Rising with the sun

I'm not going to complain about the sun rising at 4.30am waking me, and interfering with my sleep,  so I'll embrace the Rising Sun in other ways   ....

you may have seen this on instagram last week.  

Me and my girl spent a happy afternoon making together.  You can read all about it over on the Sizzix Blog, here.  

And you can see what we made too!  

Go on take a peak, you know you want to really! 

(update on the dizzies ;  they haven't gone away)

Thank You!

So the wee cushion I have on my FAL list, for Sarah, well its a private swap, with no big deadline, and I forgot all about the swap part, until a package arrived ...

and lo and behold ...

Isn't it marvelous!  

Sorry about the gloomy day picture

Looks much better on the bed!

So now I can't wait to get the Brit Bee Round robin quilt back!

I wish I had taken a close up picture of all the hand quilting detail, which is stunning!  I was took keen to get this post written, and another poorly lit picture wouldn't do it justice!

And I better get a move on with Sarah's cushion too!  

Thank you Sarah, I absolutely love it, I could gush all day and night over it!

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!

by special request

So I get this phone call from my son, just the day before the delivery, 

you know how the story goes,

'mum, how much would it cost for you to make a cushion for my girlfriends sister, its her birthday next week?' 

tell me I'm not the only one that gets those kind of requests?  Please!

so said recipient is 1 years old, girly girl, like pink, ...  yeah I get the picture!  

Something pretty and girly!

so I pulled a few fabrics,

I'd had some time to think about what I was going to do

but I did have a plan ...

it didn't take long to get all the cutting done

and in no time at all, I was stitching down and quilting all in one go

a bit more quilting around the outside, 

because you can never have too much quilting in my very humble opinion!

a quick zip insertion, and a cushion was born

and what better than 'girl on a swing' in pink by Aneela Hoey for the perfect back!

I had a lovely text and phone call to say how much this gift was loved!

I call that a successful make, 

I love it when a plan comes together!

Secret Santa!

It's quite the tradition in the Brit Bee for us to do Secret Santa, 

and this year was no exception!  

We even had a plan, each of us to make a cushion cover, our choices and preference declared, Christmas themed or not, the stitching began.

This is what I opened on Christmas Day ..

its hard to see, but it has matchstick quilting all over it, 

its truly stunning!

Thank You Ms Santa, I'm still pondering your identity!

I love it!

edited:  Thank You Katy!

and because she already knows, this is what I sent ...

Up north!

I hope your Christmas was filled with many surprises, 

much happiness and merriment, 

and some quality family time.

xx

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

Saying Thank You

There's one thing about the online community, people are so generous, 

with their time, thoughtful comments, cheering on from the sides, and just being there when you need them 

and when friendship blossoms, extraordinary things happen

and to say thank you for some extraordinary help, and cheering and egging on, 

I needed to say Thank You ...

it all started with some egging on with these from Karen at Blueberry Park

Karen posted a picture of her doily prints on Twitter and I was quick off the mark to get the first prints

there were conversations about quilting, oh ... my mind was in a spin!

and so at Festival of Quilts I matched up some Kona Cornflower blue from Justine at Simply Solids

and managed to score some Aurifil 50 wt #2720 to match

and set to with the inspiration ...

I love doing this pattern really small ... again Aurifil 50 wt in #2024

and I am so pleased with how it turned out!

I didn't mark anything, just went for it freestyle in my usual 'just do it' way!

and I even managed my first attempt at the Sew Mama Sew concealed Zipper on the back!

(Thanks to Katy for the fab Pillow Tutorials that pushed me there!)

I am pleased to say that this little lovely made it to its new home,

I know it is loved, 

Thank You Helen! 

Big big Loves x

Way too much fun!

... so you remember I was playing with these, right? 

Well, I cut into those precious Art Gallery Fabrics, just a little, and the Moda Crossweave is a perfect partner ... 

and started piecing, and the results were really rather pleasing!

those little babies are 3" finished in size ...

and then I quilted ...

now, lets just say this is a birthday present, and for some time I have been stumped, but inspiration struck when I thought about this quilt!  And then I was inspired!

and I was having so much fun, I carried onto the back!

close up, just so you know ...

another gratuitous shot ...

I love this cushion!  and it was only because it was made specifically for this inspirational Lovely, that I was able to part with it!  After all, she has a quilt and a multitude of cushions that match, and its a privilege to call her a friend, Happy Birthday Katy!