Should I be brushing my teeth?

They do look a bit orange - do you think I need to brush them?

I am working to finish one of my Finish-along list....lots of you are getting quickly through your lists (Erin - for example!) and I still have two to do!


I started this lapquilt last year as part of my first ever Quilt-a-long - The Across the Sea one run by Jennifer and Sarah.  I loved the pattern so much I actually was making two - a baby quilt which I did finish....sort of! 

And this one  - a lapsize quilt called the Fright Nite Quilt for Hallowe'en and watching Doctor Who!  These are all my blocks...

I did think about making the border the same as the original and but an image of teeth or rather fangs came into my head!  Much more Hallowe'eny!   

Then when I realised my best option was to paper/foundation piece them I became a bit less keen ....so after this one section it got shelved!


Now having survived wonky houses which were mainly paper pieced I thought I had better return to the ugly teeth!  So here I am six sections down and more to go but how many...?


Originally I was thinking of them being the border...

Now I am thinking of sashing.... but like this

Which layout to go for?   I am leaning towards option 2, more scary I thought.....what do you think?






Now we all like a smile and a happy face don't we?


Well I was helping out at toddler group this morning and taking my camera caught a few pics of the Twinkle quilt baby!


Here she is making a lunge for my camera hence the blurry image...

She was smiling shortly before I took this picture....and in fact shortly after..

Obviously being a supermodel is exhausting work but she did wake up in time for singing!

And here is her Twinkle quilt!

Don't forget to help me out on the toothy dilemma....

Twinkle!

I am feeling very happy! 


I have finished the Twinkle! baby quilt which I started in September last year and is one from my list in Rhonda's Finish-A-Long! [Linking up with Rhonda!]

That means I qualify already for entering a prize-draw!  Yipee!






It also means that I can now hand this little quilt over to the baby's mum, before baby grows too big for it - Phew!   This cutest little baby is enjoying lying on her back and will endure lying on her front for a little while so I hope she can put it to good use!  I will be handing it over on Tuesday!

I FMQed hearts all over it and this time there were no little pleats,  still a bit of difference in the size of my stitching but I think it is getting better!  

I also machine stitched the binding on - first time for that!  It's not perfect but     it is a beginning...

The backing is purple with unicorns on it - I hope she likes it ! 

 Purple with unicorns on it - how could she not?  Grin!


And lastly I FMQed the label....

The baby it is for is certainly a little star in the making...maybe her mother will let me post a photo?

Bordering on ....across the sea!

After quickly stitching up the rows of the Across the Sea QAL quilt - bit of a mouthful I know - I thought I may as well stich up the borders.

The pieced borders were easy to do as I had cut out most of the pieces already!  But then I thought how nice to take advantage of the Dan Stiles fabric design I am using as the main focus of my quilt.  The design pattern seems to go in horizontal lines - what better for my top and bottom border. I chose one design  which I had had to chop up short in my blocks and features kissing whales!  Awwww!

So here it is quilt top done

Still a bit windy today!  But I do like quilts blowing about in my photos....

I am not adding the second border as I haven't got the fabric and I don't think it needs it - kissing whales are surely enough!  But I will need a cool binding so I will need to think about that.

And as it was sunny at lunchtime I got two baby quilt tops dancing on the line - pity I don't have a baby myself!

I love them both and do not know how I am going to give them up - even for a cute baby...?  Sorry no I don't get the baby in exchange - didn't mean to suggest that!  Tempting though....!  Heehee!

Twinkle! top complete!

 Sorry about the photos today - the weather is windy outside and a bit gloomy.   Autumn is definitely on it's way!

As you can see all stars are completed and here are the few extra for Bee Blessed. 


This is a worthwhile cause if you feel like joining in.   I'm sure you still can at the Bee Blessed Flickr Group!  This month was wonky stars but Judith will be giving us another block to tackle next month to challenge us and keep the fun coming!

These will be flying over to Ireland!


All my stars are joined together.  All ready for layering ...but maybe a border needs to be added??  What do you think?  It measures 42" square.  Is that big enough for a baby quilt?

I was wanting to add baby's name but hadn't decided how!  Still don't know but it may well depend of whether there is a border or not....I have already had some suggestions but keep them coming.....all ideas are welcome...

Baby love!

