Can you see it ??

Binding that is..... Yes an actual finished quilt. I have so many UFO's it's nice to get one done. Although this isn't an actual UFO as I didn't start it that long ago.

You may remember I had a little fun with these blocks - getting mixed up towards the end. But I will make more of these sometime - once you get the hang of them they are fast and easy to make.

Here is a close-up of the border fabric. Isn't it just great ? I have always had a thing for owls and when I spotted this I had to get it. When I was quilting I stippled around the owls and trees as I wanted them to stand out a bit. I am keeping this for me. It will be a quilt to snuggle under when I'm reading. I have quite a bit of the owls left so this will be popping up in my scrappy quilts for a good while.

I recently joined Amanda Jeans quilt along where you made just one 9 patch a day. I think the total required was 70 but I decided to stop at 48. I didn't want another BIG quilt. I set them 6 by 8 and used a nice pale blue for sashing. I then pieced 528 little squares together for a border. Now that bit was boring but here is the top all done.

So many different fabrics in this - I was glad to use up a big pile of my 2.5 inch squares. It is still quite big - I'm not quilting this yet - will go in the box with the others.

Mmmm - what next ? Another UFO or something brand spanking new ?

Happy dance !

Here is a little look at the cross stitch I've been doing. I used do a bit of cross stitching years ago and recently felt an urge to have another bash at it. I posted a picture of the quilt lady a while back and that's what got me started again. I have even bought some cross stitch magazines to flick through. One design caught my eye and I had to do it. I even knew who I was making it for. Here it is all finished and it now belongs to the lovely Karol-Ann.

This had her name written all over it and I'm so glad she likes it. I have actually started a new BIG cross stitch picture and although I have done a fair few hours on it there is not an awful lot to show yet. Anyone who does this work knows it is slow - but I am really enjoying it.

I have not abandoned my quilting - fear not. In fact I have a finish to show - just need to take photos.

Too hot here at the moment - I SO dislike Summer. I have been working away at lots of bits and bobs in front of my best new buy - a lovely big desk fan - lol !

See you soon xx

Hello again !

Well then - what have I been up to ? My jelly roll has well and truly been chopped up and with a bit of calculation I decided to make 30 blocks and set them 5 by 6 with sashing. Along with borders I figured this would be a good size quilt.

I have mentioned the lady who comes to my quilting group sometimes to sell her fabrics. She does not have a shop but attends shows, groups, quilters guild days etc and she has a huge supply of fabrics. She makes gorgeous quilts herself and is an absolute fountain of knowledge. I recently bought some fabric for a little quilt I made ( must remember to take a photo of that one ) This was from a Moda charm pack and I had a bit of trouble finding something for the border. My lovely fabric lady remarked that Moda fabrics quite often only seem to go with other Moda fabrics as they are quite distinctive.

Anyway whilst rooting about through my stash to make sashings for my jelly roll blocks I found 2 fabrics that I liked and wouldn't you know - they were both Moda designs - lol !

I started my sashings and realised after a time that I was going to run out of one of them -the one I posted a short while ago. Well I had no luck getting hold of any more so after a few days of moaning and groaning decided to just add a different fabric around the outer sashing strips - so thats what I did. I remembered seeing something that would work at my local fabric warehouse - Abakhan and went to get some. And you've guessed it - it was another Moda one.

So here is where I'm up to

The different sashing fabric

If you click on this you should see the difference. It is quite a bit more noticeable in real life but I think it adds character :-)

I'm having a rest from this for now before I start piecing the leftover squares together for a border. I've been working on a UFO and once that is done I plan to tackle another.

My shoulder is still hurting and I had my first physio session last week. She thinks I may have tendon and muscle damage and has worked out a program for me. She said it could have been coming on for years and for one horrible moment I thought she was going to tell me to give up sewing and quilting. Can you imagine ? Ugh doesn't bear thinking about.... She has told me instead not to overdo things and to stop whatever I'm doing if it becomes painful.

For a long time I have been patiently waiting for a book to be published. Once it was though I had a terrible job getting hold of it - everywhere in UK seemed to be out of stock. So I ordered from US instead and the estimated arrival time was 18-32 days. How would I last out ? But it came in just 9.... and here it is alongside some fabrics I am thinking of using. Just thinking mind . . may all change. I was inspired by Anne Ida who has made this and whose beautiful quilt is featured in the book. What do you think Anne Ida ? Can you imagine the quilt made in these fabrics ?

One last thing. I have been doing a little cross stitch and am enjoying the change. Will show you pictures next post...

Bye for now - will try not to take so long to post next time.

Measurements..

