Orbit - the one with the photos...

As soon as Lindsey showed her Orbit quilt, I knew I wanted to make one, and I knew I wanted to use up some of my stashed Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow that John Lewis had foisted upon me on at least a couple of visits!

The QAL is now finished, but Lindsey is keeping the pattern as a free download for a short while longer, if you haven't already availed yourself.  It is a smashingly simple quilt to piece, finishes at 60" square and makes an awesome throw.

The top and backing were pieced a couple of weeks ago...

I quilted either side of each orb's horizontal, vertical and diagonal seams, with a couple of extra diagonals thrown in...

All pieced and quilted with Aurifil 50wt in 2021, my go-to thread for everything!

Despite the fact that there was a snow storm (OK, flurry) at my parents' on Easter Sunday, I was determined to get some cool lifestyle shots, for a change...

And just before the Boat Race started, the sun came out, so I took a couple more for luck...

This one may be gifted, but I haven't quite made up my mind yet.

Well the sun is out but I feel like death warmed up, so if you don't mind, I am going to find a sheltered spot in the garden to try to clear my head and maybe breath in some some fresh air through my blocked nose xxx

Marching...

Well pinch-punch first of the month again! Time to do the Fresh Sewing Day linky-thing...

I thought I'd had a bad month, but it doesn't look too shoddy, although, it has to be said, a lot were only March reveals; I did finish two quilts though.

Firstly my Brit Bee II, Diamond Nips, which I am head over heals in love with...

I took it to my parent's yesterday and was able to get a few shots (in the snow!), this one is my absolute favourite...

My second quilt was my Modern Meadow Orbit.  Made in conjunction with Lindsey's QAL, I got this finished on schedule, which after playing catch-up, I am rather surprised and pleased about...

Seeing as it also got the fancy photo treatment, I will give it a post of its own tomorrow. 

So into April, and I need to get my first quarter FAL post all sorted too, and start thinking about what to put on Q2.  Can't believe we are a quarter of the way through the year already!

It's shaping up to be a typical bank holiday here, cold, miserable and I am suffering from a nasty throat, earache and headache type thing, which goes oh so well with the kids' loud voices, murderous intentions and sugar overload. 

Time to go hide somewhere quiet under a quilt xxx

Bits...

It's been one of those days, not the greatest - and I am very tired.

You know when you tell the kids that if they eat too much chocolate they will be sick, and they don't believe you; well after last night, they do now...

The toys got swiftly ousted for their own benefit! (Ange, keep your thoughts to yourself x).

So not much sleep and a lot more washing than I had anticipated.  We didn't therefore go on the village egg hunt today, and it snowed anyway.  Nothing settled, but why is it still that bloody cold?

I did finish my Orbit though.  It is all washed and lovely, and I will take it to my parents' tomorrow for a proper photoshoot, all things being equal...

Pre and Post crinkling.

I also cut all the templates for my Marcelle Medallion quilt.  I have some additional fabric en route from Pink Castle, and can't wait to get on with it.

Well I think I better just grab a quilt, settle on the sofa and try not to spread my mood this evening, don't you!?

I really hope your weekend has started on more of an upbeat note than mine xxx

Checking in...

My Inbox is busting from the sheer number of comments on the Sew Sweetness bag pattern giveaway, and I know I have a load of other emails to reply to, especially about my beautiful Nips, so just a quick hiya and apology for my tardiness ce soir!

I have received an awesome parcel though, which I am waiting to show you in full, but here's a sneaky peek...

...and this evening I have basted and quilted my Orbit quilt, so hopefully I will at get the binding attached to that soon too.

I swapped my regular day off today for tomorrow, so I had to work, but I am now on Easter holidays!!  Such a long, cold term, I am so glad that's over.

I need to run a few errands, shop and do all those boring housey things tomorrow, but that will clear the way for Easter and family things, and hopefully time for a few stitchery bits in there too.

So I can't stop now... I have a list or two to write xxx

A Spring In My Step...

I have been making up for the lack of sewing this weekend, by getting the backing of my Orbit quilt pieced, and also my Brit Bee top all sewn together this evening...

I still have 2 names left to embroider into the siggie block, and then I can piece the back for that too.

Does anyone know if I should be worrying that after a wash and tumble, my 3 strand Cosmo floss names are going to look like my kids have attempted embroidery with their eyes closed??

Ideally I would like these two basted on Wednesday, so that I can hopefully aim for one finish over the coming weekend; with all the fun and games of the last few days I could do with a bit of a relax, and a Sunday afternoon stitching down some binding sounds like heaven to me!

I had happy mail to get me in the mood today too; a layer cake of Summersville Spring courtesy of Justine...

I still have my first collection layer cake and a bit of yardage waiting for the perfect project, so I am hoping that my spend to use theory will again pay off and I will be able to stash-bust and make something using both together.  The additional colours are lovely, so time to start trawling for the one.

Did you see Rita's beautiful Having A Starry Time blog hop post today?  I think I am going to have to work on my presentation skills before Friday!!

