one love + an overdue sunday stash
I'm writing about a day spent with my family... scroll down to fabric pictures if that interests you more :)
It has been an emotional day. Before the London attack last night we had already planned to go in to the city centre of Manchester today, it was made more poignant after another tragedy. I wanted to attend Quaker meeting, the girls decided they wanted to come too (for the first time). It was something I really needed and the testimony people spoke was moving. The children gave a short performance at the end and I was so proud that my girls got involved and they did brilliantly.
We met up with my husband and son outside the town hall. We walked through town (that's what we call the city centre!) and made our way to the tributes at St. Ann's Square. To be honest I wasn't really prepared for how I would feel.
The scale of it was beautiful. So much love, sadness, grief and so many heartfelt notes and tributes. I stood and cried.
We went and spoke to some armed police officers, they had come up from Wales, the children thanked them. There were people having their pictures taken with them, I suppose because it's so unusual. Then we went into St. Ann's Church to light some candles. It's a beautiful church. St. Ann's has long been one of my favourites areas in the city, I would often go and sit outside the back of the church when I was in town. It's incredibly peaceful.
Joan high fived a police officer then she continued giving high fives to every officer she saw! Their reactions were awesome, one had never been given a high five and was very happy about it! We took the kids to buy a book each and walked back past the tributes to sit in Exchange Square to have some lunch. It so happened that a Pipe Band began playing (my husband is Scottish and we all love the sound):
I did a bit of shopping alone then met back up with the family to go to Manchester Cathedral. My husband and I had never been inside it before. There was a service taking place so we stayed for a prayer and lit more candles.
As a family we don't go to church, today I went to three (well three places of worship). The girls want to go back to meeting and I would like to start attending again. Faith isn't something I talk about much, and I don't really plan to, but it is important to me. Tonight we watched the One Love Manchester concert on tv and it was brilliant. Not all my usual musical taste but I enjoyed every minute. You could really feel the love, compassion and unity.
Earlier in the week I made these hexie blocks for the Manchester Quilting Bee, they are collecting blocks to make quilts for the families affected by the attack. To get the details click here.
Recently I have had some lovely new fabric additions {I will be including the info about each print when I have time, please check back!}
Lovely Chris kindly offered to send me a Wefty needle, I really can't wait to try it because all the projects I've seen made using one look stunning. Anyone tried it? Any tips?
And she also sent all these amazing goodies!! She totally spoilt me. Thank you so much Chris! ❤
Also this past week my wonderful Nan turned 99! We had a lovely lunch together and our youngest loves borrowing her bling, she strikes an adorable pose:
Wishing you all a wonderful week full of love xx
tula pink rainbow leaves runner
Sometimes a pattern and a fabric collection seem made for each other, and this bed runner is one of those! I used two charm packs of Tula Pink's Eden (with plenty left over) to create the Rainbow Leaves Runner from Quick and Easy Quilts by Lynne Goldsworthy for the Sewing Quarter.
I adore all the projects in the book, I've already made the Gypsy Cushion, and this runner is a great way to add some modern brightness to a room.
The appliqué is relatively quick and easy to do, I used pinking shears to cut the leaf shapes and used Aurifil 50 wt #2021 to stitch them in place. I spent the longest time arranging the leaves and am super pleased with the graduation of the colours.
I used my walking foot to echo the shapes of the leafs, working from edge to edge along the rows.
It created beautiful patterns on the back of the quilt too!
It was hard to get a decent picture of the whole runner, I have put a little video clip on my instagram if you want to check that out!
But you can get an idea of how it looks on a bed because Sewing Quarter presenter John Scott, the cheeky rascal, 'borrowed' it for an evening and took these pictures (don't panic he returned it to the studio the next day!)
folding rolling quilting
It seems I have been too busy sewing to properly document my finishes and I am determined to remedy that! Here are some projects made for the Sewing Quarter, all from different craft books and incorporating fun techniques. I enjoyed using the decorative stitches on my Elna 680EX, which definitely made quick work for a couple of these makes!
First is the Starburst Pillow Cover from Fat Quarters by Amanda Carestio. This design is by Ruth Singer, it is really tactile and a joy to create. Making the folded stars was quite meditative and I love the effect.
The instructions are for hand sewing the stars but with a deadline I couldn't spend the time doing that, instead I used a cross stitch on my machine to hold the folds in place.
I used another stitch (one that looked like a star) to hold the centres in place. The cover came together quickly and all that texture looks so lovely!
I used some pretty Amy Butler fabrics to make this jewellery roll, pattern by Valerie Shrader from 100 Pretty Little Projects by Lark Crafts.
It has two pockets, one zip pocket and a ring holder. I adapted the pattern slightly and used toy stuffing for the ring holder. The flat piping, which creates the decorative edging, was a new technique for me and adds detail - I really like the striped effect of the print too.
My Little Pony ring courtesy of my youngest.
It rolls up really neatly and can also be folded like a book. A practical and pretty gift!
I made a mini quilt, using my Butterfly block tutorial and I enjoyed quilting this one with simple quilting using a curved stitch (Mode 2 #19 on the Elna - because I will forget if I don't make a note of it!).
