Caesarea Scrappers

Friday Night Sew in for March

2012-02-15T08:04:00.002Z

I am very ready for this month's FNSI. Valentine's Day yesterday brought six 13 / 14 year old girls for a games afternoon and sleepover. Nick was wondering how healthy it is to have so many bodies in a small space? It's half term here so it's nice for them to get together for a decent amount if time without Mum's having to run them around more than oce in the day.

Plans for Friday Night Sew In depending on what I achieve today and tomorrow:
* Sew the remaining 18 inches of binding on my 2 from 1 quilt
* Solstice star series block 4 is released today
* Fat Quarter stars - block 11 of 12 released yesterday
* If there's time I'll do a little swooning

It's now 8.45 am, when do I let some light into the sleepover room as I think parents are collecting at 11. Is it too early still? LOL

Productive Thursday

2012-02-09T16:30:00.005Z

I just finished clearing up after our Thursday sewing session, in time for the arrival of Matthew's maths tutor.

Two blocks finished today:
My second Swoon block
Solstice star series - star of mystery

The Swoon block is using two contrasting fabrics from Home Town by Sweetwater and the background is from the Ruby collection by Bonnie & Camille. The FQs I bought are marginally smaller than usual and the cutting of the fabric is tight at best. I made a mistake on one of the red rectangles so had to piece together two pieces to make the replacement rectangle, but fortunately the join isn't too noticeable.

Continuing the star blocks using Flurry by Kate Spain is the fourth star from the Solstice Star Series called star of mystery. Only one more star in the series but they will be added to some other stars to make a quilt.

Up to date with my stars

2012-02-02T15:17:00.005Z

I am particpating in two star based quilt alongs, Solstice Star and Fat Quarter star along. I have combined the two and am making the stars from the same fabric. Thirteen made to date and both sets are now up to date. Hooray.

From the Solstice Stars we have:

Star 2 - Whirling star

Star 3 - the aptly named Another star

And the tenth star from Moose on the porch is Milo's Star.

Next on the list? Alice's quilt which is ready on my long arm machine, at least one Famer's Wife Sampler block and I guess I should break out my #1 UFO.

January finish

2012-02-01T07:41:00.007Z

At the beginning of 2012 I decided to participate in the 2012 UFO Challenge over on the Patchwork Times blog, and I made my list of 12 unfinished projects that I'd like to bring to completion this year. Judy chooses a number each month, and that is the project that we work on.

January was project #5 which for me was my disappearing nine patch, a simple small quilt which I just had to sew the blocks together, quilt and bind. I used the baptist fan pantograph to quilt it and hand stitched the binding whilst waiting for Lizzie at her swimming club session on a Tuesday night. Over the weekend I found some extra blocks in my sewing machine case so I think they will have to be donated for charity quilts to Astra.

The UFO to work on for February was released today. Fingers crossed again for it not to be the Jan Krentz star quilt!! Oh heck, my luck's run out already. Project #1 has been chosen. Okay this will be a challenge as I can't remember all the tips we were given and I have this horrible feeling that I may have used some of the fabrics for other projects.

January UFO day success

2012-01-31T20:06:00.007Z

Eleven ladies at Caesarea Quilters UFO day. The best attendance we've had for a long time. And the first time I've been in at least a year. I find I need to put it in my diary as a firm commitment if I intend going. Lots of chatter and lots of work.

My successes were:
1. Binding sewn on my Building Blocks quilt. Just need to sew it to the back which I plan to do at Astra's group tomorrow.

2. I couldn't find my instructions for my star block so finished my first Swoon block. Looks great, just eight more to go. I cut some more grey strips including the sashing to get complete strips.

3. I then found my star instructions so made it up to go with the Fat Quarter Stars. Block 10 of the Moose on the Porch quiltalong is up so I'll attempt that on Thursday along with a Farmer's Wife block which is long overdue.

Next job is to find my special foundation piecing paper and print off a star and a Farmer's Wife block for Thursday.

UFO Day

2012-01-29T07:20:00.003Z

I'm heading to Caesarea Quilters UFO day today. The first I've been to in a long time, but it's in my diary and I'm going. I plan to stitch the binding (already cut) on my Building Blocks quilt (already trimmed) which I quilted yesterday. This should in theory be a quick job. I also have to deliver Liz' Thrifty quilt which has one and a half rows still to do. I will do this once the rest of the family should be awake. Not "are awake" but "should be"!! They may think differently.

Once my binding is stitched on I will work on my first Swoon block made from Sweetwater's Hometown range.

I have just come across this sew along and I'm thinking that these stars would go nicely with the Fat Quarter Stars I'm making from the Flurry range by Kate Spain. What do you think?

Friday Night Sew In January 2012

2012-01-21T17:06:00.003Z

I worked on two things last night:
I sewed in the ends I could find on my cream and blue stars. This now needs to be taken to the laundrette to get the markings out
I finished quilting a baptist fan pattern on my disappearing nine patch sample on the long arm then applied a black and white binding. I have sewn one side of the binding and will finish the rest after a Chinese takeaway.

Stars Quilt along block 9

2012-01-19T14:48:00.003Z

A nice relatively simple but striking block. the original had background fabric in the centre of the stars which I have changed to a third feature fabric which contains both the red and green of the star points.

And here are the nine blocks so far. I have just about run out of the splattered red on white fabric so have changed over to white on white.

Stars Quilt along block 8

2012-01-05T15:45:00.003Z

Keeping up with the blocks. This one looks more complicated than it actually is. I've also quilted the blue and cream stars quilt so it now needs trimming and binding. Photos to follow next week.

In other news all of the fabric for my TQS BOM arrived yesterday and today. My Carol Doak foundation paper also arrived from Amazon. I must resist starting this as I need to get my samples ready

Crafty girls

2012-01-02T17:19:00.006Z

Matthew is at an all day Lord of the Rings watching marathon with David so after I dropped him off I headed to Waitrose to buy some cup cake supplies for Lizzie. She made two batches of cupcakes and iced the neapolitan 99 version.

I finished unpicking my blue and cream stars and it's now on the long arm. I misjudged the size of the digital pantograph which is only 5 inches deep and it overlaps by 2 inches so will take ages to quilt but will look lovely when finished. Inspired by Rachel of the Beaulieu Crafty Mums, I melted down some candle ends and wax to make some new candles. Love the strawberry jam pot I picked up from the charity shop, I have a matching orange too.

2012 Finish along

2012-01-01T08:40:00.016Z

I've been waiting impatiently to see what the first project is to work on for the Quilting Times and hoping it's not Number 1. It was revealed this afternoon and so the first project of my Finish along for this quarter is:

1. disappearing nine patch for CQ workshop

2. Cream and blue stars - already started to be unpicked and should be ready to start quilting again this weekend

3. 1930s table runner - half quilted

4. Tilda doll - Just in case I finish the others. No photo yet as I just can't find it. Perhaps I need to do some more tidying and it will surface. Found it whilst looking for candle wax!!

5. 2 from 1 - just needs brown border and quilting on the long arm

It's Thursday

2011-12-29T08:49:00.004Z

And I'm officially up to date on the Moose on the Porch fat quarter stars quilt along. The next block is published on 3 January 2012. In between each block I also pieced the binding for one of my UFOs which I wound on the jumbo spool I bought at the Festival of Quilts. This UFO just needs a border for the top to be finished. Hopefully that number will be chosen as the first UFO to work on.

Today I start my craft room tidy up ready for the New Year. Or should I say tidier, as it'll take more than a few days to get it tidy. Job number 1 is put the 12 UFOs on the top shelf of my cupboard, numbered and ready for the UFO challenge.

Free day

2011-12-28T15:36:00.004Z

I thought today was Thursday with a committee meeting and funeral, but it's Wednesday, so I've had an extra half day to sew. I have done two of the star blocks from Moose on the Porch and have two more I think to be caught up. As the UFO challenge doesn't start until Sunday, I thought I had a free pass to work on projects which are more WIP than UFO.

I need some more white thread to finish another project so will head out later to search for some and do recycle the mass of cardboard that has built up over the last week.

2012 twelve UFO challenges

2011-12-27T06:11:00.020Z

1. Jan Krentz difficult quilt - Summer salsa lone star. This is going to be a challenge to remember all the tips Jan gave us and I have a horrible feeling I might have used up some of the fabrics I used.

2. blue and cream stars. Quilting needs unpicking as there was a pleat in the backing and put it on the long arm - in the depths of my cupboard so no photo.

