Going round in circles...

I feel like I am chasing my tail a bit at the moment; I am glad I have been able to make progress on both my current swaps, and have got a couple of bee blocks under my belt this week; more on those tomorrow, but I don't feel I am getting enough things ticked off my mental to do list, (read that whichever way you like!).

I have been spending way too much time chatting rather than sewing whilst at ballet and swimming, and so my Spring Carnival EPP is going very slowly...

And today I received even more inspiration of the paper variety...

Having seen, and maybe even stroked Tacha's awesome Union Jack quilt at Retreat, and spotting last Thursday night, mid-FQly Twitter-chatter, that languishing on my Amazon Wish List, Hexa-Go-Go still had a release date for a few weeks time, Book Depository however said 'in stock' and it was cheaper - so in went my order, and today I received the book!

At rushed first glance it sure is lovely!

I really am hoping to be able to spend a lot of the summer holidays in the park with the kids, so between the hexing and embroidery I should be all set to sew-on-the-go; we just need a bit of actual summer to make leaving the confines of the house a posibility!

To add to my optimism, I have just ordered some 4" hoops from eBay too, so bring on the sunshine 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

Retreat to home...

I said I would, and I did...

When the Retreat edition of Fat Quarterly came out last week I printed out Kerry's little freezer paper-pieced house straight away.

A bit of life and other stuff got in the way of my eager plans, but I have now built my own little home...

I tried really hard to go with the freezer paper - I even managed the Y-seams, (although one side was a lot easier than the other - is that always the way?).  But I have serious doubts that this method is for me.

I now love, love, love foundation paper-piecing, however I just don't quite gel with this.  I like to use freezer paper to cut my fabric when foundation piecing, and that works really well, but I just couldn't get the accuracy I have grown to love this time.  Nothing to do with the freezer paper dropping off, having been ironed on and removed a dozen time in the fabric auditions, I'm sure!

So in the end it may be a little bit wonky, but I still think it's cute.

Summer Sewing Contest...

I have been 'umming and arrghing about what to enter into Jennifer's amazing Summer Sewing Contest...

Browsing back through my recent photos, it seemed a bit obvious really...

My paper-pieced Denyse Schmidt - Union Jack cushion, started in Lynne's class of Fat Quarterly Retreat on Jubilee weekend, the epitome of the British Summer (rain obligatory).

I love this cushion, it brings a smile to my otherwise grumpy face now that the Retreat glow has faded and the bunting is looking bedraggled from all the shocking weather we have had recently.

If you haven't checked out any of the other entries in the Home Decor category, please do, Lindsey has already entered the most beautiful cushion/pillow in the universe!

For anyone interested, a special Retreat edition of Fat Quarterly will be available to buy here which includes the templates for this cushion; and a load of other amazing stuff too.

Sorry to the regulars who have only just seen this, and welcome to anyone new in town coming over from Jennifer's for the first time.

Tomorrow, I promise something completely different... probably xxx

Hoopla...

I have been taking it easy; sadly enforced, but my arm really does need rest, so embroidery to the rescue.

I didn't get round to attempting the second pattern at Retreat, I was talking, so thanks to Aneela, I got my mitts on her suggested stitches and spent a lovely evening stitching up the little stocking.  I also pulled out an old Mollie Makes and my first Mandy Shaw book and have already stitched up a couple of others...

I am totally smitten with embroidery.  I used to stitch little flowers on things when I was young, but backstitch was the most fancy stitch I mastered.   I am going to have to go back over all the magazines and books I own, and take a look at all those pages that I had previously just skipped over.

You know the simplest thing, getting the pattern to the fabric gave me a mental block and it's so damn easy and obvious, now there'll be no stopping me.

I have Aneela's London pattern ready and waiting; a red bus, phone box and more, which I think I will start this evening - I'm not going to let the weekend's London-love fade away just yet!

Swaps and Goodies...

This is my final Retreat round up, although there will definitely be a lot of harking back over the next few posts, I have already finished some more embroidery!

As you know I entered into the Sample Swap organised by the enthusiastic Trash.  I made little pouches based on the Zakka Style Pretty Little ones, I made those key fobs and x+ brooches as gifts too, along with a mini Constellation for Katy - it made her cry, I didn't think it was that bad!

In the Sample Swap, I was in a group with my crazy friend Kelly (a drawstring London Underground bag and zakka mini flying geese magnets), fellow Stitch-Teaser Di (a Moo card holder that can survive nuclear attack, apparently), Mandy-Mand-a-lin (a Japanese style drawstring bag, sweeties and pins) and another wonderful lady whose first name escapes me, but she was the lovely Mrs Richards with a vintage Liberty bag!

