Monstrous Beauty

Carpenter Star

Isn't this a beauty? This is the Rainbow Bee block requested by Emily for January. It's called a 'Carpenter Star' and is 18.5" unfinished. I am pleased with how it turned out (there is one place where the points don't quite meet up as they should, but it is passable!). This block ensured I spent a bit of time with the unpicker, as I did a few silly things along the way. Like sewing to the wrong side of the fabric. Or picking up two pieces and then sewing up the wrong side. This block sat disassembled on my cutting mat for a few nights as I slowly put it together, so it could tell you a few stories about the Barbies, trains and plastic play food in the play room/sewing room. It was all happening around this block during the day! Thankfully my children know that it is just not worth messing with my sewing, so my Carpenter Star happily coexisted with them for a while.

Having said that, I am glad to package it and send it off to Emily! I look forward to seeing her rainbow coloured Carpenter Star quilt.

I'm really enjoying being in a Bee. I am making blocks that I otherwise wouldn't and somehow always manage to find time to sew for others, just never for myself!

Block Swaps

It's been a while since I have updated my swap blocks. These are the blocks I have received over the last few months:

October - Jessisca

November - Isa

December - Janet (look at those cut little hippo buttons that Janet popped in!)

Jan 2013 - Ilse

Jan 2013 - Ilse

Ilse kindly made me two beautiful blocks! I have a lovely collection of blue and white star blocks - perhaps by the end of the year I can blog about a completed quilt!

These are the blocks I have sent:

Isa - Shoo Fly

Isa - Nine Patch

I made Isa two blocks for November, as they were simple blocks to put together. The funny thing is, I had a little trouble with the top left corner patch of the Nine Patch! I ripped it out and restitched it. Just goes to show that simple isn't always smooth sailing!!

Ohio Star for Janet (we swapped Ohio Stars that month!)

Anvil for Ilse

I also made an Arrowhead Puzzle block for Ilse, but have neglected to take a photo somehow!

Angel Block!

This is a terrible photo (the main fabric is actually a tone on tone white!), but I included it because I like it so much that I think I'll make a quilt using blocks like this. It is an angel block that was sent anonymously to someone whose block swap partner had not sent them a block. It reminds me of a quilt made by Amanda Jean from the book Sunday Morning Quilts.

And on the Christmas side of things I have received the following blocks (I took a break in December!):

Jessisca's Tree - November

Maxine's tree

As you can see, I do like trees so when my partner gives me free reign on the block choice I tend to sew up a Christmas tree for them!

Cushion Cover Swap

I am participating in a cushion cover swap hosted by Sue, who is also the coordinator of Quilting Block Swaps Australia. This is a one off swap, though Sue will also be hosting a table runner swap in April (pop over to her blog and send her a message if you'd like to participate - international participants are welcome!).

My swap partner (it is done anonymously, so you don't know who is making the cushion cover that will be sent to you!) requested a cushion cover for the car in red and black. It took me quite a while to decide on the design for this cover, but I finally took inspiration from Sew, Mama, Sew! I hand stitched the binding on last night and it is ready to be mailed!

The photo isn't terribly flattering - I didn't have a cushion insert on hand so the cover is stuffed with two towels. Hopefully my cushion swap partner likes it!

What do you think?

Paper Pieced BOM

'Measure Twice' - January Block

Kristy over at Quiet Play is hosting a paper pieced (foundation pieced to some!) Block of the Month. It is a sewing themed BOM that began in January. Kristy generously provides each month's pattern free for use. At the end of each month the pattern is then listed for sale in her shop.

This month's block is called 'Measure Twice' and is 10" unfinished. This is a great way to try paper piecing if you have been considering it, as the BOM starts with the easier blocks and progresses to the more difficult ones.

I must thank Sally for generously providing me with the cotton tape that looks like a tape measure. Sally is very generous and has some great ideas and tutorials on her blog.

I didn't really give any overall thought to the fabrics used for the entire BOM; rather, I chose fabrics that I thought would work well together in this particular block (actually, I wanted to use my 'Pearl Bracelets fabric - second from bottom - and then chose fabrics to go with it!).

I guess I'm going with a pink and orange colour palette for the entire BOM!

Rotary Cutter Arrival - Yay!

I was extremely happy when my rotary cutters arrived a couple of days ago. While I was only without one for two weeks (and one of those weeks we were away on holiday) it seemed like a very, very long time. The one on the left is the exact replacement of my replacement cutter, while the lighter grey handled cutter on the right is a newer version. It has a titanium coated blade. I'm not sure whether that should impress me, but I have to admit that it sounds pretty swish! I have opened this one and put it to work last night. I am pleased to say that it cuts like a hot knife through butter. So smooth! Unfortunately the fixing that holds the blade in place fell off while I was cutting (not so good!), but I think that's because I didn't check to see if it was tight before I started using it. 

We'll see how it goes, but for now it is a pleasure to use!

Fabric Buckets

Just in case you were wondering, the bucket on the left has chickens on it!

I have made a few fabric baskets in the past that I have used for putting gifts in. The baskets I have made previously were rectangular with handles at each end. I can't remember how I came across this variation, but Film in the Fridge have a great tutorial on how to make round bottomed fabric buckets. I had some fabric that I wasn't quite sure what to do with, so I used some of it to make some buckets. These were started before Christmas last year, as I made one to hold the story stones (will post about that later!) Lily made for her pre-primary teacher as an end-of-year-thanks-for-being-my-teacher-gift. Whenever I embark upon a sewing project I tend to cut out a number of them at once. In the case of these fabric buckets I finished Lily's, but the others were shelved until the Christmas frenzy had disappeared. The interfacing I used was a tad too stiff and would benefit from being ironed to re-adhere it to the fabric after being turned inside out a few times during construction (similar to when I used it for this messenger bag). Overall, I'm pleased with them! I think I'll toss these in the gift box to be used later in the year. If they are still hanging around at the end of the school year I could put the teacher gifts in them as per last year!

Rockmelon and Butternut

One of our rockmelons growing happily.

We recently enjoyed a lovely week away where we spent almost every day relaxing at the beach or at the pool. We have never watched so many dvd's before! After a busy year and Christmas season it was much needed and thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated.

Our first butternut pumpkin - the vine is taking over the garden bed!

Upon our return I went out to the backyard (after loading up the 9.5kg washing machine with sheets!) to see if the garden had missed me (it hadn't!) and discovered these beauties. Five rockmelons (canteloupe to some, including my mum!) had trebled in size and a butternut pumpkin had begun growing.  So far we seem to have done well growing rockmelons, tomatoes and cucumbers (so try these if you are thinking about starting a vegie garden but want success and live in a temperate climate!). Unfortunately we picked one of the rockmelons too early, but have enjoyed some ripe ones after learning from our error. I'm looking forward to turning the butternut into a pumpkin pie (must post the recipe - even if you live in the US and pride yourself on your pumpkin pie I think you really ought to try my recipe (well, Tim's mum's recipe!)!).

Do you have a pumpkin pie that you think could rival mine?