sew create it

Just Take 2 Update...

2012-02-02T10:00:00.000Z

I'm all up to date with my Just Take 2 blocks and ready for the next bunch. These are such fun to put together and are very much like the red blocks I did last year. AND before you ask...no I haven't done anything with them yet :o) I have some other red and white blocks that I would like to add to them and I just need to sort out how they can all go together.

The assembly of these blocks was quite painless...The first 2 from left to right were paper pieced while the last was traditionally pieced.

I'm thrilled how well this schoolhouse block (below) went together...eventually! I don't know how I did it, but the original templates I printed were the wrong size. I'm sure I ticked the box for actual size, but somehow they all came out wrong. I reprinted them and checked the box "choose paper source by PDF page size" and that seem to fix the problem. It shouldn't have had any effect, but second time round the templates were the right size and the construction of the block went smoothly.

It was a mixture of rotary cutting and freezer paper templates which were ironed to the wrong side of the fabric and stayed in place while you sewed as to mark the pivot point for the Y seams. This was a very effective method of piecing these odd shaped pieces and all my points ended up in the right place...oh and the block measures right and is flat! LOL I'll never be so lucky again.

Until next time....

112 in 2012 (#4)

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000Z

I've been lucky enough to see this orchid I was given for my birthday last summer grow a second spike and flower for the second time. It is blooming marvellous!

..and the secret to this success, well I did like you told me and ignored it!

This is my
#20 Wild Plant or Flower
entry for 112 in 2012

Until next time....

In Progress...

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000Z

January has proved to be a rather productive month. I completed my first set of blocks for the "Just take 2 Challenge" and I'm well on my way to completing set 2. I will be using dark blues and whites for this challenge... I figure you can't go wrong with blue and white.

Next was two afternoon sewing session that got this scrappy bargello sewn into a top. I used Bonnie's instructions, but instead of 2 1/2" strips I used 3 1/2" strips. I don't think the effect is as nice as it would be with the smaller strips, but it will be perfect for Project Linus. I don't know many patterns that come together as quickly as this one did and I already have another bin of smaller strips ready to go to make a second one.

Until next time....

Sew Hip...Sew Cool!

2012-01-28T19:43:00.002Z

Lookie lookie.... I hope you don't mind but I wanted to share with you the little article on page 15 of the current (March) issue of Sew Hip. How cool is that?!
If you are here because you found me through the magazine, then welcome! I hope you enjoy your visit and that you'll visit again soon :o)

Until next time....

Sploosh....

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000Z

Well I resisted as long as I could, but in the end I couldn't help myself...and sploosh I dove straight into making a house from the Building Houses from Scraps blog. I figured if I made one then that would satisfy the itch...right?

I redrafted the original pattern in EQ7 so I could work in inches. (I just couldn't get my brain to work in centimetres as the original was 7.5 cm) This does make my blocks a little bit bigger finishing at 3 3/4"...but in cm or inches it is still small. I printed my templates onto freezer paper and set myself up to hand piece the block.

So can any of you bright sparks out there see the mistake?

Well it would seem I forgot to mirror my templates so my house will be facing the other way! :o) Doesn't really matter (unless there is some reason it should face the other way) and it is still cute.

So did I just stop at one? Well you will have to wait and see :o)

Until next time....

112 in 2012 (#3)

2012-01-25T17:55:00.000Z

Another set of pictures for the 112 in 2012 Challenge.
As January comes to a close I'm rather pleased with how many pictures I took. Normally January is a rather blue month, but this year I conscientiously decided I wasn't going to let it get me down. It has helped that we've had some sunny days and I've made sure to grab the camera and my children when inspiration has struck! :o)

#74 Backlit
I like her reflection in the glass too...
Taken when the sun decided to make a rare appearance...

#88 Silhouette
Slightly tweaked in Gimp to increase the glow. Taken during the busy morning school run.
(one should always have a camera handy!...and be prepared to have "Mom, are you done taking pictures?" chiming in the background) :o)

#24 Black & White Portrait
Caught during an impromptu "photo shoot..."

Until next time....

Local Quilt Shows - Part 2

2012-01-21T20:00:00.000Z

Last Wednesday 4 of us, Lynda, Liz and Muriel (no blog) and I went to the Heart of the Shires to see the exhibition of student's work at Crafts and Quilts. There were some fantastic projects and I wish I could give credit where credit is due, but I didn't take note of the names...I know terrible!

I love this draft stopper!...but I also love the stripey quilt you can see behind it because that is the work of one of my students that took what she learned on my FMQ class and put it to use! For me that is the biggest compliment to know that I empowered someone to go forth and quilt! Just wonderful!

Now this next piece is so stunning...An English walled garden! So many details and so much work!!

Look at the little gate...

..and the outside as decorated as the inside...

You can almost hear the water...

..and the dog and his lead.

These teddies were sweet.

And here's Alice's cardigan...
Now I'd like to draw your attention to the label. Started in 1993 finished in 2011!
You know what this means?! There is hope for the oldest projects in the UFO box!

Lastly, but not least another example from a student who used FMQ for the trees. I think she did a fabulous job!

Until next time....

Local Quilt Shows - Part 1

2012-01-20T20:00:00.000Z

I found an happy surprise when I checked the files on my pocket camera only to discover the pictures I took at the Bramble Patch exhibition which took place before Christmas. It's never too late to show you some of the treasures that were on display, so here is the post about them...enjoy!

These close-ups were of a stunning quilt made by Janet Howes and I have just checked the Bramble's website and it would seem it was the winning quilt! Congrats to Janet. If you liked to see a full picture there is one with Janet on their site.

I also loved this scrappy quilt and the gorgeous hand quilting...so pretty and so bold to use red thread!
Love it!

Then there were these lovely hearts with buttons...

I thought these were sweet and would lovely in any sewing space.

Tomorrow I'll post about my trip to the Heart of the Shires....stay tuned :o)

Until next time....

Grab your Daughters, Grand-daughters and Nieces to watch....

2012-01-19T14:00:00.000Z

This video, which I first saw on Violet Posy's Blog, is so clever and so true! If you have young females in your life then this is worth a watch...

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.
This commercial isn't real, neither are society's standards of beauty.

Until next time....

112 in 2012 (#2)

2012-01-18T09:30:00.000Z

Well I might actually stick with this photograph challenge. It is only week 2 and I have another set of pictures. Granted I have another 50 odd weeks to get through, but it is promising to get a few more snaps done at this early stage. The whole point of the challenge is to keep the camera handy and keep taking pictures and that's what I'm doing. :o)

This week has seen chilly weather hit the U.K. (granted not nearly as cold as Canada where Montreal saw -19C! Now that's cold!) Check out Lina's post and you'll see what I mean! But with the chilly weather brings some beautiful crisp blue skys and plenty of picture taking opportunities.

#75 Five minutes from home
Taken last Saturday while the sky was clear and crisp. Slightly modified in Gimp to give it a bit more punch.

#51 Winter
The cars were covered in these amazing snow crystals. If you look closely you can see the odd hexagon!

#51 Winter (yes another one)
More icy crystals... couldn't stop at just one entry for winter..

#93 Reflection
I was really please I caught this water droplet as it dripped just after the picture was snapped...I love the cool reflection captured. Once again my little pocket camera is the best for these close up shots.

Until next time....

Big Stitch Quilting...

2012-01-16T12:38:00.000Z

Another block finished and only 2 more to go! I shall actually miss working on this quilt as it really has been good fun. As each block got completed and quilted you could really see how it would all come together.

I've used size 12 perle cotton and the big stitch. I had my quilting needles from JMM Marketing size 4 betweens which are perfect for the larger thread. They have sizes 1 through to 12..1 being the biggest and 12 being the smallest. I chose size 4 as that's the size I've always used, but it is personal choice you could go larger or smaller depending on your preference and choice of thread. You do need to buy 100 needles at a time, but they aren't that expensive and they are worth it as they are very easy to thread.

To further "age" this quilt I was contemplating over-dyeing it with some tan Dylon dye. Has anyone tried that? I thought it might knock back some of the whites plaids I have used which I find are just a wee bit too bright. I'd love to hear any success (or horror) stories! :o)

Until next time....

New Sewing in Progress...

2012-01-14T12:20:00.000Z

New Year, new sewing projects to start. As I finished 2 projects at the end of the year I thought I'd allow myself to start a couple of new ones. At last count I have 13 unfinished projects and 4 tops, so I feel like everything is under control especially since I'm not far off from finishing 2 more quilts.

The "Just take 2" Mystery quilt has me intrigued and I have decided to do mine in blues and whites.

Here are my hearts ready to be cut out and appliquéd for block 5.

And the pieces stacked with their instructions for the other blocks.

I've also signed up for the block party that Lynda Hall is organizing. These are some of the fabrics I've pulled using her instructions for guidance.

So far those are the only new projects I've started, but after seeing some of the cute scrappy houses being made I feel myself slipping...and really fancy joining into the building houses from scrap challenge. I can afford one more challenge right?!

Until next time....

112 in 2012

2012-01-11T12:18:00.003Z

As 2011 drew to a close I had an email from my friend Kitty about joining in the photographer's challenge of 112 pictures in 2012. The subject matter of these pictures is quite vast and I thought having a challenge like this would keep me clicking. They can be posted in any order...so what I'm doing is taking pictures and then seeing which categories they fit in and then closer to the end of the year I will focus on the one's I'm missing. These are my first 3 entries...

#82 Sharp or Spiky
Pretty self explanatory why I'd choose this shot for sharp and spiky... I like the DOF (depth of field) too :o)

#37 Feet
Perhaps an odd take on the subject "feet" but I thought it would be a bit of fun. Paw prints are related to feet aren't they? :o) DD1 got a nail art kit for Christmas and we tried it out last night.

