Monday 30 May 2011

A Commission!!!

I have a commission for not one but two quilts - for twins! and from someone who is not related to me! So that makes it real right?

One girl, one boy, cot sized... we're discussing fabric at the moment over on Facebook, so if you are one of my FB friends and I'm inundating your newsfeed with fabric pictures - sorry! :o)

In the meantime I made this gorgeous minky pram blanket for a friend
with ribbon loops on the corners as per mummy's instructions!

Sorry for the lack of interaction from me this past week but blogger isn't letting me comment on 90% of blogs :o(

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Car Boot Bargains!

I love car boot sales, you never know what you're going to find... today we have
A lovely green print vintage sheet and contrasting pillowcases, more vintage teatowels; herb garden, wedding anniversaries and the adorable red, white and blue donkey.

But hold your breath ladies....
Prada shoes in the house!!!! They're so gorgeous, they're my size and they were only £5!!! Best bargain I ever got! :o) happy happy

WIP Wednesday

Yay, it's Wednesday... possibly my favourite day of the week! Why Wednesday? I hear you ask... well
It's car boot sale day, both the kids are both at school all day, I get a lovely evening sewing window of 2 hours between 8pm and 10pm and then I get to watch the gorgeous Joshua Jackson when Fringe comes on! he he.

So, what have I been up to?

WIP - Central Park 4 patch quilt

I've had this tutorial bookmarked for a while, you can find it over at Clover and Violet, it's so simple and quick - definately a contender for 'quilt in a day' if I hadn't faffed about so much doing other non quilting related things! You know how much I love my Central Park prints and I really wanted to be able show off the larger prints so this is perfect.

The quilt top is finished, it measures approx 40" x 47".

Also still a work in progress in the Lily's Quilt Along Dresden Circle.

Awaiting Quilting
Black and White Kingsize Bed Quilt
LynneBobSquarePants Block

Awaiting Binding
Union Jack Mug Rug

Finished this week
- Urban Circus Rag Quilt

STATS
New Projects: 1
WIP: 5
Finishes: 1

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced today for this post.
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Monday 23 May 2011

My Latest Arrival

I had a lovely delivery today...


My friends mum was getting rid of it and so I offered her a few pennies to give it a new home where it will be loved and appreciated. I works! and comes with spare belts etc.

And by the way... I have RSI but replace the usual 'S' for 'snipping'!

Saturday 21 May 2011

Urban Circus Rag Quilt

I loved the Laurie Wisbrun fabric line the moment I saw it, but it was hard to get hold of the blue 'earth' colourway so I ended up with more of the yellow & green 'spring' prints.

I knew I wanted to rag quilt it and then along came a tutorial from Moda Bakeshop 'A Day in Central Park' - uh oh, dilemma! I love central park and was busily collecting those prints too... but stuck to the plan.


This is the first time I've done 'quilt as you go' blocks, and these were so easy with just 2 diagonal quilting lines on each block. It was when I started joining the squares that my brain went a little screwy! You have to stitch them with the back sides together and I'm so used to 'right sides together' that the seam ripper came out a few times I can tell you!

I was going to back it in the busiest of the prints, the one with the circles and stripes but realised I didn't have enough so out came the seam ripper and instead I went for Kona Corn Yellow and Chartreuse.


Why is it as soon as a quilt goes outside for photos all the bugs in the world land on it?!?!?!

I'm going to add at least one, maybe 2 more rows as soon as my order of wadding arrives. It's currently 36" x 36" square.

I need to order some of those sprung loaded fiskars scissors for all the snipping ahead! and I'll make up some scrappy binding I think.

I think it looks really bright and cheery and I can't wait to hear what everyone else thinks so please leave me a comment.

Bloggers Quilt Festival...I'm too late

The Bloggers Quilt Festival is on over at Amy's Creative Side and wow! there are so many entries!

