here first.

First up is a string table runner.

I didn't think much of it while I was making it - my focus then was just to use up some of the longer strips in my scrap bin. But I changed my mind pronto as soon as it was finished.

Now I really like it. Hip hip hooray for scrappy projects :-)

Then there's the blue coin quilt:

Baby sized, and is the blue version of a similar pink coin quilt I made a few months earlier.

I think I've said this before, but I'll say it again - coin quilts are the easiest! I highly recommend them if you're a beginner quilter or if you just need a quick finish.

I'm hoping this little quilt will find a new home soon.

Enjoy Sunday all, and have a great week ahead!

A Little Bit of This and That

My arthritis is getting much better these last few days - I'm so thankful for that! I've been able to play around in the sewing room, slicing up fabric and piecing projects. I tried finishing up my Memory Quilt but the weight just proved too much for my arms. I've also tried laying out some blocks on the floor, but my knees were screaming for me to stop. I need to be just a little bit more patient!

In the meantime I've sorted out some of my scraps:

When I saw all the strips I had I decided to make some string blocks.

And then discovered I had another bag of strips stashed away in the cupboard - plenty for my project.

I decided on 6.5 inch (unfinished) squares.

I've now completed 14 of them. And I think I'll stop now. There should be enough for a table runner perhaps ...

There still plenty of strips left... I guess its back to the cupboard for them for now.

Oh, besides the scrappy string blocks, I also decided to cut up and piece some fabric for a boy version of Pink Rainbows.

And lastly, I couldn't resist breaking out another charm pack. One I've been hoarding because I think the fabric selection in this one is Just. Too. Cute! I'm using this to make into a baby quilt for a dear friend, and I can't wait to get it done!

It's Friday everyone - have a great weekend!

Fabric Therapy

You know what's the best thing to do when you're tired and stressed and messed up in the mind? Tear your fabric off the shelves and indulge in a little spring cleaning. There's just something soooo therapeutic about the process : Folding, re-folding, enjoying the textures of the fabric, not to mention admiring the variety of prints. Planning and imagining all types of projects. At the end of it all, you have a nice neat shelf and a nicer quieter mind. Bliss...

I discovered, to my great surprise, that I have a surprisingly small pile of red fabric. I say surprise, because red is my favourite colour most days. 

Of course I immediately thought of going on a red shopping spree, then checked myself and remembered that I had meant to go on a fabric-shopping diet. Yes, I've been telling myself I should stop buying and hoarding, and start using what I actually have... but you have to agree with me, that IS a small bundle isn't it?

I suppose I should mention that in the middle of my so called fabric diet, this arrived for me during the week:

I just couldn't resist those dots! These are from Spot On by Robert Kaufman. Err, I think. No, I'm sure. I think.

Anyways, back to the fabric cleaning. I've also sorted out my small scraps. Err, again. Now I've got a little pot for the leeettle, little scraps:

Does anyone else have trouble binning small scraps? Even when they're tiny? I keep thinking there'll be some use for them, you know, applique for example. 

Then there's the not so small scraps:

And finally the larger ones, each about a fat-eighth or larger:

I have a nice neat sewing room now,  my fabric at the ready to be pulled off the shelves again, but for sewing this time. What a fabulous way to start the weekend :-)

Hope everyone has a happy one!

Scrappy Yards

This week I have 2 scrap bundles up for grabs.

Each bundle is made up of scraps of different fabric for a sum total size of approximately 1 yard (36" X 44"). Great for patchwork beginners, and miscellaneous craft projects.

The first bundle is made up of mostly flora and fauna fabrics:

Mostly Floral Scrap Bundle : Pic 1

Mostly Floral Scrap Bundle : Pic 2

And the second is mostly cut from bright fabrics:

Mostly Brights Scrap Bundle : Pic 1

Mostly Brights Scrap Bundle : Pic 2

Each scrappy bundle is RM25.00 (postage included within Malaysia).

Shipping will be via Pos Express. 

Also available are 2 Moda's City Weekend Charm Packs:

Each pack is RM38.00

Postage is RM3.50 via Pos Express within Malaysia.

Happy crafting everyone!

Funtime

I was surfing the internet the other day and fell upon a post for a ticker tape quilt made by Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilt.

You can see her Ticker Tape Quilt here.

It seemed easy enough (especially for lazy people like me) so I thought I'd pull out my box of scraps and give it a shot. 

And let me tell you, I had real FUN making this one!

There were times I felt like a 10 year old, so happy was I. I guess that means it would be good project for a 10 year old?

And the result:

This one is a wee little quit measuring about 1.5' X 2'. I'm giving it to Niece, for her kitten Fluff and Fluffy to sit on (yes, I know, VERY imaginative names).

The point is, this is one easy peasy lemon squeezy and fun fun fun! quilt to make. I spent no more than a couple of hours to finish this cat-sized quilt. Just the perfect way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon.

You can find a tutorial for the ticker tape quilt here.

Laptop Sleeve

I had a bit of time this week, and thought I'd try out something new - a sleeve for my laptop.

