Tuesday 18 June 2013

Lucy made me do it!

Thank you Lucy!!!

As soon as I saw Lucy's beautiful Rose Star EPP blocks last year I just knew I had to make my own. And I have!

Rose Star Quilt Finished front

If I am honest I actually finished this months ago, the binding was sewn down whilst spending time with my husband in hospital. I just haven't had the chance to share it with you until now.

Of course for such a special quilt that I knew I would be working on for hours over months at a time I decided I had best use some precious fabric! I used my one and only fq of Snow White from Heather Ross for the center hexies and the lovely Kate at M is for Make sweetly dug out a couple of scraps for me when I realised I would be 2 short!


Rose Star Quilt Finished Detail

And there was no question that I could do anything but hand quilt it was there, despite the fact I had never hand quilted anything larger than a cushion!

I brought myself a large quilting hoop and decided very quickly that I hated the pesky rigid thing! I spent several weeks with sore holey fingers because of my stubborn dislike of thimble, spent evening after evening basting and piecing the hundreds of boring background blocks. But do you know what, it was worth it and i'd do it all again! My only regret is I lost patience and didn't make more blocks to make a bigger quilt.


Rose Star Quilt Finished Detail


Heather Ross, Denyse Schmidt, EPP and hand quilting, perfection!


Rose Star Quilt Finished


If you haven't tried EPP yet, I urge to you give it a go. It is highly addictive and very portable! There are great tips to be found here at Flossie Teacakes, great tips from Lynne too and if you like a book to read I can highly recommend Hexa Go Go by Tacha Bruecher.


Rose Star Quilt Finished

Friday 14 June 2013

{can I} Patchwork Please

Life is in one of those 'full on' cycles at the moment, I seem to be constantly chasing my tail! Still, I am sure there will be a lull coming along soon enough, and no doubt I will get bored when it happens! I have found time to squeeze in sewing along with the wonderful new Patchwork Please book during Zakka 2.0. I really enjoyed last years sew along so I am going to try and dip into this one as and when I can. I love my new little
coaster, so cute!
  Love how quickly my cute #patchworkplease pepper sewed up! 

 I also had time this week to make up one of the B, L, D tea towels (not saying I picked the one with the least and easiest lettering or anything!)

  So much to do but i cheered myself up by making time for a #patchworkplease tea towel. 

 I have started a little preparation for next weeks tea cosy, I just need to decide whether to bother to source some insulated batting or stick with regular. One project I can't wait for is the bloom quilt, I know if I didn't have to enlarge the templates on a printed I would have made a start already!

I am very excited (if a little tardy!) to announce that I will be taking part in the wonderful Season By Hand blog hop, a great hop focused on travelling with sewing, whats not to love!



There will be some great tutorials and inspiration, along with prizes too!

Schedule:

June 3 - Kick-off 
June 4 - Alyce - Blossom Heart Quilts 
June 6 - Emily - Mommy's Nap Time 
June 7 - Jodi - Pleasant Home 
June 10 - Suz - PatchworknPlay 
June 11 - Beth - Plum & June 
June 13 - Jenniffier - Jenniffier's Sometimes Creative Life 
June 14 - Heidi - Fabric Mutt 
June 17 - Rachael - Imagine Gnats 
June 18 - Elaine - Dashasel Sews 
June 20 - Sandie - Crazy 'Bout Quilts 
June 21 - Amy - Lots of Pink Here 
June 24 - Danny - Mommy for Reals 
June 25 - Cindy - Tops to Treasures 
June 27 - Leanne - She Can Quilt 
June 28 - Melissa - Sew Bittersweet Designs
July 1 - Cindy - Fluffy Sheep Quilting 
July 2 - Rhonda - Quilter in the Gap 
July 3 - Trish - Notes of Sincerity 
July 5 - Erin - Why Not Sew 
July 8 - Chrissy - Sew Lux 
July 9 - Carrie - A Passion for Applique
July 11 - Katy - The Littlest Thistle 
July 12 - Kelley - Casa Crafty 
July 15 - Emily - Strawberry Patch 
July 16 - Heather and Megan - Quilt Story
July 18 - Annette - My Rose Valley 
July 19 - Katy - There & Back 
July 22 - Melissa - Lilac Lane 
July 23 - Jenelle - Echinops & Aster 
July 25 - Shanna - Fiber of All Sorts 
July 26 - Jane - Jane's Fabrics and Quilts 

Wrap up and Linky running July 26 - August 5, 2013

Share what you're making:

Flickr group Facebook group Instagram - #aseasonbyhand

Sponsors:

These lovely shops and pattern designers are sponsoring some amazing giveaways throughout the series, so make sure you stop over and show them some support!

Supplies:

Jane'sfabricllogopleasant home smallSewLuxFabric

Patterns:

LilacLaneelefantzEchinops&AsterFrosted Pumpkin StitcheryAneelaHoey_LogoWO150quiltstoryimaginegnats

Fabric:

StashFabrics160x160160x160knotted thread 125fabricwormi don't do dishes intrepid thread buttonpinkchalkfabricFat Quarter ShopFabricFlybutterfly kisses fabricSewLuxFabric