All sorts...

I laid out all my Stained pieces yesterday afternoon, and found that I was only one small piece short, so I was rather pleased and surprised at myself for that...

I ended up bagging each individual block separately, as I was anticipating a bit of a muddle and continual need to re-lay the whole lot out if I wasn't completely organised.

Whilst listening to my two buddies, Rhonda and Cindy chatting away on the latest Quilter In The Gap podcast (so funny!), I cut all the block sashing too, so I am now ready to start the sewing at last.

One thing I must say, cutting up on the kitchen worktop was so much better than hunching over the dining table.  OK so you are all saying 'yes obviously, didn't you know?', but I don't think I have ever had to cut so many pieces in one session, and I am so pleased I thought of it before rather than after!

***Edited 5th May 2012 - you will not be able to subscribe to the following magazine - probably best to just buy copies you find in the shops; should it be resurrected from Administration - do not risk your money ***

Yesterday I also received the first issue of Modern Quilting in the mail; it's fantastic.

I spent my first flick through saying - "I know her, and her and her", so I felt kind of 'in with the in-crowd', but it really looks like a great magazine, with or without friends in high places.

Look there's Brit Bee Judith D in the scarf!

Hopefully later today I will get the chance to actually read it rather than just grin at all the lovely pictures; who knows, I may even get to make something.

The sun is shining, and I suspect a stroll to get the paper will be in order shortly; Spring is in the air, happy Sunday everyone x

Time To Cut My...

Losses Winnings!

Yep, I have finally made up my mind to get cutting for my dear friend Sarah's Stained QAL.  I have been pondering fabrics for too long, and today I finally decided to use my Moroccan Mirage FQs that I won from Annabella, courtesy of Julie at the Intrepid Thread.

I don't know if it was because the sun was shining and it was unseasonably warm, or if I just wanted to blow away my grey mood of the last couple of weeks, but the bright colours made me happy today, and now I am raring to go.

So this evening I am going to pop a new blade for my rotary cutter and get down to business.

I really do not enjoy the 'preparation' stage, seeing the fabric pieces getting smaller before they get bigger again seems to contrary to my logical mind, that and it makes my back, hands and head hurt; I am not cut out for manual labour!

Hopefully I will be all chopped and able to catch up with the others soon enough, although some people, naming no names, Ms KC, have finished piecing their tops already!

Bee-lucky!

It was my day off again today, so a little sewing was on the agenda. 

But first at breakfast-time I found out I was one of the lucky winners of a Sew Fresh Fabrics gift certificate from the AtS finale!  Thank you again lovely ladies, S'n'J, you rock!  If you want a chance to take some lovely fabric off of Peg and Becca's hands too, pop over to Lily's Quilts once you have finished reading this!

So with a double-bill catch-up of Rhonda's podcasts to keep me company, Laura's October Bee blocks were top of my list.  Sending us all some super Denyse Schmidt and a little white, our mission was 'stars'.

I had already pinned Jennifer's Starflower tute, so this was to be the first block, the second was a little more hit and miss, based on this picture that I had also pinned forever ago.

A couple of hours later, making the most of a brief interlude in the rubbish-again weather, I took the finished autumnal stars out for a few snaps...

Lolly has already seen them, and I get a thumbs up - phew!

So with the Bee in mind, and with it being my month next, I got to cutting - and boy was there a lot of cutting required, but I'm almost done...

I can't wait!

This evening I photographed the process of making my tags for the Scrap Bag Challenge, so tomorrow I will be presenting the grand reveal of those for the competition.

Other great news, my second Goodie parcel has finally landed in the US, and Toni is the recipient of these...

Toni has a lovely blog and is great fun to know, so if you aren't familiar, pop over and say 'Hi'.

So I just have to go through all the messages waiting in my Inbox and my work today is done.  Hurrah!

Fantastic Friday Finish!

I've had a good day, nay, a brilliant day, thank you for asking!

It started with putting my completed Across the Sea quilt through the wash and tumbler, so I got to see it in its crumpled glory before heading out the door - a great start to any Friday...

... but more of that in a moment.

I came home smiling from passing Katie Price in her bright pink Range Rover and having my long awaited appointment with the physiotherapist, coming up with an action plan to rid me of my aches and pains at last.

Then logging on to have an email waiting from Annabella saying I had won her Intrepid Thread giveaway!  The most gorgeous fat quarter bundle of beautiful Moroccan Mirage.