3. rainbow squares - in process of quilting being unpicked

4. 2 from 1 awaiting border fabric

5. Disappearing nine patch

6. TB BOM - almost finished quilting when my machine developed problems

7. Modern V meets Thimbleberries scraps - quilting needs to be finished

8. Christmas table runner - stitcheries done just need to put it together

9. Love laugh live stitchery

10. accuquilt feathered applique - should look like this

11. Disappearing nine patch runner - half way through being quilted

12. TQS BOM - piecing finished. Needs to be pressed and wadding purchased. I have the backing somewhere. I want to do some custom quilting on my long arm for this one, so it may take a back seat for a few months.

2012 UFO challenge

2011-12-26T22:05:00.002Z

I found the full details of the challenge. I knew it would turn up on Quilter blogs eventually. And here it is just in case I lose it or someone else wants to join in. http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012-ufo-challenge/ Now I need to pick twelve UFOs to work on out of my 17. Some are more WIPS than UFOs like the star quilt along and the Farmer's Wife sampler. I'll post my list tomorrow with photos.

Two more to add

2011-12-20T19:16:00.005Z

16. Disappearing nine patch runner I pieced yesterday
17. Dear Jane Xmas
Edited to add:
18. Tilda doll

It's worse than I thought and I've just seen the TQS BOM for 2012 which uses the Accuquilt machine. I have promised myself I'll finish five projects before starting another. I think I need to choose the five fastest finishes.

UFOs and WIPs to finish in 2012

2011-12-19T06:30:00.005Z

I need to find the challenge that inspired this post as they choose a number between 1 and 12 and you work on that project during the month. I start each year with good intentions to finish my UFOs but 2011 was definitely a fail in that for the most part the same quilts are on the list unfinished and the list has grown longer. And all of this despite buying my long arm machine. In no particular order and I reserve the right to add to the list:

1. Jan Krentz difficult quilt - Summer salsa lone star. This is going to be a challenge to remember all the tips Jan gave us and I have a horrible feeling I might have used up some of the fabrics I used.
2. blue and cream stars. Quilting needs unpicking as there was a pleat in the backing and put it on the long arm
3. rainbow squares - in process of quilting being unpicked
4. 2 from 1 - started yesterday
5. Disappearing nine patch
6. TB BOM - almost finished quilting when my machine developed problems
7. Modern V meets Thimbleberries scraps
8. Vignette
9. Elephantz
10. Flurry sew a long star blocks from Moose on the Porch Waiting for some more Flurry fabric in my Christmas stocking.
11. FWQS
12. I'll add my cowl in here as progress has slowed
13. Just remembered - love laugh live stitchery
14. Oh and the hugs cushion
15. accuquilt sample for class next month which I need to start today.

I will add some photos in the next 15 days so that I can remember what the projects are!! And no doubt find a few more to add to the list. A photo for the first project by Jan Krentz is pictured above.

16. In anticipation of not getting to it this week Stitchery Christmas table runner.

A good FNSI

2011-12-17T07:05:00.007Z

I finished Sarah's quilt yesterday and it was getting dark when I was ready to take a photo.

That freed me up to tackle another item from my to do list for my FNSI so I decided to choose a quick make. I had cut several of the pieces out for Lizzie's present so it didn't take long to put this together. I just need to slip stitch the edge closed and buy some velcro for the fastening.

Unfortunately whilst browsing the internet I've found a couple of other items I want to make:

Circle ear bud pouches from

Christmas present blocks from united notions for a guild Christmas activity for next year.

So my to do list now looks like this with Monday's deadline for two items looming large:
1.
2.
3. Machine applique sample for January workshop to show at CQ;
4. Disappearing nine patch sample for January workshop to show at CQ;
5.
6.
7.
8. Table runner - blocks completed and now need to be set together and quilted; and
9. Tree skirt - pattern and backing fabric purchased yesterday

I have decided for the samples for CQ, I'm going to do an applique border for the disappearing nine patch sample and combine two samples into one.

Yesterday was a good day

2011-12-14T08:39:00.006Z

Having shared my list of nine items to sew in the next week, I completed threee yesterday. Then at about 2 o'clock my long arm started playing up which is a shame as I was on target to finish Sarah's quilt too.

So I finished Liz's quilt which looks beautiful. See it here. I was looking for a project to teach for Sirens WI on 3 March so I have now chosen this quilt pattern. Contact me for further details if you'd like to attend.

Fiona's Christmas present is now bound. I finished this whilst waiting for Lizzie to do her hour of swimming.

I also did a Heart of Friendship which is meant to be peach on cream, mine's more pale orange on beige but I'm sure there will be many variations on the theme. I used my new Sizzix dies which only arrived the day before - very timely.

I also finished my Christmas cards which will be posted today. So my list now looks like this. The remaining items will take a little longer to finish. Sarah's quilt definitely has priority.

1. Sarah's quilt to be machine quilted;
2.
3. Machine applique sample for January workshop to show at CQ;
4. Disappearing nine patch sample for January workshop to show at CQ;
5.
6.
7. gift for Lizzie which is planned but that's about it;
8. Table runner - blocks completed and now need to be set together and quilted; and
9. Tree skirt - pattern and backing fabric purchased yesterday

Two FNSIs in December

2011-12-13T07:43:00.003Z

What a nice gift, two Friday Night Sew Ins for December. I couldn't participate last Friday as we were in Nottingham visiting Welbeck DSFC, but apart from being Matthew's taxi, I'm free this Friday.

I have started a list of what needs to be accomplished for Monday first (our quilt guild Christmas party) and then for Christmas. I'm having an at home day today so after writing my Christmas cards, I'll make a start on the list:

1. Sarah's quilt to be machine quilted;
2. Liz's quilt to be machine quilted;
3. Machine applique sample for January workshop to show at CQ;
4. Disappearing nine patch sample for January workshop to show at CQ;
5. heart block (number 1 priority)
6. Gift for Fiona which is half bound
7. gift for Lizzie which is planned but that's about it;
8. Table runner - blocks completed and now need to be set together and quilted; and
9. Tree skirt - pattern and backing fabric purchased yesterday

Hopefully I can do at least items 2 and 5 today. If not I'm in trouble and should start panicing now.

Moose on the Porch

2011-12-08T15:21:00.003Z

Oh no, I've been tempted in and started another project. http://moosequilts.blogspot.com/ I love stars so have pulled out a package of fabric left from my last quilt together with the red patterned fabric I was sent in error instead of the icy blue colourway. They are up to block 6 already but I put together the easiest three blocks this morning.

FNSI almost a finish

2011-11-19T07:15:00.004Z

I worked on the angel from the Christmas sew a long which is block 6. As you can see it's not quite finished as I ran out of both time and thread last night. So item 1 on our shopping list today is red anchor thread colour 47.

November FNSI

2011-11-18T12:24:00.005Z

I haven't posted much since the last sew in and I was wondering what to prepare for this evening. My last FNSI post reminded me I have two Christmas stitcheries still to do and they're printed ready, so I'll start those later.

FNSI success October

2011-10-22T18:18:00.003+01:00

Well I didn't make the ipad case but I did finish this week's Christmas SAL block from Sewhappyme. I've kept up to date with this one and there's only two more blocks to do. Again I was able to print the stitchery direct onto the starched fabric.

October crop catch up

2011-10-18T13:21:00.004+01:00

Whilst everyone revisited colour blocking and shaped templates, I tried to tidy up the unfinished kits and class layouts with some small success. The layouts made with the templates were all first class and showed that unloved doesn't mean dated or unusable.

Gogogetaway kit from June 2011

Scrapbook Generation sketch club - just needed journalling

Page from September crop which just needed professionally printed photos as my picturemate is malfunctioning

September scrapbook generation sketch club with blokarting photos from September

October FNSI

2011-10-17T07:36:00.004+01:00

September FNSI didn't happen for me, but I have high hopes for this month. Lizzie is going with four friends to have some professional photos taken and then they're coming back to ours for homemade pizza before going to JACY. Oops, better get a new oven before Friday then.

I've seen this cute ipad cover at Fresh lemons which I may attempt on Friday.

Look at what arrived in yesterday's post

2011-10-01T07:59:00.004+01:00

One of these pink bags of goodies from the Urban Stitches retreat in Australia ordered from Under The Mulberry Tree Sold out now unfortunately.

