Happy Valentine's Day xxx

Liberty Lawn + Kelly's Pattern + Essex Linen + Matchstick Quilting = True Love

xxx

Go-between...

After dropping the girls at school, I took dear son to the doctors, nothing serious; whilst there I checked on my breath test - negative!  Dropped him back to school, came home for an hour, went back to the doctors, waited, waited and waited some more, and then got a prescription for some less aggressive medication and a referral letter sent to the hospital - they're going in :(

So my day of sewing was spent mostly in the waiting room, but I did get a little Valentine's pressie stitched up for tomorrow at least.

Then it was back to school, for Disco-time!

I took my usual spot...

It's an Inset Day tomorrow, so our romantic day will be more of a family affair, but one little girl already got a present from her sweetheart, so she is all smiles...

I have spent so long writing this my battery has gone to 5%, so that'll have to be your lot for today.

Linking this Thursday's mumbles and grumbles with Cindy and the Randomeers xxx

Away!

Dear husband and I managed only our second night away from the children, together, last weekend.  I would love to say that we cannot bear to be away from them, but truth is, we just can't bring ourselves to foist them on my parents en masse more frequently than every 3 years!

So having dropped them off, we were on the train to London at 10am and just after 11 hubby was installed in a man-seat whilst I was stroking selecting Liberty in Shaukat!

I was very restrained...

That's a 1/2m of the pinky-red needle-cord, 3 x quarter meter cuts and a couple of smaller pieces.  Probably going to make another bag from the needle-cord, but no real plans so far!

We then went to the V&A, nipped round the Club to Catwalk exhibition, and had a spot of lunch.  Then there was the shop; I love that shop!

I bought a full meter of the fabric that got me into this here game of quilting and hoarding in the first place!

When we last/first went away for the night sans kids, on my 40th birthday, I went round the Quilts at the V&A exhibition, and have never looked back.  I bought my first few FQs there and then, and have not been able to bring myself to use them; so when I saw the meter cut, it was in my basket quick as.

A little washi tape and a re-cycled bracelet had to come home too; they matched, what else could I do?

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the shops, trying to avoid American Football fans who had taken over Regent's Street, and not buying anything in Liberty!

After an early evening meal, we went to see The Book of Mormon.  Follow the link if you want to know more, but honestly, it will not be to a lot of peoples' taste; although Prince Harry went to see it last night, so it can't be as rude, crude, blasphemous and shocking as some may think, eh?  I thought it was fantastic, and a have a frog to prove it!

After a night in the fancy Radisson Edwardian Hampshire, we strolled around town, there was more shopping, and this winter I will be sporting these...

But most excitedly, I will be wearing this little beauty...

I have been holding out for the real thing for so long, and thanks to my wonderful husband I now have one.  I am a very happy lady!

All too soon it was back to reality though, home with the kids, school bags and lunch boxes; but you know I wouldn't have it any other way.

10/10

Ten years, a whole decade, it has gone by in a flash!

Happy Anniversary, my love, my best friend, my husband, forever xxx

A Labour of Love...

In January I sent out a stack of precut HST triangles to my fellow Brit Bees.  Greys, oranges and pinks, one of my all time favourite combos.

I requested (another, I know) whopping 24" block, instead of the usual two 12 inchers.  I toyed with just asking for random placement, but then decided on the Diamond Ripples block by Lara Finlayson from the Modern Blocks book.

Here's my original block...

Obviously as it was to be a Brit Bee quilt, Diamond Ripples was immediately renamed Diamond Nipples in my head at least, and is now affectionately thought of as my Brit Bee Nips!  You can stick to Ripples if you prefer.

I received all my blocks back by the end of February, and since then I have stitched up the mega-siggy block, embroidered over all our names, pieced and then quilted my new favourite quilt.

I am really trying to build up the tension here, but what the heck, here it is...

Ta da!!!

I bagged a seriously cheap bolt end of Loulouthi whilst all the blocks were out with the ladies, and I couldn't wait to use it on the second side; no backside here, I love both sides equally!

I madly decided that I wanted to contrast with all the pointy angles with some curvy quilting.  But FMQing is not my friend, and the only pattern I kept coming back to was the continuous spiral, on a 72" square quilt, with 1.25" spacing...

As it happens, that's 42 full 360 degree turns, plus corners!

