My Big Fat Gypsy Feathers!

Hello everyone.

I hope you've had a good week.  My finish today is a quilted wholecloth.......

I used a pre-dyed fat quarter of 100% Egyptian cotton and Hobbs heirloom 80/20 wadding.

If you are wondering why I've called this post My Big Fat Gypsy Feathers, it is becasue I took my inspiration for the fancy feathers from a TV programme called My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.  The opening credits had a beautiful swirly design which I photographed with my phone. 

The lay out and the flower are all my own design.

I used a white Clover marking pen to draw the flowers and placed them first.....

After all the flowers were worked, I added the feathers.

It was quilted on my little domestic machine.

I experimented with some metallic threads on the yellow parts which were a bit wirey but I did like the effect.

Initially I was going to embellish the edging with some 3D flowers but decided against it. I didn't want to over work it so knowing when to stop is a good thing.  Plus I thought the 3D flowers would distract from the main design.

I wasn't going to enter this month's Free Motion Quilting Challenge as I thought there were too many feathers, but a few people have told me it still counts becasue of the flowers and background.  so I think I will enter it.

I'm also linking up with Fiona from Finding Fifth, who is this week's TGIFF hostess.  There are already a few lovely finishes there so head on over and take a look.

Today I'm going to be working on a thank you gift for someone so til the next time...

Happy Sewing!
Rhianon.

Pyjama Case

I don't really have a very big finish for this week - just a small one in the form of a pyjama case for my youngest daughter.

Ursula picked the fabric for this herself when we were at the quilt show last month.  I was really surprised when she went for this black floral design - I thought she would have opted for something more modern.

I kept the design very simple and based it on a cushion cover - the only difference being that I quilted the back and edged it with proper binding.  Yay No more pyjamas left lying on the floor !!  Well that's the idea anyway.

I've been working away on ideas for a project I am involved in , to do with quilts for the partialy sighted.
Of course it is all about texture.  This is my progress so far :

I still have a lot more work to do on it.  The edge is going to be covered in 3D flowers and leaves.  I bought the fabric already dyed like this from the quilt show.  It's 100% Egyptian cotton and has been a pleasure to quilt.

Of course it's Friday so I'm linking up with Amanda from Dont Tell Quilts, who is this week's TGIFF host. Pop over and check out the finishes.

I have 5 hours of uninterupted peace before my girls get home from school, so I'm off to SEW!
Have a great day everyone.
Rhianon.

Mug Rugs and a Mother's Day Gift.

Hi

First off I would like to thank every blogger who linked upwith TGIFF on friday.  It was fun hosting the party.
I've had a great week in my sewing room - getting a lot more done than normal.
I decided to make some work to go in my Etsy shop, so I started with mug rugs, like the ones I made to sell in aid of Dementia UK.

This is a set of 4 in bright colourful fabrics.

These measure 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" - just a nice size.

Next up are a pair of mug rugs in slightly calmer colours.

I decorated these ones with a little Suffolk puff flower.

It's Mother's day here in the UK today so I thought I'd make Mum a little mini wall hanging.

I used the same method as the bigger wall hanging but changed the colour schem to match Mum's living room.
( She has a pink settee!) 

It was a lovely sunny day yesterday and I managed to get some really good photos which show up the quilting.

Close up of flowers.  You know it's funny becasue I showed this to my twin brother who is a tattooist and he asked me where I got the design for the flowers.  I told him ' out of my head - I made them up'.  He said he'd been working on flowers ( that he designed)  practically the same, even down to the little ring of circles in the flower center - on a customer that day!   Isn't that spooky ?  - must be our twin thing again!
Anyway, back to the close ups :

I'll take this up to Mum later on when I go and visit.

Today I'm going to make a pyjama case, which is a request from my youngest daughter and later this week I'm planning on finishing a quilt top I've been working on. so I'll leave you with a sneaky peek at that.

Have a good week everyone.
Rhianon.

TGIFF - The Party Is Here ! ! !

Hello everyone.

