In Print!

I am guessing that a lot of you will already know all about my big news already today, what with all the insta-chatter and eager-bloggers, but for the avoidance of doubt, lookie-lookie-look...

The photos are so (deliberately) shocking, you will have to buy your own copy!

One of my pre-Christmas secret projects was a dozen key fobs for Love Patchwork & Quilting, and today UK subscribers, myself included, received issue 5 which is busting at the seams with Brit quilters, in fact Brit Bee were very well represented!

I already knew Susan was going to be in this issue too, but there's also Fiona and Laura-Jane, and Trudi with her amazing quilting.  There's also lovely Karen, my friend Liz and Florence.  Not to mention the regulars, Lynne and Katy!

I snuck into Katy's 'My Space' article too, with the Constellation mini, up there on the right; I made that for her way back at FQR2012!

So proud, chuffed to bits and happy to have my 15 minutes of fame in amongst such amazing company!

Look out for this issue when it is on sale next week, in fact subscribe, because it is a great magazine and you won't regret it.

PS.. It's raining again, so no better shots of my #econmyblockalong as yet, and I also finished my #psboxypouch, so fingers crossed for some photo-friendly daylight at some point this weekend, as I want to link them up with Sarah and her Put Your Scraps To Work linky.

Best bits...

Popping in quickly to share the best bits of my day with you, and keeping the rest to myself...

A little sunshine, a shadow, (albeit the rest of the photos need another go), some new Moo and happy scrappy mail...

And I love Reene's scraps so much, I've started using some of them already; spending the evening keeping my brain occupied, making a couple of QAYG panels for a #psboxypouch...

I know it wasn't on my actual To Do list, but sometimes, making something just for fun is what's needed xxx

Let there be light!

Please!!!  I am fed up of feeling like I am in northern Scandinavia with 24hr night-time, lights on all day, the most appalling photography opportunities and wearing 2 pairs of socks, indoors and none of the fun stuff, like snow, just rain, rain and more rain.

So the hot chocolate is helping me a little, but it is making blogging anything interesting a little difficult.

Today I collected my Siblings Together FQ bundle; I've never had a whole line FQ bundle in my mitts before, it's a lot of fabric!  I took an instagram snap, but that was on my phone and it's charging in the kitchen.  I am under a quilt in the living room, so you'll have to imagine what it looks like for now!!

I did make Susan's Stitch Tease blocks for February though, (yes Ange I know you are a girly swot, so give yourself a slice of pie for being first!!), but they are subject to the secret treatment for now, so here's a highly tampered shot to prove they exist...

And I have a finish!!  My #economyblockalong mini is complete, but the aforementioned lack of any good lighting meant I couldn't get a decent shot of the whole thing, so here are a few close ups and I will try again tomorrow...

I am going to stay snuggled up here for the evening, and write a long to-do list for when the sun comes out xxx

Really nothing to moan about!

I know my recent Mondays have not been the greatest, and I have indulged in a moan, but honestly, they have only been a little bit inconvenient, and I really should stop being so melodramatic!

When I got home from work today and found an Amsterdam-postmarked envelope, the contents put me back on track...

If you missed my post here, or Alison's back here and here, please have a look, be reminded, and if you haven't already, maybe invest some time into some do-good, feel-good sewing too.

I for one got down to a little #economyblockalong action this evening, and I'm hoping for a finish tomorrow, I just have the fabric collection and some Bee blocks to get under my belt first.  Fingers crossed.

Monday Brain Ache...

I spent much of the weekend finishing off secret things, and made another today, so I am a bit pushed for photos or what to talk about, but I hope I will have something new and lovely to show you soon...

Today has just been one of those days, from following the 90 year old driver out of the village and through the roadworks VERY SLOWLY this morning, a full car park when I eventually got to work, right round until I rang the dentist to cancel my hygienist appointment for later in the week, only to be (thankfully) reminded that the kids have an appointment tomorrow.  Previously I had got a call from the store in the next village to say my parcel was ready for collection; I couldn't go today, thought I would go tomorrow, and now I will have to wait until Wednesday, (and it's a big bundle of fabric for Siblings Together Bee, so I really want to get at it!); and then when today's reason for not going, the after-school Tesco delivery came, and went, I discovered half the shopping was still on the van.

