Flex Frame Sunnies Case!

Apologies to my bloggy friends living in the East of England, but it has been full-on sunny here .... all week!  ALL WEEK!

And more to come!  Squeeee!

Pardon my excitement, but it only happens once a millennia here!

Timely then for my Flex Frame Sunglasses Cases to be published in Popular Patchwork this week.

The flex frames I use come in 2 sizes, 3.5" and 5".  My wraparound sunnies don't fold flat, so if you have glasses like mine you will need to make the 5" case.

Some fun sketch applique on the front, easy assembly and you'll have a sunnies case quicker than you can say 'still can't believe the weather we are getting!'

I love how these bright prints pop against the Essex yarn dyed (Denim) linen (more listed in my Etsy shop here).

So if you've still got some summer sewing prep to do, I promise these won't take long!  Popular Patchwork (June) is in the shops now!

Happy sunning!

Jude xo

Sketchbook Mini

Popular Patchwork are currently running a mini quilt competition.

You design and make a 10.5" x 15" mini quilt based around your favourite colour, send it to PP and they will display the entries at their Festival of Quilts stand in August.

Liz (editor) has asked some of the magazine's regular contributors to make a Sketchbook Mini to inspire others to enter.

So here is mine:



This mini quilt tells the story of 3 of my favourites in quilting:

Purple! My favourite colour, perhaps something to do with growing up in a 1970's purple bedroom!!

Scraps! I love working with scraps, and yes I keep even 1.5" wide pieces!

Log Cabins! The first patchwork block I ever made and I fell in love. This is a log cabin heart, but there are so many wonderful variations to the humble log cabin block (see my pinterest board here).

There are some amazing prizes to be won (check them out here) and the closing date is 11th July.

So, what's your favourite colour?

Jude xo

Bags and Crutches!

Apologies for the radio silence!

It's been over a week since I last blogged and in that time, we have entered into a new month (and hopefully a new season!).

Also since I last blogged, I've had car trouble, teeth trouble, and now ankle trouble!

My 2nd bad sprain in 10 months! Boo!

But I'm getting better at hobbling faster, and can even manage the foot pedal on my sewing machine!

Win, win!

So onto to much more fun stuff like sewing!

Popular Patchwork release 13 issues per year.  Their extra issue is a bag special, which comes out today!

Guess who made the front cover?

My fun appliqued lunchbags are insulated with heat resistant wadding (Insul Bright) and have wipeable and washable linings (rip-stop).

There's also a handy elastic bottle holder to stop your drink from squishing your sarnies!

And another of my bags features in this issue!

This is my Summer Flowers Handbag, using pretty fabrics from the aptly named Pretty Fabrics and Trims, made into Economy squares, with Essex linen and faux leather handles from Fabric Yard.

Features include an zippered pocket at the back and a magnetic closure.  You can also learn how to mitre a striped border.

This is a roomy bag, which could easily take a towel for fun days at the beach!

So that's me up to date!

I will try to stay out of trouble, for a few days anyway!

Happy sewing!

Jude xo

Staggered Strips Cushion

Are you a ditch quilter?

Ditch quilting is when you quilt in the seams of your patchwork, so that it won't be seen! This secures all 3 layers (top, wadding, backing).

Traditionally, quilts and other quilted projects were always ditch quilted first, before any decorative quilting was added.

However, as with most things, attitudes and trends have changed. No longer do we have to try to 'stay in the ditch' and hold our breath as we try to get from one end of a seam to the other!  (Imagine how nerve wracking that is for a beginner!).

As long as you quilt sufficiently (manufacturers state the minimum intervals on wadding packaging) so that there is no bagging between layers, then ditch quilting isn't always required.

However, that doesn't mean it can't still be used as a quilting technique in its own right.
Sometimes when you have pretty fabrics and an effective design, decorative quilting isn't required.

This is my Staggered Strips Cushion.  Hopefully you can tell that it is quilted without seeing the quilting!

I have quilted in all the vertical seams using my ditch quilting foot.  If you don't have a ditch foot, use an applique or open foot to maximise your view of the seams and ditches!

If you would like to learn more about ditch quilting, get my step by step guide in the current issue of Popular Patchwork (pg 34).  You can also get the pattern for my Staggered Strips Cushion.

Happy Ditching!

Jude xo

Shape Sorter Street Quilt

Popular Patchwork asked me to design a 'houses' quilt!

Quite a few wonderful houses quilts have already been designed over the years so it was a tough challenge to come up with something 'original'!

But the creative juices started flowing and I came up with this:

65" x 64"

I knew I wanted a modern, simple design, and as I started thinking of bringing in porthole shapes to the houses, they reminded me of the wooden shape sorter toy that my kids used to play with when they were small!

And so 'Shape Sorter Street' was born. 

It was a lot of fun to make, matching up the shape of the trees with their corresponding houses!

Apologies for the poor indoor pics! It was a dreadfully dull day when I finished this quilt.  When I get the quilt back from Popular Patchwork I'll take some better, outdoor pics!

The April issue of Popular Patchwork is out now!

Jude xo

My Favourite Bag!

Also in Popular Patchwork (March issue) is one of my most favourite bags!

It's my favourite bag because the 'quilt as you go' technique is one of my favourite quilting techniques and I get to continue my love affair with scraps!

