Finish Along 2016 News

There is big news for the 2016 Finish - A - Long!

For those of you who are new to the FAL, it is a place to find motivation and encouragement to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging about becoming UFOs. Every quarter you post a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months, and then at the end of the quarter, you post a link from your blog, flickr or instagram of each successful finish from your original list. Each finish is an entry for wonderful prizes from our sponsors.

The FAL has grown and grown since Rhonda - now Rhonda's Ramblings - started it in 2012 in the USA. It moved to Canada in 2013 where Leanne - She Can Quilt - hosted it, then in 2014 it was off to Scotland in the UK where Katy - The Littlest Thistle - was in charge, and in 2015 it moved to New Zealand where Adrianne - On the Windy Side - has been doing the honours. And it really has become too big for just one blogger.

So the 2016 FAL is going global - a community of bloggers across the world will be jointly hosting the FAL. Our hosts will be:

• Debbie - A Quilter's Table - USA

• Jess - Elven Garden Quilts - Australia

• Stacey - SLO Studio - Canada

• Jennie - Clover & Violet - USA

• Helen - Archie the Wonder Dog - UK

• Nicky - Mrs. Sew and Sow -UK that will be me folks!
• Rhonda - Rhonda's Ramblings - USA

• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada

• Cindy - Fluffy Sheep Quilting

There will be shared link-ups that you only need to join on one blog (just like we do for #scraptastictuesday) for your links to appear on all the hosting blogs. Otherwise, the FAL will remain mainly unchanged and we are hoping that everyone will join us.

Please link up your Q4 2015 finishes with Adrianne at On the Windy Side, from December 31, 2015 through to January 6, 2016.

And please plan to join the 2016 FAL. The Q1 link for your proposed list of finishes will open on January 7, 2016, on all of the new community hosts.

In the meantime, you can grab the 2016 FAL button and follow along with everyone in the hosting community. 

On Instagram and other social media, for 2016, please use the hashtag #2016FAL and follow the FAL account @finishalong.

It's going to be great fun!

#Scraptastictuesday last of the year 2015!

I'm looking back today - the last Tuesday of 2015 - at what scrappiness I have got up to this year.

Now you would think that would mean I have no scraps left wouldn't you?  No such luck so I guess I'll just have to keep on using up those scraps!   Hope you will join Leanne and I in 2016!

#Scraptastictuesday - December winners!

Hello people I have been very scrappy today taking these blocks

And making them into this monster of a plant  - I think I was channeling panto season but I think I'll leave Jack out of the picture.  Too scary ?  

And how have I got on with those projects I was working on at the beginning of the week?  Well this top is finished and waiting to be made into a quilt for #siblingstogether.

A huge thank you to our generous sponsors for providing the following prizes which were awarded randomly among to the following lucky winners:

• Mad About Patchwork - a $40 gift certificate - #57, Andie as andiemcbee on instagram

• Oakshott Fabrics - a Colourshott charm pack, colours 1-30 -#60, Indiannadreams on instagram

• Green Fairy Quilts - $25 gift certificate, #44, Minding Momma

• Fat Quarter Shop - $25 gift certificate, #32, Linda from Koka Quilts

• Sew Sisters Quilt Shop - $25 gift certificate, #7, Laura from Sewing out of my Comfort Zone

• Sew me a Song - a $20 gift certificate, #14, Flickenstitchlerei

Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who linked up for the lovely inspiration. Please plan to join Leanne at she can quilt and I for January's Scraptastic Tuesday on the second Tuesday in January which is January 12, 2016.

Scraptastic Tuesday - the December edition!

 It's nearly Christmas so of course I'm making a totally impromptu quilt!

My clever Siblings Together beemate Mary Emmens has designed a fabulous Welsh blanket quilt pattern.  It is gorgeous and reminds me so much of the doublesided Welsh blankets I fell in love with at the Ardingly Antiques Fair I went to years ago.  I confess I even bought a few.

So when I saw Mary's quilt pattern I just had to volunteer to test it for her.

