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

Thank you...

A big thank you for your words of condolence on the demise of my hard drive.  It is currently being looked at by men with screwdrivers, so hopefully tomorrow I will hear the prognosis - all I can say folks is back up your files at any available opportunity;  the 3 weeks since my last confession back up was too long :(

Anyway, quickly on to happier things courtesy of the big Mac (hubby's computer).

You may have read Reene's account of my In The Purse swap lovelies, she is a cheeky one.

Imagine my delight to open my parcel to find this...

Oh yes I thought, very funny - I hope!

But my friend came good...

Don't you love it when you see something in the flickr pool and hope so much it will be coming your way, and it does?  I love it and my pretty scraps and the extras Reene so kindly popped in for the kiddies...

The purse I made is on it's way to its new abode, and I will show you some pictures of the parcel I sent if the photos can be restored!

Thank you again Reene, Helen and Nicky for a great swap; I will be able to store the 3p I have left in style, after getting my laptop fixed xxx

Swaps abound!

Yesterday, I received my partner allocation for Brit Quilt Swap 3, and I've got a great person to make for.  She loves things I want to try and I am already putting together fabrics in my head; OK in reality would help, but we have the whole summer to make, and I am going to ensure I get this one right!

In my iPad denial, I also got my head down and made my In The Frame purse!

I was going to give my partner options; but I personally don't like that too much - I spend time making my mosaic, filling in the forms, and don't want to pick the fabrics, decide the design and do everything except glue it!  That's just me, but I want to trust that my partner has read the signs, and my comments, and been left free to interpret what I would like; obviously woe betide if they get it wrong ;)

OK, so in reality, my partner didn't get a choice as I only had one F8th of the Summersville fabric I thought was perfect, and if I'd cocked it up, there would have had to have been a change of plan, which, if a preference had been expressed, could have been a bit awkward!

However, it went perfectly, and I love it, and if my partner doesn't, then I will happily keep it!

I did as I had planned, turning in about an inch either side of the hinge seam and top stitched, and it worked a tidy treat.  Lined in aqua Kai dots, and with both some iron-on fleece and medium interfacing for a little structure, I don't think it's a all bad, especially after the last mini-fiasco!  Now to ponder the extras.

But that's not all I've been up to, tomorrow, twin quilts!

Trial and Error...

Yesterday the sun shone, unlike today, and I managed to create the ironing pile from my worst nightmares, resulting from 4 loads of washing and making the most of the glorious line-time; but I also had time to try out frame purse number two as a practice for the In The Frame Swap.

Now I started off thinking I would just use some rubbishy old fabric, and hope for the best, but then figured it could be a waste of a perfectly good frame, so I got all brave and cut into my FMF!

I followed the best bits from numerous online tutes, making my pattern, using the turn through the lining method for super neat hinge corners and then it all started to go a bit wrong.

I boxed the corners thinking I was making a nice deep boxy shape - but no, I had created the opposite, and this was the shallowest of purses I could have created; hey ho, not a show stopper.  Then I did my usual machine stitch closure of the lining - but as the bottom of the purse was not exactly buried deep inside, it shows way too much, and thirdly, unless I had wanted gathers galore and an inch gap below each hinge, it was not going to fit the frame.

Bugger!

However, having amassed a selection of frames in my eagerness the other week, I found that it actually fitted another one almost perfectly!

The glueing and sticking went fine, although I possibly could have done with a bit more glue as the frame was too snug in the end to fit any piping in.

I tried to squeeze the frame a little tighter with pliers, which has left it a little wobbly, but it is all holding together, and looks damn pretty, even though it won't hold a lot. 

It is most definitely just a posing pouch...

So lessons learnt...
I will be using an amended version of Katy's Retreat method - keeping the raw edges on the outside, and then coating them in glue and wedging into the frame for a bit more grip - this means no seam allowance having to be spot on for a perfect fit either;
I will just turn the hinge corners in when I top stitch the lining to the outer, for a nice neat finish;
I will research 'bottom shapes' a bit further, and read instructions fully (for once!), and,
I will remember this is meant to be fun - swearing is not big and clever, and does not change things, ever!

Votes and Swapsies...

***Voting has begun over at the Ellison Lane Quilts Summer Sewing Contest, and I am proud to say that my Union Jack cushion has made the grade - No.10 in the Home Decor category; if you haven't voted already, please pop over - I am competing against friends and some of the quilting blogger big-wigs, so I am just proud to be in amongst them.  You have until my birthday, (just saying), to log onto as many computers/phones etc as you can and cast your votes!***

In other news, sign ups for Brit Quilt Swap 3 have begun, and I have already signed up.  I missed Swap 2 for a number of reasons, but I am raring to go this time.

My mosaic has already been posted, forms completed and now to patiently sit back and wait for partner allocations.

I have been far more specific in my mini quilt 'likes' this time, I have bolstered my flick profile and hope my partner-to-be will have fun!  I was careful to only choose pictures of things I would happily attempt to make for my partner, that's fair, right?  OK so there are a couple I know I wouldn't have a chance of being able to name, never alone make, but worth a punt!

Over the weekend I also received my In The Frame partner info though, so I have started getting my thoughts together for this.  I am making for a great partner, and I really really don't want to let her down.  It has the makings of a great swap thanks to the effort and enthusiasm of Nicky and Helen.

Izzy-wizzy let's get busy xxx