The stars are bright tonight.....

It's only me again with yet more finishes to share. I'm running out of things to make now! My WIP pile is going down....anyone have some quick makes they would like to share?  Comment them here. =1 Here it's 10pm so my title makes sense in this part of the world!

I started these when I was recovering from my operation. I was bored during the day and these passed the time perfectly/ Mind you the shapes were already basted...it was just the case of sewing...more sewing....stuffing....even more sewing....buttoning and they were done!

I do love pincushions and they can be made in such fun shapes!

I've rambled long enough....See you all later

Cherie! =]

A case of Cut and Baste!

Day 4 now and it's still all good. Who new hunting down people to sign paperwork could be so fun! It's even funnier when you call out a name and everyone looks at you then turns away with the 'Oh that's not me' expression. We did manage to find most of the people...some hadn't actually turned up for the days course and others had left early before we could catch them!

Back home I got more than I thought I would done on the sewing side of things. I got all the fabric squares cut to make the hexies, as well as charm squares and the selvedges cut off the fabrics I got the other day!
I even managed to make a start on basting diamonds. My scraps are growing thanks to all this cutting, but it's all good I have some projects in mind for them!
I guess I should show you the photographic evidence.

The scraps

2.5" and 3" squares

The leftover pieces minus selvedges sorted by colour 

Older prints minus selvedges (I did not cut them all at once!)

Love those selvedges!!

Basting diamonds! 

Yes I have a variety of scissors...I still find it tricky to hold them properly. My thumb is double jointed so holding scissors is quite painful. The dress making scissors or slightly easier to use, they were helpful with cutting the smaller squares. I did use my rotary cutter for the charms and 4 x 5 pieces. Those black scissors are for paper and thread.

Tomorrow will be a busy day! I have to pop into town before heading to my placement....then get in and eventually make dinner! It'll be interesting...

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Procrastination and Me...

You may read my blog and think "Wow she makes a lot!" Which is probably true to say....though the real truth is I procrastinate and awful lot inbetween.

I can get easily distracted by the TV if something good is on. Today it was a movie on the Disney Channel, I just had to watch it!

Anyhoo before all the procrastinating I got some cool things in the mail!

Firstly a badge I won in a giveaway over at Waggonswest, perfect for my procrastinating problem.

Then I saw Collette's camera cases and just had to have one. She made me a custom order in her shop, using green Chevron fabric. (please pretend the phone is a camera.) This will be coming with me tomorrow on my travels 

 I got the Giant Granny Pillows for Danny and one for myself too finished...Hers are in an envelope ready to go to the post office tomorrow along with everything else. The weather today was awful! I even have a label I got from Spoonflower attached on the inside. The first four pictures are of the pilllow covers for Danny, the others 2 are of mine. 

The fabric for the backing was in my wardrobe waiting to be used...the floral is some Father got which is home dec weight.

Then the movie interrupted for like a good hour and a half......then TV got in the way too. It wasn't until 6 ish I got back to sewing....

I made another pouch for my GIVEAWAY. The zip turned out great! I added my label in the bottom too.  I started made some scrappy blocks to turn into pincushions. They will be backed with a charm square. It's my own pattern used. Remind me to make a tutorial for it someday. 

They need to be ironed actually. I'll have to finish them on Sunday as I have no idea what time we'll be back on Saturday. We're all off to Sheffield for a surprise party (for a relative I'm sure I've never met) then staying at my Uncles in Leicester overnight and through Saturday, afternoon/evening...My Father is not a man of snappy decisions...

I'll be taking with me these pouches 

Sewing gear....pins, thread, needles, pincushion. 

Hexies 7 rows of 7 hexies..to be sewn 

snacks for the car journey

My camera will join me too....I'll also need my overnight bag..not yet packed...I'll try and take photo's along the way ready to share on either Saturday or Sunday evening. 

Siya'll in a couple of days =D

For the love of HSTs!

Today the weather started off overcast! My kind of day! Nice and cool.

I started my day by clearing up my fabrics. I had a large pile of sheets and pillow cases sitting next to my desk which was annoying me, so I put them into a tub under the bed and out of my way! The table now has my WIPs so they are nearer to me.

I borrowed my Folks bed space to use to measure the backing for my D16 quilt tops...I had to iron the backing as it was more creased than expected..it was folded all that time and magically with loads of creases...Very odd.
I went with the colours of the sashing. Some nice plain backs...no fancy prints. Both bedsheets. I haven't taken pictures...I shall tomorrow.

