Believe It Or Not But I Have Some Finishes...

I have been reading some of my favourite blogs and how they occasionally loose their sewing/creating mojo. Mine has been on vacation (not sure where exactly as I didn't get a postcard!). I have just had too much on for my mind to be quite enough to allow me to sew.  But good things come to those who wait and I actually have some finishes to show.  I am really pleased with these and they have got me inspired again. I feel these projects are exactly where my sewing is at in terms of fabric and design.

First up is the last two blocks of the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along. Gosh I love these quilt alongs organised by Konda at Moose On The Porch Quilts.



Who doesn't love a good cherry fabric?

Now for the first finish! This quilt was started some time ago as part of a quilt along using charm packs. I used  plaids and wovens from a couple of different 3 Sisters fabric ranges. This quilt waited ever so patiently for its binding. The backing is some old (vintage?) Anna Griffin fabric. It was exactly the right yardage for the backing.  My long arm quilter did an awesome job on the quilting. Its a continuous design but it has a baptist fan feel to it. I adore it.

I really have no idea how to get a decent photo of this quilt. Its either too sunny or not quite sunny enough. A big thank you to hubby for pretending to enjoy being a quilt hanger.





My second and most recent finish (like 2 hours ago) was my Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along quilt top. I just luuurve this thing.  It looked great without the final border but it was too pristine for my liking so I decided to add some scrappy borders to 'junk it up a bit'. Yeah I really did think that! Did I tell you I just luuurve this thing? Yeah. OK you've got the picture you say.

I so enjoyed delving into my spots for the block borders. Would you believe I had enough spotty fabrics to not have to use the same one twice? Did I hear a yes?

I put some Tanya Whelan on the side borders and some Jennifer Paganelli on the top and bottom borders.  Once I get my backing and batting together I will send it to my favourite long armer so she can work her magic.

That's probably going to be it for a while as its school holidays for the next couple of weeks and my son-with-the-missing-two-front-teeth-and-it-is-just-too-cute-for-his-Mum-not-to-want-to-hug-him-all-the-time (or make him talk all the time which isn't a problem for this boy) and I are heading off for a little rail adventure.

Ta ta!

Piecing, piecing & winning

Its me again! Back again so soon. The school year hasn't really cranked up yet and we had so much rain last week that after school cricket was cancelled. I actually took advantage of this and got the machine humming.

I have caught up on my Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along. Block 10 was a pleasure to make. Even the fabric selection was quick. Does that mean I over thunk the other ones? Possibly. But for me its when a see a particular fabric that I KNOW its the one.

I also got my Made in Cherry quilt top finished. I am so glad the quilt police were not patrolling when this one was going together. My corner squares really should have been bigger that what was advised but there was not enough left for re-cutting such big squares. Some massaging was involved. I have not been brave enough to measure the thing for a finished size.

I would really love to add a border or two as I have quite a few 5 inch squares left over. I was thinking about adding a border of the solid then a border of prints and then possibly another border of solid. I really like to tuck my quilts in at the end of the bed to keep it in place. However, and this is a BIG however, I fear the maths will totally do me in, especially once I get up the guts to measure it. Its supposed to be 90 inches square. I fear/know mine is probably not.



I was extremely fortunate to be a Block 5 winner in the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along run by Konda. I won a charm pack of the Pezzy Print. I found a picture of it at the Fat Quarter Shop.  I just knew I couldn't capture the cuteness with one of my photos. Thanks Fat Quarter Shop for the image.

I was also so very lucky to win as part of the Sew Mama Sew giveaway day. The gorgeous Catherine from The Sewing Attic was giving away these awesome goodies. I just love everything. Thank you Catherine so much for your generosity. Thanks for the photo too.

Happy stitching friends!



Quilt along update

Is it really the end of January already? It has been a very busy January for us. We have just finished 6 weeks of school holidays. My baby (are they ever not your baby?) is now a big first classer.  He looked super cute today in his slightly too big school uniform. Leaving hubby in charge of first day photos was not successful. I will definitely be having another photo shoot on Thursday or Friday.

