Jack #2 - WIP Wednesday

Where did the last week go? I was waiting for more white fabric to arrive, then after having a filling at the dentist and not feeling much like sewing and a bank holiday weekend full of fun, family and bouncy castles I have been 'on it' trying to get another Jack done for hubby's Jack Attack quilt this week.

And here is Jack No 2!

A less traditionally coloured Jack but more fun I think, utilising the red London buses, telephone boxes and crowns this time.

I went a bit 'off piste' with the instructions as my directional prints were making my brain ache one evening, hence one of my points is way off, but I'm not a perfectionist and I think it still looks great overall.

Taking pictures of grey fabric on a grey showery day isn't ideal - sorry they're so dark!
One more Jack to go and I have lighter fabrics for that one including the London Tube Map print.
In case you missed the first jack, it can be seen here.

It's our 10th Wedding Anniversary on Friday and we're heading off to Bruge for the weekend, so although he won't be getting the quilt on the day he can at least see the progress I've made on his gift hanging on the dining room wall!

I'm entering loads of fabulous giveaways through SMS Giveaway Day but probably won't be able to check my emails until I get back on Sunday night - the suspense will be killing me!

Stats:
No progress this week so far on the;
Super Mario Bros quilt - 7/14 blocks made
Kaleidoscope Blocks - 5 blocks made, I'm not sure how many I can resurrect from my cutting mistakes but we'll see...

No progress this week year so far on the;
Solids HST Diamond Quilt - needs re-basting as I've changed my mind about the backing fabric!
Black and White King Size Bed Quilt - completed quilt top, partial quilt back
Dresden Plate - partial quilt top
Kids T-shirt Memory Quilt - some t shirts cut....

Finishes this week: 0
New Projects this week: 0
In Progress: 7

Linking up with
Freshly Pieced - WIP Wednesday
Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story

WIP Wednesday - Spring has sprung!

After the bedlam of the Easter break it's great to be back in routine and have some quiet time in the afternoons to rediscover my sewing mojo.

I've been reading how organised everyone is and how they're ticking items off their finish-along list already, you know who you are!

My Spring Whimsy quilt is pretty much all pieced, I just need to put a little bit more white around the edges. I have ordered the wadding and backing so there will not be anymore progress for a couple of days on this one until it arrives.

And don't you just love it when friends come around, see the blocks hanging on the design wall (sounds posh but is really just a piece of wadding held up by trouser hangers suspended on picture hooks!) and bagsy the quilt before it's even pieced! And she said she'd pay me for it as well! Result!

Another item on my Finish-along list is to resurrect my kaleidoscope blocks which were a complete failure at my last attempt. I went back online and printed the templates again, re-read all the instructions, comments & feedback and voila! Two lovely blocks so far!

I think this particular project was about overcoming the fear that I couldn't do it and mentally being in the right place to try again.  I was able to recut the triangles I had previously cut to the wrong size which I am very relieved about because I DID NOT want my Denyse Schmidt prints to go to waste!

Stats:
No progress this week year so far on the;
Solids HST Diamond Quilt - needs re-basting as I've changed my mind about the backing fabric!
Black and White King Size Bed Quilt - completed quilt top, partial quilt back
Dresden Plate - partial quilt top
Kids T-shirt Memory Quilt - some t shirts cut....

Finishes this week: 0
New Projects this week: 0
In Progress: 7

Linking up with Freshly Pieced

Eggs in Progress Wednesday

Well the Easter holidays have arrived, the kids broke up from school today and my nan arrived for a long weekend stay.

The boys had been quite crafty at school today and wanted to continue making things at home so out came the scraps and we made some fabric eggs using this tutorial. Their little fingers are great for stuffing!

Don't those little chickens look cute!  We got a bit carried away and I forgot to put the dinner on so we ate a little late this evening but it happens right?

I have a large vase on my dining table which usually has pot pourri in it, at Christmas we filled it with baubles so in go the eggs!

Nan and I have made a few more this evening so it's pretty full now.

Is anyone else making something for Easter?

Linking up with these parties:
WIP Wednesday
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Really Random Thursday

Sashing In Progress Wednesday

I'm making it my March Mission to finish my Central Park Sampler Quilt. I looked back through my old blog posts to see when I started this and it was way back in June 2011 when I joined up for Leila's Skill Builder Sampler QAL, so it way beyond the time it should be finished!

 

Today I've been squaring up blocks and sashing, and have 9 blocks joined together so far. The boys have after-school clubs tomorrow and Friday afternoons, so that's extra sewing time I'm allocating myself!

Super Mario Quilt:
I have taken delivery of the green solids I needed and have drawn out 3 green-ish coloured blocks but just can't face all the 1.5" pieces right now so it'll be on hold until I finish the sampler quilt I think.
So far I've made 7 of the required 14 blocks.

Stats:
No progress this week year on the;
Solids HST Diamond Quilt - needs re-basting as I've changed my mind about the backing fabric!
Black and White King Size Bed Quilt - completed quilt top, partial quilt back
Dresden Plate - partial quilt top
Kaleidoscope - one block made, lots of cut pieces in a drawer!
Kids T-shirt Memory Quilt - some t shirts cut....

