quilting on the go

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I Love Quilting and Sewing Blog Tour + a GIVEAWAY!

18 September 2014

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**

The Fat Quarter Shop are celebrating National Sewing & Quilting month with a fun blog tour and I was happy to take up the challenge and answer a few questions!

I decided to make myself a laptop bag from the fantastic book Quilting on the Go by Jessica Alexandrakis. I challenged myself by changing the English Paper Pieced shapes to 60° diamonds and squares, which Jessica used so beautifully in her Tanuki stripe throw, and adding magnetic closures. I have never used magnetic snaps before, it was super easy thanks to this noodlehead tutorial, but I did have to wrangle with turning the lining through to install them rather than adding buttons at the end as per the pattern!

The book shows you how to easily make a laptop case based on the measurements of your laptop and mine fits perfectly.

I used Cotton and Steel scraps to make the case and hand quilted it using #8 perle thread in simple straight lines.

I also decided to add some detail to the flap by stitching some pluses, inspired by Rachael from Blue Mountain Daisy and her beautiful stitches.

This was #10 on my FAL list (though I'm not going in numerical order unfortunately!!).

I spend most evenings (and nap times) quilting and I always feel happy and satisfied when I've been able to have time to sew. The Fat Quarter Shop created this banner for me, it's my nod to the famous Goonies* 'it's our time' speech - quilting is my time; to relax, create and do what I love and get excited about the possibilities.

How did you start quilting/sewing?

I started quilting just before I started this blog, encouraged by my cousin and my Aunty. I remember doing some blackwork embroidery when I was young and using a sewing machine at school. I love trying new techniques and currently hand quilting, hand piecing, EPP and cross stitch are my favourite. I like the slower pace and have a couple of hand sewing projects lined up to take me through the winter!

When was the first time you knew that you were a quilter/sewer?

I think after I had made a few quilts and wasn't about to stop!

Do you have any sewing/quilting horror stories or faux pas?

I am constantly making mistakes but none of them too horrific and honestly I don't care if I mess up, it helps me learn. I do know I have to stop when I'm tired, too often I sew things back to front, upside down or just wrong!

What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting out in sewing/quilting?

I think it helps to have someone teach you in person, a friend or a class. There's so many amazing bloggers that post tutorials and tips that you can learn from. It's important to sew things you love, using fabric and combinations that make you happy, and don't worry about getting it 'right', play and enjoy!

The Fat Quarter Shop have released a super cute 'Color My Heart' quilt pattern that you can download for free here.

Hop around and see more of the 'I Love Quilting and Sewing Blog Tour':

Shruti of 13 Woodhouse Road

Sherri of A Quilting Life

Amy of Amy's Creative Side

Alyce of Blossom Heart Blog

Charise of Charise Creates

Lucy of Charm About You - you are here!

Erin of Dog Under My Desk

Amy of During Quiet Time

Rachel of Family Ever After

Anne Marie of Generation X Quilters

Marni of Haberdashery Fun

Melissa of Happy Quilting

Katy of I'm A Ginger Monkey

Elizabeth of In the Boon Docks

Jana of Jana Machado

Lynne of Lily's Quilts

Maureen of Made by Marzipan

Barb and Mary of Me and My Sister Designs

Melanie of I Heart Stitching

Kaye of Miss Print

Dana of Old Red Barn Co.

Natalia of Piece N' Quilt

Denise of Pieced Brain

Stephanie of Quarter Incher

Jane of Quilt Jane

Heather and Megan of Quilt Story

Cheryl of Quilter Chic

Michele of Quilting Gallery

Allison of Quilting Mumma

Teresa of Quilting Stitching & Sew On

Leslie of Seasoned Homemaker

Kelli of Seriously.. I Think It Needs Stitches

Liz of Sew4Home

Erin of Sew At Home Mummy

Sara of Sew Sweetness

Leanne of She Can Quilt

Vickie of Spun Sugar Quilts

Amy of Stitchery Dickory Dock

Tonya of The Crafty Mummy

Julie of The Crafty Quilter

Paula of The Sassy Quilter

Erin of Why Not Sew?

Here in the UK it is National Cupcake Week and although I've not done any baking I do have a sweet treat for you!

The Fat Quarter Shop is kindly giving away this Splash Cotton + Steel Basics Fat Quarter Bundle to one of you! I chose this bundle because obviously I've been working with the lovely Cotton and Steel fabrics and love them. The basics are totally beautiful, that metallic print on the top is one of my favourites, and this bundle has gorgeous colours from the minty greens through to navy blue.

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED*

There are 3 chances to enter the giveaway but I MUST have a way of contacting you, so please leave your email address if you've not commented here and had an email in reply before (I will stop the no reply drama!!)

~~1. Leave a comment, say anything or tell me how you would like to challenge yourself in your crafting.~~

~~2. Follow my blog and leave a separate comment - the subscribe / follow buttons are on the right somewhere up there! (optional entry)~~

3. Share this giveaway on social media and leave another comment telling me how you shared. (optional entry)

~~The giveaway is open until Monday 22nd September at around 8pm (BST). The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here on the blog.~~

Good Luck!

