Where did April go?!

Following up from my 2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop post I was really interested to read how quilters get their dinners made.  There were some who prepped ahead and made double batches for the freezer - mostly pasta sauces, lasagna and casseroles.  There were those like me who end up at tea time with no idea what to cook, takeaways and ready bought meals also featured.  What came as a surprise to me was how many many husbands do the cooking in a quilting household!!

Made at sewing day for a member of a travelling bee group

I was very lucky to win a prize in Week 2 of the Blog Hop - a 6 month subscription to Make Modern magazine.  My first edition is released on 06 May and I am really excited to have won this.  There are two more weeks on the Blog Hop so be sure to visit some of the bloggers and the three wonderful hosts who are running the giveaways!

This week features my Hive members:

Sherry at Powered by Quilting

Diane at Cwilt

Liz at Savor Every Stitch

Sandra at Sandra Healy Designs

April has gone very quickly indeed.  Of course, 2 weeks were Easter holidays and it was strange getting into the rhythm of having the girls home every day - it just shows how quickly we adjust to new situations!  I didn't get much time in the studio - I think I have been spoilt by having uninterrupted time whilst they are at school that I didn't want to make do with the odd 10 minutes here and there!  I had one day sewing with a group of local ladies.  We have only just recently started to meet and I have missed the last 3 months so it was such a pleasure to sit and sew and share food in wonderful company.

I learnt how to spin/pop seams aswell - which I have tried several times with no joy.  I used this tutorial from Adrianne from On the Windy Side which I read about in Snowy Days Quilting.  This was a new to me blog when I started the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers group and it's been wonderful getting to know Bobbi.  And the resulting pinwheels ....

 There is something very good for the soul to sew with others and make for others. x

Let's Bee Social - all about the blocks!

I am still not feeling well but I got so bored doing nothing that I have been in my studio and created!  Whilst it has been a lot slower than normal at least I am making again.

My first make is for the Jersey Modern Quilt Guild Rainbow Retreat in March.  Last year, when I asked for pattern testers, a lady from Jersey replied.  She duly tested the pattern and we kept in touch.  I met her for lunch at Festival of Quilts last year and she mentioned that she was one of the organisers of the Jersey Modern Quilt Guild.  At that time I was really wanting to get involved in the MQG but had just decided that I didn't have enough time or energy to start a group in Midlands.  Luckily for me, soon after, there was a post on IG for the start up of the Oxfordshire MQG which I duly joined!  However, back to Jersey .... I was lucky enough that there were spaces left on their Rainbow Retreat and was invited to go along. I have never been to Jersey so I am really looking forward to it.  The plan had been to go for a week with the family but then the girls started school so the plan changed.  Now it is me flying on my own and being away for 4 days.  Which is a first for me since children came along and will be such a short flight compared to our usual journeys between the UK and NZ!

Anyway, the block requested was a rainbow star (any design) with a Kona Iron background.  I think this fits the bill!

I had used a Wombat Quilts paper pieced pattern before (Inner Star) but I wanted it larger this time.  So I upsized it in EQ7 and printed out my own papers.  I have to say I am really enjoying the learning curve of EQ7 and have found myself colouring in quite a few quilts since I have been unwell!

Next up was my addition to Pauline's UK Travelling Quilt Bee.  I still haven't blogged about this fabulous group I am in which I really must do.  So having looked at the quilt and Pauline's various inspiration # and Pinterest boards I decided to make some improv blocks.  This is something that I have wanted to do for a while having seen such gorgeous pieces being made by others.  I read this post from Red Pepper Quilts - Tutorial: Cutting and Sewing Freehand Curves and this post from Leanne at She Can Quilt on Improv Circles and got cracking.

I think I may have fallen rather in love with this technique!!  I loved how liberating it was and that you can't really go wrong.  The colours would not have been ones I would have usually worked with but I love how they have worked out.  They are mostly Kona Cotton solids with some Cloud 9 Cirrus solids thrown in.  This photo does not do the colours justice but having not had ANY decent light for photos this will have to do for now!

My other monthly Bee commitment this year is The Stash Bee.  This month Rochelle asked for an arrow:

You get some lovely bonus 1/4 blocks from making these blocks which make gorgeous scrappy string squares.

I have three 2017FAL finishes to still blog about but will do them in separate posts to make it easier to link up at the end of the quarter.  If any of you have had some FAL finishes please do leave a comment below with a link so I can come visit and wave some pompoms!!

I am going to link up with Lorna's Let Bee Social linky party today.

Where has January gone?  It's already the 25th and I am just coming to grips with the New Year!  This January we have had big changes in our family.  After years of home educating our two daughters they both started school at the beginning of term!!

Sewing on name tags took a lot longer than I thought!

