Oooh lovelies!

Today I, and I suspect many other lucky peeps, received our Low Volume Charm Swap bundles.  As with all swaps, fabric got sent and the reality of why, ie. a return envelope packed to the gunnels with lovely charms, soon got forgotten.

But they arrived and I did that traditional (OCD?) thing of sorting them, sticking them in an almost-circle and taking a photo or two...

A big ol' thanks to Lolly for organising this fine ensemble, and to all the swappers, there are some mighty fine choices in there.  Now what to make??

I also received my penultimate January Brit Bee block from Lols, and a fun pressie that I ordered for my sister, but I will show you that tomorrow.

For now, I am going to spend the evening doing a big fat nothing, except maybe checking out a few blogs, watching TV and drinking tea; there has been too much child-manoeuvring, as well as actual thinking required at work today, so now I need to rest my weary bones under a cosy quilt xxx

Cut cut cut cut cutting...

I have finally turned my yard of Black Sewing Guide - Mama Said Sew fabric into 5" charms for the Addicted to Text swap.

I sat out the Japanese Charm Swap, so I have obviously been jealously looking on as all the lucky ladies have been receiving their bundles of loveliness, but I am really looking forward to this one.

The selection of prints in the flickr pool is awesome.  I am busting with ideas of how to use them!

I have more Mama Said Sew for you tomorrow - and if you haven't signed up for the Fluffy Sheep Quilting newsletter, you may wish to do so right now, just saying!

TFI Friday everyone x

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Today I am joining in the fun and games over at Amy's Creative Side and the Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival.  Can you believe the number of awesome quilts that have been linked already!?

So which quilt am I going to enter?

Wrong!

I did think long and hard about taking the obvious route, but actually I thought it would be a nice change for everyone if I picked my somewhat overlooked Cherry Star...

I love this quilt to pieces; I finished it so close to the Brit Bee Constellation that it has been playing second fiddle ever since. 

It's just such a happy quilt, and actually took quite a lot of effort (for me!).  Do you do that, make something, get embroiled in it at the time, and then look back and wonder how you had the time and inclination to get something so right?

Now if you are coming over here from the Festival, and don't know me, please note, I sew on the dining table, and have to shift every mealtime, I have no design wall and 3 'helpful' children, so getting the layout for this was a logistical feat in itself.

I played along with Chelsea's Made In Cherry QAL, having fallen in love with Sarah Fielke's pattern after seeing photos from the Fall Quilt Market, I was hooked.  It was a no-brainer when it came to using all the Rainbow Swap charms I had gathered last year.

Having completed this quilt way back in January, when the garden was less than pretty, I thought it was only right to give it another airing especially for the occasion...

Full details:
60" x 60"
220 unique 3.5" rainbow charms
IKEA number fabric background
Grey fleece backing
Made In Cherry pattern - Sarah Fielke

Thank you for stopping by, I will be busy looking at everyone else's entries later today - it may take some time!  And if this is your first time Chez FB, thank you, please stay a while have a look around, the natives are friendly x

Cherry Star...

Today, having made a couple of dozen paper dragons at school for Chinese New Year, I dusted off the glitter, came home and got cracking on my Made In Cherry.

The star pieces are complete...

I am 99% pleased with how this has turned out; with 220 different fabrics, I reckon there are 2 or 3 squares that should have been moved a little or swapped out, but without a design wall, minimal natural light and only having space to make it in 'quarters', I am actually surprised it worked so well!

It is completely inspired by the fantastic Kati, thank you Kati; if you want to see colour graduation in a different league, please pop over and take a look at here, and here!

I have a bit of a 'different' idea for the background fabric of this 60"x60" quilt using some great fabric I bought last year.

I will hopefully get that sorted tomorrow; it might be a bit marmite, (love it or hate it, no in-between!), but I am determined it will look exactly how I was hoping, especially with its fleecy backing and minimal quilting, I need a bit of minimal quilting!

And In The Green Corner...

I promise to keep it short this evening, as I seem to have rather a lot of comments from both here and flickr to respond to!!  Thank you all for all the wonderful compliments, I owe everything to the awesome Brit Bee ladies xxx

So not content with just an fantastic finish yesterday, I started trimming my Made In Cherry charms to 3.5", and pieced one corner...

I have actually pieced a second corner this evening, but no photos yet.  You like?

Right, I need to get replying and put in some stalking hours for the Mouthy Stitches Swap - I have a few ideas, and I just want to see if they are heading in the right direction before dipping my toe in the flickr pool.

PS.  I didn't place in the Quokka Quilts final selection, nor did any of the MS ladies which was a double shame, but still, a wonderful feeling to get so far.

PPS.  I'll be back tomorrow with my 'Winter Stitching Plans' update, linking back with Sarah and the Fairy Face followers, how have you got on?