Cathedral Window Resources

I  trawled the net for a Cathedral Window tutorial and found a few.  I have seen the most gorgeous quilts made using this method.  I thought I would share some of my finds.:

Cathedral cushion tute 
Another Cathedral cushion tute
Great quilt (you tube)
Yet another Cathedral tute (machine sewn)

I made my squares 7" and the windows were 2".  I machine sewed my squares  using this tute (vid).    I hand sewed my windows.

I used quilting needles which was a must as I started without them and I have the wounds to prove it!  A thimble too would be good.  You need to push hard as you are sewing through 4 layers of fabric.

This process is longwinded but it is worth the effort.  I was feeling rough this weekend so this cushion was a distraction.  I now have something beautiful that sits on my bed.  You can do it, make your hands and your eyes happy, take the time and make something beautiful.

X

done

Here she is;

the light is poor. Tis dark and dull in sccrapsville.  I was so excited that I'd finished I had to share.  Happy clappy hands this morning. x

Progress

It is un-put-down-able.

I have had a couple of days sitting still.  I have been a  bit off; me and the boys.  Being that I have been stuck in I have put my hands to use.  I have happy hands even if the rest of me is not up to scratch.  I hope  to finish it soon.  Will post progress.

Cathedral windows

Not the real kind.  This is a patchwork technique which is very simple and simply stunning.  Hope you agree.

Its a WIP.  I will keep you posted.

long time no post.

Life has been incredibly hectic recently. 

I did make time to sit with my 7/8" hexagons.  I now have 700.  I am approaching the halfway mark.  I need 1664.  Yes!  That many.  I need to do a few more fifty for fifty fabric swaps to hit that mark. I want this quilt to be as random as possible.  Here's how it is progressing.

My hands are happy with this wip.  I did purchase some new fabric yesterday too.  Very yummy indeed.

I think the red is my fave but I love them all.  I have a project in mind for those wonderful fabrics.

I did get these too...

And these...

I only spent £8.00.  Not bad for all that stash. 

My hands and purse are happy.  What's been making you happy this week.  Let me see...

another runaway week

The weeks keep flying by. 

This week I have mainly been a homebird, cooking, spring cleaning and spending much needed down time at home in Scrapsville.

What did I make this week?  Well really not that much.  Despite being in more.  I did some curtain alterations, but I didn't want to blog that.  I did learn how to use my invisible hem stitch and foot and I now need to make new curtains for my home.  I have to find some fabby fabric and stick with a design first. 

At this time of the year, like most of us, I want to start a-fresh.  I think decorating is on the cards.  That will please both my hands and my eyes.  I mean its crafting on a larger scale.  What could go wrong.

My post is pictureless.  I have nothing to share :(, but I know that won't be the case for long.  You make your hands happy this weekend, leave a comment and I will pop over to see what you have done. 

Have a great weekend.

found it!

and I finished my project.

This purse if for a swap on swapbot.  I had a blast and disasters making this one.  The back of the purse is made from reclaimed denim.  Infact the very pair that the purse is sat on.  The back of it looks like this.

There#s something missing from the back.  I haven't quite worked out what it needs but somthing will happen.  It needs to be beautiful on both sides.    Off I pop.  My happy hands need to get busy.

Didn't take me long.  Voila!

Right!  Off to make my hands not so happy.  Housework, yes I did say it, beckons.  Hope you have happy hands all day long.  :)

missing thread.

I had it earlier.  I really did.  I stayed up late so I could play and now my plaything has gone and disappeared.  Where is that thread.  I hope I have better luck tomorrow.  I am off to bed.

making fun

Someone I love named Kerie gave me a mobile phone.  I did not have one.  I have had a few but chose not to have one because I rather liked being the only person on the planet not to own a mobile phone.  I mean we survived without them when I was growing up.  Anyhoo Kerie has brought me racing into the twenty-first century.  I am now contactable so here's my phone number:

Only joking.  I made this sleeve for it.  Now it looks really pretty.

More prettiness.  My patchwork project has grown.  Only a little but still it is growing...

