Friday 28 September 2012

Open wide and just one feather

Whoop whoop!  I completed a couple of things off my to-do list (100 Day Hustle) and UFO/WiP list (Lazy Bums) and I definitely need a whoop whoop!!

You see, I have LOVED the Anna Maria Horner 'feather bed' quilt since I had a glimpse of it on a blog a few months back and ever since that moment I have wanted to make a feather.  There is a free pdf pattern on her blog for it so I had a look but a singe feather was too big for what I needed it for for (mug rug) and looked wayyyy too complicated so I made up my own - and it turned out (though it looks more like a tree!!)!


I love it but know what I would do differently with the paper piecing next time.  As I am quite new to that technique, I think I made it more difficult than it should have been.  Newbies eh?  Geesh!  I used some fine fusible fleece and did a pocket sack (or whatever the term is) instead of doing binding so it lays nice and flat but is quite thin.  I even practised my free motion quilting on it - a trial for my Mod Sampler quilt perhaps!!?? 


This was supposed to be a mug rug but I think it is too nice (and too thin and with a ridiculous cream coloured background!!!) for putting dirty mugs of coffee on so it will be going on the wall instead - MY wall!  It was meant for a friend at work but I think I will just make her a different mug rug!  So actually, the mug rug is still on those lists... drat!

I also made one of those awesome Open Wide pouches from the Noodlehead blog and I. LOVE. IT.  She writes the best patterns and tutorials - so easy to follow and presto - the coolest little zippy pouch a girl can have.  I showed some of the girls at work and they said "what do you put in it?".  My questions back was - "what don't you put in a zippy pouch"?  Am I right?


I made it for another work colleague who very kindly hauled back three boxes of Grape Jello and a large jar of Cheez Whiz (correct spelling!) from her trip to Canada this summer.  She asked me if there was anything I wanted bringing back so I made a mental list of about 20 things but figured I couldn't take advantage of her like that, so I asked for Cheez Whiz and ANYTHING grape flavoured [grape is not a flavour they do here in the UK - blackcurrant yes, grape NO].  She didn't want any money for the goodies so how does one say thank you?  With something sewn, of course!!  Hope she will like it!


My mental list contained some of these things:  Red licorice Twizzlers, Coffee Crisp, cereals including Fruit Loops, Honeycombs, Alphabets, Corn Pops and of course Kraft Dinner (Spirals are the best) and plain Hershey Kisses.  These are the things I miss!!  Crazy eh?  If you live away from your home country, what foods do you miss most?

Linking up with Whoop Whoop, TGIFF, Aloha Friday and Show Off Friday

 
 
 
September Finishes
 

11 comments:

Janice @ Better off Thread said...

great feather! I've been seeing these around lately and I'm going to keep it in mind for a bee block. The pouch is adorable, too. I love your list of foods you can't get. I am from Pennsylvania and live in California, so I miss Yeungling Lager, Lebanon Balogna, scrapple and good cheesesteaks.

Danih03 said...

OMGosh I'm glad you didn't choose to make it a mug rug! That's not the right kind of cream for coffee! It deserves some wall space! Great stippling BTW!

Kristy @ Quiet Play said...

Love the feather! How nice to have made something to keep just for you too!!

Sweet little pouch - handmade gifts are perfect thank you gifts ;)

Ivy & Co said...

i love random bags that you can put anything in! When I used to travel to Europe every summer, I'd miss Reeses Peanut Butter Cups... :)

Charlotte said...

love the feather, and laughing at your work friends. "What do you put in it" indeed! How about everything?

Kelly said...

Love that feather Amy and the zippy is rockin!

Elena @ Modern Olivia said...

Love the feather block. And why not buy cheez whiz in your new pouch?

M-R Charbonneau said...

That is a great feather! Way to go on the FMQ, Amy! I know what you mean about missing foods from home. When we lived in the States, I missed Aero bars like mad. The chocolate just didn't taste the same there. Thanks for linking up to TGIFF!

Pennie said...

Looks fab Amy, and you need some new work colleagues!! How unimaginative! :-)

Sarah Craig said...

You've been busy - and such pretty results! Whoop whoop!!

Beth said...

That feather looks great! I've been wanting to try that pattern too. I'm not sure what I would miss - last time I was away from home - years ago - a friend brought me oreos and reese's.