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Saturday 31 May 2014

Bits & Fobs...

I am shattered!  It was a long, albeit sunny day with the county's Brownies and Rainbows.  No mishaps, a nice group of kids to wangle, including my own, and everyone went home happy, and surprisingly that did include me...


And, because I can't quite believe that it is the last day of May, one, or rather 6 last finishes of the month...

3 teacher gifts; two Architextures for the chaps, and a little Nordika for another teacher the girls have rather too much of to ignore!


... and a preview of the fobs I am making as limited edition, unofficial FQR souvenirs...


They can have another post nearer the time, but I have a feeling my May mosaic is going to need all the help it can get!

I am going to try and keep my eyes open a little while longer, but I might be fighting a losing battle; so see you on the next page xxx

Friday 30 May 2014

Duty Baking...

By 8am this morning the oven was on and I was consulting my foody guru, (well her blog anyway, as she was probably sleeping off last night's dinner)...

Mwah!
Surnames A-L were on cake duty for pack camp this weekend; so being a one-trick pony, and there may have been a little begging from the kids, flapjacks were the only way to go.

(Surnames M-Z were on crumble/pie, in case you were worried).

I have never made a dud batch, and I can honestly say that is nothing to do with my cooking skills!

So this evening off we went and droped off the lad...

That's blue, not dark grey in the sky - I didn't recognise it either!
... and it is looking a lot more promising than last time!!  The sun even came out as we got there, so dear son was left with a smile on his face.

Tomorrow I get to enjoy a Brownie "fun" day; let's see how long my smile lasts!

Thursday 29 May 2014

Who?

A couple of weeks ago, I got chatting with Sarah about Retreat, and she mentioned that she wasn't going to be able to commit to the pre-weekend shenanigans, so I offered to make her a name tag, and mad fool she is, she accepted!

So knowing she is a bit of a Tula-fan, I knew exactly what I wanted to use...


Yep, I am truly on an aqua, pink and lime diet!

OK, so you remember those pictures from the 1980s that you had to stare at for 10 minutes until you went cross-eyed to see a hidden image, it is a bit like that, but it does say Quilt Candy - Sarah, honest; the crappy light doesn't help my case, sorry!


Hopefully Sarah is feeling a little more in the FQR spirit, as for me, a little of what you fancy does you good!

I am hoping to squeeze in a little sewing over the next few days, but Cubs and Brownies are going to be topping the bill, so I am not going to put money on it xxx

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Where Is Everybody!?

Coo-eee!

I have been pondering my swap makery for FQR 2014 and wondering where everyone has gone!

Trash has been trying to rally the troops with the name tag and sample swaps on flickr, but it all seems awfully quiet.

I know many of my partners in crime will be missing this year, sob, but, c'mon!

Day tickets are now available for the Saturday, the super-duper class lists have been released, and promises of a more intimate weekender than last year's scorching craziness, but not this intimate, surely?!

Anywho, I have made progress with my swapsies today, I also mailed off an extra-curicular name tag, which I will show you when the recipient has received it.

I have also been sketching...



... and cutting, and wondering if making a couple of dozen, limited edition, super-souvenir key fobs is in order.

But now it's Jack Bauer time, so I'm off, dammit xx

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Why not!

So yesterday saw me pulling some of my favourite fabrics just because.

No deadline, no commission, no guidelines nor necessity, just because I wanted to.  Something for me, something frivolous, and unnecessary!  It's been a while since I just made something because I felt like it, for no reason, spur of the moment.

At first I thought I might just make a mini-quilt, but my practical side got the better of me, and so I plumped for a cushion; yeah we don't need any more of those either, but it was just the ticket.

And here, as promised is what I made...


I finished the binding this morning in front of the TV with the kids, (the joys of a rainy half term), and I couldn't be happier.


It's not perfect, some of the points are pointy, some are not, the quilting is more organic than measured and the pillow inset I had waiting isn't very poofy, but I love it.


I used the spool block template from Kerry & Lynne's 500 Quilt Blocks, transferring it to template plastic to mark the corner angles onto my spool/butterfly wings.  This was so I could use slightly larger corner rectangles, cut them on the diagonal, line up with my markings and have a lot less wastage - if anyone wants a demo let me know.

It was all pieced and quilted in, altogether now, Aufifil 50wt 2021, using my new favourite blender, white dotty crosshatch which is on offer at Simply Solids, backed with a grey home dec fabric, which I used for Sarah's bag and bound in Sketch.  It measures up at 20" square.