The cute cloud cushions were made by the talented Samantha Claridge of Live It. Love It. Make It.
And I made a quilt! This is the Baby Life Quilt by Vanessa Christenson from Modern Baby Quilts by Fons & Porter. A simple and sweet pattern.
I used a neutral palette, which is lovely and soothing.
Again I used a decorative machine stitch and quilted rows of wavy lines. I made the lines closer together to stitch over the raw edge appliqué and gradually widened them towards the edges of the quilt.
This is easily my new favourite quick machine quilting stitch! (Mode 2 #1 on the Elna - again for my reference!)
Thanks for making it this far! I have one more project to share tomorrow and then I should be caught up :) Hopefully I can get my sewing - blogging back in to balance and stay tuned because I have some fun giveaways coming up!
linking up: finish it up friday at crazy mom quilts
Manchester Quilting Bee ~ quilt drive
In the amazing way that quilters respond when people need love and comfort, there is now a quilt drive Manchester Quilting Bee calling for hexagons to make into quilts for those affected by the recent attack in Manchester.
To see all the details please click here. My friend Michelle is collecting them and you can find the address to send them to on the post pinned at the top of the facebook page ❤ If you are in the US then you could contact @madebychrissied via instagram as she has offered to collect hexies.
You can download the hexie template here - it's a 5" hexie measuring across from the flat edges, point to point is 5 3/4" and each side measures 2 7/8". They need a 1/4" seam so the finished hexie is 4 1/2". You can send plain hexies or pieced/embroidered if you wish.
*edited to add - if possible please appliqué your hexie to a 6 1/2" square of fabric to make piecing easier!
It is a wonderful way to show our love for those affected and do something positive. Thank you for your support!
Manchester ❤🐝
preface - It's not an easy thing for me to write, we are so thankful that our family is safe and I realise how fortunate I am. I know there are atrocities all around the world, I realise people live with worse daily. This is just my experience, this is what I am going through and this is my space to write about my life, which usually consists of sewing but right now I need to release.
I am writing this post with such a heavy heart. On Monday 22nd May there was a horrendous terrorist attack in my home city of Manchester. The details have been all over the news, there's no need for me to reiterate, in fact it is time for me to stop obsessively reading it.
When I found out what had happened I woke my husband up, I cried and we witnessed the aftermath and reaction together. We were heartbroken.
photo credit: Dick Vincent
My thoughts have been with the families that lost their loved ones, the many people still in critical care and all of those that attended the concert. In the days since I have felt so many emotions, as I'm sure others have.
The next day the police investigation began and it has been very close to home. Literally my home town, the places I go with my family, the schools, the streets, the areas. I heard the first controlled explosion and initially thought it was another attack. The sirens became a constant background noise, the helicopters circling overhead (some of which are media no doubt). All the emergency services doing their very best, working around the clock to keep us safe. I am so grateful, truly, but it's filled me with anxiety.
Telling the kids was hard. We were honest, explained what had happened, my husband stressed the importance of looking at the helpers. They were sad and I'm still not sure how it's affected them. My youngest had a bad nightmare and maybe that's her processing it.
It wasn't easy to leave them at school, would they be safe with what was going on? With the police around I felt like they were but what a strange and scary scenario. And there was still panic in my head.
I have been numb. It's been a week where I literally haven't done anything beyond what was needed for the children. I have picked up my sewing each day and sewn for a few minutes in silence but I haven't felt like doing it. I have cried quite a lot. I donated money to the justgiving campaign for the families of those killed and injured, if you would like to donate please click here. We attended a vigil at a local church. I have thanked those I personally know who are working hard in the hospitals. I have spoken to my wonderful friends and lovely neighbours.
This is the worst atrocity in Manchester in my lifetime. I was there when the 1996 bomb happened, working in a sports shop. I was 16, it was my Saturday job. I was evacuated, saw the explosion and had mild PTSD. Thankfully there were no fatalities that day. All I know is how much that affected me and I can't begin to imagine how everyone that was there on Monday must be feeling. The repercussions will be felt for a long time.
No one I knew died or was injured, all the people I know of that attended came home safely. I feel like I don't have the right to feel so sad or so lost.
There is a feeling of hopelessness, a sense of longing to be able to help somehow. Anger about what has happened. Such sadness. Fear. Questions about how this can happen.
So much of what I want to say is political but that's not what this is for. I will just say that radicalised ways of thinking are not representative of Muslims or the Islamic faith and I hope this tragedy doesn't tear communities apart. We should stand together. As we did in the vigil held in the city centre, or the incredible acts of kindness and responses from neighbouring cities and around the world.
I have lived each day waiting for my family to be together. Thankful and grateful we are.
Today I want to try to crawl out of my own darkness. I will never forget this and I need to carry on.
2017 Finish-A-Long ~ Meet the Global Host Team ~ Judith
I was born in Northern Ireland, and apart from 7 years living in England, I have lived here all my life. I currently live 5 minutes away from where the famous RMS Titanic was built in Belfast 1911.
