Friday, April 27, 2012

And another thing

This is turning into a rather blog heavy week. There's some stuff I made that I haven't blogged about for all the normal reasons...life, baby, too busy crafting to blog about crafting.
 This is the bundle that became Finn's quilt, a little baby boy born way back in Feb (I think?). He is the baby of one of my sister's long time best mates, and a friend of mine too. I was more than happy to make a baby quilt for my sister to give to the new Mama's and bubba. I was given two green Alice in Wonderland themed FQs. They were quite tricky to match out with some coordinating fabrics but i think I did OK in the end. It is backed in the white and green checked flannel - I'm thinking I will back all future baby quilts in flannel...except it gets so hot here in summer.

I went with simple strippy piecing and it was done in no time at all. You will have to take my word for it that I hand quilted it in a clam shell pattern (made my own template that I just traced on as I went) with quilting cotton. There are no images of the finished product cos, umm, I forgot. The pics you see here were taken with my crappy phone. Sorry.*Must try harder*
Some softies that I finally sewed up. I picked up the softie panel at Saffron Craig's stall at the Sydney quilt show last year and finally got around to stitching them together. They are too cute. My little boy likes to make them go weeeeeee down the slippery dip.
The detail is pretty cool. The koala has a koala backpack. Cute!
HORSEY! Horsey is a toy from my childhood. I really wish I had before and after photos *Must try harder* and some of the actual process. He is a piece of rubbery foam cut into a horsey shape for little cowboys and girls. You'd be amazed how many small children can fit on. He used to be covered in a bright red terry with a vinyl base and saddle. I decided he needed a new coat before my little boy was going to ride him. My Mum was my assistant in this process. The measurements and pattern writing alone took hours. First we made a calico trial cover to make sure it would fit. And it did. Like a glove! It is now a liner. Then my Mum sewed this great chocolate brown fine corduroy - I was afraid of all those bumps and tight corners, look at that head. To our complete astonishment it again fit like a glove. It took us the best part of an afternoon to do but now he is back in full employment as a child's plaything.
Googly eyes came afterwards and completed him. They are big sew on ones, I didn't trust the sticky type. I think he needs a saddle and perhaps a halter but at the moment he's much loved as he is. Great to recycle such an old, old (I am old) toy.
One day when I was in the middle of about 56 million things I decided I NEEDED a needle book. Right now. I googled. Et voila! I stumbled across this nifty tutorial
I used some of Heather Bailey scraps. Hand quilted. Improvised with a covered button.
Then I had to get back to my 56 million things I was doing before, but it felt great to have  a needle case.
Lastly, I have just picked up a bonanza of men's cotton shirts to add to my stash already hoarded from the hubby's throw outs. For free. There is an exchange of sorts that occurs in the ferry shed on this island. You take the stuff you don't want down there for others to recycle. Every so often you hit the jackpot. All sorts of things; clothes, toys, books, blenders, toasters, cushions etc. The shirts have quilt stamped on them, so watch this space.....must finish some other things first.

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