Finishes this week: 0
New Projects this week: 0
In Progress: 7

I'm linking up with Lee over at Freshly Pieced for todays post and Quiltsy.

Exhausted!!!

Well we wished for a snow day and we've had nearly a week! Three days were spent sledging and snowballing then it was back to school (where I also work), then I helped evacuate nearly 200 children to the local community centre after a suspected gas leak - which now turns out to be the stupid French gas cloud! But there was some sewing time in there somewhere as I managed to:-

Put together a crib sized quilt top, for which I'm now awaiting backing decisions.

I made a couple more sampler blocks for my own quilt. This brings the total to 11 blocks and I only need 14 so the end could be in sight!

 

There were so many of these Granny Square blocks around last year and whilst looking at peoples 2012 roundups I saw them all again and realised I hadn't made one - and I know they are probably so last year but hey, now I can say I did one! And it was so quick and easy and looks so cute too.

 

I also put together another block for the Super Mario quilt, it's supposed to be a black bomb...

but it looks weird to me. It is not pressed or sashed yet so maybe it will look okay in the grand scheme of things, I'll have to wait and see...

And it's Wednesday so I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced as well :-)

P.S. I apologise for the poor picture quality, my iphone seems to be taking very dark photos...

WIP Wednesday #15

Wednesday again?!?!

Having got my sewing machine back on Friday I was able to spend some time on Saturday on my Central Park Sampler Blocks

Here is the Star of Virginia block, others can be seen here.

I've started a new quilt today.... Super Mario Brothers for my boys.

I've sketched out some pixelated images which should make 18" blocks (very approximately!). I'm really excited about this one, I think it could be an amazing quilt.  The piecing is tricky, you can already see where it's not quite lining up, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it, the fun is in the making right?

Stats:
No progress this week on the;
Solids HST Diamond Quilt - needs re-basting as I've changed my mind about the backing fabric!
Central Park 4 Patch - binding in progress
Black and White King Size Bed Quilt - completed quilt top, partial quilt back
Dresden Plate - partial quilt top
Kaleidoscope - one block made, lots of cut pieces in a drawer!
Central Park Sampler Quilt - 7 blocks made.
Kids T-shirt Memory Quilt - some t shirts cut....

Finishes this week: 0
New Projects this week: 1
In Progress: 8

I'm linking up with Lee over at Freshly Pieced for todays post.

WIP Wednesday - Leap Day Edition!

Happy Leap Day everyone, I'm pleased to annouce a finish this week in the form of my Sherbet Pips Quillow.

I really love it and can't wait to make another! The tutorial I followed can be found at A Cuppa and a Catch Up if you'd also like to give it a try. I've started cutting the boys old t shirts for their memory quilt (which I'm thinking of making into a quillow also!)

I've been making some of these for orders this week - this funds my fabric habit!

No progress this week on the;
Solids Diamond Quilt
Central Park 4 Patch - binding
Black and White King Size Bed Quilt
Dresden Plate
Kaleidoscope
Skills Builder Sampler

Finishes this week: 1
New Projects this week: 1
In Progress: 7

I'm linking up with Lee over at Freshly Pieced for todays post.
 

WIP Wednesday

Finally on my table is a diamonds quilt I saw over at Lindsay Sews last year

I'm still to finish the binding on my Central Park 4 Patch

And I need to get out the wadding for the Sherbert Pips Quillow as there is a deadline for this one!

There's my king sized black and white bed quilt to be quilted and bound.
There's the ongoing skills builder sampler - for which I'm way behind...
I have a flimsy dresden plate that I'm too scared to do the corners for!

Hmmm, more WIP than remembered!

Finishes this week: 0
New Projects this week: 1
In Progress: 6 (7*)

* am I supposed to count the Kaleidoscope that is languishing in a drawer somewhere in disgust! All the triangles are cut but my templates were wrong - much salvaging required, and patience!

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

WIP Wednesday #12

Well it's half term, the kids are demanding - to eat all the time, to go out.. don't they know I've got sewing to do? Needless to say, since the Saturday Night Sew In there has only been about an hour of sewing done but I have finished all the 14 blocks now for the Pips Quillow for Bella.

I had a minor panic attack when laying the blocks out that I was one short, then remembered I have one hanging on the sewing room wall downstairs.

I haven't pressed the last bits of sashing or trimmed the blocks yet, I just poured my second glass of wine and so for the sake of my husband's sanity and my own personal safety I will not be going near a hot iron or cutting tools this evening!

Then to pick my 2 favourite blocks which will be the front and back of the cushion part of the quillow...

For those who didn't see my last post the tutorial for the quillow can be found at A Cuppa and a Catchup.

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

WIP Wednesday

Not alot of sewing going on today, i've been unpacking all the fabric and things that were put away for Christmas. The feng shui (spelling?) of my dining room is all off, the table has been turned around which looks much better in the room but is useless for plugging things like the sewing machine and laptop in...

I did manage to start the Pinwheel Parade block from Leila's Skills Builder Sampler QAL. I seem to have lost the ability today to either cut or sew straight so putting it all together tomorrow could be fun!

I'm linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced today.

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)

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!!!!

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?

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!