Modern Mini Challenge Blog Hopper!

Today I am thrilled, and quite frankly rather scared, to be linking up as part of Jennifer's wonderful Modern Mini Challenge Blog Hop.  This is the first time I have taken up an offer to join in a blog hop; there must have been some New Year bravado in the water when I said 'Yes'!  The rest of the bloggers on this tour are so inspirational and talented, I am hoping that some of their magic will rub off on me by association.

Anyhoo, if you have come over from Jennifer's for the first time, or if you are a regular stalwart, 'Hello and Welcome', please be kind.

The mini quilts I have to show you have been inspired by Boo Davis of Quiltsryche.  She's brilliant!

Her 'Two Heads Are Better Than One' pattern was the basis for the mini quilt I made for Sarah.  The pieces are all 1.5" x 2.5", or 1.5" square, and its as much about the counting as the sewing.  I love the simple method and the great effect it produces...

I made another Boo Davis-inspired mini as a Giveaway prize for my owl-loving, pod-casting friend Rhonda.

This has more variation in the piece sizes, but follows the same principle.

My dear friend Cindy also made me this awesome mug rug; again you can see the method in the madness...

If you find comfort in straight lines and love using up tiny scraps, then this style could be one for you. 

Here is a brief overview of the process that anyone, who can cut and sew a straight line, can achieve...

First find an image and then using any photo-manipulator, such as online freebee Picnik (if you are quick), 'pixelate', to get you from...

...to this...

Print out and divide up your picture into the individual pieces you want to cut, working out how many of each size and colour you require, the choice is really yours...

Pull your scraps and then get cutting...

Once all the pieces are laid out, make sure to take lots of photos, as something always happens, especially if you sew on the dining table as I do, where pieces tend to go astray with regularity!  Now if I had the benefit of time and space, I would have pondered over the layout of this one for far longer than I did...

Next, it's helpful to grid out the separate groups of blocks you need to piece; it's at this point you have the last chance to alter any of the layout in order to be able to join everything together easily; I am no friend of the Y-seam.

Then it's onto the sewing.  A 1/4" foot is pretty much essential!  It will come together really quickly, so crank the iron up to hot (press your seams open) and get going...

When selecting my backing for this one, the selvedge was simply SCREAMING to be used; I love it when that happens!

Et voila...

This one turned out a little more abstract than I was hoping, but I really like it!  The twins' reaction, "Oh a beautiful sewing machine mummy!"  My son's, "What is it again?".  You win some, you lose some.

I am in no way an expert and I know my method is a little haphazard, but I hope this at least gives you an insight into another style suited to mini quilt making which you may, or may not, like to try.

Thank you Jennifer for organizing such a fantastic blog hop and awesome competition; I can't wait to get started on my Challenge entry!

And to anyone-else who has made it to the end of this post, thank you so much x

Hoo's in the Gap!!?

Rhonda was the winner of my blogiversary giveaway back in July, and I am happy to say that the mini quilt that I made especially for her, has now winged its way to Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.

I decided that as Rhonda had expressed her love of 'owls' that I would take that idea and run with it.  Also panic-struck that you would all get to literally 'hear' what she thought of what I made, I was keen to make it a good one eh!?

So here she is...

... because Rhonda likes the little house!

Based on the cover of the Boo Davis book, (oh talented 'she' of my Brit Quilt Swap skull for Sarah), Dare To Be Square Quilting...

... but not actually owning a copy of the book, I had to make it up from the picture, but I think I pulled it off.

I backed it with some Kona pink of some forgotten shade, and some of the backing fabric from my Mum's quilt, I am really quite pleased with how it turned out.

Rhonda, you are fun to know, and fun to make for;  thank you for being my 'winner' x

Weary Wednesday!

Some pretty pictures and few words tonight, it was a long day...

PS... I went for plain pink binding in the end, despite thinking the teal would look better at first.  I think it looks smashing - hope you do too partner x

That was the month that was...

Hurray, I love June!  It's my favourite month, not just because I have a birthday at the end or anything like that, but have a sneaky peak at what I am not allowed to play with for another few weeks...

Today I am linking up with Lily's Quilts Fresh Sewing Day - Hello World!  Last month I linked directly to the Happy Scrappy block post, but I achieved so much in May, I thought it merited a new post looking back at my best sewing month ever!

First, there were finishes...
Happy Scrappy Quilt - inspired by the Aneela Hoey crazy scrappy blocks.  My flickr pic of the top got added to Explore on 15th May and has had over 640 views; so many comments, so many 'favourites' - overwhelming - thank you everyone!!!!!!