* I am overly excited at the prospect of the Goonies sequel. Never say die.

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I really do love fabric

06 August 2014

especially when it's gorgeous fabric like the ones I am currently working with...

An English Paper Piecing project from Quilting on the Go:

A sample quilt for a class I'm teaching:

Fun small makes:

Cotton and Steel available here and here

Arizona by April Rhodes, Limited Edition available here and here - and hurry it's selling out fast!

Make sure you enter my giveaway - open until 11th August.

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girly pincushion and planning

23 May 2014

Getting to grips with my FAL list and I finished up this sweet pincushion, it really took no time and I love it's chunky feel. I like a deep pincushion and this is a great size. It's from the book Quilting on the Goby Jessica Alexandrakis and I think I will make more because it's a fun little gift to give.

I let my four year old Joan pick the fabrics (can you tell?!) and it's a smiley little pincushion as a result.

Here's one from Jessica's book and I love that you could make this look really modern or give it a vintage vibe. It would also be a fun way to show off a favourite button.

I've been cracking on with my WIPS too and I finally got round to making the March block for the Classic Meets Modern QAL:

I crazy love doing DP blocks and I always use this method without pins. So much quicker and always a good result when I use my quarter inch foot too.

I've also prepared some lovely scrappy binding in preparation for my le challenge project. This months theme is charity.

Lastly I would be so grateful if you would vote for my Bees of a Feather quilt in the hand quilted category of the Blogger's Quilt Festival - you can vote for it here

So much to sew, catch you later!

Linking up:

at Georgia Girl Quilts and finish it up friday at crazy mom quilts

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mad about applique and a winner

22 June 2013

I am trying to work on my applique skills and this little project was great practice for me!

I made this tea towel from the book 'Patchwork Please!' and am joining in the Zakka Along 2.0.

I chose to just do the little pictures to represent 'breakfast, lunch, dinner' on one tea towel and as much as I love seeing all the beautifully bound ones I really haven't had time to bind it.

I chose some of my favourite scraps since I'm going to be looking at it a lot!

In other applique news I finally made this Apple Leaf block for Jodi in Scrappy? Sew Bee It. The tutorial is fantastic and it was so fast putting this together. I love it and think she's going to have a gorgeous quilt - her inspiration is beautiful too.

I got my own block in the post this week, an amazing Rose Star from my incredible friend Nicky. We did our own little swap because we are working on the same size and it seemed like a fun thing to do. I adore the vibrant fabrics she picked and I love that my quilt will have a bit of her work in it!

She also sent this cute card and 'space invader' filler shapes for my quilt - how very kind you are!! You have now also named these little creatures so thanks for that too ;)

Talking (writing?!) of EPP...

the winner of a copy of Quilting on the Go is:

Congratulations grandmarockton, I have sent you an email :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Quilting On The Go! blog hop and GIVEAWAY

17 June 2013

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**
I'm so thrilled to be part of this exciting blog hop to share this awesome book by Jessica:

I bought my copy last week and trust me this is an excellent book about English Paper Piecing. I'm still fairly new to EPP and I've learnt so much from reading it. Quilting On The Go! is not only a great introduction for those who've never done any EPP but it full of brilliant projects that everyone will love. One of my favourite parts is how she explains all the variations and possibilities of EPP shapes - I have added lots of ideas to my 'to sew' list. In the past year I made a hexie cushion (there is a pattern for similar in the book!) and a car seat quilt:

And I've been working away at my Rose Star quilt... slowly slowly... picking it up every now and again

One of the many fabulous reasons to EPP is it's portability - you really can take it anywhere and it is so relaxing to be able to sit outside and sew on those rare sunny days in England!

I was having a conversation with my husband, he thinks I look beautiful,
I think I look like a dork.

I was hoping to have my most recent EPP project finished to share with you today but I think I was a little optimistic, I've been busy with other necessary sewing, and have only got this far:

Lovely Liberty and Architextures crosshatch.

It's going to be a cushion and I'm planning on hand quilting it.

I'm pretty in love already and enjoying taking my time...

after all EPP isn't a race.

don't EPP and drive ;)

Check out all the stops on the blog hop:

June 11 Lesly at Stitch Literate http://pickledish.blogspot.com

June 12 Clare at Selfsewn http://selfsewn.blogspot.com/

June 13 Christina at A Few Scraps http://afewscraps.blogspot.com/

June 14 Victoria @ Bumblebeans http://bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com/

June 15 Amanda Jean at Crazymomquilts http://www.crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/

June 16 Laura at Quokka Quilts http://quokkaquilts.blogspot.com/

June 17 Lucy at Charm About You http://www.charmaboutyou.com/

June 18 Katy at I'm A Ginger Monkey http://www.imagingermonkey.blogspot.com/

June 19 Ara Jane at What Ara Jane Loves http://whatarajaneloves.blogspot.com/

June 20 Kathy at Pink Chalk Studio Blog http://www.pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/

June 21 Jessica at Life Under Quilts http://lifeunderquilts.blogspot.com/

Paperpieces.com is offering our readers 20% off their entire shopping cart, no minimum purchase, with the code UNDER20 throughout the entire book tour.