Happy Mail

So as part of the Finish Along

not only do we get to work on actually focusing and finishing projects, 

there is of course, a little incentive from the sponsors

and this last quarter I was lucky enough to be picked as a winner!

so a very big Thank You to Green Fairy Quilts for sponsoring us

and for my fabulous prize!

I'm looking for the perfect pattern to do something special with this, 

I may have to start something New!

Brit Bee - Round 3!

I am so happy to be a member of one of the best Bees out there,

Over the last two and a half years, we have been through many crisis, celebrations, and much happiness, fun and frivolity together, I am blessed to call these ladies my friends indeed!

so as we start our third year, we have a new member Di, as Terri has stepped down from active stitching duty, but not from fun and frivolity, oh no! 

Long may fun and frivolity be at the heart of Brit Bee!

right back to this year, I've chosen some fabrics ...

based, sort of, on these ...

and set too in making a plan ...

I took the time to plan my colour layout, so that when it came to the piecing it could be as straight forward as possible.  it also meant I could plan my cutting, and got all that done before any of the piecing commenced

and commence it did ...

so over a couple of days I managed to get the center pieced

the next dilemma was how to get it into a square

I went for the easy option, and appliqued the circle to the background fabric,

then I cut away the bulk of the back and pulled out the papers

and before long, borders were chosen, cut and sewn

so normally, I would have this whipped up in no time,

but it has taken me about 5 days to get this far, thanks to being somewhat under the weather,

I really haven't had the energy or the inclination to sew

but this has to be done and received before the end of the month and time is running out

so yesterday I sat down in the peace and quiet whilst the Diva was at college 

and stitched into my Sigi block

Aurifil 12 wt was a dream to stitch with, I even managed a proper french knot!

and now this little block starts a new adventure 

12th Street, a new finish!

Nothing like starting the week off on a high!

12th Street is a newly released pattern available from Brenda and Pink Castle Fabrics,
if you've not or ordered from her before, I cannot recommend them highly enough
(as a very satisfied customer and for no other reason)

Well, it all started with a shout out from Brenda on Instagram for pattern testers,
never one to sit back and twiddle my thumbs, I jumped at the chance ...

so I made a selection of fabrics ...

can't beat a little bit of Amy Butler in your 'go to' stash

and started piecing

and I have to say, this is a really quick and easy pattern to make, definitely beginner friendly

I did take the time to make sure I didn't have the same fabrics in each block, and am pleased with how that little bit of obsessive behavior has worked out!

this was so quick to make, it was done in two sessions over a weekend,

and then I managed to slip it in between customer quilts on the frame

and gave it the 'Trudi' treatment with some Aurifil!

I also managed to dig out a great back from my stash!

that did make me giggle!

so that is the first finish for Q4 of the Finish Along!

Yayyy for being just a little obsessed!

and for reducing my FAL List too!

Bloggers Quilt Festival

I often have trouble picking quilts for this, but this year was not a problem,

my favorite quilt I've made this year - Contraflow 

for those of you who already know how this quilt came about, sorry, to the new comers, welcome!

It all started back at the Fat Quarterly Retreat in London in July when I bought Brioni's new Book, brand new fresh out of the box from the publishers, and a Simply Style layer cake from Justin atSimply Solids

I knew, exactly what I was going to do, the minute I got a peak at the book and how I intended to quilt it!

So unlike last year and many of my friends, there was no quilters sensory overload and block, 

I set straight to the piecing almost the minute I got home ...

and before long had the top pieced

I delved into my stash for a backing and the Joel Dewberry won hands down

I loaded this up onto my table top frame and set too with my Juki to quilt my little heart out

the limitations of space with a 9" harp made me a little more creative in how I filled the space,

and the first time I had actually tried doing pebbles down the middle of a spine

It didn't take me long to get it done

and it was bound and ready to ship off to Justine to be on her stand at Festival of Quilts just 2 weeks after Retreat!

the quilt is now hanging in my LQS, and I can't wait for it to come back home for a little snuggle time!

