Countdown to Festival of Quilts!



In just 3 weeks time the show will be open and in full swing! As I write this I'm holding down the panic and telling myself calmly that everything will be ready in time! So what has me in such a spin - to start with  - I need to prepare the kits for the workshops - 432 - and make sure that we have all the necessary pins, needles, scissors and threads.

Then I'm making new pin cushions - to co-ordinate with our new bunting ( which is complete ), and then there are table runners and some cushions for display - so these items will be appearing on this blog over the next few weeks, and of course you'll be able to see the real things if you come by and see us at the Festival.

So this week I'm previewing the pincushions - I saw a pincushion similar to this one in Love Patchwork and Quilting - so I've adapted it and altered the size a bit to fit in with our dies -

To make this I used small pieces of 4 fabrics - and the new 1" finished square die -http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/659987/sizzix-bigz-die-squares-1-finished-1-1-2-unfinished

and the 2" finished square http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/657607/sizzix-bigz-die-square-2-finished-2-1-2-unfinished and finally the rectangle - http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/657605/sizzix-bigz-die-rectangle-2-x-4-finished-2-1-2-x-4-1-2-unfinished

This really can use up some of your scraps - and you could start now to make a basket full for little Christmas gifts  -

Using the appropriate dies and Big Shot  cut 2 x 1 1/2" squares from 2 contrasting fabrics

Cut 1 x 2 1/2" square from fabric 3 and finally cut a rectangle with the 4th fabric.

Join the small squares together in pairs -

and then join the pairs together and join to the larger square -

Join the front to the rectangle back with right sides together - leaving one end open turn right side out

Stuff the pin cushion and slip stitch the opening shut.

Attach ribbon around the middle to complete -

I think it's cute - and if you slipped some plastic or cardboard in the back then you could attach elastic to the back and make it a wrist pin cushion.

So 1 down 15 more to go!!

More projects with new dies next week - and it will be only 2 weeks until the show - have you got your tickets yet?

Have fun.

Angela