Baggies...

I promised you pictures of the other makes from yesterday; honestly, it feels like we have moved up into the Arctic Circle with the lack of daylight this weekend, so these are the best of a bad bunch of photos I'm afraid…

Baggy pouches and mini key-fobs for the daughters of an amazing friend, who I am thankful I will get to spend some precious hours with on Wednesday.  Some Tula, Cotton & Steel and a little Brit Bee Forever tag on each, to remind the recipients that there are a bunch of oddballs 'aunties' over here who will keep them in their hearts for always xxx

Some secrets revealed...

I can now reveal the teacher pouches that I whipped up a few weeks ago.  I was pattern testing again for the wonderful Aneela Hoey, and today she has released the Baggy (Bottom) pouch pattern, which you can find here.

Why she thought of me to test these, must be some sort of mistake, or coincidence or something, but my  own baggy bottom and I loved making these!

I made the smaller size, and used heavy weight fusible fleece, which gave mine less of a baggy look and more of a 1950's silhouette, which is a fun bonus!

These are so satisfying to make; the additional, optional embroidery in the pattern is a lovely touch; but my machine and I were too scared to try, this time!

Please check out all Aneela's other new patterns too, I am thinking of making a couple of Pull Out Boxes for some of the men in my life.

Oh and another reveal; remember the mahoosive Cotton & Steel blocks I made a few months back, well the quilt they were destined for was completed and handed over to Aneela on the weekend…

Pennie did an amazing job organising the A (for Aneela) Team (which included Ms Melody Miller herself, just sayin'), and it was a privilege to be part of brilliant collective.

Here's to secrets and stitchery x

at a glance pouches...

Remember the binding I gave you sneaky peaks of a few weeks ago?  Well, my lovely friend Aneela asked me to do a bit of pattern testing for her, and her wish was my command…

I made these at a glance pouches for the kids; they are now all full of loom bands and much loved.  I didn't give the girls a wide choice when it came to fabrics, although dear son had free rein, can you tell!?

I am totally biased, no denying it, but it really is a sweet, fast and fun make.  I need to stock up on vinyl, because it is so useful, and I want to make a fold over sewing pouch very soon too!

You can purchase both patterns over at Aneela's Etsy shop now, plus her third new pattern, the totally cute mini pouch and needle book combo.

If one thing is certain, you can never have too many pouches.

Patchwork pressies...

Two simple patchwork pencil cases ready for the girls to give as birthday presents in a few weekends time...

Some Posy mini charms, along with mirror ball dots for fun(ky) interiors; and not too shabby zipper end tabs, because that is obviously what the 7 year olds will be checking out!

Being so organised will probably mean that I will put them somewhere safe and have a last minute panic trying to find them again!

I am knuckling down for four consecutive days at work, but there'll be a long weekend reward at the end of it; please excuse me if I get progressively grumpy as the week goes by, I am such a lightweight.

Posy Pillow*!

* only because Posy Cushion doesn't sound so good!

A slow burner this one, it must have been forever ago that I started basting the DWR pieces from Jessie's shop.  But I have finally finished my pretty little Posy cushion, and I am way too impatient to wait for a more photo-friendly day...

I used some mini-charm packs for both the DWR and for a panel of the background.  It adds a little interest, and meant I could also centre the little Miss and her book on the FQ I had.  I used a couple of solids for the back, I remember not what they are, but they are a flukey near match for the Posy tones, and I used some of my Hadley bundle for the perfect binding.

Fusible fleece on the front panel, and some heavier weight cotton to line the whole cushion, and quilted horizontally in the usual!  It is about 16" square, and is stuffed nicely with an 18" feather insert.  Comfy, I expect - no-one is allowed to lean on it just yet!

So another FAL finish, which just leaves me with the 2 full size quilts.  Let's see if I can get one done, because there is no way the MATO is going to be finished this quarter, or maybe even the next!

3 months and counting!

Yep, I am going to say it, 3 months time, it'll be Christmas Eve.  I am planning on being snuggled up under my Cherry Christmas quilt by now and that, is as far as my Christmas plans will probably get until the middle of December, when it will be all-out panic!

So I finished the binding on Sunday evening, and it was just so nice sitting under it that I think I would like to use fluffy fleece on all my quilts from now on!

I did light touch quilting in a matching teal Aurifil 40wt, and echoed the edges of the coloured blocks, twice.  This is more than enough to hold the fleece in place, and I bound it in a selection of scrappy leftovers - it is Christmas after all!

The pictures really don't do it justice; fleece is a nightmare to photograph, and I was busy hopping around the grass as a billion daddy-long-legs were flying around my legs!

I haven't washed it - there doesn't seem much point, as I didn't spray baste, yep, I found a dusty box of quilting pins, and with no batting, I am guessing it would just end up with it looking like it needs a good press.

