Log-cabins blocks have been dominating me this week, 12 of the 9 1/2″ blocks I have had to unpick to remake as they were all different sizes under 9 1/2 ” I guess that was why they ended up in the second hand shop. Of the 26 blocks that were handed in I have managed to make 24 complete 9 1/2 blocks and thats all I need for my design lay out.
Using the dark fabric to start the quilt design in the centre
Now start with the pale pink a very different feel to the look. I’m going with the dark look!!!!!
Update wed 6pm frustrating as it is to dark with out the flash but the flash leaches the colour out???? But you can see the design of the full quilt now!!!!
Update Wednesday 5th Aug 2015 6pm
My other project has been the Mens tie shoulder bag, on Friday I bought from the shop a Nepal baby sling and I have cut a shape out of it to make the back of the bag. This is made up in the same way as the front but I’m using the machine patchwork fabric from the baby sling rather than make another patchwork piece. See below.
A baby sling from overseas I can not find out where it came from, it looks similar to the ones in Nepal and Peru. All and from tiny tiny strips of fabric fold then stitched down, some strips are as small as 16th of an inch ????
By cutting the bag shape side ways the design looks very different now.
These little patchwork strips are 1/8 and 16th inch wide?????
showing both sides of the bag here.
I nearly have the back and front made. I need to add the pockets now on the inside .
To make the gusset choose 2 mens ties that are the same size and will complement the bag you are making. Make sure the ties are not narrow ones or the inside of the bag will be shallow and not hold a great deal.
Over lap the ties at the wide end of ties and pin in place then sew them together front and back.
Here you can see where I joined the two ties then quilted them. I have also quilted the brown tie on the right, this stops the tie from rolling when it is you tie the ties together and also adds body tot he straps. Remember different companies make up their ties differently, some use wool felt, some some thick wool fabric and other a synthetic so this means you have different weights in the ties so try and get two ties of the same density.
I have pinned the gusset to the front of the bag and the back ready to hand sew the 3 pieces together. I take very tiny stitches and use a glove stitch when doing this. It takes time but gives a lovely smooth finish.
Here you can see the gusset clearly
I have turned the bag inside out but it is still only pinned, this is just to show you what it will look like when I have finished it.
Here you can see the strap from the baby sling I used for the gusset instead of the mens ties I showed you above. I felt it was a shame to not use it and I will use the ties another time.
Opposite side of shoulder bag, beautifully made patchwork from Nepal or may be Peru.
Instead of beach or garden this week I’m sharing the dawn over the farm land about 30 mind drive from our home, I dropped one of my boys off there for work Monday morning, it was dark when we left but dawn was breaking when we arrived, below photo were taken as dawn approached it was so so beautiful.
Dawn breaking over the farm land 6.30am Tuesday morning.
As I sat there drinking it all in 3 hot air gallons drifted up and across the horizon on their sunrise flight, so incredible beautiful.
I drove on but this dawn was to lovely to not stop and enjoy and the air balloons were still there in the distance.
Off to link with Esther now at
http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com/Many thanks for dropping in Cheers Glenda
I love how that bag turned out! so very unique and beautiful the quilt layout for the log cabins that you laid out on the floor is unique too – I hadn’t seen any like that.
Big open spaces you have when you took your son to work – gorgeous
Morning Karen, I’m happy with the way the bag is turning out, it is much deeper in the gusset area as I used the tie straps from the baby sling and it is 4inchs wide the whole way were the ties start at 4 inchs but tapers to 2 inchs by the time it reaches the top of the bag. It will make a good travel bag or beach bag. My lay out of the log cabin quilt was just hit and miss, I wanted some thing different with those very dark strips so just kept moving the blocks around and taking photos till I saw one corner jump out at me and copied it in all the corners. I’m sure it has been done before by some one. But it sure was fun designing the lay out and exciting too????? Hugs Glenda
Love your final layout for the log cabin blocks, great movement and the dark/light contrast is fantastic. Wonderful fabric for the back of your bag and think the carrier staps were the right choice for the gusset. Cheers Jenny
Hi Jenny would you believe I have just been in to your blog, hubby looks a great pirate LOL. Looking forward to seeing your out fit now LOL. Thanks for the vote on the lay out, I did look at the light lay out as you can see but I just could not give up the dramatic look LOL. To day I’m making up the last couple of blocks, I have enough blocks to do another row but not sure about the balance I will wait and see after making them up. Hugs Glenda
Love that layout of the log cabin.
Morning Sandra the blocks are still lying on the floor since yesterday as I wanted to pin them in rows to sew them together but my little shitzu dog keeps rolling her self over and under them LOL now I have to lay them all out again. I will trim away a 1/4″ of the wadding around each one then hand sew the seams together in rows. I think this is the easiest way to do them Cheers Glenda
Those log cabin blocks are just gorgeous I just love the layout. I admire your tenacity the way you take something and make it better. I hope someday there is someone out there that might find an unfinished WIP and make it better after I am gone. You are a quilters treasure.
The bad is gorgeous and great idea for the ties for gussets. Fascinating photos with Hot air Balloons.
Hugs and enjoy your gorgeous paradise.
Bunny
Hi Bunny I sure had a lot of fun doing this lay out, now I’m sewing the blocks together and this is been a challenge; I have cut 1/4″ of the wadding from around the blocks so I don’tt get a thick seam, then I’m sewing the front seams together, easier said than done as I have to unpick the last strip seams to cut the wadding away then sew them back up to 1/4 of and inch from the end of the seam to be able to sew that front joining seam, press the seam to one side then whip stitch the wadding together so when it is washed it won’t roll, then slip stitch the back seams together???? Sounds very complicated so will take photo’s and add it to my blog over the week????
Watching those Hot Air Balloons rise and float across the Dawn was magical. Hugs from paradise at present. Glenda
There’s just something about a dawn ins’t there? Glenda as always you’ve been busy doing good practical things! I love the look of everything, but especially the log cabin, I have about 3 of those in my WIP pile 🙂
Yes I agree Esther there is some thing very magical about the dawn, sunsets are romantic but watching the dawn is like watching the birth of some thing never seen before. I use to travel a lot from Sydney to Cairns on my own and I would leave around 5am in the mornings each morning I was on the road and I would all ways pull over and watch the dawn come and the sun rise. I have several Logcabin WIPStoo, one is a friendship one from my time in PNG I really must finish that one one day LOL Cheers Glenda
Dear Glenda,
your Log Cabin is just beautiful and your bag is so pretty, wonderful projects.
Greetings,
Sylvia