What else have I been up to today?

Well besides joining this




And hopping around every blog like a crazed lunatic I also found some time to continue more of my new project

Gotta love hexies. I should also write up a tutorial for my MAM quilt, I'll get around to it this weekend. Mainly as I need to sort out my tutorial page. Inlinkz here I come =D

WOW! And A HUGE THANKS

Thank you to everyone who has been entering my giveaway!!! Also to anyone who hasn't entered yet, but will during the hours the giveaway is still open for. Good luck to you all!

Leap Day giveaway

So first up here are the rules from Such a Sew and Sew






Here's how it works:
• Choose something to give away on Leap Day. Keep it simple. You can make something, give away a bit of your stash, offer a service, buy your favorite gadget to give away or offer something completely non-crafty. Your blog, you choose.
• To participate in the blog hop, your giveaway must start and end on Leap Day {February 29, 2012} in your time zone. You can open it at 10:00 am and close it at 10:00 pm, or go midnight to midnight, or anything in between. Your blog, your rules.
• Your giveaway winner does not have to be announced on Leap Day, but should be notified within a reasonable amount of time.
• Post your giveaway and then link up here. Please remember to link to your specific post {instructions here}. Please also include the Leap Day Giveaway button {code found below} somewhere in your giveaway post.
• The linky will open at noon MST on February 28^th and close at 10:00 am MST on March 1^st, to allow for people in different time zones to participate.
• If you want to include the linky tool on your giveaway post then others can link up from your blog and it will automatically update in every location the linky is posted. The code is available hereor under the linky below. If you choose to add the linky to your post, you MUST include the above rules so that it is fair play for all.
• Consider changing your comment settings to the pop-up window option for faster and easier commenting for all the visitors who'll be stopping by your blog. Instructions can be found here.

I know that Leap Day is still a week away, so what do you do in the meantime? First off, decide what you're going to give away. You can even write your post and schedule it to appear at 12:00 am on the 29^th. And second, please spread the word. It will be a very lonely linky party if it is just me giving a little something away. Post about it, add the buttons to your sidebar, mention it to everyone you know, pressure your friends into joining. Just kidding about those last two. Sort of.

Joining up with Flickr

I've recently joined up with Flickr  to showcase some of my photo's from my blog better. If you'd like to add me then feel free =D

Up for trade?

So not so long ago I bought these two books. When I got them they weren't as I expected them to be. I thought about selling them on eBay, but my mother said the fees they take might be too high so try something else.
If anyone is interested in trading something for them please let me know.

The first book is Patch-Cath Kidston. I haven't used the free gift, that's still in the book. It just wasn't the type of book I thought it would be and doesn't suit my style.

The second book is Snuggle Up-Beth Merrill Kovich, Retta Warehime. I got this book on sale. This too wasn't to the style I thought the quilts would be in. Its the more technical quilts for advanced quilters. 

There are just these two. So if you or you know someone who might be interested in them email me and let me know. =D

A new Sneak Peak and a Handy tip

Yes a few more sneaks to my latest project. No machine this time, the majority will be hand sewn. =D

Stale Stash Swap

Lucy over at Charm About You is hosting another swap, starting on the 20th of March. Head on over to her blog for the full details, and to grab the button to show you're joining in the fun  =D

Bloglovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I didn't even realise I had signed up with this. You can follow me on here too =D

It's ALMOST Finished!!!

You may have been reading my blog.....you may not have been....I wont hold it against you....yet.....
I've been working on a quilt a MAM quilt-Mine All Mine- You've seen the progress, you've glanced at the pictures and some have left some very nice comments.
Today I made some more progress, So much more, that it just needs those finishing touches and it'll be done...Want to see...Of course you do...

A long waited delivery and another Sneak Peak

So as you may know from reading past posts ,that I've been waiting for my wadding to be dispatched so I can finish my started 3 quilts and move on to my next projects. Well today they were delivered =D!!!!!

The large package taking up a quarter of my bed. 

I bought 4 packs of wadding 60x45". Also a book on lap quilts. A mini charm pack and some sewing machine needles.