Now back to the other things.  Don't get me wrong, the bonus is, they are all enjoyable too, these things for friends, things for Retreat and things to stop the kids being quite so annoying grumpy this week!

Monday 26 May 2014

Typical Bank Holiday weather...

... so there's only one thing for it.  To turn these...


...into something sunny!

So I did.  I'll show you tomorrow xxx

Sunday 25 May 2014

Has to be done!

Before tackling the joys of the playroom, top of my half term hit list, the girls and I popped into the local antique shop on the way to get some provisions for lunch.

I haven't been in there in ages, not a lot changes, but I did spot these three well-worn beauties...


And this fun little thing...


I may have been sniffing out the fabrics, but the girls were more intrigued by the local taxidermy!


I didn't come home empty-handed, channelling my Brit Bee buddy Jude, I picked up a huge bargainiferous cut of denim...


Happy happy.

But after lunch, my view wasn't quite as pleasing on the eye...


... but over half ended up in a black sack or tub for getting shot of, so a job well started - there are still a lot of board games and things that need to be re-united with all their pieces but we are getting there.

Tomorrow we rest!

Saturday 24 May 2014

Go Nuts!

Today we had a rare occurrence, dear son off for a day out with the Cubs, and the girls over in Brighton at a Build-a-Bear party!

So we popped into the village between the rain showers to have a quick look round the Italian market that had come for the day.  We came home with giant slabs of nougat, which it would appear is worth more than its weight in gold!


The pistachio was very nice though!

I then spent the afternoon looking at a big pile of fabric, going nowhere fast - sod's law; I think I finally made a decision just when the hoards came home.

Questa è la vita!

Friday 23 May 2014

Forward planning...

Anyone who popped over to Jennifer's when I was getting all enthused about the Summer, patchwork and teacher gifts may remember that I was prepping already.  So on Wednesday these were on my hit list!

So here are the lady bags...

Fed up of waiting for better light - apologies!
Made with Svelana's tutorial, mixing up some bright scraps and Essex Linen, I think these will do the job.

I still have a couple of chaps to make for - key fobs this time, me thinks.

I am a whole half-term early, and it feels good!

Happy Friday everyone xxx

Thursday 22 May 2014

End of an era...

Today was the last KS1 school disco that any of us will attend - all three kiddos will be in KS2 by the next one and my future as a 'crisp lady' is currently uncertain - I'll let you know in October!

Other crisps are available!
That's 9 discos and who knows how many flavour options I have given the under-8s in the last 3 years, it feels like thousands, and way more than just the 9 hours that I'll never see again!

You will have to excuse the lack of photos as promised from yesterday, the ten minutes I was home between work and school was a washout, and my brain was a bit too frazzled when we got back, in fact, it still is!

So I may as well link this selection of unhealthy snacks with Cindy and the other Randomeers, and head for an early night; oh roll on half term!

Wednesday 21 May 2014

There was sewing... honest!

Today I made loads; things I can't show you, but wish I could; things I can show you, but I forgot to take any pictures of (doh!), and things I am not sure I will ever show anyone, lots of unpicking has been taking place, dammit.

But what I can show you is the contents of a parcel that came today...



Can you spot Trudi's awesome quilt skills?  This is the pair of quilts started back in March at the Brit Bee gathering, and they are now with me for binding and safekeeping.

They are on my rainy day list, because with Half Term coming up, we are bound to be sofa-bound at least once during the week!

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Pinky Promise...

Just about a year ago, Eclectic Maker pledged to provide the backing for my Siblings Together quilt when my time came round.

Over the course of the year, Jo's lovely shop has gone from strength to strength, and I'd like to think we have become good friends too, we certainly spend a lot of time together!

Last week I popped in to choose my backing; I had already been in a week or so earlier and decided on some extra-wide Spot On, but not the colour.  Within a couple of minutes Jo was cutting me 2.5m of the awesome peony colourway...


I left the shop about an hour later, and only then because I didn't want to be late for school pick up!

I needed a couple of FQs for a commission; so we had most of the bolts off the shelves, many more than once; it was a team effort, and we got there in the end.  Maybe if we had stopped laughing and taken it all a bit more seriously I would have been out the door 45 minutes quicker, but where's the fun in that?

I may also have ended up with another fabulous scrap bag, specifically for a couple of little projects the girls had requested and I had promised.

