Squeezing fun in between the chores

I should really be working, but then I have been working all day so I thought i'd squeeze out 5 minutes of the bank holiday to share something fun I found time for last weekend.




This is as close to a mess as I get in my studio, eek! It was tidied away moments after but I just had to document the rare 'creative mess'! Tell me everyone else also uses prized quilts as design walls?!

I took a lovely vintage cloth storybook panel my youngest was gifted for her naming day and turned it into something that I hope will be much treasured.




It was designed and laid out in such a way as to cut up and sewn into a book, very clever. But the poor panel had bee siting untouched in my cupboard for almost 4 years so I made the decision to turn it into a story quilt rather than a cloth book, as I felt she was a little too old now.

A departure from my usual palette of colours, I stuck with the pastels and vintage prints that complimented the story panels, there a pieces of their baby bedding in there along with a little of their toddler clothing, My daughter is delighted and can't wait for it to be finished - success!!

I have also resisted reading the story whilst I've been sewing, I am saving that treat for when we can both snuggle under it and read together when its finished!

clearing a backlog

I have a problem, its a common complaint, with constant minor irritating symptoms, its called WIP.

I hate WIP, which for a quilter is quite a difficulty! I've been swamped under with work recently (not complaining) and very had little time to sew (much complaining). So with the bank holiday looming and a heck of a lot of planning and paperwork working done for a few days at least I am going to be pulling my finger out and cracking on with as much as I can!

First up is my Heather Ross quilt. I am so excited to get this done and be able to use it. After years spent collecting, stashing, swapping, secreting away in special hidden places, and ahem, begging, I am not prepared to wait any longer to use this quilt.




So I loaded it onto the frame last night and I have started to hand quilt it.




With very large crosses through each of the 12" blocks, I am calling it naive quilting, because honestly it just sound better than 'quilted in a hurried slapdash manner so I could use it quicker'. But also because I want a nice soft drapey squishy quilt when its all done.



So with a little masking tape to keep me straightish and a huge ball of cotton perle I shall have this quilt done by the end of the bank holiday! There is also the small matter of binding it, the second sleeve I want to knit to finish my cardigan on the needles and a little treat that's going to keep me busy tomorrow!

Hope you all have a productive and happy bank holiday weekend, I'll see you on the other side! Who knows I may actually find time to take real photos with a real camera instead of using grainy instagram ones!

Almost done swooning!

Ahhh, WIP how I do not love thee!

Being a virgo and a natural neat freak I cannot stand WIP's! They simultaneously make me feel guilty for neglecting them and annoy me by cluttering up the place.

Swoon is different. I am glad Swoon stayed a wip for so long. When I first finished the top I really did not like it. I was unsure on the colours and the prints I had chosen. So she hung up on the wall in my studio waiting to be quilted. I told myself that once the frame came I would quilt her, because she was pretty big and that was probably a good idea. Once the frame arrived I told myself I needed to wait a while longer, after all I needed to practice didn't I?! I even had the backing and wadding ready, but kept making excuses.

As with most things, I suddenly took a whim one day and pulled it down from the wall and loaded it up. I find that this is by far the best way to do things, I always work better when it is spontaneous.

I am.so.glad.I.waited. I LOVE IT!

I quilted it in a small infinity loop with a lovely 40wt Metler cotton

I am slowly learning how to work within the limits of the small throat space that I have on my machine. Whilst the frame is amazing it can be frustrating to be restricted by the space I can work in. Oh for that long arm of my dreams!

But for now I am content with what I have, especially when it helps me achieve such a wonderful quilt.

The binding is all sewn on, all that remains is for me to find a spare moment to hand stitch it down, something tells me Swoon wont mind, after all she has patiently waited over 6 months to get this far, she won't mind hanging on a little longer :-)

I am not really here!

Well, just for today I am as a wonderful friend has loaned me their laptop :-)

I should be back to normal in a few days when the laptop part arrives now that I have been able to order it, phew!

Despite being a little cut off interweb wise I am still reachable from the outside world and I had some lovely post yesterday from Kelly, she is awesome, I love her!

Lovely little piles of scraps from each of Aneela's range, now I am sure to be able to get my quilt finished along with the charm pack of Sew Stitchy on its way from the USA. Thank you SO much Kelly :-)

Speaking of which I guess the Aneela quilt was really my only WIP, I have managed to move it along a bit in the last few days

All of the embroidery blocks for the top row are now complete and I just have 5 sampler block to make and then sash everything. The pieces of paper are noting which blocks are going where, so far I have decided on a constellation star (seeing as the one I made Hadley went down so well!) a dresden plate and a wonky star 9 patch (from Shape workshop for quilters). I just have to come up with 2 more...that's the bit that is slowing me down!