He came back 2 phone calls and 30 minutes later, by which time I had completely lost the power of rational thought.

So if I leave you a comment, or respond to an email this evening, (which is probably not going to happen), please bear in mind that I should probably be looking for my lost plot. xxx

Originals...

After the madness of the #greatukfabricdestash this time last week, the calm normality of instagram returned, and on Monday afternoon, I bagsied some Flea Market Fancy from sweet friend Aneela.

Not just any old FMF, proper old FMF, you know, the fabric from before I was born; well, before I got embroiled in this mad crazy obsession...

I had obviously heard tales of this line's magical powers, and had gone bonkers over the reprint, pre-ordering the lot, but had been dissatisfied with a single hexie of the original until this weekend.

I knew the originals were meant to be more delicate, and they really are.  The red print at the back is a legacy cut, but the one in front is an original, the picture is shocking, so I don't know why I bothered to point it out, but in real life they look very different to my trained fabrician's eyes!

So I am a happy bunny, and even more so, as dear hubby treated me to these after a few days away in Aberdeen last weekend xxx

Mini Makers...

Today we finally got down to making the first things from Santa's book.

So now we have a pompom hairband, and a little pet-monster...

The book has really inspired the girls to get sewing, although there were plenty of 'oh can you do that bit' moments.  I would recommend the book for first-time stitchers, there are bags, and gadget cases (for kids who don't have gadgets!), as well as doll quilts and bigger.

The projects in the book potentially have a lot of unfinished/pinked edges and things that would niggle me, but I am happy for the girls to be happy with them.

I just spotted that I won Reene's scrappy giveaway, woo hoo, and I got a lovely delivery, that I have realised didn't get the picture treatment, so that's Sunday's post sorted then!

As if by magic...

Harry Potter II cushion is complete...

I went with his feminine side for the back, a nice scrap of Joel Dewberry Gryffindor-esque home dec, as this little fella is heading off to Justine's daughter, she's a bit of a Harry Potter fanatic, understatement!

He ended up with a new pair of specs the morning after the originals were stitched; they were framed with 3 strands of floss, but I went for the full 6, because they were looking a little too feeble.

So I have a FAL finish, and something to add to Sarah's Put Your Scraps To Work linky at the end of the month.  Super x

Random, or maybe not!

At Christmas my dad gave me a CD/DVD of lots of old photos he'd scanned, from my grandfather as a baby, right up until I was pregnant with dear son, so there has been a lot of laughing, grimacing and reminiscing!

Last week I showed you one of those pics and you all commented on the likeness of the girls to my sister and I as Brownies.

When I showed them the picture below, they took some convincing that it wasn't them, despite the 1970s velour roll-necks and having no memory of it being taken!

I know I am not the only one to have created a mini-me, or two, and genetics really aren't that random, but I thought I'd link up with the Randomeers anyway.

In sewing news, Harry Potter II got his floral backside on this afternoon, so I'll give you a full reveal of that tomorrow.

A whole lotta making going on...

A happy day started with mail, my swag from Jessie and the #greatukfabricdestash arrived shortly after the school run...

... lots of lovely huge scraps that I am going to have fun with, and I even used some for the first thing on my list today, Bee Blessed blocks...

... apologies, shockingly green photos, but I was on too much of a roll to stop and look and now they are parcelled up.

I then pieced a lovely big secret, sorry, and then my final 6 for the #economyblockalong mini...

That's my 42 all made - laying them out on the lounge floor is a job for another night, because this evening I was engrossed in Harry Potter v2.  The front cushion panel is now made, the back is sorted, and I just need to sew them together...

So I would say that's a good day, a long day, but plenty to show for it; let's hope my mojo doesn't go into shock!

A little stitchery...

I promised you some pretty pics, and after finding a small patch of almost the right level of brightness on the upstairs landing, here you go...

I only have 6 more blocks to make until my 6x7 #economyblockalong arrangement is complete.  I am not so much torn between making it bigger or not, as this will be the perfect size for what I want and need, but whether to make another?!?

Sense for now will prevail though, I have the rest of my FAL list, never-alone another equally long list of other things I want to make like this, and this and this even though I can't knit!

