I am back

It has been awhile. My number 2 son had pneumonia and was in hospital for 2 nights and then he had a virus and then there was school holidays and then there was the backlog of ironing to do! But I have actually done some sewing and although I missed the end of my beginners QAL (I will finish it) I decided to begin another one! I am binding my lap quilt (name still being bandied about) and need to sash and border and quilt my beginner QAL and then i am up to date. My new project is The Scrappy Stash QAL. I will add a button. Join in it looks great and I am going to try Maureen Cracknell quilt as you go method. I will also get my photo's up.!!! I have decided to give myself 1 week to update my progess. Watch this space.

What a week

Well I haven't been able to do much sewing as I am sick after my lovely boy decided coughing in my face a good idea. But I have managed block 9 of the beginner QAL. I really, really enjoyed this one and it worked first time with no unpicks so I am over the moon. I should now catch up on the Xmas QAL but I am not sure I can find the time. The blocks are a bit more intensive than I was expecting and while learning is great, I am flat out just keeping up with everything else in life and I really want to finish my quilt for the lounge. Decisions that will have no answer today. I am hoping to get the backing for my quilt at least done today as it will consist of 2 fabrics. If I can get that far before starting dinner for the family and the Olympics coverage beginning I will be content.

Books!!!

I have bought myself 2 books this week! I have ordered The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt and have just received Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters. I had to order the Farmers book after reading the blogs from a quilting life!!   http://www.aquiltinglife.com/
The Shape Workshop book has amazing quilts and blocks and my head is spinning with opportunities. I managed to get a fat quarter bundle of sherbit pips so that is also in the mail.  But as per usual I am jumping ahead and have to finish my quilt and 2 QAL's before i start the next one or 2. I have ideas that will need hexagons.... Fingers crossed that I will have my current projects ALL finished by the end of August and I really must get my machine serviced at some point!!! I have been using it for 6 months but i was talking with another person who has hers serviced after every quilt!

Strips

Well I have spent an hour trimming my blocks to start the quilt top of my "sugar crosses" (title still being considered). This has led my to the question of what to do with the off cuts that are to small for anything. I read a blog that suggested putting them outside for birds to use in their nests. It's a great idea but I think the neighbors will consider me bonkers!!? So I have no idea what to do. I need suggestions....

Xmas QAL still going.

I did block 10 and 11 and really enjoyed them. I am starting to struggle working colors from my stockpile as I didn't get a bundle so I am worried in the back of mind mind it will be too many differences. Only time will tell. When I get the chance I will take a proper photo rather than a phone one as the colours aren't quite true. I am hoping more people will start putting their photos on the Flickr group again as I love seeing all the different blocks that come from I pattern!!

working in the blog

I am still learning and formatting how I want my blog to look. I have added a finished quilt button in the nav bar so I am stoked. It took a little confusion, a little requesting not to be pestered for cups of chocolate milk and a little research online!! I still have 1 more quilt to post which I finished late May. I cant wait to finish the 3 projects I currently have on the go so I have more to add to my menu bar option! :)

block 9 xmas QAL

Wow. This is a lovely block. It took me quite awhile as it was the first time I have done kite shapes. The tutorial was great and really easy to follow. Overall I am super happy with this. The yellow is a branch out but I figured the star needed to 'shine'. The more blocks I have completed of this QAL the more I really want to see what the quilt will look like:) I am hoping that at the end all the colours I have chosen will blend ok.

Block 8 Xmas QAL

WooHoo!!! When I first looked as this tutorial I liked the block but was a little confused on what material to cut out. As the tutorial listed requirements by present and ribbon it took me a few minutes to get my head around it. Once I started though it was easy to get it. I am really happy with the way this turned out as I put a lot more effort into getting my seams the same width and lining up everything. loved making this block!!!

Still Alive

This week was the first week of school for Son 2. He is handling it really well. It is a bit of a stretch to do nightly readers but we are getting there. Son 1 comes home tonight after 3 days at camp. I have been missing him!!! I have not done much sewing this week but am now up to block 8 on my Beginner Quilt-along and am looking forward to my other QAL block being done tonight (Fingers crossed) I am also hoping to spend half of tomorrow working on my sugar cross quilt which means I will be close to finishing the top. Cheerio for now :)

An afternoon of quilt Blocks

I have spent the afternoon making quilt blocks for the QAL's. The Block 7 for the Christmas in July Block-a-thon was pleaseant to make. I found block 6 really hard but it is a good way for me to learn new techniques.

I have also started the Beginner's Quilt-Along hosted by Pat Sloan. I managed to make 3 blocks!!! I have chosen colours that are more maroon than purple even though the photo's lean towards purple. Block 1 and 3 were easy and even fun to do. Block 2 I ended up unstitching 2 parts 4 times. I didn't take into account the fact I would need to turn 1 block to keep the lines running the same way and then I undid the wrong seam but we got there in the end. I should have had a coffee break after Block!

Block 6 redo and WIP

I spent 2 hours last night redoing Block 6 and now Block 7 is ready to start. I am very happy I redid this and must say that I used pins and tried really hard!!! Herringbone is not easy and I will have more respect for quilts i see it in!!
I am still working on my Sugar Crosses but have decided to start another QAL. This time i will be doing a beginner QAL so I can learn a bit more.