Amy's Creative Side

All my favourite big names are there; Lily's Quilts, Twin Fibers, Linzsews, Don't Call Me Betsy, My Fabric Obsession, Bearpaw, Freshly Pieced, Gen X Quilters, VeryKerryBerry...

and with over 600 entries it's an amazing way to discover new blogs and see more great work. My favourites amongst the new blogs/names to me are;
#14 Candy, #135 Laurel H, #186 Sarcastic Quilter, #187 SewCraftyJess, #313 Lindsay Sews, #380 Marg, #412 Kay, #544 isisjem


I don't have many quilts under my belt, in fact, i'll soon be finishing my third so wasn't going to enter but then as the Urban Circus Rag quilt started to come together I thought I might just get it in in time but alas no, Amy's page crashed and the linky is now closed, sob sob.

But here it is, I'll write another post in a minute about it.

Wednesday 11 May 2011

The Mailman's Been!

Check out my ebay bargains!

A bunch of FQ's for only 99p each :o)
And also...
Denyse Schmidt Picnic Fairgrounds!!!! From Shanley on Etsy :o) happy happy happy...

WIP Wednesday

Not alot of sewing/quilting relating stuff going on this past week, I've been out in the garden planting the veggie patch.

However, I had a rethink on the Laurie Wisbrun Urban Circus Rag Quilt.... saga!!! I steamed ahead, realised I needed more fabric, tried to order not once but twice from two different suppliers only to be let down twice, not happy. So I have been ripping out stiches for a couple of evenings and have proceeded with a new plan of using all the patterned fabrics on the front and Kona Chartreuse and Corn Yellow on the back (as pictured on the bottom line of the blocks so far).


In Progress
Lily's Quiltalong Dresden Circle - awaiting outer templates to square off.
LynneBobSquarePants block - should I quilt it into a table centre or order more Central Park fabrics in other colourways, make more blocks and turn it into a quilt?
Laurie Wisbrun Urban Circus Rag Quilt
Union Jack Mugrug - binding needs finishing off
Weighted Pin Cushion Organiser - attach button and handsew bottom closed.

Awaiting Quilting
Black and White King Size Bed Quilt

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced today :o)
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Friday 6 May 2011

Running the Race For Life

Mum has signed me up to run the 5k Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research. We're running in Guilford, Surrey on Sunday 19 June.


Also running are some other mum's from our local toddler group, so we're forming a team!

I'm not a sporty person in the slightest, so running this race for me is truly a marathon! My mum is loads fitter than me and she runs it every year.

I have set up an online sponsorship page, if anyone would like to sponsor me (us) you can click here; http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/karenwells-heard2107?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=newsfeed&utm_campaign=editpage

Thank you so much.

Thursday 5 May 2011

Thrilling on Thursday

Oops, I missed WIP Wednesday... where was I, what was I doing? So here's my WIP a day late
It's the LynneBobSquarePants block from Lily's Quilts. I've added an extra row to the outer edge to make the extra diamonds, now I just need to remove that bottom row and try to line it up a bit better and decide whether to make it into a table centre or a cushion cover? Although the pinks don't quite go with anything in my house!

I'm linking up with Paisley Passion's Thrilling Thursday Linky Party today, why not head on over there and see what crafty things everyone else has been up to



And Thank You to Karen of Quilted Seasons for sending me this lovely package which includes 2 x 12" squares of Birdie fabric and 3 strips of honeybun from Moda's Nostalgia line which I won on her blog.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Car Boot Catch Up

Here is the stack of Ikea bedding, pillow cases and a cracking vintage sheet that I got from the Car Boot Sale back on Easter Weekend.

The grey stripe Ikea double size duvet cover came with 4 pillow cases too. The pink gingham is a single duvet cover which I thought would make a great quilt backing.

There's a really pretty pink pillow case with bows on, made by Brentfords - By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen no less!!!

This vintage sheet is at least double size and this is the pattern in the centre.
Then as you move closer to the edges it gets busier...
And then it has these lovely dots at the edge, so it's almost 3 patterns in one!

And then fresh from the antique shop in Honiton this weekend we have a Cornishware Saucer (don't tell mum - it's for her!), a Dr Nelson's Inhaler Bottle, an enamel lidded roasting pan and 2 pieces of pretty purple gingham fabric.

So now in true decluttering style I will have to find several items to get rid of if I'm going to try and stay true to the 'one in, one out' philosophy!
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