Finished yesterday evening, a rather late Easter present for my husband - here it is in all its woolly glory, and he loves it.
He particularly wanted oak leaves and acorns, so they are on the central panel, and his favourite of all the tweed offcuts was the dark green on the right. I used dark green thread for the oak leaves to match the colour of the green tweed.
The back is fastened with five buttons. I didn't have five buttons the same,
... so I used three plastic buttons in naff 1970s brown...
... and two rather nice old metal buttons.
To get the best view of the free motion quilting you need to turn the whole thing inside out and look at the calico backing, but this cushion is about warmth and comfort, so from now on the backing stays out of sight.
I used three machines for this project - the 1949 Singer 15K hand machine for all the straight sewing, the 1945 15K treadle for the free motion quilting, and the 1936 Singer 201K treadle for the buttonholes.
Linking up today with Leah Day's blog for Free Motion Friday
Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday
and Laura's blog Quokka Quilts for TGIFF
Today I got to grips with the tweed cushion that I am making for my husband. I needed to cut the quilted panel to size and bind the edges, and then do five buttonholes. It was a replay of last week when I did the buttonholes on the 1940s blouse - attaching the buttonholer to the 201K treadle and trying not to go crossed eyed at the blur in front of me as the work is swung rapidly side to side beneath the needle.
Here is the back. I used quilting thread and went twice round the buttonhole to get a nice firm finish. If anything I think the buttonholes turned out better on the tweed than they did on the cotton for the blouse.
I always used to do my buttonholes by hand, which was very time consuming. Now with the buttonholer how long does one buttonhole take?
About 30 seconds. Total pleasure.
Linking up today with Kelly's blog My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
... just don't mix. Leah Day does say on her blog that you need to be careful with posture and keep your shoulders relaxed, but creaky old age is catching up with me. Free motion quilting for the moment is going to have to be an occasional indulgence, and I shall just get on with the rough and ready tweed cushion I am making for my husband.
The great advantage of working with tweed is that it is very easy to get rid of slight rumples - just turn the work over, sprinkle water on the cotton backing, and press it with a hot iron. The reward is the lovely smell of damp wool, and seeing the tweed magically shrink itself flat.
This brown tweed is particularly felty. It is hot work quilting it, even without gloves - which you just don't need because the wool is rough enough to grip.
Anyway, back on the subject of the shoulder, we are trying out the Niel-Asher technique. My son is doing the home treatment for me, and I think there may be a slight improvement already, but I'm not altogether sure. Anyone ever tried it? I'd love to hear how it worked out for you.
Linking up today with Leah Day's blog for Free Motion Friday.
Update 30th April
Also linking up today with Barbara's blog Cat Patches for the April NewFO, and here is the latest progress on February's NewFO
This is the first project using the tweed offcuts I received last week. I have promised my husband a cushion, using the plain tweeds, which are especially thick and felty.
The first stage was joining the pieces, using a strip of cotton print as binding. The idea is similar to the method for joining quilted blocks in the quilt as you go method - except that only the top strip is needed. This way the tweed lies edge to edge, so the seam has no bulk.
Then I pinned on a piece of muslin as backing and started the free motion oak leaves.
They are rough and ready, but this is a bloke's cushion.
The whole idea might sound a bit barmy, but it is turning out fairly well so far. It has been a lark doing free motion quilting without wadding and with no gloves.
Welcome to HoffiCoffi, the latest follower - thank you for joining!
Linking up today to Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday
and Leah Day's blog for Free Motion Friday
This collection of pure wool tweed offcuts arrived in the post for me a few days ago, direct from the manufacturers in the north of England - a trip of nearly 200 miles. (Americans take note - this is a small country, and that is a long way). I didn't know what colours to expect, I took pot luck and asked for five dark colours and five lighter or bright colours.
As soon as I had time I washed them all, so I know they are pre-shrunk when I use them, and also to ensure there is no loose dye. After an initial very warm dunk in a bucket, I washed them all together in the machine at 30 degrees. No nasty running dye - a fantastic result. I didn't know it was possible to have so much fun with a washing machine.
They vary in weight - the plaids would be suitable for skirts, whereas the plain colours would be ideal for a thick winter coat. I love the pink...
... and the herringbones are very jolly. My husband liked the dark green in the top picture and immediately wanted a jacket in it. No chance, I haven't even got enough to make half a sleeve, so I have promised him a cushion instead.
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