With the wadding I was able to measure it to my MAM quilt and cut it to size....the backing fabric wasn't quite large enough to come over the front for some quick binding so I came up with a solution. Sew on an extra 2.5" of fabric to each edge of the backing!! 

I just need to iron it, hem it then sew it in place. I'm still deciding whether or not to do some quilting.

 And here is another sneak peak to my next projects =D

Sneak Peak

So once my quilts are done...well before they're even finished I'm going to be starting on some new items here's a sneaky look at whats in store

Yep I think that's enough show and tell =D

Finally the Email I have been waiting for!

So I placed on order on Cotton Patch on the 14 of February! They did say it would take a while to be dispatched. That hasn't stopped me checking everyday this week to see if it has yet. Just a second ago while checking my junk mail, as all blogger mail goes there. There it was- The my order has been dispatched email. They deliver with 2 days from dispatch time, which means I can finish up the 3 quilts I've started on!!!

I love it when good news is sent to my emails =D

Linky Party Time

After trying out some new designs I've linked up to Melissa's  TNT



Also Linking up to Rebecca's TTT

The Process Pledge

I, __Cheraldine_, pledge to talk more about my processes, even when I can’t quite put them in the in words or be sure I’m being totally clear.   I’m going to put my thinking and my gut feelings out there.  


With that said I grabbed my camera and took pictures off my-Mine all Mine- quilt process This is my largest quilting project as you may have seen I've started 2 baby quilts...wadding still hasn't been dispatched =(

It all started with the fabrics I had them in a box hidden away for my eyes only. I couldn't think what kind of quilt I wanted to make with them until I saw this tutorial. It got my brain working. I didn't want to make it exactly like that, but something similar. 

Whilst sitting at my desk at work on Monday my brain got ticking and the idea for how I wanted my quilt to look popped into my head. I grabbed my pen and those small post it notes and jotted down various calculations, sketches and numbers.

When I got home I stuck all the post its to a sheet of paper along with some other info on the fabrics I would use. Above is a rough sketch of how the quilt would look. I already cut the fabrics into 5" squares then in half to make 2.5 x 5" strips

I laid out the strips on my cutting mat for ease of access picking them out randomly from a bag. I paired them together and began sewing the rows 26 strips in each one!!

As I couldn't be bothered to get up to use the iron to press like 91 pairs I used the flat edge of my rotary cutter, which surprisingly worked and saved me the hassle of switching on the iron.

Disaster struck as my bobbin ran out which meant I had to re spin it. Only when I did thread some how got tangled up in my machine!!

It took 3 pairs of scissors and my thread unpicker to get the thread out.

But it made all the difference...though it took me a good hour to remove it all. A whole hour taken away from precious sewing time!!

The final row being pieced together, before getting up to go and iron 7 rows worth of seams. 

I pressed all my seams to the right hand side then put each one over the banister in the passage.

Again it took a good hour to re-order the rows as so many of the strips kept matching up to the one next to it. I wanted to throw myself over the banister by this time. Instead I took a deep breath and carried on switching and changing the order until only a few matched up.

Adding in the sashing. I pressed it flat, which worked well and spread the strips out better when I flipped it over. In my note book I would put 1 down 5 or 6 to go. 

After ironing and cutting away all the stray threads my quilt top was finally done. I started on Monday and finished the top today. The backing has been chosen-some striped black fabric. I have a strip to make with the left over fabric to break up the black.

So there you have it the process, well some of it, the rest will go into a tutorial, of how I made my quilt top =D

In Other News

Following on from Lucy's Fugly fabric party. I swapped fabrics with Lisa over at In The Boon Docks. She sadly still hasn't received hers, but yesterday I got mine in the post =D

I surprisingly don't have many of these colours in my stash so it was nice to receive these. I have no idea what to make with them yet, but I'm sure I'll think of something =D

That sudden burst of inspiration!

