Afternoon Delight

I love coming home to find the postman has been. Not so great when you have to go pick up the parcel because it's got import duty and VAT added to my purchases. But, oh this one was definitely worth it! Especially when I opened up the package, this is what I found. :o)
And how beautiful it is wrapped, don't you think? I love getting packages from the States, you really know how to please your customers! So what do we have here, I hear you ask. This, my blogging friends, is White Chocolate, a pattern that appeared in McCalls Quilting at least a year ago. Fortunately Stitchin Heaven have a kit for this little beauty, which I have had my eye on for quite some time. So how could I refuse an opportunity for 40% off! Yep, that's what I just said! Thanks Ladies! All I have to do is cut it ready for quiet moment of sewing opportunity :o) Aaah, happy days!

Monday

You may have noticed the pile of African fabrics from an earlier post. Well, after a little peace and quiet today, the top if finished.

Now waiting for a slot on the frame :o)

Weekend Progress

I really need to move these FIU projects on, this stack ' Whack made it from the floor to the frame, and I've even managed to start quilting! The frame is a New English Quilter frame, pop over to my friend Martha's Blog to see some very inspiring quilting on her table top frame. She is a great inspiration. :o)

A close up of some of the quilting so far, I'm trying something new, well, new to me, on this one. I'll post further pics soon. I just wanted you to know I am busy working at it! LOL

Finnish It Up (FIU) Challenge

I had a great time last weekend in Grimsby on a last minute quilting retreat. It was great to get away and be more creative and productive. At home I'm so stifled by all that is going on, I'm struggling. In fact its draining! So as well as putting on a couple of bindings, moving on another project, I managed to turn this pile of fabric into something that closely resembles a quilt centre. Just in need of a little light trim and borders and its will be ready to quilt. Yayyy!
So this is how far it got. The fabrics were donated, all genuine African fabrics from Uganda. The brief was to make a lap quilt. Can't be difficult, surely!
I have also been nursing this project and decided to nominate it for my declared FIU project to be done by May 22nd. Although I pieced this top last year, It has been coveting its backing and wadding for the last week, loafing around the house, whining at me to move it on some! So Monday I took iron in hand, pressed the top and backing, measured off some wadding and loaded it up on the frame. I even managed to do some quilting on it! The plan is to get it done over this coming bank holiday weekend, so I can also finish the African top above and have it loaded, quilted and off before my group meeting on Tuesday pm. We'll see. Nothing like a deadline to make you rise to the challenge!

Postal Surprises

I had a great weekend, its seems funny blogging about it now, but hey, its been a busy week! After a mammoth fabric shopping spree, Doughty's came for their annual fabric sale, I went to visit a local quilt show about an hour from here. Its always good to see what other quilters have been up to and what has been inspiring them. Especially when its your birthday too! My daughter baked me a beautiful chocolate cake, we are still wading our way through it, well, it would be rude not too!

As you can imagine, I was absolutely delighted when the postman knocked on the door with a package or two for me on Monday morning. And as you can see, I was right to be! Not only did I receive my package from Pat Sloan, but also the new book by Jennifer Chiaverini. I have so many ideas running round my head for this diamond project, I just need to find the time! Do I sew or do I read?

Bloggers Quilt Festival

Whilst I was surfing the net recently, through Qubie's blog, via Quilt Dad's blog to Amy, who is running the first Annual Bloggers Quilt Festival. Yaaaay! You'll find a link on the side, go have a look at all the other bloggers quilts. We are all posting about our favourite quilt.
So this is my favourite quilt, known as the Boston Quilt. The pattern is called Waterfalls from the book Big 'n Easy by Judy Hopkins. We went on holiday to Boston, MA in 2007 and having researched the area for quilt shops (come on! you're not telling me you don't do a little 'research' when on a road trip... surely he he) Anyway, I took the pattern with me so I knew exactly what to buy. Whilst we were there, one colour just seemed to be predominant at that time, what I would call Duck Egg Blue. It was everywhere, even on the wall in our hotel! So that was the starting point for the colour choice. So out we travelled to the quilt shop in Cambridge, armed with my 10% off voucher from the internet, the bus driver knew the stop we had asked for and the target was found. Inside, I'm not sure the ladies knew what to make of this strange British couple piling bolt after bolt onto the counter. Sixteen different blues is a lot to get together, and make sure they all play nicely too. The poor ladies were itching to start cutting. And cut they did!






The soft buttery yellow batik is just right, and for me reminds me of the glorious sunshine we had during our stay. The pattern it makes represents all the walking we did, and what a wonderful city it is. This quilt is full of memories of our time in Boston. I gave it to my partner for Valentines day last year, and it is on his bed in his cottage.



When the ladies were cutting, I rounded up the requirements so was lucky enough to have fabrics left over. I am in the middle of making another quilt from these leftovers. Fondly known as my Boston Diversion.

Bloggers Quilt Festival

I fell across this on my travels around blogland! Check out Park City Girl's blog through the link on the right to read all about it. I'm excited to see who is posting what :o)