Contents including the necessary fabric and threads for each project:
Melly & Me Sketch & Stitch (now finished)
Leanne's House Sew Laugh Love
Rosalie Quinlan Dance of the Hearts
Charm pack of Lecien squares of Old New Fabrics 30s
Two FQs of Lecien fabric

Here is a photo or two of the finished Melly & Me project. My quickest ever finish and just in time for OPAM for September. The kit contained a busy green floral which I swapped for some Bonnie & Camille turquoise Bliss. The kit contained hanky linen which is used often in Australian stitcheries and I was surprised how open weaved it is.

I have also downloaded week 2 of the Christmas Stitch Along The first pattern which I've finished is up for two weeks and each subsequent pattern is up for one week. So don't delay. I have printed the pattern straight on to the fabric as I hate the tracing. Another reason why I love the Urban Stitches kit as the patterns are preprinted onto the linen.

CQ Farmer's Wife blocks month 1

2011-09-20T11:16:00.003+01:00

Last night we introduced the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt to 49 members and guests at Caesarea Quilters' September meeting. My turn to introduce and demonstrate the first four blocks. Four blocks was a bit of a high expectation!! I finished one doing the demo and two more were finished this morning. The remaining block - 68 postage stamp will wait until we have more scraps to use up as they are 1.5" squares.

The fabric is Grace by Moda and was chosen by Anne. All of the demonstrators will use this line of fabric so at the end of the year we will have enough blocks for a lap quilt which will be raffled.

Design Seeds

2011-09-07T08:24:00.003+01:00

I'm not the only person to struggle with picking colours for projects, but I'm sure I'm one of the last people to find Design Seeds. Several colour combos are published each day along with the picture source.

I love this Neighbourly Hues

This combo reminds me of Sweetwater Sunkissed so I may pull some out and use them for Lily's Quilt a Long. Not that I should be starting more new projects - I should be doing things with Allen keys and a spirit level.

Another quilt top finished

2011-09-06T08:08:00.005+01:00

I have been awaiting impatiently the light blue patterned fabric to finish the blocks for this Quilt Book Club quilt called Modern V from Modern Basics. I picked up the fabric from the Post Office yesterday morning and it is so quick to go together that it's now done and just needs to be quilted!!

Today I want to trace Elephantz Block of the Month - block 3 to take to quilting tomorrow to handstitch. Not that I've finished months 1 or 2 yet. No change there.

Holiday photos

2011-09-04T17:34:00.005+01:00

I think this photo tells you a lot about the weather we had for most of our two weeks in Saumur. Even Lizzie had a go and made a block. She's very good at selecting fabric in combinations I wouldn't have chosen but they do work. Time to update the spreadsheet for those I have finished, I think almost two thirds are now complete.

Foundation piecing

2011-08-18T19:20:00.004+01:00

Jenny, Lorraine and I had a fun morning doing some foundation piecing. Even though the plan for the Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt at our guild is teach foundation piecing again in March, someone couldn't wait!! Here's my block for today.

94 tall pine tree

I will be taking this project on holiday with me so I hope to have some more photos for you in two weeks time. Meanwhile there'll be more blocks on the Cottonberry blog

Back from the Festival of Quilts

2011-08-14T17:42:00.006+01:00

My feet are very sore and my purse a little lighter, mainly due to several trips into Birmingham. The winner of the Festival was a beautiful piece called Octopussy. There was a huge variety of quilts to view, including many hexagons and union jacks. The group winner featured meerkats which was very amusing.

My purchases from the Festival of Quilts comprised of some raffle prizes for Caesarea Quilters and the following for myself:

A jelly roll and layer cake of Ruby by Bonnie and Camille which I have waited for impatiently so I snapped it up on our second visit.
Fusible wadding for some bags
Big reel for rolling binding on
A subscription for Irish Quilt & Craft Magazine. A great size to pop in your handbag and has similarities to Vignette in that it combines garden, cooking and other articles but at a great price. Look out for this one in the CQ raffle in December. They also sell kits for the projects in the magazine which is very useful. This is a quarterly magazine.

I've even used some of the layer cake in some Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks. These three block make 37 blocks done in total - a third of the 111 blocks. Unfortunately they are the easier blocks in the book!! I hope to get to 50 by the end of the school holidays as my sewing machine is coming to France with us.

54 kitchen wood box

95 temperance tree

102 whirlpool

Mini design boards

2011-08-08T08:51:00.004+01:00

I have just made some of the design boards shown on Lori Holt's blog To see the instructions on how to make them go to this post.

I have made two small changes to the construction of the mini design boards:
1. Her tutorial calls for foam board which is hard to get and expensive so I used some free mount borad which I got from a local framer and for that reason I also reduced the binding to 2" as the sandwich is thinner; and
2. I am not an expert with a glue gun, so I just used fabric glue and popped it under my cutting mat when finished to dry.

I have made eight boards in all, four for myself with trim to match my Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt fabric (Bliss by Camille for Moda), one each for Jenny and Lorraine, and two for our guild raffle for September (if they want them).

More Farmer's Wife blocks

2011-07-17T07:16:00.005+01:00

I have been busy prepping some blocks and sliding the pieces into a binder ready to sew them up. It's lovely to be able to sit down for 15 minutes and sew up a quick block. However I know that I'm coming to the end of the easier blocks so progress will be slower.

In other news, my long arm machine came home on Friday. I took less than five minutes to fix it. It is still in the box as I am more than a little nervous that I will kill it again. We have nothing planned for tomorrow and I should have recovered from the sleep deprivation of ten 13 year old girls sleeping over last night.

69 practical orchard

68 postage stamp

111 wrench

73 rainbow flowers

55 Linoleum

29 Economy

21 Contrary Wife

12 Broken sugar bowl

5 Bat Wing

Scrapbook Generation July kit

2011-07-11T07:16:00.006+01:00

Saturday was our monthly crop (note no crop in August)unless someone else organises it. I just picked up my July Super Sketch Club pack and printed some photos at the last minute. I have to say I thought the 4th July themed layouts of which there were three, were going to be hard to use. However I used all three on Saturday. All complete including any journalling. I was particularly pleased with the Kennedy Space Centre page as I'd forgotten there was a stars and stripes flag on the building.

Two layouts of our recent trip to Coutances via Granville and that was three double layouts done at the crop. I even finished constructing the other two from the kit on Saturday evening, so I just need to add the photos.

Farmer's Wife Quiltalong

2011-07-05T09:25:00.006+01:00

Yes another project, but it'll be done two blocks a week over the next year. The group are on week 5 so have finished 10 blocks. Here's those I've done so far using Bliss by Bonnie and Camille by Moda with any white on white scraps I could find to use up.

Block 1 attic windows

block 2 autumn tints

block 3 basket

block 4 basket weave

block 6 big dipper

block 9 box

block 10 bow tie

block 11 broken dishes

block 14 butterfly at the crossroads

block 16 calico puzzle

block 48 homeward bound

block 81 snowball

block 92 streak of lightning

For those who go to Caesarea Quilters, we are planning to demo blocks 2,4, 48, and 68 (to come) with blocks 55 and 92 as extras at the September meeting. The book shows the blocks in reproduction fabrics, mine are the Bliss range by Moda and the group will make 50 blocks for the lap quilt and are planning to use Grace by Moda to give three different looks to inspire members. I think I need to finish block 68 and do block 55 next.

Riley Blake

2011-06-28T20:30:00.002+01:00

Go over to Riley Blake to see their current contest.

Hexagon progress

2011-06-22T06:32:00.005+01:00

I demoed the stitchery hexagons at our May CQ meeting, in preparation for the July meeting where we're going to put together some hexagons. They really are addictive and quick to sew together. I have prepped all the hexagons I'm going to do but have left one to do as a demo example. A friend has one for her holiday to Switzerland as an aide memoire, so I will have made eight of the 150 needed for a single bed quilt. I think this is going to be a fun summer sewing project for members and they won't get bored of them as they only have to do a few.

Just two more groupings of four flowers to sew together and a couple of stitcheries to do. I want to include the year 2011 and our name into the two blank cream hexagons. The fabric is all Thimbleberries scraps from the four Blocks of the Month I've completed.

July's ready

2011-06-19T10:46:00.004+01:00

My July hanging is now complete with it's new unchipped red buttons. Maybe I should try and start June next or perhaps August?

I also finished a Scrapbook Generation sketch kit layout this morning. I started this on Friday evening when scrapping with my sister, Joanne. Just four more layouts to complete. The layouts have gone together quickly as I did most of three other kit layouts in the same evening. Now I just need to print out some photos to the right sizes.

Almost finished

2011-06-18T09:01:00.002+01:00

Today is a busy day with a troll bead event which is must do, helping at the Itex walk, a new tap class for Lizzie and Zumbaparty, so I'm not going to have time to finish this today. All I have to do is finish quilting and buttonhole stitching the Y. Also one of the pink buttons is chipped so I will try and buy a replacement pair.

