Patchwork Table Runner

After making the goody, goody binding bag last week, I started on making a patchwork table runner for the dinning table.  I've have bought fabric to do this at the start of the year, but I hadn't made any attempts to make the runner.  I had a number of conversations with Kirsty about the table runner and I wasn't sure about the fabric I had initially bought and so, with any excuse to purchase more fabric, I did.

I purchased a bundle from Elephant in my handbag  of Lewis & Irene fox and friends fabric as it had the greens, browns and oranges which we have in the curtains in the dinning room.  

This is the completed table runner on the dinning table.  I cut 6 of the 7 fat quarters from the bundle into 2.5 inch strips.  For the first time I used the pinking blade on my olfa rotary cutter.  I stitched the strips into groups of 3 strips together.  I then cut these into 6.5 inch squares.  I alternated and turned the squares around to create this design.  The runner was then 3 squares wide and 12 squares long, a total of 36 squares.

This is a close up of the detail of the strips made into squares.  Once the runner top was pieced together I then added cotton wadding and green fabric to the back.  These came from Emporia Fabric and Craft in Ashford, Kent.  I then quilted lines 1 inch apart across the width of the runner to secure the sandwich together.  I used the stitching guide in the foot of my sewing maching to help with the accuracy of the lines.  I then edged the runner in orance fabric also from Emporia Fabric and Craft.  I've never been very good at binding and before I completed the binding on the runner I looked up some tutorials on YouTube about binding.  I found this video from Heirloom Crafts the easiest to understand and follow whilst making my runner.  The mitred corners are the best I've managed, but I still have to master the art of making them perfect.

My patchwork and quilting skills are improving and I would say that so far this is the best patchwork and quilting piece I've made.  Although my top stitching and lines are not completely straight I fell they are better than the first few quilts I made.  I only made my first quilt 10 months ago and attended my first patchwork class 9 months ago.  Whilst I still have some way to go to make my projects perfect they are improving with each one I make.

How long have you been sewing and crafting?  I started sewing when I was young and my Mum bought me my first proper sewing machine when I was 10 (I turn 39 on Sunday) and I still have it. I got a toy sewing machine (although it did actually work) when I was about 7) so I've been sewing a long time.  I mainly though made dolls, dolls clothes or clothes for myself.  I did some patchwork at primary school.  I started cross stitching when I was 12 and for a long time this was my main craft.  I do a whole variety of needlecraft and papercraft and this will be reflected in my blog posts.  What I make depends on my mood and most recently my mood has been sewing, hence a number of posts about sewing.  

What are you making?  Is it something big?  Is it for you or is it a commission?  I'd love to hear all about your crafty makes so leave a comment and tell us about yourself.

Goody Goody Binding Kit

Its been many, many months since I have made anything, which is why I've not blogged for a long while.  I'm sure all crafters know what it is like to lose your crafting mojo, I do go through phases of not making anything, this comes down to a whole host of issues, most recently being very busy at work with a new role and a huge restructure taking place leaving very little energy for crafting, or even thinking about making anything.

I've just had 2 weeks annual leave from work and I was hoping to make some lovely stuff.  I wasn't sure what I wanted to make, I've bought more fat quarters to expand the quilt I made for my bedroom back in February so it is a better size for covering my bed. I had fabric to make a runner for the dinning room table, fabric to make a bag and a crochet blanket to finish.

Yesterday I finally got round to making something.  I follow the Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber Blog and on Tuesday they posted a blog about a Goody Goody Binding Bag.  The bag is designed by Vanessa Goertzen from Lella Boutique.  This inspired me to make one to give to my Mum.  I liked the idea that it was a quick project (I could finish it that day) it would be useful to my Mum who makes all sorts of things including quilts. 

This is my completed binding bag, made for my mum.

I used Just Sew Fat Quarters designed by Victoria Louise and made by the Craft Cotton Co.  I purchased this fat quarter bundle from Hobbycraft for £8.  I thought this was a fantastic price for 6 fat quarters.  I knew I would use these to make something for my Mum who has always loved to sew.  As she has always told us "my only O-level is in Needlework".  Therefore she and my Nan are responsible for my love of making things.

So you can see the folded up version of the binding kit.  This is it opened out.

I'm not very good at zips and this is the first zip I've attempted for about 15 years. I managed to get the zip in quite easily but when I finished the design it ended up with a wonk to it.  This is quite usual for me, I claim to have a natural wonk and most things I make are nearly always slightly off centre.  I got the zip for this binding bag from Emporia Fabric and Craft, it was the great price of £1 and matches the green on the rose fabric perfectly.  I used a scrap of cotton wadding leftover from a quilt I made.  The wadding also came from Emporia Fabric and Craft. The button was one I had in my sewing box, I always collect the spare buttons you get with new clothes and put them in sewing box.  I've got many buttons this way, but I no longer own the clothes. I made one change to the pattern, I made a small 9 patch pocket instead of making a strawberry pocket to hold the scissors.

