FMQ practice on teacups

Next on the calendar now Christmas is done, is to have a baby. Schedule:whenever baby 2 is good & ready.
My good friend is coordinating a high tea get together to celebrate the impending birth.
She would've loved our second babies to come in the same year, and there's still time for 2013, but for argument's sake we were pre naming them Thelma & Louise!
She made the baby a Christmas gift. Isn't it adorable?



I'm making some tea cup pouches, hoping they'll be done in time so the afternoon tea guests get to take one home each :-)
It's good free motion quilting practice.
Here are some I've quilted, to show you my quilting.






Isn't this fabric (hope cove) just divine? I love it.





I love this Anni Downs fabric called my favourite things, I had to show u both sides of the teacup!

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Felt shooting stars - free tutorial

I have made 10 of these inexpensive shooting stars for little ones in my circle.

They're kind of addictive, and really easy and quick. Let me show you how I made them....

MATERIALS:

• About 40cm each of 5 ribbons (or more than 5 and varying lengths!)
• Two pieces/scraps of felt over 10cm square (or fleece would work too)
• Contrasting thread
• Filling - I used long grain rice. Mine took about half a cup each to fill.

METHOD:
1. I began by cutting out a star template (using a piece of cardboard which was ready to go into the recycling bin) about 10cm at the widest point.
Mine wasn't perfect, once they are stuffed it hides your dodginess a little hehe
2. Trace your star shape onto your top piece of felt. It doesn't hurt to mark a start/stop point (now) to make sure you remember to leave an opening for stuffing. I recommend leaving open a whole "valley" between two points.
3. Embellish the front with any personalisation before the next step
4. Prepare your ribbon lengths together to create a tail. I simply pinned mine together near the top.
5. Sew the front piece of felt to the back piece (right sides out, you won't turn through), ensuring you have the ribbon tail in place at the bottom, and leaving the stuffing opening.
6. Fill with rice or other heavy filling, sew opening shut.
7. Cut out the star and let the kids chuck it about!

A friend told me she cut out the stars first, and then sewed them. She used straight stitch which would be even faster.
But I like to sew first, fill, then cut. It's the perfect excuse to use those fancy stitches you never get to use, keeping that rice in nice and tight, and if you use *my favourite* variegated thread it shows off more, the wider the stitch width! Less room for error sewing off the side by accident too.

If you make one (or 10! or more!) please email me a pic to cass@cassthecoolest.com or put it on my facebook wall, I'd love to see it! I don't care if it's a midnight pic using a flash - how else do we sew for the kids hehe.

I would recommend it from ages 18 months to about 3 and a half - older if you want to play piggy in the middle or something!?

New logo & a completed quilt top for sharing

So excited, I got given a new logo by my bestie who runs Virtually Perfect as an awesome office assistant and webdesign and the whole sh'bang!

What do you think?

and she made one for my facebook cover too.

I just had to share because they're SO cool, I can't get over it.

While I'm here I'll show you a quilt top I don't think I've shared. Finished in October (2012), it's for my husband's brother's girlfriend, Hannah.
The original intention was to finish it and send it to her while she's staying in Austria to remind her of all of us. But seeing as postage is so expensive from Australia to Austria, and they are travelling about anyway, I decided to keep it at home in the end.
It's probably the girliest quilt I've ever done. I used a pattern from the book Think fast, by Swirly Girls Design that I bought from Blueberries, my LQS.
Meanwhile, in our town a cupcakery opened and I used the cutesy scraps to make a little wallhanging for the owner, Melissa, as a little gift. She made the cake pops for my 30th birthday and her creations are so delicious.
Kiss My Cupcake, 1 Alison Rd Wyong

Thanks for joining me XO
Cass

Back to the BOM

I began a BOM (block of the month) quilt kit when my almost 2 year old was only a few weeks old. Or maybe before that? Anyway, it was 12 blocks, 12 months. Yes, I know it's been more like 20, but I'm still working on that final block lol.
Any sewist will know that projects get moved around on the priority list (and I have a tub of things I once started). BUT! I got my final block out again this week, after finishing a quilt top for my friend who got married this year. (U like it?)


