Nellie's Knots - revisited

Slowly but surely I'm revisiting our old patterns and templates in an attempt to bring them up to date. First up on the make-over list was Nellie's Knots.

I've put together a step-by-step pictorial guide to go with the 6" templates. You can access it for free in our Payhip store and on our website.

I've assumed that users of the guide will have a basic knowledge of foundation piecing so it is light on words.

If you haven't checked the free templates out before maybe now is the time :) Enjoy!
Catch you soon x

What a week!

There has been plenty of time to catch up on blog reading and crappy TV this week due to enforced bed rest, again (stomach bug, nothing serious)! I should have been chained to the sewing machine or pattern writing but instead, in between nana naps, I got on with a new EPP project. Since discovering glue basting the whole EPP thing really appeals to me in a way that it didn't before. As you know I'm fairly limited on the patience front, so the ability to crack on with sewing blocks together without spending hours tacking through shapes only to have to spend yet more hours unpicking everything is liberating! After finishing up my Hexiestars cushion I needed a fun new EPP project, so I drew up a plan on TouchDraw. I love tessellating shapes and wanted something a bit more testing than triangles and hexagons this time so I've used hexagons, pentagons and an octagon. I dragged out a pile of super bright solids and some of my favourite scraps and set to work on the first block. (Disclaimer: This picture is actually the second block because I forgot to take a picture of the first one with my camera, you can find the original block on Instagram.)

I've called it Tessellated Madness...because the line drawing in TouchDraw looked crazily complicated. This block actually goes together very quickly and I'm quite enjoying the process. The interlocking block that joins multiples of this block together is even quicker as there are only five pieces to it. I forgot to take a picture of it on its own but I'm sure you'll be able to work it which bits belong where, the green central block has 4 pentagons attached to it :)

 Very straightforward really...

...they fit together with a little help from a tiny diamond where you see the white gap in the centre of those four hexies.

Like so...

Within very little time I'm at this stage:

I just need to fill in the gaps around the outside now :) Not such a bad week up until this point if you disregard the stomach bug, then yesterday hubby and his motorbike parted company on a bend in the road! I'll cut a long story short to say that he's been exceptionally lucky to walk away with minor, albeit painful, injuries. He spared me the telephone call and the visit from the police and somehow managed to ride home. Needless to say it was a bit of a shock all round but we're very grateful that it wasn't more serious!

Today, I gave hubby a break from my constant nagging about painkillers and sat at the sewing machine for the first time in a while. I finally turned the Nellie's Knots top into a cushion for Catrin...

...and the mini Nellie's Knots into a little something for Sarah. Thanks ladies for being so patient!

I'm hoping for a much more pleasant week this week as I have many deadlines approaching which require serious attention. I could definitely do without any more stressful distractions! Catch you soon x

Nellie's Knots - Free PDF foundation piecing templates

Please allow me to formally introduce you to Nellie's Knots. I designed this block for the Sew Mama Sew giveaway and it was given this fab name by Sarah. I promised that I'd make the templates available to anyone that was interested, so here I am. I'm not giving a full on tutorial but I will give some very basic instructions. I was slightly miffed by the asymmetry in this original block and that's down to me changing my mind about how I was going to piece it after I'd drawn up the templates! Don't get me wrong I still think it's pretty but my OCD nature was bothered. 

If you also have issues with the need for symmetry you might want to make sure you layout all your paper pieces correctly before starting :) You can use this second mini block that I made for reference.

I found it very useful to layout all the fabric before I started chopping so that I could get the fabric placement straight in my mind. I also numbered each block so that I would be able to match things up after sewing.

 There are two parts to each paper pieced template, you need to cut the template in half horizontally to give an a and b section. Seam allowances are not included so you need to make sure that add a 1/4" around each section as below.

I've prepared templates in two different sizes: 3" and 6". The examples shown here are around 12" and 24" finished, both use 16 templates. You will need to print off Templates A and B (which is just a mirror image of the A template) in your chosen size. Obviously you can add as many blocks as you like :)

As you can see I've played around with fabric placement to give you another perspective on the design. I don't think I've got any more pearls of wisdom. If you have any questions about the blocks feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer in the replies so that everyone benefits from the answer.

You'll find the PDF templates are here.

If you make your own version we'd love to see it! Please use the #NelliesKnots on Instagram or add a picture to our flickr group.
That's all for now folks. I'm off to enjoy the sunshine :) Catch you soon x

Edited to add: You will find a free PDF pictorial guide for Nellie's Knots in our Payhip store and in the Freebies section of our website.

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Winners

Thank you so much to everyone that joined in our Sew Mama Sew giveaway. We really enjoyed reading all your comments, there were so many great suggestions. I'm going to cut to the chase here and get on with announcing the winners!

Mr Random Number Generator decided that the winner of the mini quilt/ cushion cover should be:

Comment number 16 is Catrin! I'll turn this into a cushion over the weekend :)

 Funnily enough that brings me on nicely to our next winner :)

We loved Sarah's suggestion! Well we would, wouldn't we?! Any reference to our beloved Nellie Foster was going to be a hit with us :) I'll turn this little block into a mini for you, Sarah :)

So to soften the blow of not winning for all the other commenters, as promised, you will find the details of the templates for the Nellie's Knots design here.
Thanks again for taking part. catch you soon x