Time to focus and finish!

I realised a couple of weeks ago that I have 6 quilts currently on the go......... and still I'm browsing the net, making notes of things that inspire me and adding to my wish list of quilts to make.  I reckon by listing a few of them here, maybe it will spur me on to finish them...well, I'm hoping so anyway!





My To-Do List:
1.  Swoon Quilt from this time last year!!  It is basted and ready to be quilted but I need to decide whether to hand or machine quilt and in what style!

2.  Economy Block-Along (in conjunction with Red Pepper Quilts Quilt-along).  This one is done, quilted and now bound but just needs a special addition to the back before it can be gifted.

3.  I started a Storm-At-Sea quilt similar to this pattern and I totally <3 this quilt but got distracted far too early on so really need to get back to it!

4.  A little fairy-tale quilt for a very special little someone.  I have 7 of 9 blocks done.  It wouldn't take too much to get some progress done!

5.  A memory quilt.  This is what I'm currently working on and I'm making good head-way........just really have to keep the momentum up so I can share it! 

6. My postage stamp quilt.  This was coming on nicely until I got monumentally distracted so definitely time to refocus and get a move on!

Now, if someone could just give me a nice virtual kick, that would be just great!

International Postage Stamp

My Quilting Class were inspired recently by a gorgeous WIP Postage Stamp Quilt that is being made by Nora, an accomplished Tuam Quilter.  We were all taken by the concept of a large, simple design that promised hours of intrigue and interest.  It's not an easy task to start one of these quilts however, especially if you are a relatively new quilter like me.  You need a super stash of scraps and then some!  To put together a kingsize quilt, you have to accummulate almost 2000 x 2.5" squares - easy enough, just alot of cutting and trimming, right?  Wrong!!   The idea is that the quilt would have no repeats and that means you need 2000 DIFFERENT fabrics to get an authentic Postage Stamp Quilt!  Hmmm, slightly harder!

Operation Scrap-Stash-Building!

We started our collection in class, we each swapped 20 squares with about 14 people, that was a lovely start - 280 squares!  Then, I cut up squares from my own collection and that bumped me up to about 500.  That meant I had still only 25% of my intended collection!  I know many spend years stashing away these little squares to make the quilt when they have enough.........I suppose I could have done that, but I'm terribly impatient.  I may not finish everything I start straight away but I am GREAT at starting projects and I NEEDED to get this one off the ground. 

By chance, I came across a couple of groups on Facebook where I thought I might be able to swap some squares and suddenly the ball was rolling.  I received packages from Ireland, England, across Europe, America, Tahiti and Canada.  Some were swaps but many were donations towards my project.  You remember that excitement when you first started using the internet and you got an e-mail........ I was like that when the postman arrived!!!  Sifting through the scraps, cutting them down, counting them into bundles was a job in itself but an enjoyable one.  The range was something I would never have collected by myself - I had received a little taste of so many other quilters taste and I think it really adds to the flavour of my project.  If I was using only my own fabrics, I would have an overall pastel, pale pretty girlish colours I think......and while I obviously love those colours, it's wonderful to have such a selection in a quilt like this!

One of my favourite blocks........ I know my boys will love it when they find this hidden away on the quilt top!

I was really touched that this lovely quilters from around the world were willing to take their time to sort through their stashes, package them up and send them to me!  I've been able to return the favour a few times already in small ways - it's our very own sisterhood of the travelling scraps!  hee hee

So, this is the where I am currently.  I've been joining the squares in 4x4 blocks.  Then I laid them out to see how it's looking.  This pictures shows 54 blocks of 16..........that's approximately 800 squares so far....... about 40% of the total!  I haven't joined them together yet, I want to wait until all the blocks are made but I'm loving the look so far.  This will be a super large quilt, I'm impatient to move on with it..........

  Can't wait to show you my progress on this one! 

Make Me Up As You Go Go!

Aaaaaah! Spot the blogger who has been totally remiss about updating her Medallion Sew-Along Progress....... (how do I do big fat arrows on this thing??)

Right, so let's see.  You could say that I've not been a very good girl at doing the "along" part.  I am an impatient sewist some times and have a tendency to rush forward and make some lovely errors because I don't take the time to really go through my plan, work out my measurements and follow a pattern....... and this one has allowed me to be bold because of the lack of a step-by-step pattern, more guidelines that I was a tad too lazy to check out beyond a cursory glance!

