Shots of recent work

Just thought I would throw in some photos of the recent craft work I have done.

The bad faerie continues

Hocuspocusville continues

I have also started the next block in this series which I will upload next week when it is finished.

Hexagon flower

I have also started doing one inch hexagons in batiks which I will add a photo of next blog.

Happy crafting
Gwargedd

Busy Busy Busy

I have been very busy going through my workbook for work over the last few weeks and have not had much time for craft. I have done a bit and will post pictures soon.

I just thought I would post about the USA and the victory of finding Bin Laden. I am just worried about the next person who is going to step up and lead Al Qaeda as there will be a next person there always is. What thing will this person do to make a statement. 9/11 was tragic and will go down in the books as so but this next person could plan something bigger.

The other thing that struck me was that on the 30 April Bin Laden was killed but also this day is big history as this is the day that Adolf Hitler died.

War has ravaged our world for thousands of years and will continue while there is hate and conflict in the world. Maybe there will be peace one day. Maybe I will live to see that day maybe not but I do know that all those fighting for my freedom and peace deserve our thanks and support not us to condemn them or to blame them for the continuing of war as I have seen happening on facebook and other websites.

Blessings to the soldiers and there families. May you return to your loved ones unharmed.

Blessed Be!!

Hexagon Flowers

Gather the supplies needed. I used 2 fat quarters, 2 inch hexagons, and sewline fabric glue stick. Cut the fat quarters 2 x 4.5 inch squares of the light and 12 of the dark colour.

Place a hexagon on the pattern and decide where to trim to cut a 1/4 inch seam around the template

You should end up this this

Next run the glue along one side of the hexagon and stick one side of the fabric down.

Continue to glue each side down

This should be the end result

The front will look like this

Once all the hexagons are covered lay them fabric side together and sew along one side

Ending with this

Place another side and then sew it in place continuing in this fashion until all six are sewn onto the middle hexagon

Ending with this

Next step is to sew each petal together

This is the end result. The hexagon flowers are quick and easy to make.

Happy Sewing

Gwargedd

Bad Faerie

Well I have spent the last week working on the Bad Faerie and have managed to finish another page of the pattern. She is really looking good now she has a face and two wings. See what you think.

I have also been working on more hexagon flowers. I am waiting to see if I can go back to work I am hoping yes but think the answer will be no which is okay just means another two months at home. Which means that I will have to spend more time sewing or finding other things to do while laid up.

I haven't done any on the Hocuspocusville Quilt due to not being able to stand to cut the material but hope when I see the Doctor later in the month I get the clearance I need to put a bit of weight on my leg.

I also use to scrapbook and brought myself a Robo Craft machine to cut out all the lettering and shapes needed to make cards or layouts. Which I must say I have never really used maybe I can take these two months and figure out what to do with it. I have done a few projects on it like these ones

The poem was written by daughter aged 5 for my Dad's funeral. Maybe I will continue with some of this if I get sick of sewing (as if)

Well Happy Sewing everyone
Gwargedd

Projects continue

Well first off I have to say if it wasn't for craft I would be going round the twist with boredom. I have been busy sewing madly on the bad faere with the following result.

I think she is starting to look amazing and am very please with her so far. I hope to finish the next block of her by the end of next week.

I have also been working on a new project which will include lots of hexagons. I decided to use 2 inch ones as smaller would take to long. The first block is done

Mum loves Australia flowers and I thought what better present then a quilt made with Australian prints. This will be a work in progress for a while as I need to slowly build up the stash for it. These were to materials from my stash I thought I could start with.

The other project of course the Hocuspocusville Quilt. The following two blocks are the ones I have been working on for it.

So as you can see I am keeping fairly busy with all the different projects I have on the go.

Happy Sewing Guys

Gwargedd

Going home.

Tomorrow I will be heading home after having my sister look after me for two weeks. I could not be more grateful to her and her family. I have the cast off and a moon boot in place of it. Still not allowed to walk for another 6 weeks though.

I have finished sewing another block and started on the next. When I get home I will take some shots and put them up. I have also just laybyed some Moda fabrics which are just the right colours to make into blocks for the hocuspocusville quilt.

