Not a Lot Happening in the Sewing Room.

Just haven't had the motivation to sew these past few weeks. A combination of cold weather (my sewing room is super cold), and waiting for Moda Blockheads and Quiltville Mystery to start. One starts while we will be on holidays and the other starts after. So I feel a bit in limbo. I decided to tidy the sewing room, which made more mess, but ……

 

Originally I had ALL of the downstairs, with one room doubling as a spare guest room. Then hubby decided to buy a big screen TV and a lounge. That took half of the main room, but I get to binge watch TV while sewing, so that's good.

Next we both decided to move hubby's gaming computer out of the girls (granddaughters occasionally visit) upstairs bedroom to one of the downstairs room - which was my stash/storage room. More things were moved around, and still get moved around. This room will be next on the list for sorting - again, probably when hubby is away fishing.

I moved a few things around and cleared off the cutting mat, and did a little sewing. 

I did make a couple of small things for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. August colour was yellow, September is purple. I made another re-useable makeup remover. Handy little things to have.

I also made another paper napkin holder, but forgot to photograph before gifting. Maybe this week I will get more sewing done.

Link Up Parties for Inspiration: 

Finished(or Not) Friday – Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Fridays - Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

Wednesday Wait Loss - The Inquiring Quilter

So Scrappy 

In The Sewing Room ...

Started the week by turning this finished applique into a table runner. As I had yellow scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge already out, some light coloured fabric was perfect as the backing.

 

I used some scraps to make a place mat - that now gives me a set of 8 different coloured mats.

I then moved on to a block designed by Jennifer at The Inquiring Quilter  for Block Mania. The theme for this month is the night sky. Jennifer's block was a sunset over the mountains and I had some sunset fabric - but couldn't find it so I changed my block to include water. I have this scrap that I found in a scrap bag some years back, and it was perfect for the water.

I machine stitched the applique on, as this will be a wall-hanging rather than be included in a quilt. I then hand stitched the rough looking stars 😀in the design in the Cancer Constellation - my birth sign.

I really liked this block and I think I will make some more variations of it for the family, maybe with things they like - cruise ships, something Japanese etc.

I have been wanting to make another postcard block for a trip we did to Norfolk Island back in 2020 so with the left over water and sky fabric I made it.

 

It is roughly 6"x8" and I machine stitched the tree and over the foreshore. I hand stitched us in the water. Beautiful Emily Bay, Norfolk Island.

I took a close up of the tree and was surprised at how the close up makes the scene look stormy.

I have one other photo I want to make from this trip. This was the first postcard block I made. It is a scene from K'Gari (Fraser Island), Indian Head, and I think I'm getting better.

Link Up Parties for Inspiration: 

Finished(or Not) Friday – Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Fridays - Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

Wednesday Wait Loss - The Inquiring Quilter

So Scrappy 

Future Projects

What a busy four months! Sold our car and caravan, repaired and prepared a house for sale, sold it, and started renovating our back yard.... AND planned our next holiday. No wonder I haven't been able to spend much time in the sewing room. Maybe this week.

I tend to do the same challenges / sew alongs /projects each year, with the different one offs in between. This year I planned to finish off some  tops that had been on the shelf for a while - of which I did finish a few. The first sew along of the year for the past 6-7 years has been the Focuscutting Sewalong. This year the shape was a square. Usually the shapes make a hexie, and a square (above) doesn't fit my 'hexie' quilt, so I'm not as enthusiastic about it this year. I've made a few, and have a few more to make - they will be holiday sewing. 

Another year long project is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I really enjoy using up scraps and 'crumbs' to make little bits and pieces. I usually make them as leaders and enders when sewing different projects. This month the colour is yellow.

Block Mania is another monthly project that I like. I don't do a lot of the blocks but when something comes up that I like, I make it. This month the theme is 'Night Sky'. I subscribe to The Inquiring Quilter and I really like the block that Jennifer has designed. I found this fabric, but might go a little darker for the sky. I can see me making a number of these blocks, each one a little different. But for tomorrow, just this one.

A FaceBook Group I follow, Moda Blockheads, is starting a new project the end of September, so I'll be making some or all of those blocks. A new block comes out each week. I'll start this after the holiday.

