Giveaway…

To celebrate the launch of the new Pony Black sewing needles range, I’m giving away 2 packets of Sharps  – perfect for hand-sewing your binding and lots more.

“Pony Black brings you a new generation of sewing needle that is innovative as well as meeting the highest international standards. They are nickel free, ultra-smooth and have perfect points for superior performance. They are offered in the largest range of hand sewing needle sizes for every conceivable craft including sharps, tapestry, chenille and everything in between. All Pony needles are packed in handy, plastic-free and environmentally friendly folders”

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To win these two packets, simply :

1. Follow me on IG, FB or here on my blog www.creativeblonde.co.uk

(Links at the bottom of post)

2. Tell me your favourite thing you like to handsew.

Il pick a person at random on Monday (16th November) – Good luck

Huge congratulations to Abbie @patching_up. You have won these beautiful packets of sewing needles.

UK ONLY

Follow me here on my blog, and share with friends, you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Happy Sewing

Michelle

Block 15 #Quiltandshine

Hey,

Welcome to Block 15 of the #quiltandshine quilt along, hosted by Dawn from Honeybee cloths and myself. Huge apologizes for the delay in the release of this block

I hope you will agree it was worth the wait, this block shows you how to quilt using metallic threads to a simple quilt or pattern to add shine and sparkle

Its never to late to join in with this quilt along, as the patterns will be available forever, but even if the thought of a whole quilt is daunting, maybe choose your favourite block and create a cushion cover or a table runner using just a few blocks.

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I really love the idea of taking a block and creating a scatter cushion to match

To download block 15, simply click the link below

Quilt-and-shine-block-15Download

Be sure to tag me on Instagram @michelle_creativeblonde so I can see your finished blocks, use the hashtag #quiltandshine

We all need friends and family in our lives especially during these difficult times, keep talking and stay safe xx

Follow me here on my blog, and share with friends, you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Happy Sewing

Michelle

Read all about how I came to love quilting, in this month BP&Q mag…

I was so excited when Helen from the British Patchwork and Quilting magazine approached me about writing an article for one of their regular features in the magazine called ‘First and Last’. The Issue is out today, the article tells you a little about me and how I came to find quilting and fell in love with it…

Also inside is my mini valentine wall hanging quilt pattern, made using some beautiful Batik fabrics

 

The quilt I talk about as being my last (not my last ever, just the last one I was working on at the time) is a free pattern which you can download here

My Retro Flowers Quilt

I really hope you enjoy making this, its a beautiful finished size, approximately 40″ x 48″, so its perfect for that ‘go-to’ blanket on the sofa on those chilly nights.

 Have a lovely weekend, until next time… happy sewing

 I would love to hear from you, please leave me a comment

Check out my Instagram and Facebook page @creativeblonde66

~Michelle~

x creativeblonde x

A little bit wild…

Wow, the end of yet another week, or the start of a new one, depending on when you see the week in and out. Today also brings the first day of Autumn in us here in the UK – my favouite time of year, not only because i love to see the changes of the seasons, the cooler weather and shorter evenings, which gives me the opportunity to light the candles in the living room, but its also my birthday – yay roll on the 3rd of October …

This week I’ve completed my ‘starstruck’ Island Batik Challenge, i used a ‘rolling star’ pattern along with the fabulous ‘wild things’ batik fabric, all the fabrics and batting used in this challenge were given to me by Island Batik and Hobbs as part of my year as Island Batik Ambassador …

I used a mixture from the ‘wild things’ layer cake, and teamed it up with some Black solid batik. I love the striking colours, the EPP worked really well, as it added to the crisps edges, although i had forgotten just how time consuming it was.

I quilted Autumn leaves in different Autumnal colours from my Gutermann collection, and i couldn’t resist making some complimentary coasters to go with the starstruck quilted table mat, i just love these prints

I got creative with some gorgeous fabrics from Gutermann using their new collection called ‘blooms’, making a messenger bag with matching pencils cases

This week bring the new issue of Quilt Now Magazine, where you’ll find heaps of inspiration including my travel items; passport/money bag, luggage tags and a tote bag, with internal zip pocket using ‘Japanese Indigo’ prints from Higgs & Higgs.