June FNSI

2011-06-17T07:18:00.003+01:00

Well it hasn't been as good a sewing week as I had hoped for as my sewing machine is still not working as I'd hoped, despite being serviced. So I did some piecing and applique this week.

Pieicing - I started another new project. I saw the Farmer's Wife Quilt a long on a friend's blog, had a look, no too like Dear Jane (another WIP) and passed. Unfortunately Camille also posted about it on her blog. The blocks in her modern fabrics, a whole different look. I'm on board. I've ordered the book, made two blocks, joined the Flickr group and the yahoo group. Oh and I may have ordered some fabric too.

Applique - I didn't get my June calendar block made in time for June so I thought I'd make a start on the July block. I have pieced and appliqued the block but forgot to do the inside of the Y. It's now ready to be put together, embellished with buttons and quilted for the Friday Night Sew in (FNSI)

Posie's Patch

2011-06-13T07:50:00.004+01:00

My sewing machine is back from being serviced at bernina's London office, so I've celebrated by doing some button hole applique on this second quilt from Modern Basics for month 2 of Quilting Book Club This is made with Wing It by Momo from Moda.

Now that I've caught up on this month's quilt, I'm quickly going to piece a quilt backing for this quilt and then work on quilting last month's quilt which I abandoned due to my machine playing up.

You need to hurry over to sketch support

2011-06-11T08:25:00.002+01:00

If you want to see their latest guest designer !!! Only this morning I was looking for jumbo ric rac for a quilt. I thought the red would be the best but there was less of the red than the navy and black. Strange? Now I know why, I used 24" of red ric rac on a double page.

Into town this morning to see if can buy any more jumbo ric rac, Needle Treasures or Fabric Factory, I guess. I also need to pick up my sewing machine which has been serviced and return the one I had on loan.

Vignette hexagons

2011-06-02T05:58:00.004+01:00

My very first quilt was made when I was a teenager, using fabric from Mum's stash and following instructions from a part work called Golden Hands. The quilt is still going strong but would offend the quilt police I'm sure. Fast forward thirty years and Issue 2 of Vignette showed a hexagon project. I knew I wanted to revisit hexagons, but not do a whole project so I have introduced it to our group - Caesarea Quilters as a summer project. I can confirm it's a perfect carry along project as we travelled to France last weekend and I worked on it on the boat. Ideal.

How did the techniques differ over 30 years? This quilt has embroidered hexagons scattered among the flowers. I decided to substitute the flower from the Block of the Month pattern as it is simplerer but the right size. I used a number of different threads but like the variegated green I bought in France the best. The hand sewing of the hexagons is still quick and therapeutic.

No laborious cutting and tacking of papers this time:
* The paper hexagons were cut using Sizzix die 656664 - 50 at a time
* I used freezer paper instead of scrap paper so I could iron the shapes to the fabric temporarily and then cut around leaving about a quarter of an inch
* I used the Sewline glue pen to stick down the seam allowance as suggested by Leanne. So quick.

In less than a week I have put together 1 block 2 and two blocks 1 with a few spare flowers and hexagons. I have shown Lorraine what to do and she is prepping for her trip to France. She is hoping her daughter will also help. A few CQ ladies are busy sewing the stitchery cream hexagons, so I hope we can make this a successful group project. All done using my Thimbleberries scrap basket so far.

Now I need to make progress on the Vignette BOM as I still have block 2 and 3 in progress and the latest magazine is out with three more blocks!!

Jazz Festival and shopping

2011-06-01T07:29:00.004+01:00

I'm not the world's greatest shopper, but I do indulge from time to time, so here are a few purchases from our weekend trip to France. On the way to Coutances we decided to stop in nearby Granville that I've only visited once before. After lunch we went strolling, bought a few macarons in a patisserie and returned to "En peu de ci, un peu do ca". The shop had lots of Tilda products in the window and was in an artisans area with sculptures.

I indulged in a few My Minds Eye papers and some of the hard to find washi tape. They also had some sweet little bracelets to make or buy from liberty print bias binding.

Whilst in Coutances we did watch a little jazz, ate in the food village and generally mooched around.

On the Sunday we came across this bunch having a photo taken on the carousel!!

Monday saw us return to St Malo for the boat trip home. First stop Decathlon, then the Madeleine Centre. We found a few newer shops there including the one where I bought some of these wire storage baskets. The corrugated card and variegated thread were from Cultura, a regular haunt of ours. Oh and some more washi tape.

Whilst on our trip I had a little bit of hand sewing to keep me occupied. I managed quite a few hexagons and now need to do some of the embroideries to go with them. The hexagons are quick and easy to make and very portable. I'm off to Lorraine's soon for a tutorial for her holiday. I used the new Sewline glue pens instead of tacking down the fabric and the Sissix one inch hexagons and freezer paper so as to make the paper cutting quick and easy. You can cut 50 hexagons in a matter of minutes and then you iron them on to the fabric and the wax adheres the paper to the fabric temporarily.

Lots to show you

2011-05-31T13:44:00.003+01:00

Unfortunately some work in progress photos will have to suffice. My sewing machine was making funny noises last week so it is headed off to Bernina UK, hopefully today at the latest. I was making good progress with this quilt, but the machine I've been loaned is not playing ball, so I'm going to put this to the side until my machine returns.

I have finished quilting lines in the green striped fabric. Some of the red / blue areas have been stitched with freehand feathers in a variegated green thread. All I have drawn onto the quilt are lines for the veins of the feathers and the corner diagonal for guidance. These lines will wash out once the quilt is completed.

May crop

2011-05-22T12:31:00.004+01:00

Yesterday was our May prize crop. The date changed by a week because I had another event last week. This meant some of the regulars were missing, however had I kown in advance, we could have moved the crop forward by a week, if that would have suited more people. We did have a lovely but quiet day with Jennie and Liz winning the top prizes.

Here's one of my layouts from Sketch Support one page sketch 8. Unfortunately I left the sketch at home so had to go by memory and I hadn't uploaded it to my ipad. I replaced the 2 by 2 photos with flowers. The photo is actually a thank you message which is written beautifully on the reverse. I picked out the green from the vegetation and the blue from the girls' clothes.

Time to continue tidying my desk upstairs. Tidying the floor will be for another day. However I did finish the Ferbuary quilted hanging this morning. I've now got a week to complete the one for June. That might be a good project to France this weekend to quilt when we're in the hotel.

May 2011 FNSI

2011-05-21T08:53:00.003+01:00

I started this yesterday for the FNSI (Friday night sew in) and have done a bit more of the hand quilting at 6 am this morning. Just need to finish the quilting and sew up the bottom of the piece. This is from a book Claire brought over called "Count on It" by Nancy Halvorsen. I ordered the book on Tuesday and it was delivered on Thursday with the hanger. I also have the June quilt to do next. I think this would be easy to prep at a Wednesday quilt group meeting as I can iron on the Bondaweb and cut the pieces ready for doing the buttonhole stitch on the machine at home.

Another busy weekend

2011-05-20T06:47:00.005+01:00

Also a busy week. I haven't watched any television all week until the Great British Menu last night. It's been a good week in parts as Claire visited for a few days, we went to two quiltig groups, ate lunch with Lucy at the new cafe at the zoo. We also did a lot of talking and I was treated to a pedicure at The Spa. On the flip side, Dad is being operated on at the Enfield Hospital at 9 am today.

I finished a needle case I demoed on Monday night as Claire hinted it would be a lovely present for a treasured friend. So it has now left the island in Claire's suitcase.

After a busy week comes another busy weekend:

Today Friday Night Sew In. http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/ I had planned to start on a bag I'd cut out but I was distracted again by a book Claire brought over. well my copy arrived yesterday so I'll work on a June mini quilt instead.

Tomorrow our monthly crop with prizes

Sunday a RIB trip to dolphin watch and go to the Minquiers.

I hope next week is quieter.

Basic Ease week 2

2011-05-14T06:39:00.001+01:00

QBC month 1 week 2, a photo by libertyjsy on Flickr.

My book is still on its way, but the preview of the book is of this quilt so I have made a start.

The blocks are sewn, I now need to work out how to place them as I have scrappy reds as well as the blue / cream combination as I realised a stripe wouldn't work for the red.

