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.