CHARM ABOUT YOU

**Make sure you enter the GIVEAWAY before Friday!**


So I said I was being relaxed about my sewing, which I totally am but oddly that seems to mean getting more done! I have been flitting around working on bits here and there and even starting a couple of new projects. Taking the pressure off myself feels so good and makes sewing way more fun - surely the whole point!!

completed

- Vintage Holiday QAL, which became a tree skirt:


- Birthday crown for my son's friend:



This was heavily influenced by Maureen's beautiful crowns and I used this tutorial by Frontier Dreams for the construction. I didn't have felt so I used cotton, sewed on some yo-yos with buttons and appliqued some leaves. It was fun to make and something special for the birthday girl!

fresh

So many birthdays to attend!!  I guess that's what happens when your kid goes to school. We had two parties last week, two more this weekend and one next week. That means present sewing...

- 2 pouches using lovely Aneela Hooey 'Walk in the Woods'


- A little lap quilt for my daughter's friend. I'm using up scraps of lovely bird, garden, flowery prints so this one will be called the Girly Garden quilt! I already had some charms cut up left over from other projects and hopefully the scrappy works. We go to playgroup with this adorable girl, her mother has been a great friend and support each week as we sit, drink coffee and chat while the girls play! Actually I've known her since I had my son, who used to play at the same group with her older daughter and we were even pregnant with our youngest girls at the same time! I will miss her terribly next year when they start nursery.


in progress

- Baby quilt. Top done, needs pressing along with the backing and the binding:


- Braid quilt, a couple more strips done:


- Rose Star block number 19:


- Kids project, coming along, there's a few elements but it's coming together.

no progress

- pin cushion
- Blogger's BOM
- Retro Flowers
- Granny Blanket (Rachel so needs to come over again I think I might have forgotten what to do I've left it so long!!!)
- HFWYG QAL

baby
I'm 28 weeks, in the last trimester and apparently the baby can now open it's eyes and has eyelashes! I'm getting very little sleep, still lots of reflux. I've also got restless legs syndrome... I'm the most moaning hormonal monster right now (my poor husband!). There are moments though, deep and pure moments where I can honestly say I'm so utterly happy, so connected to this growing, kicking baby that I feel filled up with love...
if that wasn't sickly enough we've also been cooking some flapjack!



stats
completed: 2
new projects: 3
in progress: 12

Hope you're all having happy, pressure free sewing time too!

Not wanting to be an enabler but you have to check the amazing clearance sale over at Fresh Squeezed Fabrics, there are gorgeous fabrics at just over two pounds a yard!!! Really! Be quick!





Linking up:

I am determined to get a real Christmas tree this year and it seemed like the perfect pattern.


Rather than have the baubles facing one direction I positioned them to go around the centre and I couldn't face cutting a circle out of a bauble so I used some great Father Christmas fabric for the middle panel. I really love how it adds to the retro feel. This has some of my favourite fabrics in it and I know I'll be smiling for the whole time the tree is up! I used part of a vintage sheet for the backing that I had left over from the Shattered Stained Navy. It matches nicely with the Flea Market Fancy I used for the sashing.


It was free motion quilted using a holly and berry design I sketched out and I'm really happy with how easy it was to do and how it looks:


I attempted to make bias binding for the whole quilt but my pregnancy brain totally messed up when I was cutting and it was pure luck I could rescue enough to make straight binding for the outside and have enough bias binding for the curve. Not sure what I did wrong really but it just didn't work. If anyone has a fail proof tutorial for cutting bias binding please let me know!


Hoping this will look great under the tree... I should maybe work on some cute decorations too.

