CHARM ABOUT YOU

I just couldn't help myself!! Another beautiful package from The Weavers Mill and more scrumptious Liberty. The addiction is real.

I bought 3mm flat faux suede leather cord in light grey, brown and pink2, a square of Wild Perennial A (the bottom fabric) and Wiltshire B (as part of her Thank You offer), some lovely free scrap pieces and a great selection of Liberty bias binding because I have plans!! 

It is absolutely stunning and I can't wait to get to the point where this can be added to a quilt I'm working on. I just hope it works out like it looks in my head! Bias binding is the perfect way to inject a little Liberty glamour into projects :)

Next I got some very cool holographic glitter vinyl, impossible to take a good picture of but it's amazing! An Ebay find, click here for the listing - it is the silver glittery option.

There are fabulous text prints and a great mix of colours, here are some of my favourites:

Check out the STORY Lookbook here for all kinds of gorgeous inspiration. There is already a plan brewing in my mind as to what to use these for!

If you aren't familiar with Carrie and her work take a look at her website - I think she does all she does so well and I enjoy her whole ethos, like her annual unplugging. 

My friend asked me if I could make her a buggy liner. I'd actually never heard of them, I've used the winter ones with the foot muff to keep them warm but it never occurred to me that a cotton liner would be comfy and practical for the summer. I was a little nervous because I've never done button holes and my machine doesn't even have the function for such fancy things but I just went for it with a zealous zig zag. 

I used half a yard of two prints from the fabulous Rocket Age by October Afternoon I bought from Fluffy Sheep Quilting. So it's reversible but that vintage comic style main print is just gorgeous and happily she sent me a picture of it on the buggy:

The red binding is bias binding from Frumble - I love buying bias binding because I hate making it! I machined it on, which I hate doing on quilts but maybe because this is bias binding it worked really well and I am so pleased with the finish.

This is the second finish from my FAL list and I'm trying to stay focused and get things done, I'm going to have a busy weekend because I'm hoping to get at least two more projects finished for next week. Have a good one and check back on Monday because I will be having a giveaway!

Linking up to:

I've been getting on with my QAL and BOM blocks but I started with the easy bits. I've yet to do March of the Classic meets Modern QAL but here is April's Double Z block:

I want to get on to the pretty appliqué but for now here's my background for the first English Country Garden BOM block:

I know it looks dark and kind of boring but it's going to make that daisy pop and I've used some of my very favourite fabrics since I've decided this will be for the (not so) baby girl. I need to get cracking with Joan's big girl quilt too, those butterflies are waiting on me finishing the final appliqué block.

It's been fun getting back to work on the machine because I've done some marathon hand quilting. I just finished quilting a baby quilt and this is how much of the cream perle thread I had left - so lucky I didn't run out!

I've got the bias binding ready - the chevron print is hopefully going to add a cool graphic look to the edge of the quilt - not that I forgot I was cutting it on the bias and it wouldn't be stripy obviously *doh*

Wish me luck it doesn't look too much of a f**k up bad!

Here's Karen to tell you a bit more:

Blondedesign-a stitch in time was started by myself Karen Gamble.  Dare I say I'm an Essex Gal.  For as long as I can remember, in my spare time, I quilt and sew. I had my first sewing machine from Santa at about 10 years old. My father was a tailor and my grandfather made bags from off cuts of Ford seat fabrics - recycling in the 60's! It’s in the blood!

Cape Ann Doll Quilt and Pillow Blue

I specialise in basics and stash builders - building blocks we all need! Growing every week with new fabrics coming in. I love to shop by colour, so that is my next move on menu systems. Who doesn't love a rainbow quilt?! I shall be changing my website in the next few weeks with renewed focus on solid, textured, and patterned 100% cotton quilting weight fabrics.

bundles and mini charms

I have a terrible love for bias bindings, a bit of a passion of mine! Over 200 and still growing, sourced from Europe. Yes I know we can all make our own, as well as the quilts, but these save you time, money and heartache! Put it this way, I love to use them and only buy them if I do. Perfect for quilt edging, skirts, tea cosy, even lace edge ones, all those things that need an oomph and detailing.

amazing selection of bias binding

Watch this space as more buttons should be arriving in the next week. More sizes, more choice, bags of buttons and well, just buttons!

buttons

Regular Offers:

For every Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine that comes out I will choose a project, albeit one I want to make too! and do an offer for that month.

For example: This month a snowball quilt, throw size. The fabrics for the cover front would cost you £70.00 or more alone but I'm offering £60.00 - 15 x FQ and 1.75 m White, all Moda fabrics to make it but still a bargain even if you just stick the fabrics in your stash!

Snow Ball Quilt Bundle Offer

The same applies to a Mollie Makes Project. I will select one that may use FQs, fat 8ths etc. and upload an offer saving you money.

Also, coming soon, a monthly giveaway on my blog.

The website is easy to use, clean looking, with a great modern feel.I am still evolving my business so I am open to all feedback and what you want to see.

Pre-Christmas; Free Delivery!

Thanks Karen! 

Be sure to check out Blondedesign and take advantage of the free UK postage. 

Then head over to Karen's blog to win a copy of Love Patchwork and Quilting!

My son recently got a huge hole in his jeans, as kids do, and I took the obvious decision to cut them into shorts.

I didn't want to just hem them though, boring! So I took out my scraps of binding and let him chose which one he wanted on his shorts. He picked the orange gingham bias binding - clever boy!

I'm sure this has been done many times but here's my tutorial on how I did it.

Cut the strips of binding (this happened to be all I had left!). I didn't properly measure just ran it round the leg and added a bit extra.

Turn the shorts inside out. Leave a tail of binding (don't start at the short edge because you need to sew the edges of the binding together). Since this was ready made binding I just opened it out and sewed along the crease.

When you get close to where you started sewing stop with enough room to match the ends. I do this by folding back the edges so they butt up against each other and trimming off any extra to leave a rough 1/4" seam.

Sew the ends right sides together along the crease you made. Finger press the seams open.

Go back to where you stopped sewing and carry on sewing all the way around.

Turn the shorts the right way round, pull the binding through and fold over the front of the shorts.

I don't bother pressing or pinning but feel free if you want to. Topstitch along the top edge of the binding to finish. I move my needle over to the left and use my foot as a guide to get a neat line.

Then you have one cool looking kid!