#64 Bottles or Jars
I just HAD to catch the colours in this jar of cherries sitting on the counter while the sun peeked out this morning.

Until next time....

Expanding my Quilting...

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000Z

The last of the blocks for my Lynne Edwards Sampler Quilts are finally nearing completion. Each block has been quilted and all that remains is to piece the blocks together and sew up the backing in quilt-as-you-go style.

I'm really pleased with this block, not only because of the curved piecing, but because of my freehand free-motion feathers! My friend Liz loves quilted feathers...she often adds them to her quilts and although she probably didn't realize I was taking note...she's been ~~influencing~~ inspiring me to give them a go :o) She might have a point...I love the effect on this block and have already been thinking about what else I can feather! :o) Thanks Liz.

I hope it won't be too long before I can reveal this and its homespun twin in their entirety in the next few weeks.

Until next time....

Stitching into 2012

2012-01-03T15:08:00.001Z

If you recall from this post I was going to spend some of my free time in the holidays stitching...and that I did.
I managed to get the pin cushion pattern from Lynette Anderson finished well before Christmas...

So pretty when it was finished and now it looks a little different as it has already been pressed into service and looks more like a porcupine! LOL But it will service me well as a pin cushion as it is quite a good size and won't get lost as easily as my old one.

It went together so well that I was spurred on to do some more stitching, but not before sorting out my stash of embroidery floss. As Christmas Eve isn't really the best time to be heading out to the craft shop I decided to look online to see if there were any printable spools. Lucky for me Wild Olive had these printable bobbins which were perfect for the job.

As I didn't want another pin cushion nor to start something large like a quilt, I decided that what ever I chose to stitch should be something useful and practical. :o) Jumping on the band wagon, I printed the Keyka Lou pattern for this darling little dumpling purse and prepped some green linen for stitching.

I'm so thrilled with the results and how easy it was to make. The instructions were really easy to follow and I can see myself making a few more in the future. Now I just have to decide what I'm going to use my little purse for...any ideas? ;o)

Until next time....

Quilty Round Up 2011

2011-12-28T16:13:00.001Z

This was a much more productive year than last. 2010 seem to be a year of making tops and not much else but the advantage was that I had several flimsies ready to be quilted very earlier on and as a result had a good 2011 in terms of completed quilts. Some were for Project Linus and others were for gifts. Most were lap sized quilts or smaller.

These four were all for project Linus....

Colour Impact Quilt for Project Linus, 2. Colour Impact Quilt for Project Linus, 3. linus quilt Colour Impact, 4. Floral Quilt

The top two if this set were project Linus quilts too and the bottom two were baby quilts made for 2 family members.

Strippy Quilt of a different kind, 2. Scrappy Linus Quilt, 3. Oh Cherry Quilt, 4. Lone Star Look-a-like

Lastly there were the 2 quilts for my MIL's spare room and the most recent quilts for the classes I'm teaching in 2012.

Pink and Blue Quilt, 2. Tumbler Quilt, 3. Easy Circle Quilt, 4. Crossed Canoe Quilt

With so many finishes I feel like I'm on top of my WIPs (Works in Progress) and hope to keep the momentum going into 2012. As it stands I'm finishing two "quilt as you go" quilts over the holidays so that will give me a good start to 2012 ;o)

Well this is likely to be the last post of 2011. It has been an amazing creative year and I want to thank you all for your continued support.

All the best for 2012!

Until next time....

Best Wishes for the Holidays!!

2011-12-24T07:39:00.000Z

Just wanted to wish you, your family and friends the very best for the holiday season. I hope your days are filled with laughter and good cheer and that the holidays are restful and creative! ...I know I want some sewing time in there somewhere ;o)

Until next time....

Crossed Canoes

2011-12-22T11:21:00.000Z

I've been back at the sewing machine sewing up samples for another class I'll be teaching in the new year at my LQS. It is that classic pattern of Crossed Canoes. I chose very soft small prints as I have been wanting to use fabrics like this for awhile.

The piecing was quick and the whole lap quilt came together very quickly.

I had some wool wadding that was just the right size and as a result gave this quilt a lovely loft when it was quilted.

I'm thrilled with the results and reckon this will be just about the last finish for 2011.

By my count I've finished 14 quilts this year. I'm really pleased with those statistics! :o) Granted most of them were lap quilts...but a finish is a finish! :o)

Here are the details on the class for those of you that are local.

Crossed Canoes Quilt

As easy as 1-2-3...just 3 cuts and you’ll be on your way to creating this lovely two-toned quilt. Come along and learn about a unique cutting and piecing technique. I’ll show you some of the other blocks that you can sew in the same way and it is sure to leave you inspired. No templates and no foundation piecing. Ideal class for the confident beginner to advanced.

February 25, 2012
Please book a place with Anne at - Heart of the Shires - Crafts and Quilts

Until next time....

Easy Circle Quilt

2011-12-17T07:01:00.000Z

I bet you were wondering when you might see more of this quilt. Not only am I revealing more, but the quilt is completed! Now that's out of character for me, because normally I show you these things and then they disappear for months and months!

The difference with this quilt was that it HAD to get done as I will be teaching it as a class at my LQS (details below)

It is a mix of a few different techniques and it went together so well that I'm really excited to be able to teach it as a class.

There are those little mice again...that fabric is so sweet. It's not often you find a good yellow, but this was a just right and played well with the blues and greens. To quilt it, I did a meandering stitch everywhere but the curves and the results allowed the circles to pop.

Here are the details on the class for those of you that are local.

Easy Curve Piecing
Yes that’s right Easy! Who says curve piecing has to be hard or frustrating? In this class you will learn a fabulous method for piecing curves and getting them smooth and flat. After learning the technique you will realize the many, many other design possibilities it has to offer. Ideal class for the confident beginner to advanced.

January 28th, 2012 and April 14th, 2012
Please book a place with Anne at - Heart of the Shires - Crafts and Quilts

Until next time....

Sweet Christmas Delights

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000Z

With Christmas right around the corner, we have been busy little elves in the kitchen making tasty treats. DD1 saw this post on Adventures in Savings and we both knew we had to give it a try. Anything that combines chocolate, peppermint and marshmallows together has to be "a good thing"!

DD1 did all the work and I stood by with my camera to document the tasty unfolding. I also had a play with the video feature on my camera and made this little "artsy" video...I hope you like it.

Not long to go before the man in the red suit comes down the chimney. Hope all your preparations are coming together :o)

Until next time....

Fat Quarterly Win!

2011-12-13T15:52:00.000Z

I've been meaning to post about my recent win from Katy for the past few weeks and have finally managed to get the picture taken and give credit where credit is due!

There were all kinds of goodies in the bag but the one that caught my eye is sitting right in the front....You see that stitchery kit from Lynette Anderson..that is going to be my Christmas holiday sewing. Just the perfect project to pick up between all the excitement!

Thanks again Katy for all the goodies..I'm going to enjoy every single one of them!

Until next time....

Mollie Makes Fun!

2011-12-11T15:48:00.001Z

Every so often I wander down the magazine aisle in my local grocery store. I don't do it too often otherwise I'd be buying a magazine every week...but once in awhile it is nice to have a look.... Last week as I wandered to that side of the shop I had something specific in my mind...Happy Loves Rosie wrote about how she would be featured in Mollie Makes and I was completely drawn in and thought if it was there I might buy it...and I did :o)

This is one of those magazines that is more like a book and is full of lovely inspiration and beautiful photography! ...just up my street :o)

There is a selection of fabulous Tilda patterns which I definitely want to try.

And there was a lovely bunch of Christmas decoration patterns using felt. This little Christmas tree totally caught my attention and I decided it would make a lovely badge (brooch) for my coat.

I started with a bit of ribbon which I folded in half and sandwiched it between two triangles of red felt and top stitched it on the machine. I left a little opening for the stuffing and then closed the hole up with more top stitching on the machine. I then got my perle cotton and my button box and decorated the front with buttons. I added a safety pin on the back and ta-da the brooch was completed.

I've been out and about wearing it for the past week or so and had several compliments..nothing beats that feeling when you smile and say you've made it yourself! :o)

Until next time....

Orchid Update

2011-12-01T10:39:00.001Z

You may recall seeing this orchid before back in July and that I was going to do my best to keep it alive. Well not only has it survived, but it continued to give me a fantastic show of flowers right through the Autumn. They just kept growing and growing...and then I noticed a second spike beginning to grow next to the original spike. Eventually I thought it would be best to cut the old spike off (it had pretty much finished flowering) so all the goodness would get concentrated into the new growth.

So far so good, the orchid seems happy enough if not a little cramped in its pot, but I don't dare try and re-pot it while its growing. If anyone has any advice, please let me know...I'm just winging it and hoping for the best.

Until next time....

Starting Something New....

2011-11-18T12:23:00.001Z

The best thing about finishing a few projects is that you can start something new! I'm only giving you a sneak peek as I'm still in the process of working the plan out, but it does involve more curves and circles. ;o)

I have chosen very cheery fabrics of green, yellow and blue and so far I'm loving every aspect of the construction and design. As soon as this is blog post is published, I'll be back at the machine putting more rows together!

I love it when a project makes you smile..!
Have a great weekend!

Until next time....

Last of the Quilts...for now :o)

2011-11-13T14:32:00.000Z

Lastly but certainly not least is the quilt I started back in ...ummm March! You might recall my post over at Sew WE Quilt (when is was known as Stash Manicure) where I demonstrated the construction of the piecing of the circle using the Dresden Plate ruler and the sewing in of the circle using Sharon Schamber's method of Piec-lique.

