Bookbinding lesson

I love notebooks. I really do. I believe a new notebook can be as good as a tidy room. Lucky for me then that my dear friend Penny (rats as big as cats) needed to practice teaching bookbinding for one of her outreach and inclusion activities.

You need a few tools but the use of the foldback clip was my innovation

Mini teaching aid notebook

Finished sketchbook

Why not have a Bing lining?

Just sewing and knotting. Easy.

Hardback notebook with sections. Tricky!

You need to use maths and logic.

Sewing and taping

Cardboard cutting is even harder than paper

Glue. Lots of lovely PVA glue

Inserted paper scraps to stop the glue from taking more pages

Penny kindly showing me and my memory (camera)

Finished hardback notebook of my very own!

So I likely won't get hooked on this activity but I ended up with two lovely new notebooks and a new found admiration for those who do make handmade notebooks. I also understand why it must be infuriating to make them and them not be used. I do tend to do that, smoothing lovely clean unspoiled notebooks and scribbling on the back of an envelope instead.

So here... look... they're in use!

I drew what was nearby - my foot and my phone.

nbnq

xx

Oxford Crafters

Oxford Crafters' came out of the Etsy Meet Up that took place recently. It's organised by some young disaffected W.I.'ers and the first meet up took place on Tuesday. The purpose was to shape the group, asses what folk want etc. and of course do some creative stuff.

My postcard scribbles (it was before we knew the name)

The crafting task was Royal Baby postcards. Now of course I would never normally participate with such baby hoo hah (even if it's someone I know) but was showing willing. After all I want more craft and maker networking in Oxford and all the better if someone else is doing the organising. Since I am a sucker for being asked my opinion and for flattery I was also giving networking, promotional, branding and social media advice (which we know I love to do). I brought the lovely Penny (Rats as Big as Cats) along with me who, on top of our help and advice given, even helped to inspire the group's logo with her brilliant red suitcase project.

I took photos too... these are they...

Looking forward to seeing how this group shapes up.

nbnq xx

FOQing ready - Geek Boy Quilt

I finished it! My Festival of Quilts quilt is pieced, quilted, bound and done. It's the biggest thing I've ever made and I'm so chuffed I can't tell you (some blogger I am), but I'll try.

Geek Boy Quilt front - aiming for movement and distraction see?

Geek Boy Quilt Back - neat and ordered but dotty just the way I like it

It changed a lot along the way from concept to completion and there are/ were so many mistakes! I couldn't visualize the quilted dimension and leaving space was difficult. The piece of dotty fabric that I had for the backing fabric just wasn't quite big enough so in went a row of hexagon blocks. Deciding to make the quilt double-sided then changed up the design again because I wanted the quilting to make sense on both sides and neither side to be wonky. The arrogance of starting with a double-sided quilt for my first go did bite me... but I love the back and am so proud that back and front both work!  

There was quite a lot of unpicking from the original piecing which had a variety of shapes appliqued on the front, not just hexagons, but gradually I took them all off - apart from the cyber men in the middle. It just didn't feel right and no amount of reassurances convinced me of it. I now know just to trust my judgement with such things. 

The squares had to come off!

Scattering of mini hexies and shadow hexies replace the ejected squares in the top right corner.

The 'back' of this quilt I love, it's hexagons, dots, framed blocks in a row and my hand quilted hexagons show up a treat. Control freak enthusiast that I am it brings me joy and peace.

On the other side, (a.k.a. the 'front') you may recall my goal was to achieve a feeling of movement. It was intended to be a proper quilt, to provide comfort and distraction for poorly or sleepy circumstances, and it seems that it does - but for now at least I struggle not to just see the flaws on it. I learned a lot in the making of it, and I am so proud of it but it's still doesn't have my heart... then again it's not FOR me. It does make its new owner (to be) happy and it is what I aimed for.

I have learned a LOT in the making of this: 

Handbinding mistakes take some time to remedy!

1) If I don't love it it's not going on. 

2) There are good reasons to use for a whole back to quilts.

3) Double-sized quilt design is HARD! 

4) Appliqueing straight lines is crazy-making. Ridiculous. Foolish. I will find a better way. 

5) Properly basting a quilt is not only so worth it, but also gives a TA-DAHhh feeling when it comes out at the end.  

6) Cutting into English Paper Pieced hexagons and having it go wrong - not a big deal. Fixable in fact.

7) Preparation is everything. Buy too much fabric, make too many hexagons, practice, play, measure and be ready. There's no such thing as 'too big of a fabric stash' after all. 

8) I really need to try out machine quilting and binding. Hand piecing, hand appliqueing, hand quilting and hand binding is lovely - but pretty sllllloooooooowwwww.
9) For a bigger quilt I'll need to move out a sofa from my flat.
10) Do not sew-up or cut-up a project that is the same material as the dress you are wearing. 

There are many yummy fabrics in the mix but the highlights for me are:

1) Inclusion of scraps of fabric from Kitenge in Rwanda - given to me by the recipient's sister.

2) Blueprint fabric from Spoonflower - the recipient being an engineering sort.

3) Cyberman fabric from Spoonflower - the recipient being a robot enthusiast & Dr Who viewer.

4) Cow print from Darn it and Stitch - to represent Oxford via G&D's ice cream. 

5) Hello Cupcake fabric from Asking for Trouble on Spoonflower - one of the recipient's nicknames.