So all promises kept, and smiles all round; that's what it is all about eh!

Monday 19 May 2014

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Scrappy

Well I said I'd be back, and I am entering my second quilt into this year's fun and games.


If you missed it, I blogged my first, the Oakshott Carpenter's Star, here.


Today I am going to show my Stitch Tease Bee quilt that I finished up in the New Year.  And this is the complete opposite in every way.

I really should have taken some new, sunny shots, but I didn't think of that until I sat down this evening, sorry...


So this is my much loved, and currently living on the foot of our bed, Low Volume Scrap Vomit...


From the first versions of Katy Jones' modern classic quilt, I knew I wanted one, although I didn't want so much of the vomit, and wasn't too keen on the traditional black blocks, so this was my solution!


I love this quilt, and especially cherish that it was made by one of the fabulous Bees which I am fortunate enough to belong to, and it turned out way more amazing than I could have hoped for.  Thanks lovely ladies x

Low Volume Scrap Vomit Details:
70" x 70"
Top - 1225 x 2.5" scraps from the bins of the Stitch Tease Bee
Backing - IKEA Nummer print and Sew Stitchy scraps
Quilting - Diagonal straight lines in Aurifil 50wt 2021
Binding - Joel Dewberry Aqua Herringbone
Entering into the Scrappy category.

Thank you for (re)visiting me and my quilts: I'm hoping I will have some of the things currently residing on my To Do list t'done soon to show you - I'm sure I'll rustle something up for tomorrow ;)

Sunday 18 May 2014

Blogger's Quilt Festival - ROYGBIV

Today I am delighted, thrilled, nay relived to be able to add my (first) entry into this Spring's Blogger's Quilt Festival - Amy is an amazing hostess, and I have loved entering and hopping round the blogiverse since 2011, (wow, where does the time go!?).


So enough, let's get down to business.

I was the lucky recipient of a beautiful layercake of Oakshotts back in early Spring, and immediately decided that I wanted to make a one-block quilt.  It didn't take me long to settle on a Carpenter's Star, and I am so glad I did.

If you are a regular visitor to my blog you may have seen the top reveal a few weeks back...


I pieced the backing, basted, quilted and bound it all this week - just to be able to hand it over to my Dad today, to display when he has his Open Studio at the beginning of June.

Mission accomplished, albeit that it was in the washing machine this morning at 7am with a handful of colour catchers for an anxious half hour!

Here it is earlier, pre-wash...


I had to take lots of photos!



The washing definitely took a few inches off it, and crinkled it up a little, but there was no colour-run so a very content breakfast-time...


I am really happy with how this turned out, and know it will compliment the graphic bright shapes of my Dad's stained glass, which in my books is a great result!

Oakshott Carpenter's Star Details:
64" x 64" (post-wash)
Top - Oakshott Colourshott 30 x 10" squares plus 2
         Moda Bella Solid - bleached white
Backing - IKEA print & Moda Bella Solid - bleached white
Pieced & quilted - Aurifil 50wt 2021
Quilting - Horizontal straight lines in sets of 3 & 6
Binding - Moda Bella Solid - bleached white
Entering into the ROYGBIV category.


Thank you for stopping by; hopefully I will be entering a second quilt tomorrow, but you know how all my plans usually turn out!

Saturday 17 May 2014

All White On The Night...

Over halfway round by the time the snow-blindness hit last night...


So after a day of cleaning, tidying, sorting and note-making, here I go again!

Friday 16 May 2014

All go round here!

Honestly, I don't know if I am coming or going at the moment; I still have the giant star quilt to bind, as my evenings this week have been taken over plotting and planning a surprise and short turn-around commission, along with sorting a weekend away (woop woop!) and organising even more school bags and washing than ever with the start of the swimming season.  My temperamental MacBook has consumed more than its fair share of time and swear words, but it's playing nice right now, so on we go.

I have bumped my parents from Saturday to Sunday, so that I should be finished with the quilt by then, and have time to get some pics and enter it into the Bloggers Quilt Festival; I am also hoping that I can put the house back into some sort of order too - something will have to give!

I am guest posting over at Ellison Lane today too - Jennifer trusted me to start getting you in the mood for some simple patchwork action...


It seems a while since I made this happy pouch...

 photo Summergrass_zps869eb223.jpg

So please pop over and show some love!

