Wednesday 28 December 2011

The Christmas Makes

I did get one or two things made this Christmas, even if I did not quite manage the handmade Christmas of last year.  Now the gifts have been received I can show you, and I can breath out...



Wash Bag

Wash bag - has waterproof PVC pocket on the inside for toothbrush!


Flannel Scarf (super soft!) and wee square pin cushion stuffed with crushed walnut shells for sharpening pins
 Infuriatingly enough there were a few other makes, but I completely forgot to take photys.  Never mind.  Things went down well and that is all that matters!


I did have a rather lovely Christmas, despite missing my family.  There was no snow, so Auntie was able to come stay.  Christmas morning I got up and listened to Junior Choice on Radio 2  which is guaranteed to make me smile.  Ellie and I had great fun with her toys, and a box...and some Catnip...

Elliecat high on 'nip...

There were some lovely pressies, lots of lovely grub, some musicals on telly, and new pyjamas with fleecy lined socks.  Not to mention the champoo and a trip to Downton Abbey...  Didn't have to go anywhere, do anything.  I must say we rather enjoyed it!!

There was one other Christmas make, which was really more of a WIP finally finished.   My most favourite quilt yet, with some of my most favourite fabrics.  I fully intended to keep this one for myself.  However, Auntie had seen it a few months ago and had dropped hints the size of boulders expressed a bit of a liking for it...  I had pretended not to pick up on the hints, but eventually she even offered to buy it!  So, I made a valiant effort to finish it in time for Christmas.  Didn't work, I had to wrap it with the binding machined on front but not attached on the back....  Well, I was on schedule but then my attempts at quilting it had gone terribly and had needed to be unpicked twice.  Twice. I spent a whole day unpicking the second quilting attempt.  Anyway.  Here it is...  (the feet are Aunties)
I call it Stained Pink.








The pattern was mine.  I cant really tell you what size it is because I forgot to measure the finished quilt...  It certainly came out a whole lot bigger than ever intended!  Previous posts about it are here and here.

After a few abysmal attempts at straight line and patterned quilting, I decided it really had to be hidden.  I settled on a black top thread and grey bobbin thread.  I did a maze like meander through the black sashing, until every block had enough stitching in the sashing to ensure that there were no large areas unquilted.   I have to admit I did not find the constant corner turning easy, but eventually it came good.
Until I turned it over and realised that I had very bright, ugly pale grey stitch lines over my lovely black side borders....  Sharpie black permanent marker to the rescue!  Worked  a treat :-)

Now, where can I find more of that back print, preferably on sale, for me to keep this time?!

26 comments:

  1. i love it more than i can even say and how sweet of you to give it to your auntie. i bet she is in looooove! i know i am! i love love LLOOOVVVEE it! all that skinny black sashing is beautiful!
    and i love elliecat. she is awesome!

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  2. Special :-) this one is truly special Sarah :-) x

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  3. I love the sharpie fix! But not as much as I love the quilt. Great job and your auntie must be one happy Christmas bunny!!

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  4. Love the quilt!!
    http://www.etsy.com/listing/77173809/sale-silent-cinema-by-jenean-morrison?ref=sr_list_7&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=jenean+morrison+silent+cinema+intermission&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_ship_to=US&ga_view_type=list&ga_search_type=supplies&ga_facet=supplies
    Cheeky Auntie x

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  5. Reminds me of Charles Rene MacIntosh's stainglass windows.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh

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  6. That's a wee stoater of a quilt, mate! You were very generous giving it away - not sure I could have! We had a nice quiet Christmas, too, it was fab!!

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  7. I love the quilt and the black sashing.

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  8. Wow that is one fantastic quilt! Lucky Aunty. Glad you had a good Christmas :-)

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  9. Wowza! That's an amazing quilt! It's so beautiful!! And I really love your washer bag too. And isn't Ellie just a sweetheart? What a cutie!

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  10. This turned out A.MA.ZING!!! The block for this would be a great tutorial!!Ah...the last time I will mention it I promise.

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  11. It is wonderful! Maybe when you make the next one for you, you could make a pattern or a QAL?

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  12. Your quilt is FANTASTIC! What a beautiful make.
    Look at sweet Ellicat there in her box. I love her.

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  13. I really like your pattern Sarah! I hope you do find some more of that fabric to keep for yourself!

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  14. Wow! that quilt is gorgeous!I love the black sashing.

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  15. I've loved this quilt from day 1. Aboslutely brilliant. I would never DARE use black sashing!
    Glad you had a nice Christmas - no photos of the jammies?

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  16. what an amazing quilt Sarah, it must have taken ages! No wonder your auntie wanted it, I bet she was thrilled

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  17. Glad you finished it! Sorry you didn't get to keep it! Sew Mama Sew has a sale on...

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  18. Wow! That's a stunner of a quilt S! Great finish for 2011! Jxo

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  19. Fandabbitastic! That's one very lucky Auntie :) Glad you had a wonderful Christmas :)

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  20. All lovely Christmas makes, but the quilt is definitely a stunner!!
    Hadley's probably nailed the best price for the backing fabric. If you wanted to buy from the UK, raystitch have it and they do periodic discounts if you get their newsletter.
    I would have found it practically impossible to give away, lol.

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  21. Bwahahaha, love the sharpie use :oD All the makes are fab, but I think the quilt was the bestest. Good luck in the hunt for replacement fabric for your own version (and hey, if you're making another one, you can do a tutorial for Rhonda ;o) )

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  22. Oooh, Sarah, auntie's quilt is super yummy, think that needs to go on my to-be-made list! Thanks for sharing

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  23. No wonder you didn't want to let this one go! You will just have to remake it - but better!

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  24. I love that scarf and the quilt is amazing!! Gorgeous design and great choice of fabrics. Yes you must make another one!! :)

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  25. I love all the things in this post but the quilt is defintely my favourite - I'm definitely checking my stash for suitable fabrics!

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  26. Totally gorgeously lovely, I wanna be like Aunty and own one of these :) x

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