Quilting a Spiral...

I have a couple of posts left to write about the Baby Bear Paw quilt, this one is about finishing the quilt top and quilting a spiral, the next will be about binding.  If you want to revisit the other posts, the first is here and the second here. So, starting with finishing the top, from the last post we were left with four quilt sections- this one will be the lower left corner.

The next stage is to link those sections together so it looks like this diagram:

For this you will need:

4 Strips: each measuring 4 1/2" x 16 1/2"

4 Quarter square triangles to make the centre square- made either using Sizzix Quarter Square triangle  2" x4" finished  (Die 657166 find it here with free delivery) and 2 rectangles of fabric each measuring 5 1/2" x 6", or cutting a couple of 5 1/2" squares into quarters across the diagonals

• Join the 4 quarter square triangles to make the centre square, trimming to 4 1/2" square using the 45-degree line on your quilt ruler.
• Arrange the 4 large quilt sections.  Place a strip vertically between each.
• Join remaining 2 quilt strips either side of centre square.  Join large quilt square sections above and below.

The quilt top is finished.  Cut batting and backing fabric- 42" square for each.   Make your quilt sandwich using pins or basting spray- I use 505 spray as this is a small quilt- and you are now ready for quilting. 

Download the spiral template here, remember to print at 100% actual size and to use the PDF printer icon to print it out- I know this seems obvious but we can all forget the little things!   You will only need this small spiral as once you have stitched this you will be able to continue the spiral using a quilting bar.  To transfer the design I pinned the paper in the centre of the quilt and used a Sewline pencil and stabbed dots through the paper- very sophisticated!  As long as you can just see them to sew, that is enough.  You can join the dots if that helps.  A Sewline pencil uses a ceramic 'lead' for marking and is soft to use, accurate on fabric and generally rubs off-but test first, always!

You will need a walking foot and a quilting bar/channel guide for this technique.  Fit the walking foot on to your machine if necessary- some machines have these built in.  The bar can be added in after we start the spiral.  This is the hardest part is the curve is tight at the beginning- but trust me, it is only a few stitches of hell and then it is dreamy and easy.  Start with the smallest stitch possible and secure your first few stitches.  You will hardly be able to see the pencil marks, you will be cursing and I had to redo this part of the spiral 2-3 times eventually using the holes left from unpicking as my guide!  You could trace the spiral on to tissue paper and then sew through the tissue paper to make this easier- and then tear it off.  As you work around the first curved section increase your stitch until you get to your desired stitch size mine is 3.8.  Once you have completed the marked area, place the quilting bar in your walking foot (they usually slot in around the back) so it sits to the left of your sewing in the curve you have just sewn.    You can see in the picture the end of the bar is just touching the stitching and pointing downwards, acting as a marker.  If we were sewing an anticlockwise spiral, the bar would be fitted on the opposite side of the walking foot, with its curve following in the previous stitches.

And now all you do is keep stitching, the further away you get from the centre, the easier it becomes.  

As long as the quilting bar doesn't get knocked and lose position you can sew until you run out of spiral.  If the bar does get moved, slide it back in and rejoin the spiral.  The process reminds me of bias binding a quilt with rounded corners- I always think it will be a nightmare to do but in reality it is the preparation that is a pain to do- cutting the binding, but the actual sewing is easy peasy you do is keep sewing with no corners to mitre and start and stop with!

At the corners, you will need to all the extra curves as if the spiral was continuing- just rest the quilting bar in the previous circle of stitching and sew until the fabric runs out. Repeat until the corners are full, maintaining the clockwise direction as you sew to give your quilting bar a sewing line to follow.

Square the quilt and now we are ready for binding.  I use Rita Red Pepper Quilts binding tutorial for all quilt binding and for this quilt I tried a little basting glue to help with the machine finishing- no hand sewing on this binding.  As it is a baby quilt I wanted to keep the edges as strong as possible- more on that coming soon!

Village Haberdashery Spring

Thoughts turn to spring, despite, cold, snow etc- there is more light- hurray, which is making me return to a little EPP.  Meanwhile, more thoughts of clothes making- I have already started but no photos yet.  There is a lot of planning going on here but I am finding it hard to action everything I want to do.  Patience Kerry, patience.  At the Village Haberdashery Esme is now in stock along with Clara and those Skinny jeans- I am intrigued by the jeans and a little in love with the dress and top.

Imagine Clara or even just the bodice of Clara in this print on cotton sateen from Amy Butler- the Alchemy range is stunning and in lots of different substrates- ha ha, always amuses me to get that word in.  This print is on an extra wide 59".