And last, and probably my favourite, is Bonnie Hunters Quiltville Mystery. I love sewing pieces each week and seeing how the pieces all come together. I've made this mystery every year since Orca in 2011. This starts in November.

Link Up Parties for Inspiration: 

Finished(or Not) Friday – Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Fridays - Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

Wednesday Wait Loss - The Inquiring Quilter

So Scrappy 

 

This Week in the Sewing Room

Another week of bits and pieces, although I didn't really have a lot of time in the sewing room. I still had my aqua blue scraps out so made a few pineapples. They are about 5" x 7.5" and I designed them myself - an easy design, as my daughter wanted a pineapple wall print and I thought it would look good as a wall hanging - or lap quilt, or something else entirely.

I also did some more hand stitching on one of my many fussy/focus cutting projects from years ago hosted by Naomi. One project at a time - right! 

As I was spending more time doing paper, well really computer work, I also finished the hand stitching of table runner that my Auntie had started.

I'm toying with the idea of stitched sayings pennants, but that is still a work in progress.

Link Up Parties for Inspiration: 

Finished(or Not) Friday – Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Fridays - Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

Wednesday Wait Loss - The Inquiring Quilter

So Scrappy 

This Week in the Sewing Room - RSC

This month I finished two quilts so had little time for much else. I did make some little bits and pieces for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The colour for July was aqua. I struggle with the different shades of blue/green - so these are my versions of aqua.

I made a few extra coasters and a couple of 6.5" string blocks. While I had the 'aqua' fabric out I also used it for the back ground of last weeks blocks.

I came across this sea themed fabric in my scraps so thought I would make another TV block.

Link Up Parties for Inspiration: 

Finished(or Not) Friday – Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Fridays - Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

Wednesday Wait Loss - The Inquiring Quilter

So Scrappy 

This Week in the Sewing Room...

I subscribe to The Inquiring Quilter and each month as part of Quilt Block Mania, there is a different theme. I was first introduced to Jennifer and the Inquiring Quilter many years ago as part of Partners in Design, and over the years I have made a number of the designs. July is movie month, and I liked six of the designs, so this past week I made two of them.

Above is movie clapper by Tammy Silvers. This was the easiest to make as I already had black scraps handy and wanted to use an aqua scrap fabric as the RSC colour this month is aqua. It was all paper pieced, and I'm enjoying paper piecing at present. 

The block has 4 paper piecing sections and then added borders to make the block. I think each section of the paper piecing would make great borders on other quilts - in different colours.

The next block was Movie Projector by The Inquiring Quilter. I started cutting out the pieces and got confused. It's been a while since I made a block with so many pieces, and I couldn't remember where I put my little tags so made some new ones to label the pieces.

I made the 'base' block ready to applique and discovered that I only had one leg cut out. I didn't realise that the one piece was for two legs. I traced the applique pieces and ironed them onto the fabric.

 I then realised that the applique legs would overlap and I thought they would look better if sewn into the top part of the block - so I unpicked the bottom section from the top 

and ironed the applique on.

I then stitched the bottom piece back on. 

All that is left to do is to finish the stitching around the applique, iron and trim to size. I'm thinking these blocks will be wall hangings or pennant type hangings used for theme parties, or movie buffs.

In years gone by I would save all the off cuts from applique and iron them onto calico, but I'm over that now 😀. Below is one I made that still sits pegged to my curtain.

Link Up Parties for Inspiration: 

Finished(or Not) Friday – Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Fridays - Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

Wednesday Wait Loss - The Inquiring Quilter

So Scrappy 

Fifth Finish for the Year

I finished pinning the layers of Old Town last weekend and this week I quilted it and hand stitched the back of the binding to the back of the quilt. Old Town was designed by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville. I made it as a single bed quilt, and here it is shown on a double bed

I almost forgot the label, but quickly grabbed one and stitched it into the binding. All that is left to do now is to embroider the details onto the label.

I started Old Town back in November 2024 and finished the top in February 2025. It has sat in my 'tops' pile until now. Which top should I finish next?

Link Up Parties for Inspiration: 

Finished(or Not) Friday – Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Fridays - Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

Wednesday Wait Loss - The Inquiring Quilter

So Scrappy