Le Wkend - Task 1 Amy Butler Cushion

Making the Amy Butler cushion turned out to be like creating a piece of art rather than sewing. Each petal started out like this..


then was individually sewn and arranged into a 'zinnia' shape. It was time consuming and took a lot out of my precious wkend but I found it theraputic .

All the petals are now sewn but I need a large button to cover the centre and finish it. Its a great pattern and very clear. I don't know why but I'm always surprised when a pattern works/comes together easily! There are a few changes I would make for next time, but the hardest part was choosing fabric. I opted for a print I've been hoarding from the Empress Woo collection.

I'm not very good at finishing things ... but I'm hoping posting about it here will give me the impetus to! So first task...check.. God this blog post is so boring! I'll try and pep up the next one!

Le Wkend - part 1

I haven't had a wkend to myself in my own home since little Miss P was born. Thats over 3 years ago!! This wkend has been a long time coming and I HAVE PLANS!! I'm so excited (although tinges of guilt do sometimes slip into my consciusness!). I've spent the whole week thinking,listing,planning what to do. Whilst I would love to go clubbing and socialising I can do this anytime. Being home alone is a rare comodity and I intend to make the most of it.



So, everyone keeps asking me what I'm going to do. Well, to bring order to my mashed up faffing about brain (which leads me to try and do everything and therby achieve nothing I decided to do 5 things. The criteria for which are - things I never get a chance to do, things I love doing, things I've wanted to do for ages, things that push me and develop my skills, things that are a luxury in my time pressured world.



1. Amy Butler cushion - this was one of the first patterns I bought (about 2 years ago) and I still haven't managed to make a start).







2. Play, stroke and plan with my fabric collection (this is real luxury) and tidy it up
3. Make something for little miss P in one sitting (I never ever get the chance to complete a project from start to finish in one go)
4. Learn a new technique - either sewing or IT/blog related.
5. Write a tutorial or pattern


So, will it all happen?

More clothes making

Making the dress has inspired me to make more!! Having a serger/overlocker means the finish on things is so much 'cleaner' and professional looking, its changed my life! This is a simple A-line skirt made with a vintage looking green cotton (dreadful pic but little miss P wouldn't stop moving while she had it on!). It took a couple of hours and fiddlest thing is dealing with elastic. Next up.... a zipper on a skirt which I know might just push me over the edge... but the time has come!

I did it!

I don't make clothes. I've tried in the past... and failed.

My mum used to make clothes which, looking back, were lovely, but at the time I just wanted to be the same as all the other girls, in retro t shirts and cord flares. I would roll up in floral numbers with cute collars and ruffled sleeves.

I have friends who make beautiful clothes for their daughters. I've resisted.... and resisted but... I am a broken woman. The pressure was too much and I made a dress for a friend's little girl.

Here it is the first dress I ever made, now safely with with a new owner.

I was inspired by Kate Moss (stars) and wanted to make something which fit in with the rest of little miss C's wardrobe (which is very cool and trendy), so its made with a view to be worn over leggings and polo neck. I also made a ring to go with it, again, another new obsession - fabric cover buttons.

Little miss liked it so much she has asked for one too!...... methinks this could be two new obsessions...

Freezer Paper coo

Getting supplies here in France can get a bit expensive and time consuming. I import freezer paper from the US but just made an amazing discovery. French delis wrap meats and cheese in the stuff. I discovered this while munching on a very ripe piece of brie over xmas whilst trying to get my head round foundation piecing.

So I went to my friendly deli man at our local supermarket (took Little Miss P with me cos he likes her) and asked him for a spare bit of paper with my brie de meaux. He ripped off a piece without even batting an eyelid (are there other crazy obsessed quilter in the 12th who do the same? Is it a french ritual?) and said 'avec plessuire'. I ran home put little Miss P in front of her latest obsession ... Sleeping Beauty DVD and tried it out! Wow it works!!

So, only problem now, how do I get more of the stuff? Do I go back to the same guy and ask for more? How many times could I do this without him thinking I'm a can short of a 6 pack? I wonder if friends and neighbours could ask for me too? Am I getting obsessed... yeah (but this is such a fantastic credit crunching opportunity).

Anyway, here's my first attempt at foundation piecing - check out the wonky corner.... I was determined to get it right so tried again and voila!!

More Dear Jane

I'm loving making these blocks.

I'm following the lessons on the Dear Jane CD, completing the blocks to learn new techniques. Some (like foundation piecing) have been a challenge and I've been pulling my hair out as to how to do it. Thankfully there are loads of fantastic people on-line who have posted tutorials, videos and their own Dear Jane journey which are smoothing the way for amateurs like me!

The first lesson was basic piecing. A6 Uncle Homer was the first (see previous post) the following 2 got trickier but not too difficult.

M-5 Mothers Point
J-7 Chicken Tracks


Lesson 2 was all about applique

Basic applique I've done before and D-3 Jasons Jacks was fairly straight forward



But reverse applique is new to me and so C-9 Jane's Tears was a good learning opportunity.




At this point I'm not really thinking about the bigger quilt so I'm just picking my fave scraps from the scrap bag and using what I think will look good for that block. I should look at the bigger picture at some point ...... but for now just learning is making me so so happy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR changes are afoot...

Whilst I try not to make new years resolutions I still try to focus on a couple of things every year. For example I've had 'year of change' when I've tried to focus on doing different things e.g. eating in a new restaurant every month. I've had year of travel and a year of staying sane! I've found that by having 1 or 2 things to focus on I've managed to achieve (you can take the girl out of business psychology but you can't take the pschology out of the girl!!).

So what about 2009!!
Firstly I want to spend time focused on what I love doing - sewing and creating. I'm going to use the time when little Miss P is at school to focus only on this... no housework.... no admin.... no washing.
This is to make sure I achive my second aim... to realise my ideas. I have so many things I want to make/create/try and I never feel I realise them, so, thats what I'm going to try and do!!

The third aim this year is change. I love Paris, but I'm craving the UK and Bristol, life as an expat has its ups and downs. I'm not ready to go back to blighty just yet but I need a change of scene. We've had 2 years of ups and downs and the downs have really tested us but we're still here so this year I'm going to make the most of that and make changes.....

what are these changes... dunno yet wait and see!