So although I'm using my stash this project isn't a scrappy one!

But the one on my other design wall is....

These blocks were donated to Siblings Together by another lovely beemate Catherine!

As you can see there are a few still needed to make a quilt - I'm going to copy Catherine, making some really scrappy ones - scrappy coloured bits and backgrounds!

So here is my beginning - sorting out a whole pile of low volume scraps and ironing them flat.  Now I only need to stitch them into long strips and trim to 2 1/2" wide.  Then repeat with the coloured strips!

You know what I've been and will be up to - now it's your turn...

A huge thank you to our generous sponsors for providing the following prizes which will be awarded randomly among those of you who link up.

• Mad About Patchwork - a $40 gift certificate

• Oakshott Fabrics - a Colourshott charm pack, colours 1-30

• Green Fairy Quilts - $25 gift certificate

• Fat Quarter Shop - $25 gift certificate

• Sew Sisters Quilt Shop - $25 gift certificate

• Sew me a Song - a $20 gift certificate

Please join Leanne at She Can Quilt and I by linking up a blog post or flickr or instagram photo sharing a scrappy project, in progress or finished, or your thoughts on dealing with your scrap mountain:

• You don't have to have joined us before, everyone is welcome.

• One link per person, and it will be your entry into the random draw for the prizes. It is the same link up here and at Leanne at She Can Quilt - so you only need to link up on one of our blogs.

• Please visit at least a few of the links, they are very inspiring, and leave comments too as everyone loves to connect. 

• Use the Scraptastic Tuesday button and invite your friends to join us too. Please share our button, or a link or the hashtag #scraptastictuesday in your linked post or photo.

• The link is open until next Monday night at 10:00 pm MST. We will announce the winners next Tuesday. 

• If you have trouble linking up, let me or Leanne know and we will get you sorted.

An InLinkz Link-up

Siblings Together Quilt Group has a new home!

I am delighted to introduce a new blog to you all.

My friend Maria and I have been thinking that the Siblings Together Quilting Group needed a new home as Flickr is so out of fashion these days.  If no-one goes there, it is a bit hard to tell people, what is going on!

So we have been working behind the scenes to start up a blog and you can visit it here.  In fact please do!  And please leave a comment so we know you have visited.  It can even just be a friendly Hello!  

Our first post gives you a bit of the history of the quilt group, but there will be lot more about the campaign to make 100 quilts for the children in care in the UK.  If you think there is something we should add please let us know.  

Our second post is about the Bluepatch Quilters up in Ayrshire, who are making a few quilts for Siblings Together, ably led by Sheila Donnachie (and here)

If you want to add something yourself about a quilt you have made or are making then do let us know.  Delma the fabulous founder and CEO of the charity Siblings Together would love us to share the stories of quilts we have made, so the children can see how much we put into them and find out where their quilt came from.  

Siblings together quilts

I just finished a couple of quilts this weekend and thought I'd show them.  

The first one started with blocks from my lovely stingy bee mate Catherine (and here).  In the summer she sent me a few orphan blocks and this quilt grew out of them....with the perfect purple backing from @nantucks - thank you ladies!  I've shown the top before but now this quilt is quilted and bound ...

I've never used this colour scheme before but I think it has a girly sparkle!  My eldest likes it but then she does like purple.

Then my lovely siblings together bee mates made these blocks which are quilt-as-you-go blocks and I put them together yesterday!  So easy as the backing and quilting is already done for you!

I have two more blocks, so I'm hoping to make at least one more of these....

And this is the back

Bit of a gloomy photo but that's what it is like at 10am in the morning here! 

Scraptastic Tuesday - scrapping for Christmas!

Here is a wee pouch I made from scraps of fabric, wadding and a wee vintage button.   It could be used to store your glasses, pencils, mini rotary cutters,.....and lots more

I think scraps are ideal for Christmas crafting!   Are you scrap Christmas crafting?  Easier to say after a celebratory drink.....or two!