I am very happy with my haul!

I also received an awesome tote from the classy Liberty Lifestyle lady - sadly I managed to miss out on the Liberty fabric being given out in various classes, but having seen the new line I have become just a little bit smitten!

As well as swaps, I handed over parcels of Quilt Blocks and needle books to the Brit Bees in thanks for the second placed Constellation in the Festival of HSTs.  Other BBs made gifts too, a sweet tape measure bracelet from Ceri, lavender bag from Fiona and a super duper purse and keyring made by Judith and amazing little owls by her daughter...

Oh, and a very apt coaster from Terri, who is finally a certified blogger!

I also swapped brooches with Mary, who was responsible for my totally brilliant name tag that I sported all weekend.

The FQ swap organised by Miss Lolly of Pops was fun; I parted with some text, Anna Maria Horner and a couple of others and picked up 4 beauties in return; it wouldn't have been right to have not spent any money on fabric, so I splashed on a Summerville layer cake and a few FQs from Mandy at the last minute too...

In the raffle I was lucky enough to win a copy of the Fat Quarterly book - those with good memories know that I bought this pre-release, so keep 'em peeled, I suspect I may now have an extra to put towards a giveaway soon - 2 year blogiversary in a month, whodda thunk it!

I also bought a set of Carnival templates off Katy - everything made with these blocks look amazing, so I really need to get in on that action.

There was also the Goodie Bag - from such amazing sponsors as Aurifil, Oakshott, Robert Kaufman, Moda and more.  Those of us in Aneela's embroidery class also received some luscious Lecien threads.  All too generous for words.  Thank you to all.

I will leave you with photos (some borrowed from Leanne and Lynne), which for me, sum up all that is great about this stitching mularky, the joy of a group of people finally meeting for the first time after a full year of online friendship... Priceless.

Brit Bee l-r: Terri, Jo, Sarah, Me, Judith & Judith, Susan, Jennie, Ceri, Fiona, Laura and Trudi xxx

Thank you again to the Fat Quarterly super stars, I know I am not the only one looking forward to FQ Community Retreat 2013.  Bring. It. On.

xxx

Retreat Makes...

You would be forgiven for thinking that simply meeting, talking, smiling and hugging were the main pastimes at Retreat, but there was also a little making going on.

My first class on Saturday morning was Freezer paper-piecing with the mega-talented Kerry.  Looking at the examples she had bought with her, confirmed her position up there on Top of the PoPS (Piecer of Paper Sewist).

My head was so buzzing, I plumped for the easiest block first, under the naivety that I would be able to go at my normal pace and whiz through all the pin cushion patterns. 

I now know better.

Look, the back says 'Green's' 'cause I made it in Mrs Green's class!!!

I found it quite hard to concentrate and believe it was all actually happening at that point in the weekend, so there were silly mistakes and things not going quite as well as I would like, but that didn't matter one bit.  I was there and doing it!

When the patterns come out in the Fat Quarterly Retreat edition, I will be making the little house straight away.

Saturday afternoon was spent embroidering - it was calm, relaxing and the perfect antidote to the manic hours before.  Aneela is not really evil, she is amazing, and her enthusiasm is infectious - I think I see a lot of little embroidered pieces in my future, especially very near-future as, until my arm heals,  I think this is going to keep me sane.

Too excited - I haven't even got the water-soluble pen off yet!

I didn't get onto the stocking pattern we had prepared, it was just lovely to watch others work, chat and 'be there'.

Sunday started bright and early with Lynne's paper-piecing class.  From the minute I heard about Retreat, and knew it coincided with Jubilee, I knew I wanted to make a Union Jack.  Heck, I reckon the Jubilee was a big old publicity stunt and fuel for Mrs G's flag fetish!

I pulled some of my favourite and hoarded fabrics for this one.  Again, somehow time ran away with me and I only managed 2 quarter pieces in the 3 hours, but I learnt a lot more; (fold the next seam line and cut the seam allowance first to match the next piece - doh - brilliant!), and it was the good laugh I was expecting. 

So yesterday I finished my cushion!!  OK this is a cushion that is actually a pillow, but don't get me started...

I absolutely love it - it makes me so happy, and although I finished it at home, I had Twitter rolling up on my laptop at the same time, just so I was, in effect, still in the company of the Fat Quarterly crew, perfect.

