Kaleidoscope Recovery...

I was angry, I felt sick, I was close to tears, I haven't even been able to look at it for days... it was almost as if that pile of fabric was leering at me; "you've bitten off more than you can chew, you can't make us fit together"

And then the lovely, fabulous Sarah from Sew Me came to my aid! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Sarah! You're a life quilt saver!

I was all geared up for the Kaleidoscope QAL hosted by Don't Call Me Betsy, but then my templates didn't print to scale, my cutting was consequently all wrong and my blocks were horrendous. I posted some pics on flikr and asked for help and then saw that Sarah was having problems too so got in touch with her and bless her, she sent me a lovely email with a link to a paper pieced kaleidoscope template which had worked for her.

And an afternoons work later, voila!

I'm more than pleased with the outcome of this block (which was made with some leftover fabric, not the actual cut pieces). I'll now be unpicking my pairs, recutting etc etc etc so it won't be a quick recovery but a recovery none the less! :o)

I'm featured... kinda

I received a lovely email from Melissa over at Happy Quilting today. As part of Happy Quilting's 1 Year Blogiversary Celebration Melissa is having a little parade of some of our creations made using her tutorials. Here is mine;

This was my first ever quilting project, made back in January/February of this year, it's a king size bed quilt. I followed Melissa's Moda Bakeshop tutorial called Sugar Pop n Change which can be found here.

Melissa says of my quilt; "I am blown away that she bit off a king to start with. Amazing, it is absolutely stunning!!!" - how happy am I that someone so talented uses the words 'amazing' and 'stunning' in relation to me my quilt!

WIP Wednesday

The weekend flew by... Monday and Tuesday flew by.. OMG it's Wednesday already!

Ummmm... a little progress on Emily's rag quilt

i love these Ann Kelle remix fabrics, and we're going with 2 tone pink on the back (Kona Baby Pink and Candy Pink) to co-ordinate the design with Aidan's 2D Zoo rag quilt.

I received two lovely packages yesterday;

containing the (finally chosen!) backing fabric for my Central Park 4 Patch Quilt and some more FQ's in different colourways which will be used in the skill builder sampler.

I had an unexpected liason with the troubleshooting pages of my sewing machine handbook too... how is it that you can be happily sewing along one minute and then BAM! your tensions are all off? I had not adjusted the lower thread tension before now - but CHECK! I think I've cured it... althought the machine seems noisier - perhaps all the fluff I cleared out of the underbelly of the machine was deadening the noise all along?!?

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced today - who's fabulous work ethic and creativity put me to shame! :o)

4 years ago today...

...there was alot of screaming going on! My baby boy turned 4 today! Happy Birthday Dan x x x

So we've had a party, lots of family and friends over... not much sewing going on, just a bit of cutting for Emily's rag quilt.

WIP Wednesday

Hi folks!

In progress this week;
secret project

Chain piecing for Kaleidoscope QAL all done

3 blocks made for Skill Builder Sampler - up to date

carried over;
Black and white king size bed quilt,
Lily's QAL Dresden,
Central Park 4 Patch - backing fabric has been ordered!

STATS
New projects this week: 3
Finished this week: 0
In Progress: 5

In linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday - are you?


I'm off to see Take That at Wembley Stadium tonight, so that's all from me today, I'm off to find make up and hair straigteners as I'm leaving in just over an hour!!!!

All Heart Appeal

Caroline over at Serenity Quilts is hosting an appeal for appliqued heart blocks so that she can make a quilt (or quilts) to raffle to raise money for Cancer Research.

It's such a worthy charity - I think we all know someone affected by cancer!

Blocks should be 8"x8" in white or cream, the heart can be any shape, size, colour as long as it's appliqued on. Blocks are to be sent to Caroline for sashing and making into a quilt(s).

For full details hop on over to Carolines blog. I'm in... are you?

Vote Now!

Just a quickie... I've been playing around with ideas for the fabric layout on the kaleidoscope quilt.

The first row I'm calling 'top and tail',
the second row I'm calling 'wear your own hat',
and the third row is 'randomness'

Let me know which layout you think I should go with - vote now!
Thanks my lovlies :o)

Sunny Sunday

What a lovely day. We went down to Hayling Island and sat by the sea this morning, then it was back to watch the Wimbledon Mens Singles Final this afternoon, and after a lovely BBQ cooked by hubby for tea I managed to get cutting on the FQ's for the Kaleidoscope QAL (hosted by Don't Call Me Betsy)

I have re-jigged my value 9 patch block for the Skill Builder Sampler (hosted by Sewn)

and also made block 3 - churn dash.

So I'm about as up to date as I'm gonna be for a sunny Sunday. Hope you all had a good weekend.

SBS Catch Up

The Skill Builder Sampler...

Each month Leila will focus on a different quilting skill and provide tutorials for three 12 inch quilt blocks using the month's skill.
June:
Skills: Cutting, ¼ inch seam allowance and value.
Blocks: Log Cabin and Around the World

The log cabin was fun to do, and I found it easy - great!

Block 2: The value 9 patch - uh oh...
I completely blame the fact that I was cutting fabric, whilst cooking dinner and watching 3 boys (we had an extra round for tea)! I've ended up with the same fabric for all the middle pieces of the lighter coloured blocks. The darker blocks however I am happy with.

