What is Fussy Cutting?

Some feedback I've been getting lately is that many people who read here are beginners or intermediate beginners. {Welcome! *waves hello*} Knowing that I've decided that every now and then I'll write a blog post based on simple skills that can really take your quilting and sewing projects to the next level.

Confession. When I first started sewing I had to google "what is fussy cutting" and I wish someone had written this blog post for me!

How To Choose Fabric

I've had lots people ask me about how I put together fabric combinations and choose my fabric for different projects. A few of very lovely people (Hi Fiona! Hi Mum!) tell me I have a knack for putting fabric together, which is a lovely compliment! So I thought I'd share a few tips and tricks I have for choosing fabric combinations that look great together.

Nautical Metallic Open Wide Zip Pouch

Metallic highlights in fabric is really on trend at the moment and I have to say, I love it!

I found this anchor print at Spotlight last year, and Angie from Gnome Angel kindly sent me a few off cuts of this gold denim. I've never seen it at my local store, but anything good sells out quick and you have to be lucky sometimes.

Quilted Hexie Mug Rug

I joined the Festive Mug Rug Swap hosted by Gnome Angel last month and was inspired to try something different for this project. I love swaps for that reason - an excuse to make something and send some happy mail, and a chance to flex some creative muscle and try new techniques.

I love the aqua, red and white colour combination, and together with this tutorial from Modern Handcraft, I came up with this festive quilty good thing.

I have to confess that I was STOKED with the outcome. It's so pretty. The quilting is really striking and very easy to achieve by following the shape of the hexagons.

Scrap Fabric Key Fobs

I've seen loads of those pretty key fobs around on Pinterest and decided that I wanted some! Why did I wait so long - making these took about 10 minutes and it is so much easier to find my keys at the bottom of my hand bag now!

They are pretty basic and next time I will probably use some scrap batting in between the fabric layers to give them a bit more oomph. I do really love them though - I can put my keys around my wrist and be hands free when I need to carry shopping or carry one of my kids!

You only need a really small amount of fabric for these - you'll have what you need in your scrap basket. I purchased this style of key fob hardware.

I folded my fabric in the same way I make binding then added quilting style stitches along the length of the fabric to secure it. Once I did that I folded the fabric strips and attached the hardware using a pair of pliers.

Super simple, practical and a great way to use up scraps. There are lots of tutorials around but Angie from Gnome Angel has this one which is really great.

Small projects like this are really great for getting the sewing mojo back if you are out of the habit, like me at the moment!

Saturday Sewing Inspiration

After my creative slump confessions from last week, I completely ignored everything related to sewing and blogging until today and enjoyed the week.

I spent some time with old friends who were visiting us from Wagga, their kids and ours had a blast together. I had a fun girls day out with Anna as a special school holiday treat and we went to a really delicious sushi train restaurant for lunch. Yesterday the girls and I lazed in bed and watched episodes of Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom (anyone else's kids obsessed with that show?) on the iPad until 10.30am. So a good time was had by all.

A busy week with the kids means this pouch gets a work out. I keep baby wipes, tissues and band aids in it!

Pink & Aqua Quilt in Progress

Some friends of ours have just welcomed a beautiful baby girl, but I started working on this for her before I even knew she would be a girl. They chose not to find out the gender of their baby until she arrived but I took a gamble because I could just feel in my heart that a baby girl was on the way!

The couple who welcomed their sweet new daughter are not particularly cutesy people so I avoided any traditional baby prints and used a lot of blenders - polka dots, stripes and ditsy prints. Pink, aqua and grey is a lovely palette for a new baby girl and is not too overwhelming on the pink.

Stash Favourites

I haven't had much time for sewing or blogging lately. Life's busy, yada yada yada. We are all in that boat. Sometimes we have time to get crafty, sometimes we don't.

Doesn't mean I don't want to participate in crafty endevours. So I thought I'd start something quick and fun!

Do you use Instagram? Yay, me too. I love it for a number of reasons. If I follow someone, I see all their posts (boo facebook, you are failing me in this department!) It is so pretty. People make really cool stuff - sewing and quilting IGers are awesome. Eye candy everywhere.

So here's the deal. Take a quick snap of your favourite fabric. You know the one (or the many) you are saving for that special project. The prize of your stash. Or that collection that you've spent several years trawling eBay and destash groups to build. Or just that random yardage you loved and bought at Spotlight two years ago. Maybe you aren't sentimental but you do have a particular favourite right now.

