Chevron patterned Quilt

I’ve always loved the Chevron pattern. I have made two crochet blankets in a chevron pattern, and now I have also made a chevron patchwork blanket.

My first chevron crochet blanket.
The chevron pattern looks great!

This blanket was suppose to be for our youngest Grandson. He was born November 2016. I made it in pure New Zealand wool, but it ended up being so heavy. I would have to pay a fortune in postage to get it to London, where he lives. My eldest daughter now uses this blanket at work. On a cold day it is perfect to wrap around her legs and keep her toastie warm.

Great colours for a little baby boy 🙂
This photo shows the colours better

This was my next attempt, and I am really pleased with how it turned out. I made it out of acrylic, which is really great for wash and wear. It was also much lighter and cheaper for postage 🙂

Look how snuggly this blanket turned out! Little grandson is tucked up nice and warm in his Nana made blankie.

Now onto sewing Chevron. It is actually a whole lot easier than it looks. In fact with patchwork, there are often little secrets to the sewing that make the whole process a lot easier than you think. Thank goodness for that, because, by nature I am a rather impatient person, and to have shortcuts really suits my personality.

Here is the process I used to create my quilt.

Start off with two piles of square cut materials. One pile is plain fabric. I used calico. The other pile has a number of each colour. The amount depends on how big you want to make your quilt
Place the two squares together, good sides facing each other, and sew a quarter inch seam right around the outside joining the two pieces of material together
Using a cutting mat and quilting ruler, cut diagonally in both directions
You will end up with 4 new squares from each of the original squares. These ones have a join in the middle and have two different materials
Once all the squares are cut and pressed, lay them all out to work out the pattern and colour scheme you want
Sew each row together and iron the seams one way on one row, and in the opposite direction on the next row.
I keep the rows in order as I sew, so it is easier for ironing and joining
Now you sew the rows together. As you sew them together, you will notice that they fit together nicely when the seams are ironed opposite.
once the mail chevron pattern is sewn together, you can pick how you would like to border the quilt. Put the layers together and do your top stitching
I’m lucky to have a lovely big craft room with two big tables that I can spread my quilts out on. This makes putting the layers together a little easier. I love the curved safety pins that I can use to temporarily hold all three layers together while I do my topstitching.
I do all the topstitching with my cheap brother sewing machine. It has served me well, I can tell you. I roll up the quilt, and slowly feed it through as I sew. This is a process that requires lots of perserverance and patience. I do my own topstitching as I am too scroogey to pay for it to be done professionally. I’m quite happy with the finished effect.
The finished product

To finish my quilt, I did multiple rows of stitching on the outside border. I then sewed the binding on and it was complete. I love it and it has become my quilt that is used the most. I can just throw it in the washer and it comes out great. A very practical quilt that is pretty to look at as well 🙂

I hope you can follow my instructions and create your own Chevron Quilt. You can finish it off to your own liking. Please post a photo of yours in the comments below. I would love to see what you create.

Scrapbooking while in Sydney November 2015

I know…   I know…  I seem to always be in Sydney 🙂

Eldest son C1 and his wife had a trip to Las Vegas for a conference and some fun as well, and I am here to look after the two youngest grandchildren. The eldest is now 18 and very independent. She is studying to be a nurse, has a part time job and drives herself everywhere 🙂 I am feeling extra blessed to be spending time with baby G6, who is actually not so much of a baby now. He is 19 months old and such a happy and busy boy. I’ve had so much fun with him 🙂

Luke loved playing with the hose on the trampoline :-)
Luke loved playing with the hose on the trampoline 🙂

And G3 has been such a great little girl while Mum and a Dad have been away. Every morning she got up and got herself organised for school, including making her own lunch. I had the priviledge of doing her hair some mornings 🙂

Just one of the hair styles (a little messy), But I did french plait as well :-)
Just one of the hair styles (a little messy), But I did french plait as well 🙂

I love to be productive no matter where I am, so while G6 has his afternoon sleep, and once the children are in bed at night, I have been scrapbooking. I love the feeling I get from creating a page and being able to finally look at the finished product. Mostly the pages are finished, but as I don’t have all my embellishments here with me, there will be a few little extra things I will add when I get back home.

