My New Favourite Fabric Is...

This amazing pop art sewing machines print from Timeless Treasures!
Isn't it just devine!  I wanted to make wall art out of it but then I forged ahead and cut into it and now it is a work in progress.

 

I found it at Frumble, and whilst I was there I also managed to pick up one of the Backyard Baby prints that I'm missing, the birds in trees, and also a couple of the Type prints - sorry I just can't get the picture to load the right way up...

 

After a busy Father's Day here in the UK today I haven't managed to squeeze in any sewing time but that's OK because we spent a lovely day with close friends & family and I'm thankful for these special days that we can enjoy while the kids are still young.

I may even have one or two finishes to show you by the end of next week, you never know!

I hope you all had a fab weekend.


Linking up with Sunday Stash which is being hosted by Dreaming in Patchwork this week.

Sunday Stash

I was going to title this post 'Mama's Been a Bad Girl!' and then common sense prevailed when I thought about the unwanted traffic it might bring!

I have been very naughty though, there have been way too many little packages and I only work 6 hours a week, the meagre bank balance can't cope!

I was at The Village Haberdashery ordering more staple Kona Solids Black and White when my finger just hovered over the 'Sale' section a fraction too long!

But who can resist Anna Maria Horner Field Study; Migratory Lace in Seaweed & Tourmaline, Sundials in Happy, coordinates in Plum & Fine Feathered in Jade, and some Flea Market Fancy Green Leaf Dot! Phew - if you say it fast it doesn't sound so bad!

 

I'm seriously running out of space in haberdashery corner (as our builder calls it!) to hide this fabric.  But on a celebratory note, we had friends over and hubby told them (unprompted I might add) that we'd (yes we!) ideally like to turn the dining room into a family room which  means I can have the current playroom as a sewing space!  Woo Hoo! Happy Dance! - this means he's totally on board right? I mean, he's telling people!

 

Here's some quick pics, on the left is the dining room which is pretty dark and I need the lights on all the time, after 11 years we've never got around to decorating this room!  On the right is the kids playroom, much better light as on the left, out of shot is a big set of fully glazed french doors.   

 

 

Linking up with Sunday Stash at Finding Fifth

Sunday Stash

I've had a couple of arrivals this week....

Lots of Kona White (turned out still not to be enough!) and the Perfectly Perched Nests in Meadow just fell in the basket - if that's virtually possible of course!  And don't you just love pretty mailing bags!

Some Kona Black (also not enough - I have ordered more! I think I need bolts of black and white solids!) and again an item that just fell in the basket, this time a 2wenty Thr3e charm pack!  And don't you just love it when they sneak a little packet of samples in there too!

And I finally bit the bullet and ordered some Backyard Baby prints to go with my lonely FQ of bug jars!  

While I was there I got a couple of FQ's for my stash which you may have already seen me use in the churn dash blocks for Sarah.

The school holidays started off with a brilliant day out yesterday.  The best days just evolve from nowhere, all we needed was sunshine, open space, good friends and a few bags of crisps! The kids had great fun bike riding, tree climbing and playing poo sticks under the bridge but all my pictures have other peoples kids in them, so I won't post them, but here is a shot of Buster being a very good boy and just looking at the sheep, not chasing them!

I hope you're all out enjoying the sunshine, long may it continue!


Linking up with Sunday Stash at Finding Fifth - it's the one year celebration of this linky and there's a fabric giveaway for those who link up this week, so don't be shy, share pics of your purchases!

Sunday Stash - a win!!!

I was a very lucky girl and won a giveaway of 4 fat quarters on the Simply Solids facebook page and they arrived yesterday!

I believe these beauties are Kona Solids Pomegranate, Orange, Buttercup and Timeless Treasures Sketch in Grey.

After the fun of children's roller disco yesterday afternoon, I delivered my Spring Whimsy quilt to one of my best friends Susana. Having made a Quillow for her daughter Bella last year she was eager for a quilt of her own! Here she is just after I gave it to her.

I'm now under orders to make one for her husband, who is 6 foot 4 inches tall, so that they all have one! He may have to get in the queue!

Linking up with Sunday Stash @ Finding Fifth.

Sunday Stash 14/04

Ooops another little fabric purchase!

 

I've not succumbed to the text print revolution before now but this 'how to make a pillowcase' print is pretty cool.

 

I have been threatening to make a sewing machine cover forever - so maybe these little beauties will be put to use sooner rather than later - although I'm going to try to finish a project from my Finish-along list before I start something new!

 

I've been piecing and sashing together my Whimsy Spring quilt top today but sewing was interrupted by sunshine, family, fun and a BBQ! The first of the year!

 

I hope you all enjoyed the sunshine today, it's back to school and the old routine tomorrow for us...

 

Linking up with Sunday Stash @ Finding Fifth.

Easter Sunday Stash

Happy Easter everyone!

I'm feeling a lot better today so fingers crossed it was just a 24 hour bug, thank you for the get well wishes.

I found an unexpected package in my postbox today, which must have been delivered yesterday afternoon at second post - which I didn't think even existed anymore!

 

I love these measuring tape fabrics and grabbed the 3 colours I could find as a bargain on ebay.