NB.  If you quilt an anti-clockwise spiral, you will end up with more and more of your quilt passing through the throat of your machine until you reach gridlock.  If you lie awake at night knowing there must be a solution, and then finally twig that flipping the quilt and working from the other side will rectify the problem, and an ever decreasing throat-mass, you will be a lot happier.  If you are smart like Fiona, you will realise this quite quickly; if you are a bit slow, like me, and are too stubborn to google it, take heed!

Anywho, this quilting was hard, I still ache, but I LOVE IT!!!

I used a variegated 28wt Aurifil thread (4657), it's reddy-pink, orange and yellow, and works perfectly.  I almost chickened out and went for a straight grey or orange, but I am so glad I didn't.

Once it was quilted I thought I wanted a solid for the binding, to give it a proper frame, but firstly I didn't have enough of any solid, let alone a perfect one; secondly I didn't want to wait, and thirdly I had the perfect print ready and waiting.  Patty Young's Dandelion print in raspberry.  I bought a couple of yards ages and ages ago on sale, and the last serendipitous 20" was absolutely perfect as an almost solid in the colour I wanted...

As you know, I was a bit worried that the embroidery of the siggy block was going to end up looking like a dog's dinner after a wash and tumble; so many useful and wise suggestions received, brain not fully in gear, I promptly forgot them all and remembered at the point when I had basted the whole quilt!

But fear not...

Before & After.

The photos are not too clear, the grey block is 16" square, which is why the signatures appear so teeny, but rest assured, all the embroidery is still perfectly legible, and another favourite thing about this quilt.

I cannot thank all my fellow Brit Bee ladies enough for their sterling piecing, and speedy return of blocks, you have enabled me to have the most wonderful quilt...again!  Mwah mwah mwah xxx

As you are probably aware, us Brit Bees are an emotional bunch, and not getting this quilt finished quickly, (even though it is on my FAL list), was never an option.  I know that as a Bee quilt some people may not think that I have made best use of all the mighty skills we have between us, but the fact that these blocks all merge and flow together is exactly what I love about it.  A lot of love and meaning got stitched into this quilt, and it will rank up there as one of my most treasured possessions for always.

I am snuggled up under it right now; the only perk of this damn cold weather!!

If you need me, you know where you can find me, cosy and smiling xxx

Sweet Valentines...

Thank you for all the Sidekick Tote love, I am terribly behind on emails again, but will catch up at some point over the weekend.  Today has been filled with way too much domestic activity, Rainbows being invested and the arrival of my Pretty Little Pouch Swap parcel, but that will get a post all of its own.

This evening I am therefore just going to put my feet up, and relax, after showing you a couple of pics from yesterday.

Last week I pulled out my Zakka Style to make dear hubby something for Valentine's Day that he had actually asked for, a pen case.  I gave him a swanky fountain pen for Christmas, and it needed a cosy home.

I used the same man-flannel that I made man-presents from at Christmas, and even though I have made a few of these, that turning through bit at the end always makes me worry that it is all going to go horribly wrong!

It didn't.  Success all round.

And as if roses and chocolates weren't enough, dear husband and I headed over to Chichester for the day.  We has breakfast at John Lewis at Home, and then we went to The Eternal Maker. 

I say 'we'.  I went in for a while, whilst he waited patiently in the car, and just as it was time to pay, my gallant knight strode in and paid for my wares.  How lucky am I!?

4 half meters of the newly delivered Architextures, my favourite Aurifil thread, some luscious Cosmos floss and a meter of measuring tape. 

Gifts don't get much more perfect than that xxx

Keyring to his heart...

I did make a teeny gift for my Valentine as promised.

Dear husband will be picking up his new (to us) car today, following a bit a motoring disaster last Friday, (totally under the bonnet, nothing dramatic); so to 'celebrate' this mixed blessing, he hinted that some sort of keyring would be in order.

He didn't have to ask twice...

A little piece of Melody Miller typewriter and even some embroidery, simple, but true xxx

Love...

I am always gushing about fabric, mug rugs, colours and the like, but today it's an actual person.

I am so in love with the most gorgeous man ever.  And the bonus is, he happens to be my best friend, my husband and the father of my children - what luck!

Happy 8th Wedding Anniversary my true love xxx

Sometimes...

I had a big old post written and ready to post today, but sometimes it is probably just best that I keep quiet and save the chatter for another day.

My love goes out to everyone affected by the events of 10 years ago x

Happy Valentines Day xx

 

Hope you have had a love-filled day xxx