My medallion is therefore a "Make-Me-Up-As-You-Go-Go"....... so please excuse my mistake and errors.  I got a little distracted along the way with other projects which is why I'm still working on it - I have yet to decide on a 6 inch border for the outside so it might take another short while before it's completed!

And...........this is where I am so far!  I like it because it's really a very eclectic mix of fabrics and the green is a bit "out there".....for me anyway.  I'm going to make one change and add in 3.5" squares of a different fabric in the corners, like in every other border.  I thought I would like the solid green all the way around but it doesn't look quite right so I'll back-track on that. What do you think so far?  Any suggestions for a 6 inch border?  I'm not gone on the plusses (is that even a word?) that are in the originial medallion, they're not for me  but I'm open to anything else!

Whoops, this is sideways........not that it matters with a square quilt - just adds a few odd ripples!

I hope it won't be too long before I update with a finish!  See ye soon! xx

My Sewing Room Tour!

Ooooh it's been a fun old couple of weeks. After a trip to Ikea, my sewing room got a bit of a jig-up and I can show you almost all of it............ I still have a wardrobe and an alcove to sort out but time enough!

I have to admit, I love Ikea, there are so many storage solutions and you could spend all day choosing but I pretty much knew what I wanted, a larger version of what I already had!  This unit gave me 9 extra square boxes!  I have pretty much filled them already but I love it.  Just rearranging the room (my husbands idea, actually the bigger storage was his idea too) has really helped.  Even though there are more items and a bigger unit in there, it feels more spacious and it's proving a more effective work layout!

What do you guys think of my space?  It's compact, yes.  The walls are dark blue having inherited my sons décor and my other half keeps suggesting painting it white but I like the blue, with all the white furniture, it makes it cosy and I think it will be a nice backdrop for some mini-quilts on the walls! 

Check out all the cards in the middle shelf, second row, that I'm getting with each delivery of 2.5" squares from around the world........... "Lovin' it"

You might notice the few items that I've acquired from around the house....... I love when things have dual purposes!  There are my Salter Scales........so handy when I need to weigh items that I'm posting and I seem to do that more than baking these days.  I also have a letter organiser from the office holding my rulers - it's brilliant for the small and big rulers!!  My small ironing board and mini iron are on a small, light table so that I can put it under the cutting table when not in use.  I love being able to have it right next to the sewing desk, saves soooooo much time!

 

and I still have that rolly-trolley-thing-a-majiiggy that I stole ahem, borrowed from the office last year!  It's really handy by my desk for my measuring tape, patterns, ribbon etc..... Plus, it keeps those fiddly bits out of sight when the small, inquisitive people in my life visit my little sanctuary!

So that's it for now........ I still have to sort the shelves by the door, the wardrobe (which I had forgotten to take into account when buying storage - BONUS)  and the alcove that you can't see in these pictures.  It's beside the big storage unit and currently holds a rocking chair and a little table stacked high with cushion fillers and leftover wadding and beads!  I think I managed to keep most of my disorganised mess out of sight!!!  Hopefully, you'll think I'm just a neat crafter (as if such a thing existed!)!

It's all about appearances, right?  ..........and then you get to know me and therefore the truth! Whoops!

Relaxing Sundays!

It's been a while......... I feel like I'm not accomplishing anything if I don't blog about it and show the world but I have been working away.  Slowly, yes, but working all the same.  Today, it's a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, and we have the day off!  My husband and eldest son are out, my twins are sleeping and finally I have the headspace for a little blog.

My lovely friend had her fourth baby recently.  Her last gorgeous baby was 9 months old before I finished a blanket for her.  Now granted, I was new to quilting then, and new to sewing at all for that matter, so it took me time to work up the courage to cut the fabric to begin with.  When this bouncing little man was born though, I got stuck in straight away.  I kept it simple and went with a bright brick design with his shortened name appliqued on and also added an elephant in minky so he has something soft to rub.  I bought some gorgeous, thick, super-soft fleece on sale at The Quilt Shop to back it and give it a nice bit of padding for and an extra cosy factor and this was the finished product.......... 