Unlike regular quilting, I started at one edge rather than the middle, having pinned one half of the quilt only; after the first pass with my walking foot, I smoothed out the fleece again and re-pinned, working this way from one side to the other - it worked perfectly, no puckers or baggy bits to report, and took about an hour.

The original blanket had a stitched folded edge, so there was no fluff until I was ready to bind, and even then it wasn't too bad.  I did zig-zag the edges before putting on the binding though.  I machined it to the fleece side and then hand-finished on the top side.

So now I have depressed you about the 91 shopping days until Christmas, I'm going to skedaddle out of here quick smart, night night xxx

Keep calm..

... and sew on.

Despite the best efforts of the builders next door to drive me out of my mind own home for the day; pneumatic drilling, 30 seconds on, 5 seconds off, from 9am to 2.30pm, 5 meters from my conservatory door; I gritted my teeth, (and swore loudly when they couldn't hear me), and stitched up my Cherry Christmas quilt top.

I used Sarah Fielke's Ups and Downs block pattern from Hand Quilted With Love.  I had charm packs, so I simply used the 5" squares, plus my yardage to make the HSTs...

It measures up at 54.5" x 68", which will be a very useful sofa-sized quilt come the festive period...

 I just have to ponder the backing.

I was thinking some minky or fleece, but am a bit worried about quilting that, so maybe flannel may be the solution?  I have plenty of time eh. 

Famous last words!

In The Pink...

So Monday Blues is more how I am feeling, but I've managed to get the first make of the week under my belt already.

This was one of the things on my 'need to do' list; a birthday present for the girls' best friend for Saturday.

After tea, I turned these Walk In The Woods scraps...

...into this...

Water into wine, pah!

I had the notion to construct the front block in a scrappytripalong stylee, but the pieces were not conducive so I had to just piece it longhand.  It finished up at 15" square and plumps up nicely with a 16" cushion form.

Not thinking a real Staple Dress and a Super Tote will come quite so easily this week, but here's hoping xxx

#xplusalong Reveal

Thank you for waiting patiently, the sunshine was noticeable by its absence today, but at least it wasn't raining or snowing, or both; so, ta-dah...

I love this quilt, there's no denying it.

Each + is made of a different print, with my favourite, the white pins, smack bang in the middle.  I got the Sew Stitchy layer cake from Aneela back when I attended her embroidery class in September last year.  It reminds me of a happy day back when things were feeling really bleak.

As I mentioned the other day, I love the backing too; I have never made a simple pieced back like this before, why?!  I think it complements the busy front perfectly.

So that's my fourth quilt made this year, and I am champing at the bit to know what the next #QAL will be.  In the meantime, I have the Siblings Together fabrics sorted and 11 out of 12 Brit Bee blocks almost ready for attention, so I am hoping for No.5 by the end of the month!

For those who like stats...

10" xplus blocks adapted from AmyBadskirts' tutorial c/o Mrs Bone
60" square finished
1 Layer Cake & 2 Charm packs of Sew Stitchy
Sew Stitchy yardage for borders, binding and backing
Kona Ash & Coal backing
Aurifil 50wt 2021 Off-white for piecing and quilting
Quilted a 'walking-foot's width' either side of the + seams; unquilted squares c.7"
Sew Simple cotton batting, pieced with a zig-a-zag-arh!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...again!

We do not have a Christmas quilt.

I was, and remain, quite sad about that.  So as soon as an email from Fat Quarter Shop came through between Christmas and New Year tempting me with half price Cherry Christmas, I was there...

I have some yardage already, I used some for the Sizzix hexie-pillows and coasters but didn't have enough for anything substantial.

So with charm packs only $5 each, I bagged 4 and then popped a little Sew Stitchy and Chicopee yardage into the cart too, just to fill the envelope you understand. 

Actually I have plans for the Sew Stitchy already - all part of the master plan, to use up my hoarded lovelies.  OK, buying more fabric is a little radical, but it will work, in the long run, more is less!

And in a bid to not go into a total pre-Christmas meltdown (again), I am aiming to get this one made before the end of June - and I trust that you will remind me of such a bold statement.

Right, I'm off to finish the last 6 blocks of my #scrappytripalong, it's all go go go round here!

View From The Loo...

I'm sorry, bad title, but a little more tasteful than my first thought, Does Little Red Cr*p In The Woods?

The cover-up wall hanging for the downstairs toilet has been hung...

Complete and utter nightmare to photograph, sorry.

A 30" x 35" slightly improv, a little bit wonky, almost log cabin of Walk In The Woods scraps courtesy of the lovely Mrs H.

It was a quick make, does the job I intended it to, for now, and will be destined eventually for the girls' room, once we get busy with the paint brush in the new year, or whenever! 