Take the photo. Use the hashtag #stashfave. Scroll through and check out everyone else's coveted fabric. Leave likes and comments! Or just be a silent admirer.

I'm generally not much of a floral lover. But I do love these two random fqs I picked up on sale.

Not on instagram? Join! Or share a pic on your social media of choice.

You can follow me on instagram here or just search for me in the app - @sewdeliciousros.

Can't wait to see your #stashfave :)

Easter Weekend Sewing

It's been a while but I've finally had some time to get back to the sewing machine this weekend.

First up was a quilt - I've had the top completed for several weeks but just needed to psych myself up for the back breaking task of basting it. We have wooden floor boards and I've found the best method for me is to tape my quilt backs to the kitchen floor. Works well but it can be really hard on my back and knees!

I've been making a concerted effort to use what I have in my stash. This quilt has what I like to call "franken-batting" - several smaller pieces of batting stitched together to make a large piece. When it came time to bind, I searched through my thread stash and was pretty pleased to discover I had the exact shade of thread I needed to hand stitch my binding. Shopping from the stash can reveal surprises sometimes!

Today I decided to start something new so I pulled some scraps out for some patchwork. I chose and aqua and orange palette - so pretty! I don't have much orange in my stash but this combination might encourage me to look for some more orange shades next time I'm fabric shopping.

Those scraps turned into this patchwork panel. The project is still a work in progress but hopefully I'll have something finished to share next week. It was nice just to cut, arrange pieces and stitch without hurry.

Hope you had a lovely Easter weekend and got some stitching time too!

Swap Gifts Received!

I've had such an exciting mail week - both my Sweet Pouch Swap and Secret Valentine's Exchange gifts arrived! I'm feeling very lucky, so without further ado, check out what my very generous partners sent to me:

In the information I gave Lynda, I told her that I loved the Cloud 9 fabric range, Koi. She ordered a bundle and made the pouch using it, then sent me the rest of the fat quarters! So generous - I had told her that I hadn't bought any yet because it was hard to get and very expensive here in Australia.

I'm completely thrilled with my little bundle of Koi and very appreciative, I still haven't seen it for sale here.

I confess that some of the treats Lynda sent are missing - we ate some before I took the photos! I've added some of the little boxes of yogurt covered raisins in Anna's school lunch box this week and they've been a huge favourite!

But let's talk about the Hershey's Marshmallow Heart. Seriously. I think I need to set up some sort of confectionery importing business so I can keep myself in supply of these. YUM! Are they seasonal for Valentine's Day or available all year around? I NEED MORE.

Thank you so much Lynda for being such an awesome partner, and thank you to all of you who participated in round 3 of the Sweet Pouch Swap! Round 4 will happen in the next few months and will be hosted by Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts. I always announce the sign ups in my newsletter so to get the announcement straight to your inbox, sign up here!

Next up was the Secret Valentine's Exchange, where we received gifts from an unknown partner.

The person who made for me was the lovely Lightning McStitch, who as it turns out, lives just a few suburbs away here in Melbourne. She sent me this divine Japanese gauze scarf that she embellished with some hand embroidery. Pop over to her blog for the story behind the scarf!

It's beautifully soft and lightweight and will be great for the in-between weather in Spring and Autumn. Thank you so much Lightning!

If you'd like to see what I sent my partners, check them out - Sweet Pouch Swap gift for Lynda and Secret Valentine's Exchange gift for Stephanie.

Sweet Pouch Swap: My Gift for Lynda

Round 3 of the Sweet Pouch Swap has come and gone, but don't worry, if you missed it, it will be back later in the year for Round 4! I always release details in my newsletter first so if you are keen to get the announcement straight into your inbox, make sure you subscribe!

My partner was Lynda from San Diego, and in her 'about me' info she said how much she loved the fabric line Indian Summer. Perfect - I had a fat quarter bundle of Indian Summer so I cut some of my favourite prints from the range and put them together to make a very simple patchwork zippy.

I love the blues and aquas in this range and I teamed it with some Kona Ash grey solid for the base of the pouch. When I finished the it I felt like it needed something extra, so I made a little beaded zipper pull to add to the zip. I've since tinkered around with my jewellery making supplies and have posted a tutorial on how to make one - check it out here.

Love the fox and toadstool print - I think that and the teepee print are my favourites from the bundle! I still have a lot of fabric left over and I've got plans to make myself a quilt.

