Book Review - More Adventures with Leaders and Enders

Hello,

If you're a seasoned quilter, the chance is you already know Bonnie K Hunter from Quilt Ville. I'm following Bonnie since years ago, I often watch her Quilt Cam series on youtube.

I finally recently bought her book More Adventures with Leaders and Enders. I must say, it's simply amazing for someone who love to collect tiny scraps like me.

More Adventures With Leaders and Enders

At first glance, you might find the quilt design is a bit intimidating, but after slowly read the instructions it all made sense. Last week, I tried out the Scrap Crystal. I started digging my scrap baskets for blues and greens. But I was so eagerly trying it, I thought I will do with a single color background.

After making one block I showed to a couple of friends and they said, it looked great, but I want the Crystal-y effect like the one on the book!!

So, I started cutting the neutral colors. The best thing is Bonnie includes all the details of what neutral colors she included in her quilt so that we can get ideas.

Here is the first scrappy block look like. I have not stitched them together.What say?

I mostly used Indian fabrics since they have bright and lots of shades. I'm hoping to finish the quilt after I come back from my holiday! Wish me luck, everyone!!

Until then,

Happy Sewing

Elvira

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Learning few things

FMQ is always a challenge to me. I never get it right no matter how much free tutorial I read/saw on the web. That's how I decided to these 2 kindle books. I find reading books give  more detail information and if I forget something I can easily go back to it :)

First book I bought was Free-Motion Quilting for Beginners: And Those Who Think They Can't by Molly Hanson

The book is quite informative with picture guidance and also easy small projects for beginners.

The second one is First Steps of Free Motion quilting by Christina Cameli

This book  is more thorough in a sense that it gives more detail illustration on fmq design, how to set your machine even if your machine does't have option to drop your feed dogs, etc.  She gives few samples of design for you to practice doodling in your pad. 

After reading the two books, I immediately got down to work. I took a blank paper and start practice doodling for few mins and then took out my scraps and started the real work ^___^

  

and I turned it into this double side mug rug

It is amazing how much information you can get if you only look.  I learned the other day that apparently I should put my come thread in line with the original thread holder. I used to put my come thread on the side and it always give so much problem that I put it aside. But I like the cotton come thread. So I look up on Google and found the information. 

so, what did you learn today?

Until then

Happy quilting

Book Review: Design-It-Yourself Clothes

I always like to buy patterns and craft books. And if it comes with pattern it's even better, cos I simply can adjust it to my own or whatever size I need to sew. 

Sometimes, you see those adorable clothes on magazine or internet so badly and your tailor can not do it for you (I'm talking about tailor in India in general *wink*) or if  they  can, they will make a big hole in your wallet for the quality of sewing that below your expectation.

Then it's time you buy this book : Design-It-Yourself by Cal Patch. From the book flap: Cal Patch was a clothing designer for Urban Outfitters and Free People before creating her own label, Hodge Podge. She teaches sewing and patternmaking throughout New York City. 

It shows you how to draft your own pattern in easy way and how to modify it to whatever style you want. It give a comprehensive illustration from how to MEASURE your self, WHAT measurement is needed, right up to how to LABEL it. And of course how to modify it, now that's the best part. 

If you are like me, then this book is a MUST for you. Be it dress, top, tunic, knitted fabric, pants, skirt..you will find it in this book. 

Here are few snaps from the book

Knickers

Miho Shirt

variation of dresses and Tunics

Skirt

I tried  making the pattern. I made simple A skirts. And here they are:

The fabric is Indian chanderi cotton brocade. It has zipper at the side and I put lining too..

and for the teal one, I got this sarong fabric from Indonesia. The fabric is thick-ish so lining is not required :)

So, go ahead and get the book. It's worth all the penny. If you are in India, you can purchase it via Flipkart , which has wide range of foreign craft books and I wish they had magazines too..haha..

Until then...Happy Sewing