Making a start

Things have definitely started to get moving over at Mouthy stitches.  There are some fabulous designs and colours being displayed.

 After a false start with fabric choices at the weekend, I sat down and had a re-think.  I'm not going to say much about my partner - you never know who might be reading and I don't want participants who read my blog to think 'oh well, it can;t be me then!'

 

I am now much happier with my choices and the direction in which I am going.  I am busy designing the other side now and will then do some quilting and start sewing it up.  I don't even know what design pouch I will be doing.  I will add fabric to the bottom of this panel, to give me
Head on over to the flickr group and take a look at all those lovely pics

A Giveaway

I can't beleive that a year has passed since I tentatively posted my first blog! Where does the time go.  It was Beccy who kept telling me to do something like a blog - maybe she was hoping that I would stop going on about my sewing to her and tell everyone else instead!

So I popped down to my LQS last week and got these for a giveaway

There are 4 fat quarters here, I thought the patterns were fun and someone will enjoy making things from them.

 

So, just leave any kind of comment - maybe you can tell me why you first starting writing a blog, but you don't have to!

And thank you to you all for being a follower of my blog, for those who leave me comments and make me smile and those who I can chat with. Starting a blog introduced me to a whole heap of wonderful people, many of whom I am hoping to meet in June in London!

I will draw a winner (somehow!) on Wednesday evening.

Superb Saturday

It has been fantastic today - no revision.  I have had a whole selfish day doing what I want to do!  The girls, my mum and I went out for lunch at the garden centre and then there was lots of sewing. I got to finish sewing this:

Looks a bit dull in this pic, will take another tomorrow in the sunshine

The green fabric that I bought for the mystery quilt, was really not the right green, but has now happily found a home around this quilt.  It is all pinned and ready for quilting , but I have no idea how I will quilt it!

I did these

These squares were bought by Jenny last time we were surfing and have sat in a box since.  I found them today by chance so have 'log cabined' them and will do another two for her and hand them over as a cushion cover

I gave this one to my work collegue last night as she is leaving - just something for her new desk!  We all went out for a drink and something to eat last night: about 16 of the team were there.  it was a fantastic night out, with lots and lots of laughter.



Its only Thursday woman

As a treat to myself, and also because I just happened to be passing on my travels, I stopped off at a fabulous quilt shop on the way home today

The moda blueberry crumb cake had just come in and I fell in love with the colours immediately, so had to have that.  The little owl fabric will be used for my mouthy stiches pouch and the green fabric for my mystery quilt
BUT..... I may have got the green all wrong

The greens in my quilter are brighter.  I thought it would be perfect with the yellow and red dots on.  Now I am not so sure.  Anyway, I don't have the option of not using it, because this is what I bought it for! I will give it a go and hope it works out ok.  I would like to get this all sewn together over the weekend.

I have also been handsewing in the evenings and have finished something else off my finish a long list

I like how it has turned out and I love the colours but can't get over the batik side of things.  I think this one may go with my wonky star quilt - to a better home
I keep thinking today is Friday - so dissapointing :-(

Relief

This is me and what a huge sigh of relief looks like.....

I did two exams today, and despite feeling very under the weather with a sore throat, bad head etc I think they went ok.  A few things I am cross with myself for but on the whole I am feeling positive.
A couple of days off now before I move onto the next unit.  This will give me time to research my mouthy stitches partner and catch up on many other things!

My hanging 'thingy'

Yesterday was a very long day for me: left home at 7am and got home about 6.30pm, shattered.  By the time I had had a shower and made tea there wasn't much time left for anything.  Needing to unwind I started to sew and ran this up

 A little hanging storage thingy. I have wanted to try and make one for ages, to free up the chest of drawers in my bedroom.  I couldn't find a tutorial anywhere, so made one up!

Excuse the light switch!

 I am pleased with the result and it is in my bedroom holding things very nicely, doing what it is meant to do.  I feel more of these coming on: the girls could do with lots each!

