Happy New Year

As the New Year approaches, not just another year but a new decade, I have to ask where has the last ten years gone?  Wow a new decade! Time is flying past me too quickly.

What have I been up too this last year? I have stitched several quilts for national exhibitions, make lots of bags and have designed several patterns too.  Mr D and I had a fantastic holiday in France, friends, food and weather was wonderful.

My beloved baby girl got engaged to a lovely chap.  They bought a house and are busy planning a wedding.  My little boy had grown into a handsome man.

Next year is going to be busy with family celebrations as baby girl gets married and little boy has a special birthday.

As 2020 is going to be a rather busy year, I am planning to be more organise with my time, skills and projects.  Watch this space for special projects and events.

As we are fast approaching midnight,  I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year.  May the fresh beginnings brings you peace and happiness with good health too.

Bon Couture Designs

My beautiful daughter is a seamstress too.  It is not surprising as my children both have grown up with me constantly sewing both domestic items such as curtains and clothes as well as creative pleasure such bags and quilts.

We decided last summer that we would work together designing and writing up some off our designs.  We both love sewing.

Bon Couture Designs 

This is photo testing our head band pattern.  Bon Couture Designs

Christmas Gift

I designed this Christmas gift for a auntie.  I try every year to make this relative a gift as I know she likes the personal touch.

I have an ever increasing fabric stash.  My favourite fabrics, which happens to be most of my stash, is so precious I plan only to use them for special projects.

This is the silly reason my fabric stash is increasing in size!

I also took the opportunity to write up instructions for this design as a pdf pattern as well as using for teaching workshops

I am delighted to say this gift has been a hit with the receiver.

I machine quilted using a gold metallic thread. I used a top stitching needle to stop the metallic thread breaking whilst quilting. The other trick is to reduce the speed on the sewing machine. 

The table runner is a hexagon shape so I used a single fold binding. Standard quilt binding is too bulky for this pattern, 

This is a very easy and quick pattern. I will tweak the instructions a little and then let you know where to purchase it.

Winter Solstice

Another winter solstice has arrived.  My favourite time of the year.  The days will be start getting longer by two minutes each day. 

As we wave good bye to yet another winter, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Another Christmas Gift

I am busying trying to get everything stitched and posted ready for Santa to deliver on the big day.

This is a pattern that you can cut and sew within a hour.

This is a single bottle bag. This is a pattern I designed for our Bon Couture Design Etsy shop. The pattern is for a double bottle bag. I have altered the size. 

I love making gifts for family and friends. I spend a lot of time choosing patterns and fabrics especially for each person.  I often start planning in the spring but usually never start stitching until a week before the big day.

I need to be more organise in 2020 as we have a big family event happening in September.  So I plan to start in January.....


www.etsy.com/uk/shop/boncouturedesigns

Victoria Sponge Cake

Victoria Sponge Cake 

6 oz Self Raising Flour
6 oz Caster Sugar
6 oz Butter
2 Eggs
A drop of Milk

1.     Heat the oven Gas Mark 4.

2.     Grease two 7 inch sandwich tins.  I also line the bottom of the tins with greaseproof paper.

3.     Cream the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy.  The mixture becomes pale in colour.

4.     Beat the eggs in a cup.

5.     Add the egg a little at a time, whisking well all the time.

6.     I like to sift my flour twice. Once while measuring and the second time whist adding it to the
mixture.  Fold the flour into the mixture gently. One tablespoon at a time.

7.     The cake mixture should be soft, light and fluffy.  I often add a small spoonful of milk if the
mixture is not soft.

8.     Divide the mixture between the two greased tins.  Spread the mixture with the back of the spoon                                                                                   around the tin.  Make a small well in the centre, this helps the cake to raise more evenly.

9.    Cook in the centre of the oven until golden brown (about twenty minutes).  The sponge should            
       have risen and begin to shrink away from the sides of the tin.

10.  Turn the sponges out onto a wire rack to cool.

Friendship Star Block

Friendship Star

This tutorial will make a 6" Friendship Star Block.  I used only two fabrics.  A cream tone on tone fabric for the background and a pattern blue fabric for the star block.

Background  

Cut two 3 1/2 inch squares

Cut four 2 1/2 inch squares

Star 

Cut two 3 1/2 inch squares

Cut one 2 1/2 inch square

Layer one background and one star 3 1/2 inch square right side facing and pin.  Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.  Then draw a line quarter inch either side of diagonal line.

Sew on the outer lines.  I like to use an open toe foot on my sewing machine for sewing when using this method.  I like to be able to see the line where I am sewing.  If you wish you could hand stitch the lines.

The cut on the centre line. Repeat with the other pair 3 1/2 squares.

Press towards the darkest fabric.  PRESS, please do not iron, and treat with care as this is a bias seam.    Now trim the half square triangle squares to 2 1/2 inches.  Remembering to place the 45 degree line on your ruler along the stitched seam.

Arrange your squares as shown above.  Watch out for the correct placement of your half square triangle squares.

Sew into three rows using a quarter inch seam allowance.  Press the top and bottom seams away for the centre square.  Press the middle seams towards the centre square.  This will make it easy to stitch the three rows together.  Please remember to match up all your seams.

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Now give your finished block a press.  The block should now measure 6 1/2 inches.  Once sewn into a project or quilt it will a 'finished' 6 inch square

Ditsy Print

I really love this fabric but it is getting harder to find it in the shops or at craft shows. I have the feeling it is being discontinued, which is a shame as it is a lovely fabric.

So if I find it whilst at a show do not be surprise if you spot me buying a bolt.

New Year and New Bag

We had a wonderful time in Brittany over Christmas. Now a new year and new beginnings. 

I missed my sewing machine whilst away so it is lovely to get back to using it.

I purchase this sewing notion fabric at the Autumn Malvern Quilt Show and only just got around to using it.

It is a very large print.  It stitched like a dream.  

Now I have to decided whether to keep it or list it on my Esty Shop.

I will let you know what I decide to do with this pretty little bag.

New Year - New Start

Every Day is a New Adventure.

My word for 2019 is 'Adventure'.  Every day is a new adventure.  

The last year has once again passed too quickly. I managed to make three contemporary art quilts that exhibited national.  I have two more in planning for the Quilt Show at Exeter in the spring 2019.

I started well in 2018 when I set aside two mornings a week to plan, draft and sew new ideas.  Life got busy towards this middle of the year and I let slip these sessions.  I would like to get back into the routine of Tuesday and Thursday mornings as working sessions.  It is still important to me to discipline myself to set aside the time.

My Esty shops and classes kept me extremely busy especially around Christmas time.  I love designing new projects and patterns for both.  I have new designs on the drawing board for 2019.  

I am still a work in progress when it comes to de-cluttering my sewing room and studio.  I had sold a few unwanted items on Ebay.  

I also have the same UFOs as previous years waiting to be completed but I have learnt not to worry about them.  They will get finished when I have some inspiration to complete them. 

I am inspire to have a new adventure everyday in 2019.  Let's begin......