So many plans, so little time, (but plenty of fabric, just in case!) xxx

Crazy fabric ladies!

Well did you shop until your eyes went squiffy last night over at the #greatukfabricdestash?  Emily you are a star for organising it, thank you for a fun evening; I think it is fair to say the Royal Mail will be transporting a higher than average number of squishy packages around the country this week!

I sold more than I spent; actually I sold the 2 cuts of fabric, and as the evening drew to a close, I bought some scraps from Jessie aka lovely fabric pedlar Sew and Quilt.  I missed out on one lot that I really wanted, and I didn't even enter into the mad crazy Heather Ross frenzies!

It was probably a mistake to load up my pictures so early as with almost 1000 pics in the group, the first ones were miles down the list within minutes, I know I didn't have time to look back, just in case!

Soooooooooooooo, if anyone would like either (or both!) of these voile infinity scarf packs, please leave a comment below - first come first served, I only have one of each - and please, if you are a No Reply Blogger leave an email address!

***BOTH SOLD***

Valori Wells - Wrenly & Anna Maria Horner pink voile.

Anna Maria Horner - Field Study & grey voile.

The prices include postage for UK only; if you are abroad, that's OK too, but I will have to add £3.50 for the additional postage.

There are many online tutorials to make these scarves, I use the Anna Maria original, with an open loop, but if you google infinity scarf tutorial there are loads, and honestly they are so quick to make, (says she, with one set still waiting on her FAL list, ahem!).

So it's back to the secret stuff for me, although I did quickly make a few more #economyblockalong blocks this afternoon, picture proof tomorrow, promise xxx

Fabric anyone?

I hope that you have heard of Emily's awesome baby, the antidote to the 'US only' sellers over at the #greatfabricdestash that had so many of us UK folks gritting our teeth earlier in the week, and wondering how difficult it must be to use the US postal system!

At 7pm tonight the #greatukfabricdestash will commence over on instagram...

If you 'don't do Instagram', quick, sign up, it's free, painless, and you won't even have to use it again after this evening, but I bet you do!

I only have 4 lots to list; I have said it before, we are talking a stash of just scraps or things I love too much to part with or use;  plus I very quickly lost the will to live whilst searching through.  I have a couple of infinity scarf sets, and a 4m cut of AMH and another meter that will never get used, so please pop over, I am mrsflyingblind.

Can't promise I will upload at 7pm on the dot, small matter of bedtime to sort, but with the number of people already prepping, it could be a long and expensive night!

Show off!

I love winning things, and I really love winning things that I love!

When I saw that there was going to be one specific FAL prize, made and donated by my lovely friend Sheila, and seeing that I had asked and she had sent me the pattern ages ago, and I never got round to making it - I had my fingers crossed!

So how happy am I!?

My girls couldn't congratulate me enough for obviously being so brilliant that I won the best thing they have ever seen!!!  I am in total agreement.

Mega-pinnie by name, mega-pinnie indeed!  It was loaded up with my must-haves within minutes of opening the box, all I need now are new pins, mine are way too shabby and bent up for this awesome new home.

Thank you again Sheila, and Leanne, you made a dismally wet Friday way better!

And if that isn't showing off enough - look what I got in the mail today...

DS-love!  Cindy you are such a superstar, mwah x

Now I've stirred up a little jealousy, I'll be off; see you on the 'morrow xxx

Friday Treat!

The girls started Brownies this evening, and loved it; I didn't snap any photos yet, as they are still in Rainbows attire until they are enrolled/invested, so that's something to look forward to.

As you may have gathered, I am all about the secret sewing right now, and I know how much of a bore that can be until the grand reveal or two.  So to make it up to you, here's a rare treat, c.1980, to start your weekend with a smile...

Got to love a bobble hat!!

Those were the days xxx

Sketchy Random...

It's time to fall back on the kids to provide a little random entertainment to the masses again!

Here are a selection of the recent pile that has appeared for my delectation...

In case you were unsure, clockwise from top right... a UFO, Princess Kate, Prince George and Prince William, some cartoon creature I should probably know the name of, and The Queen!

Linking up with Cindy and the Randomeers, who may, or may not have made a bit more of an effort ;)

Quick change...

