Friday 14 September 2012

Friendship Quilts Blog Hop!

Friendship-Quilts-Blog-Hop-Button291
So, I was an Aussie kid growing up in the 80’s. I played on a Commodore 64, listened to music on a walkman, watched Astro Boy on tv (hey it’s back on – sadly my kid doesn’t think it’s totally radical like I did), had a Stack hat and spokey dokes on my bike, The Princess Bride was my favourite movie (and just quietly, still is) and I got the train cake for my 6th birthday. Is there a kid in Australia who didn’t always want that train cake?!


Birthday Cake Book

And I made my fair share of friendship bracelets. What’s all this go to do with quilting you ask? Well Diane @ From Blank Pages had the great idea of a friendship bracelet themed blog hop. That’s right – friendship bracelet designs taken to the quilting level! Do you know there’s a whole website devoted to various friendship bracelet designs? I spent ages til I found just the design I wanted.

Friendship bracelet idea 2

Then I decided to paper piece it.Totally excellent idea right?! It took a bit of patience and perseverance (and a big thank you to Kati for testing it for me!), but I finally got a design that I love.

Quiet Play Paper Pieced Knotwork
Friendship bracelet

It’s not perfect, but I’m still rather pleased with it. Especially when you consider the size of the pieces. Here’s a photo with my sewing scissors for reference.

Quiet Play Paper Pieced knotwork with scissors

I knew I wanted to make something for my fabulous Mum. She’s one of my best friends – plus her birthday is coming up. You know the old saying, two birds etc etc. I had planned to make this a feature panel on a bag for her, as she said she needed a new bag. Then she went and bought herself a bag! Seriously, Mum?! And I get in trouble for buying myself things right before my birthday? Pot? Kettle? Black?!

Anyways. As I was saying. Friendship. Block. Bag wasn’t a go. So what to make next? I settled on a pouch for the iPod Touch. Mum needs one of those for the times she tucks her iPod into her handbag to keep my kidlets entertained when we’re out Winking smile

Quiet Play Ipod Pouch

And by a totally awesome coincidence, my little paper pieced block was the perfect size! Inconceivable! Don’t you love when that happens?! I paired it with a little bit of Hello Pilgrim on the inside – the colours matched perfectly. It was meant to be!

Quiet Play Ipod Pouch open

I used this tutorial from Sew Mama Sew. Mostly. The tutorial said to top stitch the pouch together but I didn’t like that idea, so I turned it inside out, stitched it then flipped it back out the right way. Only to find that the top part stuck out. Which meant hand stitching it down. Pain in the bum, but worth it. It looks nice and tidy now!
Quiet Play Ipod Pouch finished

The top flap was a little plain – but a bit of embroidery soon fixed that!

Quiet Play Ipod Pouch back

So why’d I pick my Mum for my quilting version of a friendship bracelet? Can a girl have a better friend than her Mum? She doesn’t mind if I ring her at work, in near hysterics because my 4 year old son just gave my 2 year old daughter a mullet right before her birthday (true story). Who else makes such a big deal of birthdays – we even got a treasure hunt for all our presents – with rhyming clues and all (I never knew how much work that was til I helped her with one for my sister’s 30th!). She comes fabric shopping with me and insists I get 5 metres of batting “because you know you’ll use it!”. She doesn’t get that glazed look when I’m discussing the latest toilet training incidents. She seems to know a little bit about everything and is the first place I go for advice.I love my mum and think I’m very lucky to be able to call her a friend as well. She is most excellent.

Right enough mushy stuff? Shall we see some fun 80’s photos?

Here’s me and my sister (sorry NelleNelle, don’t hate me for posting this on the interwebs). I’m the one on the left. I’m enjoying this photo as I actually got to be the tall one! If we tried to recreate this nowadays, my 5’11 sister would have to kneel down and my 5’4 self would have to stand on a box. Sad but true.
K&D 80's

I really wanted a wild crazy 80’s photo for us all to giggle at – but it turns out my Mum kept us looking pretty tame. Except when she let me go out in public wearing these:

Awesome glasses

Elton John, eat your heart out. I was so stylin’. And the funny thing – my mum still has these glasses tucked away in her memory box. (Oh and check out the matching dresses!!)

