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Wednesday 12 January 2011

Blimey I Didn't Realize it had been so long

Wow it seems like yesterday but it was actually like 3 weeks ago.  So what have I been doing?  Oh you know this and that.  Made dinner Christmas Day with the help of my darling daughter-in-law and it was great had a houseful and then New Year's Eve came and had just as great a time with great friends in a wonderful new Chinese Restaurant not far from where we live ... if you live near Bushey in Hertfordshire it is called The Imperial Chinese and it is on the A41 opposite the Hilton and the food is to die for.  We made the mistake of ordering set menus and there was much too much to eat.  Never mind we know for next time.


I have started making something and I have pictures - unheard of for me to show things that are not finished but there you go a new, and hopefully improved, me for 2011.


So I have started making a cushion I saw made on a Channel 4 (in the U.K.) program with my heroine in it - Kirsty Allsop.  Now Kirsty makes a few programs, mainly ones about buying the perfect house for people who are searching for them, but last year and this year she got to make THE MOST incredible hand-made things with experts who taught her.  Oh sometimes I wish I was her, okay let's be honest most times I wish I was her because she gets to do these incredible things.  Anyway this year one of the things she learned to do was make a handmade cushion and you can see how she does it right here.  Anyway my version of is isn't completely hand made because I got out my sewing machine after I had purchased the fabric for the backing and the Charm Pack that went with it.  I am too new at this to think I can choose fabrics randomly (all photos are clickable to make bigger IF YOU MUST).  Anyway this was the fabric I chose because I know that the person I am making this for likes autumnal colours (which I don't much):




The Charmpack is called Awesome (well any idiot (including me) can see
that from the darn package) and the backing came from
the same collection by Moda



Then I thought oh I want to put at least one heart on it too so
I went to trusty eBay and bought myself these Heart Stencils so now
I'm all set and ready to go.



Well I stitched the four pieces of the Charm pack that I had chosen together
with one of my cut out hearts.  Now I didn't exactly get it perfect when
stitching the four pieces together but figured oh that's okay I have
the heart to hide it.  Then I made the fatal mistake of thinking I could
stitch the heart on using my sewing machine and what a mess of it I made
so I had to start again



And being the darn perfectionist (I know this doesn't have to be
perfect but it does for me) it came our great and
now I am stitching the hearts on by hand and will show you
what I have made later on in the week.


So until then I will leave you with ...

Lots of Love Patricia xxx
American by birth and MOUTH

9 comments:

  1. Hi Patti!
    I'm sorry to see that you will be putting the needle and linen down for a bit but am SO VERY glad you have taken on to quilting. That's something I haven't really tried much so I can't wait to see what you create.
    Thanks for inviting me to ride along.

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  2. Like Peggy Lee said. I'll miss your beautiful stitching but your quilting is gorgeous too! And after seeing so many beautiful quilts I get so tempted to try. But I need another hobby like a hole in the head. :)

    Good luck with your quilting. I'll be sure to drop by now and then. :)

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  3. Isn't quilting fun, too?! I love doing both stitching and quilting, hard to decided which I like more~~ Those patchwork look fabulous!! Can't wait to see it finished~~

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  4. okeee.....quilting it is then. Can't get that easy rid of your stitching friends. Just started to follow this one then as well. Besides, I like to dabble in all sort of things too and am most interested in quilting and fabric.
    And who knows, may be next year you'll pick up your needle and do some of your gorgeous stitching again. Until then, I'll simply follow your (most gorgeous) quilting. How's that?

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  5. Congratulations! Can't wait to see all the new things you create. I do both needlework and quilting. Quilting when I have time in the sewing room (usually during the day) and needlework at night while I watch TV and am too tired to face my sewing machine. Love your fabric choices!

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  6. Love your idea! Are you leaving the edge of the heart raw or turning it under? There are lots of tips for raw edge machine applique, but I like Natalia's Starch Applique method
    http://piecenquilt.blogspot.com/2009/11/starch-applique-tutorial.html

    Can't wait to see what you come up with from here!

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  7. HELLO!!!!!
    I MISS YOU!!!!!
    I am so THRILLED YOU HAVE THIS NEW SITE!
    jumping up and down!
    Hey, and I liked the first block missy!
    Anyway, glad to see you back! NOW keep POSTING!
    Love ya,
    Lana

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  8. I am so glad that you took up quilting and how better to begin than with applique and hearts. Can't wait to see your creations!
    Micki

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  9. bonjour,
    j'espère bientôt voir vos belles réalisations
    amitiés, marylin

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I absolutely LOVE it when you leave a comment and I read each and every comment and try to reply to you all.
Patti xxx