 

And I have a date for your new years diary… The Fat Quarter Shop Charity Quilt Along running from February to June 2018, with two patterns coming out each month for 8 blocks and a finishing and backing pattern to make the quilt!

Every year @fatquartershop host a charity quilt along in which they post monthly patterns on their blog in exchange for a donation each time a quilter downloads the pattern. In addition, they auction off a completed charity quilt where 100% of the proceeds go to the charity they picked that year. This year, they are very excited to be holding the Threadology Quilt Along that will be benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation. The donation efforts for the Quilt Along are on a good start with Moda and Fat Quarter Shop donating $10,000 each and their goal is to raise $40,000!  They have announced the Quilt Along as well as have the Quilt Along page ready for the February launch! Head on over to sign up 💕 🤗
They even have a Quilt Kit and Backing Set using Little Snippets by Bonnie & Camille to make a Threadology Quilt like the one they made.

That’s all for this week, I feel the week ahead will be a busy one, as it also brings with it the end of the month – where did the month of September go? I’ve decided to add a profile photo of myself, on all my social media outlets, as i receive quite a few comments suggesting it would seem more friendly… so yes here is me!

Many thanks for reading, have a lovely week ahead, until next time… happy sewing

Check out my Instagram and Facebook page @creativeblonde66

~Michelle~

x creativeblonde x

My tilda bumblebee table runner…

Bumblebee Tilda Fabric – Table runner tutorial

Follow the tutorial here

What you will need:

 

•       Tilda bumblebee Fat quarter bundle from poppies & polka dots

        http://www.poppiesandpolkadots.co.uk/product/tilda-bumblebee-10-fat-quarter-bundle-10-discount/

•       1 metre of Kona cotton solids – snow white from poppies & polka dots    http://www.poppiesandpolkadots.co.uk/product/kona-cotton-solids-snow/

•       Wadding measuring 48”x12”

•       1” paper hexies x 42

•       Paper for creating  your own petal template

•       Sewing machine, cutting mat, rotary cutter, pins, needles, quality threads, glue pen, scissors, erasable marker pen.

•       Small piece of light fusible interfacing, measuring 10”x10”

•       505 basting spray

 

Preparing your fabric…

Order your gorgeous fabrics from poppies & polka dots -fast delivery and wrapped beautifully

 

 

 

Cutting…

Take these four fat quarters from your bundle and cut out 10 hexies from each of the green, pink and cream fabrics using your EPP 1” hexagon template and cut 12 of the blue. Leaving a ¼” seam allowance all the way round. Using your glue pen, fold the fabric making sure you get crisp corners and edges all the way round

•       From the kona snow white fabric, cut a piece 44”x8” for the table runner main piece.

•       Cut the Wadding to 38”x11” (trim of excess later to measure 37”x10”)

•       5 pieces of backing fabric measuring 8.5”x11” (see diagram below)

 

Preparing your flowers…

Create your petal, use graph paper to get it symmetrical (mine are about 1.5” in length and 1” diameter. Fuse your interfacing to the reverse of the fabric and then cut petals to correct size and shape. You need 5 petals from each fabric design, I loved the bumblebees so much, I fussy cut these for my petals

Blanket stitch

•       Using your glue pen, fix your petals in place on the white fabric.

•       Using a white thread. Blanket stitch round each petal, see photo for below for the finished result on the front and the reverse of the white fabric.

•       Using your erasible marker pen, draw your spiral pattern on the top of the white fabric

 

Joining up your hexies up

To achieve this without stitches showing on the front, put your individual hexies right sides together and use a ladder stitch, pulling your stitches tight as you go, and create a chain of 21 hexies for each long edge of your table runner

 

Top stitch your hexies and then remove the papers…

 

Preparing the back of the table runner

Sew your fabric in the order shown above, using the ¼”seam allowance, right side together, then press seams

 

Baste your top and bottom fabric to the wadding to create a quilt sandwich, I use 505 spray.

Free motion quilting

•       Drop your feed dog and attach the quilting foot to your machine, you can choose any shade of thread ,I chose a bright king tut turquoise thread – shade 927, to show you the design, but I would usually choose a pale colour to keep the delicate feel.