I shall be cutting some more fabric and trying again - this time paying more attention, now however I'm having a glass of wine to comiserate my fall at the first month's hurdle! - at least hubby had a chuckle over it!

Happy Pay It Forward Day!!!

I received a parcel this morning...

I got all excited at the name... so opened it very carfully to find a beautifully wrapped gift and card

Which I again opened very carefully but at this point the tension was unbearable!

And look at all the lovliness that sprang forth! A pretty card, a notebook and gorgeous little pin cushion (you have to tell me how you sewed those buttons on!), a pretty pink strap...

so many gorgeous fabric pieces, (i always wanted the camera fabric! - now I have one to cherish.), the lollipops, the chairs, the strawberries...

and Mr Bump sweets! Which I've already opened - yummy.

I am in love! With Hadley of course! THANK YOU SO MUCH for my lovely gift! mwah mwah mwah

In Pay it Forward tradition it's my turn now...

I pledge to send something handmade to the first 3 people to comment on this post. If you'd just like to comment on the loveliness in this post but not take part that's fine also but just let me know.

Then, at some point in the next 365 days when you least expect it, something I'll have made will be delivered to you.
There's just one catch - to get a handmade present, you have to play too! This means YOU pledge to send a little handmade something to 3 readers of your blog. It doesn't have to be quilty - just handmade.
You must have a blog.
Once you receive your "little something", you must post about your Pay it Forward on your blog to keep the fun going - be sure to use the Pay It Forward badge.

If you'd like to take part, comment now!.

Happy Pay It Forward Day! :o) x x x

P.s. Hadley's blog and all her beautiful creations can be found here; Flying Blind on a Rocket Cycle

WIP Wednesday

Hello all! Thank you for the well wishes, the migraine has passed and brain function is slowly returning to normal!
My WIP post is the same as last week, featuring the 2D Zoo rag quilt for Aidan, except that today i can announce it is finished and in the washing machine! Yay! - it would have been done alot sooner had I not lost 3 days of sewing time...

I took advantage of the evening sun to pop it out on the fence for a pic

All the snipping has been done whilst paying half attention to Murray playing at Wimbledon, which has also been distracting me from sewing. There's all the celeb spotting to do; Pippa Middleton was there today looking lovely, and Lewis Hamilton...

Also today I've been trying to sort out my templates for the Kaleidoscope QAL over at Don't Call Me Betsy. Mine seem to have printed on the small side so I need to do some re-sizing... otherwise I would have started cutting today.

I need to catch up with the Skills Builder Sampler - they've posted the first blocks and I haven't even chosen fabric yet!

STATS
New projects this week: 0
Finished this week: 1
In Progress: 3 (Black and white king size bed quilt, Lily's QAL Dresden, Central Park 4 Patch)

In linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday - are you?

Happy Mail Days

I've not been quilting for a few days due to the incapacitation of migraine :o(
But the postman has cheered me up somewhat with these lovely packages;
The Ann Kelle Remix hearts, zig zags and butterflies in the Spring colourway are for one of my commission quilts but I also ordered a couple more of the prints as I'd never seen them in the flesh before.

And the lovely Julie over at From Three to Insanity was having a selvage giveaway and I won!!!! Woo Hoo!! Here are my gorgeous winnings - thank you so much Julie!

And now to decide what to make with them... if you click on the link to Julie's blog above you'll see a lovely selvage table runner she recently made which has given me a little idea...

And lastly here is a picture of No 1 son who's sportsday it was today, he came first in the running race, first in the obstacle course race and 3rd in the egg and spoon race - and as an aside we came second in the parent/child fun run - although he came first overall, I slowed him down by being the second grown up across the line!

The School Fete

Here are some pics of my stall at the school fete

I didn't sell any quilts but then I didn't expect to - I mean who goes to a school fete with enough money to buy a quilt! But I did get lots of positive comments and 2 enquiries for quilt commissions.

I did sell some minky ribbon blankies and some raggie coasters.

And proceeds went to Breast Cancer Care

WIP Wednesday

So today I've been working on one of my commission quilts for the twins. This is Aidan's quilt featuring Alexander Henry 2D Zoo fabric. Mum Vicki chose a rag quilt design.

I've made a few patchwork squares to pop in the mix too

We're putting Kona solids Denim and Navy on the back.

I'm linking up with Lee over at Freshly Pieced today, why not hop on over there and see what everyone else has been up to...


and also Quiltstory Fabric Tuesday :o)

WIP Wednesday

Today it's not so much of a WIP as a finishes post.
2 quilt finishes this week;
Max and whiskers charm pack quilt

and a bold and bright zoo quilt in pink

I'm eagerly awaiting the Kaleidoscope QAL!!! for a new start on something for me.

Stats
New Projects: 1
Finished: 2
In Progress: 3 (Black and White Quilt, Lily's QAL Dresden, Central Park 4 Patch)

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and there's some FABULOUS quilts on show this week so go and have a look!

Another finish!

I'm making up some quick quilts for my stall at the school fete on Saturday. Here's a simple one with Alexander Henry 2d Zoo in Primary, backed with pink gingham and with some lovely Joel Dewberry Herringbone in Berry for the binding, and quilted simply with wavy lines.

Another Finish!

Thank goodness for an extremely long Canadian Grand Prix today... I have finished the max and whiskers quilt!

I absolutely LOVE the backing fabric

I did however choose the greyest day of the year to try and attach black binding for the first time but I really like how it turned out, it's really bold.