I do hope you are having a good weekend.  My hands have been kept busy.  Hope your hands make you happy this weekend too!

earhtquake in Japan

It would be remiss of me to ignore this most recent disaster.  Distressing occurances are becoming more frequent.  This year has seen many disasters and we are only in March.  I know that scientists explain away these instances as being related to global warming, but my understanding of what is happening is informed by what the bible teaches.  I love blogging and I think Blogland is a great, but the real world is inescapable, this is especially true for the people of Japan right now. 

colour theme

I love colour. Green is one of my ultimate faves. It works with just about everything, it is nature's colour; need I say more.

What's your fave colour? Do you have one? When did it become your fave and why?

Personally I don't know when green became my fave, but I love all the shade variations and I realised that I loved this colour because there was so much of it around me. I have lots of green clothes, and I craft with lots of green. I have decided to accent my very neutral boring living space with colour. I know that green will feature heavily.

finished:

I had hoped to have finished this one a few days ago, but life got in the way; today I managed to complete it. YAY!  This cushion is a gift for the very wonderful and very crazy Kerie. mmmmmwah to you hun.

I am going to make one using very similar colours for myself. (I have the squares I just need to sit and sew them up.) Bleeeeeuuuuuuuch! I don't like that bit at all.I love the result so it is definitely worth it.  I hope she likes it.

How have your hands been made happy today?  Share your makes by leaving a comment.  That way I can hit the link and see what you do.  :)

don't you just love spring?

Tulips do it for me.




Have a good day.

blocking results

This is what it looked like once spritzed and dried over night.

This is my crochet booty un-pinned and piled high.

And I made these too.

Happy hands. Happy hands. Happy hands.

blocking made easy

I made these granny squares today.

I got over excited by the cushion I made. I really want to have a cushion of my own or a blanket. That will totally depend on how patient I am. Anyhow. I did get to thinking and thunked and thunked some more about the blocking part. Granny squares are by there very nature not really squares at all. They are made square by blocking which is process using lots of warm water and pins. Try as I might with the other crocheted squares I could not get that 90 degree angle my eye for perfection craved. Thinking on it I came up with this idea.

I have a hand made quilter's block which I covered in black cotton. I have various pale shades which looked nice initially and then post stains looked hideous so I changed for black which can be removed, washed and still appear to be clean. Having this dark background facilitates the next part. I got my quilter's ruler and measured 4" squares and marked the quilter's square with tailors chalk. You will be able to fill in the gaps from this point. I assume. If not hope this picture helps.

I thought I'd share because simple things make my hands happy.

finish up friday

That cushion now looks like this:

Well I am suitably pleased. What do you think?

sitting still with happy hands

I have not got as much done as I'd like, but my happy hand time will come. The spoils so far are as follows:

busy bee

This week seems to be running at a pace. I cannot belive it is Weds evening already.

I did fnish the cushion panel yesterday. I now need to make the cover (fabric bit) and attach it to it. Pics will fillow.

I have already begun working on some new crocheted squares. I am working on a design for my own cushions. I have happy hands. I will have later when I get to play.

Sometimes do you wonder how you get everything done? Today I have been to the library for a sing song session with wee man. We then went to the supermarket followed by a quick frolic in the jumpy jump in McDonalds. I did that and then got home to finish making the lamb broth that is bubbling away on my stove top for tea. I dismantled a taupalin gazeebo in the garden that hasn't wintered so well and I have yet to vacuum and do the normal day to day chores. Phew! No time to sit, no time to play. There is washing to sort and other jobs that must be done. I will craft, but later. In the resting period, but until then there is much work to be done.

Don't you go getting yourself all chored up, make your hands happy your own way. Leave a comment and I will hit the link and see what you have been up to.

compare

I call it progress.

I have edged the whole thing with green and I have some fabby purple cotton for the backing. Wow! Do you think I am a bit excited? My hands are thrilled. Make your hands happy too.

the sun has got its hat on

The sun is a blessing. I am really looking forward to Spring. Winter has lasted long enough.

Happiness is in the hooking for this week. My blocked grannies now look like this. Whoopee. What a bit of water and time can do for shape. Perhaps I should try that method for my body what do you think? Oh no! I am put off by the pins.

Just got to join it up now.