Scrappy Pinwheel - A Tutorial

Hi folks,
after some of you said YES for a tutorial for the Scrappy Pinwheel block, here it is.
This is the first tutorial I ever wrote (will write). I tried one for a quilt once and failed terribly. But this block is so easy to describe, it should be possible. And further on, just because I failed once, it doesn´t have to be that way for ever. Doesn´t it? It is the same as in life in general. If you fall, you should get up and go on.

But here it is, the Scrappy Pinwheel Tutorial

What  you need for one block:
- Several scraps in different colours and shapes, some strange odd pieces are super!
- A piece of backround fabric at least 10" by 10"
- 2 pieces of paper
- pencil, paper siccors, rotary cutter, cutting mat

For your templates draw an accurate square 6 1/2" by 6 1/2". Then draw the diagonals in the square and a half line into one of the triangles. Using the line as a reference draw a curve from one point to the other.

Now that you have your two shapes, copy them onto the second piece of paper (I use my window as a gigantic light box) and add a 1/4" seam allowance around them. Now you can cut them out. Done!

Take your pile of scraps and sew them randomly together. I didn´t even think about if the colours match, but I am sure it also look very nice if you make your pinwheels monochromatic.

 Don´t think while you are sewing, just enjoy that you don´t have to be so accurate (At least this is what I do!) If you want (I didn´t) you can cut back funny pieces of seamallowances on the backside.

After you have sewn some scraps together, check if your finished piece is already big enough for the template.

If yes, give it a very proper press.

Now you can lay your template onto the fabric and cut out the shape.

Repeat these steps until you have 4 of your shapes.

Now cut 4 of the opposite shapes from your backround fabric.

Lay the backround fabric onto the scrappy piece and sew the curves together. If you are not familiar with sewing curves, here is an easy tutorial.

After you finished the curve, give your fragment a proper press.

Repeat for the other three pieces.

Now that you have your four triangles, sew them together. Good job, you are nearly there!

Trim the still quite wonky block to your desired size. I trimmed mine 7" by 7".

Finished is your Scrappy Pinwheel Block.

I hope you liked this tutorial. Enjoy sewing!

Yours Miriam

Scrappy Pinwheel Block

Yesterday at our meeting from the Berlin Modern Quilt Guild after I tried out Pojagi, I found the time to work on some more of my scrappy pinwheel blocks which I told you about in my last post.

Today is my day off and after I relaxed in my newly rearanged living room, reading a book, snuggeling under a quilt, having a hot tea, I finished 9  7" pinwheel blocks. I think this would be a decent size for a new pillow cover.

I extremely like how it looks. Even as decoration on my wall.

I think about writing a tutorial for the block, would you fancy that?

This and That

I feel that my quilt making mojo is gone for a little while now. Unfortunately I don´t feel the "need" to make a new quilt (maybe because nearly everybody around me who has a special place in my heart already has a quilt from me and the pile of mine is already huge like a house). So I just did little things, like the baby quilt I finshed recently, or the bag for our german swap. The bag that was made for me unfortunately didn´t turn up yet. It seems that it might got lost on its way. Buhuuu I am really sad about that.
But on the other side from not beeing so inspired I need to do something, when I cannot go swing dancing or singing, which fills my life quite tremendously at the moment. Not to forget that computer addiction which worries me  recently. So back to sewing, thats much better than spending hours in front of a energy stealing big screen (Do you know this feeling?).

So what did I do?

First there is a medallion quilt which hangs on my design wall for a little while now, unfortunately I can´t show pictures, I didn´t take some yet and today the weather was so extremely terrible cold and dark -no chance for photos.
Yesterday very late in the evening I finally tried something that was in my head for some months now. I made a scrappy pinwheel block.   

It could look like that as whole quilt:

Or the other way around.

These two blocks paired together could look like this.

Oh this playing with the mosaic maker is fun and inspiring!
I love working with the scraps, I don´t have to use my precious stash. And it is such a good feeling when they are used .

 And there is my collaboration with the Bee Germany ladies who also help me to get rid of my growing scraps stash. I asked them to make some tumbling blocks block for me. There are still arriving at my house and I also added some similar blocks to ad some interest, but I am not so sure about it yet. Sorry for the blurry photo.

So this is what is in da house. Let´s see what happens next. I am excited.

A Mid Mod Houses Baby Quilt

In January 2010 the first baby of my dear friend Caroline was born. For this wonderful event I made her a quilt. It was the first quilt I ever made. Here you can see it in all its beauty.
Last week, about three and a half years later her second child was born. For sure I had to make a new quilt for Toni the new boy on town. What a lucky coincident that I still had the cute Mid Mod Houses Blocks in my drawer which where made by the talented bees  of the Bee Germany back in 2011.
So this morning I started to put them together.

