Showing posts with label recycling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recycling. Show all posts

Saturday, 4 August 2012

2012 - 4th August - One Project A Month - August

2012 - 4th august
Well a year after I started the quilt, it's now finished!  I'm calling it the 'charming curtains' quilt because hubby bought me a charm pack of fabric for December 2009 as a christmas present , Moda "Aviary" ( a charm pack is 42 squares of fabric 5" in size) .


That was the starting point, I always wanted to make a quilt  so I decided it would all be 5" inch squares.



I couldn't afford to buy any more new fabrics so I've recycled four pairs of curtains and two duvet covers and the colours of the fabric are pinks, blues, creams and greens.













the size of the quilt was originally 15 squares by 15 squares ( approx 63" by 63" size) and after sewing the squares together which took about three weeks, at this point I got fed up and it was put away until about three weeks ago, I decided I was going to finish it.


The backing fabric is some curtains I've had since 1991, a lovely cream script fabric, nice thick cotton, so I cut the fabric to size, there was also a matching duvet cover as well, so I cut that up for squares for the front of the quilt.


Instead of wadding, I'm using a thin wool blanket which is just stuck in the blanket box and never gets used....


and I was going to make a start on the binding but Kitt had other ideas! 









so I've been quilting around all the applique hearts (this yellow fabric is left over from making my Mum's apron a few christmas's ago)






and then made a start on hand-quilting, I was hoping to machine quilt but because of the weight of the blanket, the quilt was just too heavy to work with so I've laid out the quilt on my large ironing board and decided I would hand quilt every nine squares...





I made a start on the binding, the fabric on the left is what I already had and the fabric on the right is what I bought the other week and I think they go quite well together!


the hand stitching on the back of the binding ...

at this point I have stitched binding on just over two edges and two corners which I've managed to do very neatly too, I had to practice a few times though!








Edit - Millie inspecting the quilt for softness! 

Altogether over a year, it's taken nearly six weeks to make, the quilt is not perfect, it's lumpy and wrinkly in places, it won't win any craft shows and probably not good enough to sell but I'm pleased with it because I've made a quilt that is going to be used and loved and because it's made from fabrics I already had, it's got lots of memories in it too! 

Have a good weekend

Josie x 




Tuesday, 31 May 2011

2011 - 31st May - One Project A Month - May

Another 'one project a month' finished. Just two weeks ago, I sorted out some leftover fabric from shortening some red curtains and sanderson linen curtains and a velvet cushion cover I made years ago and decided what to make..... I made some handles and found a small sampler linen cushion cover I bought from York Minster ages ago..... this patchwork print fabric is the lining and there was enough to make an inside pocket as well.now the handles get stitched on,I stitched a box and 'X' to make sure they are really well stitched on ....
and now the lining gets pinned in place....
and here it is finished! (front - above and back below).....
and I did a box base, I found this a bit fiddly because of the sanderson linen fabric was a bit difficult to stitch through, but I think it makes the bag look finished off.
The fabrics go really well together too! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

So I'm really pleased how the bag has turned out and it has used up five lots of fabric as well as making a lovely useful strong bag, I can't wait to use it! Josie x

Monday, 28 March 2011

One Project A Month - March - part two

What can you make from an old tablecloth, some scraps of fabric and lace?

Any ideas yet? I made one the other week....

This one was easier to make than the last one and I think it looks better...

Yes, another tea cosy, this one is for my step-mother-in-laws birthday.

I love recycling, it's amazing what you can make from scraps of fabric! So that's two finishes for One Project A Month this month!


Josie x


Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Ironing and Mending.....

6th July 2010

Ironing and mending, it's probably not quite the post you're expecting because my ironing board mechanism has broken, it broke this morning. I've borrowed this pic from google so you can see which bit is broken, it's the flat end of the bit that folds up and the thin rod, which slides up and down which stands the board up, very technical but you know what I mean..... at the moment I've fixed it with fishing line and black electrical tape but apart from that it's a good ironing board and I'm loathe to throw it away, but it doesn't owe me anything as I've had it since 1984. Oh it's no good asking hubby as he's hopeless at DIY but what I was wondering if it could be soldered back together, to look at I think thats how it was fixed together or do I admit defeat?

Anyway this afternoon we took the unsold ebay stuff to the local hospice shop and outside was an ironing board for just £3! what a coincidence, especially as it's shop that supports the hospice where my Dad passed away six years ago. I made hubby put his hand in his pocket to pay for it, only trouble is it's a bigger ironing board than my old one, so my old cover won't fit so would it be possible to make one? I've got some wadding and loads of fabric but where do I start, any ideas? or shall I just give up and go and buy one from Argos? Typical, I get an £3 second-hand ironing board and then a few hours later hubby spends £79.25 on a new front tyre!!

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Edit - Wednesday - ironing boards old (small one)and new........
and cutting out the new cover, with Millie's help of course!

Wednesday - 6pm: my £3 ironing board now re-covered in lovely cheerful fabric (some old kitchen curtains!) and I've just saved hubby £17.99 in total on the cost of a new board and cover!

Josie x


Tuesday, 15 June 2010

One Project A Month - June

Well it's time for One Project A Month again. I've made the rag tote bag and I've washed it and it looks a bit raggy... I don't think it's one of the best things I've made, not as good as other bags I found on google last month....I think I'll stick to my shoulder bags instead. and I've had to take photo's with my mobile, not sure if you can tell but there is a pocket in the front section.... Remember the denim shoulder bag I made for myself last year, I've used up the rest of the fabric to make this bag and bought some lovely cotton fabric with a cloud design, which I bought as backing for a coin quilt which I cut out months ago, I bought some seaside fabrics to make that, so hopefully that will be 'finished' later this year. The back is the same as the front and the bag and straps are lined with a lovely pale blue soft cotton fabric and it's a good size, 19" inches x 12" inches and the straps are 30" long, perfect for summer days out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I've also made some more Morsbags which takes my total to 103!

Josie x