I have been quilting my Vintage Holiday QAL blocks and decided to do a really Christmassy theme for the quilting. Whenever I'm thinking about Christmas (which this year I can't seem to stop thinking about!) I find myself doodling holly. I went with it and after realising how easy it would be to free motion quilt the design, I started:




It's also a good way for me to practice doing circles (I'm really not good at them at all) and it felt good to do some fmq again. I've prepared the binding so I should have a finish to share soon. **EDIT - to see my finished Vintage Holiday, click here**



With so many projects on the go my husband has noticed the amount of fabric collecting all over the place, he recently told me the quilts are like Gremlins and keep multiplying! Then today he said our house was starting to look like 'AbaBrennans' in reference to the local 'Abakhan' fabric shop! Not sure whether the joke is funnier than the very fact he now knows what Abakhans is!!

Here's my 80s picture (thank you facebook friend for posting this one!)... I think I'm at a fancy dress party and apparently a sad clown... also pretty sure my mum made that costume!

I've been busy doing family things as well as sewing whenever I get a chance. I have so many projects on the go it's hard to keep track, I seriously have a million lists right now. I crazily keep adding things I have to make because I love them/want them/need them, I want to try something new or because I need to gift things. I thought I was getting projects checked off but apparently not fast enough.

Anyway I've done some stuff...

All caught up on the How Far Will You Go? QAL:




I also let the little one loose on the scraps and she had fun gluing, talking about colours and making shapes. Fun game when you don't know what to do with those little extra bits!


One more Vintage Holiday QAL block done too:


I'm working on some things I can't show you yet but all in good time... ok maybe just a sneaky peek:


I'm joining in a couple of blog hops next month, click below to learn more! They are both going to be awesome:

                 
Stayed tuned for some great tutorials and projects!

I also joined another Bee, how could I not when it's being run by the fabulous Helen, Nicky and Sheila! There are a wonderful group of women in the Bee, all very talented and inspiring so I'm thrilled to be part of it. It's kicking off in January and, thanks to Nicky (who reminded me I will be giving birth that month) that's my month to chose a block, so thinking cap on and all suggestions welcome! Also really love the premise of the Bee's creation... that it's scrappy and UK based so I can save some pennies :)



For spending on loveliness like this glittery Kokka text fabric from Pink Castle Fabrics I got recently (totally blaming Katy and her bloody What's New British/American Pussycat - where she lures us into sales and gorgeous new fabric lines from lovely online shops!!)


But it's so sparkly and pretty... and look it even has a message for me in it!!


Better lay off all those potato cakes, cheese and crisps then. Current craving is for jars of baby puddings... mostly fruit puree ones. Don't even ask, my husband thinks I'm totally bonkers!!



Linking up:
         

I'm busy sewing and I have the house to myself, I'm going to be brief so I can get back to it!!


The 'you pick' giveaway is still open so make sure you enter if you haven't already :)

completed

- Pinwheels in the Forest quilt


- Tutorial for cube pincushion and baby blocks


I've also finished the hand quilted baby quilt for my very dear friend. I can't show pics as I want it to be a surprise, I will be handing it to her this weekend though and getting lovely baby cuddles too! Good job I'm already pregnant or I'd be majorly broody!

ongoing

- Tetris QAL. I'm not a huge fan of borders so I added three big pieces of fabric to one side - the jewels and the habitat prints really echo the tetris game. Quick and easy! Quilt top done!





- Blogger's BOM this month's tutorial is at Amy's Creative Side and I really like this one:


- How Far Will You Go? QAL - this is so fun and the two Jess' really are awesome!

St Louis Star - fabulous paper pieced pattern here


Jack in the Box blocks - great tutorial here



- Vintage Holiday QAL




- Sailor Mouth Swap, keeping this one under wraps until it's done and posted!

no progress

- Retro Flowers QAL (are you surprised?!) I will make one more so I least have a row's worth by next week. Think there's any prizes for being the slowest?! - Rose Star blocks
- All the other million projects that are in my brain!!

stats
completed: 3
in progress: 7
new: 0

Before I leave please go and check out Rebecca's awesome charm swap! You can nab a place if you're quick and the fabrics in the Flickr group are really gorgeous. Also the people involved are all brilliant, which is nice!



Linking up: