Baby quilt

 My brother and sister in law had a baby girl back in the autumn and this gave me the ideal opportunity to have a go at making a small baby quilt for either the cot, car seat, floor...where ever they needed a small soft surface.

I used some bright owl fabric with an organic bamboo batting and a yellow fleece for the backing.

 To keep all the layers together I hand stitched around a few of the owls

It was lovely to be able to give my niece a handmade gift at Christmas.

Happy crafting

Kyla

WOYWW

Time to celebrate...the procrastinator has been thwarted!!!  Look....

 I know!  I couldn't believe it either.  I decided to put some more vinyl on the record player and settle down to a sewing session and I finally finished it!  I thought that since you ladies helped me think through HOW to do it at the WOYWW crop I would share it on a Wednesday (not actually my workdesk but I hope Julie doesn't mind).

The red sticking out the sides is actually my fluffy rug I placed this on top to take the photo!!  I think I made this in time as the weather in the UK took a turned colder at the weekend (not unexpected in the latter part of November) so I should be snug as a bug with this new topper on the bed.

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week left me wondering whether I should actually show them considering the awful news from Paris and Lebanon recently, but they really were the first four cards drawn randomly so I decided to:

A series of horrifying acts of violence....senseless.

 Kyla

Quilt procrastination

So, how am I getting on with the quilt I hear you ask?  Well.........I was distracted!!!

On my recent trip to London we went to a Manga Exhibition at the British Museum and also a quick visit to Tate Modern.  As Banksy said "exit through the giftshop" and this meant I ended up being surrounded by lovely art books!!!!

I treated myself to a pocket watercolour book (it is nice a simple, unlike some of my other books which confuse me and put me off painting) and also an urban sketching book.

I really enjoy urban sketching and on trips out I often have a small drawing pad, pen and a mini watercolour kit.  I have sketched on trains, buses, in pubs....anywhere I find something interesting to record.

So I was all prepared to crack on with my quilt after having made an effort at the weekend...only to find myself distracted by flicking through the books..which ended up being more than a hour!

I am determined to crack on with  it.....oh, but there is ironing and bottling of the sloe gin, and filing....etc........ah, why am I SO good at procrastiation!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

 

Quilt procrastination

Now, I am a really good procrastinator when it comes to certain projects and quilting is one of them.  I bought two jelly rolls 3 years ago with the idea of making my mum a quilt and one for myself.  I made mum's a couple of years ago but it was not an experience I fancied repeating so my jelly roll has sat there year on year.  I even decorated my bedroom in the jelly roll colours to see if that would inspire me, but no.

Then finally, last week I decided to have another go.  My husband was at a punk festival for 4 days and this gave me time.  Now, the Missouri quilt youtube channel says that this quilt top only takes an hour...NOT if you are left handed, new to quilting AND have Rheumatoid Arthritis (which means I need to take regular breaks and stretch/rest).

So I settled down and after an afternoon of sewing (and a little unpicking!) I had half a quilt top, by the following lunchtime I had finished my quilt top.

Now I have to work out how to add the batting, edging and backing.  Fiona (Starting at the Sea) has sent me some great tutorial links so fingers crossed the next part of the quilt doesn't take me 3 years also!

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

A colourful trip

Since I have been inspired by colour and fabric recently my mum and I had a trip out to the American Museum in Bath for the Kaffe Fassett exhibition.  It is amazing but I lived in Bath for 15 years and married a Bathonian and have never been to this particular Museum!!

 Even the entrance to the exhibition was glorious technicolour (and there was yarn bombing in the trees outside too!).

 There were several LARGE tapestry's

 and the colourful quilts were exquisite

 and I found it really inspiring

all in all a great trip out and very inspiring.

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

New year roundup, WOYWW and a quilt!

No desk from me today I thought I would show you what I have been working on in secret for Christmas, after a quick roundup of my year.

 

Well, 2013 has finally come to an end and naturally one thinks of reflection.

2013 brought many changes and taught me a lot.  

Jan - March were hard as I was ill through RA and exhaustion due to long, hard hours at work.

 I finally collapsed and was signed off to recover.  

That was when I learnt I needed to sort my work/life balance and remembering that I have a chronic disease and I need to look after my health.

April saw the sudden death of my father.  As a real daddy's girl this was a total shock and took several months to actually come to grips with the fact that I wasn't going to see him again. He taught me crafting and I found it hard to craft-the one thing I used to help me survive.

Before I knew it, the summer had come and gone and September was here and my brothers wedding.  He met his wife, Zoe, in Ecuador where they both lived for 3 years before moving back to London.  It was the most beautiful day, complete with a volcano wedding cake that actually smoked!!

October-December saw me in hospital having an operation on my ankle and then the long recovery (having RA means I have a compromised immune system and take longer to heal....however, I have NO patience and this means I try to do things before I am fit enough!!!).

Then Christmas was here!!  This year we were determined to do it differently so that we would have different memories so hubby, mum and I went to a local Indian restaurant and had christmas lunch there!!  We are all veggie so it made it much easier, and it was  a very different day, but still enjoyable.  In fact I could get used to not having to do the food shop, cook and not having to do the washing up!!

I wanted to make a special present for my mum-after everything she has been through this year.

So, I made my first ever quilt!  

I decided to make this in December!!  Not exactly the cleverest idea ever I must admit.  I followed the Jelly Roll 2 hour challenge to make the top (it took me longer though) and 2 days later (alright, one of those days was a VERY long day) I had a quilt!

It was worth the time and expense (now I know why quilts cost so much, even the raw materials were expensive) just to see the smile on my mum's face that day. 

So this year has taught me a couple of things.  Firstly balance.  I need to ensure I find balance in my life (I think that will be my word for 2014) and secondly if it doesn't need to be done perfectly or by me then delegate or don't do it!!

I hope during the times of reflection that 2013 taught you something and I wish you all the very best for 2014 and beyond.

Kyla