I was all set for a day of EPP, but I lay awake pondering for too long last night, and did a complete about face, and decided on some foundation paper-piecing instead!

Unfortunately as this is not for your eyes just yet, here are the trimmings and a nice tidy pile to prove my activity...

I made up the 36 quarter blocks, all the difficult, time consuming bit is done, so I am hoping for a quick finish and a tick off my To Do list very soon.

So that was my morning, the afternoon did include 40-winks and a couple of old CSIs before collecting the kids, so a nice balance I'd say.

I am all caught up with blog reading and emails, feet up and heading towards the weekend, it's all good xxx

A Better Day...

Tuesday was good; there was sunshine, so much sunshine that I came home to sew and had to wear sunglasses!

That'll be five more #economyblockalongs to add to the collection....

I am now at 30 out of 42...

I was planning on getting the blocks finished and top made tomorrow, but I have some new fabrics to play with on a secretive mission, so I may well start something new instead; actually I already started it, and I think I want to spend a little time cutting, and a lot of time hand stitching on the sofa; my day off, so why not!?

And the old first aid badge was removed, and level two stitched on in time, as promised...

... and dear son just got home with 2 more!!  But one was for becoming a Seconder, so proud Mummy doesn't mind xxx

Edited to add - just spotted that I won Sheila's mega-pinnie in the FAL Q4 prize draw - a better day indeed!

Meh!

I've finally realised that I actually really don't like Mondays; yes there was a beautiful rainbow just as I arrived at work today and shopping delivered to the door, but also grazed knees and tears before school and moody kids afterwards.

I haven't even mustered the energy to sew on the Cub badge that has risen to the top of my To Do list.  It has been sat on the side for about 5 weeks so I'll have to do it before tomorrow's meeting... probably!

It's not all doom and gloom; more lazy-itis; I guess some evenings are just best spent with a cup of tea and Sports Relief Bake Off on TV.  (Not going to be a patch on last night's Sherlock, but it'll do!).

Hope your week has started with more of a bang than a fizzle; and as if I would leave you without a picture, here's some recent Touchdraw play...

The reality of the Y-seams is not something to consider when not feeling 100% optimistic though!  So maybe not today then xxx

Quiet weekend...

We've had a quiet weekend.  Everyone was a bit exhausted after a week back at learning and working, and even the weather took a break; sunshine yesterday and a lot of grey nothing today.  Dear son took the Harry Potter cushion to the party and by all accounts it was very well received.

I sewed up a few more of my #economyblockalong blocks, and now have a grand total of 25/42...

Not a great photo, sorry.

The girls and I also decided on a couple of little projects out of a book Father Christmas got them; we pulled the fabrics, but quit before tempers were frayed too much; so we are ready to get sewing at some point this week, wish me luck!

I am all set for the final episode of Sherlock, (3, that's really not a series, pah!), and then I'll be off for an early night; totally rock and roll xxx

FAL Q1 2014 Listing...

OK, here's a rather shocking admission that I have more WIPs at the moment than I am in the habit of having!


The FAL has worked well for me under the strict eye of Rhonda and Leanne, and so I would expect nothing less from Katy.

So here goes for Q1...

1. Posy DWR cushion; EPP done, it has been basted to the pieced background, and I just need to applique on, and turn it into a cushion cover...

2. Hexie-thing; the little Liberty hexies are now one big hexie, I just need to make up my mind on the next stage...

3. Flannel/voile scarf; I couldn't work out where all my Sketch Flannel had gone, until I found the pieces cut and primed, (and tidied away for Christmas)...

4. Hadley quilt; top ready, backing all cut...

5. Midnight At The Oasis quilt; slowly slowly want this made...

6. Baby quilt; on the first day of term the girls' teacher announced her pregnancy and that she'll be going on Maternity leave at Easter; I got pulling fabrics immediately...

7. #economyblockalong wallhanging; moving along at pace...

8. Another Harry Potter cushion; on a promise for a special girl...

8!!! Since when did I ever have 8 things on the go!?

Well hopefully not for much longer.

Awesome Austerity...

Well how could I resist?

