Monday 24 September 2012

When Worlds Collide


How can the only two things I have booked for the whole of next year be on the same flippin day?

BLOGGY LIFE:



FAMILY LIFE:
savetheday

For the first five minutes there was weeping. wailing and tearing out of hair at the injustice of it all -   but to be completely honest, I am sooo looking forward to this wedding I can hardly contain my wee!

There are bunting rumours ...


Sunday 23 September 2012

The Foxtrot Quilt


This year’s summer’s quilt project was, as per uje, English Paper Piecing.  
 
I love EPP. It is the salve to my soul. I love the non-frantic repetitive nerdy geometric vibe.  I also love that my seam ripper can take a holiday too … I don't love that up until now I have never got to the finishing line with any summer EPP project!

P1140455I’ll get a better picture of the quilt top when it isn’t so bloomin daydark or pouring with rain, but you get the idea!
Deciding on something larger than a cushion, yet realistically finishable before the next millenium, this year I went with applique blocks. It made the whole process so much more satisfying and undaunting for me. 

This project has been through many incarnations … it started as a random gingham project, mutated into Katy@ ImAGingerMonkey’s Spring Carnival, swerved sharp left at Lynne@ Lily'sQuilts Georgetown Carnival ...

...  But then, after a freak eureka snack moment involving a piece of watermelon and a Poole pottery plate, it finally found its own rhythm … 


SLOW …
Gingham EPP Quilt
SLOW …
Gingham EPP Quilt2
Gingham EPP Quilt1
 QUICK ...

IMAG0425-1

2012-08-31

QUICK ... 



SAM_0102-001

P1140446


so far this has been an utterly delicious process ...… and now all that remains is basting, cosy evening hand-quilting and binding …


SLOW...

P1140458

The Watermelon Foxtrot will be backed with the same plain grey linen to let the (possilby nerdy) hand quilting do the talking. 

Isn’t that just the perfect binding fabric? It’s Calypso - Leaf - by Maude Asbury from my LQS - Brighton Sewing Centre


Lap Quilt: roughly 55" square
Blocks: 14" unfinished
Sashing: 4" unfinished  
EPP: centre hexies, triangles & squares 1.5" -  small hexies: 1" - (side length)
Binding:Calypso Leaf in Grey - Maude Asbury
Kona & Klona solids, Heavy charcoal grey Irish linen, Cotton & Polycotton gingham, FussyCut scraps.


Yay!



Wednesday 19 September 2012

Japanese Charm Swap - Round Two


I haven’t been doing any swaps or makes this summer, as I really didn’t want to disappoint by being unintentionally flaky, but I have signed up to the 2nd UK & Ireland Japanese charm swap, which this time round is being brilliantly organised by Sarah@ NarcolepticInACupboard

After all, how difficult is it to cut up a yard of fabric into charm squares!? (use this fabtastic tute from Elizabeth Hartman@ Oh,Fransson!)  Actually, I say that, but as it is my ruler slipped and about four few squares are about 1/8th" off.  My Bad.

I received such fantastic fabrics first time round when Cindy@ FluffySheepQuilting started this … Yay, both of you!

As soon as I knew I was in, I scooted over to Superbuzzy – home of so many wonderful Japanese fabric delights - and bought this wonderful text fabric …

SAM_0055-001

It arrived last week, and I was sorely tempted to keep it and order something else, but limited purse and strict stitchy moral code prevented me … just …

Isn’t it lovely?  Look how yummy these charm squares look …




There’s a really fantastic set of charms coming to us this round, you can have a little sneaky peek at the flickr group here

I can’t wait!




Monday 17 September 2012

LMQG + Raystitch = Kitchy Kitchen Giveaway!




The London Modern Quilt Guild has a fantastic giveaway sponsored by Ray Stitch

… You could win this lovely bundle of Kitchy Kitchen by Maude Asbury, if you go here before 8pm (BST) 22nd September …

I think it would make fantastic tea towel/placemat C*******s presents ....

Good luck!




Sunday 16 September 2012

Happy Mail Catchup + Thankyous = long post


Hello lovely peeps … I know I haven’t been blogging regularly for some time, but if you follow you’ll know it’s because I’ve had a bit of a rough summer year with my health.

However, that’s no excuse for bad manners, and I have some serious thanking to do for some lovely happy mail, before I crawl back to my corner to get on with planning the new term …

First off, thanks and delight to Hadley@FlyingBlindOnARocketCycle – I won and received the prize from her giveaway way back in 1952 August …  and lookee see what wonders I received … Thank you again Hadders, it’s all just perfect!  Zips too!  (to make me face the fear, no excuses now – stay tuned! LOL)

IMG_4102
Look at the little Melody Miller brooch and the birdy magnet!
  
