In the Frame Purse Swap up and running!

With lots of help from Laura, Helen and Katy the swap is up and raring to go.  


Laura has created a cute button

You can pick it up (I hope) from my side bar!  Isn't she clever!?


And Helen (she's very organised)  has been helping me set up a Flickr page here! with 


1 Swap Requirements page - what you have to agree to - ie make a purse and be nice - not that hard!


2 Sign up page - be sure to comment on both!


3 Introduce yourself page - well I am sure you can tell people a little about you...if you haven't been in a swap before don't be afraid to say so then we can all help you out!  Says she a veteran of five swaps I think!


4 Queries, questions and comments page - for everyone to exchange info!  Use it if you want to ask or say something


5 A supplies page that Katy has set up with the low down on where she gets her goods!  We all want to know that!


This is my first go at running a swap and I am learning on the job so a bit of patience may be required but I know some who have done it before and are standing behind me - you are aren't you??  - so I am expecting a happy successful swap with a lovely purse at the end!


I love my purse from the retreat and this was my first ever frame purse!

If it is your first time swapping don't let that put you off - you can do it !  I know you can!  Sometimes a leap of faith is required - I know I just did that in setting this going ....


Now this is what I got up to yesterday and today!


My Cherry-licious purse!  She is a big one!  I sort of mixed Katy Jones and Lu Summers!  Purse and portholes!

And yes the portholes are pockets....

More pocket action on the inside

Crazy I know!  

Already received an order for more frames from U-handbag  - that Lisa Lam is quick to ship as I only ordered them yesterday!  Well what are you waiting for??

Fat Quarterly Retreat London! What it meant to me!!

Every day I have commented on people's blogs and read comments from others on mine!  So what I was looking forward to most at the Fat Quarterly Retreat London 2012 was meeting those people face to face!


I was so not disappointed!  You are all more marvellous, more lovely, more inspiring, more talented than I could have thought possible!  Wow!  

John started the show talking about community and that's what we were - I really felt that - I hope everyone else did too!  It wasn't them and us it was just US - that really felt amazing!

Stolen from Susan

The same went for the teaching at FQ - have to say I have learnt heaps more and tried more since I started in this virtual bloggy community.  And this continued in spades at the Retreat...


First of the genuinely unscary and lovely Katy got us through the intricacies of framed purse making - Katy you do not know how long I've wanted to make one of these 

Next I revisited embroidery with the delightful Aneela Hooey!  I sewed a cute wee robin -  I think he is a charmer!  And learnt to couch - apparently nothing to do with sofas!

Dinner on Saturday was organised for me by the lovely Susan and a whole bunch of us enjoyed food and chat!   See photos chez Susan






My Sunday morning started with breakfast with Kerry who regaled me with stories of her fighting over fabric from a rag man - ok she wasn't fighting the ragman - rather the other ladies trying to find cheap fabric!   Both the stories and the food was good!  When she wasn't doing that she could be found teaching freezer paper piecing - she does excel at that!

Fortified I went on to the Fat Quarterly Designer Challenge with John and Katy.  I didn't know exactly what I was letting myself in for but first we had to think of blocks made with squares and rectangles, then triangles then finally stars!  I had come with an idea of squares and rectangles - a train track idea but my mind was blank for the other two!  Until I emptied it and just let something come in - I liked the triangles and star ideas I had better  - I may even try them out in fabric!


Just goes to show what we can do with paper, crayons and colouring in - why leave all the fun to the kids!?  I will be doing more of this in future!


Last but not least was a class with Lu Summers on her porthole quilt!  

Stolen from Cindy

Stolen from Cindy

This was perplexing to say the least and then the penny dropped, the sun shone and we all had the aha! moment!  I stitched my block by hand and used some Liberty, some Oakshott, some cream on cream and some cotton linen mix (I think)  - bit subtle for me huh?

 Group shot

Lots of other stuff happened including a sample swap which changed these that I made

into these!

Thank you (clockwise from the left) Emily, Elisabeth, Teresa and Di!


There was a Jelly Roll Race and an Iron Man Competition which I was too chicken to join in!   Well done to all involved!

Then the end came all too soon and I was sad - sob - that it was all over....and Hadley, Fiona and I nabbed a taxi taking us into the sunset of Victoria Station - almost fully packed with daytrippers coming to participate in the other stellar event that weekend.  Can't help but feel sorry for them...they were at the wrong place - well in my opinion!


But put your hankies away, dry up those tears ( I mean you Katy and Lynne) the good news is that it is due to happen all over again!  I may need the year to recover....haha!  And to practice some of the things I have learnt....




Stop Press!


Talking of which - it turns out I love making framed purses and have started another but would be so happy to run a swap with those equally enamoured of the frame!   Thinking it would be open to all and involve a purse or two with a little goody if you wish but only something that fits inside!


Let me know if you wish to play along by leaving a comment here or on this flickr thread!  Do not worry if you didn't do the class as Katy has pledged to write a tutorial with lots of photos.  It is easier than it looks and I know you all want to make one!

Look what Leanne made me!

Yesterday I received a package all the way from Australia from the lovely Leanne at Daisy and Jack and look what she sent me....

The most gorgeous mini moo card holder!  I love it Leanne!  And just look at those cute daisies!

Then it all folds up into a tiny wallet !  Keeping my moo minis safe and sound...

I know, I know you all want one now...!   Mine will be coming with me this weekend.

