It's that day...
when we all say 'where did May go?'! I don't know but it was a good month of sewing...
Tiny Dancer quilt, 'bow tie' hair clip bag, oven glove, headband, English Paper Pieced pincushion, thread basket - I've done well making useful things this month!
As I was looking through my makes I realised there's been a couple of things I haven't blogged about...
I made a drawstring play mat for my son's best friend. He is using it to keep Lego in!
I used the fabulous pattern by Tickle and Hide. It really is a great pattern, full of wonderful tips and this came together so easily. I did add a popper to the sides that meet so the top would close and Lego wouldn't spill out! The fabric is from Terrys Fabrics and is home dec weight so it should withstand some wear and tear! I used Sail Stripe in Marine and Panama in Red.
For some reason I took pictures before I did the appliqué (I think I was excited!) but I did blanket stitch Lego on one side and needle turned a Lego head with embroidered eyes and mouth on the other.
I also completed an order for another custom personalised reward chart in pretty pinks:
Yesterday I got the amazing news that I have won a prize in the Hand Quilting category of the Blogger's Choice Festival for my Bees of a Feather Quilt. Many thanks to everyone that voted and congratulations to my bloggy friends that also won! It was a lot of fun seeing all the incredible talent and beautiful quilts in the festival. Thanks again to Amy for organising the event!
productive yet unproductive
I've made progress on the ottoman. I've managed to do my first lapped zip (that's what it's called on the pattern but it sounds wrong to me - what do we call that in the UK?), I felt very proud.
I kept looking at the centre of the hexagon quilting I did on the top and feeling that it needed something adding to it. I thought about appliqué but wasn't sure what would work, I thought about embroidery but couldn't find a pattern I liked that would fit (or be bothered drawing one!). Then I remembered I had some DMC soluble canvas and thought cross stitch would be fun. I looked through Anna Maria's Needleworks Notebook
- which I love but it wasn't the vibe I wanted for this project. I checked out a bunch of wonderful Etsy sites with cute kawaii cross stitch patterns, pixel patterns etc but again it didn't feel right. I wanted something that 'meant' something, after all I will be seeing this piece of furniture every day. And then it hit me. I'm not showing you what I'm stitching though, sorry! It will be part of the grand reveal when I'm done!
- which I love but it wasn't the vibe I wanted for this project. I checked out a bunch of wonderful Etsy sites with cute kawaii cross stitch patterns, pixel patterns etc but again it didn't feel right. I wanted something that 'meant' something, after all I will be seeing this piece of furniture every day. And then it hit me. I'm not showing you what I'm stitching though, sorry! It will be part of the grand reveal when I'm done!
Today I needed a stitching break... MUST wear thimble Lucy. So I started playing. Pretty don't you think?
A great week, stashing and giveaways
I may have had a couple of little splurges recently. I couldn't resist these beauties from Hawthorne Threads, some were needed for projects and commissions but the rest just fell into that online basket ;)
Cats Cradle in Raspberry, Catnap by Lizzy House; Buttons in Ivory, Home Grown by Maia Ferrell; Butterflies in Cream, Birds of a Feather by Allison Cole; Merry Scallop in Pink, A Merry Little Christmas by Zoe Pearn; Hana Dots in Sweet, Hello Tokyo by Lisa Tilse
Then I just had to get some more delicious double gauze from Miss Matatabi, I have the second print in another colourway already but I'm so glad I got this one too - it's hard to see but the white floral bits are metallic and how could I not have those metallic dots too?! The binding is for a project I will get to one day and again it's a gorgeous print with fabulous colours!
Pocho by Nani Iro (this colourway seems to be sold out but there's other Pocho prints available); Joy Flower by Nani Iro and Nani Iro Mountain View bias tape. I'm excited to work with these lovelies!
When I was in work yesterday I picked up a couple of much needed notions, I'm working on my English Country Garden BOM and realised Kerry is right and it will go together much faster if I glue! I've resisted a glue pen thus far but I think it will be more convenient and I do want to try and keep up (not even finished my first block yet so not doing too well!). I may even use it for EPP (argh!! That feels like sacrilege - I'm not quilt police or anything but I really do like basting with thread), at this point though I'm feeling the need for speed. I got a water soluble pen too because my other one ran out. I'm still loving my frixion pen but it's nice to have options!
Now I'm finally on IG I can enter all the fun giveaways and I won this gorgeous teatowel from Poppy Treffry. Sorry it's all creased, I couldn't help whipping it out and snapping it right away! It's great quality and I love that fun print. Thank you!
