ALYOF March completed

My ALYOF goal for March (originally listed here), was to finally sew together my Amy Butler "Happy Hour" blocks that were made a few years ago and to make a nice sized baby quilt.  Hurrah!

I managed to sew the blocks into a flimsy/top at the beginning of March, make the pieced back and then basted it mid-March.  The quilting was completed yesterday and the binding was finished today.  Phew - done!  Nothing like a deadline to get me motivated!

Originally I had wanted to do a free-motion hydrangea type quilted flower but on my practice block my tension was all over the place and the thread bunched up at the eye of the needle and separated (weird - has this happened to anyone else before?), so I abandoned my plan for some simple straight-line quilting.  I love the random grid that is created on the back.  Don't look too closely though - it is sort of a wonky grid.  They are "organic" straight-lines as they say!!

On the sewing retreat at the beginning of March, the girls and I felt that the dark purple fabric with the flowers on it would be great for the binding.  Could I find that particular fabric in the house?  Nope, so I went with some good 'ol Kona instead.  I love the plain dark edge to this busy and colourful quilt and how it contains the front and frames the back.

I will add another photo or two once it is all washed up and SCRINKLY.  Yum.

Fabric: Amy Butler Love, Kona solids
Pattern: Triple Treat from the Happy Hour booklet
Thread: Aurifil and Gutermann
Wadding: 80/20
Size [before washing]: 44"x44"

And that is another goal complete.  Yay!

ALYOF
 

Scrappy rainbowy TGIFF

A finished quilt top - hurrah!

The Fat Quarter Shop had a free pattern a few weeks ago called Cherry Charm Pack quilt and I really wanted to make it.  The pattern called for four charm packs - two solid packs and two print packs.  I got busy cutting white from my stash to make the solid 5" charms and instead of buying two charm packs, I dug deep into the scrap pile and stash and gathered up a rainbow of colours.

Over three evenings, I cut and sewed, pressed and pinned and when I got to laying out the blocks for the final hurrah, I totally abandoned the layout that the pattern suggested - it was just too busy for my OCD brain.  I like 'order' so I lined all the skinny bits up in rows instead of how the pattern suggested. 

 

Beautiful and lovely bright and pretty ugly are the words I would use to describe this quilt top.  I am NOT a rainbow person and I believe this little quilt proves why!  Nevertheless, I will quilt and bind it and perhaps I will suddenly fall in love with it.  We'll see.  I am proud of my matching points though!  98% of them are awesome!

The pattern was easy to follow and I can see myself making another one someday.  This was a first for me - a quilt top started and finished in the same month - how crazy is that!?  And guess what?  I "put my scraps to work" again too.

Linking to TGIFF over at Devoted Quilter, Fairy Face Designs and SEWjo Saturday.

I confess! Fabriholics update.

Eeee - I have purchased FABRIC!

Ok - don't panic.  According to MY rules/allowances in my Fabriholics Fabric Fast, I can buy solids and fabric for specific projects.  So I'm 'technically' ok... sort of!  

Here is a little of what I have purchased (and for what):

• Kona White - all used up already for my Cherry Charm Square quilt - flimsy done
• Kona Snow - for my Hourglass quilt - already used and have ordered more as I ran out and needed more!
• Low Volume prints for Low Volume Layer Cake swap - for my eventual plus sign quilt
• Charm packs - for rag-edge quilt
• FQ of colourful print with diamonds - for Sew Together bag
• Lizzy House Mice with Bicycles just 'cuz I NEEDED it!!! And because it is green.  I love green!!

There you have it - my month 3 Fabriholics update for you.  No apologies. 

 

S(hhhhh...)uffolk

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February - month in review

February was a slow month for me in the sewing department. You see, Mr Crafty Shenanigans and I decided to watch the Breaking Bad box set (all six series) every evening until our eyes hurt so I really didn't spend much time in the sewing closet. I did manage a few things though.  Here they are in mosaic form:

My favourite in February has to be the Space Mini for the Challenge 4 Art using my precious Oakshott and linen:

I had a lot of fun making a Skinny Pinnie for a swap hosted by eamylove.  Here is my creation:

I was away on a sewing extravaganza at the end of February/beginning of March with a few girlies so I will share a few pictures soon. 

Thank you to Lynne of Lily's Quilts and Oakshott for sending me a delicious layer cake - I've been drooling on it!!  And also to Fabric HQ for the yummy aqua fat quarter last month - oh how I love fabric!!!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Crafty shenanigans

Some crafty shenanigans have been going on over here at my house:

I made a few funky jars to store schtuff.  I wonder what I should put in them?

Can you tell I am procrastinating?

Happy crafting!

Put your Scraps to work

In February I decided to attack those scrap bins again and make something!  Once again, I sewed in assembly-line style and made a batch of finger (or thumb) pincushions.  Aren't they great?  I finished sewing them on the weekend.

The tutorial I used is here.  Try it - you will become as addicted as I am!   Even though I made 14 of these little things (I actually made 17 but have given several away in swaps), my scrap bins don't look any less full than they did before!  C'est la vie!

I "put my scraps to work" this month - did you!?

Linking to
 

ALYOF - March goal

Welcome to March!

My goal this month will be to finish my Amy Butler 'Happy Hour' baby quilt.

Embarrassingly, the fabrics and pattern were purchased several years ago.  The blocks were made with gusto but then I lost interest and put it away out of sight where it has lived ever since.  Time to get it done already!!

 

I still have a fair few of these fabrics left so I think I will make a pieced backing. 

Linking to ALYOF and WiP Wednesday