As I may have mentioned, I am making a concerted effort to use my stash, rather than mindlessly reverting to shopping for new this year, and my lovely friend Sarah just made that a little bit more acceptable, communal and fun!

My stash consists of 2 unused layer cakes, half a dozen charm packs, no beautifully stacked shelves like a fabric shop here; I rarely buy cuts bigger than FQs, unless it is specifically needed, and even less over a yard.

Most pieces have at least one corner missing or some awkward fussy cut hole, so for all intents and purposes 50% of my stash is scrap.  I know, it's sad isn't it!?

My #economyblockalong mini is 100% from scraps...

Harry Potter was a scrap-magnet..

... except for the backing, as I had a whole stashed 1/2m, and I have already pulled a bundle of scraps to supplement some partial charm packs for a teacher's baby quilt.

So the odds are looking good that I will be regularly linking up with other scrap-busters this year.  How about you?  Pop over to Sarah's, grab the button, and get those scraps working, you know you want to. xxx

Back at it...

... and I am shattered.

I was back in the office before 8 o'clock this morning, driving into work in the dark was not my idea of fun, and it didn't get much better, but it pays the bills.

When I got home, I used up the last of my energy reserves and stitched up a few more #economyblockalong pretties to cheer myself up...

I really like these ones; and already the dodgy duo are blending in nicely...

My inbox has been cleared, I have read through my blog reading list, and I anticipate an evening of snoozing in front of the TV and an early night.

TFI Friday tomorrow xxx

Harry Potter and the Birthday Party...

Dear son is off to his friend's for a birthday afternoon on Saturday.  The birthday boy was meant to be going to Harry Potter World, but by the time his mum went to book, it was sold out until Half Term.  So, if the boy can't go to Harry Potter, Harry Potter will come to the boy!

I was convinced I had seen an HP cushion/block pattern, but googling, flickring and searching about revealed nothing, (maybe I did see one and it got pulled due to copyright of something), so I did some maths based on some pics on Google, and drafted my own.

So if you check the link you will see that I have not been original, definitely don't claim to be, but to be honest it was so simple, you couldn't 'sell' a pattern!

My basic measurements for the 15" cushion were a 6" (finished) strip for the face, a 4" wide scarf of 2" stripes, and a 5" cloak strip.

The hair was drawn onto bondaweb then cut, and after pressing onto his head, I top stitched as close as possible to the edge to make sure his locks won't flop off in the future.  I drew round a cotton reel for his specs, backstitched those and his scar and added a couple of buttons for eyes.

Fusible fleece and a piece of muslin on the back of the front(!), and simple envelope back.  I finished off by binding the inside edges, because I didn't want to break up to look on the outside; I could have used french seams, but I had a piece of left-over binding and fancied a bit of sofa time before the kids came home - I am back to work tomorrow, so this was my last bit of me-time!

The hair and cloak are from my ever-useful and sadly diminishing piece of Sketch flannel from Simply Solids, I think Kona Raisin scraps, some yellow Sketch and no-idea neutral.  The back is some bargain dots from here.   All pieced in magical Aurifil.

Dear son was satisfyingly jealous, and only happy once I had confirmed, on the way home from school, that it was smaller than his Batman & Robin cushion!

And the best bit for me, another instant project 100% from stash; told you I was going to bust it this year!

Economic with the truth...

I started the day with some secret sewing - so you'll have to wait for a reveal of that some time sooner or later, sorry!

But after that, I played with my #economyblockalong fabrics.  Oh it took me ages to go all random!!  I lost 4 fussy-cut centres for 1/2 an hour; stuck to the back of some of the bigger cuts, not back in my scrap bin, favourite fabric box or DS stash, oh I checked!

So I made up my first 10.  I started with my least favourite combinations, and I love 6 of them, feel a bit non-plused by 2 and two have made it to the judge's house, but may not make the final!

This one I just had to unpick, could not live with, even though it looks better in the photo...

The fact it looks better in the picture makes me wonder now if some of those perfect combos and quilts I have spotted, and envied, maybe don't look so fab in real life?  I know I often have to look at photos of quilt layouts to get the right perspective, but this is more sinister!

For now I won't do anything rash, as I suspect the dodgy ones will blend right in at the end; so I will stitch on, and on, and on xxx