F-ing Friday!

I am linking up today with Rhonda and the first quarter mid-term Finish-along and Thank Goodness It's Finally Finished on a Friday... got all that?

Back here, when the New Year was still, um, new, I laid out my first quarter hopes for some long hoped-for finishes...
i) My Brit Bee Constellation quilt,
ii) My Mystery Quilt top, and
iii) My Pips Hexie Cushion.

Well I think you might have noticed that I managed to get the Constellation completed, I've harked on about it enough!  Ooh look, here it is again...

I love this quilt so so much, it is on our bed keeping us cozy each night, and it is just such a joy to have finished.

The Mystery Quilt has moved on a teeny bit; I sashed all my blocks, played about a bit, then popped it all back in a box, a couple of times...

OK they really do look in need of a bit of a press, sorry!  I hope to get this all finished by the end of the quarter.

And during this weeks' ballet lesson, I managed to complete the hexie panel, which I now need to turn into a cushion cover, pronto...

I am going to have to get myself a new half-hour hobby for those dreaded lessons!

So there you go, I have had some success, and not forgetting that I have made a tonne of new stuff too, and started others things which may well end up featuring in the second quarter.

How have you got on?  You can't beat that 'finished feeling' eh!

Well I have to get my Mouthy Stitches parcel all wrapped up this evening, more on that tomorrow after I have laid out all 900 or so pieces that I cut for my Stained quilt, as I know for sure I mislabeled some, and possibly forgot to cut a couple of the others, oh it was a late night!  

My Big Day In...

I have been busy, although just looking at the photos, it doesn't really look that way; you decide.

I was home from school by 9am and did not move from the conservatory for the next 6 hours, all bar a 'comfort break' (so polite), and to pick up the post from the mat!

So want to see what a 'day off' looks like? 

Firstly, what some of it sounded like was Rhonda!  She kept me company and in stitches for hours, (OK not hours, but at least one!); another fun podcast, and lovely to know more about you **nicke.

There was more cutting to start with.  The binding for the Across The Sea, just because I want to be ready, and even though I haven't checked if I have enough batting yet!

I trimmed and cut all my Oakshott Fat-eighths into 9" squares for the Dead Simple QAL, they do look lovely, and even the trimmings looked great!

...and a quick stack of 2.5" squares cut, to add to the mini charm pack of Sherbert Pips that I converted to hexies last night...

After that, I needed to sew.   So an instant hit, 2 Farmer's Wife blocks using some left over HSTs from my last blitz; matching them to blocks they would fit, (well I still have a lot of choice), today Broken Sugar Bowl and Flock...

So now there are 10... and so far behind it's not funny!

Then I got a pang of the guilts that my machine is almost 3 months old and has never been given a good clean.  Oops...

Dust-free from now on, I promise.

After that, I knuckled down to the Japanese Scrap Bag Challenge, and I have just finished for the day.  I took some 'in progress' photos; but they are rubbish, so I will make one or two more tags before the competition finishes and post about making them properly.  In all honesty, they are so simple, a few written 'instructions' would be more than enough. 

So do you want to see?  OK, just a peek...

These were made with some non-competition scraps, as I didn't have enough 'pink' for both girls to have 2 more each of this batch; and Twin 2 threw a complete wobbler over the first pair; so anything for a quiet life.

The 'real' ones I will keep under wraps for a little longer, just to keep the Competition on their toes.  I have made six that are already in use daily on the girls' book bags, lunch boxes and PE Kit bags, and including the two above, and I made 7 more today.

So that was my making, and this was the icing on the cake... Post!

I have been eagerly awaiting 2 packages from the US, and one arrived today.  My super-duper Rainbow Swap Charms from Jennifer.  She is such a lovely friend, she also sent me a beautiful mug rug, I was so excited I was trying to type a 'thank you' and lay out the charms simultaneously!

OK, so the Across the Sea will go into piecing-overdrive again tomorrow - but having received such a lovely gift, those 170+ pieces have been well and truly excused!  Once the other parcel arrives, I will get Goodie 2 sorted, and then I'll almost be on top of things again, phew!

Next Wednesday I have my long-awaited, full-on dentist appointment, so I can't imagine getting much done before (nerves), or after (pain and dribbling!); but this was definitely a lovely interlude in this working week.

Productive!

***Firstly, the missing book bag was ready and waiting when we arrived at school this morning, so it was all smiles as I left the girls for their second morning.  Phew!***

The last couple of mornings alone have resulted in a mass of making and a haircut!  After yesterday's delightful weather and complete bad hair day, I got chopped back into shape straight after drop-off today, just like the photo of me here in Vogue Jennifer's Saturday Spotlight; so I feel and look much better and actually got what I asked for, always a result!

So on to the making...

I have finally finished this...

...Lining it, as I'd hoped, with the aqua crosshatch and making quite a good job at the seams where the lining and the open-edges meet, even if I do say so myself. 

Sewing up close to the handles, even using the zipper foot was a little awkward, wood does not bend, who knew?  So if I were to make one again, I would leave longer pieces of fabric at the top; but all in all I am rather in love with my hexie bag; now I just need to go somewhere that requires me to take along some sewing!

Then I got cracking with my Across The Sea quilt top, managing a finish before the peace was well and truly broken...