I designed it to make the most of a fat quarter stack a friend gave me. The triangles were supposed to look all uneven but I'm so anal I had to make them all 45 degrees and 60 degrees. So now they just look like bad seams. Ah well.
Anyway, I'd embroidered the word that goes in the final block, so I thought I was further along in progress than I was.
Albeit disappointing to find I was at the beginning, familiarising myself with the block reminded me of how much I had a crush on the fabric range and I fell in love with it all over again.
I wrote this whole blog post yesterday, but in the cyber trip from my phone to the net it didn't survive. The good news is I've already fused and sewn much of the block in the meantime. Next stop is three Ohio stars which I like the look of, but don't really like the constant need for pressing and cutting a bunch of pieces. Anyway, [thinking positively], they're the last ones I'll have to do for a while.
It just so happens that we get our new bed tomorrow, so I will need to get this quilt finished and soon display it on our new bed!!
~~
I'm really excited because two close friends are getting new sewing machines for Christmas!
Mums is an upgrade, and my bridesmaid is beginning to wonder what hit her in the sewing world as it's her first ever machine!!
She is so excited, she is already planning blogs and pages and logos for sharing her creations. I can't wait to share more details with you, but I'll simply have to.

What else I've been up to......
I've been updating with brief sentences and photos on my facebook page rather than blogging. If you're on Facebook, be sure to join me and hopefully I will make you laugh with something relatable or a crafty picture!

Other finishes:



I made a bunch of rice filled shooting stars for my mother's group friends



I made this adorable quilted teacup pouch using an instant download pattern from patchwork pottery. I want to make more, aren't they cute?!



Some fleece shapes filled with rice for my family currently travelling Europe. 25sec in the microwave and these will help keep fingers toasty inside jacket pockets on those days where the weather forecast begins with a minus symbol!



Here are my friends from Wyong Patchwork & Quilting enjoying the festivities.

Merry Christmas guys, and all the best wishes for 2013!

posted from Bloggeroid

Sasha is back where it all began!!

Oh my GOODNESS I can't believe Sasha the original travelling stash has returned home at last!
I've had such an emotional evening watching the big brother secrets show (I'm a massive bb fan!!) And although I was dying to open the parcel I knew I'd want to share it straight away too, so waited til the end of the show to up end it. I just peeked in the top between ad breaks hehe.

Plus being pregnant has just meant I've been crying intermittently from about 8pm from all the excitement lol.
I'm so absolutely stoked with all the goodies in there. I can't believe there's so much!

There are SO many cool patterns including little chooks, a little gnome, it's awesome.
There are some cool things I've always been interested in but never got around to buying, like quilters fingers grips, various needles, squeakers to put inside softies (got in trouble for squeaking those from my husband because I thought they looked like some kind of tailor's chalk spraying item or something and didn't mean to make "wake the baby" noises lol).

There's even a quilter's calculator in there! Can't wait to read how to use that!!!
There's a gorgeous handmade journal I will not be sharing, it's mine mine mine haha.

There are only two items in there that were in the original package which makes me feel really good. My well intentioned gatherings have made it into new loving homes, bar the free pattern I once got from Logans patchwork, and an iron on patch that seems to have brought home some of her friends. Now that I have a whole set I'm probably more likely to use them on a project lol.


Some items are not that exciting but I'm stoked to get them- bias binding isn't something to write home about normally, but a whole pack of navy blue? I will definitely use that up!
I'll be letting my local friends in on it and see if they'd like to take anything. I probably owe them a few paybacks anyway, I'm always getting given things!

Threads and fabrics and buttons oh my!
Sarah O even dropped in a congratulations present for me! A gorgeous pregnancy photo frame Thanks!

I think my favourite at this stage is the quilter's panel that says things such as "6 projects on the go? Now That's a quilter!" And "ok I won't buy any more fabric ...at least not today". I showed my husband who just looked over it all with a plain expression and, at the end, said "that's really cool .....very true" lol. I think it will be uncuttable until one day I get a sewing room and can decorate it with sewing specific wallhangings. So thank you to whoever put that in there, please follow my blog for the next 19-20 years and I promise to post a picture for you lol (kidding). I've got a great quilter's poem that might take up the centre of those panels.
I'd love to share more but must get to bed.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each person who took part. You all took the time to pick and replace items, sending it on and in some cases hand delivering.
I'll never forget the transformation of an idea that started so small.
I'm so glad I took the time to begin it and hope it's been as exciting for all of you guys as it was for me!
Love, Cass

PS If you're interested in becoming part of a traveling stash in Australia, there are many beginning all the time at the facebook group "Travelling Stashes - Australia". Join up to see what it's all about and decide whether you'd like to take part.

posted from Bloggeroid

Haul from Newcastle show (pics)

The Newcastle show... About an hour's drive, but still local enough that I see a lady from the street I grew up on, two ladies from sewing, Jody from All about sewing, Ally from Quilting Mumma, Jan from Red shed quilting, Leanne from My Vincent quilts, Jackie from Blueberries and I think that's it. Admittedly many of them were at stands, but the list is pretty long.

