Unexpected...

I had an unexpected day off work today as we awoke to a poorly twin, so I spent much of the day holding back hair, offering water and doing the mummy-thing.

I was therefore pretty pushed for anything pleasant to tell you about until an unexpected email arrived from Amy at Amy's Creative Side a couple of hours ago.  Guess what - the Rainbow Cherry Star got nominated into the final five in the ROYGBIV category - how exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not only have I made it through to voting stage, so have many of my friends including Laura-Jane and her Brit Bee quilt, the 2 Charlottes, Newland and Dumesny, Leanne and Kelly!!  So please pop over, take a look and cast your votes in the 15 categories.  I am up against stiff competition, but I am totally thrilled to have reached this stage.  Thank you so so much if you nominated my quilt xxx

So as to not leave you without a pretty picture or two, how about these...

Yesterday Nova came to my 'hand-sewing, need for quick makes and last minute gifts' rescue!

Her lovely tute uses Liberty scraps to make x+ brooches, as part of her monthly challenge from Brit Bee Jo, but being completely devoid of Liberty, (bar a couple of V&A FQs which will remain untouched as they were the first quilting fabrics I ever bought!), I raided the scrap bags, and I have a few more to finish tonight.

So those were the ups and downs of my day; I hope you had more ups than downs to start your week xxx

Time for a Quickie...

I have been busy plotting and planning again, so nothing of substance to show just yet...

However I have been chuckling over all your typically British comments, some are really brilliant but I am so confused about the 'hat' thing!  Mind you, I could have done with a sun hat today, hottest day of the year, c'mon!

If you missed yesterday's post and my Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day offering, please have a look.

Right, I have a million blog posts to read, more giveaways to enter, nominations to make over at Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival, oh, and maybe some sewing and a cup of tea xxx

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Today I am joining in the fun and games over at Amy's Creative Side and the Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival.  Can you believe the number of awesome quilts that have been linked already!?

So which quilt am I going to enter?

Wrong!

I did think long and hard about taking the obvious route, but actually I thought it would be a nice change for everyone if I picked my somewhat overlooked Cherry Star...

I love this quilt to pieces; I finished it so close to the Brit Bee Constellation that it has been playing second fiddle ever since. 

It's just such a happy quilt, and actually took quite a lot of effort (for me!).  Do you do that, make something, get embroiled in it at the time, and then look back and wonder how you had the time and inclination to get something so right?

Now if you are coming over here from the Festival, and don't know me, please note, I sew on the dining table, and have to shift every mealtime, I have no design wall and 3 'helpful' children, so getting the layout for this was a logistical feat in itself.

I played along with Chelsea's Made In Cherry QAL, having fallen in love with Sarah Fielke's pattern after seeing photos from the Fall Quilt Market, I was hooked.  It was a no-brainer when it came to using all the Rainbow Swap charms I had gathered last year.

Having completed this quilt way back in January, when the garden was less than pretty, I thought it was only right to give it another airing especially for the occasion...

Full details:
60" x 60"
220 unique 3.5" rainbow charms
IKEA number fabric background
Grey fleece backing
Made In Cherry pattern - Sarah Fielke

Thank you for stopping by, I will be busy looking at everyone else's entries later today - it may take some time!  And if this is your first time Chez FB, thank you, please stay a while have a look around, the natives are friendly x