Last but never least, on Sunday afternoon I made my first frame purse.  First, because I ordered some glue off eBay as soon as I got home, I already have more frames, I have fabric, I now have inspiration!

Despite fears that the weight of all my wealth would part the fabric from the frame in an instant, I think I will be proudly carrying my 56p around in this beauty forever...

Katy's class was brilliant, it was the shortest session I did, but I could have happily made frame purses with her and the lovely people I spent that time with for a whole weekend... maybe the glue has affected my judgement, but I doubt it!

I know we could only do four sessions, and I was so lucky to get the 4 I really really wanted to do, thank you so much ladies, but I would have loved to have done all the other sessions too.  I know I am definitely going to be pestering Lu for Porthole advice, as the samples everyone made were so amazing I want to make some too. 

So there you go - that's what I made - things I will look at forever and think of all the fun, amazing and talented people I made them with.  Sentimental, moi?  Oh yes, and I think these are the most perfect souvenirs of my weekend away.

Speaking of souvenirs, tomorrow I will show you all the other goodies that made their way home with me - I am feeling very lucky indeed.
xxx

Hi Honey, I'm home...

Yep, home from Retreat and still trying to get it all out of my buzzing head and into some sort of order!

Firstly, trying to blog from my phone over the weekend was a bit of a fat-finger struggle, and that was when I wasn't so engrossed and blogging was the last thing on my mind.  So apologies it wasn't more, and thank you now for your comments - they were even harder to access, but much appreciated.

Secondly, the District Nurse has been to see me this morning, (for those who don't know - I had a bit of a mishap with the kettle and my forearm on Friday afternoon, perfect timing eh?), it looks and feels really horrible now, going to take ages to heal, nice big scar, and without the Retreat adrenalin I am starting to feel a bit upset and sorry for myself, so thank you for caring xxx

Anyhow, there are lots of posts going up already about the most amazing sewing weekend we have just had, so I don't expect this will be the first, or last you will have read, so apologies if you are bored already, (because I will probably be able to string this out over the whole week if I try), but if you want to see more, here we go, my Retreat overview...

It all started when I met my new/old friend Nicky on the train up to London just after 7am; she only lives about 15 miles from me, but we had never met before; and as was to prove true all weekend, it really was just like meeting old friends you'd not seen in a long time, when in fact for most of us we had never met at all - really quite surreal.

We were joined by Fiona at Victoria Station and got a cosy cab to Baden Powell House, chatting all the time like the old mates we are.

Fat Quarterly Crew were there waiting - I will say now that they all, Lynne, Katy, Brioni, Tacha and John, along with Kerry, Aneela, Lucie, Claudia and any of the other teachers and organizers, are the most awesome and inspiring bunch that you are likely to meet, and I can't thank them enough for the Retreat itself or the camaraderie and friendships the Retreat has created.  There was definitely a lot of joy for the ones who were there and lots of mention of our friends around the world who couldn't make it - there should have been a lot of quilty ears burning this weekend!

After the most manic hour imaginable, think 100 women and 2 (poor) men, all shrieking and hugging and talking at once, classes began.

Now you may have noticed my camera-shyness, so I didn't put others through the pain of the 'enforced hurry-up-and-press-the-button smile', unlike some - you know who you are!, so most of my pictures were more crowd shots.  I didn't take that many, and many of those were blurry, but I am so glad that others are already sharing theirs, so I will be favouriting many of those on flickr over the coming days I hope.

So, I took freezer paper piecing with Kerry first - I loved it - not so sure my attempts did her skills and instruction justice; it should be noted that for all classes, what would normally take about half an hour at home took about three times as long - I just can't do sewing and chattering, and hey, I can sew alone any old time right?!

After an intense meet-shriek-and try-to-eat lunch hour, including the brilliant goodie swap, I had the joy of a refreshing few hours embroidering in Aneela's class.  Now Aneela is a quiet sort, but don't be fooled by her beautiful gentle designs and soft voice, she is in fact evil with her iPad and if she's not careful I don't think I will let her be my friend any more!

Now please remember that although there were moments of calm, much of the non-class time was spent, for me, and I suspect many others, flitting between groups of people, never really getting to sit for a long chat, trying not to miss a thing. 

There was an amazingly generous raffle, Iron Women, fugly swapping and goodie bags and so much more, topping off Day One with a Brit Bee & Friends dinner.  By which point I was so exhausted from my 5.30am start that my conversational skills were that of a 2 year old.