I noticed the fabric I had coloured somehow got wet and the colours had faded and blotched. So thinking quickly I grabbed my Acrylic paints

I had to paint out the whole butterfly and add in the details best as. I was not amused!

With Father's not so bright idea and fabrics cut I started sewing the strips to make HSTs. 5" strips by various lengths. Sew down both sides. Mark at 5" increments. Sew on either side of the marked line not taking the thread off the machine....The pictures help explain. If you have any questions on this please ask.

I got Father to so the cutting...as I have to do all the sewing...then the trimming once the HSTs are cut....they make 3" squares after. You get 4 from one 5" block cut through in an X. He even Ironed them all ready for me to trim down...all 144 of them.....


This is not I repeat NOT FMQ. I actually did it with my regular sewing foot whilst Father was taking his sweet time using the iron. I was thinking of doing this pattern on my D16 quilts...not sure yet. The fabric was easy to move at least. Any thoughts or ideas?

Then as Father was still using the iron! I finally made a start on my BOM block for Quilt Story... I needed to iron it fist so yeah.....This months theme is hourglass.

Tomorrow once ironed I can get this sewn before the month ends! I also have to take a trip to the dentist....at least my appointment is early (10.15) Whilst in that side of town I can check out the charity shops and see what I can find =D

I'm Not a Robot?...Really.....?

Is it just me or are the word verification words/jumble of letters getting much longer? Some are actual words..some have been numbers, yet all much longer than before. I've even come across some with shaded "words" and punctuation marks. I ask If you have a blog and haven't turned it off please could you do so, by following these steps...once you have done that you can go here to get the cool button.
It is very annoying to each day have to prove I'm not a robot!


So on to today. This sunny (Grrrr) morning I received two packages in the post.
One from Sarah-FairyFace Designs
I saw these on her blog and enquired about them. The one I originally wanted had gone already so she offered to make me a custom one instead. I agreed, chose the fabrics and this little pouch was created.

The next package was from Karin for the MSM Swap. She lives over in Sweden! She sent me an awesome sewing machine cover. Perfect fit for Jano. Plus some other cute little goodies, A pouch, a mini pincushion, a spool of thread, some sweets, a retractable tape measure, a postcard and some fabric.
The colours are perfect! She must have been stalking me.

You may have read Yesterday's post. I mentioned Father had called me for something.
He went out to boot fair again and came back with this

The panel pillow was not in the bag. Today I organised the fabric into piles of what it could be best used for. Either kitchen/table wares. Pillows. Backing. Bags. Other. The other was because the fabric is mini curtains with lining! What to use them for...any suggestions?
Some fabric annoyingly had sticky tape on the back of them as I assume they were fabric samples for something. The tape was a pain to peel off. So I thought you know what I'm not dealing with this. I'll cut it off and use whatever fabric is left!
The fabric in front of his feet, he cut that into 5" strips as well as a few other pieces I could spare to give him. He claims he wants to make pillows. What he really means is. "I'll cut part of it and you can do all the rest!" Um so not helpful to me. I don't want a pile of WIPs to mount up! It wouldn't be so bad if he was actually genuinely sewing the things himself.

So I put each category into bags and labelled them. Then we went to the cake shop to see if they had any large boards we could use as templates. They did, but they were more than I was willing to pay! (£7+ for the size we wanted!)

Upon returning home I brought the bags to my room and got on with some sewing therapy. I remembered to cut the bag strap using this fabric. I wanted them longer so was glad this piece was a half yard.

Then I set to finishing the bag. I got the magnets...which I didn't realise there were two different poles in the packet, cut them wrong..glued them in wrong and found out when it was too late. So now the magnets are outside if the fabric. I had to glue them down and now they are drying.

The bag is complete! So cute and the perfect size for all of my junk  necessary bag items to fit in. Next month this will be hitting the streets. Well not so much the pavement, more like my hip as I wear it. 

Tomorrow I'll possibly be backing the D16 quilt tops. I've opted for plain fabric that matches the sashing. =D

Driving in the Fast lane!

However before driving was sewing,
I continued on my Hexie panel until going to get ready for driving. I then got distracted by the TV.....Before leaving I grabbed my travel pouch and hit the road!

the back

The front

My thumb that has been stabbed with the pin many times!

