I'm a Little Teapot

The Wombat Stew is back in business for 2013.  Wombat Stew is a group of 7 lovely ladies who love to quilt and also paper piece. We mostly met through Facebook's Quilt Club Australia and are made up of:

Kristy from Quiet Play

Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts

Gemma from Pretty Bobbins

Marieka from Bespoke Bites

Jane from Where Jane Creates

Lara from Luellabella

and me.

This month Lara is Chief Wombat and she has asked for teapots (bless her!). Their bottom must sit on the bottom of the block and also include a selvedge. 

I had a few teapots pinned on Pinterest but this one struck me the most. There's something about the retro shape and floral design that appeals to me.

A ceramic Blossom Teapot by Swedish designer Camilla Engdahl

I had a fabric similar to this but the print was small. And Teal.

So I chose to use this brilliantly happy Anna Marie Horner Sunflower print instead. It is bold and large (and I have seen it in some lovely colourways).

A quick few messages to paper piecing guru Kristy and she whipped up a 'sweet as scones' pattern for me and sent it through as a pdf. I am sure the pattern will be available soon and if you want to be a pattern tester for this one, please email her. (kristyqp@gmail.com)

I was a bit out of practice with my paper piecing I'm afraid. I find it very hard to work in opposites and this time I used A4 copy paper that I could not see through. In general I have difficulty conceptualising things so paper piecing makes my brain hurt! My block has three extra seams than the pattern calls for due to my trimming fabric too closely as I pieced.

By the time I had come to piece the handle I was back into the pp groove and I only made one mistake with it.

And look at that selvedge yumminess! 

It is off to Lara in the post today...along with some RASK (random acts of scrap kindness).

Oh and if you'd like to try some paper piecing yourself, why not join us over at Quiet Play this month for the 'And Sew On' - a sewing themed, paper pieced BoM, where you can make this...

I still have to make one for myself. Oh and there are prizes for linking up your version by January 31st!

April Finishes

This month has seen me:

• learn how to sew a zipper. So pouches are in abundance at my place. 
• learn to make fabric covered buttons. Heaps of fun.
• make my first ever bag. Despite sewing the handles on upside-down the first time.
• join the Zakka Style Sew- Along. Learning the joys and pitfalls of sewing smaller items.
• skip this month's hexagon blocks with the Craftsy BOM.
• cut into 'my precious' Denyse Schmidt stash.
• realise that half square triangles are cantankerous creatures.
• meet my lovely blog buddy Kristy at a Mystery Quilt Weekend.
• make use of my collection of selvedges.

All the while listening to or watching some great series' on SBS on demand, ABC iview, dvd, or the History Channel - Coast, Who do you think you are? Australian Series 2, Is the West History?, Barbarians, Ken Burns' The Civil War, The Civil War Journal, The First World War, Gallipoli, Anzacs, Narrow Escapes of WWII, and Downton Abbey.

1. Katie Jump Rope by Denyse Schmidt - cut into 15/4, 2. Fussy Fairytales - basted 30/4, 3.  Fussy Fairytales - back 28/4 4. Mystery Quilt - top finished 27/4, 5, Diamonds in Squares QCA Bee -  5/4

6. ZSSA Zig-Zag tote - 10/4 7. ZSSA Sewing Kit - 20/4, 8. ZSSA Pin Cushion - 17/4, 9. ZSSA House Pouch - 12/4, 10. Small zipper pouch - 2/4.

11. Large zipper pouch - 6/4, 12. Pocket zipper pouch - 28/4, 13. Selvedge zip pouch swap 1 - 16/4, 14. Selvedge zip pouch 2 - 16/4, 15. Large selvedge zip pouch - 26/4

So now to plan my new 'to do first' for May. Yikes!

How did you go in April? 

I am linking up with....

Selvedge Pouch Pride

Mystery Quilt Class


This weekend I am off south to Coffs Harbour for my first Quilt Class. It's run by local Lisa Peterson at a sweet shop called Hunters and Collectors (just on the Pacific Highway past the Clog Barn).  I will will meet my lovely blog buddy Kristy in the flesh for the first time too. I very excited because I get to have 2 days away as well. Well needed after 2 weeks of school holidays.


All we know is that we have to bring our sewing supplies and three fabrics. 1 light, 1 dark/feature fabric and 1 medium contrast (non-directional). Sounds easy right? Not really. 's so hard to choose farbics without knowing what the pattern will be. We can cut some fabric in advance but I am not sure which three. These are my choices.


these three:

 or these three:

 I will take all 5 for borders and backing though.

TGIFF


This week has seen a lot of little sewing projects rather than quilting. So I have a few finishes to show but nothing large.


Zakka Style Sew Along Pincushion

 Three Selvedge Pouches

I am linking up with...

this week it's at, fellow QCA member, Tracey's blog called 'The Peony Teacup'

Show Me Your Selvedges

Today was all about the scrappiest of scraps.  I picked this great book up from the post office today. I had ordered it from The Book Depository. It's another great publication by Stash Books - I just love the feel of their covers!


This weekend I am off to do a Mystery Quilt' project with 'Hunters and Collectors' in Coffs Harbour. It's such a mystery that they haven't sent me the fabric requirements yet - Yikes! Anyway my QCA blog buddy Kristy is going to do the course too. It will be the first time we have actually met - but we connect on so many levels beyond just quilting..


After class, fellow QCA local, Jane will be meeting us for drinks and dinner. She thought it would be a fun if we could do a 3 way swap. So today we divided up the tasks. Kristy chose sewing kits/needle book, Jane the pincushions and me? I am doing the pouches. Phew! because I have been consolidating my pouch repertoire. 

I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Jane is a huge fan of selvedges and has made a few great items with them. I went straight to my selvedge box and emptied it out. I started saving selvedges when I started quilting but I have now learned to be more generous with the width of them. The skinny ones are pretty much useless but I did find enough to piece together to make fabric. I used the quilt-as-you-go technique.

Just one of my selvedge fabrics. I have nearly finished both pouches after dedicating myself to them all afternoon and late into the night. I made many silly errors and had to unpick about 6 times at the zipper stage. Proof that I was too tired to continue tonight. 

Charm Pack Give-Away + Extra


The postman also bought the prize for the '50 Likers Give-Away' today. Jane from Want It Need It Quilt had slipped in a little extra. A packet of Superior needles was smiling out from the package. So these will also go to the winner. Thanks Jane.

I couldn't resist having a little looksy into the charm pack though. I flicked through the range - the colour palette is just as lovely as I had hoped. I found three lovelies that I though I would share.

It is not too late to enter the Give-Away. Entries close 8pm (AEST) of Wednesday 18th April. Jump to the page here. And Kristy's 'Oh Deer' CP and thread Give-Away here.