Tuesday 5 June 2012

Hop, Hop and Stop!


That’s right! It’s my stop on the Let’s Get Acquainted Blog Hop! Well mine and Cinzia’s from Deux Petites Souris! You must see her Sunshine Quilt – it’s gorgeous! So cheerful!
So let’s get acquainted! Here’s a bit about me. I’m 30 something, and no that’s not just me being coy about my age. I actually have to stop and think exactly what something I am this year. Tragic I know. I live in Australia and am a busy mum to my two gorgeous kidlets who I refer to by their nicknames, J (4) and Lulu (2). Love them dearly but they are also the reason for my sewing – to keep me sane in the midst of “Mummy, mummy, mummy, mummy, mummy” ad infinitum. That’d drive anyone crazy.

So this isn’t all just talk talk talk (which J accuses me of doing oh so often), here’s some pretty pictures to break up the text! A few favourite projects I’d like to share.
Paper piece pics
I have been quilting for about 18 months and am seriously addicted. I’m not sure if it’s all that gorgeous fabric, all those awesome patterns, or just the fun of cutting up fabric and sewing it all back together and creating something fun!

Random things about me. I love to read (just discovered Elizabeth Chadwick - love love love). I watch a stupid amount of tv (Revenge, Offspring and Lark Rise to Candleford top my list right now). I have two tattoos and would love to get more - some day. My dream destination is Scotland. I have a degree in Primary Teaching but have been a stay at home mum since being ricidulously-vomity-all-day-morning-sickness-sick with my eldest. One day I might go back to it, or maybe I'll do something different altogether. I love green things and bird things (and in fabric designs of course!), but not necessarily green birds ;). So are those random enough? I'm not really a very exciting person I'm afraid!

Quilts
So… quilting tips I’d share… Don’t be afraid of something challenging. Just jump right in and try it. Worst comes to worst, you rip out seams. So what?! At least give it a try!

Blogging tips I’d share… Make sure you’re not a no-reply blogger. I get so bummed when I want to reply to someone’s comment and I can’t because they don’t have an email address linked to their profile. It also means you could be missing out on winning giveaways you’ve entered. Now that’s tragic indeed. Here’s a link on how you can fix that!

Oh and please please please, consider taking that awful word verification off your comments on your blog! I know some people won’t leave comments if they have to prove they’re not a robot. Here’s a link with more info on that too.
Bags
As for favourite type of quilting/sewing… if you just skim through even a handful of posts on my blog, you’ll quickly see I’m a bit of a paper piecing addict. I just love it. I can sew great things and not have to worry about lining up perfect points (perfectionist I ain’t – see I even wrote ain’t and didn’t go back and correct it! Ok it is making me twitch.. just a little), Paper piecing is fiddly, it’s time consuming, but oh you get some great results.

So in my paper piecing endeavours… I have recently started drawing up my own blocks which is a bit of fun. (Check out Quilt Assistant – freebie program for designing quilt blocks and paper pieced blocks). Which leads me to my tutorial for this fun blog hop!
Red Herring groupI call these little blocks Red Herrings. They are like herringbones, but not. Hence the name. You can read more about how they came to be here. It’s been a bit of a learning curve to work out how to make the pattern so I could share it with anyone who’s interested and more importantly, have it print at the correct size. I’m still crossing my fingers that I managed that!

The tutorial is designed for those who haven’t paper pieced before (you really must try paper piecing! – as Miranda’s mum would say – Such fun!) or you can go straight over to Google Docs and just grab the pattern and away you go.
Red Herring QT
I used Half Moon Modern for my blocks which has some cute little novelty prints mixed in with the dots and stripes – some little scissors, butterflies and some unidentifiable scribbly type signatures. Probably written by doctors. Whatever it is, I love it.
ETA: I have since been reliably informed it is in fact cursive Japanese. I would never have guessed!

So there you have it! A bit about me. A bit about quilting. And a tutorial and pattern. Fun hey? Now don’t forget to swing by some of the other Blog Hop Stops. Here are some of the recent ones, but you can find the whole list on Beth’s blog Plum and June. Thanks for hosting this Beth!

May 31
    Jodi from Tickle and Hide
    Libby from Miss Beau Jangles
June 5
    Cinzia from Deux Petites Souris
June 7
    Taryn from From Pixels to Patchwork
    Em from Sewing by Moonlight

letsgetacquainted

Thank you for stopping by my little blog! :)
Happy sewing!
Kristy

38 comments:

  1. This is awesome Kristy! Great to get to know you better and have some good laughs at the same time - I really enjoyed reading this! And I'm so excited you did a paper piecing project - I still haven't tried paper piecing but it is high on my list so this might just be the inspiration to get me started! And your project is super cute! Thanks for participating!

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  2. Haven't tried Elizabeth Chadwick but having looked her up on Amazon and being a historical fiction buff it sounds like I should, thanks for the recommendation!

    Am so impressed at your tutorial, just thinking about drafting a pattern for public use makes my head spin.

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  3. I love your random things list, it made me giggle! Have you really only been quilting 18 months? You're very talented. (and please ignore my wonky grammar this morning! )
    It's lovely to find out more about you.

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  4. I also can't believe you've only been quilting 18 months, I love your 'picture' blocks, especially the birds and the fox!

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  5. Hi Kristy! It's great to meet you and "get acquainted"! I also love to paper-piece although it seems I don't really do it enough. I teach classes on it here at our LQS. Love your blog and sense of humor! And your bird projects are simply amazing - have you done a Cardinal? (Can you tell that's my favorite bird LOL?)