A few people ( including Charlie ) have asked me for measurements for the block I'm making with my jelly roll. So here they are

The 13 coloured squares are cut 2.5 inches square - these are from the jelly roll. From the background fabric cut 2 and 1/4 inch squares - cut once diagonally - for the corner triangles. And 4 inch squares cut twice diagonally for the side triangles.

I have found if you join these in rows and press towards the middle fabric ( 4 squares ) and press towards the background fabric it all joins together nicely.

I have done a few more blocks today and am very pleased with how it's looking. I have done enough sewing for today though - my shoulder is telling me so. I have a bit of reading matter for tonight. Ailsa alerted me to this new magazine which I got today and the book is one I've borrowed from a lady at my quilt group.

This is just a quick post but I was wondering if anyone had this in their stash.

I would like a yard really and will buy or trade. It is a Moda fabric called Bittersweet and Boo by Sandy Gervais. I have been searching for it for a few days with no luck. I may post an ad on http://www.missingfabrics.com/ if I get chance.

Bye for now.

Jelly Roll. .

First off thanks for all the lovely comments for my giveaway. I saved all comments and emails and asked Jason to pick a number - he chose 22 - my birthday and this turned out to be the lovely Loulee. Please send your address and I will post the prize to you. Just for fun I had a try to roll it up like a proper jelly roll.

Not too bad but wouldn't like to do it very often - lol !!

And as promised a quick look at what I'm doing with my "real" jelly roll. If you've been reading my blog for long you may recall the story of the quilt I sold but didn't really want to. This tale of woe is here.

So for a long time I have wanted to make a similar quilt and decided to cut into my strips. Here are my first 6 blocks.

Now because they are all from one range of fabric - Gypsy Rose by Moda - they are all a bit mitchy-matchy and I am hatching a plan to bring them to life. Who knows if it will turn out or not - watch this space - I may need some opinions.

Take care xx

It's time . .

for a little giveaway to celebrate my 2 years of blogging. I love my blog and although I haven't been updating as much as I used to I can see me continuing this for a long time.



I wanted to make something to give away but with my shoulder playing up and with one thing and another that hasn't happened.



So instead I have come up with this.



I am a scrappy quilter - the more fabrics in a quilt the merrier. I love bunging everything in together and seeing it all come together. I love loads of different kinds of fabrics and my stash reflects this. So my prize is a little peep into my stash. I have sort of made my own Jelly Roll for you - 40 x 2.5 inch strips ( width of fabric ) of some of my favourite fabrics. There are no tone-on-tones or plains in here - I have chosen some of my loveliest prints. Works out at a bit under 3 yards I think. Click for a better look. There are actually 37 here - just realised 3 went wandering when the camera came out.




I know this prize will not suit everyone but if you would like a nosey at what I spend my money on feel free to comment. All welcome - regulars and lurkers.



I will choose a number a week from today ( 2nd June ) and would appreciate it if I am able to contact you directly if you win. I have quite a few no-reply comments. If you want to enter but don't have a blog you could email directly with the words Blog Giveaway in the heading.



Oh yes - I did something I thought I might never do this week - cut into one of my precious jelly rolls - nearly didn't do it - lol ! Pictures next post xx

Going backwards !

Still having trouble with the trapped nerve down my left arm so have abandoned the big borders from the last post for now. I am trying to set up some physiotherapy - it is really annoying me . Just won't seem to settle.

Instead I am working on another UFO. This is English paper pieced and I started it a few years ago. Basically I didn't have a plan and it just sort of grew and grew. At one point I just looked at it and thought - no I didn't like it too much. And it sat in a basket and that was that. On Saturday we had a quilters day where we all worked on our own quilts. Most were working on lovely new blocks and things whilst I sat and unpicked.

A few of the ladies were wondering what on earth I was doing but I knew it would forever sit as a UFO if I didn't do something with it. And although it was very fiddly I wanted to save the fabrics as they are pretty and far too nice to just put in the bin.

So it went from this

to this.

I have started sewing these back together with the addition on some more fabrics to zip it up a bit. The plan is now to work on this exclusively for a week and see how far I get. I have loads of hexagons prepped and will take them everywhere I go. If my shoulder keeps playing up though I won't have an awful lot to show for it.

Occasionally we go to car boot sales and I'm always on the lookout for things I can renovate. A while back I bought a tatty old shelf - paint peeling and a bit mouldy. Jason looked on with disbelief as I parted with my 50p. After a little work sanding and painting and a bit of time with my drill I now have this on my bedroom wall.

The lovely mini quilt is from a swap with Carolyn.

Off to cut some scraps I think - ready for when I decide to do something other than a UFO.