I started sewing when I inherited my Nanny Maud's singer treadle sewing machine at the age of 11. I had already been crocheting clothes for my dolls from the age of 9, but now I could sew them blankets too!
When I started high school (11) I took Needlework. On my first day, I walked into the Needlework room and saw it was filled with electric sewing machines, but tucked away in the corner was a Singer Treadle machine! I pleaded with the teacher to let me use it, and then spent the next 3 years making garments on it! The start of my happy place!
I continued sewing on my Singer Treadle, teaching myself naive patchwork from recycled clothes, curtains and scraps. (I still love working with recycled textiles today!) I made my first little quilt, a pram quilt, when I was pregnant with my first daughter (1995).
2 days before my 3rd daughter was born, I turned 30, and my family bought me my first electric sewing machine. I'd been sewing for 20 years and had never used an electric machine! I fell in love with my Brother machine, and then upgraded to a Pfaff Quilt Expression a few years later, which I still use today.
When my youngest daughter started school, I went 'back to school' myself, studying City & Guilds Textile and Design. I thought it was time I learned how to sew and quilt properly! My motivation for taking this 2 year course was therapeutic, a kind of 'play therapy', recommended by my counsellor to overcome depression. It worked!
I finished and passed my course and was invited to teach patchwork to a group of women with mental health issues at a local community centre. I didn't even know how to teach patchwork, but I overcame my nerves and quickly started on a new passion for teaching and inspiring others to love patchwork too.
For 2 years I taught women suffering from a wide range of mental health problems and saw first hand the therapeutic benefits they experienced after only a few short weeks of sewing. One lady in particular, old before her time, stooped with low self worth and heavily reliant on a walking stick, made her first patchwork cushion and within 6 weeks was coming to class without her stick and walking tall!! Like many others, learning a new skill within a caring community, and having something to show and be proud of, elevated her self-esteem and ignited hope and positivity in many areas of her life.
Over the past 10 years I have continued teaching in different venues, running my own programme of classes and also teaching for others. I also design quilts, cushions and bags for a number of UK based quilting magazines, and sell my patterns via my website, Etsy and Craftsy.
As a sole trader it is important for me to connect with other creatives, both professionally and personally. Being part of the quilting blogging community for the past 6 and a half years has been a hugely positive and affirming experience for me, and it has been my privilege to be a part of many bees, swaps and charity groups.
Brit Bee 2012
If you have made it this far, thank you! Thank you for taking the time to read this and being part of Finish-A-Long 2017.
stamping on fabric ~ polaroid pouch
You may have seen these polaroid blocks if you're following me on instagram, well I made a couple more and turned them into a zip pouch! What follows is a mini tutorial of how to stamp text on fabric and also a little explanation of those words.
The fabric used for fussy cutting is Menagerie, Indian Summer by Sarah Watson. One of my favourite prints. I picked out a few animals to fussy cut and the sketched design of the print works really well for the polaroids. I used Paint Dot, Paper Bandana by Alexia Abegg for the background. Such pretty dots and the colours are just perfect.
I have 'written' on polaroid blocks before (I don't like that empty space) - embroidered text - but I just didn't have time for that. I needed something quick and so turned to stamping. The same method I used to stamp my initials on the bottom of my Everything In It's Place Bag.
It requires a rubber stamp alphabet, the kind you can get from stationery or craft shops. Each letter is an individual stamp - clear stamps with an acrylic block are definitely the easiest to use because you can really see where you are placing the letters.
To use them you simple peel the letters you need from the plastic backing and 'stick' them to the acrylic block to spell the word you want to stamp. I used a Memento Dew Drop Ink Pad, a really nice sized ink pad for the small letters.
Then to make the letters waterproof and also more even I went over them with a fine Pigma Micron pen. The 02 was the perfect line width for my letters. Finally it's important to heat set the ink with a dry iron.
*I managed to spill water on 'strength' (hence the smudging) while ironing the piecing before using the micron pen so do that sooner rather than later!
So why did I stamp those words?
I like surrounding myself with things that make me smile, positive images and words. I have a book Animal Wisdom by Jessica Dawn Palmer, which is all about the myths, folk stories and traditions that surround the animals. I looked up the bear, owl, fox and racoon, then chose the words that most appealed to me. The ones I feel are important, mean something and I want to always be part of me. It will just give me a reminder and boost when I see those words.
I would like to be a more adaptable person, I struggle with change a lot and it has led to anxiety.
Physical strength is important to me but also inner strength and mama bear strength.
Honesty and instinct come fairly naturally but I sometimes silence my instincts and that leads me to not be honest with myself. Doing my #100daysofsilentsewing project is really helping me to focus more on my instinct and the silence is so calming.
I chose a lining fabric I love, a Suzuko Koseki print:
And I picked a two tone zip, it's hard to capture the colour of the zip but the coral / yellow is so fun! It ties in well with the whole vibe I was going for.
I quilted round the polaroid blocks with navy 28wt Aurifil, simple straight lines that work as a frame.
Now I have to go and find something else to stamp!
linking up to finish it up friday at crazy mom quilts
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