Lucky Cow!

Before I start, thank you so much for all the wonderful comments on my Stained finish - it means a lot that so many folks I love and respect have said such sweet things about something I've made; you guys know how to make me smile, and I will answer all your comments as soon as I can.

And if that wasn't enough to boost my ego today, remember my little not-the-FUNC thread catcher for Sunni's Farmer's Wife In Your Life linky party?  Well I only went and got an honourable mention from Laurie Aaron Hird didn't I!!! 

So, I've been meaning to show off tell you about this too for ages.  Before Easter I received a discount code for Moo, combined with some googled free shipping and cashback, (I use TopCashback to keep me in the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed!), I excitedly sent off for some minicards.

Ordered Wednesday, received Saturday!!

I know some of you already have them, and I have been jealous for a long time, stewing away quietly, but now I have some too; oh they are so lovely!

Obviously I won't be handing any out, they are just for me to look at and add to the illusion that I am way more important than I really am!  I don't think there is anything wrong with that, once in a while ;)

A Stained Finish!

Thanks to the joy of the rainy bank holiday and sheer determination, I have finished my Stained sooner than expected - woo hoo!

Before I reveal all, I have to warn you that I am so very very very pleased with how this quilt turned out; the sun came out to celebrate and there are lots of photos!

I think I was suffering the same angst a lot of the QAL folks have been having about the actual quilting, but I made the decision a while back to just keep. it. simple.

I used a couple of yards of Klona Tan for the backing, gathered all my random spools of Gutterman white cotton and some awesome orange 28wt Aurifil, and sat at my sewing machine, for what seemed like hours and hours and hours - I lost count at 6 bobbins.

I wanted straight lines, because the quilt top called for it as far as I was concerned, (and I don't successfully do much else!), but I wanted a little wonk.  So that's what I went for...

Pre-wash shots

119 vertical passes later...

I used white thread on the quilt top so as to not take away from the borders, and orange on the back.  In reality I quilted the first central line from the front, following the top to bottom 'lead line', then flipped the quilt and the threads, and worked from the wholecloth back.

If you don't spray baste and have a walking foot, this is probably not the quilting for you!

Did I mention that I love it!?

By complete fluke I had exactly enough Tan left to make the binding, I said I wanted simple; but then I decided to add in a few of the Moroccan Mirage scraps for fun...

So this one definitely needs great big thank yous to all those who made it possible...

Sarah for her awesome pattern - I hope you think I have done it justice!
Annabella and Julie for the wonderful Moroccan Mirage.
Nicky for the perfect Aurifil.
Oh, and I better mention Susan, or she'll gripe that those mega-borders were all her idea; well I suppose they were!
Thank you so much ladies x

It finally measured up at 50"x 64" after washing.  With so much quilting it really has shrunk up wonderfully, and it feels amazing!

It's also my first, and I really hope not last, FAL finish of the quarter!  Start on a high I say x

FAL a La La La!

Time to link up with Rhonda's Finish A Long Q2 before I get stuck into the chocolate again...

I have a double roll-over from Q1 with my Hexi cushion...

... and the Mystery Quilt is still haunting me!

I thought I better chuck a couple more into the mix.  OK, so one of these will be a guaranteed finish, as I am almost there.

My Stained is up at the top of my 'big makes' list just now, and will hopefully be done and dusted this week, the quilting has begun...

And I have just started my Retro Flowers Quilt, and this is not one I want dragging on; I want it to be finished, like yesterday!

The final goal is the last FPPFTT block...

I finished the rest, so I want to complete the course; just like anti-biotics, if I want to get better, I can't give up before the end!

So that's my 5; however I also have a lot of things that I've not even started, like my FQ Retreat swaps, Katy's Stitch Tease block and I can't bring myself to think what else right now.

Today though, is typical bank holiday, it's pouring with rain and perfect for sewing, every cloud and all that xxx

Don't sew a dresden in a rage, Mrs Worthington!

Last night, to try and rid myself of a bad mood and the mega-grrrrr! I was feeling, I dove into my Brit Bee block for April.