I absolutely adore this quilt. I think even later when the baby  boy is to big to fit under it, the quilt can be used for playing.
And because I never want to let one child neglected, the big sister who is the cutest todler I know, will get a dollquilt made from one leftover block. I hope the kids and the parents like my gift. I definitely do.

Swap*pen auf Deutsch

We did it again! Aylin organized the second round of Swap*pen auf Deutsch. This time we are swapping  totes. Because I am going on a trip to turkey soon, I finished the tote for my secret swap partner very early.

I used the free Charlie Bag pattern from the Burdastyle website.  Already two  of these bags have been made by me and I love the pattern. The shape gives you so much possibilities to alter and "embellish" the bag. For the bottom I used some nice velvet leather because it gives you more durability. I really love this version. I almost hope my partner doesn´t like it, so I can keep it. ;-)

Inside there is one open pocket for the things you have to reach quickly and easily.

 And one zipperpocket for the more valuable stuff.  This is it for now, I wish you all a sunny sunday!

Paparazzi Bees in Berlin

This weekend we had our wonderful meeting of the Bee Germany in Berlin (How practical, just around the corner from my house). But anyway it was like a short holiday either, as we spend most of the time inside our nice appartement, which Aylin rented for the bees to sleep, eat and sew in. It was a blast meeting most of the nice ladies from the bee and next meetings are already in planning.

I also got some sewing done. I finished two bee blocks first, so that I would have a relaxed mind for the project to come. And hell´ya need a relaxed mind. I chose to make the paparazzi bag by Sara from sew sweetness.

It has a gazillion pattern pieces from fabric, interfaces and foam. And the sewing took ages.
I finished it today and have to add that I am quite inpatience and so don´t worry to much if you want to make one. It is a lot of fun aswell.

The funny thing about the process or lets more say the material,is that I could get a special stuff which should be inside. I was in a hurry and tried to find a replacement. So I went to the hardware store and finally I found something, what I thought could be used. It replaces the "By Annie soft and Stable" and is like a blanket with a rubber side which is  normally  used to put under a tablecloth. I worked awesome! Now the bag has this stable finish what I absolutely love!

The result is really rewarding. I like my paparazzi bag so much already allthough it hasn´t seen the camera yet. She (the camera) is not here at the moment, but tomorrow I will put her in her new home.

Besides the sewing of many projects (see some posts about it here, here and here) there was of course a lot of fun talking, eating and a tiny bit of drinking, too.

I had a fun weekend thanks ladies! I hope yours was also nice. And your week will be,too.
Take Care!

Rock me Baby

A few months ago (nearly a year, to be exact...) I stumbled over the most ugly rocking chair you can imagine in an antique/opshop in my street. I saw this guy and somehow liked it, but couldn´t explain myself why. It had the grosest fabric, but I liked the shape. (Unfortunately I forgot to take a before picture, but do you see the fabric???)

After I passed the shop and the chair a few times I understood why I liked it: It had the shape of a Mid Century Chair and just had been mislead because of the terrible fabric. Somebody must have made this huge mistake in the past to cover the chair with this. Somehow I imagine an old sweet couple, this was her chair, as I found  a crochet hook and a hair needle in it later.


Well back to the week I had found this chair. It was a time where my money situation wasn´t that good and when I asked the seller how much he wanted I was shocked. Unfortunately he knew about it being Mid Mod allthough I tried as much as I could to missguide him. I said what??? You want so much for this ugly chair? No way! And left the shop. But I came back every day, and asked him: How much is the chair today? Well after a few days it was half the price from the beginning, still a lot, but I couldn´t resist. Then it was mine.

I had the plan to upholster it with a patchworked fabric. It took me nearly a year, to finish this project. In this time this ruin of a Rocking Chair laid in my living room, with half of the fabric its inner life off. I was very close from throwing the thing away.

But then last week magic happened. I found the perfect upholstery fabric and started to sew right away.
And you know what? It was finished in two days. This was my easter project. And here it is and i love it so much!!! I can´t wait to sit in it, watch little holes in the air, drink a coffee or read a nice book in it.
I love how my good folks quilt matches the colours.

But let me tell you, upholstering a Rocking Chair is a lot of work. I had thought it was easier. But I think I am rewarded.
What did you do in your free time?
Did you have an easter project? Did you meet with family and friends? Did you enjoy your time?
And have you seen the beauty in something really ugly recently?