6 out of 8 quilts ...

I know I keep saying I've been busy, and I've been MIA for some time ...

well, here's number one ...

a monster at 100" x 100" ...

and collected by it's very happy owner yesterday!

I was a little scared to say the least, whilst it may have been what I thought the quilt was crying out for, would it be what the lovely lady was hoping for ... YES! 

No. two, didn't get it's pic taken, how slack of me!  I little wall hanging ...

No. Three ... a pretty quilt for Uncle Pea Pod ...

They visit from York next week, and will be pleased as punch!

No. Four  ... are you still there? 

I started this one when I went across for Angela's open Studio ...

The quilting was to be in a thread that let the naturally died fabrics shine through ...

I think that works!

No. Five ... quilting only in the patterned area's ...

leaving all that lovely plain for some special hand quilting  :)  Best of both worlds imho!

And No. Six collected tonight ...

heading back to Austria later this month :) 

So just numbers Seven and Eight to do!  Seven will be heading to London with me for a retreat handover, and eight has already been told, I cannot start it till June. 

Now, maybe I can do a little catchup in between counting ! 

Beats counting sheep any day!

And tomorrow I get to collect a very special parcel from the post office,

I've been bad... very bad ...  but I've a feeling you may actually love all my badness :) 

Happy Quilting! 

Brit Bee Porgress and a few other little nuggets

I've been a little late on my Brit Bee Blocks, and as of today I am now totally caught up! 

In February, yes really that late, Jennie asked for a self portrait ... really?

not just any self portraight, but one in a pop art style that reflects us as individuals ...

... it would be fair to say that some things take a little time to percolate ... and this one was all the better for a little stewing time ...

When I finally sat down to do this piece, I actually enjoyed it, it was fun (in a very loose sense of course) to do, and watch it grow ... and I had to have just a little bit more fun!

What better to reflect me, than a little free motion quilting feathers in a lime green 28 wt Aurifil thread ... quilting, texture, colour  ....  I am very happy with this block, and just a little sad to let it go.

In March, Ceri asked for paper pieced food, for a wall hanging for her modern kitchen and young family ... however, I managed to choose the one food group that the family don't actually like ...

Ooops!   But they are rather pretty mushrooms imho  :)

In April Jo has sent us her very precious Far Far Away II fabrics and has asked for circles, with linen thrown in too!  I'm afraid I chose the easier method of fused applique for my blocks, far too much 'give' in the linen to be doing fancy techniques for me ...

I did have a third block ready to finish, but I seem to have misplaced the square of linen, so the little pieces are saved for when it turns up! 

I'm looking forward to seeing what Terri has up her sleeves for us for May :) 

I'm linking this up with Lynne's Fresh Sewing Day, so please head on over and take a look at what everyone else has been up to during April ... really?   May already!

lots of little makes for me this month ...  must try harder!

Back to the salt mines! 

Happy Quilting!

Sunday Sitrep - MIA

2 weeks?  all I can say is I really have been busy!

So lets get on with some catching up ...

I've received a whole stack of packages for Siblings Together, and will do a post all about those soon ...

There was some of this ..

and these didn't last very long ..

there may have been a considerable amount of home made cakes consumed, but I have no evidence of this,  ....  no guesses why! 

birthday been and gone for another year!

And last weekend I did a work shop ... or two with Patricia Archibald.

seems I can't get my pics right way up at the moment, mine's the middle one ...

and this one was Sunday, and I now have just the binding to stitch down. 

All I can say is, if you haven't ever had the chance to take a class with Pat, you've missed a real treat!  The most inspirational, delightful lady you could possibly meet, funny, patient, and very capable in herding cats! 

I've also made some headway in catching up with my Brit Bee blocks, so I'll do a post about them, hopefully tomorrow.

So, it's back to the salt mines and chaining myself to the quilt frame to continue with the marathon of quilts that currently gloat at me daily in the studio. 

 

I'll try to break free soon ...

 

Happy Quilting!

 

 

CQAL - Pt 3

Mmm, the cake was delicious, you can find the recipe I used here, thanks Susan!

To sum up, it was a productive afternoon ...

the aim was to make four ... done!

they are the same, but different ...

I think these ones may just make it to the Sample Swap for the Fat Quarterly retreat ...

I may have to make a few more for Christmas presents, or even for the Fab Little Pincushion Swap ... such a versatile pattern. 

The visitors arrived and enjoyed the cake too, as did the Diva, her brother and his girlfriend, an unexpected pleasure. 

And that was my day, time for bed, I'm pooped!

Christmas QAL - pt 2

Lunch time already! 

And whilst the hail stones batter the garden I'll just give you a quick progress report ...

Lemon Drizzle cake ...  done! 

Mmm, the house smells good ...

all pieces cut ready for some stitching  ...

a little cleaning and prepping of the new addition to the team ...

just a bit more to do on her before she's ready for action ...

but on Tuesday I did spend all day cleaning and sorting ...

and just a little re-organising to fit it in!

Right, the worst of it is over, so I'm heading out into the garden to sew and await the return of the Teenage Diva!

I'll be back later with another progress report  :)

Toodles!

Christmas Preparations

Yep, that's right, it's time for a little Christmas preparation, so today I am joining Sue of Quilt Times and Lesley The Cuddle Quilter, our host for today, for the Christmas Quilt Along!

I mentioned yesterday that I have actually done some sewing this week ...

Thanks to this book, I managed to piece this little beauty on Thursday evening after work. 

It took an hour, honestly, just an hour!

So my plan to day, in between a little baking, a little mums taxi duty, and a couple of visitors is to get at least 4 of these made ...

I have some quilting I must get done too ...  and I have more news on that to come too! 



Fenland visiting

Last Saturday I went out visiting the fens of Lincolnshire, in particular, the new studio of Angela of Fenland Textile Studios for her open day!

It was a very successful day, with many visitors coming to support Angela in her new studio

with tea and cakes, and lots of good friends and new friends

and I demonstrated quilting on the frame on a piece of Angela's naturally dyed fabric

you can read more about it here, and here. 

And thank you to Jackie for the photo's, although I took my camera, I didn't take one photo!

Shocking!

I have done some sewing this week and will show you more of that soon, in the mean time, have a wonderful weekend, I'll be taking part in the 'Christmas Quilt Along tomorrow ...

Happy Quilting!