Finished - Needle Roll

Pockets for pens and glue pens

Pin cushion, needle book and two good sized zipper pockets

I am so pleased with how my finished needle roll has turned out.  I made a few changes to the pattern, more in design interpretation rather than anything to the measurements.  The backing fabric for the middle outside cover and binding is not linen but a scrap from this shirt.  I made a covered button to tie in with the inside lining and the fabric on the base of the vase. Mine has possibly ended up a bit puffier than the one in the pattern due to the wool blend batting I  used.

I am going to enjoy using this needle book, I love all the colours I've used and special fabrics and trims.

Finished measurements are approximately 16" x  8.5"
Pattern from Sue Spargo - published in Inspirations Magazine 94/2017

Solstice Dream - Finished

Yes it is finished.  The fabulous custom quilting was done by my friend Leeanne of Quiltmekiwi.  She has done a wonderful job, and I hope she had fun creating all the swoops and swirls and feathery flourishes.  She also quilted my sister's version and that will be winging it's way to Brisbane this week with our Mum, ready for her to finish.

After much deliberation I chose  a Brandon Mably print, called Victoria Stripe Hot for the binding.   I was besieged by doubt about my fabric choice as I started hand stitching it down, thinking it too bright, but I am happy with it now it is finished.

Well the binding has been put on, the hanging rods in place and Solstice Dream has now replaced Bird Dance on the wall in my Family room.

Solstice Dream pattern from Kerry Stitch Designs

Edited:  To see pictures of the one made by my sister, check out Leeanne's blog post here,

Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE - 2018

Hello and welcome back to the first Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE of 2018.  

Here in New Zealand, we have been experiencing a record hot summer, which has at times, made sewing or hand sewing feel like a chore.

Nevertheless I have been stitching away on my Solstice Dream blocks and have finished another one.  I love the how the hedgehog block turned out and am so pleased I and managed to find just the right scrap of Liberty fabric for the flower and all the threads I had on hand.

That moment you realised you used felt from the offcuts bag, not the project bag. Half an inch too short.   I posted it on the Solstice Dreams facebook  page, and both Kerry Green and my sister suggested adding a strip of felt to the block and embellishing it,  I figured I had nothing to lose, cos if it didn't work I still had to do a new block.  This is what I came up with.  I think that once it is properly quilted, that will hopefully  help disguise that extra seam too.(tell me that will work please Leeanne

Guess this is the impetus needed to clean up my sewing room, and put the offcuts away.

And I'm finishing off with a little sewing room cuteness, Meeka has obviously decided that unused quilt blocks and an almost empty pincushion make a great bed.

Now it's your turn to share, it doesn't matter if it's embroidery, a quilt, applique or epp, or some other stitched or sewn project,  It can be a start, a finish or just a wip.  All we ask is that you follow these guidelines when linking up:

• Link up any post from the past week that features  a sewing or stitching project you have been working on.

• Somewhere in your post, please link to this one.

• Also please take the time to read and comment on some of the other linked posts, it is always nice to know that people are reading what you have written, and we are trying to encourage people to keep blogging and reading blogs.

Thanks for joining us

Julie and Linda

Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE

Image from Tales of Cloth

Image courtesy mmmcrafts

I have been thinking a lot lately about the projects I want to make/create and what I need to finish next year.

It sounds like something I learnt at primary school - wants vs needs.  Needless to say the want to make list is very long, and the need to make and finish list, substantially shorter. Unfortunately the majority of my 2018 projects will be off, the need to finish list .

So in no particular order (except for the item at the top of the list) here are my plans and projects for 2018:

• EPP Mandolin Block, this was a free offer from Jodi @ Tales of Cloth, basically advertising her new Block of the month project for 2018.  I'm going to turn this block into a pillow cover, using some of the liberty from the ones I've just made, however it needs to be completed by 31 January.

• The making of two Drummers drumming decorations in time for Christmas.

• Sea Glass Sampler Quilt - this needs to be finished, and  I mean the quilt top pieced, sandwiched, quilted and bound.  I have a vague idea of getting it made in time for Miss B's 16th birthday, which is at the end of April.  I bought batting, backing and binding fabric the other day,so I have no excuse not to get it done.

• Solstice Dream - the new felt applique and embroidery project I am doing with my sister throughout the year - start date is January 1 and we have a year to complete our own versions of these.

• Midnight in the Tulip Garden - I would like to get this quilt top completed.

• Ice Cream Soda Quilt - all  EPP blossoms completed and joined.

• AMH Quilt - sandwiched, basted,  quilted and bound.

Now it's your turn to share, it doesn't matter if it's embroidery, a quilt, applique or epp, or some other stitched or sewn project, even plans for 2018 projects as I have done.  It can be a start, a finish or just a wip.  All we ask is that you follow these guidelines when linking up:

• Link up any post from the past week that features  a sewing or stitching project you have been working on.

• Somewhere in your post, please link to this one.

• Also please take the time to read and comment on some of the other linked posts, it is always nice to know that people are reading what you have written, and we are trying to encourage people to keep blogging and reading blogs.

This will be our last link up for 2017.  With the Christmas season well and truly upon us, and then the following summer holidays for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, Linda and I have decided to relax and enjoy them.  We are anticipating starting Sew Stitch Snap SHARE again on 7 February 2018.

Thanks  for joining us these past few months, it has been wonderful being inspired by so many talented quilters and finding some new and interesting blogs. We look forward to seeing you all in 2018.

Julie and Linda

Bird Dance - Completed

Meeka thinks any quilt is for her.

My sister Janine's Bird Dance Quilt.

On Wednesday last week,  I received a parcel at work.  Lots of happy jumpy claps followed.  It was my Bird Dance Quilt returning from being quilted by Leanne otherwise known as Quiltmekiwi.

Leanne also quilted my sister's Bird Dance quilt, so I knew she would do a beautiful job.  Every bird block has been quilted differently using Leeanne's free range doodling skills. The birds just POP.

My quilt differed from my sister's, in that I omitted the berries that were appliqued and embellished on the border, so I asked Leanne to do feathery flourishy quilting on that.

Batting is a wool/poly blend provided by Leeanne.  The backing was a fabric from  Laura Gunn's Cosmos Collection, and because I had plain borders, I felt that I could get away with a bright multicoloured binding so used a Philip Jacobs print called Tree fungi which picked up a lot of the colours.

The last photos shows both my sister's and my Bird Dance quilt, completed in colours and styles that are individual to us.

Now we're trying to decide on a project for next year, the cushion I had originally picked has fallen off the want to make list.

Have a fabulous weekend.

**To see the story behind us making this quilt see here  and here**