The entire quilt was free-machine quilted where I quilted petals from the centre of the circles and then did a large meander in the blue areas of the quilt.

I ended up making 12 blocks and set them together in a 3x4 setting.
This quilt was quite a lot of fun to put together as each wheel was different. I think I wouldn't mind trying the design again but in scrappy fabrics and maybe even bigger circles...now wouldn't that be fun!

Until next time....

Tumbler Quilt Completed!

2011-11-12T14:21:00.000Z

Here is the first of 2 quilts that were finished for my mother-in-law for her spare room. It might seem familiar and that is because I posted about it back in April!

Following Autumn's advice I did straight stitching down the columns of tumblers. It was bit of a struggle to (wo)man-handle the 6' long quilt...but I got there in the end :o)

The shapes were cut using the large tumbler die from Accu-quilt which made piecing it a breeze.

It was delivered last weekend along with it's fraternal twin which I'll post about tomorrow!

Until next time....

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T14:19:00.000Z

It took me a few goes to get this picture...but I finally caught it and I love it! I'm half expecting fairies to be dancing in the grass.

Until next time....

Look-a-Like Star Quilt Completed!

2011-11-08T14:15:00.001Z

As predicted I have finished 4 quilts in as many weeks and like buses they have all come in at once. Over the next week or so I'll post about each one.

This quilt, which you have seen in progress, was made for the newest member of the family..a little boy!

I gave the quilt to my sister-in-law last weekend and she loved it! I used most of a jelly roll by Sandy Gervais called Lollipop.

I'm thrilled with the results and the quilting and I hope it brings the little fellow a lot of warmth.

DD1, whom you might recall is the knitter in the family, made him some booties! Aren't they adorable! I think she did a fantastic job!

Until next time....

Pretty Pictures from a Day Out...

2011-11-04T13:28:00.000Z

A few weekends ago while I was visiting my in-laws we took a drive up to Leek and stopped at the Cheddleton Railway. The trains weren't running when we stopped by, but it still presented an opportunity to take a few pictures.

Just on the edge of Leek by the sports centre we found a park which didn't take long to walk around, but offered up some of the most beautiful autumnal colours.

We have really been spoiled this autumn with some very warm and sunny days...makes me wonder what kind of winter we are heading for!?

Until next time....

Lone Star Look-a-Like Update....

2011-11-01T09:21:00.000Z

I've been getting things completed and it feels so good...here is the Lone Star Look-a-Like at the machine ready for quilting.

I did stitch in the ditch around each layer of the star using some King-Tut variegated thread and in the large triangles I did further straight line quilting echoing the shape.

In the large corners I marked out a star and then did free-motion quilting to fill the area. I really like the effect. I just have to finishing the binding and then I can share the final result.

Until next time....

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:04:00.004Z

Just a quick post to wish you all a safe Halloween!
We are all set here with the pumpkins carved and the sweets by the door. It is set to be a mild evening so I'm expecting we could get quite a few trick or treaters.

DD2 being a fan of wolves came up with this design...which was easier to carve than I thought it would be. I place a paper pattern of the wolf on the pumpkin then I used a push pin to mark the outline. After I removed the paper, I went in with a sharp knife and carved around the markings.

DD1 went for the more classic look of a kitty! I love them both :o)

Until next time....

Just for the girls...

2011-10-28T09:27:00.001+01:00

You're going to think I've spent my half term watching Youtube videos...but I haven't. :o) I have done some sewing too (.. I'll share it with you in a few days)
In the meantime, I am sharing yet another fab video. If only exercise was always this entertaining!

Until next time,

Dancing Through the Ages...

2011-10-26T17:04:00.001+01:00

I like to bring you the very best Youtube clips from time to time...Well I found this one from HERE who found it through HER....Enjoy!

Until next time....

6 Charms Squares = Very Useful Item

2011-10-25T17:06:00.000+01:00

What can you make from 6 charm squares?
Well, you can make a very fetching and useful camera strap cover :o)

Randi had a great tutorial on her blog which was really easy to follow and within 20 minutes I had a new cover. Probably the hardest part was taking the picture of the finished strap cover! LOL I cropped this picture down as the expression on my face was much like a deer caught in headlights!

Until next time....

More cupcakes....

2011-10-24T15:02:00.000+01:00

We've been at it again in the kitchen making cupcakes! Just like last time we used this fantastic recipe and once again it came out trumps! I might as well throw out the rest of the recipes in my collection as I honestly don't think I could do better :o)

Until next time....

Oh Cherry Completed!

2011-10-21T14:07:00.000+01:00

F
inally what you have all been waiting for....

TA-DA!

Here it is, the completed Oh Cherry Quilt! I'm thrilled with the results. It's quite a fresh looking quilt and the border fabrics which were from a a completely different line of fabrics ended up being a perfect match.

I did free-motion cherries in the large border and had marked them before I basted using Roxanne marking pencils. They were such fun to do and I think complimented the whimsy of this project.

Thanks for all the lovely comments while I've been sharing the journey of the making of this quilt. It really spurred me on to get it finished.

Until next time....

Updating the "Bus" schedule...

2011-10-19T20:57:00.000+01:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy to report that there just might be a couple of finishes arriving shortly! :o) As I mentioned in my previous post, my finishes tend to get completed in batches and currently I've got 4 quilts basted and ready to start the production line of getting them quilted.

Here is a sneaky peak of the Oh Cherry top that I was working on a couple of weeks ago. I'm thrilled with the results and was even more pleased that Anne at my LQS at the Heart of the Shires had this perfect lime green and stripey fabric for the two borders.

I decided to quilt free motion cherries in the border which I think finishes it off nicely. (You can just see my pencil markings in the border) This quilt is now getting it's binding sewn down...so stay tune for the final reveal :o)

In other news, the star is now a top and has been based. And, I'm happy to say, that I'm afraid Madonna has lost out on this colourful bra as it is flat flat flat! Hooray!

Now, if you will excuse me, I'm off to pour a glass of wine, and get sewing that binding, while watching Downton Abbey.

Until next time....

A Lone Star look-a-like...

2011-10-14T14:28:00.000+01:00

Another project started...yes I know I haven't finished anything lately, but I'm afraid I work a little like the bus company and all my finishes will come in all at once! :o)

A couple of years ago I won a gorgeous Lollipop jelly roll by Sandy Gervais and I have finally cut into it! (Do you sense a theme?...it's like the Oh Cherry fabrics)

At first I was just going to make a standard Lone Star Quilt as I made one of these many moons ago and really enjoyed the challenge. But as I was flipping through a really old book I noticed this variation and thought it would make for a new twist.

I sewed 2 sets of brown and orange strips and then using the 45º angle on my ruler I made my first cut and then measured 2.5" from the edge to cut the segments. I cut 8 from each strip set and each segment was paired and sewn in to a "4 patch" diamond. (I had 8 of these all together)

Now try as I might I could not work out the maths ahead of time to cut the next strip to size which in this case was the blue fabric. So I decided to wing it and cut it slightly oversized using the "4-patch" diamond as a rough guide. Once sewn I could trim the edges to match the 4-patch diamond. I worked out very quickly that I would need 8 for each side of my 4 patch diamond shape and that they would be the same size and 1/2 would be the mirror image. So 8 going one way and 8 going the other. The best way to achieve this was to leave the jelly roll folded in half so for every cut I was getting two; one of each shape. Clear as mud I'm sure! :o)

The orange diamond at the top was cut from a strip 2.5" in width much like the diamonds at the beginning.

The orange diamonds were sewn to one set of the blue strips first and then added to the unit which had the other blue strip making sure to line up the junction of the seams correctly...probably the hardest part, but once you get a feel for it it gets easier.

Round and round I went, adding yellow and green rounds in the same manner.

And this is as far as I have gotten...8 diamonds ready to be sewn into a star. I'm afraid I'm going to leave you in suspense until I get this project sewn together with its background pieces! And I really hope that I end up with a flat star and not something that Madonna would be proud to wear. I made sure to use lots of Dylon Easy Iron (a bit like starch) to keep everything flat!

Until next time...

Blocks for a Fellow Quilter...

2011-10-11T07:30:00.000+01:00

These 3 blocks should be just about arriving in the States to be added to the blocks that John'aLee is collecting to make quilts for a grieving family. Earlier this autumn, her daughter's fiancé was killed in Afghanistan and she is making quilts for her daughter and his family. There is still time to help if you fancy joining in. She is hoping to have all the blocks by the end of November. You can read more HERE.

Until next time...

Digital Scrapbooking Software Giveaway....

2011-10-06T14:15:00.001+01:00

When Liz from MyMemories contacted me to try out their Digital Scrapbooking Software, I didn't hesitate to say YES! As you know I love my photography and I love anything that makes showcasing it easier. Most of the time my editing gets done without a lot of flourish and simply gets shares here on my blog. Like many of you I don't always get as far as printing my pictures and as result I have most of my collection on the hard drive.

I was really pleasantly surprise to see how easy it was to download and start using the MyMemories Software. I was also impressed with how quickly I could go from having pictures on my hard drive to having them inserted into one of the pre-existing templates. With a click of a button or two the MyMemories software inserted my pictures into an album and with a little bit of tweaking I could be printing those decorated pages off my own printer or even have then printed professionally.

The software made adding backgrounds and frames very easy and one could also add customized text with a drop shadow with a click of a button.
This software isn't limited to creating paper albums but you can use it to create interactive albums for the computer adding video and music or create images to share on your blog. I even used it to create my new signature for my blog. (See it there below :o)

The MyMemories software is a complete digital scrapbooking solution that provides a range of creative tools to create your own personalized albums. Its several features are perfect for a beginner right through to the advance designer. There are a range of free papers and embellishments that come with the program to keep you busy, but there is also a selection of free elements on the MyMemories website which you can access through your account.