I am already planning another mini in my over-crowded head; I envisage the smallest room becoming a bit of rolling gallery of experiments... is that a bit weird?

In other news, I pretty much nailed the shop-bought Christmas pressies in one stress-free trip out today; a slightly more trying time will be had tomorrow with the girls and husband in tow, whilst lucky son goes laser-questing.  And the Christmas tree is in the garage waiting to be decorated tomorrow evening; it's another beauty from my favourite back of a lorry, and I can't wait for the others to see it.

Hope your weekend is going to plan too xxx

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Just as we headed out the door for school this morning the snow began to fall; by the time I got home, everything was white, but then the sun came out, it all melted and that, as they say, was that!

But coincidentally, I finished up a little embroidery, another of Aneela's Little Stitches festive beauties.  There were many, many french knots, they were a challenge that provoked a lot of swearing, but now it's finished and ready for Christmas...

The second picture is the wall hanging I am hoping to get finished this evening.

I also got to the point of boxing the corners of the 5 remaining draw-string bags, but they will have to wait.

I have load of blogs to catch up on, my MacBook seems to be feeling the strain of Giveaway Day and is going incredibly slowly, so I may be reading and not commenting, because the sight of the Mac beachball of doom is driving me round the bend!

So on that note, farewell for now, I'm off to grit my teeth!

Little Thank Yous

Two of my secretive makes arrived with Susan and Trudi over the weekend.

I embroidered these a couple of weeks ago, taken from Aneela's Little Stitches book, and didn't really think through what type of gifts I was going to make with them; thank goodness inspiration struck...

I used Anna Noodlehead's Open Wide pouch tutorial and Pezzy charms, that's how teeny they are.

It is a great tutorial, I had a little bit of random with the sticky-out zip-end but they turned out nicely, so much so, yesterday I made another, a huge one, but that's for another day.

So that'll be my first 100% completed FAL tick too; my Mouthy Stitches tick will come after mailing and mama-ing are complete, and the Sizzix project upon 'publication' - not bad for the first week!

My Serene Finish...

Last night I finished my Girl On A Swing embroidery, and this morning I couldn't wait to get my cushion finished.

I had set my sewing machine up, and pulled the fabric for the sashing, all before the school run, so, by 9am, I was making!

The pattern in the book, you know, the fantastic Little Stitches, is a simple three piece treat, but having noticed yesterday that my chosen colours for the dress, leaves and indeed hair matched one of the beautiful Liberty Lifestyle prints I received a couple of weeks ago, I had to combine them, didn't I?

And so trimming my embroidery to 12.5" (conveniently the size of my ruler, any bigger gives me palpitations),  I was able to easily bring it up to a cute 16" cushion cover.  I added a little batting and simply quilted either side of the Liberty/Kona Snow seams, and sewed a little strip to the closing edge of the envelope back.

Honestly I couldn't be happier with how this turned out.

I had been planning on picking up a cushion inner in the village after school, but a quick look in a dusty storage bag I was sure only held bigger things, and I pulled out a new 16"pad.

Serendipity.

Sew Lovely...

Yesterday, (well apart from the car journeys with the squabbling small people), was completely lovely, and just what I needed.

Turning up to big hugs from Aneela and Pennie set the tone for the day.

I didn't get to see much of Henley-on-Thames, but the small people and dear husband happily passed the day in the sunshine, whilst I got stitchy.

There were few nerves, unlike Retreat, and I knew half the ladies and Kelly already, which all made for a relaxed, light-hearted day of learning and sewing. 

We received our long awaited copies of Little Stitches, which Aneela duly signed for us all; she came to us, we didn't have to queue up and curtsey or anything! 

It is the most beautiful and inspiring embroidery book I have ever seen, and I am not just saying that; full of the cutest projects and sketches and super-fantastic iron-on transfers of all the embroideries - I want to stitch them all now!  Honestly, everyone needs this book!

OK, so I may have given Aneela the heads-up that I was in the market for a Sew Stitchy layer cake and one of her brilliant journals too, it would have been rude and disrespectful not to!

The plan was to complete the 'girl on a swing' embroidery as a cushion panel, but there may have been a bit too much chatting, eating and playing eye-spy to get that far,  but we all made a good start, and apparently some people have already finished!

So I spent this afternoon with the family watching Hugo on DVD, (fantastic, by the way), stitching all my leaves.  I am hoping to get my cushion finished this week, as soon as I have finished the last of the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake that Pennie forced into my husband's hands before we left.

Thank you Aneela, you did great my friend, and thank you Pennie for the lovely grub; anyone needing catering in the Henley/London area, Thames Catering are the folks to ask.  And to all the lovely ladies, thanks for the compaby, who wants to be the Stink-along mama? xxx

Gone Stitchin'

It feels like a lot, (too much), has happened since I booked up to go stitching with Aneela this weekend...