His mum sent me this picture of baby Olly snuggled up a few days later.  Nothing gives a crafter more satisfaction and pleasure as seeing something they have made being used!

I have also been working away slowly on my Economy Block Along, I had some help at my tuesday class to chose a beautiful blue border from the quilters shadow range by Stof.  I love this blue, I used it last year in my seaside quilt, it's really lively!

Once again faced with the daunting task of basting another quilt, all be it a small one, I decided to try using the curved safety pins for the first time.  I bought a pack of 40 for just €4 and it was the perfect amount for this lap-sized quilt!

WOW, consider me converted!!!  The whole lot done in about 15mins.  This would have taken me an hour or more if I was to use basting stitches!So with that done, I've started hand-quilting it.  Yes, I'm a sucker for the handquilting.  It's relaxing and the scaredy cat in me likes how very little can go wrong!

So with one quilt basted.........and so bloomin' fast, it was time to finally baste my Swoon quilt......  I LOVED making this quilt, I LOVE the top and yet, it has sat on a shelf, folded up for the past 9 months because I really couldn't face basting a kingsize top by myself.  A few of the girls in the Tuesday Night class I attend offered to help me out and we laid it down and it was done in no time whatsoever with this fabulous new-to-me method of basting!!

Aren't these ladies just amazing!  It's a wonderful thing to be in a class where the group is so willing to give up a night of their own work to help you out! 


I have so much more to show and tell but time is of the essence for me right now and I'm helping out with a really cool project and need to get working on it while the boys are still sleeping!

*watch this space*

Medallion Quilt Along!

I've been getting the emails about the Medallion Quilt Along from the Modern Quilt Guild of Ireland and  I reallllllllly wanted to join in but couldn't decide on a center block to get me going.  I should have done what was suggested, which was to create a mosaic of central blocks which would probably have inspired me and got the creative juices going..........but no, instead I chose to just let ideas float around in my head, allow them to get all muddled up and talk myself out of joining a few dozen times.  However, I bit the bullet last night and just decided to buy the "Liberty Love" book for the kindle (oh yes, instant gratification...... pay for it and receive it in less than 3 mins, now that's service)!  My plan was just to follow the Marcelle Medallion pattern - I have been drooling over it on Instagram and other blogs for about 18months after all..........but as soon as I flicked through the book, I decided on another design altogether for my centre block and got to work!

First a fabric pull............. 

I chose a paper-piecing block for the centre because I love the patterns that can be achieved with this method and it gives such accurate results.  I hated paper-piecing when I first tried it, so much so that I dumped my first couple of efforts out of sheer frustration but then I took on a twin-sized seaside quilt done completely with paper-piecing and I fell in love with the process.  It's perfect for those days when you just want to sew and don't want to think about what you're doing too much!  Effectively sewing by numbers!! 

I don't have the exact recommended measurements so I'm hoping it'll work out as it grows but I'm rather pleased with my first block & border!  I LOVE that text fabric from The Quilt Shop.  I'm hoping I haven't added too much pink/purple.  I don't want it to end up completely pink themed so I need to try and add new colours as I go.

Now to add some more borders....... so many choices but I won't take so long this time, watch this space!

Friends, Fun & FABRIC!

Wahooooooooo, my buddy made it over from America and was in our area for one night only (yes, I sang the song in my head far too much.......... "for one night only, one night only....." Drove myself mad) and we had fun, fun, fun......... how much chat, food/drink and shopping can you fit in less than 24 hours......well, ALOT!!!!

So, her lovely visit is over already but she left her mark by bringing over my shopping from America.  Since October/November she'd been sending me links to websites that I should check for fabric, notions, and more....... being the dutiful friend, of course I checked them out and then I was compelled to buy a little here and there!  Well, let's just say I've fairly added to my stash overnight and I love it!  So here's a sneaky peek at some of what she brought...........

The top three photos are from Craftsy.com, who have an advert on my page right now! (coincidence? hmmm :) ) and the bottom pictures are some of the scrap packs from Hawthorne Threads.  I love these, they sent completely different ones to the ones I got last year and the "scraps" are a very generous size!

 
You might not see me now for a little while, not because I'm going to be in a big feverish sewing frenzy or anything.  More than likely, I'll be sitting with my fabric, stroking it and colour co-ordinating my little piles and imagining what I can make......... aaaaaaaaah bliss! 