I have also managed to add quite a few projects to my WIP whilst having all this internet free time on my hands!

I blame Lucy for this one! I have finally caved in a decided to start a rose star quilt, I held off for so long as I don't usually do long term project but I just couldn't resist any longer! I got one made yesterday, I adore it and there is even brown in it. Perhaps making Hadley's joke mini has done something terrible to me, eeek!

I was so excited by my rose star block that I went and pulled all my most precious fabric from my stash for the rest of the blocks. I seem to have a lack of aubergine/browny prints though and I need more text fabric on a creamy/snow background...if anyone can suggest any current lines that might help? I am not sure if the sweetwater print I used is still available.

I have also made a new block for the Liberty Mini, just two more to make, these will come when inspiration strikes! Thanks to Lolly for being my churn dash muse, I couldn't not make some little ones after seeing her Brit Bee blocks popping up everywhere!

Finally, I have been asked to make some Christmas stocking for a friend - 6 of them! I can't believe I am sewing for Christmas so early but it was fun choosing fabrics with her. We settled on these prints from Kate Spain's Joy line.

That's not including 2 lots of bee blocks also to do this month. All in all, a lot more going on than I usually like, being a virgo and all that (read neurotic about having half finished things laying about!). Lets hope that laptop part does take a few days to get here so I can get a head start!

Charlie is a very naughty boy...

It has been one of those weeks....not as bad as Hadleys, I only had one real incident so to speak but it was bad enough that it has taken all week and a long lie in today to feel better about it.

It all started at the beginning of the week when I decided it was time to potty train my youngest. Cue LOTS of accidents and not much progress. I decided to stick with it though and see if it got any better over a few days. I spent days hoovering around her, poised with the potty on standby should she start to 'go'. This left little opportunity for sewing. I decided trying to finish the piecing on my BQS3 epp would be the perfect solution. I could do it right by her and drop it in an instant if needed. But then you need to add a very frustrated puppy into the mix, who doesn't like going out in the rain, and was very bored.

Total scenario......abandoned epp whilst mum deals with yet another 'accident', bored puppy see's a very bright and crazy looking mini quilt top dog toy and decides to relieve his boredom with it.....ARGGGGGGGHHHHH!

To top it off said 'toy' didn't agree with him and he promptly threw up all over the kitchen, leaving trails of it out to the back door as I shooed him out. Another accident for me to clean up.

Needless to say I took no photos of it, does anyone want to look at photos of dog sick anyway? I want to remember it like this, as it was

So yes, Charlie is a VERY naughty boy! I hope that one day soon I can muster the courage to start another one of these, that will never, never, never ever be put within dog reach. But for now I am too gutted about the loss of all the hours I put into it to start again. 

That leaves me BQS quilt-less and I really felt bad as my partner I know liked the epp. So wanting to do my best to make it upto them I poured over photo's on flikr and jumped in with both feet to something else they liked, improv. I have never improved before but I think I may again. That said I did pretty much use the mini quilt I fell in love with as a pattern to use.....I hope that's ok?!

I really am pleased with how this turned out and hope my partner is too, I used a treasured MM typewriter sent to me by the lovely Lucy and the last of my precious Hope Valley and a few other bits. Now I just need to decide how to quilt it. I think I am going to bind it in the orange praire flower DS print, I am hoping that will make the orange pop out of the quilt.

I did get more makes done this week but they will have to wait as my children are finally awake (10am on a Saturday, thank you up there!) and I can hear the youngest one trying to free herself from her room by throwing teddies at the door!

Germs should not be shared....

I am a great believer in instilling good manners and behaviour in my children, sharing is one of these.

However, germs are the exception. On this occasion I will not be praising my daughter for sharing her germs with me! I have been up for 4 hours and used up two whole toilet rolls and half a box of tissues (emergency shop run purchase!)  on my nose already!

Today's post will be short, full of photos, snot and self pity!

Tuesday - Another pleated boxes pillow for my Mum for mothers day. Sew-Along instructions can be found here.

Tuesday - A Black Apple Doll for Eloise, a get well dolly from Mummy to daughter, it seemed to do the trick except now I have to make another for Juliette!