Quilt 3

Well after I finished Margot's quilt I finished son number 1's quilt. I had done the top before I had starting the Owl and before Son number 2's quilt but was very scared to put it together. the new machine out pay to that. I bought a charm pack and a jelly roll of Moda's basic grey/max & whiskers. Then I had to try to work out what to do. I made my own pattern but as I had only made one quilt previously, I was a bit out of my depth. Overall, I like the quilt and the quilting is just stitch in the ditch.

Block 6

I did not enjoy this!!!! It will be a long time before I try to do herringbone again. I am also not a wonky person do as you can see I managed to make it too small. I have no idea and I assume I cut it wrong. Maybe I will redo it later but I have too little time this week.

Block 5

I am really happy with block 5 for my Christmas in July blockathon. I was not looking forward to my first flying geese attempt but it was a great tutorial and I am happy with the result. Bring on block 6!!!!

Crochet

Blanket for my daughter

Knitted jumper

monkey for son 2

Scarf for niece

monsters for my monsters

scarf fro another niece

scarf for mum

slippers for mum

pattern from Attic 24

I became a little obsessed with crochet for a while. I made a shell scarf for my mum and some slippers and some hats and a jacket for my daughter. I am currently making a blanket. Here are my projects to date. The cushion pattern is from Attic 24. The Jumper is knitted. I use ravelry for lots of patterns. Please let me know if you want more details. Plus I promise my photos will get better!!! Now I need to rest my poor old computer before it explodes from all this work. :)

More Previous Projects

I went to upload some photos to find that the camera cards have not been uploaded to the computer since January! 
 
So these are my finished projects (bar 1). The second quilt I finished was an Twilight Owl. I made it for my daughter and quilted it when I bought my Bernina machine in the pre Christmas sales. The material is just from Spotlight and the left overs that made up the border are from my first quilt. The backing material I picked out at my local sewing store (Jenny's Sewing Centre in Angaston). I didn't write down the name of the material but I will start doing that now. I machine appliqued the owl. The pattern is an adaptation of the quilt "Hoos' Sleeping" by Fiona Tully from the Australian Homespun magazine ( No 96, Vol 12.5). My daughter loves the quilt. The colour and stipling is supposed to remind you of twilight. Most people just like the owl.

Block 4

This one is a little more Christmas the last one. I am enjoying the blocks but tiny triangles are hard!!!

Trying to take a photo

It should not be do hard to take a photo of my 3 year old's haircut!!!! This is the best but really there are 4 that need to be displayed to see it properly

School holidays = no sewing

I am plans to sew but we are having a lovely time with visitors and all the other bits to do during school holidays. Today we have had visitors had haircuts and are waiting for the next of 3 lots of visitors due today! That means four lots of visitors. No wonder we are having lots of sleep ins.

This is Margot's second haircut (she is 3 now)

Elliot has a style and needs gel and a hair dryer.

Austin has a ready to start school haircut!

So lovely!!!0

Block 3

I am very lucky as my husband bought tea so I could do these blocks and now I have done the first 3!!! I am having a little trouble with cutting out too much but I will get it sussed.

I did it!

The first 2 blocks are done. I am quite happy with them and looking forward to the next one. It is a strange feeling quilting something with no idea of how it will go together at the end.

My first quilt along

My first quilt along. i haven't been able to organise the fabric in time but i have a stash (and a half) of christmas material.  i am a little late starting and hope to catch up on the weekend!!
The flickr group is HERE

and the tutorials will be posted by

List of Bloggers!

July 2th - Heather at Fiberosity
July 5nd - Pat Sloan
July 6th – Melanie at Melanie Dramatic
July 9th - Pam at Pam Kitty Morning
July 11th - Kelsey at Kelsey Creates
July 13th - Katie at Swim Bike Quilt
July 16th - Kim at Persimon Dreams
July 18th - Amanda at Sasikirana
July 20th - Jane at QuiltJane
July 23th - Kristy at St Louis Folk Victorian
July 25th – Kimberly at Fat Quarter Shop
July 27rd - Lee at Freshly Pieced
July 30th - Jennifer at MJ and Co
August 1st – Mishka at Quilting Gallery
August 3rd - Tiffiny at Free Patchwork Quilt Info
August 6th - Tacha at Fat Quarterly
August 8th – Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations
August 10th – Jocelyn at It’s Sew Emma
August 13th – Final Quilt Reveal!

I hope the links worked.

Babies

I was very lucky to spend the day with my friend who has just had a little girl Claire. She is beautiful and was very generous with her cuddles.

Past Projects

Here is the first quilt I made. I used the book Jelly Roll Inspirations  by Nicki Lincott and mixed it up a little. I went to a sewing class and it was fantastic. The inspiration behind the quilt was our 10th wedding anniversary. It was really good to have a deadline as I was not particularly confident in my sewing ability. Quilting can actually be forgiving about my lack of sewing skill!! Well here it is.

As a special touch I put a P and a H ony my husband's side and a H and a P on my side. Unfortunately I still have to put the label on. I finished this April 2011.