A New Sewing Machine Cover

 

After finishing my chair cover, I still felt like playing with all my quilt fabric scraps.  I didn't want to make another quilt, but decided to make a new cover for my sewing machine, my old one here, was very faded and just didn't look nice anymore.

Using the vinyl cover that came with my machine as a template for measurements, I pieced together a few scrappy blocks from predominately Anna Maria Horner scraps, and quilted them with some batting and yardage from my stash.  This was the easy part,

Assembling the pieces and stitching them teogether involved quite a bit of finangling through my machine.  The top corners I actually ended up hand sewing in place,  All seams were left exposed, so that I could bind them, again using a beautiful Anna Maria Horer Fabric.

I'm really pleased with how this has turned out.  It definitely brightens up my sewing room, and protects my machine from dust and sunlight.

Please Be Seated

 

Earlier this week, while aimlessly browsing Instagram, I happened to come across a photo of an office chair, with a quilted seat cover.  This immediately struck a chord with me, I couldn't believe I had never thought to do that to my perfectly functional but plain sewing chair.   That afternoon, I pulled out my bag of Anna Maria Horner scraps ( I had a lot) and randomly started piecing strips, and squares together.  For a little bit of variety, I also added some Amy Butler and Tula Pink scraps.  All  the fabrics are bright vibrant colours with bold designs and meld together perfectly into what I call  a hot mess.

I ended up with two large scrappy quilt blocks, which I quilted with an organic (not perfectly even) diagonal cross hatch.  Batting and backing fabrics were all from my stash.

I rounded the corners on the seat cover, than added a casing for elastic to be pulled through. I was so pleased with how this cover turned out.  The chair back took a lot more work, a little cursing and a bit of unpicking, till I got the shape and fit right.  Again I added a casing for the elastic to pull the base of the back in.  Both seat cover and the back piece are fully removeable, though I don't think I ever want to take them off my chair now.

In a way it was mindless easy sewing, I certainly didn't need to be as precise with my sewing as I have needed to be with the clothes I've made lately, and I didn't really worry about what fabrics or colours were used where.

I am delighted with how it has turned out, and at how cheerful it looks, and am looking forward to more lockdown sewing in my sewing room.

Folk Flowers Quilt Top

 

Way back in November last year, I attended a workshop taken by Anna Maria Horner, where she taught us to make her Folk Flower block.  I made two in the work shop and over the following few weeks, I made another 11. While I loved the look of them, I wasn't happy with how my flowers wouldn't stay flat but tended to pucker when stitched, regardless of how many pins or how much starch I used.  Because of my dissatisfaction with this I stopped at 13 blocks in total, and subsequently put them away.

Fast forward a few months to another lockdown, and an indecisive  sewing mood, (really my inner voice nagging me to finish some of my quilting wips), I pulled out these blocks, trimmed them up, cut their setting pieces from assorted low volume fabrics, and subsequently joined them together.  Because the blocks were quite big, it only took me an afternoon, and I'm now wondering why it took me so long.

Voila, one quilt top approximately 50" square, ready to be sent away for quilting.  I have decided that this quilt will be my charity quilt for the year, so will be donating it to the Totara Hospice once I have finished it. I feel quite a sense of relief that I have finished one of my outstanding projects, and am now looking forward to sewing something new.

It's quite impossible to see all the different low volume fabrics used as the backround when it's hanging up, so the swirled top shows the different colours and prints quite nicely.

Stay safe, stay home, wear a mask, Kia kaha!

Folk Flowers and Dahlias

Since returning from my Folk Flower Workshop with Anna Maria Horner, I have made more blocks. They are actually rather addictive, and while a little faffy to make,  I am enjoying the process and the opportunity to fossick through my stash for large floral prints to use as the focal bloom.

I did very slowly and patiently unpick the purple block I made in the workshop and redo it.  I am using a different type of applique/blanket stitch on my machine and am much happier with the results.

Seeing the blocks together I can't help but think that my colour palette has subconsciously been influenced by the dahlias that are currently flowering in my garden and gracing a vase in my sewing room.

As yet I still don't know how big this quilt will end up, but it is nice to playing with lots of colour.

Folk Flowers Workshop with Anna Maria Horner

Our workshop's scrappy quilt.

If you have followed my blog for a while, you will know that I am a rather huge fan of Anna Maria Horner fabrics.  They are bright, bold and beautiful and  usually always feature lots of florals in a clashy yet co-ordinated bohemian style.

When I heard that Anna Maria Horner was coming to New Zealand I hoped I would be able to attend a quilt show of hers, never imagining that I would be attending her Folk Flower quilt workshop (imagine me jumping around in excitement when I booked my place)  in Tamahere today, organised and hosted by Donna's Quilt Studio. 

We had been sent a list prior to the workshop detailing what to bring.  I have to admit that choosing background fabrics caused me some angst.  How much was too much fabric to take along?

I couldn't comprehend the enormity of choosing all my fabrics for a quilt, at this point so decided that I would make scrappy blocks at the workshop, with the hope that one day I'd have enough for a quilt of some description.

