Letting Go. My first journal quilt ever

I joined the Journal Quilt challenge with the Contemporary Quilt Guild UK.  The first four quilts have to be mostly red and I knew I had a couple of red dresses in my stash which, even if I could get into (I can't), I could never wear again as what looks ok on a slender 30 year old, would never do on a podgy grey haired old dear!
It was time to let go. 
The quilt is A4 sized, 11.5" x 8" and has the beaded crochet backed with commercial cotton and batting.  Once I did the hand stitching I backed it with more commercial cotton and 'tied' the quilt together using buttons back and front.  The backing fabric was folded over to the front and slip stitched into place.  I may add extra stitching on the border. 
The stitching was influenced by my friend Tina who uses lovely bright colours and free exuberant stitches. 

Paper bag tutorial

I made a paper bag today.  Yeh me :)  I have been pining to make a paper bag book, but couldn't find the bags so trawled youtube to find a tutorial.  To make a bag measuring 8" x 5.75" I started with brown paper 18" x 11". 

First step is to fold over one inch on the long side.  Then fold the opposite side up so that they edges overlap and glue into place. 

Fold 3 three inches from one side and press really well.  Then bring in one edge and press, then the other. 

Fold again, bringing the same side to just over the centre fold line. 

Fold down the second flap making sure to overlap, then glue into place

Fold over one side of the bag, 1.5 inches.  See the mitre on the bottom edge?  Crease really well, fold the bag over and crease from the other side too.  Repeat for the other side of the bag.

The last thing to do is to open up the bag, then push the side creases so that the folded part becomes the gusset.

This won't make a bag worthy of holding a heavy object but it will be a good basis for making a mini album - like this one from paperphenomenon I warn you though, once you start watching you will be glued to your screen for hours :):)

TAST 7 Detached Chain

This week TAST challenge is detached chain stitch.  I am in the process of making a journal quilt and used chain in the centre of the motif. 

Valentine Postcard

Postcard number 6

Happy Valentines Day

Postcard with little hearts

Valentine - Postcard number 5.

I used little scraps of fabric bonded to Timtex, then played with the built in patterns on my Pfaff.  I left the edge raw with simple straight stitch because that is what it seemed to want. 

TAST Herringbone week 5

This weeks TAST challenge was Herringbone stitch.  Searching through my stash I found this piece of hand-dyed cotton.  I didn't want to just do a sample and bung it into a folder so with any luck it may have more stitch and become something.  Then again......

c

heart postcard

Postcard number 4 2012.
Hand dyed cotton background with leftover scraps of silk velvet (hearts) bonded on top.  Painted bonded web over and then light gold foiling.  Nylon scarf over the top and ironed into place.  Free machine stitching with Oliver Twists hand dyed thread.