What a change .... for us all.  They have gone into Year 7 and Year 5 and, fingers crossed, things are going really well.  In fact I have been astounded by their attitudes, their ability to get organised and their all round acceptance of school life.  They are both really enjoying it - long may that continue!

A very quick make-up-the-pattern-as-I-go pencil case for my youngest

My first finish of 2017!

For me of course it means I have more time, although truth be told I spent the first two weeks of term in an exhausted, zombie like state.  I finally feel that we are adjusting to our new rhythms. although having to wake by an alarm for the first time in well over 13 years is not something I am enjoying!

The final blocks for Bee Hive 2016

I am slowly going through the house and decluttering (6 months of receipts anynone?!) and have been mentally planning over the last few weeks.  I really wanted to join in with Yvonne's Planning Party but realistically I had no idea how school was going to turn out and I restrained myself from overcommitting, although I have been sorely tempted with a couple of things.  

After learning about Epiphany in Spanish my daughter made El Roscon de Reyes - it was delicious! 

So rather late to the party but I still want to state my intentions for the year.  I have never chosen a word for the year before but after lots of pondering it has to be ORGANISATION.  In the hubbub of HE and the resulting 'things' you need for it I don't think I have had a really good clear out since we arrived back in the UK.  So that's 4 years of things to sort through.  It also applies to my studio where I have a lots of ideas to streamline things so that I am not needlessly looking for things or repeating myself with tasks.

To that end, I have joined in an IG challenge #organizedsewingspace2017.  On 16 January my studio was still full of Christmas wrapping paraphenlia, projects half done and had become the general dumping ground over the holiday period.  The first challenge was to clear and organise your sewing area.  My before shot ....

and after .... So much better - I now don't have to worry about the chair toppling backwards every time I move it! 

The second challenge was your pressing and cutting area.  After an accident involving an overloaded ironing board a few years ago my 'pressing area' is always kept clear and tidy.  My cutting area on the other hand not so much.  I am lucky enough to have two areas I can cut in and, ashamedly, I could not cut on either ....

But after is a different story all together!  Whilst the back table still has some piles on it, these are piles that consist of all the correct bits and are projects to be worked in the near future.  The difference in my mind once I had done this was unbelievable.  I have vowed not to let it get in that state again!

So that's a start!  The other thing I have done was to sort out my projects, WIPs and UFOs and make my Quarter 1 FAL list.  I was delighted to be invited to be one of the global hosts this year but almost missed the deadline of entering my own list .... see I really need that word 'organisation' in my life!  In my organised, tidy studio I can now get on with these projects.  I have already completed 3 and have been working on two more these last couple of days.  More of that later along with other commitments and plans for the year.

Another goal I have set myself is to start blogging regularly again and visiting other people's blogs. I really do miss it when I am away from this wonderful community.  So with that in my mind, I am going to link up to Let's Bee Social over at Sew Fresh Quilts today for the first time this year.  I am looking forward to getting a cuppa later and popping over to visit other people and generally being sociable!  If anyone has any tips on how to get in the blogging groove again I would be most appreciative! x

Stash Bee for August ....

Our Queen Bee in Hive 5 of the Stash Bee asked for improv/modern/wonky blocks in the following colour palette:

She pointed us in the direction of 42 Quilts; Modern Monday and I was away!  This was based on Block 2 Log Cabin and actually does resemble it!

This was based on Block 54 Tumbler and doesn't really resemble it!  But that's what I love you can start with one idea in your head and finish somewhere else completely and it's not 'wrong'!  There are no wrongs and rights and I have found this very liberating.

Then a wonky 9 patch based on Block 13 and Block 26 Cross.  It was interesting because the 9 patch was the hardest do .... it just felt wrong not to cut with a ruler and I found myself  trying to match up the seams!

Then came the real improv .... whilst trimming the other blocks there were little bits cut off them.  Yes, they were little but they could still be used so the following block was born!  I love it.  

I love that the waste I created making the other blocks was all used in this block - genius.  Obviously some of you have long known the joys and benefits of improv piecing but this is all new to me ....... and I have to say that there is now another quilt added to my never ending to do list!

And all together ....

I have to say, initially I found the rust and tan addition a little unnerving but I came around to it and really like the way it looks in these blocks.  In fact I found that I wanted to keep this little selection of blocks to myself but I have now sent them winging their way to the States.  Be prepared to see more improv on here ... I would like to say soon but I have rather a back log of unfinished business to attend to!!

July that was ... and my OMG

July was a month that I would rather not dwell on .... so apart from my Bee Blocks:

a quatrefoil block for Patty in the Stash Bee - this is the third time I have made this block this year but I love it ... this quilt in the colours she chose is going to be sensational!

a double star block for Kirsty in the Bee Hive, actually this was for August but because of holidays we were given instructions early and I got to it because .....

 the July Queen in the Bee Hive had also chosen this block!!!

