CHARM ABOUT YOU

no, not just to fabric! But foundation paper piecing. I am going to blame Lynne and Mandy because I can ;)

I actually don't think I can stop myself, I'm even dreaming about it!

After completing the Postcards from Paris, I've started another of Lynne's patterns - the ET phone home block (go and look at hers, it's fabulous!).

Now I've seen a lot of blog talk of low volume quilts recently, well I guess this would be high volume?!!


I didn't intend it to be quite so jumbled, I thought the prints (all School Days by American Jane Patterns, Sandy Klop for Moda) had more contrast. I kind of like the hidden pattern, although I do sort of feel like I've made an awful mess.


I was so bored of using solids for backgrounds I thought I'd try something different.
Yeah 'different' it is!! Maybe I won't be quite so bold next time!!

I shall chalk this down to experience, keep going with it because I do kind of love it anyway, make it a cushion and then move on.

What do you do when you make a 'mistake'?

Linking up to:



 

Oh and...
My lovely friend Nat decided to move on from her old blog and has created a super stylish new one! It's full of beauty, gorgeous makes and she is also preggers :) Please go and visit her at Made in Home.

I'm having such a good time and even I was surprised how much I got done this week. It's mostly all little things but it feels good to tick so many things off the list!



completed:


- Tetris block for the QAL. I loved making this, it's seriously so fun! There's some great prizes on offer so you should visit Melissa at Happy Quilting.


- Wiggly bags. I ran these up in minutes to help a great cause, visit Emily for more details and so you can help too!


- Pincushion. This was made from a freezer paper pieced block I made during a class with Kerry at the Fat Quarterly Retreat. I love the block but not the process and since I wasn't about to do it again (just didn't click, I'm sticking with foundation and english paper piecing!) I thought I'd make it a cute pincushion for my friend!


- Postcards from Paris cushion - blogged here!


- Retro Flowers QAL - I managed to finish my sad 1/2 block and make another one! So two down...


The backing fabric is the same it just looks different in these pictures from some reason! I'm using Essex Linen in Steel.

- 3 pouches! This one is for a friend who is going home to Germany so I made it British! Actually it's London, so I tagged it with Manchester! I also added some cobbled grey lining fabric, how Manucunian :)


The other two are end of year presents for my son's teachers. I knew I wanted to do some embroidery and apples seem so appropriate.


The patterns are from the book Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection by Aimee Ray


I really love how these turned out and am sure I'll do this again! I used this tutorial to make the pouches.





ongoing:


- Stained QAL, no finish since last week and it's only a bit of binding to be shown on, sheesh!!

- Baby quilt - chug, chug, chug

- Rose star - no complete blocks but a bit of basting


- Thread bag - nearly done. Just stitching the lining and need to make dividers.



Stats:
completed: 3
new projects: 1
in progress: 6

Thank you to the local pound shop and these great plastic shoe boxes, I also managed to tidy up my scraps this week. Aaaahhhh it just feels so good to be organised!


Hope you've all been having a great week and now permission to kick me up the bum to finish the Stained quilt...

**thanks to everyone for your lovely offers to help me earlier! I think my quilt has been saved :)**

I got this cushion finished up super quick thanks to Lynne's fabulous pattern and instructions - available here



The front squares are paper pieced and I did some straight line machine quilting as well as a little bit of hand quilting in the squares. I love the bright backing, which matches my kid's cushions!

I'm already comfy on the sofa with it and thankfully the rest of the family loves it too (the cat even got in on one of the pictures - can you spot her?!)!

This is the first item off my Finish-A-Long list and I'm going to go back to sewing determinedly now!


Linking up to:

**Panic over! A HUGE thank you to everyone that commented and those who could help! I have the bits I need. What a wonderful community this is :) **

I need some scraps of DS...

I decided to finish that sad 1/2 block of the retro flowers this afternoon and looked through the pile of petals I had cut and realised I had done it wrong and not cut enough of some prints (and have no more!!).

Please, please, PLEASE can anyone help me remedy my error or it's going to look a scrappy mess!!

I'm making this from DS fabrics that were given to me from friends abroad and fingers crossed either they or someone else may have the little bits I need.

I'm happy to send you charms of any fabric I have in return - including a bit of FMF or anything else you like!! If you don't want fabric I will pay the postage and a reasonable amount for the fabric you send me. I really don't want to have to trawl the internet or pay for a large piece when I only need a small amount.

I need four 5" charms of both of these fabrics:



And three 5" charms of this fabric:


If you can help me I would be so grateful and you can feel proud that you've stopped a pregnant woman crying in despair (yes I can start a pity party!!)

Even since yesterday I've added 3 more things to the list of stuff to do!! Somebody stop me! ;)

I haven't done a proper W.I.P. post for a while, so here's what's up this week...


completed

- bee blocks and blogger's BOM blocks, blogged here



- Rose Star, only one done this week


- A little I-spy quilt


- Embroidered a baby bag :)



ongoing


- Stained QAL - starting sewing the binding on... so expect a completion very soon!

- Postcards From Paris cushion - quilted this last night, on machine and by hand. Just need to make the backing and bind it


- Baby quilt for dear friend - chugging away!

no progress


- Retro flowers, yeah still a sad 1/2 block

- Thread bag - sat in pieces waiting to be made

upcoming


- I went crazy and joined two QALs this week ( I join them when I have good sewing mojo and then lag behind terribly!!):



- making pincushions, just for fun!

- doing something GOOD... and it's really EASY... and you can do it too!!
Sewing wiggly bags for children in hospital. It ONLY takes 2 x 6"charms, a bit of velcro and some ties and probably about 5 minutes of your time.

If you think you can manage that (and I know you can!) please go and visit Emily at Strawberry Patch to see how to make them and learn more about how to do a little to help children with cancer.


Stats
completed: 0
new projects: 2
in progress: 8

Linking up:

So yesterday I made a list of the projects I want to get finished...

last night I did a bit of work on one of them and I now have a cushion top!

Pattern by the fabulous Lynne Goldsworthy and available in The Fat Quarterly Community Retreat Special Issue 2012

Seriously paper piecing is a joy and this pattern is brilliant for a beginner. I'm hoping once you've got it it makes sense because I'm up for trying something more complicated.

I'm going to do a bit of machine and hand quilting on this and then get it finished up.


...So can anyone tell me why I've just spent way too long looking at patterns for various things and now have these two piles of fabric waiting to be turned into things that ARE NOT on my list?!!!



Internet (and by that I mean fabulous free tutorials and patterns) you are sometimes my nemesis.