As you know I have started a new project called Twinkle! with wonky stars as a baby quilt.  The recipient is a teeny gorgeous baby with the cutest button nose and I got to hold her today at church this morning!  Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!  Am I broody or what?  She gurgled her way through the service so I ended up listening to her....


I have to say I had to restrain myself from running off with her but her dad is a policeman and the grandparents do know where I live!  Her mum is a nurse and I think she couldn't really have nicer parents - lucky wee girl!


So for her benefit I cut out some more fabric - I thought enough for 16 blocks in total but miscalculated.  Only half the number of yellow pointy bits have been cut out...

But as I have discovered some other yellow fabrics to give the blocks a pleasant scrappy look I am quite happy not to be finished.  Better get back to the cutting then....


I am also looking forward to seeing the border in the Across the Sea QAL today!  




My Fright Nite border will be toothy to go with my scary theme of course but I may yet be starting a boy baby quilt with the Dan Stiles fabrics and Caribbean Blue - here is a reminder of what it all looks like....

I have found a supply for my background fabric now - though I haven't got a boy baby to give it to ....yet!  But two other baby girls need quilts....where have all the boys gone?

Twinkle, twinkle ....

2 little stars in my baby constellation quilt!

More matrouyshka fabric, lots of dots and yellow pointy bits!  I will keep going until the fabric runs out or I have enough blocks to make my baby quilt. 

The blocks are 10.5" finished and I was thinking if I made 9, 12 or 16 I'd have the right size and could always add a border or two on if not.

Only had to use the seam ripper a couple of times with these so think the penny is dropping but lots more time to make mistakes yet.  


Somewhere on the quilt I would like to include the baby's name - pieced in, appliqued  or embroidered on - not quite sure yet ....if you have a view let me know.  


Twinkle, twinkle little girl!

ok so I've started another new quilt!

After a flurry of name tagging activity on Tuesday I discovered that I didn't have any school shirts for my son - oops!  Fortunately a quick visit to town solved this problem and we were back on track for all three to attend school yesterday!

On Wednesday my son was on an induction programme which continues for the rest of week with team building exercises and a treasure hunt around the school grounds.  Proper school work doesn't start for him until Monday!

With all this activity there was again not much time for sewing - apart from more labels for the shirts and some trouser shortening.

Thanks for all your suggestions on baby quilts.  I will need to browse a few blogs to see the examples but I did get around to cutting out some wonky star blocks and stitching them together.

There is something about this block that messes a bit with my head.   Normally we spend so much time trying to get things right that it feels strange to deliberately be 'getting it wrong'!   I am guessing it gets easier the more blocks I do - at least that is what I'm hoping!

I did manage a few wrong things I was not supposed to do, like forgetting to trim off the excess - this way up it looks ok 

this way up not so good  had to trim off the excess with my scissors!

Never mind I have made a couple of blocks for Bee Blessed and these will wing their way to Ireland and I will persevere until I have enough for a baby quilt.  I may even manage a few more for Bee Blessed before I am done with this block.

As Judith suggested I am following this wonky star tutorial at The Silly BooDilly Blog except the squares are 4" not 4.5".


The setting for my little quilt will be the next thing to consider....but I will wait until I have a few more blocks to  play with.

I don't love sewing....., I love sewing....!

Strange title for me I know but my attitude to sewing does depend on what it is I'm sewing...


This will show you what I was doing lots of yesterday eugh - 

Just a small sample of the very large heap I had to label for school - left to the last minute as usual.  Instead of hand sewing them on I stitched them in the seam by machine - much quicker and saves my fingers for some of this hand stitching....mmmm!

I now have ten holes on the Polo Fruity Hexagon quilt covered in a variety of non matching bright fabrics!  Sounds quite good until I tell you there are 49 to do so 39 left!

And to finish up it seems like I have two quilts to make for baby girls - my across the sea one may not do for either though I still want to make it...


Any suggestions?   


I have a fair bit of matroyshka fabric left after another project and thought they would be cute as the centres for some wonky stars blocks - then I could also get my Bee Blessed blocks done at the same time.

But what should I do for the other one - must be quite a quick project and I could  then give mum no 1 a choice.....for her delightful baby with the cutest button nose you ever saw!  2nd baby hasn't arrived yet!


Waiting eagerly for all your suggestions and I have just read Helen's latest post here! - did she read my mind or what!???  Still, let me now what your go to baby quilt pattern is....if you have one!