Today, in a bid to get out of the revision and the house, I walked down to the LQS. My one year blog anniversary is around the corner, so I wanted to be prepared.  I purchased what I needed so will be having the giveaway soon.  I did also see some lovely fabric to finish off my mystery quilt, but that will have to wait til after pay day!

We receive our mouthy stitches partner assignments later today: can't wait to see who I have!

A finish for the FAL

Hurray, I can tick off my first item on the FAL at Rhonda's

 I bound it in a nice bright pink colour, which, I think, brings out the other colours

 This was my first attempt at all over FMQ and I think I over FMQ'd, but hey, it's all a learning curve!

Its a nice cheerful quilt and Jenny and I will be taking up to the hospital when Jen goes to have a look around the childrens ward, so hopefully it will brighten up someones day sometime soon

been practising

I decided to do a bit of practising of zippers before we all get allocated our partners in the Mouthy Stitches swap

I used up some scraps, based around the scraps that Jenna at Sew Happy Geek sent me: the lovely spools of thread

A few threads I should have tidied up before I took the piccie!!  I used a black zip, taken from an old skirt, and some red material for the inside

I may even use this to store my zips in, its fairly long.  Or I may just put it on the side at gaze at it lovingly!

resolved to sew 2012

Ali, over at Very Berry handmade is having an amazing giveaway: go on over and take a look at the prizes! 
My resolutions :....... 
 use up my stash, ie stop staring at it and not cutting it - it will look even better in a quilt than in a box
do some more paper piecing:  I have discovered that I really enjoy this, although it can be fiddly at times!
Do some more sewing for the hospice (I saw someone buying one of my bags at their Christmas fayre: it made me all glowy inside!)
And, whilst you may think this doesn't tie in, but wait... finish my exams... because then I will have way more time to sew, all guilt free too
If I were to win I would pick

this lovely FQ bundle from Gone to Earth: lovely terrain collection by Kate Spain.

Go on over and have a look: you know you want to

Sunday ski sunday

I often tell people that sewing is my 'down time'. Today really proved that point.  I have been revising all weekend, and after 4 hours of it today I came to a grinding halt.  I looked around at all the housework that needed doing and started to cry:-(  Too much to do and too much going on.  I pulled myself together, gave myself 40 minutes to get the house in order and then sat down to sew

 Honestly, 5 minutes of cutting fabric and I felt so much better and was able to give myself a good talking to.  My friend Nicola is leaving work at the end of the month.  It was Nicola who did my amazing secret santa.  I have sewn the above log cabin block for her, to turn in to a coaster, so she can take it to her new work and think of us!

 I thought I'd better get some zipper practice in as well, so started on a pouch

Its not finished as I am now sat down a)doing this and b) watching this

(rubbish picture!!).... ski sunday.  Love this programme and love ski-ing, although its an expensive sport and we havn't been in a long time!  Bizarrely, this is what is keeping me going with my exams.  Last year, after I had already started my studying, I saw an advert for Mark Warner holidays.  They wanted someone AAT qualified (which is what I am working towards) to be in either their central Austrian resort or french resort.  Board, lodgings, ski pass, ski hire etc etc included.  I have always said that once my girlies are off doing their thing, I am going to go and do my thing: and this would definitely be it! (not sure what I would do with my house and mortgage, but hey...)

Ticking things off

Whilst I havn't blogged the past few days, I have been doing some sewing in the evenings.
I finished this:

I just did a little bit of quilting on it

I really love how it has turned out.

I made a start on some of the items on my finish-a-long list too

I started to quilt my Christmas Day quilt

Its great to have something to hand sew in the evening.
But best of all I did this today:

... added the horizontal sashing on to the rows of blocks and sewed it all together.  Some of the sashing came from Jenna at sew happy geek from her scrap giveaway that I entered

Its great to have scraps that I havn't used and add new colours - I really love the stripy orange, red, yellowy one she sent me

(I did do all this sewing after my revision obviously!!)  I really love the way this quilt has turned out and can't wait to get it finished.  I normally buy my wadding from my LQS but not sure if thats the cheapest way: can anyone recommend somewhere where they had great service and a good price? 

