Autumn!

When I think of Autumn I think orange, brown, red, deep purple.   I think fruit, harvest, piles of fallen leaves, toadstools and butterflies!   

When we lived (before kids) in London there was a pear tree at the bottom of the garden with too many pears for just us to enjoy.  I left some rotting ones for the birds but was surprised to see the butterflies clustering around the fruit to drink in the sweet sticky mess!  





This is the beginnings of an ATC (Artist Trading Card) that I'm making for my partner in the Very Berry Handmade ATC Swap.  The theme is Autumn and I'm hoping that my partner likes this - or will when I've finished.  Bit more stitching required but I can only see well enough in good natural light and quite frankly we haven't had much of that today!


It is 2.5" by 3.5" big - or rather small!   You can maybe just see my pencil guideline to keep me within the bounds of the swap rules!

So do tell me - what does Autumn (or Fall) mean to you?

Charmed I'm sure!

You liked the plus quilt top so here is another photo rich post about a bee quilt!   This one is full on colour and I love it too!

I made up the block and the tutorial is on my very sparse tutorial page.   Then I asked my lovely Scrappy? Sew Bee It! mates to help me out and they did that handsomely don't you think!

It was a challenge to take a photo as you can see but I understand there could be a storm coming.....batten down the hatches and stitch on ladies!

Bee-ing happy!

This makes me very happy!

Thank you Stingy Bee mates for helping to make this.

Siblings Together Bee

I am a happy member of the Siblings Together Bee and have been enjoying making our blocks using fabric kindly donated by Moda.   We are making quilts for the charity Siblings Together which arranges holidays for children in care in the UK so they can be reunited with their siblings - at least for a little while.

I may not have shown my blocks here as I have been rushed to make them at times but I am hoping to redress that now.

Here is the latest block in a series of 5 - this block was chosen by Mary and uses Barcelona which I have had my eye on, on account of the map fabric - particularly the orange and the teal one!

Sometimes mindless piecing of strips is just what I need while I ponder other things but I have to be in the right mood!   Mary made it very easy for us by providing the paper foundation and cutting the fabric in strips!

Here is a mosaic of all the blocks I've made so far...

using Barcelona, Road 15, S'more love, BJ&P and Simple Marks - all lovely fabrics.

We are finishing off our quilts using wadding supplied by Lady Sew & Sew and backing provided by one of these fabulously generous sponsors

       

            

      

So if you are ever buying from these fabulous shops just think you are also helping to make quilts for those youngsters who are not as well provided for as our own......go on buy another FQ!

Comfortable with curves...?

Last week I spent a great day out on a workshop with Carolyn Forster!

Comfortable with curves was the name of the workshop and the aim of the day was to be able to piece curved blocks with fewer pins.   


First of all we got to look at some quilts Carolyn had made using the block we were to make  - this is always a good bit in Carolyn's classes (not that there are any bad bits I hasten to add)....

This one in thirties repro prints

A brown one with an interesting border

Same block a different layout

She also showed us some real vintage cutter quilts and blocks and her versions of them - a scrappy one which I adore!

And Carolyn's version - gorgeous!

These different looking blocks are all made with the same templates - the last two are a scrappy version with only one quarter circle pieced in - a very thirties style sun block

And yet another version using more of an elipse shape rather than the quarter circle.   Carolyn's version on the left and a vintage scrappy quilt on the right.

Carolyn then showed us how to cut out and piece our blocks and we got on with it...


I had a few problems with my choice of fabrics - crazy I know - what could go wrong with Oakshott and Liberty?  But as I was only wanting to make a cushion and go random it just wasn't working with this layout.  Not enough blocks to be random...

So at Carolyn's suggestion I went with this one....

And I have started doing something else....

I do really like this and have done a bit more since the class - want to see?

Last call ....

Last Call for the Finish Along Q4!

I am wondering whether it is worth my while putting up a list as I have been so bad at finishing....well....anything!

Indeed I am considering whether I should distract you all by starting a linky party for those who started the most things - I am sure I'd be a contender!

Well here goes though I could well be kidding myself and you to suggest I will finish any!

I have bee blocks to make each month, and swaps - Ali's Artist Trading Card Swap, the four Trim the Tree Homemade Ornament Swaps, a Stingy bee Secret Santa and maybe another swap ....who knows!?