Creative Impulses

Last week I missed the birthdays of two sisters who are friends with both Ellie and Maddie. I felt quilty that I hadn't had time to make anything for them. Lets face it there isn't much past the touristy stuff to buy down here. It spurred me into action to make some pen rolls with images of my new found friends. Please welcome the Gentoo Family. I absolutely adore the polka dot pink fabric they are attached to. (Who'd have guessed me and polka dots!!)

They have button eyes and my signature black thread top sewing and I think they look rather a happy bunch.

For sister number two we have the Magellanic Family. They seem slightly more aloof than the Gentoos but still seem to like the pink floral background.

I am still not sure whether to add some white sewing to the beaks to just give them a bit of a lift. Some of the photos I have taken of the Magellanic seem to have a faded white band on the end of their beaks and I might try to emulate them.

I was rather pleased how these turned out and plan to get busy with some more hopefully to sell in the next week or so. The insides were plain, I did think about adding a fish but something stopped me from going overboard. Opinions and ideas welcome.

I have been planning on taking photos of my quilt for ages as I finished it about a month ago. The weather hasn't been great and these are slightly dark but I thought I would just get on with it before it needed washing, the dog rather likes to lie on this.

I had a really steep learning curve with this quilt. I really enjoyed piecing together the top and back but hated sewing in the wadding. I had been advised to go for 6mm wading and in hind sight I think it was to thick. I made the mistake of starting at one end and not in the middle so unfortunately even with the numerous quilting pins I had in it the layers ended up shifting as I was sewing it. And boy did this take some amount of thread to quilt. I think I went through about 7 reels of cotton by the time I had finished.

I ended up having to take an inch of each side and adding a bit of fabric to the backing to make up the movement mistakes. Still for my first go I am fairly pleased. I love sewing on the binding, it is one of those theraputic things to sit and do in front of the tv. Plus it is pink polka dots again :)

I already have plans for some lap quilts for the kids for christmas. I have had Mum on the hunt for fabric already. She popped into my favourite store in Cirencester last week, Lexi Loves - I was most distraught not to be able to go myself. I have a stash of pink fat quarters from there that I bought when I was still at home and I think that will be turned into a quilt for one of the girls. Euan is going to have more of a red, white and blue flavour with you guessed it a union jack theme to match his room. As for the second girls quilt I am still waiting for inspiration to strike.

I still have about 9 cushions to sew for the back of the sofa where the quilt is so I can remove those silly back cushions on the military sofa that slide down every time you sit on it.

I did manage to make a log cabin cushion with my left over scraps from the quilt. I will be so sad to see the end of these fabrics as they as so bright and cheery plus wonderful to sew with.

Cushion number two which is hot of the press is a simple flower cushion which I have been dying to make for ages. I am thinking that these flowers might look quite good on the bathroom curtains I have planned. hmmmmm.

I need to discipline myself a bit more this week and lock myself down to the sewing machine and get things done. The two days I had last week were great but I was constantly disturbed by the telephone, door and skype. Not that I am complaining it was great to hear from some of the girls back home and my Mum. This week Jill is coming over on Tuesday for a full day of felting so hopefully I will get my groups of flowers finished off so I can move on to a new project there as well. Right must get to bed as my neck is aching from all this photo editing today. What is it they say you wait for hours for one bus to come along and then loads come in the space of ten minutes - bit like my blogging really!

Good night to all Love Helen