Here's a great Youtube that explains it in more detail.

My Memories gave me a chance to give one reader a copy of the software and the winner is....

Ariane, Congratulations you are my winner!

If you didn't win you can still take advantage of a great bargain. My Memories is giving my readers a $10 (USD) discount off the full price of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software, together with a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value all up.
At checkout copy and paste this code: STMMMS97261 into the checkout section to receive these discounts.

Until next time...

Oh Cherry Update...

2011-10-01T13:16:00.000+01:00

Thought you'd like to see some pictures of the progress I'm making with my Oh Cherry fabrics. Armed with a cup of tea and ignoring the messy desk, the squares got sewn into rows.

I like to press to one side to nestle the seams together for easy piecing, but before pressing the final block I pop the few stitches in the centre of the block and open the seam up. In doing so I reveal the little mini 4 patch and I can then press the seams in a pin-wheel fashion and reduce the bulk in the centre. This works brilliantly for 4 patches and the like too.

Here are the rows all laid out on the ironing board. Now all I have to do is get the rows sewn together without muddling the order up!

Until next time...

Chapter House Quilt Show...

2011-09-28T13:56:00.001+01:00

Last Friday, Liz and I went down to Weedon to the the quilt show at St. Peter & St. Paul Church hosted by the Chapter House Quilters. Being a good blogger, I went prepared with my camera so I could share the experience with you.

The quilts were drapped over every surface and completely transformed the church into an exhibition hall. Quite cleverly the ladies had draped the quilts over 2 pews putting a pillow at one end creating the look of a bed.

There were several beautiful examples of high quality work. I loved this one with all the stitchery.

There was also a Jelly Roll 1600 quilt.

This was a quilt for Linus! Aren't those cats cute!

I could only see a part of this pictorial type quilt, but what was visible was darling.

There was a pillow tombola raising funds and awareness for the Help for Heroes campaign. As well as examples of some the quilts that will go to our wounded men and women.

Lastly dotted about the church were these darling cuddly toys! Too cute!

Until next time...

Oh Cherry Me...

2011-09-26T12:38:00.000+01:00

Back in April of 2009 I won Siobhan's giveaway..doesn't seem very significant now, but it is in that I have finally cut into the gorgeous Oh Cherry charm pack that she sent me! For two years I've be flipping through those fabrics admiring the colours wondering what pattern would suit them best!

As the charm pack had 33 squares I used some the Oh Cherry FQ that Siobhan sent me to cut 3 more charms to make it 36 squares. Then I cut 36 white squares to pair them up and make theses lovely hour glass blocks.

Each of the prints are darling and I just didn't think that a complicated block would do them justice. I will put them together 8 x 9 in a straight set and then add borders to make a child size quilt. With any luck I'll have this one done in no time.

Until next time...

Frixion Pens - be aware....

2011-09-22T12:07:00.001+01:00

Just recently there has been a flurry of blog posts sharing the revolutionary Frixion Erasable Rollerball Pens by Pilot. Unlike other erasble pens the ink disappears with friction. Someone clever put 2 and 2 together and realized that it was the heat from the friction that actually removes the ink. As quilters all have hot irons and it would make sense that one should be able to write on fabric and "remove" the marks with an iron. I put "remove" in quotation marks, because it actually doesn't remove it; it just makes it transparent....the ink is actually still present. So can this pen be safely used for quilting? I've done a really basic test which I hope you will find helpful.

I have read on the internet that as the ink isn't actually gone that if you exposed the fabric to cold the marks would reappear. So that's what I did first. I wrote on a piece of cotton, touched it with an iron to remove the marks and then placed the fabric in the freezer. As you can see...the marks very clearly came back...

So next I repeated the process and wrote on the fabric, touched it with an iron to remove the marks and then washed it in a normal load of laundry, then ironed it dry and then place it in the freezer...and guess what the marks came back...

Lastly, I wrote on the fabric and then washed it...then dried it with a hot iron removing the last traces of the marks and placed it in the freezer....and look...an almost better result.

So where does that leave us?
Well, granted we aren’t all throwing our work in the freezer, but some of us live in a cooler climate and items that might get stored in a loft or basement might be exposed to cooler temperatures and therefore reveal the ink. As you can see, if the ink is touched with a hot iron prior to washing, then it almost heat sets the marks.

As always… test any pen you might be using in your project...with so many excellent products on the market I think these pens are best left for the crossword puzzle or suduko. :o)

Until next time...

Hello? Anybody still there?

2011-09-18T20:54:00.001+01:00

Just where did the last three weeks go!? I swear someone hit the fast forward button when I wasn't looking! Well I'm just about here with a little update in the quilting dept. :o)
If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you'll know that I have been working on the Lynne Edwards Sampler Quilt with some friends. During the summer we chose to work on the twisted star block and these are my two...one in pinks and the other in homespuns.

Isn't it interesting to see how different the block looks in different colours!

Then in an effort to see the project completed for the new year, we opted to make 2 blocks in the month of August and these are those blocks.

Lynne's version was made using 1/2 square triangles and hour glass blocks, so to set a bit of a challenge for myself I redrafted these in EQ7 to lose some of the seams.

Next was the Carolina Lily block with all its Y seams. Although I love the effect of this block in the homespuns I wouldn't recommend it. Those bias edges with the looser weave of the fabric made piecing this block a nightmare!

Here it is in more traditional fabrics. I haven't quilted it yet, but you can see the faint blue lines where the quilting will go.

Apologies to my regular readers for the long silence...it was just that life got busy (redecorating and car troubles... stories for another day!)
Things are looking to settle down now and and I'm hoping that I'll get back into a routine with more regular posting...

Until next time...

Sew Happy Update

2011-08-31T07:38:00.000+01:00

Here are my final 4 blocks for the Sew Happy Mystery Quilt. I now have a total of 63 blocks. Who knows how these are going to be put together (well at least one person knows LOL)...won't be long before I learn of the next step...

Until next time...

Glamping

2011-08-29T10:38:00.000+01:00

Glamping: Glamous Camping
The UK has had a bumper summer and when we were presented with yet another dry and warm night the kids decided to go camping in the backyard.

They started with a tea party at DD2 little house, with real tea, real cookies and real dishes.

That was followed by filling the little tent with all the comforts of home...plenty of pillows, quilts and stuffed friends...

We even sat around a camp fire (bucket BBQ) and sang songs while roasting marshmallows...

Dh and I retired to the house expecting that half way through the night the girls would return...but they didn't! They managed to camp the whole night only returning inside at 6:30am.
When asked if they would like to do a second night the answer was a definite NO :o) Guess it wasn't that glamorous!

Until next time...

Wolfy's Birthday

2011-08-27T05:38:00.000+01:00

Summers are a great time to do all those extra-ordinary and lavish things with the kids. When DD2 asked for a birthday party for her stuffed animal Wolfy and having just seen the yummy cupcake recipe on Thimbleanna's blog I wasn't going to say no. :o) Besides...I love an excuse to bake!

Here is DD2 hard at work in the kitchen. The recipe made 16 large cupcakes and we halved the recipe for the frosting as we aren't huge fans of icing and the recipe is for 24 cupcakes.
It was a fantastic recipe and the cupcakes were light and fluffy. I can honestly say it was one of the most successful recipes I've tried.

Wolfy was bought a year ago on our trip to Canada from the Eco-Museum and has been by DD2 side ever since!
Memories were made then...and I think we made a few more memories now.

Until next time...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T03:38:00.000+01:00

I thought I'd put the 50mm lens back on the camera to spice things up in the photography dept. As the light in the evenings has been quite golden recently I thought I'd have a little walk around the garden and see what caught my eye. On the front of my house I've got a trailing fuchsia in a basket and thought it made a perfect subject.

Here it is from a slightly different angle :o)

Until next time...

Inverness...

2011-08-19T16:58:00.000+01:00

This is the last of the holiday pictures...you might be relieved to know ;o) Although we travelled about we stayed in Inverness the longest. One evening was a perfect summer's night with the sun out still high in the sky 'til late.

All through our trip to Scotland we were treated to the sounds of bagpipes...and once again in Inverness we heard them as they marched through the town.

This was a particularly sweet treat as they had drummers too and the sound of so many reverberated throughout your whole body.

Not far from Inverness is Loch Ness. Originally we were going to get a cruise, but there were bus loads of people and we felt it would be very touristy, so we opted for a quieter woodland walk where we found this stream which flowed into Loch Ness. It was peaceful and provided a perfect location for a spot of lunch. Again we were spoiled with a red hot day and the kids kicked their shoes and socks off for a paddle in the cooling waters.

It was a fabulous holiday...if not a busy one. Scotland has such amazing landscape and I can't wait to visit again.

Until next time...

Almost Wordless Wednesday...

2011-08-17T16:58:00.000+01:00

All through the holiday I could be found by the strongest light of the hotel room stitching away on my Dear Jane blocks!

(P.S. each of the little blue squares are 1/2")

Until next time...

It's a hair thing...

2011-08-16T16:58:00.015+01:00

I said I was going to post in themes..and today's theme is Hair!
Check out this hairdresser in Blairgowrie... LOL - what a great name for a business.

On one of the days along our travels we got off the beaten track looking for fossils. We didn't find any fossils, but we found these lovely horses.

