Thursday 31 May 2012

Only one more to go

In between my full time job as a teacher and my household chores I still managed to make two Granny Squares. I've got 19 made and only one more to go before I start sashing them and sewing all together. Yeah!!!
 I know it isn't much but believe me, I had to work very hard in order to get some free time at night and make these.

Monday 28 May 2012

Design Wall Monday

Only one project to show today. I'm involved in a big project, the double Wedding Ring Quilt so I've decided not to begin any more quilts until I have this one in a more advanced stage. At the moment I'm only making my QBSA blocks and my FW blocks which I can't show you until my partner receives theirs.
In my design Wall  this week there is only this...


But there's is a lot more to see, just link up with Judy at Patchwork Times and you'll enjoy lots of wonderful projects.

Saturday 26 May 2012

I'm Still Here!!!


I haven't posted anything for quite a while but I'm still here. This week has been a busy one. So busy that I haven't been able to sneak into my sewing room as much as I would like to. so there isn't much to share with you today, just some small scrappy pieces that I've been doing to use all my small fabric pieces, since I'm on a very strict fabric diet.
  A small framed purse, very useful for coins.

  Another pincushion, I have to put in the filling and sew it.

 Some scrappy pot holders

And a boxy pouch made with the leftover squares from my Granny Squares.

Saturday 19 May 2012

My FNSI

Last night I made some more arches for my Double Wedding Ring quilt but I had to go a little further...

I'm mostly a self taught quilter, I've learnt a lot from the net, the blogs I visit and the books I buy and I didn't want to cut all my wonderful fabric into pieces to find out later that the Double Wedding Ring was a task I could not handle. I know this isn't the way most quilters work but I had to try making a whole ring. And so I did, I cut the melons , the centre and sewed everything very carefully, following the instructions throughly. Here it is, my first ring!



It doesn't seem much but it took me all night to get this done.

Friday 18 May 2012

Spring 2012 - Bloggers Quilt Festival

Today is the first day of the bloggers Quilt Festival. Amy's Creative Side is hosting this Festival to give the opportunity to those who can't attend Quilt Market, to share their quilts.Link up and share your quilt,too.


MY ENTRY FOR THE BLOGGER'S SPRING 2012 QUILT FESTIVAL - SWEET SUMMER COTTAGE QUILT


Last Summer I began sewing hexies without knowing exactly what I was going to do. At first I though about doing the Vignette in Stitches Hexie quilt but then I found, from a friend blogger tip, a wonderful pattern al Quiltmania Magazine. It was called Aunt Sarah Quilt. I loved it. Of course I have to make some alterations (as usual), so Aunt Sarah turned out to be my Sweet Summer Cottage quilt.
The quilt top has about 540 hand sewn 1" hexagons. The border was sewn by machine.And the applique,too.



Wednesday 16 May 2012

WIP Wednesday



Oh my !!! It's Wednesday again, time does fly.
Today I'm liking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced. She is hosting  another WIP Wednesday.


Completed projects:


A zippered pouch. It's going to be one of my PIF gifts, I still don't know who's going to receive it, it's a surprise


 It has two inside pockets to keep our women stuff


The Summer Breeze table runner top is finished. I just need to quilt and bind it.




Works in Progress:



I've made only one granny square this week, that means I sill have more three to do before  doing the sashing and sewing everything together.



New Projects:


I've started my Double Wedding Ring quilt last week. I've made a couple of arches but there's much work ahead
I hope to have more to show you next Wednesday, until then I wish everyone a great sewing week.

Sunday 13 May 2012

New fabrics...new project

My fabric has finally arrived...Yeah!!!
20 gorgeous Fat Quarters, 10 from Hello Luscious by Basic Grey and 10 from Good fortune by Kate Spain both from Moda fabrics.


