Where did the time go?

Answers on a postcard please!

Before I get to my super exciting news, here's a little mosaic of most of my October makes, to link with Lynne and Fresh Sewing Day...

I have also finished my Travellin' Pic Stitch project, but I will save that reveal until my day on November 20th, plus there was the commission quilt, a couple of other almost finishes and Christmas preparations of the hexie variety.  So it may not look like much, but there has been a lot of behind the scenes action, and these...

Does anyone actually remember the beginning of October, I know, it was a long time ago, but I was doing a lot of secret Sizzix sewing and now it's time for the BIG reveal!

If you go over to Mollies Makes today, look over on the right hand side, and you'll see a link to a pair of Winter Warmers projects, should you wish to do so, and get as far as downloading the pdfs, you'll see my name up there in lights!!  OK, no lights, but they are there in my head, with bells and the sound of screaming fans!

The brief was for a set of red and blue Scandinavian-inspired decorative appliqués, using a selection of dies.  Lots of felt, buttons, red Mama Said Sew prints and navy gingham, which did not come from my girls' old school summer dresses, although they did take some convincing!

I had never really attempted appliqué by hand before, and this was a real learning experience, which I really enjoyed.  And if you have read my tutorial on the October Fluffy Sheep Quilting newsletter, you will also appreciate the difficulty I had cutting down the wordy-wordington instruction!

So there you go, I am chuffed to bits, and so pleased to be able to share with you, but if by, say, Retreat, I am still starting each sentence with "When I had my tutorials published on Mollie Makes..." please feel free to give me a slap and tell me to pull myself together!  But... did I say, I am thrilled!?

Return of the Mo'!

If you didn't read Danielle Coolbear's appeal for help over at Lily's Quilts last night, then I ask you to please take a look... it's OK, I'll wait here with the tissues until you come back.

Having possibly the most awesome real name ever, Danielle has asked for moustache blocks to contribute towards equally awesome Can't Grow A Mo', Sew A Mo' quilts for Movember and the Mary Potter Hospice in Wellington, NZ.

The comment I left there pretty much sums up my reason for helping; Prostate cancer will probably affect everyone of us in one way or another at some point in our lives, and doing anything that can either help research into this heartbreaking and prevalent disease, or care for those who are suffering, is a given in my book.

If you are in the UK or prepared to post here, Danielle is collecting blocks to make her quilt; her mother will be doing likewise in New Zealand, so if you are of the Australasian persuasion maybe you can help on that side of the world.

Both quilts, (although I think Danielle may have started something a little bigger than just a couple!) will then be auctioned off, so maybe you want to keep an eye out for those and place a bid.

I immediately pulled some fabrics I thought would do the business; Mama Said Sew scribble writing which looks like tangled 'tache hairs, and the Momo (geddit?) scissors which are a must for keeping everything neat and tidy!

My blocks are standard 12.5", but they can be smaller, or rectangles, whatever takes your fancy.

There is a flickr group and further information on Danielle's blog, so please have a think, and even if you can only manage a little pencil moustache, it will help!

And so, with this reality check, and bit of perspective, I think my mojo has returned xxx