I'm just waiting for more binding clips to arrive to fill up the zipped pocket, to get my Mum some thread for the thread holder and then it will be ready to give her.  

Have you tried making this?  Did you enjoy it? I know if I make this again it would be better, so no fabric cut the wrong way round for the pattern, no wonky zip, but then it's always a learning curve making things.

New Sewing Machine.

I've not posted on here for a little while, my goals for this year was to blog more and just when I had ideas of things to make and blog posts to write, work (as always) got busy and I decided to decorate my bedroom.  All of which overflowed my stress bucket (for anyone whose completed their Mental Health First Aid Training will know what that is about) and my response for being too stressed is to go quiet and stop communicating.

So what has been going in the crafty world of Sarahdipity?  Well for started I made a rash decision to buy a new sewing machine.  I am now the proud owner of Pfaff Smarter 260c.  It arrived on the 14th January and looked lovely.

Here is a photo of my lovely new sewing machine sat on our dining room table.  It arrived on a Wednesday and I knew I had no time to try it out until the weekend.  So I looked at it, stroked and pushed buttons.

The weekend came, but I needed to move into action with the thoughts of decorating my bedroom.  I had no furniture was living in the spare room and a new bed had arrived.  I didn't want to put the new bed up until I had decorated the room.  So instead of playing on my new toy, my wonderful Pfaff computerized sewing machine with a top loading bobbing, one step button hole and many other features I was looking for, I was painting woodwork, wall and putting up wallpaper for the first time ever in my life.

I got round to trying out my sewing machine for the first time on Tuesday 20th January (almost a whole week later!!!!)  So in my hour of play I used some scrap fabrics and tried out the different stitches.  It didn't look good as I couldn't get the tension right, but after many, many attempts I finally got the tension right and the stitches started to look neat.  I tried out the one step button hole, tried out the button sewing foot I had purchased plus used the quarter inch foot to use some scraps of fabric to start making a simply crazy patchwork.

The sewing machine was silent, easy to use and so much nicer than our old, basic Singer sewing machine,  I'm sure this machine will work lovely after a service as we've owned it for 8 years and we've not had it serviced.  All in all everything with the machine was really lovely, apart from being able to set the tension correctly.

I didn't get a chance to do anymore sewing for another week as I was again busy with work and continuing with my bedroom makeover.  A week later I got back onto the sewing machine.  This time around I finished the simply crazy patchwork and turned it into a square and edged it ready to turn it into a cushion cover.  I also played around with the blind hem foot.  I've got two sets of curtains which need shortening, including lining.  I need to master blind hemming (I've never managed to do it before) so I can turn these curtains up and prevent all the heat from the radiators going up the curtains and not into the rooms.  Quick rant here - I moved into a new build house 8 years ago, now being new build you'd think it would have standard sized windows?!  Oh no, not one window in the house fits standard sized curtains.  Standard curtains are either not long enough or way too long.  Plus all the radiators were fixed under the non-standard sized windows meaning you have to shorten all the curtains to ensure you get all the heat coming from the radiator.  Why not fit standard size windows?!!!!!.

Anyhow the bedroom makeover involves having to shorten the new black out curtains for my bedroom and the curtains.  I also need to shorten the curtains I bought for the dinning room last Christmas too.  I have now mastered the art of blind hemming and so now feel ready to tackle the curtains.  I now need to spend a considerable chunk of time measuring, cutting, pinning and sewing to get them to the right height for the windows and radiators.

I did though by the end of last week finish my cushion cover I had started and here it is.

I made a similar cushion before Christmas which I had for sale in the pop up shop.  This one though has a white centre and white edges unlike the other one I made.  It also has a more distinct swirl pattern to the colours going around the edge.  Another bonus is that it matches the colour scheme in my newly painted bedroom (you can see a sneak peak of the wall paper in the background, my new bed frame and my bedding). This cushion won't be staying in my bedroom, it will go up for sale on Etsy.   I've bought a load of fat quarters to make cushions and other stuff for my bedroom.

What do you think of the cushion?  It took much longer to finish that I expected, but making over a bedroom at the same time doesn't help. Sewing this on my new Pfaff Smarter 260c Sewing Machine was lovely, the fabric moved well, the quarter inch guide foot was a dream to use and help me keep to 1/4 inch seams.  Have you got a new sewing machine?  What do you make?  Let me know.

Patchwork Knitting Bag

Hello Everyone, I hope that you have all enjoyed your second day of 2015 and are still sticking to your resolutions for this year.

Today I am posting about my making which I did on New Years Eve whilst watching television.  I finished making this in time to watch When Harry Met Sally and the fireworks in London which welcomed in the New Year.

In November I went to a beginners Patchwork course held by Mandy Munroe (You can find her blog here at  Emporia Fabrics in Craft (you can find their blog here)  I made 3 x 9 patch squares and 1 x friendship star squares.  I bought back my spare fabric home to continue making something with my squares (I was thinking a table runner or mini quilt).  On New Years Eve I decided to finish cutting out the fabric and see how many different blocks I could make.  I cut out enough to make 2 more friendship stars but didn't have enough fabric for anything else.

