This & That

Since my last proper post, it's been business as usual.
In class this fortnight we are making my Mega pincushion..........this takes a wee while longer than the class 2hrs to complete so I have only one completed photo for you so far - well done to Pat.

For those of you who may like to make this big pincushion this link should take you right to the instructions.

I joined an online Mystery Quilt - it's being run by Spotlight of Oz & NZ through their FB page and is Sarah Fielke's design. So far I have kept up and am on Wk 4 at the moment. It is meant to be done with Sarah's latest Spotlight collection but I thought I'd give it a go from my stash. I am enjoying having a wee personal project with no expectations or deadlines. Here is what I have made so far.

And I have a finish to report too! It's my traditional flannel throw - a Christmas pressie for someone special. I haven't used flannel before so took it slow & easy and stuck to a simple pattern. The back is pieced from flannel too and the wadding is 80/20. It is ever so cosy.

I have completed another make which I really enjoyed but am unable to share at the moment......soon, I promise.

Don't forget that voting opens on the 1st November in the Bloggers' Quilt Festival.......hint, hint.

Bloggers' Quilt Festival Autumn 2013

It's that time of year again when blogging quilters get a chance to participate in a wonderful online exhibition. I am in awe of the organisation that goes into this even, all run by Amy so a big thank you is due to her.
The exhibition is a great excuse to while away a couple of hours viewing lots of work from quilters all over the world so be sure to visit and vote for your favourites when voting opens next week.

I took part in an online sew a long last winter with Leanne and fell by the wayside quite quickly. My Mod Pop quilt became an as & when quilt project but it was destined for our own bed as a summer alternative and my colours were intended to evoke a beachy feel. I managed to complete it by the end of June.
Here it is, sunbathing - those warm summer days are but a distant memory now.

The pattern was purchased from Julie and I think it looks quite retro, reminiscent of the 60s. I used stash fabrics mainly and the eagle eyed among you will see a couple of narrow blue strips - I never, I mean never, quilt whole quilts anymore - I use QAYG methods and look for ways to join using whichever QAYG technique that might suit best. For this one, I constructed three separate panels and used narrow strips to join. You can see the three section better on the back.

And here it is relaxing again..........

And rolled to go.................

So, I am entering Mod Pop into the Bed Category of the Festival because it is for sure, a bed quilt.
It measures 80" x 85", I used Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 & quilted it on my Janome 6600 using Aurifil 50wt thread in, I think colour 2021.

If you have popped in from the Festival, welcome, and if you are a regular reader, do pop over and have a drool at all the super entries, such fun!!

It's Never Too Soon............

FAL Quarter 4 and other stuff.

Following on from last week's rant, I went on to make my Bee a Brit Stingy blocks for Erin - no problems, all good.

I prepped more part made Zippy Pouches for this week's classes, pics will follow later in the week I hope.

I got all the quilting done on the trad Christmas flannel quilt I am working on - just need to bind it. 

On Sunday I tidied my room!!

I was aware of a mounting feeling of mild panic and realised that eventually even I can't cope with the mess so whilst not perfect, I at least sorted all my Wips.

I got my own Bee blocks all quilted up, sorry, no pics yet, and bought some fabric on Monday to bind.

Amidst all this craziness, I popped into Bloglovin briefly today and was gobsmacked to find I had scooped the top prize in Leanne's FAL 3rd Quarter draw - I have only gone and won $75 to spend at the amazing Fat Quarter Shop - it really does prove that even one pathetic finish can lead to good things. Thank you Leanne, & thank you Fat Quarter Shop!!

Which brings me to FAL 4th Quarter. I had thought maybe to dip out for the last quarter but that would be plain rude. So I am bringing forward one of my 3rd quarter failures............

This is to be a Christmas cushion that I English Paper Pieced, it is part quilted and just needs a backing. Maybe I could actually finish this for Christmas?

And to the cushion I am adding in my Cathedral Windows project that I had forgotten about but unearthed on Sunday when I tidied my room!

and together with the amounts of Wips that I have, (and two new quilt projects that I haven't even mentioned yet!) I think two UFOs is as much as I can pledge this time, so I am linking to Leanne's FAL Quarter 4.

This will be Leanne's last quarter running the FAL, then we need to shape up in 2014 for Katy, quite close for comfort, Littlest Thistle is taking over..........quaking already!!

RTFI

This post is really dedicated to all the lovely ladies who come to my class, they will enjoy it!

So, on Sunday "while baby slept" I thought I  might make a start on Judith's Bee Blessed blocks. Quite simple quarter log cabin blocks, from scrap strips, we all have loads of them don't we.......so I sorted and pulled lots of varied strips and set to. The corner square was to be white so I cut a few of them, I thought I might push the boat out this month and make more than my usual 2 blocks. I got on pretty well and began to really understand and appreciate the concept of grabbing some sewing time, when you can.

Fast forward to Monday and the wee one was having another lovely snooze. Hmm, thought I, I might finish those blocks off..........when I sew I sometimes listen to the radio, and sometimes I lose myself in my own thoughts. My mind drifted to thinking what these lovely Bee blocks would look like when they became quilts - what a clever notion to make the white squares in varying sizes, how interesting it would be when the corners come together,...........yes, the corners...OMG!!

I had been merrily sewing ordinary log cabins and was nearing the end of 5 blocks....................DUH!!

So this is where I recall the quaint mnemonic, RTFI, or "read the f****instructions", wise words.

It took less time than I imagined to unpick all those logs, and surely unpicking must be good for the soul?

My salutary tale has a happy ending. I started over after tea, and finished before bedtime!!

Last week was week 2  in class, of quilted pouches, and a few more were made...............

Think we might have the market cornered now in spectacle cases.

3rd Quarter FA(I)L

Back in July I pledged three UFOs for finishing by the end of September. Well, it's been more of a 

Fail A Long for me I'm afraid.

My first item was a very old UFO that I needed to quilt and bind.......

                                                     

.instead, I unpicked it from its wadding and folded it back up and put it back into a drawer. FAIL.

My next project was an unfinished Christmas cushion, just needs a back put on...FAIL

But every cloud has a silver lining and I do have a finish to flourish, and here he is.........

This is Boy Santa from last year's Christmas in July workshop - from Tone Finnanger's Christmas book.

I shall let you see him with his much smaller mum, or it might be his dad, when the Christmas box comes out of the loft,, in December.

Linking to Leanne's Q3 roundup with a thank you to her for her organisation and a big thank you to all the generous sponsors.

                                       

September Review

Well, September whizzed by didn't it? For my sewing life, it was all about my classes. I have four classes following a Zakka inspired sew a long.

Our first project was a stitch and flip mugmat.........I ended up making 4.

Next up was the dispenser for plastic shopping bags, courtesy of psiquilt.(Rachel has just had a book published, check out her blog today)   I made 4....

Our current project is quilted pouches, specifically, spectacle cases and so far I have made 3 with another 3 in the pipeline.........

Our next item will be basic, zipped pouches and these are my samples, so far.............

I also managed to make one of the items from the Zakka SAL being done from Patchwork Please and was pleased with how this turned out...........

and finally, I made my Bee Blocks for September, seems ages ago............

for Karen, in Bee a Brit Stingy

and for Bee Blessed.

A bit later than usual, but linking to Fresh Sewing Day over at Lily's Quilts.