This page was made using the scraps left over from an Echo Park Kit. It was lots of fun to make and looks great (well I think so anyway) The grandsons are so cute :-)
This page was made using the scraps left over from an Echo Park Kit. It was lots of fun to make and looks great (well I think so anyway) The grandsons are so cute 🙂
A fun photo taken at St Ives in Sydney. Paper use is Echo Park.
A fun photo taken at St Ives in Sydney. Paper use is Echo Park.
A portrait photo of Leeara and Jessica taken a few years ago.
A portrait photo of G1 and C6 taken a few years ago.
Simon and his boys Jayden and Christian. This page is mainly made with Echo Park papers.
C3 and his boys G2 and G4. This page is mainly made with Echo Park papers.
Christian talking to Uncle Ben on the phone on his 4th birthday. Created with Bella! papers and some Echo Park.
G4 talking to Uncle C4 on the phone on his 4th birthday. Created with Bella! papers and some Echo Park.
Leeara in Uniform and going to School. Her irst year at Willoughby High School. Page using Basic Grey and Bella! papers.
G1 in Uniform and going to School. Her First year at Willoughby High School. Page using Basic Grey and Bella! papers.
At Dreamworld on the Gold Coast. Page created with Teresa Collins Papers, Tell your story :-)
At Dreamworld on the Gold Coast. Page created with Teresa Collins Papers, Tell your story 🙂
Beautiful eldest daughter Joanna at her graduation. Pages used are Echo Park, This and that.
Beautiful eldest daughter C5 at her graduation. Pages used are Echo Park, This and that.
Photo of Leeara when she was about 8 years old. Papers are Echo Park.
Photo of G1 when she was about 8 years old. Papers are Echo Park.
Jessica and Leeara on a quad bike! papers are Fancy Pants Designs, childish things.
C6 and G1 on a quad bike! papers are Fancy Pants Designs, childish things.
My friend Julie and myself after a bike ride. Relaxing with a coffee and chat :-) Echo Park papers, this and that.
My friend Julie and myself after a bike ride. Relaxing with a coffee and chat 🙂 Echo Park papers, this and that.
Another Leeara page. I'm trying to catch up on completing her album. this page was created using a Kaisercraft Kit.
Another G1 page. I’m trying to catch up on completing her album. this page was created using a Kaisercraft Kit.
Another page using a Kaisercraft Kit. This one of Jayden and Christian while on holiday in New Plymouth.
Another page using a Kaisercraft Kit. This one of G2 and G4 while on holiday in New Plymouth.
Christian on his 4th birthday using Bella! papers.
G4 on his 4th birthday using Bella! papers.
Our Scrapbooking Christmas party about 2 years ago.
Our Scrapbooking Christmas party about 2 years ago.
Photo taken 10 years ago. Page created with Authentique Paper, and the Delightful Kit.
Photo taken 10 years ago. Page created with Authentique Paper, and the Delightful Kit.

I still have another two days left in Sydney and then it’s back home to get my gardens tidied up. I really want to get our vegetable garden producing some great vegetables for us over the summer. So it will be all go once I get home, and no time for Scrapbooking!

I wonder if I manage to produce another page or two before I leave?

I did it! Two more pages 🙂

Leeara amd Jess with their milk mustaches. Teresa Collins papers.
G1 and C6 with their milk mustaches. Teresa Collins papers.
These girls love having a face mask together. Echo Park paper
These girls love having a face mask together. Echo Park paper

And now it’s time to pack my bags!

 

Way behind in my posts!

I don’t know why but I am way behind in updating my blog. I’ve been back from Sydney since the 17th of June and I haven’t managed to do any more Scrapbooking! How sad is that! I did manage to do a few more pages while I was there though so I will add those photos for you to look at.

Christians 4th Birthday party
G4’s 4th Birthday party
At St Ives community fair
At St Ives community fair
favourite form of exercise over summer
favourite form of exercise over summer
The boys had fun at the free pools for children at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth, New Zealand
The boys had fun at the free pools for children at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth, New Zealand
Joanna getting ready for her Graduation ceremony
C5 getting ready for her Graduation ceremony
My beautiful girl happy with bike riding
My beautiful girl happy with bike riding
me and my girl!
me and my girl!
Casey was pulling off an annoying tag...she got it!
G3 was pulling off an annoying tag…she got it!
That hill was so hard to bike up! Jo made it, Judy didn't!
That hill was so hard to bike up! C5 made it, Judy didn’t!

One week in Sydney

This week has gone so fast. C1 and D1 left for Fiji last Sunday to go to Rob and Libs wedding. I stayed home and played ‘Mum’. And…I loved it! Although I must admit I am feeling tired. Actually, I wake up tired! But that’s not unusual for me. I’ve been like that for years. My Mum gets sick of hearing me say ‘I’m so tired’. She is 84 and I am sure she has more energy than me!

Every morning G3 and I walked Rosie to school and once G3 was safely in class, I walked Rosie around the BIG block back home. At least I was getting some exercise along with Rosie. I cooked the meals, did the groceries, washed the clothes, did baking and even had time to do some gardening. I had fun! I love filling up the green waste bin so when it is collected it is full!

G3 had swimming on Tuesday, Jazz on Friday and Dance practice on Saturday. G1 had work 3 times during the week so that meant a few trips to the train station as well. But every evening once G3 was in bed I got time to do Scrapbooking. I aim to get a page completed every evening. As I only have 4 collections of papers, I have to be pretty creative so that the pages don’t all look the same. I also have limited supplies over here in Sydney, so try to just use the products that I brought over with me.

I still have 8 days left so who knows how many more pages I will achieve. C1 and D1 arrive home in the late afternoon. I plan to have a lovely welcome home lamb roast for dinner with roast potato kumera and pumpkin! Yum!