So that’s my little contribution to the Friendship Quilt Blog Hop! Oh and if you want to go crazy and try out this paper pieced pattern yourself – you can find it as a freebie in my Craftsy shop.

Make sure you check out the rest of the blog hop – and consider making something friendship bracelet like of your own! There’ll be a contest with gnarly prizes at the end! Right I think I’ve used up my quota of 80’s words for now. But I will leave you with a little 80’s music to rock out to. You’re welcome.

Ah Icehouse… the epitome of Aussie 80’s rock.



September
3: Friendship Quilts Kick Off! at from blank pages...,
4: Diane of from blank pages...
5: Whitney of The Peacock Tree
6: January T of Sew Sew Go
7: Melinda of Quirky Granola Girl
10: Courtney of Mon Petit Lyons
11: Jill of Made with Moxie
12: Danielle of Fresh off the Spool
13: Kelsey of Kelsey Sews
14: Kristy of Quiet Play …. You are here!
17: Marika of Live, Laugh, Love... Sew
18: Karen of Sew Well Maid
19: Rachael of imagine gnats
20: Katie of There & Back
21: Lori of Lori H. Designs
   - LINKY FOR YOUR PROJECTS OPENS
24: 80's Pictures Link Up Opens @ from blank pages...
25: TBA
26: TBA
27: TBA
28: Link up closes for projects
30: 80's Pictures link up closes
October
1st: at from blank pages...  Judges Picks announced, along with a random drawing for the rest of the prizes.

Have fun storming the castle!


17 comments:

  1. Now I know what to make with my friendship test block :) I'll make a glasses case for a pair of sunglasses :) Those 80-s photos cracked me up :)) Gotta love those sunglasses you have to admit! :) Did you give the iPod holder to your Mum already? I'm sure She'll love it! Mums always like to get handmade gifts :)

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  2. Iva Davies and the mullet with a perm! I did see them in concert many times. Your mum sounds like the mum I have always wanted. Lucky you. I have been watching series 2 of the Twilight Zone this week - so full of 80 s hair,fashion and songs.

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  3. I do not think that word means what you think it means. ;) Fabulous, Kristy! I love your friendship block and it's a great idea to turn it into an iPod touch case.

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  4. LOL! I LOVE that you guys are so different in height!! Don't know why... just seems funny to this 5'11" girl ;) ANYWAY, onto commenting on your sewing...

    Wow! So cool!! You're seriously crazy for such tiny piecing!! But as usual, an amazing design!

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  5. Great job on the the iPod case, and its even lovelier because its in my favourite colour - blue! Lets just say that while the 80's was your time, I am significantly older and spent my formative years in the 60's & 70's! Still loved Icehouse though! The 80's reminds me of starting full time work and getting married!(child bride by today's standards at 21!) The big five 0 for me this year!

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  6. WOW, amazing work. I can't imagine all those tiny pieces.

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  7. LOVE it!! It turned out absolutely beautiful!! :) My sister and I are the same way, I think she's 5'4" (and older than me) and I'm 5'8". So not as big a difference but still, she's my little big sister. :) Love your pictures! :)

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  8. Lovely pattern . . . that would be awesome large scale too.

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  9. Such a fun post Kristy! Your paper pieced friendship bracelet is amazing!! And your 80s picture are so fun!

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  10. Great pattern, tiny pieces as always, you are mad no matter what you claim! Love the photos too, hope your sister has forgiven you :)

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  11. Such a great looking pouch!! There was no better person to choose. Without her you wouldn't be around =D

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  12. This is a great pattern and a fab gift for your mum :)

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  13. I was an '86 baby, but even so I still remember some of these things! I think I had the same dress that you're wearing in that photo :D Thanks for the lovely post, it really made me smile - and phone my mum!

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  14. What a cute little IPod case! I love the colors, and the pattern :)

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  15. Wow. Great piecing on a really small scale. Hello to a fellow Aussie. I will be doing my post for Diane tomorrow. Have to disagree on Icehouse - Cold Chisel in concert in a small pub at Sydney Uni with Jimmy Barnes at his best - unbeatable!!!! Cheers, Karen

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  16. Just found your blog via Fiona at Finding Fifth and I,m enjoying reading! Love this ode to your mum! Can't help hoping my daughter feels like this about me one day! Beautiful paper piecing too!

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