As I thought I would, I succumbed to Sarah Watson's squiggles- Flumes in Indigo

As well as a little Anna Maria Voile- just 1/2 metre to act as a contrast with this, will show more soon, pinky promise.  I will warn you, there is only one scant 1/2 metre of this print in Flour left!

Glitter in fabric can be hit and miss for me but I do like what Melody Miller has done in this new Ruby Star Sparkle line,  and those pyrex dishes are calling my name loud and clear.   Annie has then on offer with a £2/metre reduction if you pre-order before it arrives- you will need to be quick, due this Friday.  I need to make a new bag having worn out one of my Noodlehead creations and this could be just the right fabric collection.

I am also a little smitten by the Simiplicity of Stamped, Ellen Luckett Baker for Kokka and a linen cotton blend which would be perfect for bags and lots of other things- Fat Quarterly Retreat luggage maybe?  Krista's Weekender is a pretty inspiring make for the retreat by the way.  This fabric range is also included on the pre-order offer.

Annie has a weekend retreat sized bag pattern, Bari J's London Duffle.  Jeni from In Color Order made a gorgeous quilt as you go version of this- go see

I am thinking about a bag in corduroy too, I have this Chicopee Cord from Annie, it was going to be a skirt but I am thinking a bag would be the way to go, (maybe a skirt too!).

You can find heavy weight interfacing here, plus the fusible fleece etc that is so useful for bags and pillows is due back in soon.  Annie also stocks an array of bag making notions from heavy cotton webbing to purse frames to buckles, snaps and rings.

Baby Bear Paw: Almost Wordless Wednesday

 More to come on binding and quilting spirals ...

Winners, washing up

Congrats to Liz (Harrysmum) who won the magazine in the giveaway...

 and to Chickenlover who won the pattern and the fabric- emails have been sent!

I did mean to post a few temptations from Al's All-Tea-Towels shop ready for Mother's day gifting but I am not with it at the moment so maybe a post-mother's day, pre Easter gifting period is in order.  There are some beautiful vintage image Italian tea towels that are new in.  I love food packaging and these old tea and biscuit tins are very appealing.

Beautiful botanical illustration of apples and pears...  These Italian tea towels are 100% linen.

Then I got distracted by Greengate- a sort of Danish Cath Kidston, you can also find some of their prints at Uniqlo- I am hotly awaiting the hoodies.

But then what really grabbed me was this one, love it!

Exeter Sewing Directory Meet Up

You do make me smile with all your- what made me smile today comments, keep them coming and go enter the giveaway if you haven't already.
I am prepping for Sewing Directory Meet Up Sat 16th March.  I will be there with my Sizzix Big Shot, ready to show you a bit of basic hexagon English Paper Piecing, plus diamonds for those already familiar with hexies. 

 I will be bring a starter bag of paper hexies and cute fabric hexagons so you can get stitching and chatting which is the main focus of the event. I also have a free 'Simple Marks', Malka Dubrawsky Moda layer cake that will be given away There will be  more free fabric to use from Annie at Village Haberdashery and Kath of Sew La La Fabric will have some pretty ditsy style fabrics on sale.  Any who want a go on the Big Shot are welcome- I warn you, you will then want one!

There will be local gals going including Jo of Saints and Pinners- if you are attending and want to order from her shop and collect your order from Jo at the meet up (saving on postage, more to spend on fabric of course) contact her here

Flea Market Blue FQ stack?

Anna Maria Charm packs?  A mix of LouLouThi and Field Study

Or Kaffe Charms?

The same applies to Jo (A Life in Lists) of Organic Stitch Company and her delightful selection of Liberty prints- I feel this low volume charm square collection calling me!

Or maybe the yellow/orange/ pink collection?

Or the grey?

And Mary has vintage charms on sale at her Etsy shop- drop her a line, and collect from her at the event too, plus a discount code on top of that!  See her shop for details.

If you are going, do drop me a line and let me know.  And along with Fi and all the other lovely stitch ladies, I'll see you there...x

Giving away

Giveaway is now closed- thankyou!

A giveaway.  Up for grabs, Love Quilting Magazine Spring Issue- pretty much sold out and that lovely Medallion Quilt by Alexia Marcelie Abegg (from her book Liberty Love) on the cover may well be a factor in that- full instructions are inside and a quilt along too on Instagram #marcellemedallion #medallionalong plus a flickr group.  It is a great mag, lots of lovely patterns, a tiny mention of me, a slightly bigger mention of Lynne, and lots of Katy and Jeni for a start.  I picked up an extra copy, you can find them if there are any left at WHSmiths.

