Multi tasking

I have been trying to finish all my outstanding projects before I start on anything new. One of the outstanding projects is my ET block.  I took a long time to find the right fabrics to get the look that I wanted but got there eventually and am now ready to quilt this block and turn it into a cushion

I have a few other projects that I am finishing off too, but will show those another time. I am fitting my jobs in around the olympics. The opening ceromony was just amazing and, like so many others, I was very proud to be british.  I am currently watching the diving, the girls are very talented

One of my jobs was to repaint the decking. I started yesterday afternoon and got up early to finish off as I knew rain was forecast.  Not only did we have rain, we had hail. There is about 3 hours between the pictures taken at the top and the ones on the bottom

Good old british weather!!

The lavender I have has also been attracting the bees: there have been loads working away on this (not that I managed to caputure any on film!)



Lazy summer days

There hasn't been an awful lot of sewing going on here. Beccy and I took ourselves off to Woodbridge in Suffolk on Saturday and had a mooch around and then Sunday was so lovely it was too nice to be inside

So I got on with my label for the BQS3: I was inspired by the fabulous name badge that Lucy made for me-her stiches were amazing. Mine are nowhere near as good as hers, but I am pleased with how it has turned out

 I can now get this sewn on to the back of the mini and then get on with some hand stitching

I received some delicious post this week, fabric from Pink Castle Fabrics: all in their sale, half a yard of each.  I don't normally splash out like this, but when I saw the sale prices it was mad not to!!

 I have been sitting in a boiling hot office this week - I finish for the summer next week, around the time that the weather is set to go back to being unsettled!  I believe it hit about 29 degrees here today, so we splashed out on a disposable bbq

Beccy doesn't eat meat, so we only need a tiny bbq and these are perfect.  This was the toasting marshmallow stage (best bit!) Beccy also doesn't do bugs of any description, which is why she is sitting all regal like on the chair!  This is our 1st bbq of the year, I hope there will be plenty more

I will be posting off my purse tomorrow for the purse swap - can't wait to see who has got what!

More EPP

This week has whizzed passed! All the schools have now broken up but I still have next week and a couple of other days to work, before I can declare that I am off for the summer

I decided that I really need to get this mountain of scraps down a little over the hols

 And that this is the way forward

 I have always admired double wedding ring quilts: I think it is the 'original' quilt pattern.  I am also aware how difficult they are to do!  But I got these ready made pieces from paper pieces and I am ready to give it a go

The paper is like a more solid version of paper, without being card and it is really great for getting the fabric to sit snugly around the curves.  I started basting last night

and I am aware that I have a long way to go!! But before I baste all my pieces, I want to know that I am capable of this so am going to do one circle first - see how it turns out, before I continue.
Any tips on the double wedding ring quilt will be gratefully received!!

My advice : stay at home!

So yesterday we caught the train to Stratford and went to have a nose at the Olympic Park from the John Lewis viewing gallery

 I believe that this is the aquatics centre. The 3 red things are the entry gates as far as I could make out

 These two (above and below) are the stadium, with the city of London in the background : its a great view on on a lovely July day!!

And I have no idea what all these tents are for: it looked a bit like a refugee camp!

It was great to get an idea of the scale of the place and to have a look. I had thought I would go in to London during the games and also get off at Stratford and have a mooch around etc.  But I can not tell you how busy Westfields was yesterday: I have never seen soooo many people in such a confined space. I imagine that there will probably be double that number in two weeks time and I honestly don't know how it will cope - so I have decided that I will be staying at home and watching it all on the telly.

After yesterdays hustle and bustle I have had a very lazy day today (mainly due to a bad back again)  I have done a lot of sorting and cutting: getting lots of EPP projects sorted for the summer hols.  And I have sewn this together too

My mini quilt for BQS3. I am really pleased with how it has turned out - and would love any suggestions on how to quilt this!!

Olympic sight seeing

Well, after a particularly horrid week, I am ready for the weekend. I am taking Beccy and her friend Beth to Stratford today, to the Westfield shopping centre.  This is my purpose for the visit:

Not only to wander the haberdashery etc but also to take a look at this:



Picture from the John Lewis viewing area

They have a viewing gallery of the olympic site, so it will be great to go and get a peek from a different angle (I have seen it being built slowly on my trips in to London on the train)

Beccy had a particularly nasty 3 first days at work experience this week, to the point that school told her not to return. She is now working at our local Boots, in the village, who have been beyond fantastic and I can't thank them enough.
My exam on Wednesday wasn't great and wasn't bad, but I came out feeling very down.  Time will tell: I get the results in about 6 weeks.  I was really poorly last weekend with a stomach bug so lost a whole weekend of revision.