Sherbet Pips Confetti Quilt - Fat Quarterly/Quilt Dad pattern...

There were completed tops...
Union Jack - based on a pattern from Mandy Shaw...

Brit Quilt Swap Skull - based on a Boo Davis design - the recipient is still a secret!

And the best of the rest...
Cushions...

Bracelets...

Toys for the boys...

...and three Mystery blocks...  PS. it's never too late to join in and learn by my mistakes!

I also linked up to Fairy Face Designs' Summer Sewing Plans; wrote a list of my top 20 To-Dos and have ticked off 7 so far!  Nothing like a good list to get you focussed!

If you've popped over from Lynne's, please come back and visit again soon; if you were here already but haven't been over to Lily's Quilts, go take a look there too, it's brilliant.

I hope you all had a great May, and here's to a June full of fun and fabric x

Skull-tastic Success!

The squares all joined into rows, ready to press...

All ironed and ready to go...

All together now...

Success!

New skills or tricks I've learnt...

OK, 'skills' might be too strong a word, but my Friday night sewing was rather a success.

• Determined to make the best job I can for the Brit Quilt Swap, and with all those teeny pieces, I needed the most consistent seams allowances of my life.  Hence a smashing blue strip of masking tape on my machine, which although almost flat, actually gives a really good 'edge' to butt the fabric up against - bonus.

• I chain-pieced each row and didn't get in a tangle!   I'd only tried this once before and had got fed up after about 4 pieces and chopped them apart and carried on as usual.  On these small squares it was perfect for keeping track, and by the end I had mastered the optimum spacing between the blocks.

• I don't know how I would have coped without the layout photo!  I had to keep checking back which way the tiny squares went together and will need it for the next stage for sure - how did we function before digital photography?

• I seem to have mastered my iron!  It has scorched, soaked and generally been the bane of my life until last night, when it steamed, flattened and generally made my seams as crisp as they could be - what a difference, and about bloody time!

• ... and finally the weight of a couple of Argos catalogues straight after pressing each row, just for a few minutes, works a treat to get everything as flat as possible.

So now I have 9 piles of ten 2.5" squares ready to be joined.  Hope my partner is as excited about seeing how this all turns out as I am; dear son has already put in an order for Skull v.2.

The third cut of the week...

After my successful Union Jack top finish yesterday, I spent last night chopping into my scraps and new solids for the Brit Quilt Swap. 

The chevrons won the vote, so I figured if I cut the right number of each colour, then if I didn't like it, I'd still be able to go ahead and make it random anyway.  So what do you think?

I had to post it on flickr straight away last night, even though I usually try to post on here first, but I couldn't wait, sorry!  The colours are a bit 'out' in the picture, but you can see where it's going.

Initial reaction has been good - but I'm still not saying if my partner commented or not.  However, I want to stick with the chevrons and get sewing - there are over 180 little pieces in this mini quilt! 

And as if this isn't a great end to a great week already... it's half term!!  We also have an inset day on the 6th, and I am off work again on the 8th for a trip with nursery to Drusillas Zoo Park.  I love my children!

The second cut of the week...

Boo...

Looking good so far for the Brit Quilt Swap?

I'm having a dilemma about the background though.  You'll remember that the original pattern should look like this...

However the highlighters at work were too tempting and I've had a play.  Now I'd probably go for the all-over random background, but I've also come up with other patterns...

What do you think partner?  Once again I will either go for majority rule, or the one I prefer if you don't speak up!

I've also be piecing the Union Jack quilt, and the top will be finished tomorrow.  Which reminds me, I forgot to tick these off...

1. Finish the Sherbet Pips Confetti quilt, and not let it just sit there for fear that my quilting will ruin it.
2. Finish my Scrappy quilt completely.

That's 7/20 completed and 3 kept on target; Bee block, Mystery Quilt and purposeful fabric buying; not bad I reckon.

Last chance saloon...

Firstly heart-felt thanks for all the lovely responses to the completed Happy Scrappy quilt - I don't think I will be able to better it for a long while!

OK, to business.  I will post this on flickr too, to cover all the bases, but Brit Swap Partner this is your last chance to scream 'Halt' before I get chopping into these!

The Melody Miller is for the backing (or if you don't fancy the front much, you can always turn it over!!).  I may add in or take away some of the prints depending on how they look in the mosaic, but I think it is 99% sorted.

The colours in the photo are slightly out, as it was taken during the 5 minutes of sunshine we had this afternoon, it makes the conservatory glow nicely, and your complexion look healthy, but not so good for true colour definition!  But you get the gist.  Now to think of a name...