It will be interesting to see how I go cutting up more material. It may have to go on hold and I may have to go back to a cross stitch I have been working on for the last year or so. Actually that would be three years but I would love to get it finished so maybe this is a good time to get stuck in.

It is called the bad faerie and is a mystic stitch pattern. They have many wonderful patterns that I adore and would love to do. Here are some photos of my progress so far

lets see how much I can get done once I find it in the WIP cupboard.

Thank you again to my wonderful sister Dawnfire and her family for taking such great care of me I can never thank you enough for all that you have done. I honestly do not know what I would have done without these last two weeks.

Happy crafting everyone

Gwargedd

Nearly Done

Well in between cat naps as I am always tired these days. Must be all that healing I am doing. I have nearly finished my next block of Hocuspocusville.

It amazes me how scared we can become of things. I ventured out of the house today annd thought to myself I have to tackle the stairs and not do my bumming across the porch and done the stairs. The first step is easy as it is one step down to the porch. The next lot although only two steps scared the hell out of me. Crutches in place I took the first step down with a girly scream all the way. Then had to do it again. I was about to start having a panic attack but thanks to my wonderful sister and her son cheering me on. I managed it minus the panic attack.

Next step will be to concur the steps going up still to scared to do that though. But it is early days yet.

Broken Leg

Well seems Colin Firth decided not to catch me as I threw myself at him. I fell down some stairs last Saturday and broke my leg now I have the excuse to sit and sew with no issues of not getting other things done because I am unable to  do them at this time.

My quilt has arrived at my sisters house for me to sew thanks to my daughter and mum. Sometimes you realise just how lucky you are. I have the best sister in the world. She is putting up with me and is also taking great care of me. I am learning to get around on crutches while staying here in to. I live quite a far distance from here with mum and my daughter. Who are now working together to get things done at home.

Well hope to have pictures of the next blocks soon as I can now sew again.

Enjoy life and keep sewing guys

Hocuspocus Quilt - Block 5

Here is the finished second block I have done which is block 5 of the pattern.

I was again happy with the way it turned out. I have always found french and colonial knots frustrating and hard to do. With cross stitches for years I have sewn on beads because I could never get those blasted knots. So I thought to myself I will give it another go. Low and behold I got it after a few tries. So for those who have trouble with them don't give up because once you get it they are very easy. This block has around 40 french or colonial knots in it.


Well since finishing this block I thought I would trace up another two blocks do sew over the next week. Step one was to cut the fabric for the next two blocks.

After cutting the fabric I cut the interfacing to iron onto the back to assist with keeping the fabric a little stiffer as you sew

Once the interface was ironed on. I had to trace the pattern onto the fabric for sewing. I use to tape it to the window but this can be tiring on the arm when tracing. Then a friend's very talented and smart mother showed me how she made a light box out of her horn sewing cabinet. With a piece of glass or PVC and a light underneath where the sewing machine sits. Makes a great light box.

After setting up the light box I tape my pattern to the material as I only have a small tracing space and can move the pattern and material as one when needed.

Then all that is left is to turn the light on and trace away

Now to sew the next block or two. Hope they turn out as well as the last two have.

Hocuspocus Quilt

While visiting a local quilt show I saw a few quilts with blocks I just loved. It took me a while to track it down but finially I have found it.
The quilt pattern is called Hocuspocusville By Crapapple Hill Studio. Once finding out the pattern I then found it and brought it. I now get to start this fabulous quilt

However looking at the pattern in the middle I thought to myself it is not one I particularly like. So the mission is on to find a centre I like.
So I spent time finding a material to start sewing the blocks on to. Each block is different and they were all sewn in black.

These look good but I thought in colour they might look better and have done a sample block to see if I liked it.

With the white on white star and spot material I brought I cut the first square of 51cms by 51cms. After tracing the pattern onto the block. I then had to decide on which colours and cottons to use. Using a size 10 needle. I choose the following cottons and then began the block.
DMC cottons
#E168
#310
#413
#829
#935
#937
#971
#3031
#3052
#3768
The result was

Now to start on the next block as I was happy with this result. I have traced the pattern and begun the stitching using the same coloured cottons. I cut out the next block size as 56 cm by 51 cm.