...N's quilt - Cog and Wheel

I took the fabric and the recently cut templates for this quilt to the first Sit and Sew Day for the Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild I went to last year, in April.

A year later I have finally finished it! After I was inspired by this stack of fabric sitting on the table near this pattern and coming to the impossible to forget conclusion that this fabric and this pattern were a match too good to pass up I worked on the top almost exclusively at the sit and sew days over the next few months. I finished the top in about September but was stalled there for a little while as I tried to find the right green solid for the back. My Kona Color card said Bayou was what I needed but it was a discontinued colour by the time I started my search and I couldn't find enough.

In the end I have gone with a different shade altogether - Green Tea from the Spotlight Prima Homespun range - but N seems to like it. There are a couple of extra scraps from the front fabric in there too to bring it all up to size.

I chose to quilt it as described in the pattern - this was not my original plan but I think if a quilt designer goes to the trouble of suggesting a design there must be good reason for it. I know when I plan a quilt I almost always consider the quilting design at the same time as I plan the patchwork and fabric choices.

The one change I did make was to follow the marked line with my walking foot rather than hand quilt the design. Despite the need for some fairly heavy duty pushing and pulling through the rather small throat of my machine, and the related puckers on the front, I think this was the right choice for me.

I like to quilt my own quilts (like in the planning I think all the stages of making a quilt are equally important and I'd feel a little like I cheated if I got someone else to quilt my top for me - but I know and respect that is not the same for everyone) but sometimes my lack of machine space is a little annoying, especially as I usually choose to make twin or queen sized quilts. However, unless the machine fairy decides to come along, these are the parameters that I need to work within.

My favourite room in the new house - The Sewing Room

I've kind of been waiting to write this post for a little while until the Sewing room was 'finished'. But the more I look around the room and play around with things the more I am realising it will be a constant work in progress. Given this, and that the boxes are unpacked  and most things have found a home so as to make it workably finished please indulge me and take a little tour around 'my room'.

Warning: This post is long, and indulgent. And possibly a little show-off-y. I'm sorry, I am just so excited about this room.

I have mentioned before how jealous I was of other people's sewing rooms. Mostly because I really wanted the storage spaces they afforded but also because I really, really hate mess and didn't like to leave things out on the dining room table but by the same token I hated having to drag everything out of the (not so accessible) cupboard every time I wanted to sew.

So my two favourite features of the new house are the door to the sewing room and the dishwasher (so I can stack all the dirty dishes in there and don't need to wash every night)

The room is the smallest bedroom in the house, and is a strange shape, which is part of the reasons that the room wasn't able to be used for the study and I was able to claim it for myself. It is long, about 3.5m and really narrow (1.8 plus the robe).  There is a window to the floor at one end but, as it is at the side of the house and looks out to the fence and the neighbours house it doens't afford much light, good thing there is lots of globes in the overhead light.

Before:

There is a built in robe in the room as well as another cupboard with shelves behind the door in the corner, but this has been claimed by my partner for his 'special' and 'crafty' things. The frustration I have had in devising storage solutions has been the height of the shelves in the robe, they don't quite fit any of the common sized storage boxes, I think as they have been there awhile.

The good points
1. Lots of powerpoints, so many in fact that I wasn't so worried about covering one up with the back of the bookcases. Unusual in a bedroom, and a house of this age.
2. The wooden floor. Not only does it look good but makes sweeping up the copious amounts of dust and loose thread ever present in a sewing space so much easier.
3. The really bright light, great for a sewing room although an unusual choice for what is meant to be a bedroom.

I have been really lucky to furnish and outfit the room with many of the things I already had, although I have gone a little crazy at IKEA sorting out some matching storage features.

I started with what I had. Lots of Billy bookcases and a table that had held my computer and printer, a Vika Amon/Vika Curry. I wasn't keen on using the table for a couple of reasons
1. I didn't want this room to be a study/sewing room and thought I would need it for the printer in the study area and
2. It wobbles a lot when the printer is pronting and I can only imagine what a walking foot at full speed would do it it.
I also had an office chair, on wheels. This would not do.

So I made a list of what I wanted.
1. Shelves, for books and cute little perfectly fitting storage boxes.  
2. A big table area - space for cutting, pressing and to have the machine set up permanently.
3. A chair
4. Lots and lots of modular storage so everthing was away but still easy to access.

While we were waiting for everything to be delivered I sent days planning and hours at IKEA planning. Because I already had the shelves I put these in the plan first and struck my first hurdle. I had two 60cm sets of shelves (no longer sold) and an 80cm shelf; both in beech, a colour that is no longer sold. I wanted them to sit in the corner so I needed a 40cm set with the corner attachment. I would need to have a different colour. This troubled me, I like things to match. In the end I chose the birch. It was the closest. I wish I had chosen the white, there is a longer term plan at play where the furniture the sewing room is all white. I decided on that too late.

But I built the extra, installed it in the corner while I waited for the truck and moved my attention to the tables.