Confirmed - I have no self control

2011-05-08T07:20:00.003+01:00

I was innocently looking at the blogs I regularly read, oh a new post at the Moda Bake Shop, click I wonder who designed that, click Quilt Book Club of the Month, ooh that looks interesting, click through to Amazon, book on order. Oh dear in less than an hour, I've taken on another project when I said I'd finish some that are in progress, ordered the book, chosen the fabrics and uploaded the choices to the Flickr group. At least I have chosen from fabrics I already own and need to use up, but probably only because there are no quilt shops open at 7am. I needed instant gratification so an online purcahse wasn't going to satisfy me either.

The only fabrics I had in sufficient quantities were the green and red stripes so I picked up the floral fabric to go with it. I don't have sufficient of that fabric so have added in the cream floral which will give the quilt a more scrappy look.

My favourite blue Thimbleberries fabric will be used for the binding.

I am using up my stash so will piece my backing from Thimbleberries bieges and browns and I even found a block I can use as a label.

Right, I'd better go and work on my Sketch support guest designer assignments, Sketch support DT call and perhaps put some stitches in the many other projects I have in progress.

NSD challenge on Elle's Studio

2011-05-07T09:59:00.003+01:00

Using an old Gogo kit and some Elle's Studio digital tags which I printed onto white cardstock.

Who knew

2011-05-06T07:38:00.005+01:00

that sewing was an extreme sport? I spent a lovely day sewing with Lorraine and Jenny yesterday but boy was my neck and back hurting by the end of it. Next week I'll use my proper chair rather than a dining chair. Despite my injuries, my quilt top is pieced and looking good and I will prepare it ready for quilting once it comes back from Lorraine who is using it as her placement guide. Jenny cut her squares yesterday so I'm sure she will be doing some piecing over this third long bank holiday weekend. Many quilting bloggers piece their backings so I will have a go to try and use up some fabrics rather than buying more.

I couldn't help myself

2011-05-02T15:21:00.004+01:00

I spotted this quilt over at the Fresh Lemons blog. So simple but so striking. I had promised myself no new project until I'd finished three old projects. Well I've only finished one, another is being professionally quilter, but Mavis is having problems with her machine and my third project is nearing completion. I've also tempted Lorraine to join me so I'm cutting doubles of everything except the background.

I found a white backing fabric in my cupboard, so cut about 100 strips of the 112 background strips. Then started by cutting some Sunkissed fabrics I bought a couple of months ago along my my favourite Moda spots. Then everything has been pulled out of the cupboard to look for the perfect elusive fabrics. I was certain that I had more fabric than this. Then I remembered letting Kathryn have free rein on the bright fabric. Damn. Our local quilt store is only open Fridays and Saturdays or by appointment so I have an appointment tomorrow with Lorraine for us to select some fabrics.

Of course, I couldn't resist sewing up a few blocks!! Just to test out the pattern of course. However this does mean it'll take a little longer to work out what I still need.

Stitcher's keeper finished

2011-04-24T08:08:00.004+01:00

The pattern for this is by Leanne Beasley the author of Vignette magazine. Most of the flowers and the threads are the same as Vignette so this has been a good practice piece.

I particularly like the turquoise dotted moda which is the lining fabric for the piece. I may have to buy some more of it. It goes well with the fabrics I've chosen for the Vignette Block of the Month and also the Bliss scrap bag I purchase earlier in the week.

Led astray

2011-04-21T09:45:00.004+01:00

I have a number of blogs that I read regularly, many of them in Australia as I'm following the progress and other work by other Vignette sewers. Yesterday I read that Dilly Dimple had ordered some Moda scrap bags from Hulu I clicked through to be surprised to find it's a Uk store, a few clicks later and I ordered two bags. They arrived today in their kraft bags.

The bags are similar to a jelly roll in that they are the ends left over from a jelly roll being cut and are therefore all from one range, but the strips are various widths. The ranges are bliss by Bonnie and Camille (left) and Clermont Farms by Polly Minick and Lauri Simpson.

And yes I do already have loads of fabric but I actually have a project planned for the strips - the hexagon quilt from Leanne Beasley's Vignette magazine issue 2.

And no I haven't lost my marbles. I thought this would be a great summer sewing project and that I could perhaps encourage some other quilting ladies to join me and work it out of my system. Also Sizzix have some dies from their Westminster range which cut 1" hexagons for the papers and 1.25" for the fabric. So that makes it a demo for Caesarea Quilters too. Also Leanne uses a glue pen to save tacking which I will be exploring and Fiona sells the pens so I can pick one up next week.

Finished block 1

2011-04-19T18:17:00.005+01:00

And six weeks until magazine 3 comes out with blocks 4 and 5. I don't cope with pressure well and even self inflicted pressure. I know I can do these blocks at my own speed and take more than the two years that this project is released over, but I know that if I take it easy at the beginning, it will get put to the side. A point in case are the two 2009 block of the month quilts, one of which was previewed in the last post. Both still unfinished 18 months after the last block was published and I did keep up right until then end, but the Thimbleberries quilt lies half quilted. The TQS quilt needs the last border adding and then it needs to be pinned and quilted.

I wrote an updated projects in progress list earlier this week which grew to 11 projects. I need to finish at least eight of them this year to regain some control!! In case you're wondering here they are in no particular order:
1. TQS BOM border needs to be added and then quilted
2. Garden angel small project which would take half a day to finish
3. Vignette blocks - ongoing
4. Thimbleberries BOM - needs to be quilted and binding finished this month
5. Dear Jane - needs quilting - do you see a pattern developing
6. Blue and cream - half quilted but rucked on the back so some unpicking needs to be done followed by some quilting
7. Stitchers keeper - a recent start which I will take to Chez Soi on a Wednesday to progress.
8. Pinwheel party - with Mavis for quilting then all I need to do is trim and bind
9. Hug cushion - ongoing
10. Jelly roll quilt - border needed but not yet bought
11. Jan Krentz - loads of foundation pieced blocks need to be sewn so my biggest UFO.

Here's my first block, the second and third blocks are already pieced and the stitchery traced. I am waiting until it's all finished before stitching the grass line to try and keep the size of stitches uniform all the way around as I haven't yet got my stitch size consistent yet.

And here's some lovely Moda spotty goodness to go with my Just a Hoot fabrics for the Vignette BOM and also for the interior of the Stitchers Keeper. The only one I won't be using is the green as it's too bright for these projects.

April progress

2011-04-10T15:00:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was our April crop. It was beautiful weather outside and inside was a hive of activity, that is except for me as I seemed to fiddle with lots and only got a couple of layouts finished from the Gogogetaway. Photos next week of those layouts.

I have been busy sewing my Vignette block 1, which is nearly but not quite finished. I finished my Pinwheel Party quilt at least a week ago, made a label from a spare block and only yesterday pieced together the backing. Today I took it to a machine quilter to do a lovely modern feather pattern on it. Then it will just need trimming and binding. This quilt is a pattern I've written for a workshop in September and I decided to ask Mavis to quilt it so that it's ready for the May CQ meeting as a sample. Less stressful for me.

This week I've been working on quilting the border of my 2009 Thimbleberries Block of the Month. I thought a sample was needed to bind for our guild meeting on 18th April, but in the end it wasn't needed. I applied the binding I cut at least six months ago and then added two more strips in accordance with the pattern. Unfortunately I had cut the original strips half an inch bigger, which I didn't discover until the binding was almost finished. Not enough fabric to cut two more strips, so this morning I took apart the binding and this afternoon, I've sewn it back. It's now finished and will need to be hand sewn to the back of the quilt. A perfect job for taking to the Mill every Wednesday. Not that I've finished the quilting of the quilt, but that will be completed after our trip to Liverpool.

Gogogetaway

2011-04-01T08:49:00.004+01:00

Another successful event. I liked six out of the seven classes I chose and here's some of what I completed. The rest will follow when finished.

The first layout was by Lorraine and I loved the idea of stripping off the top layer of the die cut and putting chipboard shapes underneath and embossing them. Several classes over the weekend had embossed details.

Probably my favourite layout of the weekend because it involved sewing!! Though the embroidery floss was rubbish and the eye of the needles provided were too large, but I had some sewing in my suitcase so not a problem. Also my photos were right and I was able to finish it all in class and bought myself a new signo white pen to highlight the alphabet stickers.

Kirsty's hybrid class suited my Egypt pictures perfectly and the plane moves across the page. I still need to fire up the A3 printer and get into hybrids more.

And finally the only photo I took all weekend. Fortunately however there is a group photo taken by Kirsty, who we hope will visit Jersey very soon.