Quilt Deets: 

Pattern: Contraflow by Brioni Greenberg

Fabrics:  Simply Style by V & Co, and White on White from my stash

Size:  76" x 86"

Quilted by Me, on my New English Quilter table top frame with a Juki 98P

So, my dilemma is to which category I add this to for the Blogger Quilt Festival, and I think I will enter it in the Home Machine Quilted category.  Whilst I could have added it to the professionally quilted category, I didn't send this out to be quilted, and my set up is definitely only a domestic machine and not long arm.  Though to be fair to visitors for the festival, I do quilt for other people on this set up.

don't forget to go check out all the other entries in the festival!

a new week, a new finish!

Yep, another one!

(that sat languishing waiting for photo opportunities) 

fabrics are mostly from Art Gallery Fabrics, with some Pure Elements too

this one is a class sample for a class I will be teaching at my LQS

Stitchcraft Studio in Grantham 

14 January 2014  form 10 am til 4 pm. 

the backing is Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey for Moda

if you fancy a Churn Dash of your own, then contact the lovely Ladies and get booked in!

Beginners

Yesterday was week 3 and the last week of the beginners course that I Have been teaching at my LQS, Stitchcraft Studio in Grantham.

So this was what they've been working on ...

and I also ran up a working runner for demo purposes

oh, and the spool block I turned into a quilted sampler for demo'ing how to add binding

and this is just how awesome my group of ladies were!

Thank you to all the ladies, it was great fun, and I can't wait to see your finished runners and follow your progress on your quilting journey!

If you're interested in a Beginners Class, I am repeating this class again

Saturday 18, 25 January and 1 February 2014

and 

Saturday 22, 29 March and 5 April 2014

contact the Shop if you are interested in booking a place.

oh ... and speaking of gifts

Recently Nicky came to visit, 

well, her husband was visiting family in the area, 

in fact so close, it was almost the back garden!

and way back in the summer, we both agreed to a personal swap, 

each making a cushion ...

and Nicky brought hers with her ... I was completely taken aback!

isn't it beautiful!  hand applique'd and everything,

she confessed to have stalked my flickr faves and quite frankly 

she got it spot on!

the detail on the back is stunning as is the free motion quilting!

and there is a little label inside under the zip cover too

(but i didn't get a photo, and its dark!)

honestly Nicky, I feel ashamed I have not fulfilled my end of the bargain, 

I need to rectify this!

whilst she was here, as well as inspecting the studio and the fabric pantry,

a serious inspection of the quilts was made, 

sadly we ran out of time to look at them all, 

I think that's a damn good excuse for another visit!

(I counted them as I folded them up again, 54!)

Catching up on Birthdays

I have been busy, but just not blogged, so I thought I better get some blog posts written, 

first up were some birthdays for the Kitchen Guild ladies, 

(if you've been on IG, you may already have seen some of this)

first up is our hostess with the mostest Lynne 

now, she's a tough cookie to make for!

It is all about the piecing for Lynne so I had to find something that was challenging, yet traditional, with that real traditional red white and blue feel to it.

enter the Lone Star - challenging, and traditional

The star fabrics are from French General, and the background fabric is from , Etchings by 3 Sisters for Moda, a Parisian architectural print, all very personal to Lynne

and of course, you know I don't do straight line quilting,

but for this project it was the right thing to do :) 

I used Aurifil 50 Wt colour #2123 (a lovely yellowy cream)

the back, zipper inserted in the Sew Mama Sew way

I'm really pleased with the finished result, the piecing came out almost perfectly, 

the quilting (although I nearly went mad) was just right

and best of all Lynne loves it!

Secondly, was Brioni 

now, for this one it was all about the quilting and I knew exactly what I wanted to do, 

and whilst I cannot explain where the inspiration came from, 

lets just say, it's very personal for Brioni!

and the back

Plain White Kona I got from Justine at Simply Solids, and the background was quilted with Aurifil 50 wt colour # 2021, my go to piecing thread!  The colour wheel was a mix of all sorts that is in my thread stash...

(yes I have one of those!)

sometimes, it all just comes together!

and even I was a little gobsmacked I managed to pull off these two gifts,

 for two very special talented  ladies