I feel like I am starting to get things ticked off my finish list at long last!

Roll up, roll up..

It wasn't exactly a new years resolution, but I was going to try and keep the sewing at a slower pace to concentrate on my exams...... well......there was this:

a zippered pouch swap over here:  if you're not too late, you might be able to get in.  I think Susan, Hadley and Sarah were hoping for about 50 people by the weekend: they are already up to 84!!  Can't wait for that to start.  This is my mosiac

I don't like doing mosiacs, I always seem to get near to the end and something happens and it all dissapears!!  I have also put up a zippered pouch board on my pinterest here

And then this QAL over at Sarah's:

 not sure that I will keep up to date with this as the exams MUST come first, but I will try my hardest and it will definately be finished. This is Sarahs - isn;t it fabulous!

I managed not to work a ten and a half day today (first time since we have been back at work!) so came home to do some revision, but I was so brain dead I ended up just making stupid mistakes, so will wait till the weekend. Only two weeks till the exam and the pressure is off slightly then.

Meet Mac

This is Mac

I have fallen in love with this cushion.  It is probably my favourite (and I have done a few cushions!!)
The 10" pattern block came from Quilters Cache and is actually called rocky mountain chain. I have put my block on the point and added the rest so it fits my 18" cushion.  I have called it Mac (this is something to do with the exams that I am studying for but that is too boring) This was my sewing reward for lots of revision this weekend

I used this material from yesterday - as you can see its a lot more green that the pictures above are telling you

Now, I don't know where this cushion can live - I don't really have a room with these colours: does that mean I should redecorate a room to match my cushion?!

Slowly catching up

Well, I have done a nearly full week at work and it has all been ok: sometimes its easier at work than all the rubbish there is to do/deal with at home!!
Anyway, I rewarded myself with some fabric:

I bought myself some lemon fabric a while back, so the limes will go with that.  I also have a small (getting bigger) collection of FQ's of beach theme material, so the footprints in the sand will add to that too.

I finished sewing this together, with a few changes:

I love how quick this was to do

Love the colours as well.

I did also start to sew the binding on my wonky stars quilt - until I realised that I didn't have enough!!  I will sew on what I have and then sew on the rest when I pick some more up from the market on Thursday (she says hoping they have the very same binding in stock!!
The girls are out tonight which means I get full control of the tv: hurray!  I have loads that I have recorded and a chilled glass of rose to go with it all!

What I've learnt today...

.......that I seriously suck at 

Who knew that I could be so rubbish!!  But.. what a brilliant game and hopefully a great way to get fit.  It certainly blew todays cobwebs away.  I was playing against both girls who continually scored top marks whilst I was down at the bottom - I'm sure you can picture the scene: a 40 something (unfit) vs 2 x teenagers (very fit)
I can definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to boost their seratonin levels!
Looking forward to getting some sewing done tomorrow (if I can move my arms that is!!)

Shall I sneak this in?

This was one of the ufo's that I wanted to add to the finish along over at Rhondas - but my usb ports on the laptop wern't working

I used this pattern using the fat quarters that my girlies got for my birthday.  I was very quick to cut out and even quicker to sew.  I just need to add those two top blocks and get on with it.
However, I won't add this as a late entrant and I will try very hard to complete the others before cracking on with this.  I did lots of revision this evening and no time for sewing, so I will save my reward time for the weekend!

Took a leap

and booked it!

Finish-a-long

I think that this is just what I need: 2012 finish along over at Rhondas.  Now, my first priority has to be my exams and studying :-( but after that here is my list of ufo's:

my mystery QAL top - needs a border, binding and quilting

wonky stars quilt - this is to give away and only needs the binding to go, so this may be the first one to get finished

get these all sewn together and in to a quilt top

do something with my 'Christmas Day' quilt

There were two others that I wanted to add, but not only has the screen gone all funny on my computer, but now my usb ports arn't working either (and my laptop is only 6 months old, so need to dig out the guarantee etc-aaaagh)
so, this will have to do for now - it is more than enough to be getting on with anyway I think!!