The fabric lines are wonderful and they blend perfectly. I couldn't be happier. At last I can begin my new project. My double Wedding Ring quilt. This past weeks i've been searching through the net and asked a couple of blogger friends about the best method or pattern to make such a quilt. I don't know if I chose the best or the fastest way but I'm going to use the paper piecing method. I gave it a try last week and it wasn't a bad experience so today I dug into it.
 I cut the pieces and began sewing the arches, I'm going to make two different sets ( or more if the fabric isn't enough)
 Just to be on the safe side sure I sewed a melon and the results were pretty good, my seams matched and the curved piecing wasn't that hard
I think I'm gonna be busy for the next weeks or... should I say months!!!

Wednesday 9 May 2012

WIP Wednesday - Don't be Square

 This week I have only one work in progress to show but it's a big one.
Last January I sandwiched my " Don't be Square" quilt and since then it has been an UFO inside my cupboard. It's a big quilt and as I only have a domestic sewing machine, quilting the big guy was scaring me. I postponed the quilting week after week.
Not anymore! I began doing it


I chose the design for the big squares and draw the design free hand, then I followed ( more or less) the lines. Well it's not perfect but i'm quite happy with it.









I love the feathered circles


















I think they will look better by the end of it









I've quilted twelve big squares and I still have more 24 to go
A view from the back

Afterwards I'll have to quilt the small ones. I've made one so far, here's a back view.

That is all I have for this week, Link up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and see what everybody is doing.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Tuesday Treasures with Melody

It's been a while since my last Tuesday treasure but this week I'm back .
I'm sharing with you some of my crystal treasures. Two are Christmas trees, one is a carved perfume bottle and the last one is a wonderful angel bell.
This is my favorite piece. It's a small crystal angel, the skirt is a little bell that has the most wonderful sound. I don't use the bell much because i'm afraid it might break the glass.
For more treasures just link with the lovely Melody at The house on the Side of the Hill

Monday 7 May 2012

Design Wall Monday

Not much to show this week. Some minor projects and a finished table runner top.

Finished:

 Made the applique flowers on my table runner


Do you think it needs a border?

On Going Projects:
Schnibbles I
 A small table topper or big Mug Rug, will see.... I've made it to try the blocks for the Summer Day Schnibbles I would like to make.

A pillow front, I want to make six of those for my sofa. The ones i've got there are old and worn out. I had a turnover  on my little stash and I think it will be great to use it.
I told you i hadn't much to show but i'm sure you'll have many wonderful projects to see if you link up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

Sunday 6 May 2012

Small projects

This week was almost entirely dedicated to small sewing projects.
First I made a little sewing set. I found the tutorial on a blog ( which name I can't remember) and it's really easy to make


It's small enough to take in our bag when we have to travel. Great for EPP.

Women love pouches and so do I.

A scrappy boxy pouch
 And then I had to make a pincushion. I just love them
Last but not least a Cat pouch. I made it to give it to a cal lover friend of mine. I sill have to sew the eyes and stitch the wiskers.


Friday 4 May 2012

Two days... Two Swaps

In two days I received my gifts from the swaps I entered. First I received a package from Jane in the U.K.
She was my partner at  Quilter's Day Swap hosted by Heidi at Hand made by Heidi.

Jane sent me two lovely gifts. A little purple table topper and a matching pot holder. They are going to look so nice in my kitchen.


Thank you Jane, for the lovely items and the beautiful card, too.

Yesterday I went to the post office to pick another package. This time it came From Susan in the U.S.A.
she was my Friends With Benefits partner. A great swap hosted by Kathy at Sew Happy House.


Inside the package there were two little parcels and a card
In one of the parcels I found the most lovely theread. I loved the colors. But the best was yet to come

 Look ai this wonderful apron she made me. It's gorgeous!!! I love the ruffles border.


 This is the detail of the front, the stitchery is so beautiful.
I took my own photo wearing it, but I will post a better picture later on

I think I'll be sleeping in my apron tonight. LOL!!! The card she sent me is also wonderful, just look
Thank you so much Susan. It was great to have you as partner.

This is what I sent to Susan, I can show it now for she has already received it



I made her a small wall hanging. It had some stitched motifs


And a little applique heart