I hadn't realised I haven't posted for a while. I've been rather busy these past few days. Cutting up my fabrics and starting on some new quilt projects. My order still hasn't been dispatched yet for the wadding, which gives me time to find some decent backing fabric for my baby quilts. Both quilts were made from pillow cases and some other small pieces of fabric I had. A tutorial will be posted once I've finished them completely.

Whilst at work yesterday a sudden burst of inspiration hit me. I finally decided what to make with the fabrics I'd singled out just for myself. I saw this tutorial when looking through my blog reading list and bookmarked the page for later. Which is today, no work till Thursday = more time for sewing =D

 My Quilt is with that idea in mind, but my own variation. I've used 5" squares cut into 2.5x5" strips. I had 7 rows to sew together, 26 strips to each row.. So far all I've done is sew the strips together in pairs for each row, to remake 5" squares.

The fabrics from my personal stash.

I picked out 8 FQ's and used 6 squares from each, then 12 10" squares I had. I also had to use all the scraps I had too, to make up the numbers as I needed 91 squares in total. It took a while to cut them all, but it will be worth the effort once it's finished. =D

Charity shop finds.

So as well as shopping online to buy designer fabrics, I've also decided to look in charity shops too. Mainly as they always have random clothing or bedding etc in them that can be cut up and used for crafting purposes.
There are a range of them in my small town center, each with varied prices on their items. I think the cheapest so far has been in my actual town center, but hey they can't all have the same prices.
So today whilst mooching around the charity shops, and oddly spending way more time in them than expected I found these few things.

Book, which has some really helpful techniques, then the rest of the book  is pictures and information on quilts made using those techniques. 

Front of a pillowcase, I'll be using this to make my first quilt =D

The back of the pillow case above. Also will be using squares from this=D

Another pillow case. This one is rather large. Will use it for a little girls quilt 

These were the main things that caught my attention and the cases weren't part of a set. There were actual duvet sets, but they weren't as suitable as the patterns on them were too loud. I was tempted to get some valet sheets to use as backing. May have to venture back there one week and buy some....Or go to Primark on a town venture. Their items are always fairly reasonable in pricing.

My new fabrics.

Ordered from Eternal Maker I received my new bundle of FQ's and Half metres. Plus a sewing starter kit

The package. It took me a while to get into it. After taking off the plastic there was tape and cardboard. Then more tape and cardboard then finally my fabrics and set.

Fabric!!!!!!!!!

Yes I ordered a varied selection

More of the selection

The starter set.

You can see the collection better on the my fabrics page =D. I still have a few more packages to be delivered, but I have to wait till next week or so for those.

Swap Time!!

So I just got rid  I mean swapped some fabrics for the Fugly fabric giveaway. This left me in the mood to swap some more fabrics. So after purchasing some more fabrics online I was sorting them out into colour groups and there were some I just couldn't place anywhere,at all. Seriously!! So I am giving you, my lovely followers a chance to swap fabrics with me. Yes it's really that easy. Just head on over to the Swap Time page to see what you have to do =D
Good luck and don't forget to share this on your blog so your friends/followers have a chance to enter too.

Fugly Fabric Party-Swap

So I posted on the Very Berry Handmade page for Ali's swap. She mailed me not long after. I picked out some of my fabrics to send to her. The ones I knew I wouldn't miss and would never use. On Monday upon getting in from work I had three lovely parcels waiting for me. One of those from Ali!!
I opened it and out tumbled more fabric scraps than I had expected. I sorted them out into piles and here there are

OK so out of these I like 2 can you guess which ones?

Out of these ones 3 were my favourite,

Out of these I like 3 the best

3 of these will go nicely with my vintage fabrics the other two hmmmm...

As you can see a varied selection of colours and styles, some modern others vintage-which will come in handy to go with the other vintage fabrics I just purchased

They are 4" squares I may cut down to make a mini quilt or I'll leave them whole and make a small quilt with some of the other fabrics from Ali. I was happy for the ones with the bears on they'll look so cute on a baby cot quilt. I also purchased these, they're also 4" squares

Bought from good old eBay. I have ordered some other fabrics, they are yet to arrive. It is a joy coming home to have something to open =D