Very exciting today becasue I am the host of todays TGIFF party.  First time I've done anything like this and I feel strangely nervous.

Anyway onto the business at hand - I have a major finish this week..........

This is my Dresden plate quilt made (mostly) with my favourite fabric - batiks!

I will be giving this to my big sister for her birthday in April.  I hope she will love it.

These photos were taken before I added the Suffolk puffs (yoyos) but it was a nice sunny day (they've been in short supply) and the quilting showed up well.

On the black fabric I quilted with Guetermann  sparkly thread.  It makes the whole quilt shimmer.

On the outer border I quilted fancy feathers using King Tut's varigated thread.  I love the thread build up as it really shows off the thread at it's best.

Detail of the back....

I do have another finish - well actually they are lots of little finishes......

These are mini mugrugs to be sold in aid of Dementia UK.  They are easy to make and measure 4" x 8". I really enjoyed making them.

So that's it for today.  If you have a finish,  please share with us and add your link at the bottom of the post. 
If you are a blogger who would be interested in hosting a TGIFF party, you can find all the details here

The TGIFF logo and link is always in my sidebar..........
Unitl the next time
Happy sewing
Rhianon.

Quilted Flowers and Feathers - a work in progress.

I love it when the creative juices are flowing and you get carried away with a project that you hadn't even planned.
That is kinda what happened with this :

It was the border fabric that started it all.  I really liked the terracota and blue together.

I started with machine quilting  the flowers then added some feathers on a piece of cream silk.

I thought it looked a bit wishy washy and needed some colour.   So out came my Carron Dache pencils.

First the flowers....

Then the feathers.....

I still have to blend the colours and add some beading detail.

I'm linking this blog to Quilting By the River where Connie has a linky party every Tuesday.  Lots of inspiring eye candy to look at, so head on over and enjoy!

I'm having my own linky party for TGIFF on friday so be sure to come back and visit.  I have a major finish which I am itching to show you all.
Until then - have a great week.
Rhianon.

Another cushion !

Hello

Yes, I'm afraid it's another cushion from me this week.  I seem to make a lot of them but this one is for my living room.  I'm slowly replacing the ones we have as they are looking a bit 'tired'.

The center is a Jennie Rayment block which I'd started a quilt group a couple of weeks back.

It doesn't look as good as it could becasue the cushion pad is a little small - need to get a slightly bigger one.

Again I used sparkly Guetermann Sulky thread to quilt the black background.

I hand embroidered the blue diamonds with DMC stranded cotton.

I quilted pebbles on the inner border and feathers (of course!) on the outer border.

I have been working on a major project but I am waiting until next week to show you as I will be hosting the linky party for TGIFF!!    Need to have something good don't I ?

M R from Quilt Matters is the hostess with the mostess this week so pop over and see whats been going on.

I'm off to get some serious sewing done today.  See you all next time.
Rhianon.

PS  Want a wee giggle ?  Then head over to Quokka Quilts and read Laura's product review - I promise it will make you smile.

Batik Heart Cushion with Quilted Feathers

Hello there,
I've had a busy week working on a few projects but my finish for this week is this :

A cushion made from some very pretty batik fabric.   It measures 18" x 18".

I used a piece of dark blue taffeta and appliqued two batik hearts in the center.

I quilted feathers from each corner.

I've decided to try and sell this cushion - details at my Etsy shop.

This time last week I went to the quilt show in Edinburgh where I stocked up with a few goodies.

See the scrapbags at the back of the photo ?  What a treasure trove of fabric.  This is them all folded and most pieces were at least fat quarter sized and there was even some binding all made and ready to go.  What a find.

 I usually post photos of the quilts on show but I am a bit hesitant this year as there were signs up saying no photos to be used without permission,

Luckily, Kay, The Borderline Quilter DID get permission to show the photos so head on over to her blog and have a look at the gorgeous quilts.  This show was an exhibition of quilts rather than a competition.

Just  a reminder before I go that todays TGIFF linky party is over at Laura's blog , Quokka Quilts.

Some nice finishes already posted.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!