Tag: QAL

Churn Dash and Mini Sawtooth Star

by Kay, posted in RSC15

What a boring title LOL  I hope the blocks aren’t boring though! As usual I used as many different fabrics as I could. Traditionally a churn dash block is made in two fabrics, I used seven but this is a scrap challenge quilt so I only had small amounts of a couple of them. Now they are even smaller!

RSC15 churn dash

I love the little mini sawtooth star inside the bigger one. The greens for this block are completely different to the previous one; it’s not until you put them together that you can see how much variety there is in one colour.

RSC15 mini saw tooth star

Now I have a third green block to make. The flying geese are ready and waiting for the inner block but I haven’t decided which one to do. Angela has a lot of choice over at So Scrappy which you can visit HERE

This month the blocks are all orange and I really like the ‘whirling blades’ block but I have already made my orange blocks https://thecraftyyak.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/a-couple-of-oranges/ and https://thecraftyyak.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/a-bird-in-the-hand-and-why-i-chose-this-block/

Maybe I have found my third green block!

A Couple of Oranges

by Kay, posted in Quilt-a-Longs, RSC15, WIPs

There are three orange blocks for this section, yesterday I posted the ‘birds in flight’ block and it’s significance. The two blocks today have no significance other than I wanted something simple.

Firstly, a nine patch made from Happy-go-Lucky candy squares by Bonnie and Camille for Moda. I bought these at The Quilters and Embroiderers Store, Brisbane. Camille Roskelly was giving a talk and I bought her book Simply Retro and a few packs of these candy squares. Loved her talk and the quilts she brought with her!

orange 9 patch

Secondly, another simple patch which I made up. I don’t think it is an old block, at least I couldn’t find it. I was trying to think of a name. As it is an easy variation of a nine patch I thought Easy Kate but that sounds like it is named after a strumpet ha ha. Kate in the corner sounds like a naughty child so I’ll leave it as a nine-patch variation which sounds boring but accurate

orange star1

The little flower in the middle is from ‘Sweet Things’ by Holly Holderman for Lake House Dry Goods and has the  cutest colour chart on the selvedge of cupcakes instead of the usual dots. Another scrap from a scrap bag bought on EBay

A Flock of Geese

by Kay, posted in Quilt-a-Longs, RSC15

I am so far behind on the RSC15 because I started so late, that I thought I would have a marathon cutting session last night. I am following Angela’s pattern and making sawtooth stars with different middles so a large number of flying geese were needed.

When I came to sew this morning I was a red square short. I was sure I have cut four but it was late so maybe I miscounted. I cut another only to find this when I started to chain piece the second round!

so that's where it went

So that’s where it went! I have never done that before – sewed things to myself – but not this!

This morning was very productive, even with a bit a babysitting and a trip to a bootsale. It was a wet and windy last night which put a lot of stall holders off so there were hardly any.  My other half got a demi-john for £3.00 but only after I snorted in derision laughed when the stall holder said £5.00! The girls got an animal book and a lovely glass paperweight. With only two patchy rows there was little choice so I got nothing.

I had bought a pair of scissors in Fabric8 (only £2.00!) yesterday which came in handy today as they are so large and I had many geese to separate. Only a couple of snips and they were done.

Big scissors

Now for the inner blocks. January is medium blues; whirling geese and card trick. Let’s hope the weather brightens up as it is a bit dark for taking photos indoors without a flash (and I can’t find my tripod to do a long exposure)

 

The Farmer’s Wife 1930s QAL

by Kay, posted in Farmer's Wife 1930s QAL
fwqal1930s-49-katherine
fwqal1930s-49-Katherine

I couldn’t resist jumping in and making this block [49] Katherine as it is the nearest to my own name and looking at it I was sure I could simplify the cutting and sewing which I did. Stitch and flip with rectangles and squares instead of tiny triangles, HSTs and awkward shapes.

It also means no need to print out the templates – saving paper and ink! I wonder how many more can be simplified. It will be interesting to see how many of the guest bloggers over at verykerryberry will do so.

