Christmas Quilt Along - Part 2

Ok, I know I said pincushions, but I finished the quilting on this one first. 

Honestly there was only an hours worth left to do, so now it's off the frame, trimmed and ready for me to make the binding and get that sewn on.

Bonus!

Ok, you really want to see the pincushion, don't get too excited, it's not my thing really, and I'll make my excuses now ... lol   I could not find any poly wadding to use for stuffing at all!  Really can you believe it!

So not the bestest pincushion in the world,  since Hobbs 80/20 isn't the best thing to be stuffing a pincushion with.  Ooops, prior planning needed for this task.

And as you can see, it's not the worlds biggest either! 

I have since found a little (minuscule) scrap of wool wadding which should work wonderfully, and I have some crushed walnut shells for the next one  :) 

or perhaps I should resort to Plan B!

toodles for now!

Unseasonal June

It's that time of month again to join Sue over at Quilt Times for the Christmas Quilt Along!

I'm almost ready, all the washing is done, and on the line, and hopefully will be dry before the rain showers start, another batch of Strawberry jam is cooling on the side, and like Sue, I may or may not waft a little dust around before I head on down to the bottom of the garden for some sewing action! 

The Teenage Diva is still in sleep mode, so I may get something done before the she wakes  :)

The plan?  Oh yeah, I need one of them!  Pincushions!

Don't forget to go check out the Linky to see what everyone else is doing, and come back later to see how I'm doing!

Happy Quilting!



Nice quilt ... BUT!

I promised a finish, and a finish I give you ....

This Portuguese tiles quilt has been a top for at least a year!  But it's quilting time had come!

I'm really pleased with the all over quilting design, and how it looks and plays out on the quilt design...

... and I just LOVE this little design the Emily and I fell upon at the last quilt retreat....

But.....

... when I put it on the bed ....

it just didn't make me happy.   I mean, I love the quilt, but it's just not a summer quilt is it?  I'm the sort of girl that changes the quilt on the bed with the weather, my mood, well, just because I'm bored with it and it's time for a change.  Are you the same, or is it just me and my quilts? 

So this is what was on the bed beforehand....

pretty, flowery, summery, nice enough....

But I was ready for a change, and the new quilt just doesn't holler from the roof tops to me at the moment, so it was back to my all time fave!

Gotta love Amy Butler fabrics to make you happy! 

So now I'm looking for the perfect pattern to make a summer quilt with these....

Oh, did I forget to tell you ....  Ooops, they made me buy them!  Really they did!

Happy Quilting!

Feeding the monkey ...

Do you ever get that feeling that you just have too much to do, and too little time to do it?  Hmm, me too, especially just lately, I have started way too much and finished way too little. 

So this weekend I tried doing a little 'ketchup'...

After a little work down on the allotment, we picked 1.5Kg of these...

which then turned into another batch of jam, mmm, delicious!

I got the borders put on to the 'It's a Hoot Bricks quilt'...

and it's now loaded up on the frame and quilting has commence!

I finished the pieced borders on my Arcadia Hexagon Park quilt...

... loving this quilt top already!

And pieced the Brit Bee blocks for Miss June!

But I can't show you any more than this, cos it's in da rules!

So I pieced this block for Sue of the Many Jeans group...

so after all that, the monkey was a little happier, and me?  I tackled some of the ironing mountain that seems to have sprung up.  (just how do two people create so much ironing is beyond me!)

I even have a finish for you!  But that's for a whole other post!

Happy Quilting!

Fourteen!

Happy Birthday to my Teenage Diva! 

Fourteen, she's taller than me, and growing into a beautiful young lady already! 

Love you Lissie! x

If Size Matters ....

... and size matters to me!  When it comes to quilting on my New English Quilter frame, my Juki 98P does the job fantastically.  But, only with 9" sewing arm space!

Just imagine!

So if you could stretch your machine, to achieve your dream machine, just how big a sewing arm would you have and why?  Tell me what size you would want and why that specific size.

Me, well, the minimum would be 16" but ideally 18".  When I'm quilting on the frame, by the time I get to the end of a quilt the rolled up quilted layers can be about 6" thick.  That equates to a 6" loss of quilting space between the needle and the back of the arm.  I'd like to quilt 12" blocks in one swoop of the needle and not roll the quilt back and forth to finish it.  18" would give me that freedom.  What luxury! 

So come on ladies,

tell me, what size matters to you,  and how would it make all the difference?

Another one bites the dust!

OK, June already, I blinked and May was gone!  Whilst I haven't blogged, I have been busy :)  Always a good thing!

So this month as part of Lynne's Sew Fresh Sewing Day, I'm going to celebrate my May achievements.

Starting top left:

I made the banner at Stash Manicure blog with this coins quilt,

Pieced Hexagon Park

Double Fat Jack

Brit Mystery Quilt Block #1

Bricks quilt top by Amy Smart for Moda Bakeshop

Pea Room Quilters bee block

caught up of Sassy Christmas Stars quilt along

First Strawberries of the season (18th May!)

Postcard and card from Brit Bee members

Scrappy Mug Rug Round 4 sent to my swap partner

Oriental quilt quilted for a friend

Brit Quilt Swap fabrics

Brit Mystery Quilt Block  #2

Scrappy Mug Rug received from my swap partner  :)

Brit Mystery Quilt Block #3

another large quilt quilted for a friend

Ruffled mug rug for a dear friend (you know who you are!)

Magic Lanterns quilt quilted for another friend

oh my Giddy Aunt - Brit Bee fabrics - I've been Miss May

Double Delight quilted - for me!

Go check out Lynne's blog and see what everyone else is celebrating from May!

Happy Quilting!

P.S.  Dear Blogger, please let me post comments soon!  I miss interacting with my friends :)