And as promised, more details on the Sizzix hop...

Katy kicked off today with her 2 Minute Treat bags, then I will be joining these other lovely ladies with Spring and Eastertime makes...

Tuesday 19th March - Carolyn at carolynforster.co.uk/wordpress
Wednesday 20th March - Lauli Pops at needlespinsandbakingtins.com
Thursday 21st March - Me!
Friday 22nd March - Anna at cafecreativo.blogspot.co.uk

And whilst I'm all about the info, and despite not feeling the lovin', I am joining the hysteria and doing the claim thing just in case the world ends if I don't!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I think that's about it for tonight... crikey, is that the time!

Into Orbit!

After my directional dilemmas yesterday, I bit the bullet this morning and just went ahead and finished piecing my Orbit top, trying to get the patterns to match where possible, but not stressing too much if they didn't. 

This is a great pattern, and although there was a lot of initial cutting, and a little extra thinking required by me as I did not have a full 13 prints to play with, the piecing was simple and a joy to make.

It is probably the first time I have ever made HSTs by simply joining 2 triangles, and there was no bias drama at all with that.  (I think that is a urban myth to scare new quilters!).

Having the Modern Meadow prints all folded since I bought them, I had not had them spread out en masse, and I am so happily surprised at how bright and wonderful all the prints are.

There is still snow in the garden, and it is bitterly cold and windy, but I ventured out for a photoshoot; don't say I never do anything for you...

... and then the sun came out...

I have enough left-over fabric to piece the backing and make binding, but not sure on the wadding situation though; I think I need to have a little tidy up of the quilting corner; I can see it in my husband's eyes!

This has been a relatively early post for me; parent's evening later and I am making the most of my MacBook playing nicely, by tonight it will probably need another wallop xxx

What a difference...

... a day makes!

At 6.30am it was still snowing, blowing a gale and school was closed for the day; thanks to a nice early text, we didn't have to do the full getting ready routine and then find out, for a change.

By lunchtime the sun was out, time for a little fun and by teatime, any snow that had seen the aforementioned sunshine was all but gone...

So I got an impromptu extra sewing day, and started on my Orbit top; which I am hoping to get finished tomorrow.  Every bloody print is directional though, unlike my (miserly) cutting, so I had to cast caution to the Siberian wind and just not stress about it...

Oh, and I am back here in full blogging glory, after giving my MacBook a good shaking!  Not what a Mac Geni-arse would suggest I am sure, but it worked, and after a day of trying all the proper technical mularky, that was good enough for me!

What goes up...

...must come down.  And I feel like I have come down from this weekend with a great big bump.

Not helped by dear hubby bumbling about in the dark at 5am getting ready for a work trip, me remembering the girls needed photos of the house for school 5 minutes before we were meant to leave, (more haste, less speed on that one, there were swear words aplenty), then a 2 hour workshop about something I care nothing for at work and the usual rounds of school, swimming, feeding, bedtimes and the like.

At least the sun shone.

It also dawned on me that this month I really need to make the final block and piece all 8 for Dianne's Stitch Tease quilt top; so I laid out all the others I have received and pulled the fabric for my mega-pinwheel block in the 5 minutes between work and school...

The heron print is my signature fabric, a piece of which appears in all the blocks and strips I have made.  I made this and a few others after tea, but will leave the layout until my day off.

Also on my radar for this Wednesday's sewing session is my Orbit quilt top.  I cut all the fabric yesterday...

I am really hoping, this will come together super quickly, because I fell in love with the Modern Meadow fabrics all over again and want to see it all sewn up as soon as possible.

Wednesday waffle...

Today I wanted to knock a couple of things off my February To Do list, namely for Judith; the siggie blocks to go with her Brit Bee blocks and also a pair of blocks for Bee Blessed...

I will not fib and say that I enjoyed making these - so many pieces, trimming and pressing.  My points are not perfect, they took all morning, much to the kids' annoyance; but they are done and look better than I was anticipating at the mid-way point. 

I was this (this) close to stopping at making one, but as much as I dislike working on things that I am not feeling the love for, I am a stubborn madam, and did not want to admit defeat!  Also I am going to be handing these over in person, so I am hoping to overwhelm Judith with quantity rather than quality!

Seeing as it is Half Term, I let the kids reclaim the dining table for some drawing this afternoon, so I joined in by pulling out my Joel Dewberry stash and colouring in the blank layout sheet for my Orbit quilt...

I am so determined to use up fabrics that have been lurking, hoarded, waiting for projects, so as soon as Lindsey posted about her QAL, I was in, and knew these fabrics were next on my hit list.

The pattern calls for 13 prints, I only have 10, after excluding the browns, which I am saving (honest), but as I have all 1/2 and full meter cuts, I have managed to work out a suitable balance of repeats.  I'd like to have these cut by the end of the holidays, but the overflowing ironing basket is starting to look beyond a little slovenly, so I may be otherwise engaged for a few days!