My medallion so far...

and if you already have that magazine, you may want an Amy Butler pillow pattern 'Must Have Pullows' plus 1/2 yd of Yoshiko Jinzenji fabric.

In your comment please say which you would prefer magazine or pattern+fabric.  1 comment per person, open anywhere as long as I can contact you- add your email if you are no reply( email (at) gmail dot com sort of thing).  And tell me in your comment, what has made you smile, today or anytime.  I will pick the winner using random number next Monday.  Good luck...

Quilters, a generous lot

It has been a strange few months.  Some extraordinary highs and some deep, dark lows.  I have worked and worked worked and thankfully that is pretty much done, looking good and in many ways has kept me going.  In fact now that has almost stopped it is leaving me a little lost at sea and staring into space.  Blogging is a public space, I have to bear other's in mind so details that I can share are scant, plus I want it to be a positive and uplifting place but life doesn't always play the game.  There have been some tricky times and it is ongoing as life events often are.  Some days are very hard and I am sorry to say, at the moment it feels like it is getting harder.  I know it will pass but it is difficult on a day to day basis when you are living it and trying to do the stuff you need to do.  Amidst this,  I have had amazing support from so many quilty friends, lately it has been like a birthday with parcels and packages.  I have felt so touched by the generosity and thoughtfulness.  When I think about it, we are quilters and we feel a need to make quilts for ourselves and more often for others.  We can never make enough quilts, we can never have enough quilts, We want to wrap people up with them and look after them- the ultimate expression and purpose of a quilt- so I shouldn't be surprised by all this loveliness but I am in reference to me.  This isn't a 'look at what I got post', but really a massive thankyou, a spotlight on the givers and a start to give something back with a giveaway- I am just preparing a post for details of that.

So... here I am...in someone else's stitches

This was part of box of  goodness from Doe, I was totally speechless.  She designed a lever arch file cover with the most inspiring fabric selection ever- it like an ode to all my favourite prints!  Hand embroidery all across the front, tiny, tiny stitches, perfectly soon and vintage buttons too.  It is amazing it really is. And the green Spoonflower fabric behind it (already planning a use for this Doe!) and lots of other sweet treats...what to say? 

 I'll start with thankyou Doe xxx  Doe is a hugely talented sewist, just take a look at her Flickr stream and your jaw will drop.  Her eye for colour and attention to detail has me every time, just take in that tiny heart at the end of doe...

Chase has sent me so many lovely packages in the past and we have swapped fabrics and treats before. Sadly I sent a Christmas package with makes/fabrics/sweets  for her and her daughter and as often happens that time of year, it never arrived- I have had this happen before but only at Christmas.  So I am prepping something now for her and her daughter, and meanwhile she sent this...the little Lottie tag drawing by S makes me smile, it really captures her! 

This is such a 'Chase style' make, all those tiny squares, all the tiny hand stitches- I feel like a bit of Chase is in my sewing room!  Both the needle book and the little bag are already in use with my English Paper Piecing prep for Sewing Directory Exeter meet up.  Chase has an Etsy shop with her hand made beauties in and destash fabrics too.  The hand quilting is such a treat- she does it so beautifully...thankyou Chase xxx

Ayumi feels like an old friend now and she never fails to amaze me with her generosity and kindness.  She sent a care package including these stamps that she had hand carved.   The casserole dish is so cute and the details on the utensils, wow-  they are each not much longer than 1", incredible!    She is a multi talented creative! And her book, Patchwork Please! is out later this month!  A sew-along is coming too.

Thankyou Ayumi xxx

 And another total surprise, a box of delights from Brioni.  Packed full of sewing and sweet treats...

Another talented quilter with a book out soon.  Brioni's work is so beautifully detailed and she combines shapes and motifs in such a clever way- I can't wait to see what's inside- I just know the quilts are going to be astoundingly good.  Thankyou Brioni xxx

And from Krista, I now feel like a member of a special club that has one of her amazing thread catcher pin cushions.  These are a genius idea... the pin cushion with its weighty filling...

and the sprung edge to keep the generously size thread catcher open.  Love it!  Such a cute fabric choice, I think it is a Lecien print, and I love the tape measure tape round the edge.  It will be in constant use.  Thankyou Krista xxx   And Krista is going to be at FQ Retreat 2013 too- I can't quite believe that!

I am over whelmed,  I really am.  There have been a lot of tears.  I can't say it enough, thank you xxx