They kind of remind me of Wayne's World! LOL

Back in Blairgowrie at the top of a very steep hill we found these gorgeous Highland Cattle (thanks Gill for the correction :o)


Maria Chalmers (daughter of William Chalmers from Blairgowrie) with her grandson...my grandfather Milton

Now I have mentioned Blairgowrie twice in this post and I'd like to explain why were were there. In my family history we are linked to the Chalmers Family..specifically the line that comes from the Blairgowrie region. In fact the Chalmers family had a castle in that region which now lays in ruin and I was hoping we might find it. When we arrived in Blairgowrie I went into the Tourist Information Centre and asked about the ruined castle. The man began to tell me about the remains of the Castle Glasclune to which I had to interrupt him and say, "oh no, I meant the other castle...the Castle Drumlochy". He looked taken back and confused and took a moment before he said, "what? well that's only a pile of rubble!" None the less that was the castle I was interested in...possibly my family's ancestral home!
The two castles share an interesting history and it was in fact the feuding neighbours (the Herons), owners of the Castle Glasclune that managed to fire a cannon (in the 16th century) at the Castle Drumlochy which destroyed it.
We made a valiant effort trying to find the right path to the ruins, but unfortunately, we didn't find it.
Just the same I was really pleased to visit the area. We are fortunate enough to know quite a bit of information about my mother's side of the family and know that my great-great-great grandfather was born and raised at the Mains of Mause in Blairgowrie as were at least 3 generations before him.
It was great to visit for the day and once again treated to a day of sunshine and another perfect location for a picnic.

Until next time...

Not a cloud in the sky...almost

2011-08-15T16:58:00.000+01:00

People can't quite believe we've been to Scotland for our holiday...what with our healthy tanned skin, but we have and we didn't see a drop of rain. We were prepared..we had waterproof footwear, waterproof coats and waterproof trousers and they all remained in the car unused. As a result of all this wonderful weather I have a lot of great scenery pictures. I won't bore you with too many, but rather share some of the best.

This wasn't actually in Scotland, but in the Lake District. It is Shap Abbey and was just off the motorway and presented us with a great location for our lunch.

Next...Dog Falls in Scotland just off the A831 (the same day we went to the quilt shop)
The splash you see is from the kids that were jumping in...it was that hot!

Now this is an area I want to visit again. This was heading north from Glasgow around the area of Crianlarich to Loch Leven along the A82. You can't appreciate the scale of this from the picture, but just look at the size of the house at the bottom and that might give you an idea :o)

Lastly, on the way home we took a detour to visit Hadrian's Wall. Just to warn you if you ever travel along the B6318 next to Hadrian's Wall.. it travels like a roller-coaster! I'm kinda glad it was the DH driving!

Until next time...

She is knitter ex·tra·or·di·naire...

2011-08-14T16:58:00.000+01:00

I can't knit...I've tried, but my fingers just won't cooperate, but the DD1 knits and if you allow me I'd like to have a proud Mama moment and share with you her latest creations.

A beautiful lace beret! Which she has been knitting since Christmas!!
This was a real accomplishment for her and it wasn't without sweat and tears!

Socks!
I'm hoping this will become a new obsession and that a pair might be made for me! :o)
(hint, hint...I know you are reading this!)

Until next time...

Edinburgh...

2011-08-13T16:58:00.000+01:00

Wow what a city! If you ever get the chance to visit this amazing city situated on a massive rock plan for a several day visit. I underestimated our time here and we only had one day in which to sightsee. We just didn't have time to see all that we wanted and I think we will be back sooner rather than later.

Of course keeping one's priorities in order, DD1 and I found the local yarn shop called K1Yarns Knitting Boutique. Now I have a theory, I reckon I'm never too far from a quilter or a Canadian at any given time. This theory has been proven a few times and yet again it was proven when we enter the shop as the owner was a fellow Canadian from Toronto :o) Not only was there yarn, but there was also fabric (as seen in the window) and I bought some!

We were also in Edinburgh for the "other" royal wedding...

...but were a day late. :o)

The flowers were still in place and we able to have a good look around the site..even the tape markings were still on the road for the press from the day before. :o)

Until next time...

I survived the laundry pile....

2011-08-11T17:39:00.000+01:00

I know, a bit of a strange way to title a post, but anyone who has been on holiday will completely understand! :o) It seems it takes as many days to unpack and return to normal as it does days that you are away...and thus I have not been updating my blog. The good news is that I'm all caught up, holiday pictures sorted and I've got almost a month worth of posts to share with you.
As I went through my holiday pictures I thought I'd share them a little differently to the day1, day2 type of posting and that it would be more interesting to post by theme instead.

Today's theme is how I managed to fit in some quilting time and some quilt shop hopping while in the Scottish highlands!

As you can imagine quilts shops are far and few between at the very top of Scotland, but I found this lovely shop online and was thrilled to bits when the TomTom managed to take us to her door.
It wasn't a long drive from Inverness where we were staying and it was on our way to some breathtaking scenery.

The owner was kind enough to let me take a few pictures to share with you....such a lovely shop with so many goodies, but with the DH in the car I had to show some restraint :o)

Onward we went down the A831 where we found a perfect lay-by off the side of the road with picnic benches for lunch.
All through our trip we would make a daily trips to Tescos for sandwiches and fruit...including the sweetest Scottish strawberries!

It was an idyllic location so we stayed for awhile, enjoying the quiet and the perfect sunny weather! (yes, you heard right...sun in Scotland!!)
I dug out my bag of sewing which comprised of my Dear Jane blocks which I'm quilting. A friend of mine is quilting hers with the quilt-as-you-go method and I thought it was a brilliant way to get these blocks together. It is also a very portable project which I could easy work on in the hotel room.

Ta-da! (and a rare picture of me!)

This was one of my favourite days!

Until next time...

Photo Scavenger Hunt - July's Pictures

2011-08-04T13:36:00.001+01:00

Here are my 12 pictures for the July Scavenger hunt. Most were taken while on holiday in Scotland. I will do a more in-depth post about that trip later on, but wanted to get these pictures posted.

Stripes
Matchy matchy tops :o)

a flag
Scottish flag taken in Inverness

sea shells
A perfect specimen. Taken on the coast of Scotland while searching for fossils.

ice cream
This is actually the cream on the ice cream. Taken at the Harvester in Aberdeen..a mess of honeycomb, ice cream, fresh cream and toffee!

fields
Beautiful Scottish fields....Taken in Blairgowrie

stars
Believe it or not the visitor centre at Loch Leven still had their Christmas tree up in July...happy days for me as it meant I got my star picture.

red white and blue
It seemed that everything red, white and blue was a flag and I was looking for something a little different...little did I realize it was right under my nose...my daughter's hat!

flip flops
Thank you to the DD1 for being my model!

a kite
I literally said..."where am I going to get a picture of a kite" when we turned the corner and this was in the sky!

strawberries
An odd entry for strawberries...but this was the teeny tiny baby strawberry at the bottom of the container. It was no more than a cm in size and I thought it was too cute not to include it.

Celebration
Cause for celebration when the hotel has proper glasses for one's wine. Up to this point we'd been using plastic kiddy glasses :o)

Something that makes you happy
Being at the right place at the right time! Scottish Highlands with a piper on the hill!

Until next time...

Pushin' Up Spring Block

2011-07-31T11:36:00.000+01:00

I seem to be nearing the end of some of my projects and this is another one. This is the second to last block in the Pushin' Up Spring Quilt that was being run by Apple Blossom Quilts for her email subscribers. I have one more block to sew and then the set of 12 will be ready to be sewn together.

Perhaps what I should do is quilt them first..in quilt-as-you-go style before I put them together...hmm that's a thought as the blocks are quite large :o)

Until next time...

Poor Bird...Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T11:36:00.000+01:00

All summer long we have been hosting a family of black birds in our hedge. As a result they are quite tame and seem to know that I'm the nice lady with the food :o) Last week this rather scruffy bird came and roosted the the lawn by the patio and allowed me to take his/her picture.

Until next time...

Sew Happy..almost done!

2011-07-22T11:36:00.000+01:00

Here are my Sew Happy Blocks for July. I'm rather pleased with this first set of blocks as I wasn't sure how well I'd manage all those triangles!

We are nearing the end of the mystery and I'm quite excite to see how all these blocks go together! So far I've made 59 blocks and I think there is still 4 yet to make.
Won't be long now before all will be revealed :o)

Until next time...

Rocheberie Meeting...

2011-07-18T12:16:00.001+01:00

On Saturday Rocheberie Schoolhouse Quilters had their July meeting. Despite the rain we had a great turn out and good time was enjoyed by all. This time our speaker was Pat Deacon who shared her collection of quilts. Pat is a big fan of circles and curves and her use of colour made these simple shapes spectacular. To see all the pictures from the day please click over HERE to see them. Pat also ran a workshop the following day and I'm sorry I missed it as I would love to know in detail how she creates such beautiful quilts.

Our trader for the day was Caroline from Serenity Quilts. Some of you might know her from her blog The Contented Quilter. She had a fabulous range of fabrics which I just couldn't resist. Luckily I sold some quilting books on the sales table and that allowed me a bit of spending money :o) Easy come easy go!

Until next time...

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-07-06T06:10:00.000+01:00

For my birthday I was given a beautiful orchid. Now I just need to keep it alive! I've done some reading on its care and it looks quite straight forward for the time being!

Until next time...

Photo Scavenger Hunt - June's Pictures

2011-06-29T17:53:00.001+01:00

Here's this month's selection of pictures for the June Photo Scavenger Hunt. I had no idea what was going to feature when I initially read the list, but I hope you like the variety and liberties I've taken to cover the themes.

"A Farm Animal"
Gobble Gobble!
Although they aren't the most attractive birds, I was fascinated by the array of colour on its face and neck.

"Tree Branches"
Taken at Hatfield House by their children's play area.

"Architectural Detail"
One thing I love about Rugby is the variety architecture...there are some lovely buildings, but you have to look up to see them.