But I am all packed and ready to go and spend some lovely time with friends today.

Fellow Mouthy Stitchers I promise to get my voice back soon; the mamas will be starting to match partners tomorrow.

Thank you so much for all the love and support that has been sent my way this past week; things are never as simple as they seem and the heartache goes on.

xxx

Social Stitchery...

I know you know that I loved my embroidery session with stitch-mistress Aneela at FQ Retreat, I may have mentioned it!

So when Mrs H posted yesterday about the chance for 10 folks to join her for a day class of embroidery in September, I was there, well as quick as I could convince myself that dear hubby really would love to spend the day with the kids on the banks of the Thames at Henley!

I am loving embroidery so much, yesterday's post may have hinted at that, so this was just perfect timing.

I am super-duper excited, and it looks like I am going to be in great company too.

I promise to report back in full stitchy detail xxx

A little bit stitchy...

I have managed a little bit of embroidery over the last week or so, but those Olympics are just as addictive!

I took advantage of some park time to embroider a bunch of Aneela's flowers...

I even successfully tried out some new stitches...

Not sure what I am going to make with this yet, but I will be taking heed of the lessons learned from my next effort...

I had a cunning plan over the weekend to make a little change purse out of some Summersville with a cute little orange house, but was scuppered at the final hurdle, when the only thing I could easily slip in would be a credit card, a folded note, maybe one coin or a wafer thin mint...

There may be a little bit of disassembling going on - but I bet the glue has set like... glue!

It was destined as a gift, but I have since whipped up something else, which I will show you once it has arrived.

One bit of embroidery that has reached its new owner was the little hoop that I made as part of my In The Frame Purse Swap parcel...

Can you see why I couldn't show you before!?

The whole parcel arrived safely and has gone down well with my lovely friend Deb.

So have you managed to stitch and cheer on your team?
 xxx

Give it away, give it away, give it away, give it away now...

***The Giveaway is now closed***

Guess what folks, I have been blogging for two whole years!  733 posts, over 93,500 page views and 11,000 comments - I can't quite believe it!

Some days it feels like I have been doing this for 20 years, other times those first few faltering steps seem like yesterday.

I have made such a bunch of terrific friends through these here ramblings, I wouldn't be without any of you.

I have been inspired to make, and have made to blog.  Even when my Inbox has been exploding with comments and I've had dozens of posts to catch up reading, I have blogged... everyday!

I guess that means I deserve a prize?  OK you do, for putting up with me, coming back time and again; sticking by me when I have the hump, and humouring me when I am getting too big for my boots.  Thank you one and all!

So what can I give you for your trouble?  A big internet hug and a great big fuzzy thank you?

Hows about the Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters book, I won a copy at Retreat but had already bought it, so I saved it especially for the occasion, its really good...

...and what about a cute little frame purse; Walk In The Woods, Essex linen, gridded interfacing technique and a little bit of swearing...

...and since you are all so nice, in the main, I will probably pop in a few other bits and bobs.

Is that enough to keep you interested?  I hope so, 'cause that's what you could be getting!

I know there are loads of giveaways running right now, so if you don't want this little offering I won't be offended!

But if you want in, no humongous hoops to jump through, two chances, two comments...

1. Leave a comment telling me, for fun, which craft really should be an Olympic sport and;
2. Be a follower (new or established, all welcome) and leave a second, separate comment telling me so.

If Blogger duplicates your comments, I will delete the erroneous ones, to be fair.  I will read all your replies, but for this one I won't be replying to individual comments.

Please don't be a 'no reply' blogger, leave your email address in your comment if you are - if I have no way of contacting you, you won't win.

International entrants more than welcome and I will close the comments, and draw a winner with the assistance of Mr RNG, next Monday (23rd July) at about 8pm BST.

I think that's everything.  Good luck and thank you xxx

Up, up and away...

Despite the germs trying to get the better of me, (this morning I think I am winning), I still managed to get my Belle embroidery and the Retreat bag completed...

Belle is a natural brunette, but she's gone for a change of look for this balloon ride, and I think it quite suits her!  She has also swapped hands and side parting, as I traced the pattern with water soluble marker rather than using my heat transfer pencil, which I have yet to master.

To hide the knots and snaggles on the inside, although it actually wasn't too messy, I decided to line the bag with a nice piece of Klona Orange; I love how it changes the look of the canvas, and it just gives the whole bag a nice finish...

Aneela's patterns are so beautiful, and her thread count and stitch suggestions make it so easy to get the look, because to be honest, left to my own devices I would not have a clue!  Thanks missus x

Next on the cards are those twin quilts, and the little matter of ageing!  Wish me luck x