What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 Finally, a finish, just before the end of the month! I am so happy that this UFO is no more. It is now a finished quilt that I will be able to gift to a good friend before I leave. I just finished sewing the binding tonight, didn't have that much left to do really.

 I hadn't listen to a podcast for a long time but a few weeks ago I listen to the Love to Sew episode on zero-waste sewing. I checked the links from the episode and was intrigued by the ZWWave bag pattern by bag.uettes. The shape is beautiful and I figured it should be easy straight forward enough to try this pattern for end of year gifts, especially this year when I have lots to make.

I duly bought the pattern and printed it to try my first bag. The instructions are very clear and the pattern pieces are ...

 A few weeks back, while ordering haberdashery, a remnant of bamboo towelling fell into my basket with a plan to make some hand towels for our cloakroom. How difficult could it be? 

Well the answer is not at all really. I divided the piece into 3 and all I needed was to serge the sides so it wouldn't fray and leave plush everywhere. Well finally on Saturday, the 3 hand towels were done and have been in use every since. 

I must say I love the feel of the fabric and it is very absorbent. I might buy more ...

 Actually, this is another UFO! but not such an old one. After I finished my Calvin wrap dress by True Bias last year, I decided to cut another one. I don't have that many summery sundress in my wardrobe actually and I really like the fit of the one I had just made. I had this fitted bed sheet that was wearing thin at the corners but was still good otherwise and that had a lovely design. So I decided to cut another Calvin wrap dress then and there. All the cutting was done last year but never managed ...

 A few weeks back I received the Nautilus swimsuit pattern for free from Paprika Patterns so I could to try it out and promote it. I had just the right fabric in my stash (bought a few years back from Girl Charlee UK) but never used... but I didn't have lining or elastic so I ordered those.

A finish! The Sewing Studio wall-hanging that I quilted last month is now all done! 

I finished sewing the binding yesterday and all that was left for today was to bury the threads. Thankfully there weren't that many for this mini (this is always my least favorite part of the finish...)

I am so pleased with it and happy it is finished.

Another OPAM, one of my Q2 FAL list and my ...

Not exactly exciting sewing today but I am happy I have done it. After finishing my quilting, we took the frame apart but I didn't put it away. I have been meaning to make some bags to keep the parts of the frame together for quite some time but never got around to it. I guess it is quite a boring and easy project so it has not been top priority. 

 Just before Christmas, one of my daughter's teacher asked her if I was still sewing and making bags, to which my daughter gave a positive answer. She then asked her if I could make a bag for her computer keyboard that she carries from one classroom to another.  I agreed to it but told her she wouldn't have it until the New Year. I also asked for her brief and wishes and all I received was the dimensions of the keyboard. So this has been on my to-do list for a little while and I put it off ...

 First item of dressmaking this year! Both the pattern for the Lahja dressing gown by Named Clothing and the waffle fabric have been in my stash for a long time (over 2 years I think). And finally when I saw Guthrie & Ghani monthly kit in December, for exactly this pairing, I knew I had to get those out. My current dressing gown is old and frumpy and I have been meaning to sew another one for a long while...

 It only needed the binding to be finished off and it nearly took all month to sew it by hand.

Last ...

 I saw so many of these gorgeous Guadalupe bags on Facebook over the Christmas holiday that I really wanted to try it too! 

Everyone was saying how beautiful and easy/fast it was to make. Plus that came as a free pattern from the designer Sammie Valencia, so I was sold.

As often, I was put off by picking/cutting and using the interfacing so I parked the exterior pieces while I was constructing the lining. 

The pattern doesn't have instructions to ...

 l had cut all the 11 pouches I was planning to make before Christmas together and finished 5 before the day, my hope/goal/dream had been to make all 11 of them at the same time.... 

 Probably my last finish of the year, I put the last stitches on my glittery Moneta dress yesterday evening, ready for the non-party on 31st! 

Nothing better than a deadline to get going, right? I bought 5m of Christmas jersey in October to make new PJs for the kids. With the rush to get presents finished and sent before Christmas, I didn't have time to start until this week. I started cutting on Wednesday night but didn't manage all 3 pairs. So after the Christmas cooking was all done on 24th, I decided to just do what I wanted and not what I needed to for a change! Leaving so late meant that I had to go with my stash. I was hoping ...

 Since Sunday night, we have been placed in Tier 4 (out of 3? until Saturday) and full lockdown (what is the difference, apart from the name?) is looming for us but I think for the whole country too. Christmas plans have been smashed last minute for lots of people sadly. We knew that it would be very difficult/virtually impossible to go back to France so we had abandoned any plans to go a while ago. Nothing worse than a roller-coaster of emotions the week before Christmas with 3 children in the house. It felt it would be too much ...

 Every year I plan to make Christmas presents, and every year I run out of time! Well, this year I have managed some. I finally finished some Two in one pouches last night. I had cut them about 2 weeks ago and was tried to make them all in batches. Well I split my batches in two and I have managed to finish pouches so far. I first saw them on Instagram on Charlotte's feed and well, let's face it, masks are the new accessories of the season really.

So I made mine with a tick for clean ...

 One Christmas present ready! I have finished my bear rug for my little nephew. I used Ira Rott's pattern. The bear head is all made with 3 shirts that my husband was no longer wearing and I just used some fabric from my quilting stash for the eyes and nose.

After quilting, I trimmed the piece to ...

 And finally my Threadology quilt is finished! I quilted it in the Spring when I had my frame out for the 5 tops that were ready to go and it had been waiting for its binding since. I was hoping to find enough of the black fabric I had used on the top but I couldn't find much left so I used some plain black with it. In the end I think it's not very obvious and works well.

 Finished! This one has been such a long coming... I saw this picture on IG during the summer of 2017 (!) and duly bought fabric and pattern to make the same. Well said fabric and pattern was stashed away until last summer, when I finally got it out and cut the skirt. Before stashing it away again... until this month.