Vignette blocks 2 and 3

2011-03-24T08:58:00.002Z

I'm not sure if I've already posted a photo of this cushion I finished for the Eisteddfod. The cushion top had been finished for a couple of years so I just needed to make it into a cushion with a zip closure. I will be giving this to a friend tonight to go in her topiary inspired kitchen.

Yesterday I did some work on the Vignette block of the month. Issue two arrived over a week ago and contains blocks 2 and 3. I have done all of the piecing apart from the shoo fly blocks around the edge and have started embroidering the middle block alongside block 1 to keep me interested. The original design had the red dot border and the cream pieced as two 18.5 strips, but as the width of fabric is 44", I used one long strip. The other variation is the stripes that I've used which were meant to be 1" finished squares but as there are several large striped fabrics in the "It's a Hoot" collection, I thought it would work well and I'm happy with it. There are no flowers to fussy cut in my fabric so I fussy cut the brown and teal stripes for the 2" squares.

I am also working on block 1 of the BOM too. Issue 3 is out on 1 June so I need to press on, otherwise I'll be three blocks behind.

2011 Eisteddfod

2011-03-20T10:50:00.002Z

On Friday I visited the Eisteddfod exhibition to see how my entries had fared. This is a walk through of some of the entries.

The prize winners including Astra's Makower butterfly. A worthy winner but Jane would like to know what the tune on the edge played as.

Sue Jones beautiful Hawaiian quilt on the left with lots of hand quilting.

My "Behind the rainbow" quilt from the Jan Krentz workshop which got a platinum. I'll be interested to see the points awarded as platinum is 95 and over.

Janet Grady's Jan Krentz quilt - I call this one the difficult class. Mine is still in pieces as I haven't done the paper piecing. However all my diamonds have been sewn and blocked.

My black white and red quilt got a silver and my topiary tapestry cushion a silver, not surprised with the later as there was a mark on it.

Ella's quilt which won Astra's 20 anniversary challenge.

Alex's four seasons embroidery. Alex has definitely found her voice in embroidery. She has always preferred hand work to machine work.

A scarf which was awarded gold. Pretty but as I've made one of these in two hours I know how easy they are.

The Caesarea Quilters quilt for Trees for Life and a lovely chicken quilt (of which there were two very different versions).

Cath Challinor's lovely Japanese quilt which wasn't given a high enough award IMHO.

Sarah Matlock's cute doll.

Judy Bailey's Jan Krentz quilt. Very different colours and quilting to my version.

Patchwork party progress

2011-03-20T10:04:00.003Z

I purchased fabric for the border yesterday from Fiona. The red goes well with the fabric but isn't a shade of red I'd usually buy. I now need to calculate how much backing I need using the same red as the border joined with stripes of jelly roll and a label.

Off to Zumbathon this afternoon. It starts at 1pm which means an early lunch.

March 2011 Friday night sew in

2011-03-19T18:12:00.004Z

Whilst Nick and Matthew went to ATC, I sat to sew on my Vignette block 1.

Elizabeth joined me and subjected me to Comedy Relief on BBC1. I managed a few slow flowers and stems on my block but no great progress, I'm still finding my way on making the stitches all the same size. I'd like to finish this block in March so that I have two months to finish the next two blocks which are even larger, or so it seems, than this block.

One of Moica's button bracelet kits arrived today. That's going to be fun to put together. I might replace the green buttons though as I never wear green.

Pinwheel party centre finished

2011-03-17T08:59:00.005Z

Now I need some fabric for borders. I had spotted a lovely yellow that Fiona had but now that there is yellow on the outside of some of the blocks. I'm now not so sure. I'm going to see what Fiona has on Saturday and take it from there. I have plenty of jelly roll left to do some scrappy borders so it will grow quite quickly now.

As I can't sew anything more on it today. I've been surfing for machine quilting patterns. I think I've found one called fascination that will suit. What do you think?

Monday finishes

2011-03-14T08:29:00.003Z

A few easy finishes for a Monday morning. All I needed to do for this scarf which is very chunky was sew the ends in. Easier said than done when the wool is so thick.

Whilst looking in Linnea of Sweden for fabrics, Lizzie and I saw a canvas with coloured mother of pearl buttons spelling out the word love for £55. I had two canvasses from an unsuccessful class so they were painted red and cream buttons stuck on in a heart shape. I have then sewn them on as I like the look and the buttons won't fall off. This is for the Beaulieu Craft stall at the summer fete. How much do you they should ask?

And last but not least, a gorgeous scarf from wool sent to me my Claire as a get well pressie. Just my colours. The weather might be a bit warm to wear it today unfortunately. This only took two hours to knit and I finished it off this morning with the last few rows and sewing in the ends.

March 2011 crop

2011-03-13T10:27:00.005Z

Four layouts finished at the crop yesterday. The first should have been a quick finish but I spilt a bottle of flavoured water everywhere and I had to replace the kraft background. All I had to do yesterday to start with was replace the two draft printed photos with properly printed photos. This is layout is based on the February Blueprints to go from Scrapagogo.

My second layout was based on Shimelle's 2peas class 4 by 6 photo love. I've used almost all of that sheet of star paper which is very usable and most of the packet of Tim Holtz tickets. It's good to use stuff up.

Another quick layout was the February pages for Year in review which is also a Scrapagogo inititiative. I think I will continue to use the Basic Grey basics each month for the background as they are a good neutral background with a bit of interest. As the layouts are only 6 by 6, it only takes half of a sheet of paper and a few embellishments.

Last page for the day which just needed the journalling to be added today is a sketch support two pager for which I used the scalloped paper plus the papers and stickers I received yesterday morning from Sketch Support for a challenge I won about three weeks ago. I was delighted with the prize, but disappointed I spilt some water on it and there was no alpha or twine. I love the corrugated flowers and the button stickers.

Another good crop - thank you Jenny for the French biscuits and the loan of the Martha Stewart grass punch and knitting needles. Thank you to Joanne for helping me clear up the mess the water made.

FNSI March

2011-03-10T14:50:00.002Z

Once a month Heidi hosts FNSI (Friday Night Sew In). As Nick and Matthew are both at Air Cadets on a Friday night, I plan to join the FNSI for the first time this month. Now what shall I sew? I think perhaps I might work on blocks 2 or 3 of Vignette as issue 2 should arrive tomorrow.

Perhaps if my magazine doesn't arrive, I'll have to continue to work on block 1. My list of projects in progress seems to be growing not shrinking!!

Getting bigger

2011-03-09T08:34:00.003Z

Here's how far I got yesterday. Having thought I would do a five by five grid of blocks, when I had done all the X blocks (double pinwheel), I decided I had enough fabric to make the quilt 5 blocks by 7. There will also be enough fabric left to do a border and binding.

I have all the X blocks part sewn, apart from one, so I have decided to take a break today and my aim today is to add my photos to my instructions to make sure I have all the photos I need. Then tomorrow I can recommence sewing and I should finish the X blocks and hopefully all of the Y blocks too.

Today I am celebrating the end of two weeks of post-op injections. I can leave the house whenever I want!! So the plan this morning is to:
Find the alien invasion cache which had disappeared
Go to quilting and do some stitching on my vignette block
Pick up dinner from M&S
Book car in for the warning lights
Pick up key for Saturday's crop
Do banking for Nick

And then add photos to my instructions. It's going to be a full on day.

Progress from day 1

2011-03-08T07:43:00.002Z

And don't the blocks look pretty. However I've just spotted some unpicking that needs to be done. The block on the bottom left has the wrong fabrics paired together on the outside, which means I have a mismatched block upstairs too.

Shower next and then on with the stitching.

Feeling more like myself

2011-03-07T12:14:00.004Z

Lorraine led a very successful cardmaking workshop on Saturday as a fund raiser for St Helier Sirens WI. We had spoken about me perhaps doing a similar fundraiser by running a jelly roll workshop. Three ladies on Saturday's course, said please do, so I think the dice is cast. Despite being very tired last night I ran up a test block and did one of my infamous line drawings with a cutting scheme for one block.

Last night I got to thinking, if I'm doing notes for the workshop, perhaps I could write a pattern. Then I had a look at how to develop an E-book. Perhaps I should just make the quilt first and then think about patterns. However whilst waiting for the nurse to come this morning and give me my penultimate injection, I have written up the pattern.

After the nurse came I headed off to buy two jelly rolls (Lovely by Sandy Gervais for Moda) from Fiona at You Neek Quilting. Then I braved the not too big crowds at Waitrose for the first time. Loads of different products. All too inviting.

Time to have lunch and start some cutting to test my pattern - "Pinwheel Party".