The tables were the biggest (and most important purchase). As I said I have, until recently sewed at the dining table. Although it was a little small for what I wanted it was the right height and looked good. I thought about moving it to the sewing room but decided it was needed to eat dinner off.  What I wanted in a sewing room table was space enough for a semi-permananet cutting area and and spearate sweing table area with room to spread out a quilt while quilting it.

So I spent hours in second hand shops and IKEA looking at desks, dining tables and any other flat surface I clapped eyes on. I needed something sturdy that wouldn't shake, would fit in the area I had left  (2m along one wall and 180cm along the other), would fit together i.e.be the same height and not cost a fortune.

I had almost given up hope when I spied the Melltorp Dining Table out of the corner of my eye, so I got one in 175x75 and one 125x75 and got assembling and it fits, just.

So by the time the existing shelves and the rest of our things arrived the room was already taking shape.

When everything was arrnged the craft books went back in the shelf,

The sewing machine was put in pride of place under the window,

And I started unpacking all the little bits and pieces.

Books and boxes went back on the shelves.  Better Homes and Gardens and homemaker magazines on the bottom shelves.

Batting scraps, toy filler and interfacting went in the big orange Kassett boxes that just fit in between the top shelf and the ceiling in the cupboard.

I bought some extra CD and DVD storages boxes that fit perfectly in the Billy shelves and some magazine racks to store my sewing magazines. I worked on the philosophy, empty space? Does a box fit there? Good, put it there, I'll find something to store in it. With that thinking I got some of these paper boxes for the bottom shelf. They just squeeze in with some extra DVD boxes.

For the ackwardly dimensioned shelves I added to the existing Samla with some smaller ones to fill in the space.

I added a few fininishing touches with the table top ironing board, pen cups and a bin (see the black and white theme developing?) and a new iron. I keep a glass jar on the table to store all the cards from the online stores.

I also scored and picked up a great chair, and a little stool for under the cutting table in the As Is section. At the moment they have covers in the chepest price I could find on them. These will be used as a pattern to cover them in this.   

The fabric is still stored in the hanging tidy in the cupboard, the patterns in the boxes on the floor. Finished projects waiting for a new home in the tubs right up the top. 

Along the middle shelf are 8 tubs for projects on the go, I thought if all 8 were full that would be my cue to finish some before I started more. That has not worked.  :)

Thread, perle cotton and embroidery floss are in purpose built boxes on the top shelf of Billy.

I still have to paint the frames of the pin boards black and hang them above the table. I need to cover the chair and the stool and finish labelling all the boxes after I have sorted things into them. But I found out today I can watch TV over the network on the computer!

But for now it looks like this (when I keep it tidy)

and sometimes I just open the door and look, and smile. Feel free to be jealous or hate me. I'd completely understand.


Update:



I hung the pinboards above the tables and moved a few things around in the bookshelves. The biggest change through from when we moved in last year is that I have added some shelves into the built in cupboard. I was having increasing difficulty finding the fabric I wanted in the draws so I wound them around some fluteboard and stood them on the shelves like mini bolts. Much easier to find now. The bundles are sets put aside for specific projects and the tubs on the bottom shelves are scraps but these are being reorganized into a more user friendly format at the moment. 

Bee Seam Piecing Downunder- November blocks for ... Me!

November is my month in Bee Seam Piecing Downunder. And I tell you, it's exciting.


I have known for a little while that I have wanted a 'circle' quilt and for it to have variety in the theme so I thought a bee would be the perfect way to achieve that, having 12 different  takes on it.


But some people are really scared or unconfident with curved seams so asking for these blocks was not an easy decision to make. And I can't say that it was a request met without trepidation but the wonderful ladies in my bee have really been gracious enough to say they will give it a go.


I sent out reasonably large pieces of 12 different fabrics

With two squares of Kona solid in a grey colour to act as the background of the block (the quilt will not have sashing so this offers the continuity)

I also sent some pre-made pieced circles - with different outer fabric that I have asked the ladies to embroider (or mark for me to embroider later) with the name and location. These will be pieced into the back as the label.


I made a mosaic (follow the links there are some just fantastic blocks out there)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/handmaderetro/5077052704/


and a few myself.

There are already some great blocks showing up on the Flickr page (link on the left of the blog) and I can't wait to see what else people come up with!


In case you were wondering (as my bee buddies where) what each of the fabric are there is a picture over on Flickr with all the fabric labelled. They all came from my LQS, Amitie in Bentleigh, Melbourne Australia. I made a mad dash there afrer work one day and the ladies were nice enough to stay open a little longer and help me put together the bundle of prints.   

Bee [a little bit] Japanese - October Block

For her month in the Bee (a little bit) Japanese Natalie asked for some MONSTER blocks. She was looking for blocks 11inches high and anywhere from 24-36 inches long to make a forest inspired by this.

