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!

Exciting Times = Public Service Announcement

There really is a lot of excitement about the launch of the new quilting magazine 

Quilt Now!

If you haven't heard, its Editor is my very dear friend Katy

I already bought a subscription, with Katy at the helm, its going to be fantastic!

And there is still time to get a fabulous offer too!

there are literally only a few days left on this offer, so why not go get yourself a bargain, as well as a little bit of happiness every month!

all the details are here at Practical Publishing International

and the direct link to subscription is here through MoreMags

Just so you know :)

Pea Room Block of the Month - June

Yes June! 

Sorry about that!

so first up is Love in a Mist Block

this is one of my favorite blocks, it can be so effective when done scrappy or even controlled scrappy in one colour range

instructions can be found here.

The second block is the Folded Star

Its really interesting how the colours can change the look of a block in comparison to that of the instructions. 

Instructions for piecing are here

so, back to the grindstone

making progress

I finally got some Brit Bee blocks out the way, 

carrying on from the reject block, I chose a new one and set to with the paper piecing

I made great progress, until I measured the block

These were supposed to be a 6" finished block!

Seems I'm not the only one that had a few issues printing from EQ7

So I tired again, went with a reliable source I trust, and had another go!

I can't show you any more than this, but finally,

I have done them!

The 5 previous blocks won't be going to waste, I'm now making them into a cushion and it will go to a very loving home!

and while we are on the subject of Brit Bee, I forgot to show you, when Susan came over she had made me the most adorable lavender bag!

Its now partnered with the previous one she made!

Thank you Susan!  I love it!

Slowly slowly

Something else that has been on my finish along list has be the Jelly Roll half Square Triangle quilt for the shop

The piecing of the blocks I had been doing slowly each time I had a few moments in classes where I could,  finally I got to a point they were ready to put together as a top. 

and then I added a wide border of background fabric, and loaded it up

my intention had been to do a quick all over on this, 

yeah, some of you know that isn't always what the quilt says it wants, 

and I have a habit of ignoring the client brief, on occasion!

I started ...

did some more, and then realized I'm gonna be here for some time! 

So Wednesday I made it to the halfway point

I did a little more last night, so slowly slowly I am chipping away at this one!

I WILL have it off the frame this weekend, 

and then I need to make the binding, I have the strips put to one side, stitch it on by machine and 

slowly, slowly hand stitch the binding down.

But that's for another day!

Finally a Feathery Finish

This quilt has taken forever, can you believe this one was pieced way back in November last year at the Kitchen Guild Retreat!

and it sat in he pile of quilts tops for its turn.  

which actually proved not to be that long await (in comparison to others still in the pile!)

After the arrival of my new Long Arm in January, it was the first real quilt top I loaded up and just went for it!

so by the end of Quarter 1 of the Finish along, it was quilted and the binding sewn onto the front, 

I'd even started the hand stitching.

and then it sat for a while longer

But I decided enough!

so on Thursday and Friday night last week I took to the needle and thread and finished off that binding once and for all!

I took it with me to Himself's cottage, but the trellis was having none of it, 

the sun was too bright for a flat shot, I couldn't even see what I was taking a picture of!

and he was at work, so pretty countryside picture was a nonstarter!

the fence was a final resort, but it works for me, despite his neighbors funny looks!

and so I can mark this off my Quarter 2 list for the FAL - Phew!

Its nice to actually finish something, a - that's mine and b - that I can actually show you!

The reject

I started this EPP 6" block last week,

its for a specific thing,

but I cant tell you what

Anyway, it took way too long, and the thought of piecing four of these,

well lets just say, I finished this one off yesterday at the EMMQG meeting!

Onto plan B!

so now its done, it needs to be made into something, but what?

Any suggestions?