I had a comfortable night in my lovely hotel room, and Sunday started bright and early with Lynne's Paper-piecing class; I will sum that up as 'much hilarity' and the start of something lovely.

Lunch was a rather calmer affair, followed by a fantastic frame purse session with The Tattooed Quilter (as seen on Channel4 - we so wish), I loved this class, and it was the perfect finish to my 'formal' time.

There was more chatting, photocalls and giveaways, challenge judging and general milling about before we headed out into the rain and mayhem of 20 million Jubilee celebrators(?) just after 5pm.

Now I have deliberately not name-checked all the amazing people I was lucky enough to have spent time with this weekend - because you know who you are and I would be so embarrassed if I forgot to mention anyone, because everyone was great, and also I am now already thinking of the people who I intended to spend a bit of time with and completely didn't - doh!

Well this has already turned out way longer than I was expecting, so tomorrow I will show you the things I made, and Wednesday maybe the other things I came home with, if that's OK.

I will now be trying hard to catch up with everyone else's posts and photos too and maybe putting some of my new skills into practice.  I need to cram in a Jubilee street party and some family time over the long bank holiday and maybe some sleep at some point, because I definitely need some more of that!
xxx

Gone Sewin'!

It's June!

I love June.  My birthday is in June, so from Christmas onwards I always look forward to this month, summertime and all things happy.  But before I get older, there is the small matter of Fat Quarterly Retreat to attend to; have I mentioned that at all?

But before jumping ahead, as is customary, here is a little montage of my May - linking up with Lynne, (who I am going to meet tomorrow!) and Lily's Quilts' Fresh Sewing Day.  There were preparations and Bee blocks, the Blogger's Festival of Quilts and sunshine too...

So for the next couple of days things might be pretty quiet round here; my blogging will either consist of pictures and few words, or zilch, should that practice with my mobile phone go all Pete Tong.  But I promise there will be a full run down next week.

Whatever you are up to this weekend, especially if you are celebrating the Jubilee, have a fantastic time.

See you all soon and some of you tomorrow xxx

Last minute...

Well sadly the pink crate has been sent back to the garage, and the big guns have been called down from the loft - having tried in vain to get everything in, I have resorted to the good old wheelie-holdall, which, quite literally holds all I need to take to Retreat and leaves me with a free hand to wave with!

No photo, it's blue, and boring, so I might have to do something about that!

I have finished everything I wanted to get done before Saturday, (although I have that niggle that there was something I didn't write down as it was so so obvious I wouldn't forget, and now I can't remember).

Here's my final flurry of making...

...more of Nova's little +x brooches - I'm still undecided whether they look cutely 'rustic' or just like I let my kids loose with fabric, thread and scissors!  Hey ho.

I have now finished work until 11th June, so I am rather happy about that.  I've played my refreshment-monitor role at the school disco this evening, and now just have the cleaning and weekend shopping to do tomorrow morning; I don't want those staying at home to starve or catch anything nasty.  Then it'll be all about the nail varnish and the 'mummy time'!

Anyhow, I will see most of you tomorrow for Fresh Sewing Day on June the 1st, for goodness sake already!

And for those who will be in London tomorrow - have a good start and I'll catch you bright and early on Saturday xxx

Getting there...

Well the bobbins have been wound and I am almost ready for Retreat...

Even now though, I am having an absolute nightmare trying to work out how to get all the necessary, and unnecessary gubbins up to town on Saturday morning.

I am not even going to contemplate the 'what if it rains' scenario, but have seriously had to factor in the 'I don't have a Sherpa to hand and will have to cart the tonne of stuff all by myself' scenario.

So I have pulled out my pink trolley - purchased at the Ideal Home Show last year to cart all the freebies about, so I know I have managed to get it on the tube and train OK, but the added 'bonus' of a sewing machine is not making this much fun!

Hopefully I will get it sorted in a trial 'load and lift' tomorrow, otherwise I will have to send hubby up into the loft-inferno to find a suitcase.

Right, last bits to make this evening, so I'll be off xxx

Pre-FQ London Linky Party!

Well I am not the first to the party by any means, but I am here now after an exhausting day 'doing it for the Queen' - more on that tomorrow.

So as is the case with many of the Retreat-goers, it took all of one sleep to purchase my ticket after they went on sale at the beginning of December; (I just checked my emails - tickets on sale notification 2pm on the Thursday, hotel reserved before 5pm, and ticket bought before 7am on the Friday), so to say I was eager to be there is a bit of an understatement!

