Wonky wonky

I absolutely love this wonky block quilt!!! I've found it so relaxing that u don't have to piece it perfectly!!! It's so refreshing! I love that it's totally wonky it's great!! Think I'll be making more of these!!
I bought myself a good sewline fabric pencil to draw my sort of zentangle. Pattern out with so I'll start that later and start FMQ tomorrow!
I've been listening to audiobooks whilst doing all this and I love the sookie stack house novels they are fab. I love true blood but the novels are very different. I listened to the woman in black as well which has just been made into a movie with Daniel Radcliffe. The book was really eerie and I could visualise all of it ! It really gave me the creeps!! Well I've downloaded the film off I tunes and am having a movie night to watch it! Hope it's as good as the book!!!
Here's where am up to with the quilt and I'll post again when I'm quilting it!!
Toodles

new quilt

Hey
I'm currently working on the wonky quilt that Leah day is blogging about. Its a lot of fun doing the wonky squares as it throws all the perfectonism stuff out of the window. I am really looking forward to quilting this as it is being based a little on zentangles. I had never heard of zentangles so spent time last night googling it. for me it seems like drawing in a free motion style and i think lots of the patterns could easily be transferred into the free motion stuff. I also like the idea of drawing it first as i find it easier to draw first as the movements seem to stay in my mind better. well its my birthday coming up at the end of july so i may just ask for a zentangle book!!! I'm also getting there i think on the knitting pattern, it took a few adjustments to get the size of pattern i wanted so i think i have it right now. ive never been able to knit with a chart so have had to basically learn how to read a chart too to be able to write the pattern!! do i actually know what i am doing? i don't know!! but a friend of mine has agreed to be my test knitter so hopefully she will understand my pattern!!! im also still trying to finish a capelet i started knitting before christmas from the rowan winter warmers book made from Lima. im not over keen on knitting on circular kneedlles and its all on circular so have been putting it off and off and off. well i want to wear it this winter so better get cracking. i'll put a few pics on this weekend of where i am up to with everything.
toodles
x

New quilting design

Just been trying out a new free motion design (to me anyway!) it's loopy line and I really love it. It gives a feminine feel quite romantic really

What do you think? I know white thread on pink isn't too easy to see really! I've also got a new fmq foot and it's a lot better with that too!

Pattern writing

I am getting there with my pattern for the cushion and I can tell you the maths is making me use my brain for a Change!!! I've knitted my swatch and have done the 2 circular ends. The challenge here is to graft the live stitches to the cast on edge! I've done this before but I'm having a total mental block of how to do it!!!
I've decided the pattern is going to be based on an ikat design I love the patterns of this. I'll knit it just in one colour for the first time to make sure the maths is all correct then I'll knit it again in some really nice wool with the pattern then ask some friends to try to knit it to double and triple check it. I might put it up for sale then but it will be for open use. I'll check back in soon with more updates
Toodles x

a bit about me

well I've changed the name of this blog to the knitting quilter which is what I originally wanted it be called but because I have never done a blog before I didn't have a clue what I was doing!! well its sorted now i think. its called the knitting quilter because (if you haven't already guessed) I enjoy knitting and quilting.
here are a few things about my knitting:
- I love rowan yarn
- I love british wool
obviously if the pennies are tight I will use a mixed yarn but I love knitting with wool I find the sound of manmade yarn squeaky but hey ho its personal preference. they are loads of beautiful manmade yarns that I really wouldn't say no to.
I'm currently doing a swatch for a pattern I'm designing for a bolster cushion, I tried to find a pattern on line but couldn't find anything so thought I'd design one myself. we'll see how that goes eh!!!! I'll keep the blog updated with my progress with that.

with my quilting I have just opened an etsy shop with the same name as this blog and would love you to have a look, there is only one thing on it at the moment, a little pram/ cot quilt but I thought I'd see if there is any interest in my things as there are only so many quilts I can have in one house!!!

My mum came round the other night and as she taught me how to knit I'm teaching her house to quilt. she decided to use some fabric my grandma had left so it didn't really matter if she made a mess of it. the patchworking went ok obviously when we first start to cut we are not very good at it and this is a learning curve in itself. my first cutting attempts were horrendous but you soon get to grips with how much pressure you need to put on the ruler and how to hold the rotary cutter. I cut into my finger on the first attempts!!!
well anyway my mum had finished the quilt top so we were doing the basting ready for some free motion quilting stipling. I do think that after you have had a little go at the free motion the best thing to do is to make a small quilt  and just quilt it!! the little quilt sandwiches are ok to try and get a feel for making the stipling curves or whatever you are doing and for the speed of your hands and feet. But when you put a quilt on that machine it is nothing like!!!! make a small quilt just for you or your cat or dog (they won't criticise it ha ha ) and just quilt away. the first part probably won't be pretty but honestly as you go along you will see yourself improving. if i can i'll put some pics of my mums to show you how quick you improve on that small quilt. do not be scared of it either.
just a note as well if your needle keeps snapping with FMQ to begin with check to make sure you have put your bobbin in right as I thought I had but I had it spinning anti clockwise instead of clockwise!!! doh!!! about 8 needles later and I figured it out!!!
in future posts I'll show you pics of my home made pressing board and quilting table for my machine and give you tips to make your own as there was no way I was gonna pay over £100 for a table.
Hope you've enjoyed reading this today and I promise to blog as much as I can and at least once a week.
ta ra for now
x

Feeling better!!

Well I think I've had laryngitis!! Felt really poorly!! Just started feeling like me again today so thought I'd try some free motion quilting and as I'm following the quilt along with Leah day I've tried to do some circuit board. It's pretty laughable but we've all got to start somewhere!!! Hopefully I'll feel even better tomorrow so I can carry on piecing my quilt together!!!
Toodles x

New project

Just thought I'd share my new project. It's a quilt for my bed made from 8 x 6 pieces made with patterned fabric and neutrals in variations of brown really but with the odd red in their to use the fabric I had in my stash!! It's gonna be quite big am going to put a brown border on it and FMQ it in stippling so I'll keep the blog updated as I go!
Have fun doing any crafts and if anyone sees my blog feel free to link up any projects you got on the go!
Have a nice day x

hi

well this is my first blog!!!
I decided to do this because I am into crafts and wanted to share what i am doing with other people. I enjoy knitting and have just started doing quilting. I am on my 3rd quilt and am learning how to do free motion quilting with the help of the tutorials leah day puts on her amazing blog. well am just starting to try doing some paisley so well see how that goes!!!
bye for now