6) Little boy and bunny print from Darn it and Stitch since the recipient had a 'bunny blanket' as a small person.

Handquilting and orange binding? Joy.

+ The orange binding I do adore. You can choose just to see the twirling orange hexagons and orange of the the binding too. 

I doubt very much whether most folk that attend FOQ will like my quilt. The tough-to-please ladies judging the competitions in particular, and I base this on feedback some of my friends have had from their submissions in previous years, and these folk are way better than me. All that they won't like about it the new owner does though so... meh. It's pretty imperfect, but then again it is in the 'My First Quilt' section - because it is just that, my first. There are more photos over on my Flickr.

Mostly I am pleased that I said let's submit Modern Quilts and that's what I'm actually doing! I've never seen one like mine before, so at least that'll break up the impeccably made traditional quilts some.  

The owner of this quilt isn't me and I hand it over fully once the Festival of Quilts is over. Soon I shall have to start the next... and this one will be for me. I'm thinking MORE HEXAGONS! 

nbnq x

Darn it & Stitch (more DSLR douche-baggery)

I love Darn it and Stitch. Last time I was there I had my camera and when Jo was busy I took photos. These are some of them.

More on my flickr.

I can so see why a lot of DSLR douche-bags have blogs.

nbnq xx

FOQ me!

Mouthed off last year about the Festival of Quilts didn't I? Railing about the submissions of modern quilts I called out for us to do better... for folk to submit their quilts for us all to see in real life (not touch, oOOoh no not touch!). Me and my big mouth. Now obviously it comes time to put my money where my big mouth is and submit something myself doesn't it? I must make something of my own and walk the walk. Must I? Reeeeally? Yes, I definitely must.

My goal was to create a quilt that really comes into it's own when on a poorly person. You know that sort of poorly when you can't pick up a book, or watch telly but instead you just stare at cracks in the walls or divert yourself with a patterned curtain? That's what I mean. When  you've long hours to fill so you find a small detail makes you smile or transports you to elsewhere in your mind than in pain or discomfort, that's what I was aiming to achieve.

My quilt/thing/piece is hand-pieced hexagons (surprise!), appliqued onto a off kilter rectangle, which was pieced with my handle-turn Singer, appliqued straight lines (which are wonky but I couldn't face re-doing), basted and now part hand-quilted - but still with quite a way to go. It's not perfect. Really I would like to be submitting the back piece in which my hexies are safely and neatly framed into a nice neat row in amongst the polka dots. It's the side I prefer. The symmetry and rigidity pleases and comforts me - but as my kind friends have reminded me when I need them to - this quilt is not for me and my comfort. Always in mind I have the end result is not about pleasing the FOQ ladies but rather in the years afterwards to provide comfort to someone whom I care for in low times.

Geek boy quilt (basted stage) mini hexy detail

My kind, supportive, encouraging friends have provided guidance, encouragement and support (and I might need more still):

• Rats as big as Cats has coached me and kept me focused when I needed it, as did Quilt Fairy and my friend Noreen - no small task since helping me to create 'movement' and making something A-symmetric did NOT come easily to me I tell you! 
• Whilst making this I also have in mind Curly Boy who as my geek-quilter chum I so want to impress with this thing! I also know a lot of the old lady patchwork jacket crew are NOT going to 'get' it. I want to be able to add it to Curly Boy's Sew Geek Flickr Group for geek stitchery and be amongst those who will appreciate what I was going for. It ain't kittens and flowers.
• Flylilypad chivvied me forward, encouraged me in sweary motivational language and reminded me of the coming deadline as did others, for which I am very grateful. 
• Scruffalo who is to be the eventual owner of and snuggler-under of this quilt is therefore of course, my muse and inspiration but was the original motivation to get on with it at all! Something this size was terrifying - until the request came and I knew I HAD to do it. Been waiting aeons now mind and won't get it until the mid-August heat of summer! I am very glad of the patience. 
• Jo and Klee from Darn it and Stitch have been beyond brilliant and so encouraging... Jo's being incredibly supportive... not like a cheer, or shouting encouragement, more like two hands on my back shoving me forward. Like let's arrange a coach full of people to FOQ and 'go and see your quilt' supportive. *gulp* 

I can't bear the idea of everyone I'd let down if I failed to submit (and one of them is me) so here goes... WISH ME LUCK!

So I've submitted my application *now*! I've written some blurb and given dimensions but now I need to finish it... soon, so soon... like best stop typing and get on with hand quilting sort of soon. Yep. *double gulp*

Enjoying the sunny weather? Not really sitting with a quilt on your lap weather is it? Nope. But on I go.

If you're in the same position do let me know. Let us encourage and support one another, then bring something to show and tell, in the hope that if I do you will then will all have an inspiring interesting time. There's no shame in being a beginner and everyone has to start somewhere. Come on boys and girls - submit - there's still time!

nbnq xx
 (if you wish to chivvy, encourage or berate me on twitter I'm @nbnqnbnq)

Manchester - indulging in some DSLR douche-bagging

Here's the story in pictures...
(I did say I'd be practicing my photo-taking so forgive the indulgence please)

 A cracking time was had... and my photos are coming along I think. Turns out it really is all in the camera and 'blogger' lens! But I am really open to tips on how to take better pictures so please do say if you have guidance!

The rest of them are on my flickr here.

nbnqx

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