My May in Fabric!

May was busy, busy, busy!

Top left and bottom right I made two Siblings Together quilts for a charity that re-unites kids in care with their siblings at a holiday camp so they can renew family bonds!  The quilts are coming with me to London tomorrow!  Made with help of the fabric kind from Katy and Yvonne - thank you ladies!  


My bee blocks have been sent off - Middle left converging corners to Jude for Bee Blessed - another charity making quilts for people in Belfast and Centre a stargazer block for May in my new bee Scrappy? Sew Bee it!


My big sampler quilt top centre and right I pushed to finish all that FMQ so I could enter the Blogger's  Quilt Festival for the first time!  That was fun and inspirational!


Leaving my sample swap items - which gave my a few headaches - trying to make sure my London skyline would feature on the side and not disappear round a corner or somewhere else!   I should have asked Helen aka archiethewonderdog - she loves maths!  I know - strange creature but I guess someone has to!   She helps me out all the time!  Thank you Helen - you are  a star


But there was also a pouch, chain and tag for Terri....

And one delightful one from her too

With personalised notebook....

Thanks Terri - you'll be seeing these soon again!

Oh and I'm still working on this one

And my next competition features this make from last month

More about my make here!   Voting now till 7th June and wow some great things to look at and drool over here!

Phew is that it ??  Must be time to link up with Lynne for more of that Fresh Sewing Day thing!

Umbrella Prints Competition - voting begins!

I know you may be fed up with FQ this and FQ that so here is something else to divert you!


A while ago I told you I was entering the Umbrella Prints Trimmings 2012 Competition - well the entries are displayed on this Pinterest pinboard! for all to see - nestled amongst them is my entry

It is a book to hold all the bits of your block together between iron and sewing machine or if handsewing when out and about!  A mini design wall if you like - but block sized!  [My previous post gives more details here!]


I may even take it with me this weekend so I can handsew in between other things!  If you are there ask me to show it to you!


Anyway the voting is by re-pining your favourite entries - the one with the most repins wins!  I would of course be delighted if you would vote for me but do go and look at the lovely things people have made from little scraps of hand screenprinted fabrics.  


That is the inspiring bit - all the lovely and very different things that have been made.


I can also see a lovely pencil case by Katy Cameron, a quilt by Leanne and there should be some coasters by Karen Lewis!  


Voting is until 7th June!  You do need a Pinterest account to vote and need to be invited to join Pinterest - am happy to invite you but will be out of contact on Saturday and Sunday!  Just leave a comment with your email!


Have fun and be inspired - personally I love the little concertina book - not everything needs to be sewn - think about joining in next year!

So much to do, so little time!

I am mad I know but particularly so this week - having made a pirate costume last week - my son announced on Sunday he needed a hooded cape to be a murderer in the 'Scottish play' tonight!  Eek!  


Phew I made that yesterday....no photo yet but I will try to cajole him into it soon!  [ He was quite convincing though I will give him that! - not sure that is reassuring though?]


I am also supposed to be getting ready for that retreat but still have four sample swaps to finish as promised.  So what do I choose to make ??  Something quick and easy?  No - something that seems so complicated that I don't know how I will make it...


You see it started with this.....a machine embroidered skyline of London showing Big Ben, the Gherkin, St Paul's Cathedral, Nelson's Column, the Millennium Eye and the Tower of London...

Next question what on earth do I do with it?


I know I'll make my London souvenir into a very practical pencil case....a boxy one so that my scene shows nicely on the side!   So how do I actually get it in the right place?  No tutorial I have seen made it easy to work out where the side panel would end up - lots of thinking and panicking later....


Then I come up with this ....maybe it could work!

Now what should I put on the other side - bright colours and patterns would kill my little London Skyline so it needs to be something subdued right!?  What about the golden ticket!  Great idea but not so easy to do....that writing is pretty hard to follow!

Now the colours to go with - there must be some colour - well Jubilee weekend, Union flags flying everywhere - it has to be red and blue!


So here is the outside 

- with a tiny hint of crazy traffic - expect even more when the Olympics start!


Some themed tape to go with!

Now the lining so represents me in my current state - completely dotty!

Here they all are lined up ready to go and ready to go home with one of you...

Why didn't I go for something simple? - I mean - I am not even sure anyone but me will like them!  

Fat Quarterly Retreat London!

Apologies to those not coming!


Yes I'm going to that thing!


Very excited!  Nervous even!  


Sightly panicky as everyone seems all set to go and I am so not ready!




But anyway....


I have been sewing since I was little - since about the Victorian times if you listen to my children!  I started with making soft toys - Dandelion is still with me!

....then clothes for me - don't think they have survived which is probably just as well!


Only after my first child (of three) did I get into patchwork at an evening class - which was as much about having adult conversation as making - you may know what I mean!


I pottered along starting lots, finishing little until introduced to blogs in 2010, started my own in 2011 and wow!  I just haven't stopped....this last year has been amazing - meeting you fabulous and lovely and inspirational people online!


Suddenly I have tried lots of new things and challenged myself !  I feel like a new person!   




Can't show you a genuine photo of me as there was this old wifie who kept jumping in the way every time I tried to get that glamour shot of me!  Hehe!

Can't wait to meet you in real life if I manage to escape the looking glass world....but linking in the virtual world for now!

You will find me doing Frame purses, Embroidery, FQ Challenge and Portholes!