"A childhood memory, toy or food"
Pop Rocks! We have an old fashion sweetshop in town and recently I took the kids and let them buy £1 worth of sweets. We came home with this, some edible money and some dip dabs.

"An Elephant"
Taken at the Bramble Patch during their exhibition earlier this month.

"Cutlery"
How about this lunch bag!? Spied the cutlery and thought it was a good take on the subject :o)

"Night"
Taken while standing in the backyard. My DD1 wasn't overly impressed as we were watching TV when I spied the moon through the curtains and abruptly stopped what we were doing to take pictures!

"Cheese"
Stilton anyone? Not my favourite, but a suitable option on a cheese board.

"The view right outside your door"
The back door...
This is the view into the garden...a lovely place to sit and have lunch.

"Something with your towns name on it"
Three guesses where I live and the first two don't count :o)

"A Wheel Trim"
I was trying to be clever with this...and also trying to avoid taking a picture of my car's feeble wheel trims!

"Something beginning with Z"
Zippers...

Until next time...

An Exhibition, some Happy Blocks and a "Big" Number...

2011-06-24T14:53:00.004+01:00

With a title like that I'm bound to have raised your curiosity if not your eyebrow...

A few weeks ago I went to the Bramble Patch with my friends Liz, Mo and DD1. It was their annual Strawberries & Cream Exhibition and as per usual it was a feast for the eyes and the stomach. The scones and cream were delicious and the quilts inspiring. I grabbed a few pictures to share with you.

I love the simplicity of this blue and red quilt and the repeated star shape in the quilting works incredibly well. Just goes to show you don't need anything fancy to get a spectacular quilt.

This wall hanging with the feathers is so striking. It took ever bit of control not to reach out and stroke the feathers.

Again another simple, but effective quilt. I keep thinking I'd like to do something like this with my scraps. The repetition of pattern and the plaid make this a very synchronized quilt!

Do you recognize this pattern? It's of course the disappearing nine patch. I love how the quilter put it on point and used the soft green as a "background" It gives the eye a place to rest and makes for a sweet quilt.

In other news I managed to finish my Sew Happy Blocks for June.

I'm not sure about the apple fabric in one of those blocks below but hopefully it will work in the overall quilt.

Lastly I celebrated a milestone birthday last weekend...and here is my sorry looking cake! I used Posie's Gets Cozy's cake recipe which worked like a dream, (honestly the BEST cake recipe ever!) but my icing didn't exactly turn out like hers. It was suppose to be light and fluffy and cloud-like..which as you can see it wasn't. I made sure to follow her instructions to the letter even insuring that I let everything cool off completely before whipping the ingredients together but it did didn't work. Luckily it tasted great, but I sure wish I knew why it didn't work. Any ideas?

P.S. - I've been doing some reading...apparently you need to beat the icing for 7-8 minutes...ooops didn't do that! Bet that was my problem.

Until next time...

A school trip to the farm can lead to some interesting moments...

2011-06-15T11:50:00.000+01:00

Last week I accompanied DD2's class to a local farm. It was a really interesting visit as the farm belongs to one of the parents from the school and we were allowed exclusive entry. Unlike when you go to a farm which is open to the public this was a much more relaxed environment. I think I enjoyed the visit even more than the children did and it was fascinating to hear all about the feed for the cows and the milking routines.

Here was their rooster who was keeping a watchful eye on his "ladies". He wasn't too sure about all these children visiting his home!

DD2 just loved seeing and petting all the new arrivals. Oh they were so cute!

These little fellows were having a little snooze, but in the next pen two young males decided to get a little frisky with each other (if you get my meaning). Of course the timing of their amorous encounter sent the children giggling and asking, "What are they doing!!?" The teacher was slightly embarrassed and the farmer was laughing along with the children...when one bright spark at the back (who happened to be my DD2) quite confidently said, "well it's obvious...he's giving him a piggy-back ride!"
I think the teacher gave her a gold star when they returned to school as the answer satisfied the group and no further questions were asked! Phew!!

Until next time...

A Day out with the Butterflies

2011-06-04T09:11:00.000+01:00

Earlier this week we went to Stratford upon Avon and had a wonderful time exploring the Butterfly Farm. It was a lovely way to spend an hour or two and was very affordable thanks to the 2-for-1 vouchers I found on-line (from Vouchercloud).
As you walked up to the entrance the path weaved its way through these massive concrete circles. They are obviously some sort of interconnecting drain pipe, but I loved how they positioned them and the visual interest it created.

Once inside there were masses of butterflies fluttering around and one felt transported to a fairy-land...It was quite magical and within a few minutes we had them landing on our arms.

You had to watch your step and keep your eyes peeled as they were on every surface. The magical and wonder of these little mini-beasts was everywhere.

Not only did we see the butterflies, but also some baby quails! They were way too fast to catch on "film", but I spied 2 cockatiels having a snooze in the trees.

As you can imagine there was a wealth of photographic opportunities! I only wish I'd brought my pocket camera too as it is much better at macro photography.

This is just a sampling of the pictures I took. I hope you enjoyed seeing them.

Until next time...

May Photo Challenge

2011-05-31T22:31:00.001+01:00

It's the end of another month and that can only mean that it is time to share this month's pictures for the Photo Scavenger Hunt. I have to admit that most of the pictures were taken over 2 different days...one which took me to Birmingham and the other to Stratford upon Avon. Enjoy!

1. May a butterfly, 2. May something blue, 3. May think vintage, 4. May an interesting local building

1. May a cartoon character, 2. May a bicycle, 3. May a red door, 4. May an emergency vehicle

1. May a portrait in black and white, 2. May texture, 3. May a street light, 4. May a sign of the zodiac

Until next time...

Wild Animal Wednesday

2011-05-25T10:41:00.000+01:00

Last weekend when I was at Aston University in Birmingham waiting for my DD1 to come out of a conference, I happened to spy these adorable baby Canadian geese. Both Mom and Dad were keeping a watchful eye, but I managed to get close enough to snap a picture. This was taken with my point and shoot which lives in my handbag for moments like this.

I couldn't help think of the Abbey Road Album as they crossed my path...
Seems Katie thought so too when she snapped her picture of her local geese...
Great minds and all that :o)

Until next time...

Quilting Update..

2011-05-21T10:41:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since I've updated you on my progress on the Lynne Edwards Sampler Quilt. These are the blocks from last time. The blocks construction was much like a Drunkards path, but the curve ends at the seam creating extra bulk. It was a challenging block, but I'm really pleased with the results.

This is the same technique just a slightly different layout. Working with these homespuns was a challenge...thank goodness for starch!

This is the Celtic work from February...the other Celtic work done in plaids can be seen on this post...

And I've also been quite productive for the first part of the month getting my Sew Happy Blocks completed for May.

And lastly, but not least. I really wanted to share this drawing my DD2 did. She's 8 years old and she loves to draw.
I've asked her to design an appliqué quilt for me...I think that would be a fun challenge!..but at the moment she doesn't seem too keen on the idea LOL

Until next time...

Quilts to a Good Cause...

2011-05-18T10:49:00.000+01:00

A long long time ago back in 2007 I made a series of quilt tops. Some of you may even remember me posting about this one!

Or even about these Fraternal Twins...

But since then they have sat in a box waiting to be finished...they have been in and out of the box a few times, but I always had something else I wanted to do more. Well, I'm really pleased to tell you they are done! And will be soon shipping their way to Japan towards the relief. Between my friend Liz (from Quilting in Chaos) and Muriel (no blog) we have pooled our resources to get these quilts finished. Liz was kind enough to quilt them and she has posted them on her blog. Please pop by and have a look...I'm so impressed with Liz's creativity..she's out done anything I could have done! She even managed to fit this enormous set of words into the back...

Until next time...

Pay It Forward Gifts...and Giving!

2011-05-16T20:08:00.001+01:00

I think blogger has settled down, though I seem to have lost all my comments on my post about Rochebeire...strange, but at least the post is there.

The last time I wrote I promised to tell you about my meet-up last Wednesday with Susan from Canadian Abroad. We met down at my LQS and had a wonderful time. Susan is a fellow Canadian who has been in the U.K. for 10 years...like me, has 2 daughters...like me and questions why British houses don't have basements...like me :o) We "met" only a few weeks before when I joined the Brit Quilt group on Flickr and saw Susan's post about how she was a quilter in my area and would like to meet up with other quilters. Imagine our surprise that we were both Canadian! I often think I'm never too far from a fellow Canadian or a fellow quilter at any given time, but not often are they the same person LOL. Part of the reason Susan and I met, was that I opted in to her Pay It Forward and she worked very quickly and made me some lovely gifts.

First was a lovely crochet scarf. Although Susan made it for me...my youngest has already claimed it for herself. I can see this getting a lot of use when things cool off in the Autumn.

Next was a little box bag, which everyone (apart from my DH) wanted to claim...but I beat them off with a stick and told them it was to take pride and place in my sewing area. It is perfect bag to hold those leaders and enders being made as I sew along.

Next is a pen holder cover..perfect for holding quilting essentials.

And last was Herman! A sourdough starter for Friendship Cake. Susan has made hers and it looks yummy...but before I can make mine I need to keep it going for 10 days! No pressure or anything!!
Many thanks Susan for the lovely things...It was such fun having pressies to open when it wasn't even my birthday :o)

I really enjoyed my afternoon with Susan and I think she did too. She wrote lovely posts about it here and here.

Now to fulfill my end of the bargain!

How does it work?