So, today is a our treat day to ourselves!  Will let you know if I think the Olympic site is looking ready or not...!!

3rd quarter FAL

EEEk how are we now in to the 3rd quarter!!
When I first thought about this quarter, I didn't think I had much to finish up: sadly I was very wrong!!

This should really be first as it has been carried over from 1st quarter and the 2nd quarter!

And then, in no particular order:

make some more of these scrappy stars and get them made in to a quilt

Do something with my ET block

make this in to something, probably need to add some more first though!

 And something with this.  This is a charm pack that I bought: trade winds. I love the fabric and it translates in to this beautifully.  I have a duck egg/grey to compliment it and really want to get on with this

So, quite a few things to be cracking on with over the summer!

I have my exam tomorrow and have spent all day revising today, so I was at home when the postie delivered these:

See the minitaure storm at sea at the back (the blue packet) - well the smallest piece is a tinsey triangle, each side a cm long!! Not sure if I am up to that!

Linking this to Rhondas FAL

What revision?

I really did try and do lots of revision today, but following a late night last night, my brain was really not up to much.  I did what I could and then moved on.....

 This is my design for the Brit Quilt Swap 3.  I finished cutting up all my little triangles and laid everything out.  I am going to move the blocks around slightly to vary the colour better, but I am pleased with how it has turned out

I finally finished off the little 'walk in the woods' EPP that I had been doing-finally got the binding on and all done. It looks great on my kitchen table now

 I will aim to get up early tomorrow, so that I can cram a load more revision in before the tennis. I am not normally a tennis fan, but I can't believe that most of the uk will be sitting and watching tomorrow (and if they're not then I bet they will be watching the grand prix instead!)

2nd quarter FAL completions

I have just been over to Rhonda's to add my finishes for the 2nd quarter FAL

It was an improvement on the 1st quarter and this time I had a 75% success rate (if that were my exam I would have failed as the pass rate is 80%!!)

I managed to finish off these:

my mug of tea quilt

my mystery quilt: starburst

and finally....
 

my stained quilt

I am extremely happy at this success rate, and would say without a doubt, that it is the FAL that is spurring me on with these finishes. 

On another note, I saw a tweet today from Katy, telling us that there was 25% off and free shipping over at paper pieces.com.  I can't tell you how fortuitous this was as I had been perusing their site to see what I might want to purchase.  Needless to say I placed my order today and should be well stocked up for paper piecing for quite a while!!

Siblings together

A while ago Lynne put a post together appealing for quilts to be made for the Siblings together charity
This is an amazing charity for siblings who get separated when in the care system. Can you imagine: your family circumstances changing so much that you have to go in to care and THEN to find out that you will be on your own, your siblings, who you have grown up with, will be going to a different family. It doesn't bear thinking about and it would break my heart if I thought anything like that would have ever happened to my girls: so why should it happen to other children

I donated my wonky star quilt.  This was the 1st quilt I ever fmq'd and I learnt a lot about fmq!  It's not a big quilt, I wish I had make a bigger one, but I hope someone will make use out of this.  Next year I will make a bigger one - I have no doubt that there will be another quilt making session for this next year too
So go on over to Lynnes and read all the posts from others who made quilts too and also why the charity was started

July fresh sewing day already!

Wow, how is it July 1st already?? I'd like to say that summer must be just around the corner, but probably not!

June was a succesful month for me: the retreat was just amazing and I made my blue purse and started the union jack pillow there.
I finally completed my stained quilt, which I am sooo in love with.  The colours are so summery and just made for the beach.
I also made two quilts for donation: the blue one to Farleigh Hospice and the pink one to a little girl who has been poorly: her mum works with Jenny at Asda
I have finished my purse swap and it has been well received on the flickr group: phew!
And I have also been doing some EPP and some paper piecing, both of which were very addictive.

And if all that wasn;t enough, I joined my first ever bee!

So overall, a good month for me I think .  Am linking up with Lynnes fresh sewing day