I have literally been counting down the days and can't believe this time next week I will have met so many of my online friends for the first time!!!  I have only met Terri out of any 'friends' that are going, and she is the only one who has met me ;)

For those who are popping in for the first time today, I look a bit like this...

OK, maybe more like number 4's Mum!

I actually hate having my photo taken!

I am 41, have a long-suffering husband who is also my best friend and will be responsible for keeping the kids, (7 year old son and 5 year old twin girls) alive all by himself for 36 hours!

We live in a pretty village in West Sussex, (fortunately for the small folk, it has a Fish & Chip shop, Tesco Express and other necessities for survival), and I will be coming to Retreat by train early on Saturday morning, meeting Nicky on the way.  Hello Nicky!

I have been 'preparing' for months, literally...

Look there's snow in the background!

I will be wearing this...

And I am still trying to figure out just how to get all this...

...plus my old sewing machine up to town in the least ridiculous manner.

I have been sewing since school, Dress 'O' Level to be precise, stopped whilst I had way better things to do like drinking and travelling, but took up quilting and making lovely things, or maybe just buying lots of fabric, almost 2 years ago.  I had to make a few samples for my C&G Interior Design and got the sewing bug again.

I work part-time as a Civil Servant, but you are likely to find out that I can be most uncivil and will probably be found swearing in a corner with Susan and being asked to 'keep it down a bit'.

Can you believe we have not got a single class together, I cannot think why!

I am a Brit Bee and proud, also a Stitch-Teaser and all-round gobby cow, (well, when the nerves have subsided).

I will be paper-piecing with Kerry, embroidering with Aneela, making a Union Jack cushion with my old mucker Lynne and finally making frame-purses with Katy (which reminds me, our idea of fancy dress and jubilee hats seems to have fallen by the wayside!).

I am equally excited and silently freaking out about being there, I know I am not alone in that.

I am staying at the Radisson, and kind of thinking they do not have a clue what is about to descend on their beautiful hotel!

I just need to try and work out if I can email/blog/upload pics to flickr and here by phone along with making a few more bits and pieces, going to work, packing and shopping for some clothes that won't make me look like a Russian Eurovision entrant, even though I love their aprons!

So that's me xxx

Just popping in...

... which is obviously way better than popping out!

Today's mish mash pretty much looks like the contents of my head right now.  Things arriving in preparation for retreat...

Random bits of fabric from the Prints to Polkadots bargain bin...

And decorated gingerbread men destined for the School and Village Duck Race cake stall...

There has been a little Retro Flower sewing, and I am still awaiting my magnets, so hopefully I will have something more substantial to show soon.

PS.  I heard a rumour we might get some sunshine over the weekend!

Camp Quilting - Brit Bee Style...

Well I sewed like a trouper, without the swearing, and got Terri's Brit Bee blocks made last night.

Our orders were 8-or-more-pointed stars, so I had to make her a mini 'constellation' block didn't I! 

Terri provided some pale pink and yellow fabrics, to go against the green background, and I supplemented hers with some of my own to avoid too much repetition; I swapped the layout a little and I love how this has turned out...

The second block was to be red.  Now I don't do red very often, and really didn't have enough of the right tone to match Terri's chosen fabrics.  So with a quick flick through my Fat Quarterly 'Shape Workshop for Quilters - Star chapter', I was away using just Terri's Wizard of Oz themed prints... Star Within A Star...

Isn't this the campest block ever!?

So there you go, I can't believe a whole year of Brit Bee blocks are now done and dusted...

13 quilts, which are now quite frankly the cherries on top of our friendship, including the extra special Project 51; and all set to go again after we get to meet for the first time at FQ Retreat... Perfect x

Needles, Pins and Super Things...

Last night I finished trimming all the 'petals' for My Precious Retro Flowers, 'hurray'!!!  This has felt like a mammoth task, and I am so pleased that I can now start piecing at long last!

So to celebrate I splashed out in John Lewis today and got some new pins and needles to ensure I am not left stranded at Retreat.  Having had a fatal needle-pin collision whilst making the Ditty purses, I was left without any spares, and all my old flower-head pins are now rather wilted; I didn't want to be embarrassed by my headless bent stalks!

Also pictured is the clasp I bought on eBay that arrived yesterday for the framed purse class.  I have to be honest, I prefer these bigger balls, and although there will be frames to buy there, I wanted to make sure I had a substantial pair!

I know I have some blog and email catching up to do, but it is almost time for the Homeland finale, so please excuse me whilst I pay attention elsewhere xxx