She sent out a bundle of fabric in green and brown tones and then a huge strip of Quilters Muslin for the background.

With all the moving and things I sat on this bundle for awhile. I think the size was a little off putting when I was looking for a project to do after work, as I really like to make blocks in one sitting. I find it just helps them to flow together better. 

In then end I just started making little improvised trees. The trunks were pieced into the bottom section of the muslin and the treetops raw edge appliqued onto the top. I loved the idea of leaving the edges raw to represent the wispiness of the edge of a tree, even though I am not usually a fan of raw edge applique generally.  

Some smaller trees on the hills off in the distance.

A plantation area where they all in a row.

Paper pieced hexagons and a branch calling out for some tree climbing.

After a while of putting these together I realised I was leaning very heavily to the muted, olive greens in the bundle rather than the bright ones. I mix them in at the end I felt would make them stand out too much so i kept going with my colour theme. After a bit more cutting and stitching I realised the colours, if not the shape of the trees were very Australian.

A fox hiding in the bushes.

What I was doing last weekend...

Making some new curtains - 2.6m drop and 7 meters of window.

Fabric is from IKEA. A strong pattern to stand up to the genuine 70's tiling.

I had to laugh when I was describing the house to a friend on the phone.
The conversation went something like this.
Me: And there is a huge room out the back with some interesting 70's tiles.
Her: Green, orange or brown?
Me: All three.

I hope this weekend there is some time for some 'fun sewing'. The list is only getting longer, but the forecast raining, windy conditions in Melbourne this weekend makes great weather for it.

Hotel Sewing...more hexagons

Being back in Sydney this week has meant the third hotel in as many weeks. Perhaps this should be re badged as a travel blog?

Hotels, of course mean more of the Matilda's Own Hotel Hand-sewing project.

The past few weeks being what they have been for me has of course meant the batteries in my camera have gone flat and I can's show you the three I have made this week.

Instead, I have gone searching for the three template sets I am missing from the (now known to be) set of five.

And since I am without a car and working on my finishing up to do list like crazy this has only been on the Internet.

I have found the three missing are,
The Curved Star


http://www.matildasown.com/templates/curvedstar.html

 The Whirligig

http://www.matildasown.com/templates/whirligig.html

and The Pinwheel


http://www.matildasown.com/templates/pinwheel.html


As it turns out I have had trouble finding them, except on the Matilda's Own site, which does not have a shop function. I have printed out the stockist list of the stores near my new home but I fear they may not have them in stock. Hopefully disproving this fear is a job for this weekend!

Have you seem them? Especially anywhere in the SE suburbs of Melbourne?

* Ok, apparently there are more, a whole new range of sets out for 2010/2011. Obviously some more investigation is needed.

Packing up the Sewing Room

I had hoped to have a post ready now about my new sewing space in my new house in my new city. But as with all stages of this move things have not gone according to the time plan that I had in my head.

But late on Sunday night, as I was trying to get the new house in some sort of order before I hopped on a plane back to the old city early on Monday morning for my last week of work here I pondered a lot about the process of packing up the sewing room.

We were lucky enough to have our move paid for, thanks to my partners new employers, and as part of that arrangement we were not allowed to pack anything other than our clothing or it would not be insured. I have been involved in several such moves before, thanks to my work, and my feelings about strangers going packing all my things has always been a little mixed.On the one hand I am thankful I do not have to personally stand over boxes for days on end and get everything in their temporary cardboard homes, instead sit on a chair and watch it all done in a few hours but on the other I hate the invasion of my privacy and I can never help but shake the feeling that the movers and packers are not as careful with my things as they would be with their own.

These old thoughts first came to mind during this move with the completion of The Inventory. This has capital letters for good reason. It is the first, last and only list of your goods provided to the movers and the basis for the insurance. It is not a time for undervaluation. For this move I actually developed several databases, the one for the books took all weekend even with the assistance of a barcode scanner and the great program Collectorz Book Collector.

But how do you value a metre of fabric, sure it's easy enough to say that it was $24 a meter when you bought it two years ago but now it is out of print and hard to get. And that scrap over there? That is actually a Prints Charming panel that is not produced anymore and I'm saving it to make a baby quilt for my child, should I ever have the chance. The Elna machine, it's probably $50 on eBay, if you can find one, but you can't replace the one that my mum chose for me. All the buttons, so many little packets and varied origins. It's not like you can replace them, so what is the point of putting a money value on it? Just pack carefully please, so nothing gets lost.

And then there is the moment that packers walk into the sewing room/study and let out a low whistle of shock/awe/dread. And the mutterings from the room about the amount, range and 'what is this for?' comments as they take almost as long packing everything in that room as they do in the rest of the house. Should I try to explain, no, I don't think they would understand.

But I have got most of it unpacked, and somewhat less of it all organized in the new sewing room.

And because a post is not a post without a picture, here is a 'before' picture. Hopefully it will be finished this weekend and I can show you the 'after' pictures, 'cause I want to sew!