March 1st - My Bordered Star block for the March Queen in the Stash Bee (posted out today which reminded me I hadn't blogged it!

 I loved trying out this great block, I hope it sits well in the quilt for Cindy. I used fabric I won in the Fugly Fabric Party from Kelli at Small Town Stitcher. I love the thought that fabric I won from the US came to the UK to be made into a block to go back to the US to be part of a QOV! It was also a big leap into paper piecing for me, I can't wait to try more now.

Wednesday - Started a Mini Eye-Spy quilt for my new baby nephew.

Juliette had a lovely time testing it out before I had even finished making the top. I had the top sewn up in less than an hour and the quilting done in 2 hours last night, I must have known these germs were coming to me! Binding will have to wait, I have a new order to snot work on.

Finally, great news - the final charms arrived for round 2 of the rainbow charm swap, they will be out in the post in the next few days, check the flikr group for more information. I'll get a photo as soon as I can put the tissue down!

Thrifty Thursday & more makes....

Happy sunny days are here, Eloise has broken up for the summer and although it likely means I will get less sewing done I'm looking forward to lots of childish fun!

Firstly I'm just itching to share with you my latest thrifty finds from the car boot sale this week, my top find is a simply stunning patchwork quilt.

Its perfect for the fresh summery look I was wanting for my bedroom. It was one of those finds that has you hopping from foot to foot with excitement, its absolutely perfect, its just what I wanted and I love it, best of all I wasn't even looking for it! Some thoughtless person appears to have used the reverse side as a dust sheet when painting but thankfully you don't see that side when it is on the bed.
I love the lace details, they perfectly match a table cloth made by Grahams Nan that I have on my bedside table.

I also picked up a battered old sewing box, I discarded the box as it really was in a terrible state but I did get a nice little pile of notions to add to my stash. On my way out I happened upon this great book, Crochet Adorned which is choc full of cute little patterns, perfect for adding to clothes, soft furnishings, bags, shoes, in fact anywhere you and attach them!

Its also been a week of trying to get jobs finished and off the WIP list. First I finished my Mollie Makes Issue 2 Embroidery project. I love hand embroidery but rarely get the time to practice so when I saw this fab 'Josies Garden' template by Charlotte Lyons I just had to give it a go.

I made it up into a cushion to sit on my bed, it just goes perfectly with the new quilt :) You can get the template here if you fancy giving it a go.

I also finally found time to finish off my 'Vintage Feedsack Dress' using the tutorial from the amazing Jess at Craftiness Is Not Optional

I think you can see that Jools is pleased with it ( I am too but lets not be big-headed about it!)

Then having gotten the bug I moved straight onto Jess's new 'sew-along' for the Junebug dress

I have since added the sleeves and skirt and it just needs hemming, finished photo soon hopefully!

Finally, I had to whizz up a couple of cards, a birthday card for Grahams Dad who is mad for golf

And a thank you card for Grahams Aunt who recently sent me a HUGE box bursting with fabric she no longer needed.

All in all, a very productive week, my favourite kind!

WIP Wednesday

Just a quick post this evening to show you what has been keeping me out of mischief this week....

I am busy getting ready for the Exeter Vintage and Handmade Fair this Saturday which is being held at the Thistle Hotel. I have been sampling new lines and thought it would be a good place to trial them, here is one

I have also run up a matching Union Jack cushion, a notebook cover and have several more items on the list to make up before Saturday (guess who'll be living by the sewing machine for the next few days!)

No wanting to give myself an easy life I have also discovered I love to crochet and thought it would be ideal to revisit knitting at the same time. I always wanted to knit but its never come very naturally to me, here is a little project I have started

This is taken from the current issue of Handmade Living Magazine and is the first time I have tried increasing/decreasing and shaping. Its turned out rather better than I expected (having only knitted scarves previously!). I Just have to make the second one now to make the pair of mittens.

I am also teaching myself to crochet with help from books, YouTube and some very helpful friends. Here is a little of my practice

My first ever granny square and a crochet flower, I think I need a lot more practice! I have also started making a little baby play mat to practice my tension and colour changing techniques

Finally, I have been working on a promotional flyer for our really exciting new Christmas event, yes you did hear me correctly, its for Christmas! By now I should really have sampled my Christmas stock and had ideas sketched, made up and finalised. But the summer sun keeps me creating sunny tea party by the sea inspired pieces!

Anyone interested in having a stall at this event can email me at emilylevey@yahoo.co.uk