And as for the Sew Mama Sew Giveaways - I whizzed through those that appeared in my reading list and maybe entered 2 or 3 others, but you don't want to hear about that... you want to know who won my offering, which, I can confirm, has had the lining gap stitched closed (this afternoon!)...



Woo hoo!  I'll email you in a minute!  I met Sarah at FQR13, she was suffering from crazy-pregnant-lady-brain at the time, as you may deduce from her bag contents, she's having fun now!

Thank you to everyone who entered, I loved reading what old crap you all drag around in your bags too, I had planned to show you the contents of mine, but time got the better of me, that's my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Right now I have the perpetual 24 clock going off in my head, see yesterday's post, so come back this time tomorrow, to see if I have managed to save the world, well my little bit of it anyway!

xxx

Thursday 15 May 2014

Random noises...

Some people will get this...



If you are not one of them, sorry!  I have been changing needle position a lot this week, and this made me smile every time!

Linking with Cindy and the Randomeers xxx

Wednesday 14 May 2014

One step forward...two steps back...

The quilt now has the binding attached...


I just need to get it finished.  I need to have it done by Saturday as I am giving it to my parents to put on the wall during my dad's open studio in June, and I would also like to double my reveal as my entry into the Blogger's Quilt Festival which starts on Friday - no pressure there then!

Steps back...?  Well, lots of faffing about with my MacBook's innards again; so I am typing as fast as I can!

Tuesday 13 May 2014

Almost there...

I've been quilting the Oakshott Carpenter's Star, and maybe, just maybe, I'll get it finished tomorrow!!!



Now get back to those giveaways!  Mine is here if you missed it xxx

Monday 12 May 2014

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!!!


***The Giveaway Is Now Closed***


Well it's that day again, so even though I am feeling a bit under the cosh, I rustled up a little something to add to the fun and games of the wonderful Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day.



This little tote has been made using Svetlana's wonder tutorial using some Joel Dewberry home dec, dark grey upholstery fabric, that feels so nice, and lined with a grey solid and a handy patch pocket...



If truth be told I haven't sewn up the turning gap yet, but I will do, promise!


I am not going to hold you up, I know there are so many giveaways, and so little time; and you all know the score that if you are a first time here, welcome, have a look around, blah-di-blah - I know you won't, well you might, no obligation!


This giveaway is open internationally, will close at 9pm UK time on Friday 16th May, and the winner will be chosen by Mr Random.   If a No-Reply blogger, who has not left their email address in the body of their comment, is selected, I will re-draw, sorry.

All you have to do is leave me one comment, (additionals will be deleted!).  So, tell me, other than keys, wallet, phone, what else do you always carry about in your bag of choice?

Thank you for stopping by - I will not be responding to individual comments this time, but I will read and no doubt chuckle at them all.

Good luck xxx

Sunday 11 May 2014

Man Present...

I promised you something a bit more interesting than my kids; oh that's not quite fair, but you know what I mean, so here you are...


My brother-in-law has a big birthday coming up, and I wanted to mail something to add to his collection of 'oh what on Earth is she going to send next time?' gifts!

Lots of Echino, a little Melody Miller plus some other bits and bobs from my stash, and I think suitably manly...


It finished up a little on the large size, 20" square, quilted with a mixture of Aurifil 40wt 2021, and the last few inches in Gutermann, because I ran out, dammit!

I have going from being totally unsure, to thinking it looks just the job; I just hope it receives a warm kiwi welcome.

Back tomorrow and I'll be linking up a little something with Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day, hopefully! xxx

Saturday 10 May 2014

Not the plan...

So I was going to baste and sew all afternoon, having spent the morning cleaning and tidying and doing all the boring stuff, but no sooner had I started to figure out the Giant Oakshott Star backing, when the phone rang.

The predicted rain hadn't been so bad after a soggy night, however the gale-force winds were playing havoc on cub camp, and the tents were blowing down.  So home-time came 24hrs early...

Why do they always camp at the bottom of a steep hill!
Bang went the sewing.

I do have a finish to show you from yesterday though; I just need my mojo to resurface and the clouds to part so I can get some pics.

I can't class this as a good day, but at least there was no time for someone to get clothes, or anything muddy. x

Friday 9 May 2014

You're smiling now...

All set for Cub Camp in the early evening sunshine...


My poor boy, the weather forecast will wash that smile off your face by the morning I'm afraid!

Still, a rainy old weekend will hopefully give me some sewing time, every cloud and all that.  Have a good one folks x