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Finished Object(s): Sea Monster Swap!

I've not had the photos for this sitting on my computer for about a month, honest. I really hate writing blog posts sometimes, but I've got nothing better to do at work today.

These are the finished bits I made for my #seamonsterswap partner over on instagram. And a needle cosy I made because I had some scraps.

After this there'll be a vague "this is how I made it" post that isn't really a tutorial, but some pictures and some swearing.

Also apparently I didn't take a photo of the back of the miniquilt when it was finished. It wasn't very interesting so you're not really missing out much there.




Portholes, tentacles and seahorses were the aims here, which I think this hits. Nothing massively "sea monster" but definitely deep sea and a bit weird.
I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do, and then had to work out if I had the skills to match!
Thankfully, the issue of Quilt Now that came out around the time I was planning this had a tutorial on how to do the portholes, which I tweaked a bit when it came to constructing the back (more on that in the next post)




The seahorse pattern is from TartanKiwi, and is obscenely fiddly (especially as I shrank it down to I think 75%) but is so well written that I didn't have any problems. It's pieced with Kona Solids and Cotton and Steel Fred and Carrie in Navy, which I painstakingly pattern matched across the piecing, with mixed successes (there are some mutant whales in there... oops.)
The portholes are Rae Ritchie's Sea Sirens and Into the Reef, and Patty Sloginer's Into the Deep.
The submarine is Essex Linen, although don't ask me which shades! The back is metallic, the front isn't (to reflect the inside/outside theme I was going for) and the tentacles are Moda Grunge (which I'm still obsessed with).


(the back before I trimmed it down and attached it)

Lots of new skills on this; the portholes, the applique (which didn't quite go according to plan, but wasn't a complete failure), and working with the essex linen was a first. I think I like it? I'm still not entirely sure why everyone says it's the most amazing thing ever, but then I also don't like a lot of things that people think are amazing.

I quilted it with some Gutermann variegated sulky which was a mistake. It looks great, where the thread didn't snap or knot or generally act like a pissy wanker. I tried a new needle, different sized needles, everything. It and my machine did not get on. The quilting was supposed to look like streams of bubbles, but it didn't quite work. Oh well, c'est la vie.


The needlebook

Originally the mini was going to have the little portholes on both sides, but then I realised that would make it way too big, so I seam ripped one side off. With the leftovers, I made a cute little needlebook for my partner, sort of using a couple of tutorials I found online, but also modifying them, because everything is better with pockets and kamsnaps (rather than buttons and bits of elastic to hold them closed)







This took maybe an hour to make, and I really like the result.


The Thread Cosy

I'm knitting a lot these days, and while I don't knit socks, I know a couple of people who do, and who think needle cosies are awesome. I hate DPNs with a passion, but accept that they are necessary for hat decreases, and occasionally wrist warmers.
This is another, I found a tutorial and then ignored half of it because it was weird.
I also had a snaps accident, in that I tried to use heavy duty metal ones, they wouldn't engage with each other properly, so in a very calm fit of rage, I took several pairs of pliers to them and removed them without actually damaging the fabric, then waited 24 hours for some kamsnaps and applicator to turn up (all hail next day delivery)

I gave this to a friend, as she actually uses them, and loves the fabric.



And that's that. The swap went down well, I'm planning on more needlebooks and holders for when I finally pull my finger out and set up my etsy store, and I'm still walking ridiculous amounts every day for this stupid sponsored steps thing (please, sponsor us, it's ridiculously hard and we're both exhausted)

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