Finishing up!

You remember I mentioned I had a finger in a lot of pies and was trying to stop starting new projects before I had a few "finishes", well I've been working on that over the past few days.  I may have digressed a little by making a cover for my sewing machine.....  but that was a necessary as my machine now sits in the window and I don't want it to turn yellow on me!! 

So this is what I've been doing........

First up, I finally found a piece of embroidery that I started ages ago.  I'm terrible for putting things in very "safe" places and then not finding them for months on end!!  So here are my two little boys........ I had done one similar a while back but when I saw this pic with two little boys, I had to do it too.  My little men, Sam and Levi, each picked themselves out of the finished piece so I think that'll show you why I wanted to do it!
 

Next up I've been doing some more on my #economyblockalong - these blocks are very easy but quite labour intensive.  There is so much ironing and trimming throughout each block for something that is very simple looking at the end of it.  However, they are so very cute and I'm delighted with how they're turning out.....they're just turning out rather slowly!

 

Oh before I forget, this is my little machine cover.  I used a charm pack that I bought during the #greatukfabricdestash from Fairyface Designs so it went together very fast.  It could possible have been an inch longer but it covers all the necessaries so I'm happy enough with that!

 And lastly, I finished up my Summer in the park Quilt.  I did the binding over a week ago but left the last 3 inches (ever the procrastinator, why would I not just do those three inches and be done with it???) until this morning!  So finally , it is done!  I hope you like it!

Front and back

Hand quilted with perle cotton

I do love a bit of funky binding!

So that's what I've been up to the past couple of weeks.  I can start (guilt-free) to plan a few more projects now!!


                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Accumulating UFO's

I'm finding it very hard to concentrate these days.  I have started so many projects and not finished one this past month!!  I have been hand-quilting my "summer in the park" quilt this week and that has taken two full days but it's done now and I just have to do the binding, hooray!!

I also cut lots of fq's up last week to make a little boy blanket.  I've been admiring my cut rectangles all week but have been putting off actually piecing it until I get the hand-quilting done.........I'm really trying not to be a quilter with 15,000 UFO's!  However, I couldn't resist and put it together on wednesday afternoon, it's a very simple design, lots of bright spring colours, perfectly suited to the little one I'm making it for.

My poor little Economy Block-Along quilt came to a standstill 2 weeks ago when I couldn't find the fabric I wanted to complete it.  I had been using fussy cuts from Riley Blakes "The Simple Life" and I LOVED IT but you can only use so many of the same pictures repeated.  I had used each one about 5 or 6 times and any little girl would absolutely adore them.  You can just imagine how their imagination would run wild looking at all the little scenes.  Falling asleep while making up stories to go with them...........   OR maybe it was just me, maybe I was bored with the repetition and the fabric is far too cute to get bored of!  So, I went on the hunt and found a similar but different Riley Blake pattern called "Little Red Riding Hood".  It was on a white background too and had a few different scenes!  I also came across another gorgeous print by Riley Blake called "Country Girl"............ah for goodness sake, they were getting cuter and cuter..........but this one, I couldn't find in Ireland or the UK!  It seems that it's brand new and only in the US so far.  I bit the bullet and bought half a yard of both fabrics and guess what, they arrived in just 5 days!  I opened up this Happy Mail yesterday.

Aren't they gorgeous!!!

  

The pictures on both fabrics are perfect for fussy cutting into my blocks!  Watch this space for more progress! 


So, I'm browsing the net this morning - for fear something mega happened overnight and I might have missed it when I notice someone has pinned something I previously pinned and forgotten.  Oh man, I want to make that too!  How did I forget about such a cute project!  Then, I spy a stained glass project that a fellow quilter is making - it's just stunning and I remember how I loved doing the stained glass block in my sample quilt and suddenly I want to add one of those to my list too! So today, I'm giving myself a good talking to, telling myself to cop on, knuckle down and finish the current quilts and start making an orderly To Do List instead of starting everything at once!  Let's see if that happens.........!

My two little helpers watching the "thorn" (needle) going up and down!

Cinders has lost her work ethic!

