Just in time No 1 ...

I have finally made an Advent Calendar - and it was made in time!!  This Makower panel was chosen by my daughter, who stated she was going to make her own Advent Calendar.  This was in August ........ 

 

Several times I asked her - shall we start your Advent Calendar?  To which she replied It's still summer Mum/It's only September Mum etc, etc.  Two weeks ago, with December fast approaching, she passed the baton on to me!

 

I cut it out and sewed on the pockets on Saturday whilst sewing with a lovely group of ladies from my quilting club.  Isn't it just wonderful to sew with other people?!

 

 

 

I then put it on my frame yesterday afternoon for a bit of playful quilting ....  loop de loops .....

 

 

some straight line ruler work .......

 

 

some scribbling and some holly ......

 

Have to say I love the holly!!  I attached the binding by machine and then sewed down the back by hand whilst watching TV last night ...

All done ....

and actually hanging on the door - hooray!!

She's very happy with it and is especially interested to know what will be going in the pockets!!  (A mixture of edibles and activities - but ssssshhhh it's a secret!)

This is another item ticked off my Finish Along Q4 list and linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts over here.

Finish it Up Friday ...

How quickly are the weeks flying by?!!!  I have been really busy but not much to show on the sewing front this week.  A couple of little finishes and some finished articles in a larger project to share this week and to link up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

 

First up, these were some extra blocks I made for myself whilst I was making my first ever mini quilt for the Schnitzel & Boo swap over on instagram.  I finally had time to quilt and bind them into a mini which is now hanging on my studio wall!

 

 

I have not been happy with the binding on either of the minis which is strange because I can usually DO binding!  Will have to have a think about it and maybe practice before the next mini comes along.

This fabric Christmas Postcard is for another swap, this time a UK based Facebook group. 

It finished up at 7" x 5" and I have finally got to grips with how to do an edge on an ATC or postcard like this - hooray.  Just in time really because I have just signed up for the next ATC swap over at Very Berry Handmade.  The theme this time is Winter Comforts and luckily the posting deadline is not until the end of January.

 

And what has taken up most of my time are some costumes - 4 out of the 7 are now finished.  Can anyone guess what they are for?!!

 Once these are finished I can finally think about Christmas ........ advent calendars, presents, decorations and two quilts!!!!

Feathers ...

Since getting my longarm machine in July I've really started to notice the quilting a lot more on quilts!  One thing that has caught my eye are feathers ...... there are some amazing quilts done with FMQ feathers, both on a domestic and longarm. 

I thought it was time to take the plunge ..... so with no marking and all free hand I went for it!!

The sun finally came out today so I could get some photos ....

Seeing it again after a few days I am actually rather pleased with the result ....

Some are better than others but then that's why we practice ....

 

Another quilt for Project Linus. x

In the post this week ....

I received my Schnitzel & Boo Mini Swap package.  It was ready to be delivered last Friday but we were out so I had to wait until Monday to pick it up from the depot!  I was very excited driving there ....

 

What a lovely package it was and definitely worth the wait!  As well as the stunning blue and white mini there were some rather funky extras.  Admittedly I had to look a couple of them up to know what to do with them!!  Aswell as a very handy straight 2 1/2" ruler there was a Hex n More ruler and a Wacky Web template and papers.  I have always loved the look of spider web blocks but haven't made one ..... yet!

Yesterday there was another little package through the post box ....

It's official - I am now an Authorised Co-ordinator for Project Linus.  I am starting a new area so there will be lots of work to be done, both in 'recruiting' sewers and in find organisations/individuals to donate the quilts to not to mention finding fabric, batting and backing fabric!  Realistically not much will get done before the New Year but I have some plans swirling around my head for then ....

And lastly I received my order of paperwhites.  Many years ago I saw a wonderful display of these scented flowers as a Christmas table decoration and have wanted to make something similar since.  This year I was too late to but them at any of the local shops who stock bulbs but managed to find them online.  They might not be quite ready by Christmas now, but whenever they flower they will bring a much needed dash of colour and scent to the short, cold Janaury days.

WIP Wednesday - and there's lots of it!

So there has been some progress since last week ...... The pockets I had cut from the Advent Calendar panel have now all been attached and it is pinned to my design awaiting quilting.  I have a couple of ideas rumbling around my head for this .....

 

The tissue box blocks (as I call them!) have now been pieced together and are also waiting for quilting ....

 

 

And my other WIP from last week, which was my extra four blocks from my Schnitzel & Boo Mini Swap, are now finished and on my wall.  I think I will be linking that up to Finish It Up Friday!

 

Being loaded up on my frame this morning is yet another Project Linus top.  This was hiding in the bottom of the bag so it was kind of a surprise to find it!

