Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Friday, December 25, 2015
Friday, December 11, 2015
Christmas decorations
Our Christmas tree has a rather eclectic collection of decorations from handmade to purchased.
Felted balls with added beads, see here for instructions by Judy Coates Perez.
These are super easy and fun to make.
Hand crafted decorations from stitching friends
Felted hearts
Two pieces of acrylic felt decorated then blanket-stitched together with a small amount of stuffing.
Some have had other fibres, including sparkly angelina fibres, needlefelted onto the felt before stitching.
Felted balls with added beads, see here for instructions by Judy Coates Perez.
These are super easy and fun to make.
Hand crafted decorations from stitching friends
Felted hearts
Two pieces of acrylic felt decorated then blanket-stitched together with a small amount of stuffing.
Some have had other fibres, including sparkly angelina fibres, needlefelted onto the felt before stitching.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Snug as a bug
My sort of Christmas themed neonate mini quilt ...
I have a lot of white narrow strips of fabric, mostly left over from trimming quilts. So started playing with a selection of red, orange and lime green fabrics cut into smallish squares with even smaller white squares on opposite corners like this ...
After sewing what seemed to be a rather lot of squares with even more to go to make a 27" square quilt something was needed in the middle.
The something was a ladybug, although here in New Zealand we call these ladybirds.
The fabric had fusible ironed on and then cut on my Silhouetto Cameo cutting machine.
The shapes and letters were fused on to a square of white fabric that had another layer of fabric to help stabilise the applique.
Using a straight stitch, stitched around the letters 3-4 times. The bug has a mixture of straight stitching and blanket stitch.
There was one false start ...
When I cut fused shapes I've been placing the fabric side down on to the sticky carrier mat as I've found it is easier to peel the pieces off and it seems to cut better.
Using the mirror image is a bit more useful.
Final layout.
I kept the quilting simple with cross hatching around the bug and the words. Each white square was quilted in the ditch, while a little bit time consuming the end result is what I wanted.
I have a lot of white narrow strips of fabric, mostly left over from trimming quilts. So started playing with a selection of red, orange and lime green fabrics cut into smallish squares with even smaller white squares on opposite corners like this ...
The something was a ladybug, although here in New Zealand we call these ladybirds.The fabric had fusible ironed on and then cut on my Silhouetto Cameo cutting machine.
The shapes and letters were fused on to a square of white fabric that had another layer of fabric to help stabilise the applique.
Using a straight stitch, stitched around the letters 3-4 times. The bug has a mixture of straight stitching and blanket stitch.
There was one false start ...
When I cut fused shapes I've been placing the fabric side down on to the sticky carrier mat as I've found it is easier to peel the pieces off and it seems to cut better.
Using the mirror image is a bit more useful.
Final layout.
I kept the quilting simple with cross hatching around the bug and the words. Each white square was quilted in the ditch, while a little bit time consuming the end result is what I wanted.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Secret Santa
Every Christmas my stitching group make a secret santa present for one of the other members. Each year I try and do something different and a bit me. I have a great collection of handmade Christmas decorations.
This year my first effort was a disaster! The more I kept going the worse it got. So a couple of days before the Secret Santa handover I abandoned it and started something new. It had to be something achievable in a rather limited timeframe!
I mostly followed the instructions for nesting bins here (the smallest one), adding a bit of decoration - making it a bit obvious as to who the maker was!
One very good tip was to iron the Pellon batting to the lining and not to the front fabric. The front is a linen mix so I wasn't confident that I'd be able get the Pellon to adhere evenly. So if the Pellon doesn't adhere evenly or comes away, it doesn't matter as it won't really show.
For the pattern I used some of the elements of the lining fabric to create a freezer paper stencil.
The paint is Pebeo Setacolor Shimmer Gold mixed with PearlEx pigments and the stitching is Madeira gold holographic thread - that just sparkles.
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| what I made with a tin of Whittakers chocs |
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| what I received - checkout the beading! |
This year my first effort was a disaster! The more I kept going the worse it got. So a couple of days before the Secret Santa handover I abandoned it and started something new. It had to be something achievable in a rather limited timeframe!
One very good tip was to iron the Pellon batting to the lining and not to the front fabric. The front is a linen mix so I wasn't confident that I'd be able get the Pellon to adhere evenly. So if the Pellon doesn't adhere evenly or comes away, it doesn't matter as it won't really show.
 |
| stencil, paint and PearlEx pigments |
The paint is Pebeo Setacolor Shimmer Gold mixed with PearlEx pigments and the stitching is Madeira gold holographic thread - that just sparkles.
 |
| painted and stitched |
 |
| closeup |
Monday, December 30, 2013
From under the tree
Well Christmas has been and gone for another year. A lovely sunny day with a Christmas lunch picnic at the Botanic Gardens.
One of my presents ...
Fabric Manipulation by Ruth Singer.
I've followed her blog for awhile and enjoyed her work. Now to try some of her techniques.
One of my presents ...
Fabric Manipulation by Ruth Singer.
I've followed her blog for awhile and enjoyed her work. Now to try some of her techniques.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Mostly ready ...
The last Christmas decoration has been created and in place, we're ready for the big day.
Although I suspect the DD creator will need to update some of the reds and greens before then.
Although I suspect the DD creator will need to update some of the reds and greens before then.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Last minute Christmas decorations
My friend Suzy gave me this lovely decoration.
She found the pattern here.
It looks lovely hanging on the tree and at first glance looks really easy to make (and they are), so I might just have to make some.
I can see that I'll be varying the instructions a little ... and using my trusty Janome felting machine.
She found the pattern here.
It looks lovely hanging on the tree and at first glance looks really easy to make (and they are), so I might just have to make some.
I can see that I'll be varying the instructions a little ... and using my trusty Janome felting machine.
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