I am very lucky and have a 3 day a week job. We are a lean mean machine. Hubby does the morning shift and I do the afternoon pick-up from after school care on the days that I work. My son loves that time with his Dad. All that 'boy stuff' to talk about. All I get when I pick him up is "what have you got for me to eat Mum?" I never dare turn up empty handed. It amazes me just how much he eats. He will polish off what I bring him on our walk home and then want more and more. Its no use getting much out of him until he has stopped being hungry. And yes he does eat all his food we sent for lunch and recess. He also gets fed at after school care. Sometimes I wonder how we are going to feed him when he is a teenager! Hints and tips welcome.

So my sewing time has been somewhat limited. I have finally caught up on my blocks in the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along and its time for block 10.  This is my version on Block 8 . Its a great spinning star block pattern.

Next up is Block 9. Umm yeah. I have no idea where my brain was when I was sewing this one. I had to completely re-make 2 of the units.  Looking at it you are probably thinking how on earth could she stuff that up! I think it will remain one of 'those' mysteries. I love this double star block pattern.

I just couldn't resist joining in the Made in Cherry Quilt Along. Chelsea is doing a wonderful job of leading us along. Its based on the free pattern from Sarah Fielke for her St Ives fabric range. Chelsea has been very clever and even given us alternate quilt sizes. I am going to make the 90 inch size. The pattern is perfect for charm packs. I have opted to use my stash. It certainly would have made cutting out quicker if I had used charm packs.

I am a little behind but I thought I would show you my star centre. I have made the star points and cut out the background. I just haven't managed to get it all together yet. I am very happy with my fabric choices.



I am hoping next time I will have the quilt top together. I am really eager to get this one done to see how it all looks once all the bits are together. Now that school is back in I am hoping we will all settle into a new routine that will permit some stitching time.

 I hope you all have a fine stitchy week!

Sewing along

Well here we are again (so soon?) with end-of-year celebrating. My son has finished his first year of school with an Academic Achievement Award. We are very proud parents. He was only one of three in his class to receive the award. The first year of school has definitely had many good and bad challenges. I just might have had a celebratory drink after school Friday with some very good friends who also had children in kindy. Verrry nice! It was perfect just chilling and chatting while the kids played.

For the wonderful kindy teacher I made a pleated pouch using Tanya Whelan fabrics (I adore that floral & may just have stashed a metre or two!!!). I have made so many of these. It is a wonderful pattern. The pattern can be found at Skip To My Lou. I put some hand made soap inside. Its tricky trying to think of something different that they aren't going to get lots of and something that they will like and use.

I was definitely on a mission to finish wrapping my presents. I decided to make my MIL & her sister a grocery bag. Pattern was awesome!!! It is from Keykalou and you can but it here. I used some older generation Amy Butler fabrics with some spots I found in the cupboard to co-ordinate. I just have to say what a pleasure it was to make these bags. The pattern is thought out beautifully. The bags have been suitably stuffed with goodies.

Then yesterday I really found my groove. Gosh it felt fabulous! Isn't it great when everything you touch just goes together without any 'issues'? Oh yes it is!
First  up was the latest block from the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along. It involved a cathedral window star centre. The instructions were great and I got it to work first go.

I have had this messenger bag tutorial by the talented Amy Smart bookmarked for ages. Well no more! It finally had its day thanks to some inspiring fabrics from Art Gallery. Yet another superb pattern. It has yet to be road tested. I have plans for Thursday though. A certain super son might just get a train ride to the city and get to visit the hobby shop of all hobby shops. You can read that to say we won't be leaving empty handed. His passion is cars. Anything cars! We have a toy car collection that you wouldn't believe! Yes he remembers if he has one or not. Of course that's nothing like us quilt makers and our fabrics is it? (LOL)

 

A very good friend asked if I could finish a candlewicked quilt that her Mum had started but was now unable to finish. All that was needed was to bind it...in satin ribbon! Thank goodness for walking feet and Rita's (Red Pepper Quilts) binding tutorial. Easy peasy! The photo of the whole quilt is useless in showing the candlewicking designs. I'm good at taking photos like that (lol). I however was able to get a closeup of one of the blocks. It is cute.

If you've made it to here THANK YOU. This maybe my longest post ever.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Some finishes this last week

Its time for the Softies for Mirabel appeal run by Pip from Meet Me At Mikes. Its the fifth year and my third year participating.
This year I chose a pattern from Retro Mama and what a great pattern it is! It came together so beautifully. Its a great 'go to' pattern. I highly recommend it.