I changed my mind as to what to make.  For Christmas my Mum had given me some bag handles to make my own bag.  I decided to make a knitting bag.I found instructions online for making a knitting bag.  You can see these instructions here.  Inspired by these instructions I eventually made 4 x 9 patch blocks and 4 x friendship star blocks (I didn't really have enough fabric for any more blocks)  I also had two further fat quarters, 1 was turquoise, the other was purple.  These were used to create the lining for the knitting bag.

After making the 8 blocks I joined 4 together to create a front and the other 4 blocks to create a back.  I then joined them together as per the instructions and attached the handles.

This is my finished knitting bag.

I am really pleased with how this turned out.  As you can see I alternated the blocks to create variety in the pattern.  I also like making square things and the bag is square shaped and fits in my love of all things square.  On top of this I can fit all the wool for the afghan blanket I am making for my bed in it.

I've got lots of fat quarters and am looking at making all sorts of different things from them.  I've ordered new furniture for my bedroom and will redecorating.  I will be making more things to help decorate my bedroom.  My resolution this year is to keep you all posted with my making and all things Sarahdipity Crafts throughout 2015.  Have a good weekend everyone.

Mum's Crochet Blanket

I hadn't posted on here for a while or shown pictures of anything I've made recently.  I've been busy working on a crochet blanket for my Mum.  In the summer my Mum had asked me to make her a crochet cushion, I bought some wool and made her this cushion.

I chose colours from my Mum's Curtains in her lounge.  Her curtains are a cream/green/red check.  There is very little red, but the cream is quite yellow and there are a number of different tones of green.   I chose some shades of green, yellow and cream and made this cushion.  I was really pleased with this cushion, the shades of yellow, cream and green were bright and sunny and it was a bright and sunny week when I made the cushion.  I had bought extra wool which I hadn't used in the cushion.  The wool in the cushion and the extra wool I hadn't used went into the blanket.

I made the blanket to go on the back of Mum's Sofa in the lounge to go with the cushion, therefore It wasn't going to be big.  It had different shades of green, yellow, green, cream plus a variegated wool that had shades of pink, purple, green and yellow.  This is the completed blanked/afghan.

It is made from 5 row granny squares using a 4mm crochet hook.  There are two colours per square and each square is made of either 3 rows of colour A and 2 rows of colour B, or 2 rows of colour A, 2 rows of colour B and 1 row of colour A.  4 crochet squares were made from each pair of colour, with the colours alternated around.  This meant no square is the same, each square is different.  To learn how to make a granny square check out this tutorial from Bethintx1 here.  I learnt how to crochet granny squares by following her tutorials on YouTube.

I used a mixture of different types of wool in this blanket.  This is the wool I used.

Patons, Fab, DK, Shade 02344 (the pink/purple/green/yellow variegated wool)

Stylecraft, Wonder Soft Merry Go round, Double Knitting, Shade 3140 - Sunshine
Stylecraft, Special DK, Shade 1263 - Citron
Stylecraft, Special DK, Shade 1114 - Sunshine
Stylecraft, Special DK, Shade 1065 - Meadow

Sirdar Hayfield, Bonus DK, shade 916 - Emerald
Sirdar Hayfield, Bonus DK, shade 957 - Primrose
Sirdar Hayfield, Bonus DK, shade 993 - Aran
Sirdar Hayfield, Bonus DK, shade 882 - Lime

When starting on the squares I started with pairing all colours with the WonderSoft Merry Go Round variegated wool in shades of white, yellow and green.  After this I then paired all the colours with the Patons Fab variegated wool and then all of the colours with the Hayfield Aran wool.  This then made 80 squares allowing me to make an afghan that is 8 squares wide by 10 squares long.  I joined the squared together using double crochet as I find this joins the squares together in a really secure many, especially when the blanket is at the back of the sofa which is used on a daily basis.  I used Hayfield Primrose to join the squares together and complete a layer of double crochet around the edge for the start of the border.

After joining together the squares and completing the foundation stitches for the border I stitched a border using Hayfield Lime, Hayfield Aran and Hayfield Primrose again.  This has two rows of treble crochet (lime and aran) and the final row is a double crochet with a 3 chain in between each stitch make a ripple effect..  As I had initially in the foundation chain stitched 2 stitches in the corner chains for each square and with the ripple effect of the last row, it made a really nice ruffled border to the edge of the blanket.

I was really concerned that the colours wouldn't really work, as the colours looked really bright and garish as I stitched the squares, but once it was all joined together and the border was added the colours worked together really well.  The yellow and green colours were inspired by Mum's curtains and the previous cushion and the pink/purple variegated was such the right colours to represent my Mum that I had to use it and it does work with the other colours, even though there isn't any other pink/purple colours in the blanket.

Anyway let me know what do you think?  Do the colours work?  Does it still look like a blanket made by a beginner crocheter?