This block was designed by Christa Quilts and the tutorial can be found here.  Contrary to what you may think this block comes together easily and pretty quickly.  I was really surprised but it uses the fast flying geese method which I had never used before and it's great!

and my books (top left - easy read picked from a book swap shelf, top right recommendation from Ruth at Charly & Ben's Crafty Corner which made it onto my book worm list, bottom left seen on a friend's IG feed, bottom right booked picked for initial book club meeting):

I am going to move swiftly on to August!!

To that end I am going to state my OMG intention and link it up to Red Letter Quilts:

My OMG for August is to make 5 blocks for my Summer Sampler quilt.

It was only because I had linked up for the first time in July that my first block was made. Admittedly it was just under the wire but I would never have sat up that late and done it otherwise and it's got me eager to get some more made!

Bring on August - more sunny days, family staying and lots of sewing!! x

June in review

It's July already ..... wow!  I just looked back at my May round up post and it states:

There were definite signs of Spring and a few days of glorious sunshine, which could have fooled us into thinking the weather was improving, she says typing this looking out a cold, grey, wet first day of June!

which is somewhat ironic because today is the second day of July and it is a cold, grey wet day aswell - oh the joys of a English summer!!

Yesterday I posted about my Quarter 2 finishes which goes a good way to seeing what I have been up to in June.

Bee News

Annah in The Bee Hive, Swam Anneliese, requested Wanta Fanta blocks in blues and white and so I made her these ....

The mini bee for Siblings Together has now finished in terms of monthly block making but I did manage to get my blocks pieced into a lovely top.  This is now near the top of the pile for quilting and sending on to Nicky.

I was Queen Bee in the Stash Bee, Hive 5, and was very excited to choose this block.  Checking the post throughout the month has been such a wonderful thing and what lovely blocks landed on my door mat in June.  I am soooo in love with this!!  It is definitely not going to languish on the shelf and I hope to be sitting underneath it when we light our first fire of the season!

Making News

The damson gin made last September was almost finished ....

whilst this year's elderflower cordial was made!

I took part in the Rainbow Rose QAL ....

and now have to consider how I am going to finish and quilt this ....

In Home Ed news we have:

:: visited a Hindu temple - which was amazing and so colourful

:: meditated with a Buddhist monk at a Hermitage - which was the most at peace I have felt in a very long time

:: visited the National Trust property at Packwood House - which was cold that day!

:: continued with piano lessons - which the girls are loving and it is wonderful to hear them play

:: saw an Oddsocks production of Much Ado About Nothing - which was fantastic and very funny

:: learnt about the history of the EU - which was fascinating (and did an old jigsaw of Europe!)

It was my turn on the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop aswell which was great.  There's still another 2 weeks to come so keep an eye out and try to get to meet some of these lovely new bloggers.  I asked people for their book/author recommendations and got loads ...... I compiled a list and yesterday started reading the first of many from this list.  Which leads on to the books I have read in June ....

 

July, yet again, will be busy.  As well as the usual things we get up to we will also receive our shipping that's been heading over the seas from New Zealand.  It's supposed to dock in Tilbury tomorrow but quite when we can expect to see it I am not sure.  It's going to be wonderful to see all our things from NZ but quite where it's all going to go I'm not sure .......

I have also signed up for another mini swap and a round robin style travelling quilt bee which should be great fun.  I am in the middle of compiling my new Finish Along list too which will hopefully be up tomorrow.  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and to those of you in the States enjoy your Independence Day celebrations! x

All about the Bees ....

I am very happy to have completed all my Bee commitments for this month, and as if three last month wasn't enough I have signed up for another Mini Bee!!  Nicky from Mrs Sew and Sow put a call out for participants for a mini bee to make quilts for Siblings Together and I thought I would sign up for this great cause.

 

February's request was simple in technique but not so easy for my stash - 11 strips of blue and green fabrics suitable for a boy cut into 2.5" strips and sewn together.  I have to say the majority of my shelves hold more 'girl' fabric!  Apologies for the night photography which does not reflect a true colour.

 

 

February's Stash Bee request was for a scrappy, strippy 1/4 log cabin type block which gave me a good chance to go through all my strings.  I like this type of block and have set to making up a few more to one day be my scrap quilt.

 

The Bee Hive request was for the Checker block.  I loved making this.  It came together so quickly and was really satisfying to stitch.  Gina asked for the black/grey HST to be reversed on each block ........ so that's what she got.

And last but not least the Neighbourhood Block Swap.  My partner this month is all the way in Noumea in New Caledonia and she was very minimal in her requirements - just not chocolate, browns and tans!

 

I'm Queen Bee in March for the Stash Bee so I had better get my thinking cap on! x