So I got an adorable astronaut panel and two fat quarters from Patchwork at the bay window. I actually spotted it on their facebook page yesterday.
The matching mini panel thing on the right was actually from Patchwork with Gail B.

I only bought two more pieces af fabric. A Christmas panel seeing as I'm soo keen for Christmas this year. Want my little boy to be up late enough to see the twinkling lights we have around the neighborhood this year.
And a fq covered in all boy or man things that Lars loves like mowers and the like :-D

Here is me, sporting a clever scarf ring thingo


And a few more similar things plus an irresistible brooch.
I had a brooch in these colours which I wore so much ....until it slipped off and dropped under the train one morning. Clearly, I'm still not over it Hehe.


Then in a freak ceremony out of nowhere, Mum was awarded Miss Craft and Sewing 2012....



And then I was, too LOL



Oh yeah, and I grabbed two issues of stitch too. Not cheap but this mag is great so it was worth it.

Until next time :)
Love Cass

posted from Bloggeroid

Mini TheCoolest #2 due in January 2013!

You may have noticed my sewing machine has not got a lot of attention lately. Not many pics and blogs to share. My block of the month is gathering dust despite a keen interest in finishing the very last block.
But I get like this in the first trimester of pregnancy... yep, we're having another baby!!

Although I lost my personal sewjo, I'm excited to have been asked to make 12 aprons for a friend's 5 year old's cucake party. The fabric is at my house already and I can't wait to get cutting. I haven't made 12 of anything before (except individual quilts) and I'm looking forward to seeing how quick they come together, in a production line.
Then they're off to my friend Kelly Maris Creations to have a cupcake embroidered onto them! The pattern is for a convertible apron, and seeing as there are strategically placed handles, it turns from an apron into a bag!

I've also been invited to help out with costumes for the local musical production Peter Pan so I'll be making costumes for 10-14 year olds. Really glad to be a part of it even though I can't commit the time needed to be on stage and sing.

I think I'll get the aprons done first, and I hope that them coming together quickly inspires me to get stuck into the costumes and deliver early!
Love Cass

Farrah fat quarter traveling stash on the Central Coast

So the traveling stash began a trend amongst my Aussie friends.
After the post by a Quilt club of Australia administrator suggesting that to discuss the traveling stash so much on the Facebook group was off focus, a new group was started. Well I had no idea, but the new stashes were just beginning and it's so exciting! It's brought new people in, and been a great gathering place to discuss the details.
Anyway, Bronwyn from Stop that owl began a stash that was just fat quarters. Brilliant!!
I jumped on board and it came to my door this week!

The image above was the "before" photo.
Below are the fqs that stayed with me:



Here is what I put back:


There are two more fat quarters going back in, and this is because Quilting Mumma, Ally, took a dig into the stash (after I selected mine first, of course). She took hers home and intended to photograph them in the daylight, but her adorable one year old had a turn at Farrah too and the fqs are yet to show up again LOL.
Then I addressed the satchel and passed by Mum's so she could take part too.
She took the fabrics below, including one that I had put in hehe:



And these went back in:


I saw some double ups when I opened Farrah, and whilst I suppose it reduces the variation a little, I think we women might be more likely to take one if the next person isn't going to miss out. So I'm liking a few double ups.

I was frightened it might be over 3kgs, but it's only just over 2.5 at this stage.

Thank you to Bron for organising, and to Sue for sending me the first travelling stash parcel I've ever received.
I hope it was ok to gather local friends to take part, I'm a fan of the more the merrier, and thought it would be fine.
Love
Cass

posted from Bloggeroid

Town in a box - handmade for Ollie (and Sydney haul)

Town in a box. I forgot I hadn't blogged this til I was talking to Rhonda on the way to the Sydney craft fair last Saturday!

I made this gift, based on a painted project in a very old craft book called Clever crafts to decorate your home (J B Fairfax Press).
But seeing as I can't paint to save my life, it was actually easier to cut out every piece of the map (that I adapted) and fuse and free motion!

Town on the left (note the houses are numbered 4,6,8 thanks to a bit of selvage LOL)
Airport & runway on the bottom (Yes that's a plane, shut up it's totally cool LOL)
Through the centre you have the rail shed, some construction zone with diggers and a bit of a swamp in the corner
And at the right hand side you'll find the garage and carpark!

It fold up, and the idea is he can carry along all his Chugginton trains and matchbox cars inside :-D <--that's me grinning because I think that is SUCH a cool idea.