Attached are some photos from the week 🙂

One of the photos is about grief. This week has also been a very sad week for me, although also a celebration of life as well. How??? I had a grandchild die while only 4 months in her Mummy’s womb. We were told a week earlier that there was something wrong and her little heart just stopped beating.

Lillianna had a rare chromosone disorder called triploidy. Her life expectancy would have been short and possibly may not have even survived out of the womb. We were all very excited to know that her Mummy was pregnant and couldn’t wait to meet our new little grand daughter…and we still will, but it will be in heaven.
If you want to read more about Lilliannas condition, click on the link below.

http://www.rarechromo.org/information/other/triploidy%20ftnw.pdf

We will always remember our little Lillianna xoxoxo

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Still in Sydney

Today is Saturday…only one more full day left in Sydney. I fly home very early Monday morning! And….I have had a fabulous time here with my two grand daughters. D2 came back from Singapore last Monday and we have had a lovely week together as well, although she developed a very sore leg, with the pain radiating from her heel. After a late night trip to the emergency department of the hospital and a scan of her legs, Deep Vein Thrombosis was not the cause but Rebecca is now on anti-biotics and seems to be getting better.

I have still managed to do scrapbooking every evening and have a few more pages to add. I am loving having time to scrapbook and not feel that I should be doing other home maintenance jobs with my time. I hope that I have spent enough quality time with the girls as well, and they don’t feel that I have neglected them while I am busy scrapping 🙂

Here’s the pages…Jayden

Ben Casey and Rosie Leeara 3 me Mum and Dad photo(2) the boys 2

Holiday is well and truely over!!!

Well we have been back home now for 2 months..and man has life been busy! We are back on the daily tredmill and the weeks just seem to go by faster and faster. But life is good! Winter is over and Summer is just around the corner 🙂 My weeks have been filled with mainly music, mainly music preparation, Scrapbooking, and work work work. I have also made about 5 DVDs of our holiday (still have a few left to do) and also made photo books of most of the holiday. I still have 2 to do. I decided to do photobooks this time round and then just print off a few holiday photos to scrapbook. I will add some photos of our latest scrapbooking pages for you to have a look at. I must admit that since I purchased my iphone, I haven’t been very good at uploading photos from the camera, and the phone is full of photos! It’s so easy to upload photos onto Facebook directly from the iphone, and I have discovered Instagram, and love uploading photos into my Instagram album. My Instagram name is also pamperstamper, so it should be easy to find me 🙂 So here are my scrapbooking pages and when I upload my iphone photos I’ll put some more photos up.

Before I leave!!!

Just thought I would add some more of my scrapbook pages before our big trip overseas again!! Yes…we leave New Zealand at 11.30pm tomorrow night and arrive in Shanghai at 7.30 am. This will be a 3 days stopover on our trip to England to see Daniel and Marysia. I plan on keeping you all up to date on my blog rather than Facebook…well I plan on it but it all depends on when and if I can get free wireless! The bags are packed and I just need to do a bit more housework tomorrow. The scrapbook room is tidy and everything put away awaiting our return at the end of July. Then it will be a very busy work room as I will have tons of photos to scrap!!! So here are the latest pages anyway…enjoy

Some more inspiration – My latest pages

Our Wednesday morning scrapbooking is going well. We manage to create 3 pages each time we are together and we also eat way too much food. I am sure the extra 5 kilos I am carrying around at the moment comes from our Wednesdays. it’s like a party each week! But I love scrapbooking. If I do a layout that I really love I will do it again with different papers. It will usually end up in a different album anyway so you would probably never see the pages together. I purchased a kit called ‘Sidewalks’ from ‘October Afternoon’ and have made lots of pages from the fabulous paper already. I have also used up nearly all of another kit called ‘Life is good’ from ‘Echo Park’. ‘Everyday Enchartment’ from ‘Stampin Up’ has also been a favourite of mine. Those kits are well worth buying! I leave my new pages on display to admire until I take a photo and file them away into the correct album. If you like scrapbooking I hope my pages can inspire you too 🙂

Some more pages!!

I just realised that I have loaded up my latest pages but forgot to load up the pages before them. So I will now update my blog with them….and you will have heaps to look at and be inspired by 🙂 My next post won’t be scrapbook pages….okay 🙂

A sample of my latest pages

Our Welcome On Wednesday (WOW) scrapbooking and card making mornings are well on the way for this year. We usually have 4 of us here each Wednesday but have actually had 6 ladies a couple of times. It is such a lot of fun and even though we only get 2 pages done each week, we all enjoy being together and the bonus of creating beautiful pages. I love scrapbooking! I also love looking through my finished albums. So as you can imagine everywhere I go I take my camera with me. I can’t miss another scrapbook opportunity, even though I still have heaps of photos waiting to be scrapped! I hope my pages will inspire you to create some for yourself. I certainly don’t mind you copying my pages….I also get ideas from other pages I see and love…enjoy 🙂