Jo sent us some lovely Heather Ross and linen to make 'circles' of any description.  I decided on one of Lynne's Chubby Dresdens immediately we got the package.  All the cutting went well, the initial circle of tumblers were nicely flat; inserting the inner circle, pain in the arse!

The linen mix didn't want to play, wanted to fray and generally not lie down!  I was even more unhappy.

Ripped out, deep breath, step away from the sewing machine, check emails...

One from Lu Summers, woo hoo, happy dance, back to it!  Congrats to fellow Brit Bee Judith D too!

The innards sewn back in, way better than before, I wouldn't say perfect, but acceptable.  The outer circle went on like a dream though...

The shadows make it look worse than it actually is, honest!

All was right in the world again.  The circle is 12" in diameter, and centred in a FQ of linen, so Jo can trim it to what ever size she wants, well as long as she likes it!  One tick off my April list.

I have basted the Stained too, and think I have settled on the final quilting, I will probably wait for an inevitable rainy day to get this one finished...

I am hoping to have it and the Pink Siblings Together quilt ready for the hand binding over the Easter weekend; I fancy a bit of social sewing and less stressing, well that's the plan!

Good Day Sunshine...

I had a lovely day.

All kids in school, and a non-volunteering day, so straight home before 9am for an hour and a half of gardening in the most amazing Spring weather.  I don't actually garden per se, but I gathered up a wheelie-bin full of dead stuff, so it is starting to look less bedraggled, and that's the main thing.

I then completed the piecing of my Stained quilt top.  Have you seen Susan's?  I love her wider border, so I sat in the sun and unpicked the two sides I'd already done, and then got the rest sewn up...

I need to order some more white for my BIG borders, as I want a continuous strip on the longer sides which is more than I have on hand, but no problemo.

Then I sat in the sun for an hour before going back to school.  My kind of day!

So now I have company again and things aren't so peaceful, but that's OK too; it's amazing what a bit of me time can do!

Busy Doing Nothing...

Yesterday was taken up by a wonderful lunch with my parents, some relaxing in their garden and then home later, totally worn out.

A combination of losing an hour with the clocks springing forward last night, having to give the house a once over, doing a few loads of washing and getting the shopping all this morning, and then wanting to make the most of the glorious sunshine this afternoon, has put all crafty doings on hold.

So today I can only offer you half a Stained...

I need to cut more skinny sashing, I stopped the other night when I ran out of usable lengths.

I think I need to get some sewing done this evening though, as it's been a few days and I might forget how to do it!

Hope you have all enjoyed a lovely weekend wherever you are, and whatever you have been doing xxx

Stained Progress...

Last night I got stuck into making the Stained blocks; I finished all my No2s and No3s, 10 blocks in all, but stopped when I realised I was one piece of sashing short on all the No4s.  Dammit!

Way too windy to attempt outdoor shots today, sorry!

I will get those bits and the between-block sashing cut this evening, and maybe I will get the top made up this weekend.

Quite unlike me, I haven't enough batting or fabric for the backing, so I may need to do a spot of online shopping too.  I might piece some of the leftovers from the top so that I can easily get away with 1.5m / 60" of regular width fabric for the back, although I might go wide-ass Klona and be done... a little pondering is definitely needed.

I also have to pull my finger out and make something for Mother's Day (UK) next Sunday and my parents Anniversary the week after.  These will only be small things, as they both have quilts and the look on their faces when I mention I am making more, says 'we have enough already!' rather than 'hope they are ours'.  Does anyone-else's family appear to be suffering quilt fatigue?

Well, whoever you are trying to please this weekend, I hope you have fun doing it xxx

A Little Bit Stained...

Last night I started piecing my Stained Quilt.

I decided to get the 3 big blocks, the No1s, made first, and they came together brilliantly, albeit that I sashed a couple of wrong edges, so that they had to be swapped over, but in the scale of this million piece quilt, you won't be able to tell!

I only managed to snap these couple of photos in the 5 minutes between work and the school run, and unfortunately they don't do the colours justice.

The girls are in love with my '3 quilts' already, so they are going to be bowled over when its finished!

Sarah you have designed a beauty, thank you x