UFO from the FAL list!

[Or Unfinished Object from the Finish along list]


I have started working on another UFO quilt - one that is actually on my Finish along list and has been kicking about forever - ok not quite forever but it seems that way!

I have been putting off doing this one because it is big!  And I didn't fancy basting it never mind quilting it but as I must have been in an action mood yesterday I just got on with it!


It is now basted!


Not only that but I have started quilting it on the machine...


Here is my start ...

I am quilting the pieced blocks based on the patch design though the quilting isn't so obvious on the front

 and for the blank alternate square I am using designs from this book...

...picking out the thirties designs to go with the thirties repro fabrics!

Am thinking it should be a quilting design sampler too!  Have changed a few details on these designs - just because!


And here is the back (which is polycotton - I was going for cheap when I bought it - never again!) Hoping for a wholecloth effect!  Ok just don't look too closely but it is a start of something more adventurous....

Working my way up to those scary feathers that Trudi does so prolifically!

So what have you been up to??

Chubby Granny Churndash!

Working title for my granny side churndash!


When I showed you this granny top which was too small to match up with the 9-patch churndashes top I made last year I got all sorts of suggestions for making it bigger so they could fit back to back!  

Including two suggestions from the lovely Hadley - well I have to say I loved the second one as I had been thinking along the same lines myself !   That was to make the granny square blocks the centre of a really big churndash...


I have now completed the giant churndash and basted my quilt tops together!  You know me two quilt tops are definitely better than one!  And my next question was how to quilt it??  Always a bit tricky when the quilt tops are so different!


Well after a little pondering I decided to go with the traditional overall pattern of clamshells!   I saw this pattern when reviewing Carolyn Forster's book  Utility Quilting.  But should I machine quilt, hand quilt - traditionally or with cotton perle?


Here is a sneaky peek of what it looks like so far hand quilted with cotton perle!

Do you approve!?  


I have done a little bit now but am waiting to see whether I like it or not yet!


The jury is out at the moment!  I need to see a bit more before I know if it is working or not!

The postman came again!

Yes and he brought me a big bag of wadding which is why he knocked on the door!


But more importantly he also brought a small neat package from Terri!


Are you as excited as me??


My nametag for FQ Retreat and an extra!


Ok the tension mounts - this was the cutest of notes and the wrapping!

Here is the 'extra' a notebook - personalised just for me!  Terri writes my name with a sewing machine better than I write it with a pen!

Fuzzy photo of me wearing my nametag - perfect colours for what I am wearing today! 

A close up of the nametag saying hello to my constant companion Elisa's crane!

Sorry you guys but I have the cutest nametag ever!  And a perfect souvenir of the event - even though I haven't got there yet!

Such perfect stitching - Aneela I need your help!

Secrets revealed!

My nametag partner now has her tag so I can reveal who it was for and what hid on the other side of the birdy and her pouch!

Yeah these have arrived at Terri's house - otherwise known as Mish Mash Mama!  Bit in awe of Terri's beautiful handstiching - she is good but hope she will not think mine too ridiculous!!  Give me the machine anyday!  You can find Terri here!




I also posted about something I had wrapped up for my friend Fiona!

Well she has received it and this was inside!  A pouch with a scarf inside...

I made the pouch not the scarf!  Two different linens with daisies FMQed on both sides!  The idea of the daisies was inspired by the scarf...

No more secrets for now...but hopefully another quilt will soon be finished - ah but which one?  Ok there is another secret...sh!  

Siblings Together Quilt finished!

At last I have got all I needed together to finish this little quilt!

It started with a Jellyroll of Riley Blake from the generous Katy of monkey do! and a bit of Kona solids from my stash...Jade Green, Pomegranate and Chartreuse!  The pattern is sort of Pandora's Box from Pam and Nicky Lintott's book Jelly Roll Quilts!  I had to adapt it for the amount of fabric I had...


I didn't have enough Kona Jade Green to make a final border round the outside of the quilt top.  I re-ordered!

I was thinking how to do the back of the quilt and as I am not really one for yardage in my stash I thought I had better piece it together from solid white and the few leftover bits of the Riley Blake jelly roll from the lovely Katy from monkey do!  I needed more white !  But at the end of this week I got the back pieced too!

I quilted it with flowers and hearts using some of my much loved Aurifil 28 that I won in a fabulous giveaway chez the most awesome Lynne at lilysquilts.  Lynne I am using it up and putting it to good use!  Rather pleased with the quilting - who'd have thought I could, if you go back to my first FMQ efforts with Cindy and Leah Day - ugly FMQ here!

For the binding I rather fancied a stripe but as I didn't have a suitable one I went with a plaid in green, blue and white from my stash, which I cut on the bias for that little bit extra and hand sewed it at the back ....

This time I went with Mary's tutorial for finishing the end of the binding with a little pocket and am pleased with how easy it was - her tutorial is here!  I would recommend it for an easy finish - I will be using this method again - thanks Mary!

So things have come from various places to make this little quilt for a young girl somewhere in the UK.  She is in care at the moment and not even in a home with her siblings.  If this quilt makes her feel even a little bit more loved and special, if it helps her to remember meeting up with her brother or sister and the fun times they had at the Siblings Together camp it will have done it's job!

Now I just have to get a label from Laura and I'm done with this one and starting on another soon.... If you want to know more click here for the beginning of the story so far and here to see what others have done and how you can still help!

Knock, Knock!

Who's there?


Mr Postman!


Come in, come in....sorry I know it should end in a funny line but I am so delighted I cannot think of one!


Not only did this arrive recently, 

Someone tempted me and I gave in....bought from M is for Make - can't remember who but I am watching you....!  Some Curious Nature from Parson Gray and some others that caught my eye...

Then these arrived today....

Blaming Helen for tempting me this time - luring me in with Lu Summers though I bought different ones!

Finally some more daisies for the daisy thing I am going to do!

Not only all of that but I got my list of FQ Retreat classes!  Yipee!  Jumping up and down, skipping, singing and if I could it would be cartwheels too! 


And I 'know' some people in the same classes as me and some are even at the same time!  So giggling in the corner is bound to happen!  Though I will need to track Susan and a few others down outside classroom time!  Er... Susan was into the giggling thing...so she said...but I will be too especially if more than one glass of wine is involved...

My April in Fabric

What did I do this month??


ooh a name tag, two wonky houses, two card trick blocks, a Siblings Together quilt top, a quick panel Noah's Ark baby quilt, borders on the Fruity Polo quilt top, wonky trees galore!, oak leaf quilting on the sashing of a QAYG project, two Civil War blocks, and some grannies!

And one more thing!


My entry for the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Challenge - judging in June!

It's a book of felt pages to hold your precious pieces of fabric once arranged in the correct place to make your block!  To often have I got things in the wrong place and sewn them - that is a problem of the past for me! (I hope)

Alternatively as my husband said - ooh I had one of those - a rag book!  Don't you just love them!?  

Linking up with the Lynne girl for Fresh Sewing Day!