 

And three others already to go with backing and batting cut to size ....

 

 

There is another Advent Calendar on my ironing board.  My youngest daughter assured me she was going to make this herself but with 30 November fast approaching she politely asked me yesterday whether I could make it for her!

 

And then there is something completely new and completely different ....

 

 

Old clothes + dye + curtain fabric = ????

 

Can you guess what it might be? 

All will be revealed over the next couple of weeks - the deadline for this project is 04 December!! x

 

Going to be linking up to Sew Fresh Quilts and Freshly Pieced today.

 

WIP Wednesday

For those who remember I participated in the Dog Gone Cute Blog Hop over at Sew Fresh Designs, that ran through October.  The quilt along, which ran through September, generated lots of interest.  Now all those people who have made something from the lovely Lorna's pattern have a chance to win!!  I have entered into the linky party over here and VOTING's now open!! 

 

Of course, I would love for you to vote for me .... but why don't you head over and see some of the amazing creations and decide for yourself who to vote for!!!  Hint:  My entry is No 30 .....

 

As a visual reminder, this was the quilt I made from the pattern, Cats and Dogs, for my daughter's birthday.

I had a very productive weekend in the studio finishing of two Project Linus quilts, here, here and here, and also working on a couple of WIPs.

At the beginning of November I sent off my package for the Schnitzel & Boo mini swap.  It arrived safely with its new owner yesterday  and, thankfully, she loves it!!  I have made some ATC cards to swap in the past and once I have sent them off I wish I had one for myself.  This time I made some extra squares as I was going along and now just have to finish it off.  It's not going to be an exact copy but more a reminder of the swap.

 

 

Then I finished piecing the top that I started at a Project Linus sewing day in August. 

All the blocks made on the sewing day

On my design wall waiting to be pieced together

And finally onto Christmas things ...... I have made a start on one of the Advent Calendars.  OK so it's a small start having just cut and ironed the pocket seams but it's a start nonetheless!!

I bought this when my youngest was 1, she recently turned 9 - whoops!!  It is an item on my Finish Along Q4 that I will be really pleased to tick off.

Linking up to Let's Bee Social and WIP Wednesday today. x

 

And yet another ....

This is No 14 on my Finish Along Q4 list.  I seem to be on a roll this week - 7 out of 20 finished, 1 out of 20 no longer required and 5 out of 20 nearing completion .......  Far better than my performance in Q3!!

 

 

This was another top I picked up from a local Project Linus co-ordinator ...

 

It was very overcast so the colours aren't quite right but you can still see quilting!  I am still in love with my 4 hooks in the wall ...... it's really sheltered from the wind and it means I can actually photograph my quilts when they are finished ..... not weeks afterwards!

 

This was pieced by another member of the group ....

 

and I decided to quilt it with an all over freehand pattern of leaves going vertically, up and down ....

 

I have two more tops from this PL group to quilt.  I know they usually make a delivery to the local hospital before Christmas so I have the backing and wadding all ready to get them done ..... this week fingers crossed! x



Another day ... another quilt!!

 

Another Project Linus quilt is finished, which also ticks of No 2 of my Finish Along Q4 list.

 

 

I started piecing this top back in May when I went to my local quilt shop who were hosting the Project Linus Warwickshire group. 

 

It was wonderful to be sewing with a group of ladies again and for such a wonderful cause. 

 

 

Everything was pre-cut and ready to go - it really was the most enjoyable sewing!

 

A stipple around the edges and then 'back and forth' and 'up and down' lines through the blocks themselves.

 

I love how you can see the pattern and texture so well on the back.  And other Project Linus news ....... Today I am posting my application forms to become a co-ordinator myself!! x

 

No 15 on my rather long list .......

is now finished!!  I am talking about my list of projects for the Finish Along Q4 over at On the Windy Side.

 

This was one of several pieced tops I picked up from a local Project Linus co-ordinator and offered to quilt on my longarm.  I have just got these hooks put up on an outside wall and, in between heavy rain showers, I managed to get some pictures.  The wind was really gusting but you can't really tell in this little sheltered spot in our garden -  very happy about that!

 

I wasn't sure what pattern to do.  I have recently bought some stencils and had a good idea for the non-cat blocks but then couldn't figure out what to do in the cats .....

 

In the end I decided to do a daisy, leaf and swirl pattern all over the quilt ....

 

I have seen this pattern as a pantograph but I free handed this ....

 

This is the first time I have used cruise setting on my HQ Avante for a full quilt and it worked like a dream ....

 

I am very happy with the evenness of the quilting for it being eyeballed!!

 

Hopefully this quilt will bring some much needed comfort to some child who needs it most. x