Vignette celebration

2011-03-01T09:32:00.003Z

To celebrate the publication of issue 2 of Vignette there is a giveaway of fabric on the Vignette blog to make one of the projects in the magazine.

Vignette progress

2011-02-27T18:32:00.003Z

Whilst recouperating from my day surgery op on Tuesday, it was the perfect time to stitch some more of this Block of the Month whilst putting my feet up.

The original uses a range of fabric by Lecien which is not readily available in Europe so I chose the following:
Patterned fabric - FQ stack by Moda called It's a Hoot by Momo
Script fabric - Sunkissed by Sweetwater for Moda
Spotted fabric - Moda essential dots in Lipstick
Background - Moda Marbles in baby white - although it is actually cream / off white

For the label I tried printing the pattern on to the fabric which I'd ironed onto some freezer paper. This worked reasonably well, but I hadn't realised the bounding box was 6" but the unfinished size was 7" so I've added in the turquoise frame to cover my mistake. Just a few stamens to add to the flowers in the label and then it will be time to trace the stitchery border. This I will be doing with Frixion pens which I saw on a blog which iron off. I have tested them on some scraps and they really do work. And you can buy them from Amazon.

sketch support winner

2011-02-24T08:21:00.004Z

I can't quite believe I won the sketch support challenge and keep returning to look at the lovely prize. Here's the prize which includes some of the impossible to find baker's twine. I only managed to find three identical packets ( brown and red) in Florida and it was a Jillibeans product too like the prize.

It looks like a lot of the product I've won is also in the March 2011 Gogo kit so I can play along with the challenges with the product I've won.

Needle case

2011-02-22T07:07:00.002Z

We returned from Guernsey earlier than planned yesterday so I was at a bit of a loose end. I had seen a needlecase on Sew She Sews which I put together quickly using leftovers from the sail riggers bag in January. I took it to quilting last night, and I was helping with the demo, Anne, a new member, offered to hem the binding. the original pattern has the binding being machined on, but I didn't have enough fabric left over to make a 2.5" binding so it had to be 2" and handstitched.

Great news yesterday - I was picked as the winner of last week's sketch support challenge with my Blues Brother layout and have some lovely Jillibeans Soup goodies coming my way, including some lovely corrugated letters in pale blue (I love the green and white versions I already own).

Stitching giveaway

2011-02-18T06:39:00.002Z

Go along to the Vignette blog to particpate in the giveaway for a copy of Leanne's stitcher keeper pattern. I received a copy of this pattern last week and would love to be able to sew this pattern along with a friend.

LOAD13 forbidden journey

2011-02-13T09:02:00.002Z

The same Ali Davis sketch as yesterday. I was going to do some dimensional dots instead of the circle of paper, but I moved the template and made a mess, so I covered the mess with the BG basics paper which I inked and did a circle of gems instead. Thanks to my sister, Joanne for two matching gems to finish the layout I started at yesterday's crop.

I didn't want to cover the themed Harry Potter papers too much so kept my embelishments to a minimum - some HP letter stickers, BG die cut journalling spot, Prima flower, chipboard button, baker's twine, Queen & Co die cut felt and bling from the grab bag we got in December.

Only one more crop until Gogogetaway.

LOAD 12 blues brothers at universal

2011-02-12T16:28:00.002Z

Twelve of us at today's crop and it was lovely to catch up with ladies we haven't seen for a while. Everyone is always given a warm welcome even if you haven't been for a while.

Some photos from Universal with some stash purchased in Florida (die cut circle, star paper, jumbo ric rac and dotty thickers from the Disney outlet). I have almost finished another layout which just needs some more bling which I know Joanne has as we got identical grab bags from Queen & Co which I collected in Florida.

LOAD11 encyclopedia g

2011-02-11T19:22:00.002Z

I can't believe I'm actually managing to keep up with LOAD, today is day 11. I still haven't received my picturepack for my Picturemate that I ordered 10 days ago. No response to e-mails either. I think I'll order another so that at least one will arrive next week. I miss my Picturemate.

LOAD10 encyclopedia z

2011-02-10T20:31:00.002Z

Inspired by today's LOAD prompt I've started my a to z on what I thought was the easiest letter - Z. Julie Andrews may think it's easiest to start at the beginning but I am not inspired by the letter A yet.

Photos not brilliant as I'm still waiting for printer ink and I'm not used to the other printer. Never mind, I've chosen tomorrow's photos too which is a bonus - letter G. What do you think I've chosen for the letter G? Two words and a prize for anyone who guesses them both.

LOAD8 fishing with grandpa

2011-02-08T19:41:00.001Z

LOAD8 fishing with grandpa
Originally uploaded by libertyjsy

Struggling to keep up with LOAD as the printer ink I ordered a week ago hasn't turned up yet. I finished this with the journalling block and it's now in one of my new frames in the lounge. A late Xmas present.

I'm hoping that tomorrow brings a brighter and more productive day, firstly my sewing machine wasn't playing ball, then after Zumba I went to pick up the key for the hall which couldn't be found so can I come back another day, I couldn't park at the doctors to pick up a prescription and from then on the day just got worse.

Off to do some more knitting. Thank you Jenny for casting on for me, I've almost finished ball 2 of 3.

LOAD 7 pirate island

2011-02-07T21:16:00.001Z

LOAD7 pirate island
Originally uploaded by libertyjsy

My Picturemate printer is out of ink and the replacement I ordered a week ago hasn't arrived so I picked a photo I love and not those I'd planned to scrap today.

LOAD6 month in review January

2011-02-06T11:22:00.002Z

I'm up to date on my year in review 2011. LOL I did the front page yesterday and the January double today. I even managed to use some very new product (Harry Potter lettering) and some kit product I didn't like - the patterned border as well as the Heidi Swapp date sticker which I changed with some mini alphabet stickers.

We were very lucky to be so many from our year at the Beaulieu Diamond Jubilee Ball due to the work of Helen Cornish in the main. There was also a photographer who was printing the photos off minutes after they were taken and not too expensive either, so he sold 20 copies of this photo and it was in the jerseyweekly.com magazine as the only picture from the event.

LOAD5 month in review front page

2011-02-05T18:09:00.002Z

The front page of the Scrapagogo project of a 6 by 6 album for a month by month review. At least I know what layout to do tomorrow. Perhaps January?

I painted the chipboard surround in pearl paint dabbers on top of some Basic Grey basics which I will use throughout the album to give it cohesion.

Block #1 Shoo Flies done

2011-02-05T09:17:00.001Z

I was so pleased to get my fabrics earlier in the week, that I immediately cut into my It's a Hoot FQ pack to make the seven shoo fly blocks needed for block 1. Here's a picture of my blocks.

However I wasn't happy with the block I'd cut from the big patterned fabric (top right) so I made another block using a smaller pattern and will use the larger patterns for larger blocks and perhaps fussy cut the owls.

So I'm now catching up on some UFOs whilst I wait impatiently for:
Threads and needles from Sandy
Red spot and baby white moda marble from Fiona

LOAD day 4 Naples Florida

2011-02-04T19:23:00.002Z

I know this started as an Ali Davis sketch at January's crop but I have no idea which one, so when it came to finishing it today, I just winged it. Lots of old Basic Grey used as well as some newer embossed Coredination cardstock and Basic Grey basics for background.

LOAD day 3

2011-02-03T13:00:00.004Z

I can not believe (said in best Victor Meldrew voice) how long this simple layout took. Firstly I couldn't remember how to move text in PSE - but a quick look at a Jessica Sprague tutorial solved that, then I couldn't find the top left photo, so have used a low quality version from an avatar, then lastly, I couldn't print the middle panel full size. But it's now done, I just need to complete the other 27 pages in the album (A to Z plus final page).

OPAM February one done

2011-02-03T09:18:00.004Z

I found this baby quilt in pinks and turquoises in my cupboard. I posted a boy version about six months ago, but the idea of this one was to demonstrate a piped binding. I decided instead to just finish it and all it needed was the binding so it was a relatively quick job and one I could do at Chez Soi on a Wednesday morning or sat in front of the TV.

The quilt is made up of squares of fabrics cut from all the fabrics I could find in my pink / turquoise / green colour theme arranged into alternate rows of pinks and greens with a simple border of fabric I had hand dyed for a backing and this was the left over piece.

I now need to go into town and pick up the keys for WI tonight and then do my LOAD layout for today. I think I really need to start the A to Z album otherwise it will sit in my cupboard unfinished for another five years.