This last weekend, Cinderella (me) went to the ball........... now in the fairytale, Cinders gets all her work done before she leaves but me, I did nothing, didn't sew a stitch from tuesday night on because I had to get my hair, my nails, my make-up done.........these things take time when you're used to hanging around the house in your baggies!  But it was so worth it, we had a blast at the Tullamore Formal!  Check us out..........

The weekend didn't stop there either, Saturday night was Panto night with my best boy, Ben!  We were both hoarse from yelling "Oh yes he is" and we laughed so much.  I had to quieten him down a few times because he finds it all sooooooo hilarious! It's not a great picture but I can never resist taking one for our memory book!

So after spending the day with friends yesterday and having a lovely, scrummy dinner cooked for us, I finally took out my sewing on this rainy Monday morning!  I didn't get a whole lot done because let's just say my energy levels are still recovering but I my "Summer in the Park" quilt top finished.  I added a red inside border and then a black/white scrappy border outside that again.  I really like the red with it.  Gives it a bit of "umpf"!  What do you think?

 Last week, I added a few more squares to my Economy Block Quilt-along project.  I'm loving how this is turning out.  I was going to leave it at this size (30 blocks) but have decided to carry on because it's so cute, I've just been trying to source the new fabric I want for the centre blocks.........which I did today with a little help from some Quilty friends!  (Thanks Rosie & Fiona & Beatrice).  I've been really using some mad prints in this one and I am still in love with the eclectic effect it gives, I hope it's still appealing when I've added more blocks!

 Sooooooooooooooo I was going to carry on with some handstitching I started a few weeks ago......... this gorgeous little embroidery sampler but I seem to have mislaid it in one of my cleaning frenzies.  I know it will show up in a nice safe spot but there goes my plans for this evening!  I may just have to have a lazy night with a glass of wine! 

 I hope you're enjoying seeing the little projects I'm working on, if anyone is interested, please feel free to post your blog address in the comments below, I'd love to check out your work!

Happy Wednesday!

I remember in school my sixth class teacher was a bit of an odd man.  He was the type with hair growing out of his nose, wore socks in his leather sandles and had an opinion on everything.  One of these opinions was that you should never buy a car on any day except a Wednesday.  Something to do with Mondays and Tuesdays being days that the salesman would be recovering from the weekend, Thursday being payday which meant their mind wasn't on the job and Friday and Saturday they were preparing to for a wild weekend again!  Obviously, I was a very impressionable 11year old because ever since, Wednesday has been my happy day!

So with that in mind, I bringing you my news on Wednesday...... For those who haven't already spied me on Facebook, I'm so happy to be able to tell you that I have joined the team of The Quilt Shop, Tuam.  I'll be taking care of the facebook page (go on, scroll down the page, you'll see my little intro and my big ugly mug, you know you want to) and can't wait to share all the exciting things happening over the coming year, bringing the items on the shelves to your livingrooms/offices and beyond!!!! Ooooh, I think the power is going to my head!!  So if you haven't already, have a peek at the page, hit "like" and you can be part of our little community!

I've started my Economy Block Quilt-along!!

So, Instagram has been taken over lately with posts about the Economy Block Quilt-Along.  I could have ignored them and carried on with the plans I did have for this month but these were far too cute to ignore.  It helped that the sample block that kept popping up happened to use some of the fabric that I have in my stash right now.  Instagram was basically telling me to forget my plans and get cutting these blocks!

I want to say a great big thank you to Red Pepper Quilts for popping up the tutorial on this block, she gives super clear instructions and her choice of fabrics are so diverse and funky together, it made it very endearing! For anyone who may find themselves inclined......... click here for all the instructions!

I pulled a heap of fabric for my first 6 blocks and chopped and changed until I was happy with a few combinations. 

 I'd like to change direction with my next pile of colours for the next six........and mix them all up, so this current layout, isn't how it will stay!  I'll have to see what grabs me! Most of these are from the a mix of ranges such as "Marmalade" and "The Simple Life" which I bought from Fililis, an Irish online fabric shop, during the summer, including the fussy cut centre blocks, some are from Connecting Threads in the U.S.  I love the centre square fabric, it's the cutest, most whimsical print I have seen in ages!

So here they are, my first 6!  They are 5.5" unfinished........I'll need a heap to make a decent sized quilt but I am totally in love with them so looking forward to tomorrow already so I can find some time to do some more...........

In the meantime, the new episode of Sherlock is on!