Next up was Block 5 in the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along. I had been hunting through my stash for a specific green fabric and couldn't find it. But there was a reason as these 2 fabrics practically jumped out straight onto the cutting mat. It was a quick block and came together easily. I am loving this quilt along! Its especially enjoyable when one manages to stay on top of the block making.

Last up is some eye candy. One of my local quilt shops was having a sale and as luck would have it this fabric was spotted and I thought "that would make a great backing fabric for my fat quarter stars quilt along quilt". So metres  were cut and paid for. Its a beautiful aqua from the So St.Croix range by Jennifer Paganelli.  Of course none of this would have happened if the price hadn't been right and I just 'knew' I didn't have anything at home that would be suitable for the quilt back. Yeah right, nothing suitable. As if! Let's just notch it up to a 'must have'.

 Has anyone taken advantage of any of the sales going on over the weekend? I may have done a bit of damage at The Fat Quarter Shop. I am so happy my sister is also a quilter (lot's of fun can be had shopping for just the right present for her) and was able to get her an awesome present. Can't tell you though as she might be reading this. Let's just say it will be 'swooning' its way over to me.

I think I am out of practice

You won't believe how long it took me to make the last 3 blocks of the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along. I haven't been able to sew for some time and I think I definitely lost the flow. That being said I did get them done. Yeah! I am all caught up now.
Below is blocks two, three and four. Block three looked good before I cut the pieces and sewed them together. There just isn't enough contrast in the centre pinwheel for my liking. No unpicking will be occurring though. I am just going to see how it fits in the whole quilt when all the blocks are done.

I have taken a picture of all the blocks together. I am slightly in love with the Kona Maize solid I am using. I love it with all the colours I have picked so far.

Next up is something sort of special, sort of insane. I asked one of my sister-in-laws if she would like a quilt. She said yes and we bought some of French General's Rural Jardin. The pattern is called Delectable Mountains. I love how the first block turned out.  There is an insane amount of triangles for each block and they are on the smallish side. I have to make 30 blocks. Yes 30!!!!! I have no idea how I will stay motivated but motivated I must be. I don't have an official deadline but I am thinking I should set myself one just so I get it finished.

Anybody got any tips on keeping the motivation going?



I know I lost my mojo a bit because while cutting out my quilt along blocks I cut myself not once but twice with the rotary cutter. Smart eh? Geez Louise do they sting.  Lucky not too much damage to me or the rotary cutter.
Now I am off to do some cutting out of small triangles.
I will leave you with a very cute saying from my 6 year old son. We were out driving and were merging onto the highway where the speed limit is 110 km/h when this voice pipes up from the back of the car "Accelerate like you love it Dad!". Yeah he loves watching car racing.

I have actually been sewing...

You better believe it! The motivator was Konda posting the first block in the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along. Its an awesome block. My solid for this quilt along is Kona Maize. I am going to use stash fabrics for the prints. If you were thinking about trying a quilt along I would thoroughly recommend those organised by Konda. There is a button in my side bar that will link you up with the details.  This is the third of Konda's quilt alongs I am participating in.

My son turned 6 a couple of weeks ago. For the party favours I made some zippered pouches and put some goodies inside. They seemed to go down well. I used the pattern from Skip To My Lou blog. 



It has been school holidays here for the last 2 weeks. My husband, son and I headed home to my folk's place and spent some time with them. It was nice that my son's actual birthday co-incided with our visit. My son adores visiting his grandparents and aunty. While we were gone there was plenty of rain and our garden has exploded with lushness.  Amid all that greenery is strawberries, chives, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, orchids, chrysanthemums, curry plant, lemon and lime trees plus a couple of other things I don't know the name of but are pretty.

There was a very juicy strawberry just waiting to be eaten. It was delicious. There are so many strawberries developing. Can't wait. Any bugs reading this STAY AWAY!

This a photo of what I know as a bush orchid. It is such a pretty little thing and surprisingly hardy. Our courtyard gets so hot in summer but still it keeps growing and flowering.

Happy stitching (and strawberry eating )!