We live in an old house, and as is typical of old houses in this part of the world, we have a big kitchen where all the action takes place. So the laptop regularly sits on the kitchen table. And the problem with that is, it collects all sorts of dust (yes, I've discovered there are different types of dust - big dust, tiny dust, big flecks, little flecks), and little spots of God only knows what,  and scratches.

But not anymore, eheheh. Not with this bright sleeve I made.

Some time ago I dug into my scrap box and randomly pieced together small pieces of scraps into rows. Then I trimmed the rows and joined them until I got a big square block. I made a few of these blocks and kept them aside.

I've never sewed a laptop sleeve before, and for my prototype I thought I'd dig out these scrap blocks and use them. For the flap however, I opted for just one print, in one of my favourites - Bloom by Hoffman.

I've lined the sleeve with batting, with some plain off-white muslin.

The flap is secured with a length of velcro.

This sleeve is custom made, because it has a hole at one end for the internet dongle, which we hardly ever remove. The idea was that we can store the laptop without having to remove the dongle. While practical for our purposes,  it does look a bit odd, so I don't think I'll incorporate this into the next laptop sleeve I make.



Not too bad for a first try, so I'm definitely making another. Just the excuse I need for more fabric shopping :-)

Something a Little Different

Let me start by wishing all my Moslem friends a belated happy and blessed Eidul Adha and all my Hindu friends a belated Happy Diwali. Hope you guys had a good one.

It's still terrible at the office, but am happy to report that we're surviving so far. It doesn't help that Boss has gone on long leave, leaving us here to hold the fort. I'm usually happy when he's not around. You know what they say about the cat being away and all that... But I must say I've never been so desperate for him to come back to work, hee hee.

Anyways, since we got the day off for Eid this last Wednesday, Yummy Hubby and I went back to visit Nenek* B. We haven't seen her for a few months now, so the trip was long overdue. Nenek B lives with As, an Indonesian lady, who helps around the house and garden. In between running after Nenek B and her many chickens and turkeys and pottering about in the garden, As likes to sew. And I notice that she likes to sew one item in particular: Floor mats. Little rugs.

Everytime I visit, I usually buy one or two of these little rugs from her, so there's always one on display in my house. As gets scraps of fabric from the kampung's dressmaker, and turns them into these babies. I've always admired her work. I've noticed that over time she's become very good with details like colour. 

Basically, a rug is made of many, many small pieces of scraps, each folded into a triangle-type shape, sort of like a prairie point. These little triangles are then arranged, slightly overlapping each other into rows on a fabric base.

You can just about make out the hand stitching at the back in the picture above.

Truly a work of art, don't you think?


* Nenek - Malay meaning grandmama.
Kampung - village.

Scrappy Pinks

It's been a busy week.

At work (yes I do have a day job!) things are going CRAZEEEEEE so hobbies have had to take a back seat for a while. Having said that, I've still managed to do a little bit here and there. Even as little as 15 or 20 minutes a day of cutting or fiddling about with the sewing machine or hand stitching something or just taking out a charm pack and fantasizing what I could do with it, takes much of my mind off whatever it is that's bothering me at work.

I've started another project, but of course 15 minutes a day for a week is not going to give me enough material to show to you, so am going to show you another project I finished some time ago. I had ordered a scrap bag from a vendor off Craftzone Malaysia (link in my sidebar). When the package came I found most of the scraps were, coincidently I guess, pink. So I pulled out some of my own pink scraps and came up with enough to make a small coin quilt.

If you've never tried a stacked coins quilt, you MUST, because it's really really easy peasy. I know I keep saying I should do more tutorials for those of you just beginning to quilt... and I haven't! I will soon, I promise (taking fingers off keyboard to cross them now :-P). But anyways, if you look at the finished product I'm sure you'll figure how to make one, coz it's so EASY.

Some pictures now.

Here it is pieced and being quilted on my humble Singer.

Practicing my stipple:

Finished! And blowing on the washing line. I decided to add the blue fabric with little pink flowers to balance out what might otherwise be a too-pink finish.

Close up.

Quilt finishes at about 3 feet by 4 feet. Perfect size for a stroller quilt or playmat.

It's back to work for me tomorrow, *sigh*. Till the next time, hope you had a wonderful weekend.

More Scrap Ideas!

I've been making boxes!! They're SO exciting and addictive.

These are made from scraps cut into 5 inch squares. Basically the outside will need 5 squares and the inside lining will also need 5 squares. I suppose you can make these from any size squares you like. I got the idea from a tutorial off the internet. I tried to find the tutorial before I posted this entry, so that I could link it to this post, but I couldn't find the exact one. But if you google 'fabric box tutorial' there are plenty of sites that you can refer to.



To help keep the boxes in shape you need to stuff the insides with cardboard or stiff paper. At first I thought that would be tricky to do, but it was actually quite easy! You can use any stiff paper for this, eg cereal boxes. For those of you who have just celebrated Eid, now you know what to do with all those festive cards you received.  Quilters recycle - yay!



A close up:

You can see I did a row of hand stitching at the top, just to keep everything in place.

I'm going to use them to store my hexagon paper pieces, my hairclips, spools, receipts, bits, bobs etc etc. 

They're so cute and easy, can't wait to make some more!