First up the Fat Quarter Shop has announced the 2014 Mega Quilt Market Sweepstakes to thank their customers and followers with prizes from the Spring 2014 International Quilt Market. This is Fat Quarter Shop’s biggest giveaway to date!
The total value of this amazing giveaway retails at over $6,300 and is divided into twelve prize buckets. The
prizes range from fabric bundles and books to notions and many more quilting essentials. All of the prizes are shown in the Sweepstakes video on their YouTube channel, so be sure to watch!
You can enter the Sweepstakes by visiting the Jolly Jabber blog and submitting a quick survey before 11:59 pm CST on Monday, June 30th, 2014.
It really is incredible and so generous!
Then Lily's Quilts is having a fabulous giveaway sponsored by Pink Castle fabrics and the winner will receive a year's subscription to the totally gorgeous Cotton and Steel monthly FQ club:
That's an amazing lot of prizes!
It's been a great week because I was utterly thrilled to learn I was nominated in the Viewer's Choice category of the Blogger's Quilt Festival. I'm in incredibly talented company and it's such an honour. They are all amazing quilts. I'm so grateful to my fabulous bee mates for their work in making feathers for my 'Bees of a Feather' quilt and although I am obviously completely in love with it and value every inch of it, it is rewarding knowing others see the beauty in it too. Thank you to everyone who voted! You can vote in the Viewer's Choice category here and I entered it in the Hand Quilted Category, which you can vote for here. Ta x
Have a great bank holiday Monday!
girly pincushion and planning
Getting to grips with my FAL list and I finished up this sweet pincushion, it really took no time and I love it's chunky feel. I like a deep pincushion and this is a great size. It's from the book Quilting on the Go
by Jessica Alexandrakis and I think I will make more because it's a fun little gift to give.
by Jessica Alexandrakis and I think I will make more because it's a fun little gift to give.
I let my four year old Joan pick the fabrics (can you tell?!) and it's a smiley little pincushion as a result.
Here's one from Jessica's book and I love that you could make this look really modern or give it a vintage vibe. It would also be a fun way to show off a favourite button.
I've been cracking on with my WIPS too and I finally got round to making the March block for the Classic Meets Modern QAL:
I crazy love doing DP blocks and I always use this method without pins. So much quicker and always a good result when I use my quarter inch foot too.
I've also prepared some lovely scrappy binding in preparation for my le challenge project. This months theme is charity.
Lastly I would be so grateful if you would vote for my Bees of a Feather quilt in the hand quilted category of the Blogger's Quilt Festival - you can vote for it here
So much to sew, catch you later!
Linking up:
quick Wednesday
Karen's Bee A Brit Stingy blocks - just need to write on the siggy block and I'm too scared to trim them so I'll leave that to you Karen!
Still working on my embroidery of Jodi's poem, using a single strand of embroidery thread and just two verses to go:
I'm babysitting for my friend's four month old son today so that's all I've got time to show you! I've already changed his nappy 3 times, I forgot how much little ones poop!!
Sunny Bees of a Feather Quilt
I am so proud of this quilt. I sleep under it every night and it makes me smile every morning.
This quilt is made up of blocks from two Bees that I was in, the first request for blocks was back in October 2012 and then I asked my other Bee group to make me more in January 2013 - the month my third child was born! So it took me some time before I had the blocks all pieced together, more time to piece the back and then quite a long time to hand quilt it. In February this year though I finally finished it and I've taken some more photos because it's far sunnier than it was in winter!
The fabrics are a fabulous mix of bright patterns and colours and the backgrounds are various low volume or subtle colour fabrics. The back is made up of an eclectic mix of fabrics from my stash cut into 5" wide strips and constructed in the same way as a jelly roll race quilt. I basted it with the easy to use Hobbs Heirloom Fusible wadding.
Massive thanks to my wonderful Bee mates that helped this quilt come to be :)
Finished Size: 85 x 100"
Pattern: Feather Bed Quilt by Anna Maria Horner, pieced in my own layout based on the number of blocks I had.
Blocks: Scrappy? Sew Bee It!, Bee A Brit Stingy and me.
Pieced and Hand Quilted by me.
Category: Hand Quilted
Category: Hand Quilted
See the original post here and check out all the fabulous quilts submitted in the Blogger's Quilt Festival. Huge thanks to Amy for organising such a fun event!
SMS giveaway day winner
Congratulations! I'm sending you an email :)
Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned for another giveaway soon. Hopefully later today I will be showing you my entry in the Blogger's Quilt Festival so please pop back!
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