I will make a little something for the first 3 people who opt in to participate in Pay It Forward.
It will be a surprise and it will arrive when you least expect it....well almost..I'm bound to need to contact you for your address :o).
I will have 365 days to do it in.
To get a handmade present from me, you have to play too! This means YOU pledge to send a little handmade something to 3 readers of your blog.
It doesn't have to be quilty - just handmade.
You must have a blog.
Once you receive your "little something", you must post about your Pay it Forward on your blog to keep the fun going - be sure to use the Pay It Forward badge...and please only opt in of you can commit to keeping it going :o)

Update: I have 3 people to play along!
SuperMom, Terry and Amanda

Until next time...

Bad Bad Blogger...and how to back up your blog

2011-05-14T10:02:00.001+01:00

If you are anything like me the recent Blogger outage gave you a chance to catch up on your blog reading! For once there weren't as many posts being added as I was reading and I actually came to the end of the list! LOL I must admit I'm not complete convinced the problems are all solved and I know many of you are missing posts and comments. (Even me :o) ) This is what Blogger say on their blog:

Update (5/13 7:46PM PST): Nearly all posts since Wednesday are restored, now bringing back comments from last couple days. We expect the comments to be back this weekend or sooner.

What a frustrating day. We’re very sorry that you’ve been unable to publish to Blogger for the past 20.5 hours. We’re nearly back to normal — you can publish again, and in the coming hours posts and comments that were temporarily removed should be restored. Thank you for your patience while we fix this situation. We use Blogger for our own blogs, so we’ve also felt your pain.

You can read the rest of the post HERE

In the meantime you might be wondering how you backup your blog if it is hosted by Blogger...So here's my top tip for the day:

From the Blogger Dashboard select SETTINGS

Right at the top of the page the first setting is Blog Tools
You will see Import Blog, Export Blog. Delete Blog. Select EXPORT BLOG
You should see a big ORANGE button that says Download Blog.
Click that and a dialogue box will come up asking you where you want to save your blog on your computer. Save it somewhere safe.
What this downloads is a XML file This is all the machine code that Blogger used to encode your blog...(I think I've phrased that right) and is the same file you would use to export to Wordpress or the like.
Now you have a back up file that would be recognizable to Blogger if ever there was ever a catastrophic failure of their system. :o)

When things clam down I'll be back and tell you all about my visit with fellow quilter Susan from Canadian Abroad...

Until next time...

A day out at Rocheberie...

2011-05-12T11:51:00.001+01:00

This past Saturday I went to Rochebeire Schoolhouse Quilters and what a fun meeting we had. As the quilty content of this blog has been a bit skinny as of late I thought I'd share a little of the Show and Tell from the meeting. Our speaker was Claire Tinsley from Hannah's Room. She brought many of her award winning quilts and told us about her journey into the quilting world, both as a quilter and a shop owner. There are more picture from our meeting HERE...have a look as some of the work on display was amazing.

This quilt was made by a lady from our group. I just love the colour combination ...navy and pink...you just can't go wrong.

This must have been one of my favourites quilts of the day...mainly because it was the quilt I designed a few years ago for our group Mystery Quilt Day. You can see some more examples here. I get a kick at seeing the different variations people make from the same pattern.

As Union Jacks are so popular at the moment...I just had to share this lovely pillow one of the ladies made.

Just loved this quilt top! Pretty!!!

And here is Liz with her signature block quilt that Connie coordinated back in 2009. Hey Thimbleanna...can you spy your block?

Until next time...

May Flowers

2011-05-08T15:51:00.000+01:00

My grandmother's favourite flower was Lily of the Valley. It's in full bloom in the garden and I brought a little in to remember her...without her I don't think I would have the same passion for sewing and baking as I do. I have very fond memories of being in her kitchen making pastry (a real privileged..she never let anyone in the kitchen!!) and wearing clothes she made for me.

Until next time...

British Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T20:13:00.000+01:00

Taken on the day of the Royal Wedding, this bunting ran along the fence of Rugby School. It was quite a sight to see!

Until next time...

Sew Happy April Blocks

2011-05-03T15:51:00.000+01:00

I've been diligently working away on my blocks for Sew Happy's Quilt Along for April. All the pieced ones are done, but the appliqué ones are still in progress.

I opted to appliqué the stems rather than embroider them and the hearts
and leaves are all hand done. There are 15 of these heart blocks to sew
and so far I've completed all the hearts and have 2 blocks done with
the leaves...only 13 more to go :o)

Until next time...

Photo Scavenger Hunt : April

2011-04-30T16:33:00.001+01:00

I'm a bit slow on the uptake, but after seeing Thimbleanna's pictures last month and Karen's the month before, I have decided to have a go at Postcards from the P.P.'s Photo Scavenger Hunt. These are my April pictures. I'm rather pleased with the "Set of Keys" picture and the shot of my camera taken with my point and shoot.

1. April a church, 2. April a cross, 3. April a sculpture, 4. April set of keys, 5. April an interesting shop name, 6. April Showers, 7. April Breakfast, 8. April eggs, 9. April something to do with Shakespeare, 10. April something to mark St.George's Day, 11. April Something Yellow, 12. April My Camera

Until next time...

If April Showers bring May Flowers....

2011-04-28T17:42:00.001+01:00

Then what happens if April is sunny?
Weather-wise, Britain has just had the nicest April..let's just hope it lasts for one more day for the happy couple getting married in London tomorrow. I have plans to watch with great interest..just as I did 30 years ago when Charles and Diana married. Of course, back then I was living in Canada and to watch the wedding one had to get up at a very early hour! I seem to recall getting up at 5 a.m.!

I've had a nice break with the children. They've had school for 2 days this week which has given me just enough time to whip around the house and put it back in order before we start round two of the bank holiday weekend. Easter was glorious and was spent with family. DD2 had a wonderful time hiding plastic eggs in the garden for the younger ones to find. This was a great game that kept them amused for hours...that was of course until DD2 couldn't remember where she had hid them! LOL I suspect the remaining eggs will be found throughout the next year as my in-laws maintain their garden.

Along with all this glorious weather we have had a real treat with the birds this year. This is a greenfinch (below) and I only saw him a couple of times before he moved on. I'm so glad I caught this pic of him. We also saw goldfinches and chaffinches at the feeder at the same time. We were also privileged to have a blackbird nest in the hedge. For weeks we have watched the mother build the nest and for the last 2 weeks we have watched both mom and dad feeding them. Late last week we started to hear the little cheep-cheeps as they were being fed and then over the weekend the cheeps became louder and finally they fled the nest.

There really hasn't been many April showers to speak of and as a result the blossoms on the tress seem to have lasted extra long this year. Normally the wind brings them down...so getting sights like this has been very special.

Got you treat you to yet another squirrel picture. We seem to have the same one at the feeder this year and she isn't too greedy :o) She stayed calm and still so I could grab her picture.

Well, I wish you all a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the wedding, if you are into that sort of thing!

Until next time...

"Hoppy Easter!"

2011-04-24T03:00:00.007+01:00

Have a wonderful day with friends, family and a bit of chocolate ;o)

A blast from my past...

2011-04-22T03:57:00.001+01:00

I'm over HERE today..airing out my dirty laundry! Pop on over and see what I'm talking about!

Until next time...

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-20T11:57:00.000+01:00

I know...not all that impressive, but I still love it when I can snap a pic of the "wildlife" in my garden. Things are getting busy in the garden. The goldfinches are coming back to the feeders and the blackbirds have been busy making a nest in the hedge. I love this time of year when everything is blooming :o)

Until next time...

Wonderwool 2011

2011-04-17T07:36:00.000+01:00

Last weekend, on probably the nicest day we've had this year so far, we took to the road and headed west to Wales for...

Wonderwool Wales!
My eldest, who is the knitter in the family, asked (begged) to have a trip to Wonderwool as her birthday present. As it was a very reasonable request and a most unique request for a 17 year old, we couldn't really say no.

To say she was delighted would be an understatement. There must have been over 100 exhibitors and had everything from wool, to needles, roving to spin with and accessories to finish any project. Some of the stalls even bought the sheep that their wool was spun from.

There were people of all ages and plenty of shopping being done by all.

I just loved this creative banner of sheep! (The stall was selling dyeing equipment...so it was very appropriate!)

While DD1 and I made our way around the Royal Welsh Showground, the DH and DD2 went walking in near by Builth Wells.
Just look at this scenery...isn't it just the view to sooth the soul!
(BTW, the white dots in the picture below are sheep!)

On the way home we stopped off at what is bound to become a favourite mid-trip stop off point...DiMarco's Fish Restaurant in Leominster (HR6 8EX). Twice now we have eaten here and twice we've eaten well. If you do visit...go with a good appetite as the servings are generous! Everything is served with a smile and I look forward to our next trip west, just so we can visit DiMarco's again!

Until next time...

Wordless Floral Wednesday

2011-04-13T11:57:00.002+01:00

Taken in the garden on a sunny morning....a beautiful cluster of mini daffodils. Just oozes warmth and thoughts of Spring.

Until next time...

A new member of the "family"

2011-04-11T11:57:00.001+01:00

I just had to share with you the newest member of my iron family.
Some people collect thimbles, some people collect sewing machines...and it would seem I'm collecting irons! :o)
Isn't she cute!?

To see what I mean you need to see her next to my travel iron and my normal iron...which in this picture looks monstrous! LOL

I bought her from the Stitch Witch and she's really low wattage..so there is very little guilt about leaving her on stand-by between piecing. She doesn't get as hot as the travel iron, but her heat setting is perfect for fusible web, bias tape making, foundation paper piecing and for pressing the seams to one side. She's not quite warm enough for starch appliqué (the travel iron is good for that) or for pressing yardage..like the big mama of the group. My dad always said one should have the right tools for the job and I think now I must have the perfect iron for any pressing task! :o)

Until next time...

