ONE NEW THING WEEK 20!

I'm a few days late...but I managed to get my new thing done for this week!  I've been wanting for ages a while to make a little thread catcher for my sewing room!  I came across a pattern here so gave it a try!  Here's the finished product...

 



The picture is a little blurry but you get the idea!  I think it turned out pretty good. The pattern is well written and easy to follow with lots of different finishing options. I chose to use linen with a little strip of patchwork.  The pattern calls for Essex linen. I wasn't sure what that was so I just bought regular linen and used my favourite colour for the lining!  I love trying out these little sewing projects - they're great for sharpening my sewing skills which I seriously lack!

 

In quilting news, I decided I couldn't wait to get Allison's new book so I downloaded the e-book version to my Kobo (that's a Canadian version of Kindle)! I wasn't sure I would like having a quilt book in an electronic format as I LOVE flipping through quilt books but it's great.  There is even an option to print the patterns! Anyway, her quilts are adorable and I want to make every one in the book!  I managed to get started on one a few days ago...

 

 

These little blocks are so cute and were fun to make.  Hopefully I will have the top finished this week so I can give you a little peek!

 

ONE NEW THING WEEK 19 (YUM!)

Due to time constraints, this week's new thing needed to be something quick!

I have wanted to try a flourless chocolate cake recipe for ages. I don't have a gluten allergy (thank goodness), but I've been intrigued for quite some time with the idea of a cake made without flour.  A quick Google search revealed tons of recipes - some simple and some more complicated, but I decided on this one.

Let me just say, this is the.most.delicious.thing I have ever made.  I'm kind of embarrassed to show you a picture - I should have taken it before I cut into it because once I started eating it I couldn't stop...

 

 

Looking at this photo, I think I went overboard with the powdered sugar!

Anyhow, this cake came together so quickly - probably about ten minutes.  While the chocolate and butter were melting I put together the other ingredients and assembled the batter, dumped it into the pan and 30 minutes later voila! It baked up perfectly and popped right out of the pan with no sticking!This would be the perfect thing to make as a last-minute dessert.  Except for the chocolate, all the ingredients are items normally kept on hand - just the kind of recipe I like!  The consistency is definitely different from a regular chocolate cake, but I loved the texture and the chocolate flavour was fabulous!  This will definitely be one of my go-to recipes and I urge you to give it a try - even if you're not a chocolate-lover like me!

 

FINISH IT UP FRIDAY!

Hurray! Another finish! I've been feeling a little guilty as I've amassed quite a pile of tops patiently waiting in line to be quilted and I need to make a dent in those before I start anything new (yeah, right)!  Anyway, I finished up my rail fence quilt this afternoon (see this post)! I'm really pleased with the way this turned out, although I did struggle over the binding for ages a little while...

 

 

In the end I settled on a soft yellow with tiny flowers which I found in my stash! 

 

 I'm not sure if I like the front or back of this quilt better...

 

 

I think this print is so pretty and I wish I had more!

I've always loved rail fence quilts.  I haven't made one for quite a while - it's nice to return to a classic pattern every now and then!  I have an idea percolating in my head for another one.  But first...back to those tops!

Linking up with Amanda Jean!

Have a great weekend!

(Quilt Stats:  The Sweetest Thing by Riley Blake.  21 2 1/2 inch strips for a total of 42 blocks with a 6 x 7 block layout.)

ONE NEW THING WEEK 18 (AND A LESSON LEARNED)!

This week I've been able to cross off another project on my list - a triangle quilt!  I picked up a 60 degree triangle ruler at Joann's a few months ago on a quick trip across the line (as we say here in Vancouver)! I decided on the size and cut a nice little pile of triangles...

 

 

They remind me of cotton candy!



Doing the layout for this quilt took me FOREVER!  I have a small design wall which I normally use but ended up doing this on the floor as it was a bit too big.  After laying out the triangles I sewed the rows together.  I was then able to lay them out on my design wall...

 

 

Pretty, isn't it! Fortunately, I numbered the rows because a little while ago I heard an "uh-oh" from my husband as he passed by my sewing room.  I went to have a look and discovered this...

 

 

I'm pretty sure I know how this happened...

 

 

That's the last time I leave the door open! Lesson learned.

If you're interested, I cut 135 60 degree triangles from 5 inch WOF strips for 9 rows of 15 triangles - this should give me a baby quilt about 35 x 40 inches (I think)!!!

 

FINISH IT UP FRIDAY!

It's been a busy week, but I managed to finish up a little project that has been sitting on my cutting table for a few weeks! I'm so crazy about Ann Kelle prints!  I can't get enough of them! I picked up a meter of Woodland Pals at my LQS shop and a coordinating tiny polka dot and whipped up this wholecloth baby quilt and matching onesie!

 

 

These prints are just too darn cute to cut up!! I love making these little wholecloth quilts!  They are a fast and easy project and a great way to practice FMQ!

Linking up with Amanda Jean!

Have a great weekend!

 

ONE NEW THING WEEK 17!

This week I decided to tackle (and complete) this adorable little top for my friend's baby girl! I downloaded the pattern which was a reasonable $6.00 - far less than commercial patterns bought at the fabric store which I believe are around $15.00!  Yikes - seems like a lot to me! Growing up, my mom made most of my clothes - and they were beautiful! I can still remember her making me stand on a dining room chair while she held up pattern pieces against me and making alterations and holding my breath I wouldn't get poked by a pin. She kept her sewing machine in my bedroom and I remember her sewing away at the machine at nighttime while I was trying to sleep. It was a Singer slant needle in a beautiful walnut table. I think my dad must have bought it for her and I'm sure at the time it was quite the machine.  As I got older, I sewed a few things, mostly for home ec.  I never really had great results and kind of gave up trying to sew things for myself.  I wasn't really interested in having my mom teach me how to sew and now it's too late...

 

A while ago I decided to give garment sewing another go!  I've taken a few classes but mostly just have a pile of few unfinished projects that I'm not really happy with.  And then I thought perhaps if I tried some smaller projects I might gain some experience. When I found the pattern for the little blouse I thought it would be a perfect project to start with.  Here's the finished product...

 

 

I'm really pleased with how this turned out!  The pattern was pretty good...if I didn't have any quilting or sewing experience I think might have had some trouble!  The instructions were pretty clear for the most part but there were a few areas that could have used a little more explanation!  Making this little blouse has given me the confidence to go ahead with some bigger projects!

 

In quilting news, nothing new to show you this week.  I seem to have fallen into that dangerous trap of spending lots of time in my sewing room but not finishing anything. I have too many projects on the go (which is so easy to do) and too many ideas in my head.  I need to get back to focusing on one thing at a time and getting it completed. On the other hand...it's just too much fun starting new things!

 

 

ONE NEW THING WEEK 16!

A Tisket, a tasket...!  Sorry...hope that doesn't get stuck in your head.  I'm not even sure of the rest of the words!

Anyway, for this week's new thing I decided to tackle something that has been in the back of my mind for ages! A basket quilt - a modern one like a few I've seen popping up here and there in the blogging world. I checked this book out of the library again (I think this is my third time - perhaps I should just buy a copy)!

 



 

Without a little quilting experience, I think these basket blocks would be really challenging.  I decided to make up a test block...

 

 

I was pretty sure that handle was going to give me trouble...and it did!  After a few trials I managed to get it done and I think the block turned out pretty good.  I loved making this little block, even though it took ages a while! I love free-piecing without worrying about precise cutting or matching seams!   I'm planning on a small baby quilt with these blocks. This project is moving to the top of my list (okay, as soon as I finish that !#$%& star quilt)!