Just for Toni !

Toni asked where I intended to hang my lovely little quilt for the ALQS. So here you go . .

The three on the right of the picture as well as the big 30's one are made by me but the others are all made by some very talented bloggers. Aren't they all lovely ? My little sewing corner is filling up nicely. I have another to come with the 4seasons swap and then I'm hoping for some more swaps. Making these is very addictive. When signing up for the swaps my partners probably groan as I give NO preferences whatsoever. This is because I just love the complete surprise of what my partner has made me. I am not difficult to please and I am not fussy ( I tell my DH that's how he got to marry me - LOL !!! )

I have been working on my Summer quilt for this latest swap but have made a boo-boo ! As I was working on it something was nagging at me in the back of my mind. Eventually the light bulb went on and I decided to check the email with my partners preferences. DUH ! The only colour my partner does not like is in the quilt. Not a huge lot of it but enough ! I have hummed and hawed and decided that if my partner dislikes the colour enough to list it then I should take notice. So onto plan B. I have another idea and have picked out fabrics and will start hopefully tomorrow. Good job these quilts are small. Honestly I don't know where I keep my brain sometimes.

My very clever daughter passed her driving test last week - Well done Jess !! And wouldn't you know a few days later her driving instructor became a grandma for the first time to a baby boy called Ollie. Well obviously as a thankyou for getting Jess through her test this baby will now have a quilt - lol ! The emergency baby quilt I did last week would have been ideal for a girl but not a boy so I plan to do something very simple and easy. I have some fabric picked out and after getting off here I am going to get it all cut out ready to sew tomorrow. Blimey I'm going to get a lot done tomorrow - lol !

I also need to get these sent off

they are the little hats for the Save the Children campaign I talked about earlier. It only runs for another couple of months so I plan to get a few more done. All in a good cause.

I'd best get my skates on - I am off to my quilting group tonight and need to cut out some more 3D hexagons to sew while I'm there. I suppose I'd better feed the family too - lol !

Happy quilting !

Another Little Quilt Swap .

Oh looky here at what I've got ! Isn't it great ? My lovely ALQS parcel arrived this morning from Becca. What a beauty ! It shows up a bit dark on my photo but my photography is not great to say the least. In the flesh the colours are beautiful - very rich purples and rusts. Just my cup of tea - lol !

Here is another photo with a close-up of the lovely hand-quilting. Such tiny stitches.

Becca also had a fantastic idea to pad out the box with squares from her scrap box. Wow ! I've had great fun sorting through and may have to have a play with these soon. It's so good having a nose at other peoples fabrics - lol ! Like when you're waiting in line in the supermarket and having a gander into other folks trolleys. Or is that just me ?

Anyway thankyou Becca - I love it.

I have been working on more borders for another quilt I've dug out and will show photos when I have anything to show.

Enjoy your week.

Borders !

Well Patrick got back safe and sound. He had a fantastic time and had lots to tell us. He also had a shocking confession - he had only cleaned his teeth once in 3 days - aarrgh ! Dirty little beggar - lol ! Apparently there was no time - yeah right ! He was shattered but happy to be home. Not as happy as us though.

To keep myself busy I set myself a little target for the weekend. Borders on this quilt.

I seem to get to the border stage and come to a grinding halt. I think the problem is I like pieced borders and that's a whole lot more work. I have got several lovely quilt tops at the border stage and I want to put that right. I can think of 4 straight up.

So I worked and sewed whenever I had a spare moment and here we are.

What started as a little 3 inch block as an experiment with some scraps certainly grew a bit - lol !

In my usual manner I had cut far too many piano key strips and these turned into this.

Once I get borders on this ( not pieced - I hasten to add ) it will become an emergency baby quilt if there is such a thing. You know what I mean. I had more fun doing the little one but was very proud of myself for getting the borders done on the big one.

I am going to dig out my next quilt to get the border treatment later on. If I get all the tops completed by the end of the year I will be happy. The quilting can wait for a while.

Oh lucky day !!

I started off today in a funny old mood. If you have been reading my blog for a while you will know I have 2 children. Jess is nearly 18 and Patrick is 11. Patrick is due to start high school in September and it is a tradition in their last year of junior school to go to an outward bound activity centre for the weekend. Moutain biking, canoeing, rock climbing etc. Well it is this weekend - he went at 8.30am today - Friday - and will not be back til 2pm Sunday. Aargh ! I am seriously missing him already. The teachers that are in charge are all lovely and I know he will be fine and having a whale of a time but it is the first time he has been away. What can I say - I'm his mum and I worry. It's a funny thing putting the care of your child into anothers responsibility. I can't wait until Sunday. He was so excited going this morning with his sleeping bag and HUGE holdall of stuff. DH Jason took him as I couldn't trust myself to make a show of myself - lol ! Apparently Patrick had the biggest bag out of all the kids and Jason nearly put his back out LOL.... Well at least he won't be short of clean shorts and boxer shorts or anything else for that matter. He could probably kit out half the kids in his class :-) Better to be over-prepared I say....

Anyway once I'd got my morning routine underway - dishes, emptying bins etc I hopped on the PC for some blog-reading to cheer me up as I was feeling a bit mumsy and emotional. What happened next was entirely the fault of Linda. She had posted that Hancocks of Paducah were having a sale and telling us to go there and have a look. Now I admire Linda greatly - she is a fantastic quilter and a lovely lady so I had to just do as she said. It wouldn't be polite not to - lol !