Grinning?  Moi?  Totally! 

So feeling rather pleased with myself, I got outside to take the finished quilt photos in the Mediterranean heat of the back garden.  OK, I got a bit carried away...

***Photo-overload warning***

I love this quilt.   I loved this quiltalong - I was worried about the pace when I first saw the schedule, but it was perfect!

If you hadn't noticed, I am in total awe and full of thanks to Sarah and Jennifer for creating such a wonderful design and encouraging such a brilliant group of quilters to create such a wide variety of fabulous quilts.  

Thank you ladies for all your help, encouragement and for sharing your skills with all the AtS crew.  We heart you x

Linking with my virtual twin!

Today I was going to try and not gush too much about my virtual twin, (OK, probably not completely obvious to outsiders, but we are, and we know it).  BUT then again, why not eh!?

I got my first goodie swap parcel today from Sarah-Fairy Face and I am still beaming as much as I was 5 hours ago when I opened this...

I coveted the contents of this package as soon as I saw them in the pool, it has to be said, I REALLY WANTED THEM, and may have mentioned it here and there!!!

Look at all this perfect, beautifully made lovely loveliness in the most perfect colours and fabrics and quite frankly I don't have the words to describe how totally chuffed I am to be the recipient.  Look at the super little buttons and I am definitely going to be using the zippy pouch to hold my phone and keys whilst the small folk pull the trolley! 

OK I should have taken more photos, but I was too excited for that!  Thank you again Sarah, you know I love it all xxx

So then back to my planned post, linking up with aforementioned Sarah's Summer Sewing Plans Wrap Up...  Here's how I did...

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

2.  Finish my Scrappy quilt completely. Done...

3.  Finish the Boutique quilt, even though I don't like it, then let the kids have it for the garden and not get moody when it gets dirty by keeping in mind that I don't like it!!  Done...

4.  Do something with the mass of batik that reminds me every time I look in my fabric box, that sometimes bad ideas happen to the best of us, (a long story)!  Um...I cut it up, but still not feeling the batik love, sorry.

5.  Keep up to date and do my total best with all the Brit Bee blocks.  Done...

6.  Keep up to date and try not to cheat on the mystery quilt.  Um... I've fallen behind recently, but I will finish this.

7.  Make, and maybe send, at least one of my 'Pay It Forward' gifts... but I'm not telling.  Done x3...

8.  Make my Dad the Union Jack quilt I have been promising my Mum I'll make for him.  Done...

9.  Make my Mum something equally lovely for her birthday.  Done...

10.  Make the covers for the final 2 cushions I have been procrastinating about for too long.  Done...

11.  Cut and hem the 2 pocket squares I promised my husband last year - he bought 2 FQs that I can have the remainder of, IF I get on with it.  Done...

12.  Make a tray for dear son that incorporates a tiny Lego scrap he covets.  Done...

13.  Make a 'little something' for the girls, so that all my time spent at the sewing machine is not totally for other people.  Done... Scrap Bag tags...

14.  Do a Swap - maybe not the first Brit Swap, as having looked at this list, I think perhaps I need to get a few other things ticked off first, but maybe in August?  Done x a few...

15.  Start the 'KISS'.  OK, this is really a winter activity, but I did start...

16.  Not buy any more fabric UNLESS I actually have a need, accurate requirements and time to complete another project, (hmm...may be the hardest!).  Oops, and no photographic evidence today!

17.  Try to expand my quilting skills by joining in with more sample blocks and experiments a la BLG and BlindBob.  Mystery quilt and FWQAL fit the bill...

18.  Master a few more embroidery stitches, especially French knots.  Oh yes...

19.  Plan ahead for Christmas!  Still feeling a bit early for me.

20.  Design and make, and then repeat something I am proud of - not sure what yet, but a real long-term aspiration.  Scrap Bag Challenge tags - yay!!  Next week, the full reveal and a mini-tute, I promise.

So, I can live with those 2 'fails' and 2 'not quites'!  How did you do? 

My final bit of Sarah-love tonight comes in the form of the hand-stitching I will get done on my Across the Sea quilt later; I got over halfway round last night.  I have loved this quiltalong, and I adore the quilt that Sarah and Jennifer designed.  Hopefully I will have it fully completed to show you tomorrow.

Did I grovel too much?  Sarah, are you blushing?