Kerry  said that she will paper piece most of the blocks and has already made some. They can be seen in her review for ‘The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt’ by Laurie Aaron Hird which you can find here. They are beautiful and I have to say that my piecing is not as accurate as Kerry’s, but then the original makers of these blocks would not have all the gadgets we have today so mine will definitely look more ‘homemade’ then other people’s will!

 

My Name is Kay and I’m a Fabricoholic

by Kay, posted in Farmer's Wife 1930s QAL

This should be a post about making something not a post about buying something, but I have bought something – more fabric. My excuse; I didn’t have anything suitable for the Farmer’s Wife 1930s QAL. Now I have! So no more fabric buying posts after this one for awhile – promise.

Anyway who can resist a sale, this particular one was at http://www.keepsakequilting.co.uk/sale

First up is a selection from Yuko Hasegawa called Everything but the Kitchen Sink which has cute blender fabrics and even cuter prints, love those teddy bears!

The next lot are a mixed bunch and seeing them in ‘person’ it’s clear that, lovely though it is, Sugar Hill Scattered Roses are too bright white to go with the other fabrics. The others are Tula Pink – Pineapple Slices, Joel Dewberry – Botanique, Flea Market Fancy- Flower and Dot and lastly, Cameo Hopscotch

Assorted

The last lot are actually from my stash and not all of them may be included but some look promising

Stash solidsStash spots

I must confess that the Farmer’s Wife blocks look more fiddly then I thought they would be but QALs should stretch skills and this one certainly will! Best I get started…

Crucial Crochet Cover-up

by Kay, posted in Crochet

Sounds dramatic but my little stool will soon have a new cover for the seat and once I can get some spray paint, a new paint job. It is small and fiddly and folds up so spray will be better than brushing.

I dithered over whether to do two rounds of yellow when the yarn decided for me by producing a knot as I got to the end of square round.  Teal it is then.

A large granny square from yarn I already had, a stool from a boot sale and hopefully some spray paint in the garage is making this a cheap project – just as well as quilting is proving to be expensive at the moment with my Pfaff still in for repair and new fabric purchased for the Farmer’s Wife 1930s QAL. Good job the RSC15, which I am also doing, only calls for scraps that I already have!

 

Boot Sale Bargains

by Kay, posted in WIPs

I love boot sales, charity shops, EBay and auctions but lately more has been coming in  the house than has been leaving it; time for a purge. However, I couldn’t resist this little tatty fold-up stool, It has clearly seen better days probably long ago.

DSCF4489 DSCF4491 DSCF4493

The paint is peeling, the top is warped and even Socks was unimpressed. I think a new coat of paint and a crocheted seat cover will make it into a lovely little seat for any small visitors we have as currently there are no tiny chairs for them and all children love furniture that is scaled down just for them

The best thing about the stool at the moment is the new bundle of fabric on top. I couldn’t go to the Festival of Quilts so I went to Franklins of Colchester instead and they just  happen to have a sale on with craft cottons at £3.50 m, it would be rude not to buy any!

I choose some fabric outside of my comfort zone as I am joining the Quilting Board QAL of the Farmer’s Wife 1930s quilt (not to be confused with the 1920s version)

http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-month-week-f9/farmers-wife-week-4-blocks-7-8-photos-t61215-2.html

There is no need to use 1930s style fabric but I like the look of them and wanted to try something different. I didn’t have much in the way of suitable fabric so I am already a bit behind, but there is no pressure. I ordered the book from Abe books where it was much cheaper than Amazon and came in two days! I think Dear Jane will have to be put on the back burner for now, as I am doing that on my own so the QAL will take priority

Not sure how soon the stool (or quilt) will be done as I still have a sideboard to finish. The main body of it has been sanded and re-stained – doors and drawers tomorrow if it is sunny. three coats are needed and they take 24 hours to dry, so it will be a long drawn out process but worth it in the end