Winning......

I've had a few minor successes lately.

Recently I completed the last few blocks needed for my Star Pop quilt. The last photo I shared showed it looking a little like a jigsaw puzzle —

It didn't take much to complete it, of course, and here it is —

Backing and batting decisions need to be made, and then it will be on the quilting pile —

I was determined over the weekend to get the Barbie doll sewing done and dusted. While the family were away camping for the weekend, I was able to borrow two of the dolls for fitting purposes.

One pair of pyjamas were shared in my last post. Here are three more (the kiddies have 2 dolls each) —

(Our resident, olden days, Barbie with the big hair assisted with the modelling.)

(Fabrics used - scraps from PJs made for our son when he was about 9. Dress I made for myself a good 20 years ago. Buttons salvaged from old clothing over the years.)

I ran out of steam at the sleeping bag stage and only made two. ED assures me that two dolls can fit in each bag so no problem!

(Fabrics used - a dress Miss Lily has grown out of, a shirt I made for our son when he was about 10.)

An outfit each. These shorts look pretty baggy but are made for muscly Ken, who was away camping—

(Fabrics used - leftovers from something ED made herself as a teenager, orange fleece from the sleeves the MOML cut off a farm shirt a couple of weeks ago.)

High on the wishlist were some towels (!!) so four hemmed pieces of towelling later —

(Fabrics used - scraps from a beach outfit Mum made my sister YEARS ago, and bib making scraps.
EDIT Mum's just told me that my grandmother made herself a beach cape from that pink towelling fabric, the scraps were used for a beach outfit for my sister and now Barbie has a towel from it...that's 5 generations of family handling that fabric!!! )

And one last outfit. These jeans are very skinny, so will only fit skinny Ken!

(Fabrics used - legs cut off a niece's jeans about 10 years ago, and sleeves cut of the MOML rugby shirt eons ago.)

(I tend to save all sorts for mending farm clothes, etc.)

I took this to show that all closures use velcro - what a wonderful invention that was!

(The velcro is unpicked from special twin-baby cot sheets.)

As you can tell, I had a fun time using up bits and pieces that have been stored away for donkeys years. I think this is where the savings happen when you're a home sewer - being able to re-use, re-cycle, use up and a well stocked resource centre leads to so much fun - like making scrap quilts, as well as these dolls clothes. To buy fabrics for making such a variety of dolls clothes would be ridiculously unaffordable!

ED got out her machine the other day and made these cool flags for the kids' new fort (and she used her scraps for dolls clothes) —

When I called in they were flapping marvellously in the wind —

 OK, running really late now,  so I must away,

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Seeing Stars

You may remember that I tried to resist starting the New Year with new hope and new promises - in other words, with new projects. The start of February was to be my 'new year'. I'm now delaying the start of my new year to the start of March as I quietly make my way through some things I really wanted to get done.

The Star Pop quilt is one of those quilts (last blogged about *here*).

I had made 49 blocks and 'just' needed to join them.

In the last week it's travelled its way around the house. Deciding on layout on our bedroom floor —

Joining blocks and in the kids' bedroom —

(It actually lasted a few days here - Odie even slept in the bed twice and it survived!)

On our bed, and deciding to add another column of blocks to make it a little wider  —

Passing the Nigel test —

(As you can see, I don't have decent floor space for spreading out a bigger quilt!)

This afternoon I got as far as I can go for now - I need one small piece of background fabric to make the last two blocks (grr!) —

I love this pattern, it's such a fun and easy one to sew!

I realised the other day that, just to confuse myself, I have another star quilt on the go with a very similar name - Popstar!!
Fiona of Bubzrugz twisted my arm and made me start it. I did the test (first) block last year so it doesn't count as a new project. A wee group of us are sewing it together, a mini sort of QAL. This is supposedly going to be my leader-ender project when I finish the Star Pop blocks. (Yes, I'll move from Star Pop to Popstar!!)

Three blocks sewn so far. The light wasn't very good for either photos, they're quite pretty fabrics, really!

This is a free pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop.

To finish today's starry story, here is a block I sewed up as a test block for The Country Yard. We launched our new projects over the weekend and this was one of them.
Test block —

I spent some time writing instructions for it, and even though it had been sewn up twice, I still wanted to make sure I had all the right fabrics in the right places. Hence a 'paper pattern'! —

Here is the shop's version. It's the centre of a medallion quilt using Laundry Basket Quilts fabric. Very pretty —

In my last post I said we were about to celebrate young Odie's second birthday. It was a fun, family affair. Seven of the grandies there, which was pretty good. The eldest was working that day. 

He loved his cake!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Goals for 2022?

It's always fun to start a new year with goals, promises and inspirational words. It's also Great Fun to start a new year with new projects.

I've decided to use January this year to have a bit of a catch up and tidy up before my new aspirations take over. Believe me, I have several new starts and projects on my mind but, just right now, the urge to clear my mind (and desk) of the old stuff is strongest. 

So at this stage I am thinking that February will be my January (haha I don't think that even makes sense but it'll do!)

Just before the old year clicked over I made the final basket block for my Basket-case quilt. I had decided 7x7 to be a good size for this quilt and this was block #49. 

This has been an evening stitching project and I wanted to finish it to make way for other projects.

While I'm satisfied for now to just have the blocks made, I'm quietly playing with sashing ideas. I have in mind a low volume type print so I have to wait and see if it looks as good in real life as it does in my mind.

But I couldn't resist one last block the other night - this will be my label —

A big thankyou to Michelle (Rag Tag-stitchin') for the basket block template and inspiration for this fun project.

Another project I wanted to the 49-blocks-and-done stage was one I haven't even blogged about yet!
This quilt is called Star Pop by Emily Dennis of Quilty Love.

The minute I saw the pattern I wanted to make it, and I have used it as a leader-ender project and also as a scrap-buster. 

The background fabric I have used is a leftover piece of wide backing. It was fabulous quality and even though I did have to buy a little more to complete the blocks, I was happy to do so. 

There's an A and a B block which fit together to form this —

Evidence of 49 blocks sewn —

(Please excuse Nigel's tail - impossible to crop out!)

Flicking through my photos the other day, I came across this one, of a mug rug I made to go with a Christmas gift. A fun design called Snow Globe by The Crafty Nomad.

I would have liked to make more of these but didn't have many fabrics I could fussy cut for the centre. Next Christmas maybe!

'til next time,

happy stitches,