My Garden

I spent a couple of hours ironing all the fabrics for My Garden this morning. Some of the pieces were more damaged that I'd thought, so I think I'm going to have to re-think my first choice of 12 fabrics. I was going to start cutting up the fabrics for the patchwork, but instead I started on the embroidery.

Instead of working on each of the blocks in turn, I've started by stitching the outline. I want to complete all of the backstitching first, and work my way through all the designs, leaving the satin stitch for last. 

I'm trying to keep my stitch length uniform, but not quite achieving it. It looks a little bit crooked, but that's how it's meant to look - that's the way the lines are drawn.  😊

Apliquick Scissors and Hugs 'n' Kisses Applique Paper

Received these today. Haven't done any more work on My Garden, but hopefully tomorrow ...

My Garden

I decided not to wait for the applique paper, and instead I traced the designs onto the glue side of some Wonder-Under, and have cut out all the pieces, ready to do the prep for the applique.

My next step is to choose the 12 assorted fabrics and to cut them out into the required sizes. Will try and do that tomorrow. I went out today and so haven't had as much time to do much in the way of crafting.

Later ... I think I've now picked the 12 fabrics I want to use ... subject to change, of course!

My Garden

The stitchery designs have now been traced. I used my new lightbox, and it works very well, except that I kept hitting the on/off switch and switching it off.

Don't know how it happened, but I managed to trace one of the designs onto the back of the paper with the design on, instead of onto the fabric ... Had to do it again. Then when I went to iron the interfacing onto the backs of the fabrics it went all wrinkly ... so I had to trace it yet again!

My Garden BOM

I've got my stitchery fabric cut out and ready to trace the designs for the embroidery. I had another cream fabric which I thought I could use, but there was only enough for 8 squares. So I've used some of the seeded cotton I bought recently, and which I used for the background of my Dolly Madison in Texas throw.

Got my pack of fat quarters, to choose which 12 fabrics I was going to use, and I I found this ...

I thought maybe a moth? But no, I think it's more like a spill of somethig corrosive ... It's like that on several of the fabrics! 

Lynette Anderson's My Garden Button Club BOM

This is going to be my next project. It's the My Garden Button Club Block of the Month, from Lynette Anderson Designs. I subscribed to the block of the month way back in 2010. The idea was that you'd buy the wooden buttons, and get the pattern for the block free with the button purchase.

I was waiting to have all nine patterns before I started stitching, but then 2 of the patterns never arrived ... A couple of years ago I wrote to Lynette Anderson to see if they were still available, and I was able to buy my missing block patterns. 

I have the fabric and most of the bits and pieces I need to start stitching.

And last night I bought a pair of Apliquick scissors and a pack of applique paper. Not cheap, but I couldn't resist! I did resist buying the Apliquick rods though. I'm going to try the applique using chopsticks first ... but who knows I may still end up buying a pair of rods in the future!

I've also enrolled on Lynette Anderson's Hand Embroidery and Applique course on The Quilting Company website. 

Pincushion and Lightbox

Finished! It took longer than I had hoped to finish. I found the filling material in a drawer, but it was very musty, so I had to wash it. And it took ages to dry ...

I used my new lightbox to photograph the pincushion. It keeps the messy background out of the picture, and the light really brings out the colours. I like ... Of course it only works for small things ...

Fussy Cut Pincushion

I've been busy making a pincushion all day. It's my first attempt at fussy cutting. Not perfect, but it's OK. Here's the link for the website, where you can get the free pattern - 

https://www.marcusfabrics.com/cgi-bin/fabricgallery/projects.cgi?patternID=216#.Wn4ZBmaZPwc

I

I English paper pieced it, just to make things harder for myself. All I have to do now is fill it, but I'll leave that for tomorrow.

Fussy cutting the diamonds. I didn't bother fussy cutting the hexagons though. 

My 6 hexagons and 12 diamonds tacked and ready to sew together. The fabrics are Tilda. It's from a pack of fabrics I bought from Create & Craft. I used the thread which came with the fabrics to sew the pieces together.

I had to unpick this star because I got some of the diamonds the wrong way round!

Inside out ... 

Turned right side out, and ready to be filled. 

I like the way it's turned out. I love the colours.

Cats!

CODY

TILLY

I've tried to explain that it's a throw - for me - and not a cat blanket!

Mini Travel Scissors

Got these today. They're tiny travel scissors. Have never taking any sewing on a flight, but if I ever go on a longer haul plane ride, I may want to take something to wile away the hours. 

Dolly Madison ... Finished!

Finished. OK - it's just the piecing that's finished ...  I'll try and get a better photo of the entire throw.