We watched Anna Maria make a block, explaining and demonstrating various techniques to us, including reverse applique, a technique I was not familiar with.  Then we set to work on our own.  For a lot of us it was the first time we had used the applique stitch on our machines so it was very much learn as we go. I'm sure I am am going to attempt to unpick the applique stitch around one of my flowers.

At then end of the day, all the blocks made were attached to a quilt so we could see what a scrappy version would look like.

I had a wonderful day, catching up with some of my original weekend sewing crew and meeting lots of other like minded sewers.

Things Here Lately

Winter has well and truly arrived in New Zealand now.  I'm enjoying

• reading with the fire going.  I'm frantically trying to finish these two books,  as there are too many holds on them, for me to be able to renew them.  I love Frances Mayes' italian travel memoirs, they make me want to pack up and go to Italy, shop, eat and drink, and explore  all the lovely towns and cities she visits.  The Lost Roses is the prequel to The Lilac Girls which I finished and enjoyed a couple of months ago.

• putting a brightly coloured quilt on my bed for extra warmth, Meeka enjoys this too.  This is my Anna Maria Horner Trellis Garden Quilt I finished last year,  I've decided it needs to be loved and used, not just kept folded up in case it fades, or gets dirty.

• making a new winter coat - this time its the Oslo Coat from Tessuti Patterns.  The fabric is a deep charcoal wool/rayon, it's all cut out, tailor tacked, notched and interfaced.  Now I just need some time for sewing.

• the bright splashes of colour from the flowering Vireya and Manuka in my garden.  I really need to get out and cut some things back for winter and plant some flower seedlings in my front garden for some late winter colour.

• a few minutes time out in the traffic jam I was stuck in on Sunday while taking my daughter to archery.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

Online Quilter's Meet & Greet

Hello and welcome to the Online Quilter's Meet & Greet hosted by Benita of Victoriana Quilt Designs.

For those who haven't visited my blog before, my name is Julie and I have been blogging here at JulieLou since 2013.

Originally I started my blog as a way for  my mum and sister who don't live  near me to see my quilting  and other craftwork, both progress and finished projects.  I now blog about the things that make me happy: quilting, EPP, embroidery and applique, my garden, cooking, hiking, reading and my latest foray into making clothes.

I don't think I have a definitive quilting style.  I'm definitely not scared to use colour, and if anything,  I seem to have a phobia about using white in my quilts.  Low volume is fine, white just doesn't seem to happen. Grey is probably my go to neutral. Scrappy quilts of some description are probably my favourite to make.

Scrappy Sampler Quilt

My favourite fabric designer is Anna Maria Horner - I adore her brightly coloured bohemian styled fabrics.  My latest quilt finish and current favourite was made from her fabrics that I had been hoarding in my stash.

AMH Trellis Garden Quilt

Liberty fabrics are also a favourite and have been used in lots of little items like pin cushions and needle cases, as well as a quilt.

Liberty Needlebook

Last year I discovered the joy of wool felt applique and embroidery, Bird Dance was my first project using these materials and I enjoyed it so much I have recently finished Solstice Dream another wool applique hanging.

Bird Dance

I enjoy EPP too, my WIP (which I haven't touched since January) is my Ice Cream Soda Blossoms quilt, which I am still hoping to turn into a finished quilt this year.  I think hexis are my favourite shape to play with though.

There are still lots of quilts I'd like to make, and I have lots of fabric to be used, so there will always be something being created with fabric and thread here at JulieLou.  For stories and pictures on all the quilts I've made, check out my Quilt Gallery here.

To meet some other  inspiring online quilters, click the link below this image

Meet & Greet Here

and if you'd like the chance to win some fabulous prizes click the link below this image.

Enter Here

Thanks for joining me here today.

AMH Quilt- Finished

Last September/October I joined the #AMHSewalong hosted by Isabel and Monique on Instagram.  The idea being to actually use our precious Anna Maria Horner stashes and sew a quilt, of whatever pattern we liked.  I decided that this was a fabulous idea, and trawled the internet and  favourites on my Flickr and Pinterest pages, looking for inspiration.  I had always had in my mind that I was going to do an  Irish Chain quilt using my precious stash, but could never bring myself to cut into the fabrics for it.   Coming across this picture on my Flickr Faves - I knew I had found what I wanted to make.  It's simple, bright, and with the blocks set on point, just a little different.

Fast forward to this May this year, and the quilt and  pieced AMH baking I had made, are still sitting, untouched, in my WIP pile (which I have to admit has been stressing me somewhat.). Normally I try to quilt all my quilts myself, whether basic straight lines on my machine or hand quilting, but with the lack of time I seem to have these days,  I made the decision to send it to my friend Leeanne of Quiltmekiwi, for quilting.

Best decision ever.  I asked for an allover design, but something that would still let the quilt be soft and drapeable. I asked Leeanne to provide the batting which is a wool/polyester blend and she quilted it with a  lovely camellia design, which echos a lot of the lovely AMH florals.  It has now arrived back home, and after a frenzied weekend of making and attaching the binding, which is Kona berry colourway,  I now have a new quilt  snuggle under on cool winter evenings with a book or hand sewing.  This one is strictly mine, unless Meeka decides to join me.

**As yet, this quilt is still nameless - ideas are welcome**