BUGS!!!

I like bugs! Well, the design and beauty of bugs, not ACTUAL bugs.... 😊

While looking for silhouettes for my bag, I found some really nice bug designs. I decided to try reverse appliqué on these, as they have quite a few intricate elements and pointy bits. 

I think a cushion will be the final result on this one. I found some black for the body and used a gold satin for the bug, all with raw edge appliqué.

So far, so good!😉

This grasshopper is teal lining fabric....

And lastly a spider from velvet with red sequins. I really like this, as it gives it some texture. 

After trimming up the fronts, I decided to add a web to Mr Spider. I had some silver thread, and after a couple of guidelines, off I went! Turned out quite well, I think!

Once they have a cushion inside, they really pop!

Must decide which items I'm putting in the show. I'm fast running out of time, so time to stop playing and get to it!! 

Bits and pieces...

The weather has started to heat up, so a lot of time is being spent indoors! 

A trawl through some old mags and I found a gem! Pretty vague instructions, but the image is clear - a shoe!! The mag was printed before visoflix existed, so a bit if tweaking and I ended up with these, all from scraps, I might add (always a bonus!!)

Not sure what I am going to do with them, but they are ready when needed!

I was also keen to find and finish a project I started AGES a ago, with the intention of giving it to my grandma for Christmas, but never got past the "tinkering" stage. Although, quite by surprise, I was actually further ahead than I remembered! All paper pieced...

The idea was to use Dutch symbolism - tulips, delft, clogs, etc - to make a quilt. I knew I had already finished the centre girl, but discovered that I was already done with the jug and partway through the windmill! I somehow remember that I was testing the idea of the blades in embroidery in white, so I finished off the last 2 blades and added the ivy on the front. I haven't done hand embroidery for a long time, but it all comes flooding back. Completely free form....

The jug is similar in style, the design copied from an old Delft tile :

The centrepiece I enlarged from a much smaller pattern. Unfortunately she looks like she has a rugby players neck, but I can ignore it... :)

Not sure on the clogs.... I don't like the colours, something doesn't sit right.... I should have gone with red, not brown, but unless I can find some background fabric, I can't remake anything! I also have a pattern for a tulip, but the same applies. With no background fabric, it makes it more difficult.....

I will stew over these decisions for a few days, and hopefully reach a decision and get it finished!! Yay!!

Good Golly, Miss Molly!!

It's done!! Phew......

It's about 50cm deep and 40 cm wide, cornered base, fully lined in self fabric and quilted. Each unique golly has button details and googly eyes.

Ta-daaa!!

Quilting done...

I did more than I planned to, but now it's ready for handles and lining!

I will quilt the handle also, just to keep the consistency between all the elements - just straight lines, nothing fancy!

Oh, and I also added the buttons and stitched down the mouths. Not convinced the glue was going to be enough! I will use the strongest glue I can find for the googly eyes!

Progress pics so far....... The last one is how the boys will look once their eyes are attached....

Oh, it's bright!!

Yikes!!

I knew it was going to be bright, but WOW!! You can't miss it!! The photos certainly not do it justice.......

So, all the panels are sewn, appliqué is done..... quilting still to do, plus assembly, but overall, the hardest part is over.

I think the design would work better larger, as all the twists and turns are tricky using the blanket stitch, although raw edge would work, too.

So here it is, so far. Get your sunnies out to protect your eyes!!

Extra long weekend!!

Happy Australia Day!!

At the end of a 4 day weekend, what have I achieved?? Very little, to be honest!! Although I have started a new appliqué design from one of the quilting books that have been taunting me for weeks now!

These are called Jolly Golly's. Still need faces, but the basics are ready to build upon. They should be the border on a quilt, but I'm thinking of another bag, with these guys travelling around the sides, maybe some piecing in there for good measure? Playing with some felt mouths, and may use googly eyes, I don't think painting them will be a success. Still some tinkering to do before a final decision gets made.

I did finish all the hand sewing on my doll, made the belt shorter, added the straps to the shoes, hooks and eyes, press studs, etc. More items for the Canning Show - done!! She will get a new hat, if I get around to it before then....

Another one bites the dust.....

Bag.... DONE!!

A very productive Christmas Day all round, I think.

Finished up all the appliqué, handles and lining, only need to close the turning hole and I'm done. Another potential Show prize winner - I hope....

