Farmers Wife and other quilts

I'm back, and hope to make this a more regular blog. Those that have been with me from the beginning of my blog journey know that I was fitting it in with all the 'other stuff' that a career working mum has to do.

I would always spent the first week of school holidays sewing, and the second week planning for the term ahead. Weekends and evenings were spent marking, planning, making resources, etc. etc. EXCEPT for Saturday! Saturday was my day for me stuff - like sewing. With so much to do, it was the 'me' time that went first, followed by the family time - but that's an episode for one of my other blogs.

Studies have revealed the stress-reducing benefits of sewing, proving a stitch a day could help keep the doctor away. I accidentally came across this quote on FaceBook, it comes from Bookwerme-Sparkpeople page and after reading that article I knew I had to make the time to sew, and do other things I wanted to do. The balance cannot be all work! (Again, another episode for one of my other blogs) Another interesting read by Quiltfool, explains what I mean. 

Sew ... I mean ..... So I wanted to make another quilt for the van, so I revisited Simply Colourful, where I was first inspired to make my caravan sewing machine cover, and came up with these blocks. I added some trees similar to Simply Colourful and some patchwork for the in between blocks and made a lovely quilt top. Just need to finish it now.

 

I have been kept busy each day during 'me time' by making some Christmas presents (can't show them yet) and some caravan place mats to sell.I made a two sided banner to hang on the awning of our van. 

The banner and the lap quilt were appliquéd, and before I made the lap quilt I worked out the layout using PowerPoint.

 

  

It worked out very well, and although I changed the bottom left hand corner to make it easier to put all sections together, it went together very easy.

 

I was happy with the appliqué but thought I would spend some time and work out a piecing template.

I'm very glad I did. It was so much easier to cut and sew.

I made a pink set of two, and a blue set of two.

We had family visiting for a week and I made little wall hangings / place mats for our two nieces in Victoria. It was good to use my embroidery machine again - it's been very neglected.
 

I also enjoyed doing string piecing using the pink and blue strips I have been collecting. One can see in the photo further up, my pink strips container.

 With family coming I also needed to clear off the dining table, which for some time has been collecting my sewing and school resources.
We often desk dine or eat TV dinner style, so clearing the dining table also meant moving my sewing stations around. I now have my ironing centre with my embroidery machine, and so far, so good. 
 I'm now waiting to start the Farmer's Wife quilt along in a few days - watch this space.

Happy sewing

Allison

Caravan Block

Continuing from last week's blog, I have completed my van sewing machine cover. You may remember I was watching a live youtube feed from Simply Colorful FibreCast,  and the presenter Lynn was making a vintage caravan block.  After making the block,  I thought it was perfect for a cover for my machine that I keep in our van.

 After the first block I added the two ends and the other side. 

Next I added the roof in two parts to allow the carrying handle of the machine.  I used a thin synthetic wadding and a plain yellow fabric backing to make a flat net of 3 van.

 And here we are. The finished cover. Next time I would make the stairs different and I would also outline the windows in white. 

 

I have owned this little Elna since about 1986. I bought it from my friend Rhonda. It has been the best machine -only does straight and zigzag,  but it has served me well. 

Prior to the Elna I used my grandmother's old Singer machine that now belongs to my Aunty Margaret.

So, tomorrow I'm back to Sassy Cats. 

Happy sewing

Allison

Unexpected Find

In my haste to leave work on Friday,  I left my USB behind. All my work for the weekend was on that USB!  So,  this left me with little work to do this weekend. Lucky it is near the end of the term and I had already updated my class blog last week, and most work this week is planned and on the USB.

Anyway, yesterday morning as I was leisurely going through Twitter I came across a tweet that said something like 50 minutes until the start of a van block.  Mmmm interested! I clicked the link which took me to youtube.  WOW. Not only is this live broadcast at 10 am Australia time it was really interesting. I'll be checking it out next Saturday as well.

Simply Colorful FibreCast

So, Lynn, the presenter, was making a caravan block. Well I have been wanting to make a caravan block for ages ....... and as I had no weekend work with me .... so guess what I did?

The first thing Lynn suggested was to find some clipart of caravans. I found these four.

 I chose this one, and sort of following Lynn's video, started to put the block together.

I acquired a bag of fabric and was lucky enough to discover what looks like hand died fabrics.  I had already used some on Christmas gifts that I'm making and thought one would be perfect for a caravan.

After finishing the van, rather than putting it in a block,  I thought I would make it into a cover for my van sewing machine.

So off I go to finish.  Then back to Sassy Cats.

Happy Sewing
Allison