And what would the Sweet Pouch Swap be without the treats? Here is my selection for Lynda - mainly Cadbury chocolates as they aren't widely available in the US. The shops are full of easter chocolates already so I picked up a small pack of mini eggs - yum! It's mostly chocolate but I also added a couple of packs of Fruit Tingles which are also an Aussie favourite (and personal favourite!)

I know it's a bit of a cliche but I couldn't resist this cute Koala postcard! I'll have to make a resolution to send my next Sweet Pouch partner a card of one of the more obscure Australian animals. Koalas are actually pretty grumpy, they don't really live up to their cute and cuddly reputation. I personally prefer the Platypus, and have a very soft spot for the Frill Necked Lizard - we had a family of them living in our backyard in Brisbane in 1984. We named them Leonard, Leo & Baby Suzie.

It's been another round of amazing zipper pouches and generous treats - you can check out what people have made on the instagram hashtag #sweetpouchswap and in the flickr group. I'll post a couple of feature round ups soon and share mine when it arrives - can't wait!

Linking with Alyce for Sew Cute Tuesday!

Finn the Fox Cushion

I've been meaning to make some cushions for our living room sofa for a long time, but I've waited, worried that they will have some sort of food or playground dirt smeared all over them by the kids. But I'm at the stage that whenever I look at the ones we currently have, I cringe with embarrassment. Nothing would give me more pleasure than dumping the lot of them in the rubbish bin.

I've seen a lot of handmade cushions around lately - the Pillow Talk Swap happened recently so many bloggers I follow posted about their creation and the one they received. Melissa from Ms Midge, a fellow Melbourne blogger, also announced her Cushion For Christmas blog hop, and some of my favourite quilting bloggers are involved so I was keen to take part.

Things are pretty busy around here at the moment and haven't had much sewing time, but I managed to put this together over the weekend. I started off with my special Finn McTrickster screen printed panel by Aussie designers Cat & Vee.

My Finn panel is a neon purple colour, so I wanted my border to be really bright. I pulled out a few bits and pieces I had lying around and put together a patchwork border with 2 1/2" squares. It didn't measure up exactly and I wasn't in the mood for precision and perfection, so the border is a bit wonky in parts.

The finished size is approximately 15" square and I've used a 16" cushion insert inside because I like quite a full puffy look.

The back is a bright pink zig zag home decorator fabric I picked up at Spotlight. The extra weight just adds a bit of sturdiness to the cushion, especially as I decided not to quilt it. I considered it, and there is cotton batting underneath the front of the cushion, but I just couldn't decide how to quilt it, and I didn't want to stitch over Finn so I left it alone. I made an envelope back for this cushion cover but next time I think I will try a hidden zipper.

You can see Finn's true colour in this picture - the purple is quite a lot brighter than the picture above. I don't know why I've been so nervous about cushion covers up until now - I think I've seen so many amazingly detailed quilted versions that I've felt a little intimidated? Maybe. I'll definitely try a quilted cover soon, I have some quilt blocks that would be great as cushions. I'd also like to try adding a binding to future cushion covers - it adds a nice finished look.

Can't wait to add some serious colour to my living room! I have a few more Cat & Vee panels so I might make a series of these!

Colour Palette: Aqua & Grey

I've always thought that I used a wide variety of colours, but recently I've looked back over a few of my sewing projects and realised that there was a pattern emerging. It seems I'm a big fan of aqua and grey!

My Quilted Sewing Machine Cover is possibly one of my favourite projects to date. The fabric came from a charm pack of Half Moon Modern by Moda. I chose the aqua, grey and red from the charm pack and loved the combination immediately! Red and pink goes well with his colour palette if you are looking to add a third shade into the mix.

I continued the trend with the fabric basket, and most recently was asked to make a quilt for an Ovarian Cancer Awareness fundraiser. Teal is the colour associated with Ovarian Cancer Awareness so I used a palette of teal, grey and white fabric to complete the quilt. I was a bit sad to hand it over for the auction - I might have to make another one for myself!

Another firm favourite for me is the grey dandlion print fabric in this quilt and used for the fabric basket. It is a home decorator weight fabric I bought on a whim and I'm so glad I did - I've used it so often!

I'm starting to incorporate brights in with the aqua fabrics to bring in pops of colour, like in this pouch. It's a great scrap buster and I'm making one every couple of weeks and stashing them away for teacher gifts

What colours are inspiring you at the moment?