Since all the items I added (and I'm very proud of my seagull!) had very small pieces, I used the straight edge stitch technique. The was no possible way that I could have gone around many of those pieces with the blanket stitch. I also did this for the sunglasses. I probably should have done the whole project with this technique, but I was following the instructions at the start, then just, sort of, made it up from then on!!

As I had run out of the water fabric, I used some sky fabric I bought for the Apple Tree wall hanging, however this meant the starfish didn't look right floating in the sky, so I deleted them all, bar one, that I hid in the bottom left corner. I also added a silhouette of a seagull onto the snorkeller, however looking at it now, it looks a bit like a vulture circling its prey. Maybe if I had made it white instead of grey?? Too bad, it's done now!!

Boxing Day tomorrow..... No family until 2.30. Wonder what I can get started before then? Maybe I need to sleep on it.....

Playing around.....

Added a couple of embellishments to the Bikini Babes. This was soooo much fun!!

I scoured the Internet for free images, and drew freehand copies of a hat, seagull and thongs! Plus some imaginary fish and bubbles for my snorkeller.

Still need to attach them permanently, but so far I'm happy with the results....

It's such a hot Christmas Day, I'm glad we were able to stay cool! No plans for visiting family today, but tomorrow is a whole different story! I hope my local butcher is open, because I plan to make our signature pulled pork in the slow cooker. All I'm missing is the pork!

Progress!!

Appliqués are done. Now, for some extra stuff!!

I need to cut out some starfish, some bubbles and maybe some fish.....??

Let the fun begin!!

Bikini babes.....

12 months ago, when Bernie was playing up, I made a couple of Bikini Babes from a Patchwork and Sewing magazine. I preparation for Bernie's return, 3 bikini babes and one snorkeller were completed.

They are supposed to be on a beach bag, and I think that I will follow this idea, although slightly modify the proportions - not because I think it will look better, but based on the size of the fat quarters I bought for the sea and sand!

As you can see from the magazine pic, there should be the same print top and bottom, plus the side that is not shown of the snorkeller underwater. I don't have enough "water" to do both, but I do have some sky that can be used for the top and handles, which I think will suffice.

I have already cut the back with the snorkeller and ironed him on, and prepped the girls on the sand panel, so lets get machine blanket stitching! I think I'm an expert, after the last one!! LOL!

The pattern is from smeedesigns.com, and they have a bunch of cool designs I would love to try. Maybe I will even email my finished bag to put into the gallery? Depending how it turns out, of course.....

Done...... NEXT!!

But not without more drama.....

More lessons learned - pins. More pins!! Even more pins!!

Even when you think you have enough pins, add more pins!

I decided to machine finish the binding, but clearly did not use enough pins. Looked fine from the font, but the back was a shambles. More unpicking, more pins.

After 3 perfect corners, one decided to fail, but I think I managed to hide it pretty well. Also decided that the quilt shall be a wall hanging, rather than a practical quilt. Apart from the fiasco with the colour bleed, then the fabric shrinking, adding the buttons and hair pretty much sealed the deal! Would definitely not be a comfy wrap around....

Oh, and here's a pic of the pattern from the magazine, jut to show the inspiration.

So, next on the agenda?? No idea, yet! Stay tuned....

The home stretch...

Given the fiasco with the shrinking of the borders, I knew quilting this would be a nightmare to quilt!

Not only did the border fabric shrink, it seems the off-white fabric did also. The quilt top got a bit baggy, so definitely not a show winner! Pity, though, cause this was such a fun and easy project.

The original pattern called for hair with a button in the centre, however once I had some hair on, it would have been way too bulky, so I used the button on the dress instead. So cute!! And the eyes were supposed to be French knots, but I used some white paint, for simplicity.

Also, the pattern called for stipple quilting on the dolly patches, but given the top was no longer flat, I thought a bit of echo quilting would be much more appropriate.

Just the binding to go, and she's all done!

Quilt top done.... Almost!

I'm all ready for backing and batting!

However.....

This is not the end! Each little person still needs eyes, hair and button. Instructions say to do this after quilting, but we'll see....

Heading out today to find some backing and batting, hoping to spend very little. So far, the only things I have bought for this is the off white base fabric and some visoflix, since I ran out halfway through! Amazing to think all that was already in my stash! Oh, but there is more.... Way more!!

As I was sewing, happened to glance up and saw a suspicious looking character. Want are you looking at?? LOL!!