The contents...the good scissors....the hexie panel..the thread...the clip that held the hexie rows neat and tidy..the needle is inside the panel...

The weather was much cooler. There was actually a nice breeze coming through the window.
I'm getting better at driving now! My instructor took me out to a place I wasn't used to, but he was impressed with how well I handled the roads and the car! There were more people out on the roads than I expected....most of them hanging out in the parks and others possibly on their way to the park....or the pub.....or a BBQ.....or......
I had to practice going around roundabouts and remembering to turn off at the right lane as well as signalling too. I had a few stop lights to stop at and some rude drivers who beeped me! Hello I'm a learner not a professional rally driver! It was a nice drive though and I was rather proud at how well I handled the new roads and challenges.
Twas The Older Giants lesson after mine, he has his test on Wednesday. I really hope he passes this time, this is his 4th attempt, please send your good driving vibes his way!
Once again I sat in the back and got to sewing. I did glance up a few times and we were going down some picturesque country lanes! I so wish I had bought my camera...

I got this far before we reached back home. OK so most rows were attached, the entire 6th row and part 7th row I did in the car!
 See that 4th row..yes? That was supposed to be before the 1st row and the entire panel upside down! I made an error in sewing and really couldn't be bothered to change it.

These are my driving glasses. They tend not to slide down so much. I sometimes also wear them when going out to parties/dinner etc. They squeeze at the sides so I can't wear them for too long.

 My actual glasses which are more comfortable, and I wear all the time. Just some nice simple Midnight Blue frames.

Upon getting home I started to finish the panel.....then was called by Father....but we'll discuss that tomorrow....
I had to finish the panel up after dinner

Then I pulled out the other 49 all ready to be sewn and created a design for them

After deciding how they would fit with the first panel I moved some around...

All fabrics were scrap pieces either swapped or from my own stash chosen specially to become MAM prints..most fabrics can be viewed here...which reminds me I must update that page....

Well that's all from me. Happy Sunday =D

3 quilts quilted one to go!

Before the shocking title news some super cute fabric arrived in the post today....Father actually bought it to me this time O_O! It was sent from Emily at Strawberry Patch, as well as the fabric she sent me some bunting, which I put around my sewing table. (The scissors were like that from last night)

Now onto the title. You read right! I not only finished quilting the quilt I've been trying to for the past few days, but I started and finished the next one! I have one more to quilt, then binding all four and they'll be done! I just need to find some yellow/gold thread...(mosaics are back in town!)

I never thought I'd say this, but hand quilting is actually not so bad! I've gotten better with each block I've passed, it's actually straight and mostly even stitches! I won't do this for all quilts, but definitely a few here and there. I used a thicker large needle...so maybe Jano might need one too.
I'll have to make another mosaic of my April finishes....Where did the month go?!
Happy April everyone, hope you all made some great things and will continue to do so in May =D

P.S. More swaps, giveaways and random crafty things to come next month!

A fight and an almost victory!

The fight was with my sewing machine...not some epic movie battle! Jano as I now refer to him as was being a moody old thing! Here is the culprit-

 So there I was making the pouches..the quilting-quick, just a few skipped stitches I managed to sort out. It took around 10 mins or less for each.
However when it came to sewing the interior fabric on, Jano just wouldn't cooperate! The amount a skipped stitches and broken threads! I have no idea why one extra piece of material made the difference, but damn it, it did!
I had to stop and re-thread so many times it took like 30 mins for a 10min job! I was not amused! The other ones I made were a breeze, but these ones Jano did not want to know!
I did manage to get them to a point he was comfortable to sew all left to do is a little hand stitching and those dreaded snaps!
I've pinned them in place and those are the threads I used...make note quilting with them perfect....sewing interior not so perfect.....Strange times......O_o......remind me I owe you some close ups of the quilting...

 
On a high not and not part of the fight..I got some new MAM hexies tacked! Just 35 more to go! All but those 3 in the bottom left...I have no idea on the designers as they were fabrics I swapped for

Sadly tomorrow there will be no sewing! I'm off to London with the Mother to see my Aunt. She'll be taking us to some fabric/material shops....my wallet is going to hate me...providing I find anything I like that is...so there may or may not be some photo's of the fabrics I buy....I should pack my camera.....