And because I was feeling in need of a pick-me-up look what's coming to my house

I am so excited. I fell in love with these fabrics and they work out so cheap in comparison to buying them over here. Thanks Linda. Yes I was on the way to feeling a bit happier. Just turning off the computer when there was a knock on the door. Nice postman with a big box.

Jason asked was I expecting anything. I replied yes I was but only a pincushion which as you understand is a small item. Now as I said this box was BIG. What could it be ?

I think I am the luckiest quilter in the world today. I was completely overawed and amazed as I kept pulling out one thing after another. Just look at this treasure

And the icing on the cake was this

How completely gorgeous is this ? Do you see the hand embroidered flowers and fantastic workmanship on this. This must be the most beautiful armchair caddy EVER. Thankyou SO much Mar. You are a star ! It was certainly my lucky day when Linda partnered us all up.

I will treasure these. I love everything.

My own little parcel for the swap is almost ready to go and will definitely be gone by the deadline. I have a plan for the weekend to keep as busy as possible so I don't miss my little baby so much.

So thanks to two wonderful ladies my day went from blah to brill ! Have a good weekend all.

What I've been doing.

Last week my DH had a call to fix a couple's computer. When he came back he told me that the lady ( called Sally ) had a hobby that he thought I would be interested in. She was a dolls house enthusiast. I have always been fascinated by these and have thought that maybe one day I would build one and furnish it. Anyway Jason had to return to the house and Sally very kindly showed me her collection. She has one finished completely. Another one which is going to be a bridal shop half-done and a huge ( about 6 feet tall ) mansion built and ready to start decorating. Absolutely beautiful. I could have spent hours looking at them. Of course she saw I was interested and gave me some magazines to look through. You would not believe the stuff you can get.

Anyway I came home and had a little look on the net for dolls house quilts - what else ? Then obviously I had to try one out.

This measures about 6 inches square and was great fun to do. Sally very generously gave me this bed so I could use it for size. In return I made her one of these in brown and cream. I may make some more of these for the dolls house I see in my not so distant future - lol ! I was prowling about on Ebay and couldn't resist this either - so sweet.

I may just start getting a few things as and when I see them. Oh yes - I need a new hobby - lol !

I have also been doing a little crochet. One of the womans magazines I get has launched an appeal in conjunction with Save the Children. Apparently it is a sad fact that approx 2 million babies die each year in Africa from hypothermia. They are asking for as many little knitted or crocheted hats as possible as they could literally save a babies life. These will maintain precious body heat that is lost through the head. Here are some finished ones

I've made 8 so far but the rest are not sewn up yet. They are very quick to do and take hardly any yarn. I will keep making them in between other work.

What else ? My 3D hexagon quilt is coming along.

I was considering making each hexagon from one colour - such as a dark, medium and light shade of each colour. As you can see I decided against it as I like the complete randomness of all the fabrics. Doing this is quite addictive. I have little piles of them everywhere.

I am doing my best to keep up with all my favourite blogs but am finding I am having less time to comment. Life seems too busy lately. I have had a couple of bad migraines - think I need some quality time alone with my Janome - lol !

Take care x

Winners !

Wow - I have so much enjoyed all your comments this week. I have lots of new blogs to visit too. I will get there in time.

The winner of my little bag and the fat quarters is Suzette . . . hurray !

And the closest guess for the mystery prize was Karen-Log Cabin Quilter who was only 7 out. So far I've cut out 507 fabrics and Karen guessed 500. Well done.

If you would both care to email me your addresses I will get the parcels out to you.

Thanks to all for joining in the fun .

Busy week with not a lot of sewing done but I am determined to make amends on that front. Take care xx

Doesn't time fly. . . .

. . . . when you're having fun ? Honestly I would advise anyone thinking of setting up a blog to do so. I never knew how much pleasure I would get from doing this. Meeting loads of talented and wonderful people all sharing our fantastic hobby. I love it !

As you may know this is my 100th post so in true bloggy tradition I have little giveaway. Leave a comment on THIS post and I will draw a name on Wednesday evening ( 18th June ) my time ( GMT ). Here is the prize.

A little stitchery bag that I have been working on and which I have so enjoyed making. My lovely son Patrick ( 11 years old ) can't believe I am giving this away. I am going to do another one for myself though so that is alright.

I also bought this 6 fat quarter pack from a fabric seller that visits our quilt group and this can be yours too. Very pretty fabrics. I have nearly used these a few times but I did buy them especially for this so have resisted. Aren't I a good girl ?

Now for a bit of fun and because I am avoiding doing my ironing - lol - I am doing another little MYSTERY prize. If you win this one you will not know what is coming to you til you get it. Now to be entered into the mystery draw you have to do the following...

On my last post I showed the 3D hexagons I am working on. If you would like to guess how many different fabrics I have cut from my stash so far I will put you in my mystery draw. Here are some pictures to help

This is what I have sewn together so far and the little pile of completed hexagons ready to be joined on.

These in the box are all tacked over papers and ready to be sewn together in groups of 3 and the stuff in front is a pile of fabrics ready to be tacked over papers when I have had chance to cut some more.

So if you would care to comment just for the bag and FQ's please do so but add a guess for the mystery prize. Clear as mud ? lol . I will give the prize to the closest guess.

Good Luck !! Anyone who reads this but doesn't have a blog feel free to comment as long as I have a way to get in touch if you are the winner.