Paris Streets Duffle Bag

After finally outgrowing an old calico bag with a Wiggles motif that I upcycled from an old t-shirt, it was time for Anna to have a new bag. My bag making skills have certainly come a long way since the Wiggles calico bag (one of my first ever sewing projects), but still I felt that something fairly simple would fit the bill.

She already has a small suitcase for trips and her back pack for kindergarten, so this bag is just for times when she needs a change of clothes or her swimming gear. Or she wants to take her entire menagerie of soft toys to the supermarket. As you do when you are four.

How lovely is the fabric? It was kindly sent to me from my sponsor Fabric Fusion. The large print was perfect for project like a bag or cushions, but I'm currently waiting for Lucy to get over that "must draw on, spill food on or damage anything nice my parents own" phase and then we will get new sofas, then I will make the BEST CUSHIONS EVER. Man, I cannot wait until that day. So this time, a bag project was the winner.

The fabric is called La Vie D'Amour Paris Streets and you can grab some here. The bikes and the houses really evoke a Paris in Springtime feel (although, something about the tall skinny houses and the bikes also remind me of Amsterdam!) There is a gorgeous white coordinate which features major Paris attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc D'Triomphe, and would be a perfect choice for Spring projects. You might also just love all things French themed, so francophiles, this fabric is for you!

The pattern for this bag is something I made up, but I wanted something user friendly for a small person, something easy to carry, and something fairly practical. I took a few pointers from this duffel bag tutorial by A Jennuine Life and the Lined Drawstring Bag tutorial by In Color Order.

A couple of things I did differently were to make the base out of oilcloth. Quilting cotton just isn't strong enough to take the wear and tear that the base of a bag will endure, so I though oilcloth would be a good option for it's durabililty and because it's water proof. I had a black and white polka dot oilcloth that looked good with the pink fabric. Denim or home dec weight fabrics would also be good choices.

Secondly, I made the bag so that the straps would create a drawstring style bag but would then be sewn into the base so it could be worn over the shoulder or as a backpack. To do this I left a small gap when sewing the base and the body of the bag together, and stitched the straps in at the very end. I used some green bias binding but it's not really strong enough so eventually I will make some sturdier straps and replace it.

In terms of measurements, I just used a dinner plate as a template for the round base, then measured the circumference to find the width I'd need for the fabric for the body of the bag. It's probably a bit too big for Anna now but she'll grow into it. The fabric is not babyish so she will get use out of it for several years to come without outgrowing it like she did with her Wiggles bag..

Anna is really pleased with her new bag and I am feeling rather smug that my idea to stitch the straps into the base ended up actually working!

Make sure you pop in and check out Fabric Fusion - they have a really lovely modern range and now that huge post costs have stopped many of us buying from the USA, it's great to have an Aussie retailer stocking lots of recently released designs. Or if you are lucky enough to live in Brisbane, you can go and visit Fabric Fusion in person!

Fat Quarter Swap

Last month I joined the fat quarter swap hosted by And Sew We Craft. I thought it would be fairly easy...it wasn't.

Choosing fabric for other people is a minefield. What if they already have it? What if they don't like it? It's all a matter of taste, and what if their taste is wildly different to yours?

It took me forever to make a decision, but these are the choices I finally settled on for my partner, Sophie from Modern Day Mummying.

From left - Pink Medallion print from the Woodland Whimsy range from Spotlight, Grey Dandelion print from Premier Prints, Periwinkle from Soul Blossoms by Amy Butler, and Woodland print by Belle & Boo from Spotlight.

My thinking was to choose a few that I really like, but also choose some fabrics that are versatile. You probably recognise that dandelion fabric, I've used it in several projects like my simple zip pouch and my fabric storage basket. The medallion print makes a nice coordinate and is a bit different to the usual polka dot or solid that I normally go for. I've used the Woodland Whimsy fabric range in this charity quilt I made recently. The Amy Butler print is just one I love and I have a few yards in my stash, and the Belle & Boo prints are just lovely and I thought Sophie might like to use it for a project for her daughter.

So what do you think - good choices? Sophie received them last week and assured me that she was thrilled with them. Now I'm stalking my letter box waiting for the postman to bring some surprise fat quarters for me - I can't wait!

