A finish at least!

I have so much to catch up with for blogging

But at least I can show you a finish.  

Remember this from my FAL list?

I know, its only been on there all year!

( Know that because that fabric loaded on the long arm was the first fabric loaded up on it when it arrived back in January!)

 I first started this quilt way back, on my very first visit to Lynne's, and finished the blocks in July 2011!

Anyway, back in September, in between customer quilts and before the teaching started back, I hunted down a suitable backing and loaded it up for a little 

special me time!

look, all fancy rulers and everything! 

and this Aurifl 2026 was just perfect for those soft buttery yellows

so before I went off to the Brit Bee Retreat, I found fabric from my stash, lets face it, thats not difficult, and I may still have a good selection of Sunkissed by Moda in there, and I got this baby to the point of hand stitching the binding down.

so I could sit, listen to all the chatter, eat cake, because its never a retreat without cake!

And finished this baby off!

And I love it!

So there you have it, 2 blog posts in a row after a noticeable absence!

Lets see if I can catch up on few other things that have been happening too!

Keep your eyes peeled!

Rapture Star

So my Rapture Star has been on my FAL list for some time

It needed to be done in time for Festival, 

With all the piecing going on, my quilt got put to the pile,  

When I loaded it, I wanted to do it justice for a competition, but just looked at it for weeks (ok, 2 weeks) before I quilted it.  

And when I did get round to quilting it, I had made the decision that it would not make it to Festival, as I still had Nels quilts to do, and well, the paid work comes first right?

So I just quilted it with feathers, no plan, just did it

on and off, no fuss

and I love it, not the best quilting, backtracking or anything like I wanted for it, 

but thanks to Moira and Mary and a binding party, whilst I quilted the EMMQG entry

my Rapture Star made it to Festival

This is another Whopper at 84" square

Fabrics are Rapture by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics with Pure Elements in Snow from Art Gallery fabrics as the background. 

The pattern was from a Moda Bakeshop pattern Candy Flower pillow by Julie Hirt that used Mini Squares (2 1/2") 

but I went large and super sized those squares somewhat!

There is some AGF on the back and so this quilt feels amazing!

So that's another one off my FAL list!

So much to catch up on

so lets start with July and Fat Quarterly Retreat!

I know, I know... back in the height of the summer heat

I finished my swap samples in time! 

these were on my FAL list, so that's one less project!

and as is now customary, I made a new bag!  

Lets just clarify that, I started the bag at 4pm the day before, all done by 8pm, just in time to pack for the morning! 

and I have to say I LOVE my Noodlehead Poolside Tote!

there may be another one in my future ...

I also managed to finish something else on my FAL list ...

this cushion for Nicky

we entered into a private swap last year at retreat, and so I needed to complete my end of the bargain.  I'm pleased to report the feathered cushion now resides in her sewing room.

Another one off the list!

And my Lovely Roomie made me this amazing draw string bag, 

its a perfect size for travelling with, and I have used it already!  Thank you Di x

I dont seem to have a picture of my swaps, but I received another, most beautiful drawstring bag from Di, some coasters from Soinia, and a teeny tiny bear from Penny. 

Whilst we were free Friday morning Di and I took ourselves off on a trip to the Village Haberdashery ... and we may have cleared the shelves of a little Cotton & Steel while we were there!

And there may have been an afternoon tea in the mix too! 

Oh, that is definitely one to be repeated!

Thank You Shev for organising us!

The Retreat was a roaring success, smaller, more intimate, and thoroughly enjoyable, meeting old friends, new friends, online friends, having fun together!

So that was July, some secret sewing, and some FAL finishes!

FAL - Qtr 3

Oh well, seems the more I declare, the less I get done, but slowly slowly I WILL conquer this list!

The fact I keep adding to it doesn't help really!

#1 Sunnyside Quilt (carried forward from qtr 1 & 2) - just needs quilting and finishing!

#2 Union Jacks - need to finish this one and get it ready to send to a friend the other side of the pond. (carried over from Qtr 2)

#3 Rapture Quilt - oh how I want to get this one done!  I have a plan and everything!

Its made it to the frame, and I've started quilting, but that's as far as it got.

#4  PB&J Kaleidoscope quilt -  if any are going to slip, this is it!  (carried forward from Qtr 1)

#5 Oriental top (carried forward from Qtr 1 & 2) - just needs quilting and finishing!

#6 Vintage Modern Quilt - would like to get this one quilted at least so I know if I am going to enter it into Festival this year!

Its been hanging up waiting for a quilting opening for some time. And is still hanging about waiting for a slight modification and some 'contemporary' quilting! Fesstival entry is looking unlikely now, but I'd still like it done.