I decided not to cut into the remainder of the layer cake squares that I had put aside for the border, as they were going to introduce new patterns, rather too many colours and generally spoil the purple and green vibe I had originally opted for. 

So my border alternates between pattern and background fabric - obviously it wasn't going to work out perfectly, but I hope I 'bodged' the opposite corners with enough aplomb to carry it off.  Thinking about it afterwards, this quilt will spend it's life crumpled and used, not pressed flat and hung to scrutiny, so I am more than happy to have it like this. 

I've got a mild case of 'quilting jitters' already though, it is rather large!

I have made Susan's siggy block so I can get her Bee blocks in the post and now I need to concentrate on my remaining makes for the Mug Rug and Goodie Swap.

There is the little matter of the Mystery QAL that I have definitely not forgotten Sheila, honestly, as well as a tonne of other things, but I've made a start.

I have begun my Japanese Scrap Bag Challenge though.  I needed to get a few made before school started as the PE Bags disappear into oblivion until Half Term and I wanted them on the girl's book bags from day one, (fat lot of good that was eh!), but not so sure I want to post pics yet. 

Not that the competition can copy, but I want them to imagine something so fantastic, get in a panic and muck up with nerves; however, I fear any wobbly seams will be the result of laughing too much at my meagre efforts!

So there you go, back to work again tomorrow and all 3 kiddos will be in school for the full day, so here's to the next 12 years or so!

Flown...

Off they all went, battling the elements on the first day of term! 

There was a little emergency waistband-reduction required just before the off; how can Age 3-4 be too big!?

The girls loved every minute, until home-time, when one book bag was AWOL, which I am generously putting down to first day parental nerves of a mum unable to remember her own child's name after a few hours of separation!  It better be back tomorrow, I can't go through placating a devastated 4 year old for another afternoon!

I got tonnes done in the 3 hours of empty house though; I'll provide photographic evidence tomorrow as long as we don't have to build an Ark overnight!  I had to wear wellies at pick up time, for goodness sake!!!

I have hexie bag and Across The Sea news, and a number of trolleys on my eBay watchlist!  Although today, a rubber dingy would have been more apt!  Roll on tomorrow xx

Awesome August!

A whole month of school holidays passed by in a flash!  So here I am again linking up with Lily's Quilts and Fresh Sewing Day.

We took a week away near Weymouth and had another week of family time, but I still managed to clock up a few finishes in August.

Firstly, I was able to reveal the mini-quilt prize I made for Rhonda at the end of July...

There were Bee blocks for Sarah...

... and also an eventual finish with a zip! ...

Phone cases...

Hexies...

... and a little Mystery...

A mini prezzie for Lizzie...

FWQAL blocks at long last...

... and my first 241 Tote...

I was lucky enough to win some lovely fabric from both Lizzie and Renee & Yvonne, plus a Jelly Roll from Mandy at Simply Solids; I got a spot on Rhonda's podcast and Cindy's Name Game, and also won a place in Pings' Japanese Scrap Bag Challenge!!

Some wonderful pressies came my way too...

There was the start of the Across the Sea QAL...

... and also a little shopping and behind the scenes preparation for my November Bee blocks (Mwaah ha ha - so excited!), and quite a bit of secrecy with Project 51, which I am so proud to say can be revealed really soon.

Oh, and this bargain baby...

I have to admit that even I am surprised at how much I was able to fit in!

September is going to be an even busier month, with Goodie swaping, QALs and the competition to make for.  School will be back and the girls will be starting for the first time on Tuesday!  I go back to work next week too and I'm shattered just thinking about it. 

Anyone got any energy going spare, I think I am going to need extra!

Cutting it up a bit!

No sewing at all yesterday; there was some digging, mosaic, pottery, cave painting and colouring-in at the village museum though.

It was Junior Archaeology Day, so we went along and had a play, just as the sun came out.  A good time was had by all, and then we had a quick look in the actual 'museum'.

I don't know if there is an official minimum 'size' for a museum, but this one is probably up/down there in the 'tiniest' category, probably no bigger than our lounge (our lounge is not huge), but out of all the things they could have displayed, they chose to display this...

And look closely...

I am so easily impressed!

The museum is also home, (probably not unsurprisingly then), to the Storrington Quilters...

Who knew?!

And then there was the cutting, a lot of cutting.  I cut all the background fabric for the Across The Sea QAL top, to add to the Greek cross pieces I prepared the other evening...

... then I cut the pattern pieces and interfacing for my 241 tote that I am planning to get on with today...

I need another finish!

Practice makes...

... well I am not going to say 'perfect', but I wanted to practice making some smaller hexies, just because I thought they would be a super-quick and sweet skill to have in my 'virtual bag', (to go with my 'actual hexie' bag no less!).

So, with my trusty scrap box raided over the weekend, I made this...

... which I then turned into this today...

I found a brilliant tutorial (and remembered to Pin it) on binding non-right-angled corners, but this would have been just too small for a first attempt, and I was way too nervous about spoiling it, so I went square.

I suppose it could be a 'coaster' for want of a title and use; it measures 5" square, the edges of the individual hexagons are a 1/2" and I think it is rather cute.

I also used my machine on the slow setting and it was wonderful!  At first, my gung-ho nature swore I would never stitch at anything slower than maximum warp speed, but I was so wrong.

I've decided that this little hexster is going to go off to a new home in the morning, as a little surprise for someone ;)