Garage and rail shed
Yes, I free-motion-quilted that rail track hehe

Construction zone and airport/runway
Kooky homes

A work in progress shot:

Once again, the finished product:

I made it out of a cardboard gift box and cut the corners of the giftbox so it would lay flat.

Happy Second Birthday, Ollie!

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PS I got quite a haul at the Sydney show. Here are my goodies (looks a bit like a travelling stash LOL but these are all firmly planted in my house hehe)

From top left (clockwise) I got a magazine rack, a handy caddy for myself (and one for Mum - happy Mother's day when you get home, Mum, yours is the green one), the art of quilting magazine set, an irresistable pattern for a hot-air-balloon baby mobile, a free women's weekly, a quilt kit for a magical quilt (that I thought was so out of the ordinary!), a new Lanyard (Says craft makes me :-))...

The pink thing is a collapsible water bottle, the latest FOX Collection catalogue (the cross stitcher in me LOVES reading this!), the silver rings are handbag rings, emery powder to make a kickass pin cushion, a "pounce" for transferring patterns using chalk, and a piece of fabric with a preprinted quilter's poem on it from Brandy Gully.

Love,
Cass

Desperate housewives quilt block 8in original "Tumbled Rose"

Well you know I love a deadline, and most of my sewing projects are finished at the 11th hour. But I don't normally "Join" things at the 11th hour...
Last week, Jane at quiltjane.blogspot.com.au reached out for people to make original 8 inch (finished) blocks in line with her Desperate Housewives Quilt Challenge which ends this week. She had 6 people pull out over the 50 weeks and so I thought "Well I can do that" and said yes.

So I have done the tutorial on how you can make this block too.
It's called "Tumbled Rose" and I'm mostly stoked with how I treated the large print border fabric. It was my first attempt at the origami rose (book details at the end) but I think I did ok at that. I added the outside petals myself, and that's part of what makes it an original block.

Enjoy...


Materials:

• 5in square of centre/rose fabric plus scraps for outer petals
• 1.5inch strip of (pink) first border fabric about 17 inches long
• 3 inch strip for second/outer border about 27 inches long

Method:
Begin by marking your 5 inch square at every inch (I used my invaluable Sewline Air Erasable Fabric Pen).
You really only need to mark the inches along the outside but I found it helped keep my folds straight by ruling right across

Fold your beginning inch into thirds bringing up the fold to the ruled line as below:

Press.
Pin it and continue with other inch marks, excluding the outer inches.

Now do the same folding, perpendicular to your original folds.

I found that pressing each third was more helpful seeing as this direction was a bit tougher/stronger than the first folds. (remember: Glass head pins, plastic head pins will melt under your iron)

Check your block is 3 inches x 3 inches.
If it's too small, stretch your tightest folds and press again.
If it's too big, tighten your widest fold/s until you're better off. Press.

---

Now baste about 3/8 inch from outside edge and remove your pins

Right sides together, make some semi circle petals. I purposely made mine different shapes, print directions, and sizes.
Remember, nothing in nature is perfect, forgive yourself for dodgy bits on this project.

Cut them out and then turn them through (no photo of them just turned through until next instruction).
If you've sewn curves before you'll be tempted to notch the curves but I didn't do it on mine because I wanted the petals to be odd shapes and with volume.

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Now pin your petals to your basted centre block, raw edges out.
I used five petals, and even made one go around a corner to try and get some depth

FYI Flipside below: You'll likely have a bucketload of pins in by this stage.

Sew over your original basting to secure the petals. Trim your block again.

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First border: Cut two of 1.5inch by 3inch strips and sew to your centre block as below. Press.
Seam: 1.4inch this time & from here onwards, hiding all your basting in the seam.

Cut your next two border pieces to 5.5 inches long and sew to the sides. Press.

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Second border: Cut two of 3inch by 5.5in and sew to the outer edges per below. Press. (Here is where I purposely selected the large print to be at one corner of my block)

Cut two of 3inch by 8.5 inch strips and sew to complete the block. Check measurements and trim if necessary.

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Pin your petals out of the way, and unfurl your folds.

Pinch the centre of your block and spin as many times as you can in one direction to reveal the rose.

Secure with hand stitches. I found it difficult to keep the block flat at this stage, be mindful not to pull your stitches too tight, or you could try some type of interfacing (suggestions welcome in comments box!)

Use your thread to sew the edges of your petal to the first border, keeping in mind you may want to bend them into shape before deciding where to stitch.

And there you have it!

For more origami flowers and fabric folding, check out Rebecca Wat's "Fantastic Fabric Folding: Innovative Quilting Projects"