    Your Red Herring blocks are so darn cute!!! Thanks for the tutorial. You've done a great job on it =^..^=

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  6. Very nice post and your tutorial is really well-done. Thanks for sharing the technique, the block, and your finished quilt!

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  7. Great tutorial, thanks for sharing!

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  8. I found out from Beth this morning that I was a no-reply blogger, so yes, that is a very good tip. :)

    I'm terrified of paper piecing! But I've bookmarked your tutorial, and someday I will get up the nerve to try it. Cute block!

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  9. Wow, those paper pieced birds and the fox are so cute.

    I recently tried paper piecing and made a big mess. Is there a trick when removing the paper?

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  10. I loved your tutorial! Can I ask, what are your tattoos of? (I wanted one, but I scar like mad and have crazy allergies so have been told not to.)

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  11. Luuuuhuuuuve those red herring blocks! I am relatively new to paper piecing, but it has quickly become one of my favorite sewing methods. Can't wait to try this block.
    So nice to meet you, Kristy!

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  12. Oh my gosh, Kristy, I love those Red Herrings!! I'm definitely putting that on my must try list. You've got some darling projects...I can see that paper piecing is one of your specialties -- beautiful work! So great to meet you!

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  13. I still think that you are one of the funniest bloggers out there and this post confirmed it to others as well. You are honest, talented and faithful and I am so glad that the blog world and QCA have made us friends. Like many of your other readers...I think your Red Herrings tutorial might the start of my paper piecing life.

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  14. You do sound like you lead an exciting life! Thanks for all the cool tips and ideas =D

    I'm having a giveaway on my blog. Feel free to stop by and enter =D
    http://ibescheraldine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/official-150th-post-giveaway.html

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  15. Your paper piecing is lovely, and thanks for such a great, clear tutorial for your herringbone blocks!

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  16. Love your tutorial, it looks like a super fun block!

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  17. Oh Paper piecing is something I would love to get into...

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  18. Thanks so much for the paper piecing tutorial. I have been wanting to try it and this looks like a good first pattern. I enjoyed your post, it is always fun to know we are all the same, no matter what side of the world we live on :)

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  19. I absolutely love your red herring blocks! These are must-sew. Thank you!

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  20. I love all your work! I just started paper piecing and I LOVE it, thanks so much for the beautiful block. I am becoming a follower :)

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  21. I loved reading this post and getting to know you, so fun! :) I've been wanting to try paper piecing for a while now, but I keep putting in on the back burner because I have this idea in my head that it's really hard! lol, I will have to just take your advice and jump in and give it a shot.

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  22. I have just started paper piecing and so far love it! I took a lot of you tube videos for the light bulb to turn on but I think I have it!! Nice to meet you:)

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  23. I am here from the Blog Hop and now your newest Follower.
    I am utterly inspired by your gorgeous herring block and definitely adding it to my to-do list.
    I'm just thinking about joining a bee - it looks fun.
    xxxx

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  24. I loved your blog so much that I just posted about you over on my blog xxxx

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  25. I tried paper piecing earlier this year and love it - but I've not done anything as intricate as yours! I love the birds, so gorgeous.

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  26. Did you pattern test Carl the Chameleon? I absolutely adore him! Your Red Herring blocks are also just lovely. :)

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  27. Hi from another Aussie:) Love your Red Herring blocks - thanks so much for the tutorial!

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  28. My kids are past the "mummy, mummy, mummy!" stage. Now they just hit me up for money!
    Love your tip about jumping right in!
    I have struggled with paper piecing. it confuses me. You did a great job with it!

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  29. Totally get the sew to stay sane thing! Great post, love your block design - and I'm a new follower!

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  30. Hey there, lovely to meet you and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog. I am a stay at home mum with two children, and I was a teacher in the distant past as well :-) I need quilting to keep me sane too! I look forward to following you. Sarah

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  31. Love those red herrings...they are beautiful. Stopping by from the blog hop...

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  32. Very cute post and nice to have met you! Love the harringbone block by the way!

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  33. Fab post and great tute for the herringbone blocks - I am a BIG fan of those :)

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  34. Okay, I'm seriously in love with your blog. I can't believe the paper piecing! It's a new-found love of mine and you're just making it stronger. As for the "alien" writing it's actually Japanese written in cursive. My husband speaks Japanese and I love this print a lot for that reason. Now you know.

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  35. Very cool Red Herring blocks! I'm still trying to get the hang of paper piecing...maybe one of these days!

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  36. I know I'm a bit late, but thanks for sharing. I like your blog. ;)

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  37. Your post is fab and I've taken plenty from it. I'm pretty new to paper piecing but already an addict so I'm thrilled to hear about Quilt Assistant which I've made a note to look into. Your tutorial is fab and I've got some batiks just calling to me right now, quite loudly in fact, begging to be used ;) And I so agree with you about the verification on comments - after I'd been blogging for about 4 weeks I already knew how much I disliked this and was horrified to discover that it was automatically set to on on my own blogger account and I was a culprit as much as the next person. Needless to say I sorted out that pdq. I think that bloggers just don't know that this setting exists and, as we don't leave comments for ourselves, they never find out that they're guilty, which is a real shame as it puts people returning to comment again.

    Anyway, your post and tutorial are fab and I'm really glad to meet you :) ChrissieD (the Blog Hop Late Starter!)

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  38. Hey Girl,
    Your tutorial is fantastic and thanks for the great info on paper piecing :) yours is so lovely. I really heart your red herring quilt. I hope your having a great week!!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I read each and every word! I'll do my best to reply to them either via email or here on the blog, when time permits!