inside out

Well I don't know when I've had so much fun, this overlocking business is brilliant! (easy to please, that's me...). While Mr P was away on the ski slopes I made a trial run tee shirt. It's turned out a bit too small because I didn't take into account that the existing tee shirt I drew round as a pattern was made of stretchier fabric than the stuff I was using. Still, sewing with jersey will be a learning curve as I've never been pleased with the results I could achieve with my sewing machine.

I still have the overlocker threaded with rainbow colours at the moment, but I rather like the effect, and it looks quite professional, especially on the inside! Maybe when I make a 'real' one I'll keep it like that and wear it inside out?

Although to be honest I'd be quite happy just chuntering away on the machine for the sheer pleasure of watching it neatly finishing the edges and slicing off the excess. It has a nice solid munching noise to it, too.

I've also finished the quilt I made from two and a half inch squares, and I'm pleased with how its turned out. After finishing and washing you can't guess that the squares were laid out by fusing then onto soft interfacing, and its a technique I'd certainly use again.

I machine quilted it in nine-patch squares, and apart from the interfacing and batting I already had all the fabric. The blues are from Mr P's old shirts and from charity shops and the bright batik squares were given to me by a friend.

The back is made from big strips of fabric. The blue flowers on the left were the most enormous old lady's nightie, complete with pin-tucked hem which I have left on the finished quilt. There is a bit of a shirt pocket on the back, too- I like the idea of the ghost of the garment showing through in the finished quilt, after all patchwork has always been made as a necessity from whatever is to hand, and carries its own history with it.

I had a lot of help from Molly with these photos, as you can see!

Have you finished yet, Mum?