FAL Q1 2014 Results...

I proposed to finish 8 WiPs in Q1, knowing from the outset that one would be impossible, and as it turns out, I was right, and I managed the 7 others!  Woo Hoo!


So here are the runners and riders, originally posted here...

1. Posy DWR cushion...

Finish blogged here...

2. Hexie-thing...

Finish blogged here...

3. Flannel/voile scarf...

Finish blogged here...

4. Hadley quilt...

Finish blogged here...

5. Midnight At The Oasis quilt...

... and no surprise, still in progress, but has moved on a teeny bit; one for Q2, Q3 and probably Q4!

6. Baby quilt...

Finish blogged here...

7. #economyblockalong wallhanging...

Finish blogged here...

8. Another Harry Potter cushion...

Finish blogged here...

Thank you Katy for keeping us all on track, and to all the sponsors and supporters who make this such an awesome, fun and successful link up; I am off to ponder my Q2 list xxx

Mother's Day Eponymous Reveal

Happy Mother's Day for all the mothers celebrating today.  I did very well in the pressie department, lots of handmade things, fudge and vouchers, lunch out and I am off work until Wednesday, so I am happy...

Monet Water Lilies before you ask x

Yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day with my mum, so that meant, um... handmade gifts, chocs, vouchers, lunch out... like mother like daughter!  But I also got to take a secret project and my finished Hadley quilt for a photo shoot in my parent's garden, so everyone was a winner!

So... ta dah!

This quilt has been a long time waiting to be finished; when the top was super speedy and with my concerted effort this week, I could have had it made on about 3 days if I had tried harder!

The colours are a little more vibrant than the end-of-day shots show.  You can just about pick out the straight-line quilting, I stitched corner to corner, then filled in each quarter with parallel chevrons about 1.5" apart.

It really is a rich and grown up looking quilt, and I think the orange binding gives it a little twist...

Thanks goes out again to the Dear Stella team for couriering me the collection after I suggested that they really should, seeing as they had named it after someone with the same name as me!

Full details...
Fabric - Hadley collection - Dear Stella
Pattern - Gypsy Shawl - Jane Brocket - The Gentle Art of Quilt Making
Additional Backing - Klona Rose
Pre-wash 70" x 70"
Piecing - Aurifil 2021 50wt
Quilting - Aurifil 2430 50wt and a little Gutermann to finish.

And this is my last FAL finish this quarter, leaving me only my MATO, so that's a bonus on top of a lovely finish.

Tomorrow is an Inset Day, so we are hoping for some more family fun times, and I am aiming for a little Sizzix action too; you know I'm sure to report back what actually happens xxx

FAL freakout!

There's less that a week until April folks - FAL Q1 2014 is zooming up on us, which brings me two sets of angst.

Getting stuff finished, and then making sure I have something started to put on my Q2 list!  But we'll stick with the former for today.

I have two quilts left on my list, one of them is my Midnight At The Oasis, and that isn't going to be finished any time soon, but I am OK with that.

My Hadley quilt is another story.  The top was finished probably back in October, November time; I even cut the backing, but it has sat waiting for me to get the energy to even contemplate basting it, never-alone quilting it.  But today was the day.

Children safely dispatched to school; no strike action for me to re-organise my life around, thank goodness, and hubby left in bed poorly; I cracked on.

Binding was made, backing pieced and the whole thing basted, all in a couple of hours, then the quilting could begin...

I managed to use up a whole small spool of Aurifil, but before panic could set in, I found a super match in some old Gutermann, so I could get the quilting finished and binding on, all before I went back out to get the kids at 3pm...

The colours are a bit all over the place in those indoor photos, this outdoor shot is truer,

I have begun stitching down the binding already, but I feel like I am paying for my excess, so that's me done for the day.

Hopefully I will have this finished by the weekend - if the weather is fine I have a good photo op on Saturday, so that's my stitchy action sorted for the rest of the week xxx

Saturday Secrets...

Today I've been sewing up a bunch of secrets for next weekend, so nothing new to show you I'm afraid, but they do look excellent!

Instead, I can only offer a glimpse of the next FAL target I have in my sights...

It has literally been in my line of sight for ages, sat in the lounge, wanting to be finished, but being ignored in favour of more glamourous alternatives; so time to knuckle down me thinks xxx

Liberty hoopla!

Another FAL finish folks!

This one has actually been up on the bedroom wall for a few days, much to husband's dismay, (oh well); I think it looks great!

I pieced the hexies over the Christmas holidays, pondered what on earth to do with them, then browsing my photos from a trip to Liberty back on my birthday in June, this seemed the obvious choice...

I used a 7" hoop; the Liberty scraps were from Jo and Ali, and they were pieced with Aurifil 50wt 2021, no surprise there then.  To back it, I simply fused a circle of Vilene fleece the same size as the outer hoop and trimmed to about 1/4" round that; I stuck some double-sided tape to the inner ring before tightening it all.  Neat!

My Perfect Quilted Tote is all finished too, but no photos today, sorry.  I am 98% pleased with it - why is there always a niggle!?  But considering I feared it would take me ages, I could even be tempted into making another.

Room for a little one...

The girls' teacher will be going on Maternity leave at Easter, and as soon as I found out at the beginning of term, I was pulling fabrics and putting a little baby blanket on my FAL list.

I picked out all the red, white and aquas from a couple of Little Apples charm packs, and added in a few of extras to make up the numbers.

I was originally just going to use the charms au naturel, for a simple patchwork, but when I saw Fiona's tumbler quilt in issue 5 of Love Patchwork & Quilting, (you know the one!), a quick spin of the Sizzix and a mini-tumbler was born...

The backing is fleece, no batting, and I used up some more Little Apples for binding.

Simple horizontal quilting in Aurifil 2021 50wt, which I also used for piecing, as it rarely gets swapped off my machine to be honest, was all that was needed to keep it all together.

I know I had to buy the backing, from here, but at £6/m, I have enough for another little quilt or a cushion or two, so I think I can have this purchase guilt-free!

It's only a tiddler, c. 24" x 32", but I am going on the theory and experience that small babies do not need big blankets; hauling a load of baby stuff about, means the smaller the better, and this is plenty big enough for popping over the car seat, or putting on the floor for a stretch out.

The girls have said it is both 'boyish' and 'girlish', so I guess that's a gender-neutral seal of approval!

Another FAL tick then, that makes 4 out of 8 completed already, and we are almost half way through the first quarter.  Go me!

Not rocket science...

My day started this morning with this little box of tricks...

It's a test for H-pylori bacteria which we are hoping is the cause of my horrible chest pain, time, well about a fortnight, will tell.

The rain and hail, with an interlude of work, a Post Office trip, to send my tubes of breath to hospital, made up most of my day.

No sewing to show (too late, too dark), but from my stock of sunny-day photos from the weekend, here's another tick off my FAL list...

AMH voile and charcoal Sketch flannel, the perfect combo, an obvious choice.

I love my voile and velveteen scarf, but it is big;  the flannel in this one gives that extra warmth but less of the bulk, and it has already been much used and needed so far this week, and by the looks and sound of it, the need will be even greater over the coming stormy days.

So wrap up warm,  keep safe and dry, and I'll see you on the 'morrow 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.