veni vidi vicky

mini quilt idea [schnitzel&boo swap]

November 25, 2014small projects19 Comments

I got my match for my first mini quilt swap last week. My partner seems very open-minded towards what I make for her. I think we have a similar “style” we like, even though she listed some designers that aren’t my favourite.

My idea at core is to make a modern crest. Crests are something I associate with castles, knights, fairy tales; all of which are a part of Germany’s past. I love the thought of a little nod to where the quilt was made, as it’s headed abroad once it’s done (I hope that doesn’t give away too much).

I think solids work best for this idea (but then I usually think solids work best…) and I wanted them to be a bit fairy tale-y. So there’s a mint and a light pink.

And for fun, this is what it could look like:

I hope the design works for my partner (I will ask around on instagram), so that I can start figuring out how to piece this. Some basic math gave me 2” HSTs and Flying Geese, so I’m thinking paper piecing might be the way to go. If one of you has a tip to share about how to approach this, please share with me!

This post is linked with Sew Cute Tuesday 
at Blossom Heart Quilts, Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story
and WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced, crazy mom quilts and 
Monday Makers at Aylin Nilya and Quilt it Out.

patchwork hearts [mini tutorial] & more

November 18, 2014tutorial29 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I stumbled across a post in a German quilty Facebook group asking for patchwork heart blocks to be made into two quilts. The back story of this is so saddening; two little girls lost their mother quite unexpectedly. The family has been living in the USA and the dad and the little girls are now preparing to relocate to Germany.
Femke, a fellow quilter from said Facebook group is friends with the family and runs the “Our hearts go out for Raine and Jade” project. I offered to make two big heart blocks and was able to help her out a little with the blog for the project. The hearts are starting to arrive in Femke’s mail and I’ve been working on mine, too.

If you’re interested in donating a heart or two, you can let me know via email or comment and I will help you get in touch with Femke (who is fluent in English, btw.)

The hearts are supposed to be made of one colour-scheme each and since I have a lot of teal and turquoise fabrics I made my blocks out of those. I did a bit of improv piecing, cut my panels down to rectangle size and sewed the edges off 45° with my background fabric. After adding the border it was done, pretty easy!

On a different note, I got a nod from Angie at GnomeAngel for the Liebster Award 2014. It’s a fun way to get to know new people! I love Angie’s blog and she’s recently founded a Facebook support group for Quilt Bloggers (and Instagrammers)

1. What word do you think you overuse?
cool

2. Best piece of advice you’ve gotten so far?
In terms of quilting: to use a disappearing marker when quilting straight lines.

3. What would you want written on your tombstone?
I don’t really have a life motto, other than maybe “all or nothing”, but that seems a little blunt for a tombstone ;-)

4. Which song do you find it impossible to resist singing in the car when you sing it on the radio?
I sing all the time when no one else listens. But to answer the question, Taylor Swift does pretty catchy songs.

5. What movie would you live in if you could?
Sex and the City, because I would love to experience of living in NYC and hanging out with SJP.

6. Do you like surprises, or are you like me and too impatient?
YES, I love surprises!!

7. What’s your favourite holiday and why?
I cherish the Christmas holidays. I always spend them with my mum and siblings and it feels so much like back when we all still lived at home.

8. What’s your most endearing quality?
That might be that I love giving so much. I will always help out when someone needs it, it gives me joy to be of help. (sorry if that sounds cheesy.)

9. What’s the best joke you’ve heard?
I really love puns, but can’t think of a joke right now.

I considered leaving this question out, I don’t even know what this is about. But here it is, my stupidity for the world to see x)
10. Which Mr./Miss Men would you be??
ETA: Thanks to Femke, I learned that I actually know these! I think going with what I wrote above, I would be Little Miss Helpful with a touch of Little Miss Stubborn.

I invite all of you to answer these questions, too. They’re really interesting and I couldn’t come up with better ones at this point.

This post is linked up with Monday Makers at Aylin Nilya
and Quil it Out, Everything Goes Monday at Stitch by Stitch
Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts, 
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced , TGIFF at What a Hoot Quilts 
and Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

easy sewing Facebook heart blocks improv patchwork heart

meet Stuart, the flying squirrel

November 2, 2014small projects49 Comments

I really wanted to sew my little new godson a softie because I have so many good memories about my own cherished stuffed animals (I still own them all!). In that way I feel like it’s a very personal gift, that will hopefully last him for years. The pattern is a free design from Abby Glassenberg and can be found on the wild olive blog.

The templates are carefully designed and there’s a well structured photo tutorial as a step by step instruction. It was a challenge for me to sew with fluffy fabric (and I may have bought a difficult one that is hairy on both sides – I think it’s easier to use fleece with cloth on the back). And even though I’d label myself as an inexperienced softie sewer I was able to finish this rather quickly.

Stuart will now take a nap in his sleeping bag pillow and wait for little L to play with him come Sunday.

I think I’m done with baby gifts for now and can start thinking about what to make for everyone for Christmas ;-)

This post is linked up with Monday Makers at Aylin Nilya / 
Quilt it Out, Anything Goes Monday (this week) at 
Till We Quilt Again, The Caffeinated Crafters at 
Let's Eat Grandpa, Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts, 
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, Needle and Thread
Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, TGIFF at Quokka Quilts
and Finish It Up Friday at crazy mum quilts.

easy sewing gift-idea softies

[BQF] appliqué entry: the vineyard

October 29, 2014Uncategorized11 Comments

For my second entry into the Blogger’s Quilt Festival I decided to go with ‘the vineyard’. It’s a table runner I made last month which I got a lot of positive feedback on. As I enter this into the ‘Appliqué’ category I want to give another a shout out to Modern Handcraft who came up with this new twist on hexi application.

I think the way the hexies are placed makes them look a little like grapes of a vine, thus I chose to name it ‘the vineyard’. It also turned out to go exeptionally well with drinking red wine, just so you know ;-)

Make sure to check out all the other beautiful quilts entered into the festival in the varisou categories. Voting on your favourites starts on November 1st.

this post is linked up with Blogger's Quilt Festival 
at Amy's Creative Side and Show Off Saturday at Sew Can She

Blogger's Quilt festival

1. What word do you think you overuse? cool

2. Best piece of advice you’ve gotten so far? In terms of quilting: to use a disappearing marker when quilting straight lines.

3. What would you want written on your tombstone? I don’t really have a life motto, other than maybe “all or nothing”, but that seems a little blunt for a tombstone ;-)

4. Which song do you find it impossible to resist singing in the car when you sing it on the radio? I sing all the time when no one else listens. But to answer the question, Taylor Swift does pretty catchy songs.

5. What movie would you live in if you could? Sex and the City, because I would love to experience of living in NYC and hanging out with SJP.

6. Do you like surprises, or are you like me and too impatient? YES, I love surprises!!

7. What’s your favourite holiday and why? I cherish the Christmas holidays. I always spend them with my mum and siblings and it feels so much like back when we all still lived at home.

8. What’s your most endearing quality? That might be that I love giving so much. I will always help out when someone needs it, it gives me joy to be of help. (sorry if that sounds cheesy.)

9. What’s the best joke you’ve heard? I really love puns, but can’t think of a joke right now.