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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Revisiting neglected projects ......

I love to have a 'leaders and enders' project on the side of my machine.... not only to start and finish when I have a 'main' project but also sometimes when I have a few minutes and want to sew but don't want to start something big ....  or those occasional (?????) times when I really just can't make a decision .....

I started a scrappy spider web quilt after being inspired by THIS ONE of Tarnyia's some time ago
(btw - if you don't know Tarnyia pop around and have a good read and get to know her... she is lovely and does such a lot of amazing quilts and she's great with her scraps too)

anyway... I was inspired and in January to be exact I started my own ..... HERE is the origins of these blocks.... using THIS tutorial

I had these ones trimmed and ready....


and a pile of unfinished blocks.....

.... well, then I got to playing with my selvages (as one does) and made up a bunch of squares.... that will one  day hatch into chooks using THIS TUTORIAL...... like this one ....


Look at my pile of 'eggs'.... that's a potential 8 chooks...


I need to go and dig out some felt to make beaks and combs and tails .....

Now I have finished off that pile to discover I have enough for 16 blocks but decide it's not going to be big enough for what I want (it's going to be a tablecloth) ....


so out come the pillowcases (I got a bunch of nearly new ones for next to nothing - lovely white cotton)
..... and out come the box of strips (luckily Hubz likes icecream because those 5 litre containers are very useful!!)


.... and I have yet again... another new 'leaders and enders' project....

That's what happens when you clean out a room to put a new table in!!!

Righto.... Gotto Go... fabric cutting and marking to do....

So what is your 'keep on the side' project? ......

25 comments:

  1. I've made these before... aren't they just the cutiest little fellas!
    Great idea sharing the link! :)

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  2. Love your scrappy spider web - it's so effective. And your selvedge chooks are very cute and thrifty. My on the side project is always a stitchery, I only use my machine when I have to.

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  3. Your little chook is soo cute! Sometimes the selvedges are too pretty to throw away and a great way to use them up!
    Lisa
    BTW I am loving your header...gorgeous! lol!

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  4. gee you have been very busy Fiona,i saw that one on Tarnyia's blog it was beautiful,well done fiona you have acheived alot.xx

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  5. cute little chickies! Spiderwebs looking great and a fabulous idea too.

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  6. Love how the spider webs from those white stars.
    Can't wait till your 'eggs' hatch :)
    I've been using 2" squares for the Postage Stamp Charm Swap as leaders and enders ... it's a great way to sew!

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  7. I do love the idea of leaders and enders and getting a quilt for "free". Love the spider web. Aren't they great looking quilts?
    And the selvage chooks are just too cute. Great fun!

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  8. We are two peas in a pod!! I always have a leaders/enders project on the go! And this is my summer to finish up those tucked away, half finished tops! When I dug them all out, I'd forgotten half of them were there!! It was like Christmas. Am loving the Spider Web blocks. Well done!

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  9. My 'leaders and enders' are the makings for Bears Paw blocks.....each block has 16 HSTs, so that's an easy way to make them.

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  10. Love the spiderweb , that is on my to do list ;-)I don't have a leaders and enders project I should try that out .
    hugs Sheila

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  11. Your bit on the side is very pretty!
    Love the spider webs - much more practical than the real thing.
    Enjoy playing with those scraps.

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  12. I love your spiderweb blocks! And I really must get out my selvages and make one of those chooks! :0)

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  13. Your spider webs are coming along nicely Fiona. I love the little chicken.

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  14. You've sure been busy Fiona. Love what you've been doing. Those little chooks a so cute. Hugs,

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  15. I love that cute wee chook!
    I have about 9 boxes of unfinised projects!
    some big, some small. All still waiting for me.

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  16. WEll done for getting to some UFOs...love the spiderweb blocks, great way to clear some scraps!!

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  17. All very cute & Clever projects. I have been meaning to organise a leaders & enders since this time last year - its still a UFO - I jsut need some cutting time I think - I'd be happy with just 2.5" squares joined light to dark - it would be a start at least.

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  18. i started keeping selvedgesa while back, not sure why, no plan for them. they are just stuffed into a snaplock bag. Now i have a few ideas for them! I love the spider web blocks, they are the bonus to you for cleaning out the room...

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  19. Your spiderweb blocks look so good. Lovely little bundle of selvedge eggs too. Are you taming your scraps at all or do they keep multiplying like mine do?
    Hugs xx.

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  20. love you spider web blocks ... just lovely ...

    i keep a box of 2" squares next to my machine for the leaders and enders .. I have made them into 4 patch blocks snd have quite a few done to date ... more to do .. and will eventually make them into 8" blocks .. reckon it will be a lovely scrappy quilt when I finally get it finished ..

    you are very inspirational ...

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  21. Hello Fiona,

    Your quilt looks like you are looking through a kaleidoscopic,much nicer than a spider.

    Happy days.
    Bev.xoxo

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  22. Your spider web blooks look amazing.

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  23. The chicken is a gorgeous idea! We have real chickens and they are great to watch. I also love those blocks.

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  24. I admire you with all these spider web blocks! Must be hard work,I have never tried,but nice inspiration from you,Thanks :-)

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