Pom Pom Pyjama Pillow

For a while now we have been trying to encourage Anna to keep her bedroom tidy. For a four year old who loves dressing up and often has two or three clothing changes per day depending on her whims, this is no easy task.

One thing that has been driving me bonkers is that she takes off her pyjamas in the morning and they are left where she is standing. Rather than keep nagging her about about it, I decided to make a special pyjama keeper.

I used the divine Hello Tokyo fabric (by the Red Thread for Robert Kaufman) that I got from my sponsor Fabric Fusion. A couple of cool things about this fabric - it is designed by Australian Lisa Tilse, and it is only on very limited release in Australia, New Zealand and the US. It won't be more widely available until later in the year, but if you love it as much as I do, you might be able to snap some up from Fabric Fusion but be quick - it's been really popular!

For this project, I've used the Patchwork Doll print for the front of the pillow, Geisha Fans in Pink, Orange and Red, and I've lined it with Diamonds in Red (which is red diamonds on an orange background.) This fabric is BRIGHT. It's all about colour, which I love.

As you can see in the above picture, I cut my pieces into 33 x33 cm (13x13") pieces, and for the back pieces I just cut the 33cm square piece in half. I used a 25cm (10") zip, to which I added some tabs on the end. To give it an extra fun element, I included some pom pom trim around the edges. My first time sewing with pom poms - they were a bit tricky!

I tried to work out a way to insert the zip down the middle of the back of the cushion AND have a lining. But I couldn't work it out. I tried and unpicked and tried again...and unpicked again. Then gave up and stitched the lining in by hand at the end! I probably didn't need a lining but I REALLY wanted one! Especially being a pyjama keeper, you don't want to see raw edges and ugly batting on the inside every time you open it.

The back view. I'm feeling a bit proud of that fabric placement. It was a complete fluke that the fans match up so perfectly on either side of the zip! Lucky! To combat the lining problem, I could have just moved the zipper to a side seam, but I felt a middle seam up the back was a bit easier for small hands to manage.

I'm glad I persisted with the lining. It looks nice and tidy - just don't look to close inside! There are a couple of little spots I couldn't close up properly by hand. Oh well - it looks like the idea I had in my head, so I will be happy with achieving my vision, even if it's not finished to perfection.

I used cotton batting inside as well and stitched a few quilting lines on the front of the pillow for added sturdiness. Because the pillow will be empty when the pyjamas are in use, I wanted the pillow to still keep some shape.

Anna is excited by her pom pom pyjama pillow for the moment - I hope that excitement lasts and she is inspired to put them away in there everyday.

Another great thing about Hello Tokyo is that it is cute without being babyish, and it is suitable for a wide range of ages. There is also a range of coordinating ribbons, buttons and iron on motifs.

Now that I've made this for Anna, I'm thinking about what I should make for myself with this fabric - any suggestions?

Charity Quilting - Aqua and Grey Quilt

Last month I made two quilts for my cousin's fundraiser to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research. The first quilt I made was this one. I chose an aqua, teal and grey colour scheme as they are the colours that represent Ovarian Cancer Awareness.

I have Sandy from Wrapped In Fabric to thank for collaborating with me for this quilt. When I told her what I was planning to make, she worked with me to get the colour scheme right and she put together a fantastic bundle of fabric that was just a pleasure to sew with.

Make sure you pop over and check out the fabulous collection of fabric she sells and sign up for her newsletter  - she is always having spot sales and sharing coupon codes with newsletter subscribers.

I LOVE this colour scheme! I was a bit sad to hand it over for the auction. Some of the fabrics you might recognise are the  some Riley Blake Chevrons and Modern Maritime Chevrons, Michael Miller Ta Dots,  Lotta Jandotter Echo and some Premier Prints Dandelions and which I added in from my stash.

I cut the fabric into 7 inch squares, and did simple quilting about 1/2 inch away from all the seams.

In July I will be running the 5km course in the Run Melbourne event, as part of Mands' Mob, the team set up by my cousins in honour of my Aunt Mandy, who has been battling Ovarian Cancer for over seven years now. The charity auction was part of the Mands' Mob fundraising effort, which is well over $100 000 so far this year. Amazing work by my cousins Georgie and Penny!

The quilt is backed with Michael Miller Ta Dots, and I used the cheats binding method by Made By Rae. I'm not very confident with quilt binding and I found this technique brilliant.

I was unable to attend the auction night but Georgie tells me there was a bidding war for this one. I'm glad other people liked it as much as I did!