The edges…

•       Create mitred corners, by trimming the excess wadding and folding your backing fabric over twice, to seal your raw edges, and pin in place.

Finishing off…

Pin or baste your hexies in place, then sew your two short binding egdes with a small whip stitch, and secure the corners with small stitches.

Sew each point of your hexies in place, with a small stitch sewn from underneath the edge of the fabric, so no stitches can be seen

Bring out the tea and warm scones, for the perfect afternoon tea

Enjoy…

 

Bumblebee Tilda Fabric poppies and polka dots

Thanks for reading, follow me at www.instagram.com/creativeblonde66

Tilda table runner, with matching tablemats…

The beautiful bumblebee Tilda fabric, is lovely to work with, here is my step by step tutorial on how I created a table runner with matching placemats.

Tilda bumblebee fabric – Placemat tutorial…

 

The gorgeous fabric…

Purchase your tilda bumblebee fabric from poppies and polka dots.

They sell a beautiful fat quarter bundle of tilda bumblebee yumminess.

Plus you will need a metre of kona snow white fabric.

(wash, dry and press all fabric before cutting)

 

Lets begin…

Take your fat quarter bundle of bumble bee fabric and cut the following pieces:

• garden bees ginger 15” x 12”
• garden bees ginger 12.5” x 3.3”
• flowers nest teal 21” x 2” (2 of these)
• flowers nest teal 18” x 2” (2 of these)

From your snow white kona fabric cut:

• 12.5” x 5”
• 12.5” x 8.5”

You will also need:

• Wadding measuring 16” x 13”
• Small piece of interlining for the petals (measuring 4” x 4”)
• 5 petals (3 from the cherry blossom pink fabric and 2 petals from the cherry blossom blue flower fabric)
• 6 EPP hexagons, and enough fabric from the flower nest pink fabric, rosa mollis teal fabric, and the rosa mollis linen fabric to make 2 of each

 

Start by sewing the narrowest white strip to the narrow orange panel, followed by the other white piece onto the other side of the orange panel, pressing your seams open, then using 505 adhesive basting spray, create your quilt sandwich, with this piece on top, then the wadding, and finally the large orange piece as the backing fabric – see photo.

Make up your 6 EPP hexies and sew them together in a long strip, these can now be temporarily basted to the quilt in place.

Next take your fusible interlining and iron to the wrong side of the fabric you are using to create the petals, cut the petals out and baste them also in place on your placemat. Using a blanket stitch, sew around each petal leaf.

 

Sew through all the layers of your quilted placemat along the edges of your hexies, and also down each edge of the orange panel, this will make sure the wadding stays in place – see photo

 

Free motion quilting

Drop your feed dog and attach your quilting foot. Mark out where you want to draw your pattern using a removable marker, I chose a white thread, to give it a delicate feel. Once completed, remove any pen marks.

 

The reverse is kept soft and delicate, when a white bobbin thread is used

 

Attaching the binding…

Sew the long blue strips, right sides together on the reverse of the placemat, making sure each strip is evenly placed, with equal overlap at each end. Press and turn placemat over, to make life easier I then press my raw edge over, then using a whip stitch, sew your binding in place using a white top thread cotton.

 

 

 To make more of these using your tilda bumblebee fat quarters, simply swap out the orange backing fabric and the orange panel and replace with another fat quarter.

 

Makes a lovely gift, check out my tilda table runner tutorial, and create the matching set. Here is  a print friendly link for this tutorial.

tilda placemat

Thanks for reading, follow me on Instagram

 

 

 

 

English paper piecing – something you need to know…

When making any English paper piecing (EPP) use the sewline fabric glue pen. Come out blue, dries clear.

Take your paper templates and using the glue pen (a little bit of glue goes a long way) stick them to your chosen fabrics.

Cut around the paper templates adding a 1/4″ seam allowance all the way round.

Using a finger press, turn and press the fabric over making a crisp edge, then glue the fabric down using your glue pen.

When you have sewn all your piecing together, just remove the papers and reuse them next time.

This process really speeds up English paper piecing ♥

Thanks for reading, if you liked this come follow me on Facebook, twitter of Instagram. I love a ‘like’  and ‘comments’  make my day

Happy crafting