Fairytales and Shadows

You've heard of 'Baster's back' or 'Baster's butt' (I needed yesterday off to recover from both). Today I want to introduce you to 'Quilter's neck.' It's an RSI ailment that mostly affects quilters with a short throat (not their  own but their sewing machine's). It comes from having to roll up the quilt's right hand bulk and keep it away from the walking foot using hand and shoulder tension. 

After completing 3 hours of straight line quilting SLQ 'Fussy Fairytales' today I am suffering from Quilter's neck tonight. Nothing that a good hotpack and some ibuprofen won't fix.

 I shadowed the ditch into the sashing. So the front looks like this...

 And the back looks like this...

 Then I tried my hand at hand quilting using some embroidery thread.

 It looks great on the front. (oh and that thread is left deliberately because I have no idea how to finish it off).

But inconsistent and crappy on the back.


I am afraid that I need to re-read the helpful hand quilting tutorial written by the pattern designer, Kate Conklin. 

This week's stats:
Completed projects - ZSSA - Patchwork pencil case

                                           QCA Bee Scrappy Log Cabin - dedicated and a carry bag sewn.

  

Currently in progress   - 'HR Far Far Away 2&3 Fussy Fairytales' Straight line quilting finished today 2/5

                                                  moving on to hand quilting the windows and peekaboo squares.

                                               - Mystery Quilt - top pieced

                                               - Katie Jump Kites - on hold but missing fabric arrived this week.
                                    

New projects - Zero - and that makes me happy!

How did you go this week?


I am linking up with...

Zakka Style Pencil Pouch

To Do First


May already! Time for a new list - or at least an updated list. I am going to try and be realistic this month - thank goodness for 31 days!

• Zakka Style Sew Along (ZSSA) weeks 5-9
• patchwork pencil pouch
• itty bitty quilt block magnets
• raincloud mug rug
• messenger bag
• zakka block quilt
• Quilt Club Australia (QCA)
• May Bee block - scrappy disappearing 9 patch
• Handmade swap - to a partner due June 30th
• 'Mystery' quilt - to add borders, baste and quilt
• 'Katie Jump Kites' quilt - to finish cutting the rectangles
• 'Fussy Fairytales' quilt - to SLQ shadowing the ditch and windows. Then add some hand quilting around the blocks and peek-a-boo border pictures.

Yesterday I spent 3 hours on my hands, knees and butt basting this huge 'Fussy Fairytales' quilt featuring Heather Ross' Far Far Away 2 & 3 prints. The quilt top was actually put together by my talented mum and she modified Kate Conklin's pattern by substituting 1/4" flat solid window borders with a folded and floating version. 

We had planned on making one quilt each. But before I could even start mine, she had gone home and whipped hers up in a matter of 2 days! Then she phoned me and asked if I wouldn't mind cutting up some more fabric and sending it up to her via the post. I couldn't be bothered cutting from the stash again and so I cannibalised my precuts and sent them all up. This then made her version much wider and longer too.


I am no longer going to try and make another version of this quilt but I will finish my mum's version - which is adorable. So I have pieced a simple back and will use some straight line quilting to shadow the ditch. Then I am going to try my hand at hand quilting using Kate Conklin's tutorial.


Zakka Pencil Case

This was a lovely little project and I can see why some of the other people in the Sew-Along have made more than one version. In fact I made more than one version myself.

I stuck with my Far Far Away fabrics and made use of their cute selvedges. I used the op-shop linen from the Sewing Kit and some of the leftover cotton prints from it too. I pieced the back because I did not have enough linen and I wanted to use up a nice panel of FFA.

I ended up using leftover 21/2" strips of batting and spray adhesive. With this extra buffering they are perfect for my rotary cutters. 

There are some really, I mean really, cute versions of these pencil cases on the Flickr group if you are interested to see the variety.


How are you going with your version?


I am linking up with...