LOAD #2 You & Me 2011

2011-02-02T15:47:00.002Z

LOAD #2 You & Me 2011

A rare photo of Nick & Me taken in Florida last month. This is one of the pages from the May crop kit from Basic Grey Marjolaine.

Load 2/11 #1

2011-02-01T09:20:00.003Z

Layout a Day is here again and I am planning to make progress on an A to Z album as well as use up and finish class kits. So here is Day 1 using a Scrapagogo class kit and a photo of Lizzie in Florida playing one of the three games of mini golf we fitted in.

Sail riggers bag

2011-01-31T15:07:00.003Z

I joined a group called OPAM, one project a month to try and get some projects finished in 2011. Whilst my rainbow quilt is almost finished, it has been taken away to be judged for our group's 20 challenge. Even though it isn't finished to my satisfaction, it still looked very striking.

So having joined OPAM last Friday, it came as a shock that we had to finish a project in January. So I grabbed my bag of goodies bought at Queen Anne's Lace in Kissimmee which consisted of a pattern for the sail rigger's bag by Ev SPires Designs, fabric and iron on wadding which was new to me. I finished the bag today having bought some velcro in town this morning to finish off the project. I made one mistake by adding wadding to the inside pockets but I'm happy with how they turned out and I haven't added a solid base to the inside of the bag as I didn't feel it needed one.

I am pleased with how the bag has turned out and may well offer it as a class through CQ. I have also listed all of my projects in progress and found one or two which I had completely forgotten about which brings the total to about 12 including two projects I am just collecting patterns and fabric for at the moment. I found a simple baby throw in tuquoise and pink in the cupboard, which will probably be the next thing to be attacked as it just needs binding which I can hand stitch at Chez Soi on Wednesday. Then back to my rainbow quilt when it's returned on Wednesday. I need to finish it in time for March's Eisteddfod.

Colour advice wanted please

2011-01-21T08:51:00.011Z

I am working on finishing a quilt over the next 10 days for a group challenge. The challenge due date has been postponed twice. I only found out it had been postponed again last week as there weren't many ladies at the Christmas lunch in December. I had been ill for 10 days so had stopped working on the piece and couldn't go to the meal either. The theme is 20 and including the backing there are 20 different fabrics in my quilt.

This quilt was the product of a workshop run by Caesarea Quilters with visiting American tutor Jan Kretz amidst all of the problems caused by the ash cloud. This an example of the quilt pattern we were following Quick Split Broken Star

Later in the year we had another tutor, Philippa Naylor, who taught us some fabulous machine quilting including freehand feathers which I am using all over my quilt. I've done them in the centre star points in a primary variegated thread.

I've done the freehand feathers in the outer star border in the same thread.

Around the outer border I've used a red and black variegated thread in circles and have already added the red and black binding.

Now to the part where I need help. I want to do some feathered wreaths in the squares surrounding my inner star and my first decision is which thread to use? I have the sand colour which is grey and pale yellow, on the right of the photo or I have the pastel colours on the left of the photo? I want to be able to see the pattern I've quilted without it dominating the bold colours. Opinions please on which colour thread to choose.

It's worse than I thought

2011-01-13T13:57:00.003Z

On the unclutterer blog the writer suggests working on one area for improvement for a month rather than having New Year's resolutions. Good idea I thought (even though we're already half way through January), so let's tackle my scrapbooking first.

So this morning, I had a 9.30am appointment at Education and had a little bit of time to start on this area so I thought I would pull out all the layouts I've made which need to be filed into albums. This is the result. Eek. Some embellishments have come off a couple of pages so when filing them I'll also have to put some back together. First job is to sort them into piles by category. There's at least 18 inches of layouts in those two piles but I don't think I have any stashed elsewhere.

Two other aspects I need to address this month are doing more scrapbooking and I'm meeting up with Joanne tomorrow night to scrapbook - good idea Joanne and also tidying my craft room, but I think I'll start with my filing first.

Celebration segway

2011-01-10T11:02:00.004Z

Another crop layout finished on Saturday using an Allison Davis sketch and the making memories postage stamp paper I'd challenged everyone to use. I think Liz won the prize for using every scrap of paper on at least three pages.

There's a new two page sketch ready to download from Allison's new website

Today's crop

2011-01-08T21:43:00.004Z

A lot of ladies were suffering from colds and flu so we were only eight today, but had great fun teasing everyone who won more than one prize, even though it was inevitable with twice as many prizes as attendees. Not big value prizes but they are still appreciated.

I brought my small amount of US stash which was admired. The grab bags Joanne and I purchased were from this website http://www.queenandco.com/ It was a sale item and only to the US. The cost was $20 including shipping. I was just looking at their website and the rhinstones are $1.29 and we probably have 10 packs of rhinestones each. Felt borders are the same price and we have about a dozen so the rest was free.

I finished one double page and two singles at the crop. A second double layout is half done and will probably be finished at the next crop!! The mad hatter layout used a blueprint for January 2011 from the Scrapagogo website. www.scrapagogo.co.uk This was one of the items I had loaded on my Ipad and then left it at home with my crop kits. Thank you Nick for coming to my rescue.

A Scrapagogo class kit which is nothing like the original but I pinched some stuff off JOanne and a stapler from Liz and it went together nicely.I sanded the woodgrain coredinations paper and it looked so good, Tracey sanded some she had too with flowers on and it looked great.

Ipad heaven

2011-01-05T13:07:00.004Z

We're back from our Florida holiday to a cold house, but it's starting to warm up thankfully. I popped down to Radio Jersey this morning to talk about WI and in particular promote Sirens WI. Then it was off to the Co-op for a few provisions, though our basics were delivered yesterday by Valley Foods. I'm enjoying using their service. Order before 11.30am and it's delivered the same day. Wednesdays seem to be their slower day and they often have a free bottle of wine on offer for Wednesday deliveries. Unfortunately we ran out of washing powder after only one load of post holidya washing, but I ordered some from Valley Foods with some other stuff and it should be here later today.

Whilst in Florida I treated myself to an Ipad so I've been slowly getting to grips with it. I am so chuffed that I managed to load some sketches into my Itunes library, synced the ipad and then by choosing PFDs under the collections button I can see the pdfs and take them along to crops without printing them out. I just need to find someone who has the first three Ali Davis downloadable sketches saved to their computer as they have now been archived at scribd.

Tidying up

2010-12-13T11:09:00.004Z

This is the last layout that needed some extras added after Saturday's crop. I liked this Scrapagogo kit but wasn't sure I'd ever have the right photo, but I think the volume of blue in the photo in both the background and the school summer uniform ties in nicely with the busy floral paper. I managed to mess up the pink cardstock supplied with the kit but replaced it with another busier patterned paper which I would never have used and it works nicely as you can only see touches of the pattern. I added the pink thickers in deep pink and the little letters this morning. The mini alphas are running out in the white as I had to adapt some of the letters!!

I have plenty left from this kit so have added a sheet of pink cardstock and a Making Memories floral paper and will pass it on to Joanne. I know she has plenty of school photos with the same dress. We may even have school photos of the same uniform going back to the 70s.

Time to get ready for lunch.

Getting excited now

2010-12-13T10:23:00.003Z

Just 48 hours to go and I must remember to check in online tomorrow.

One of two layouts that had elements to add after Saturday's crop. This is another Ali Davis sketch. Although I didn't make the design team for 2011 on the new website, I was asked to be a guest designer for one month. I find Ali's sketches so easy to use for great results. Can you tell I'm a fan.

Anyway back to my page, this is of the Bath Tub Challenge and the theme chosen was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I even managed to use some of the very old rub on alphabets I always have in my tote but never use. Thank you to Lorraine for the loan of her star spellbinder dies. I'm definitely going to have to buy some for myself.

I'm looking forward to lunch with Lorraine's Monday club at Chateau La Chaire and then I need to focus on getting ready for our holiday!!

December crop

2010-12-12T08:20:00.004Z

We were a lovely small quiet bunch yesterday. I managed this single layout first from a pagemaps sketch http://pagemaps.blogspot.com I was pleased to use up some old stash in the blue paper and the stitching rub ons.

I have a double page spread that I just need three embellishments on and a single that need some letter stickers. Whether I'll get that done before the next crop, I make no promises. A lovely pre Christmas crop with plenty of muffins left over for everyone to take some home.

That was the snow that was

2010-12-05T11:41:00.003Z

As I was stuck at home with a chest infection this week, the snow didn't affect my week, other than having the children at home for a day and a half. here's a layout from this weekends UKS cybercrop using the photos from their half day on Wednesday. We also had to cancel Sirens Xmas party which was disappoiting as we had a fun night planned.