#7  Sprinkles - I pattern tested this for Sue, (must blog about it) (Carried over from Qtr 2)

#8 More Pattern Testing, this one for Megan - love it so much I must finish it!

currently picked up and labeled into a bag waiting for an opportunity to sit and sew.

I've done some blocks, but that's it.

#9 and just for Sarah - Hunters Star quilt - Gulp!  this one is a monster, with more piecing than a box of dropped crockery!  Jury's out I'm afraid - but it made the list all the same!

Don't hold your breath on this one!

#10 Peppered Cottons quilt - these have been together since I bought them, ooooh at least 2 months ago!  

#11 FQR Samlple swaps

I better get a move on!

#12  This pile of fabrics into a cushion!

#13  and the pile of rejected blocks into a cushion.

So that should keep me out of trouble then! 

and being as I seem to be chipping away at these I should accomplish something!

Never mind the Customer quilts already booked in for the next few months!

Linking this up with Katy (i Hope) 

Quarter 2 - The full disclosure version!

So my madness was declared Here!

and so this is the full disclosure!

#1 Sunnyside Quilt (carried forward from last qtr) - just needs quilting and finishing!

Nope!  Not even moved from the pile!

#2  Kaffe/batik quilt top (carried forward from Qtr 1) - just needs quilting and finishing!

Done!  Blog post here!

#3 Union Jacks - need to finish this one and get it ready to send to a friend the other side of the pond. 

Still remains in the pile or PHDs (projects Half done!)

#4 Rapture Quilt - oh how I want to get this one done!  I have a plan and everything!

Its made it to the frame, and I've started quilting, but that's as far as it got.

#5 Scrumptious HST quilt - another I need to finish soon.  Needs to become a class sample

Wooohooo!  Another one Done!

#6 PB&J Kaliedescope quilt -  if any are going to slip, this is it!  (carried forward from Qtr 1)

Not even taken a peak at it! 

#7 Oriental top (carried forward from Qtr 1) - just needs quilting and finishing!

Remains in the untouched pile

#8 Vintage Moder Quilt - would like to get this one quilted at least so I know if I am going to enter it into Festival this year!

Its been hanging up waiting for a quilting opening for some time. And is still hanging about waiting for a slight modification and some 'contemporary' quilting!

#9  Sprinkles - I pattern tested this for Sue recently, (must blog about it) and I'd like it done fast!

untouched.

#10 More Pattern Testing, this one for Megan - love it so much I must finish it!

currently picked up and labeled into a bag waiting for an opportunity to sit and sew.

I've done some blocks, but that's it.

#11 and just for Sarah - Hunters Star quilt - Gulp!  this one is a monster, with more piecing than a box of dropped crockery!  Jury's out I'm afraid - but it made the list all the same!

Hmm, 2011 on the box! remained untouched!  Sorry Sarah, its time will come, because its going to be so pretty when Its done!

#12  Big Star quilt (carried forward from Qtr 1) - honestly, I just need to finish binding the thing!

Yayyy!  Done!  

Blog post is here.

#13 and I forgot about these, til I got home, 2 Baby Quilts, part of  #BritBeeForever and Hadley is waiting to add the binding, on her list, so I need to quilt, trim and post to Hadley, so she can bind.  Definitely a joint effort here by the whole of the Brit Bee!

Done! - Blog post here

#14 Peppered Cottons quilt - these have been together since I bought them, ooooh at least 2 months ago!  

nothing like a deadline (even a self imposed one!) untouched!

So a respectable Four Finishes!
 Actually its 5 quilts, because one of them was in fact 2 quilts in one project!

So, in the same period I have quilted 18 customer quilts, one of which I made and have written a pattern for, 3 articles, and taught on 9 full day classes.  2 Quilt shows, 3 sets of Pea Room block of the Month, and had a weeks holiday! Plus the day job!

So linking this up with Katy, before the deadline of midnight tonight!

Sneaking in a last minute finish!

As is my usual habit, I'm sneaking in a last minute finish for FAL Qtr 2!

This started out as a pile of strips, squares and HSTs. 

Mid May it was pieced 

and Loaded up on the frame

The plan had been a pretty border ad then a quick all over ...

didn't quite work out that way, it didn't come off the frame until 6 June!

and I only started stitching the binding down a week ago! 

Final push today and its done!

I'm glad it stopped raining!

so much for a quick all over then! 

But I am rather pleased with it,

its now heading to the shop, Stitchcraft Studio in Grantham as a sample

so there you have it, my final finish for Qtr 2 of the FAL! 

Phew! 

Better get that review post written!