I love the texture QAYG creates, and it's perfect for projects where you need a little more structure.

My pattern will show you how to 'quilt as you go' and also how to insert a recessed zipper, perfect for keeping all your fabric purchases essentials secure!

Hmmm, all this talk about QAYG makes me want to make something else using this fun technique! It's not like I don't have plenty of scraps to choose from after all!

Do you have a favourite quilting technique?

Jude xo

Spring Greens!

It was a beautiful Spring day here in Belfast.

The perfect day to show you my Spring Greens quilt.

I've used different sized 'geese' in Sandi Henderson's 'Secret Garden' fabrics.

This was a lot of fun to make!

My mind starting thinking about our migratory Brent Geese (who occupy Strangford Lough during our winter months), which inspired me to quilt arcs across the geese. My thinking here was to give some 'movement' to the geese!  Do you think it works?

More Sandi Henderson in the back.

The quilt finishes up at 67" x 72" and if you fancy making your own version, you can find the pattern in the March edition of Popular Patchwork.

Our Brent geese will fly away again in April!  So glad I've got my own resident geese, all year round!

Jude xo

Signs of Spring!

The sun was shining in Belfast today (while everyone else was getting snow apparently!).

It's so lovely to see a stretch in the day and vulnerable signs of spring pushing up in the garden!

Today I'm showing you my mixed textiles 'Man' quilt!

This quilt was a return to my first love, recycling textiles. Despite it being a 'man' quilt, it was made mostly from women's suit clothing and linens!

Quilt top pic taken on a sunny October day!

I wish I had taken more 'up close' photographs to show you all the lovely textures here!  Perhaps when I get it back from Popular Patchwork I'll take a few more pics.

Making a quilt from recycled textiles can be a very organic process.  If you like reusing cottons, shirts and linens, then why not have a go at making your own quilt!

It's so satisfying seeing how unused clothing and unwanted textiles can be transformed into something snuggly and useful once again!

Linking up with Scraptastic Tuesday!

Keep warm!

Jude xo

February Already?

No, no, not really!!

But the February issue of Popular Patchwork is out now, and I have 2 projects in this issue.

This is my Cathedral Windows cushion, made in Essex linen and Heather Ross. Mustard and purple might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really love this colour combo!

If you've attempted Cathedral Windows before, you will know about the 'fiddle factor'!  Fiddly ironing, fiddly folding and fiddly sewing!!  But I'm pleased to say the Essex linen behaved beautifully!

This is one of those patchwork techniques where the results definitely make the process so worth while!  My advice? Don't rush it!

My 2nd PP project will be a separate post and link up.

Keep sewing!

Jude xo

Keep It Covered!

Do you bother to cover your sewing machine when it's not in use?

Have you ever had one of those awful plastic covers, that quickly start to tear and become useless?

I've definitely been victim of the latter, which is what originally inspired me to write a pattern for a sewing machine cover!

The affectionately named 'Hector's House' was the first ever cover I made, for my daughter's machine.

Interest grew among my classes and so I developed a pattern for a bespoke cover, where you could take the dimensions of your machine and make a made to measure cover!

Well now this pattern is available to everyone!

In the January issue of Popular Patchwork, you get all the details you need to make this cover, which includes a handle opening (again made to measure to your machine's unique measurements) and 2 functional side pockets.

Doesn't your machine deserve to be well 'dressed' and dust free!

The January issue of Popular Patchwork is packed full of great projects, and is out now!

Happy Sewing!

Jude xo

Popper The Penguin!

This cute little fella popped into my head a while back, and now I can share him with you all!

The remit from Popular Patchwork was a foundation pieced 'winter animal' cushion.  And so Popper was born!

In actual fact, when he first 'grew' on paper he was quite podgy, and so we affectionately named him 'Fat Boy'!!  I think he's been on the mince pies already!

You can find him in the December issue of Popular Patchwork. I hope you like him as much as I do!!

Also this issue is my Giant Log Cabin pattern, which Elizabeth, the editor, made up in beautiful Christmas Fabrics! Isn't it gorgeous, keeping Popper company there on the front cover!

And, the monthly 'Let's Visit' issue features Belfast written by yours truly!!  It was difficult to condense all the wonderful things about Belfast in just a few short paragraphs!

So now you can pppppppppick up a ppppppppppppppenguin in ppppppppppopular pppppppppppatchwork! (sorry, couldn't resist!)

Happy Sewing!

Jude xo

Brrrrrrrrrr!

Temperatures have taken a tumble here, with log fires and cosy quilts becoming more and more alluring!

Or how about a hot water bottle!

Wet and stormy days make great sewing days, so why not rustle up some comforting hot water bottle covers?

I'm sure you know by now that I can't resist a little patchwork porthole!! 

And a great way to use up those smaller scraps (that just seem to multiply when my back is turned!).

If you fancy making your own hot water bottle cover (fits standard size hot water bottles) then pick up the November issue of Popular Patchwork! (If you are local to me and have difficulty finding PP in the shops, email me for a list of retailers who stock it).

Stay warm!

Message for Sharon McCartney - thank you for your comment but I have no way of replying without an email address. Please leave your email address in another comment and I will get back to you. Thanks Jxo

Jude xo