No sewing today as there has been a lot of this

And this

And eating a very large roast dinner with family - I was starving as I hadn't eaten for 2 days!

I hope you're all having fun and enjoying the beginning of British Summertime - which seems like a bit of a joke seeing as we don't seem to have had spring yet!

xxx

Linking up with Sunday Stash @ Finding Fifth

Sunday Stash & Decisions

To be honest there is not much stashing going on, I have fabrics piled up waiting to be cut for several projects but whilst out getting more Minky so that I can make lots of these little baby blankies ...

... I picked up these 2 FQ's.

I've been waiting to get my hands on some bug jars for ages, I have 2 boys so fabrics like this are perfect for them, and the keyboard print was just too irresistible! It has lots of texting abbreviations on each key like;
T+ think positive and
Zup what's up?
So it is in fact educational!!! Lol!

The making of many Minky blankies means no quilting this week, I just can't decide which quilt to start next and I still am not in the mood for the Super Mario blocks...
The planned HST's and garden fence blocks both require me to order some Kona snow and although I'm dying to make a spring quilt with this gorgeous Laurie Wisbrun Modern Whimsy layer cake I just can't settle on a quilt design to make the most of it. Does anyone have any ideas?  Have you made a quilt from a layer cake? 

I  just love the lambs, swans and bunnies and really don't want to chop them too small...

Linking up with Sunday Stash at Finding Fifth and the Lets Get Acquainted linky party over at Simply Miss Leulla

Monday Stash

Too late for the Sunday Stash Report, so here is a little Monday Stash instead.

I got a little parcel! And I haven't had one for soooo long - you know how it is, so much fabric just sitting there combined with no £ in the purse means Karen has to quilt with what she has rather than buy more! Don't get me wrong, I have loads of fabric here and projects in mind but I was used to getting little parcels twice a week! Naughty girl!

The green solids are for my Super Mario quilt and there were a couple of floral squares thrown in for good measure but what I really want to show you is the camera fabric - how fabulous is that! I wish I had more money so that I could buy enough to back a whole quilt in it, but this little FQ will do for now!

It's called Pepper Cameras and I got it from Quilt Me Happy.

Whilst we're talking about ordering fabric, what is the limit for ordering from the states these days before the import tax kicks in? I've seen this new line called Geekly Chic and I may just have to save my pennies and get some!

Also, whilst I'm being all good and frugal I got these fab duvet covers from Asda, the red and white was reduced to £2.25! And the two double sized blue stripey ones were reduced to £4.75! They are going to come in so handy for backing my sampler quilt and the Mario quilt.

Sorry I wasn't able to rotate the picture...

A Happy Post Day

I had a naughty moment of spending the other day after seeing this block, so off to Etsy I went and the lovely shop of Emicraftinjapan came up trumps! I love it when envelopes are made to look pretty too, it had a very decorative tape and the cutest little fabric cup stuck on, which I have peeled off and saved.

And so the Kokka Milk Caps were mine, along with the cutest little bunnies hiding behind trees - well it is Easter after all! and a sample of a pink towny print - very sweet but doesn't go with anything else in my stash right now.

And from Prints to Polka Dots in the offcuts section, some Alexander Henry Home Sewing, a small square of Riley Blake Map - I have other prints from this collection but this one eluded me, a little bit is better than none, especially when it was only 34p!  And look... a little pack of 2.5" sqaure samples of  Riley Blake Sunny Skies thrown in, with a little note recommending coordinating Kona solids and threads!  What service!

Happy Happy :o)

Stung by Import Taxes!

I'm very excited to have my new fabrics but really peeved at the charges I had to pay :o(

But I'm loving my fat quarters of Tufted Tweets Bird on a Wire Orchid, Metro Living Circles white on chocolate, white on black, white on pewter, black on white and white on fuscia.

And Ocean Ta Dot Michael Miller, Kenyan Tea Leaf Alexander Henry natural, coffee and black, green print, Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow Herringbone Berry and Green!

I guess this means I have a stash now, even though it's a small one! the kenyan tea leaf reminds me of Orla Kiely and Lily's Quilt's logo - both of which I love!

Any fabric shopping advice would go down well at this point please! I have 3 more orders from Etsy/USA to come so my wallet may take a beating...

Fabric Stash - A Beginning...

I only know one other quilter, Judith, and she has a beautiful sewing room in her converted attic and what a fabric stash she has!  I was very jealous!

I've seen online too many photo's of lucky quilters with the most beautiful stash of materials, so I recently ordered my first selection online and they arrived today! The 4 colourful pieces of Robert Kaufman on the right, thank you Celtic Fusion Fabrics :o)

My closest fabric shop is Heocks Patchwork in Liss, Hampshire but unfortunately just as I've found her, she's closing up to move to Dubai.  I popped in today and most things are 30-40% off, so I got some lovely bright red brick fabric and the black and white pumps fabric.

I popped into Mitchells Fabrics in Haslemere, Surrey on Saturday and got this very pretty remnant to play with.

I've got black and white bits and bobs left from my current quilt project - but I'm sure I'll use these up on the back of the quilt.

And last but not least I've got some Union Jack Flag fabric from ebay.  I'm not sure what I'll use it for yet, but I just had to have it!