How amazingly wonderful is this purse?? Forget all that “fits a chapstick and a halfpenny” crap.
This could accommodate a ferret, should the need arise … 

IMG_4108

… or indeed 16 my-kind-of-cute* Aneela Hooey foxcubs … grubby fingerprints all mine!

IMG_41051

* I have a distinctly bipolar relationship with ‘cute’.  My deeply supressed stiff upper Brit genes take over, I think.  That and my synaesthesia kicks in big time - it's just one of those words that tastes bad -  even typing it or saying it in my head makes me a little sick in my mouth. 

This in turn makes me wildly reinterpret 'cute' in my head to something more like this:



Anyhoo, I digress ... This was also in the haul!



Now, I know I’m a bit late to the party here, but just in case you’ve been holding back on buying this, let me tell you, Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters is a fantastic collection of all things inspirational … I read it cover to cover when I was a-bed this summer.


orange soda katy
fast forward rewind tacha
 There’s a few serious must-makes in here for me, not least this wonderful Fast Forward/Rewind flying geese quilt from
<-- Tacha Bruecher


.... or this Orange Soda Pop from Katy@ ImAGingerMonkey -->



 I love the whole concept of the book and the way it builds on the amazing versatility of the geometry of quilting shapes. The instructions and whole tone of the writing are great too.

I would have loved to see some of the blocks multiplied to get a better idea of their ‘quilt appeal, but it was easy enough to close your eyes and picture it, just bein lazy ... but the blocks themselves, practical advice and the complete projects far outweigh the limitations of my noggin by a gazillion

I don’t buy a lot of quilting books, the writing is just as important to me as the visuals and, historically, I have often been disappointed with one or t’other.  I think Shape Workshop and Hexa Go Go (another thoroughbred from the Fat Quarterly stables, so to speak) are absolute must-haves for anyone’s library.  I would definitely have bought it if I hadn’t won it. which I did. Squee! A feast for the mind as well as the eyes.  Also, as I hadn’t made it to London for the Fat Quarterly Retreat this summer, it made me feel all 'included'! Icing on the cake, Hadders!  By hook or by crook, man, I'll be there next year ...

Then, the day I got home from my hospital stay, I had such a treat waiting for me, from the most lovely Mary@ MollyFlanders – a little surprise package just to say hello!  Just look at the wrapping paper on this!  Love.  Couldn’t have timed it better, Mary!  Thank you sooo much …

IMAG0004-002

wouldn’t that make great embroidery?

P1140299

that pincushion’s such a beauty!

P1140297
This is a rubbery silicone ‘spool’ for keeping yer headphone cord untangled!  Absolute. Genius.
It now lives in my bag - fools me every time when I have my hand sewing in there, too!

IMAG0456_BURST002
I also just got my winnings from Leona’sQuiltingAdventure’s giveaway - 2 charm packs of Dear Mr. Claus from Cosmo Cricket for Moda - nice retro colours, not too heavily saturated … Yippee! Thank you Leona!

So, thank you very very much, ladies of the Blogolopolis.  You brightened a pretty sodden summer no end!


I do have some progress to report, and some really fun stuff coming up.
Bear with me and stay tuned!  It could be to your advantage … Just sayin.


Saturday 1 September 2012

Slow Blogging + Fresh Sewing Day = not much to report!


Well, it’s taken me forever, but I’m beginning to have some more energy.  This post is combining the wonderful Slow Blogger's linky over at Knotted Cotton with the equally wonderful Lily's Quilts Fresh Sewing day:


Knotted Cotton
Lily's Quilts


It hasn't been a fab month really - what with hospital and pneumonia and concomitant steroid crazies -  but this month I’ve managed my Designer Challenge for Christmas Fat Quarterly – I think I can give you a sneaky peek:


P1140280 (Medium)


Other than that it’s just been EPP really … I’ve been slooooowly working on my gingham project and I’ve finally started to applique them to wonderfully soft medium weight dark grey linen …

Some of the blocks are Lynne@Lily'sQuilts wonderful Georgetown Carnival 

P1140320


P1140321



… while others are just grandmother’s hexy flowers …



P1140319

There are some square blocks and giant hexies too, but you’ll have to wait for them …



I also made myself a kindle sleeve in about 5 mins flat using some Echino and some gorgeous wool felt – exposed inside seams and everything, but it does the trick and looks great!


P1140301

So much so that I started a few more for gifts … (but without the exposed seams this time!)


P1140326


All in all not a tremendously productive month, considering this is usually my solid month for sewing, but I blame the steroids and antibiotics! They've pretty much rendered me useless other than very very slow hand sewing.


… go see what other more on it peeps have been freshly sewing here … or revel in some guilt free slow blogging here !

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...