I really do like pink...

2011-04-07T13:31:00.001+01:00

When things get quiet on the blog, you will just have to assume I'm sewing!...and that I have been! I dusted off the Accu-quilt and the 6 1/2" tumbler die and have pieced this top. I was really pleased at how easy it was to cut the pieces and sew them together. The Accu-quilt cuts the dog ears off the corners and makes matching the pieces a dream.

I haven't decided how to quilt it..but I would love any suggestions you have!
I've bought some Aurifil 28 weight cotton thread for the job from New Threads (U.K. shop that carries Aurifil..quick delivery...I'm not affiliated, just impressed with their service)

After piecing with all this pink I have decided I rather like pink...just has to be the right shade! :o)

Until next time...

Another one done!

2011-03-25T11:15:00.000Z

Back in September I emptied my smallest scrap bin to make crumb blocks. Then using the ever popular disappearing nine patch technique, as shown here, they transformed into this...another quilt for Project Linus and my 8th completed project for 2011.

I opted for a swirly all-over quilting pattern. Although it was very successful, it wasn't my favourite...I just found I kept getting stuck and it was difficult to keep the quilt layers from bunching under the domestic machine. This pattern is probably easier to achieve on a long arm.

Until next time...

Stash Manicure Post

2011-03-22T03:00:00.002Z

Madame Samm has invited me to post for Stash Manicure again...hope you'll hop over and see what I have in store for you today!

Until next time...

Rocheberie Quilters Celebrates 10 years!

2011-03-21T20:36:00.001Z

Just wanted to share....this past weekend the sewing group that I belong to celebrated its 10th anniversary! We had a wonderful time with cake, games and prezzies! (I'm such a kid at heart!) If you fancy seeing the montage of pictures that I put together..then click on over :o)

Until next time...

Day out at the Farm...

2011-03-19T11:15:00.000Z

Last weekend while Scotland endured a snowstorm, we here in the south had a beautiful spring day (Sorry Scotland...I did think of you!)

I have been craving a day out since January so when I saw the forecast was dry, I gathered the family and we set off for a day out at the farm. This time of year is so much fun as the lambs and the kids are arriving and the weather is still cool enough that the animals want to come over and say hello.

We opted to visit a farm that I heard about through a friend. West Lodge Rural Centre in Northamptonshire has a multitude of things to entertain the whole family. Not far from jct 3 off the A14 it was easy to get to from Rugby and with a packed lunch we were set for the day. Not only did they have sheep and goats, but they also had an array of other animals to look at and feed.

This donkey posed so nicely for the camera and I can't help think of Donkey from Shrek! What a cutie!

Now this little lady was adorable. She was a very pregnant goat, but was so tame that she allowed DD1 and DD2 to place their hands on her sides and feel the little kid inside move. She was patient and not at all skittish as one would expect. DD1 really connected with her and she seem to love all the attention and be listening attentively to all the praise DD1 was giving here. It was a very special moment. :o)

The Rastafarian Goat...just how can it see??

Now if the animals weren't enough fun..the West Lodge also has a set of walking trails. Something to thrill even the oldest child, there was a witch's house to be found and a troll bridge to cross.

If you asked DD2 what was her most favourite part of the day...it was seeing this guy! What a treat to see a peacock! I snapped several pictures and was really pleased how the colours came up...what a stunning bird!

Until next time...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T09:54:00.000Z

Taken over the weekend...it is a field of old sunflowers...immediately I thought this would be a perfect black and white shot.

Until next time...

Sew Happy there is a bit of progress...

2011-03-13T12:26:00.000Z

I'm "sew" happy to say that the Quilt Police can stand down...I have caught up on my Sew Happy Blocks! I have decided to work in reds for this challenge and have made 4 blocks for each design. This should result in a decent sized quilt...I'm looking forward to seeing how the project develops in the coming months.

Until next time...

Another quilt for Project Linus

2011-03-10T13:24:00.000Z

Last one for now. I have only one other after this one to complete (just the binding) and then I'll take a little break from making quilts for Project Linus. This one was thought up back in October and is a design I would like to revisit. It was so easy to sew together and would be a perfect way to marry up a jelly roll and some plain fabric.

The backing for these quilts are usually a variety of fabrics...in this case I used some florals and a orphan block donated to Project Linus.

If you look closely you can just see the butterflies that featured in this post...

I'm thrilled with the results.

Until next time...

A budding quilter...or how my stash was raided...

2011-03-07T13:24:00.000Z

Y es you heard right...my stash was raided...by a lovely 8 year old! Over half-term my youngest completed the stitchery she was working on of a paw print. I thought she might want to stitch more than one, but alas that wasn't the case.

Before I could stop her she was digging around in the cupboard pulling out fabric and drawing up plans!

Out onto the living room floor went a selection of cat fabrics and leopard print black! If I was to wager any bets, I'd say there was some cutting and sewing in my future! :o)

Until next time...

Works in Progress...

2011-03-04T13:24:00.000Z

The problem with half-term is there is no time for blogs! However, that said, I did manage to get some sewing done. If you remember back on this post I talked about the Lynne Edwards Sampler Quilt. I have managed to complete another block. This time a Mariner's Compass.

Also I have joined in on the SewHappy Quilt Along. February was the first month (here) and I've got all the pieces cut and have started to sew them together. I just hope the Quilt Police don't turn up and scold me for not having them done in February! :o) This is the Link to March's Blocks (here)

Until next time...

Flower Quilt for Project Linus

2011-03-02T13:24:00.000Z

Yet another quilt for Project Linus completed and ready to give to Lynda. This quilt is one of my favourites. You'll recall I planned it out back in October. I didn't realize it was that long ago until I went looking for the link.

I'm really please with how well it turned out. For the flower shapes I used some fusible Stitch 'n Wash Floriani (For the UK...here's a supplier) and followed this method to machine appliqué the shapes. The nice thing about this method is that the edges are turned under and should fray less.

Once it was washed...the appliqué shapes were soft and not like cardboard like heat and bond. I'll definitely do this again.

Until next time...

Not my work..but well worth a blog post...

2011-02-28T13:48:00.001Z

The following pictures are not of my work, but the work of my daughter. A few years ago my teenage daughter took up knitting. Like so many she started with a scarf, but soon the love affair with yarn and wool blossomed and she has completed these three projects over half-term.
(I should state...they were all started well before half-term...I wouldn't want you all to think she is some sort of Speedy Gonzales knitter!)

These blue hand-warmers were made for me as a present. Aren't I lucky!

These purple hand-warmers were the first she completed with thumbs!

And this scarf was something she knitted just to finish up some left over yarn. I'm so proud of her skill. Knitting is something I never took to and now my hands wouldn't cooperate. It's lovely to see her passionate about a craft.

Until next time...

Free-motion Quilted Butterflies- including a video!

2011-02-14T12:26:00.002Z

With 8 tops that needed quilting for Project Linus, I decided that I should try and be more inventive with the quilting. Normally I stick to a straight meandering stitch, but after the first two quilts that was getting boring! :o) So I decided to get a little creative and started to add butterflies.

I know you will all want to have a go at this, so I thought I'd attempt to video the stitching of this butterfly so you could see the path I took...apologies now for the blurry quality of the video...but it
should give you a good idea of the direction one needs to quilt to
achieve this cute design. Stay tune to the end of the video where I share my first blooper. All you quilters out there will completely identify with this common sewing mishap!

Here's another picture..aren't they cute!

I'm happy to say of 8 I have passed 4 quilts to Lynda and all that remain on the last 4 is to hand stitch the binding. Woohoo!

Until next time...

The Big Reveal!!!

2011-02-07T01:30:00.001Z

It's Monday and as promised here are some quilty pictures...

I have managed to quilt three of these Colour Impact Quilts for Project Linus.
Each one is slighly different and quilted in a different pattern.

I'm thrilled to announced that I'm also guest posting on Stash Manicure today and the very simple instructions to make a Colour Impact Quilt can be found there!

Until next time...

I just didn't say which Monday! :o)

2011-02-04T15:06:00.000Z

Hello? Anyone there?
What does one say after taking an unannounced 2 week break from her blog? I'm not really sure... "oops" comes to mind, but then that doesn't really explain my absence! First let me say, I'm fine and I suspect my absence has just been one of those January things...Like so many, I've been a little out of sorts and craving for warmer weather and I haven't felt inspired to take pictures or write..both skills needed for maintaining a blog! Luckily, a ray of sunshine appeared this week and I dusted the camera off and got taking pictures again.

(Image taken straight out of the camera...no photoshop or special effects! Just managed to catch the light right!)

Another reason I've been off-line is that I got a new phone in January and I have been introduced to the world of Apps! One such app is Angry Birds and I've been completely consumed. Thankfully I'm nearing the end of the game and hopefully once I've cracked it (pardon the pun) normal service will resume around here! (I feel like a rather silly woman for getting this absorbed!)

As for quilts and quilting go, I'm really pleased to say that I've managed to hand over two quilts to Lynda and have another 3 quilted and 3 basted. On my last post I promised pictures of quilts on Monday...I just didn't say which Monday! Stay tune next week for the big reveal!

Until next time...

Still Breathing...just busy :o)

2011-01-20T21:33:00.001Z

This was the sky as I waited in the school playground for my DD2 to emerge from school. All I had with me was the camera on my phone, which surprisingly did a half decent job. I just thought the colours were magical.

I'm sorry I haven't been posting much, but I'm still here, basting away the Project Linus Quilts. I have 2 more to baste and then I shall be embarking on some mammoth quilting. I'm looking forward to that part!
Hope you have a good weekend...and hopefully by Monday I'll have something quilty to share.

Until next time...