Blogger's Quilt Festival - NYB

Amy of Amy's Creative Side is once again hosting the Blogger's Quilt Festival and I have decided to enter my New York Beauty mini quilt that I made for the Modern Traditional DSTT Challenge.  My original post is HERE.

This is definitely one of my absolute favourite mini quilts that I have made.  The invisible thread straight-ish quilting still makes me so happy when I look at it! 

I absolutely ADORE paper piecing but curves are something I still need more practise on.  I enjoyed the challenge sewing these curved pieces but my seam ripper was used quite a few times!  Here is a photo to show the size:

Mini quilt stats:
Pattern:  Ulas Quiltseite
Fabrics:  Dear Stella and Timeless Treasures
Thread:  Aurifil and Invisible thread
Size:  20" on each side = 80" total perimeter
Quilted:  At home on my Husqvarna Viking

Entering this NYB mini quilt into the Mini Quilt category.
Thank you Amy for organising this amazing event!

#starplusqal

Ooo - I love this quilt!  I love the colours, the shapes, the size -- and now it will be part of a quilt along!!
 

Picture borrowed from Machen und Tun

The very clever and talented Claudia of Machen und Tun has designed the most fabulous quilt called Star Plus.  Purchase it on Craftsy.

Over on Instagram there will be a quilt along and I am definitely joining in. Check out @gingersnapsquilts IG feed for more details (but here they are in case you want those details now!):

•  Who wants to joins us in a quilt a long using the new amazing star plus quilt patten by @machenundtun ? Get your pattern and fabric now! Cutting begins next week. The QAL will run the entire month of November ending December 1st. That gives you an entire month to get your quilt top completed and over a week to grab your fabrics and start cutting. Who's in? Prizes will be awarded AND you will have a finished quilt right in time for Christmas! Use #startplusqal when posting your progress!! Pattern can be found on Caftsy :)

I have been picking my fabrics this afternoon - not sure if I should go with all my favourite colours or stick to greens and whites??  Decisions decisions!!

Hope you join in too!

The Fox Swap - received and sent

I love swaps.  You know that already, I'm sure!! I recently participated in The Fox Swap over on Flickr.  I followed along on Instagram too and each time a foxy item popped up I fell more in love. 

So when my parcel from my 'Twinnie' arrived I danced and danced.  Trash - you are the best!  Look what you sent me:

I love my new foxy neck warmer scarf kitted by your fair hands!  He is perfection!  I also love the pouches you made for me - terry cloth green [I LOVE GREEN] trimmed pouch with embroidery and button closure (very cleverly done) and zippy pouch with a foxy gentleman fox wearing very smart glasses and shiny ribbon detail (ah.may.zing).  Here are front and back pictures of these two pouches:

I really was spoiled - look at the handcrafted key chain, the cute eraser and artwork card:

Speaking of artwork, look the foxy way Trash decorated the packaging.  Isn't she clever (as a fox)?

I was so surprised that Trash had me as her partner and was so excited when I opened each item up.  Yup - she wrapped each and every item!

Thank you so much Trash.  You are one foxy lady and have created and crafted amazing original creations just for me.  I love everything.  xx

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For my partner KarinKasja on Flickr I decided to applique a fox first:

This cheeky fox is from a Kip & Fig fox pattern.  I picked some flowery orange fabric and some text fabric (I love text fabric) and fused it to the bag front - before sewing!!  See how I left the texty fabric sort of shaggy and textured?  Clever right!!?  I'm so lucky that the fox ended up exactly where I hoped it would after the bag was sewn - just off to the right side!  Aurifil #5009 was used for the satin stitch.  The pattern for the tote was the Michelle Patterns Grocery Tote in medium.  Hard to photograph but a fantastic bag. 

I added my fancy label inside the tote before I sewed it together (yes, I thought about that BEFORE I sewed it together - miracle eh?) which I think adds a nice finishing touch to the bag! 

Here is the whole parcel that I sent.

I had so much fun in The Fox Swap.  Now I am busy working on two more swap parcels for later this year.  I love swaps!!

September 2014 - month in review

September seems like forever ago!  I was busy working on de-cluttering and throwing things away.  The process of letting go of clutter, shredding old files, donating clothes and dealing with the toxic memories attached to 'stuff' has kept me away from my sewing machine.  I am hoping my "sew-jo" will return this month.

However, I did manage three things in September that I am super proud of!

• Simply Solids quilt top - thanks to a mini weekend retreat with the #nintendoguild at the end of August where I made some advances on piecing this top together, I FINALLY managed to complete the top early in September!  I hope I can get this finished before Christmas.

• I did some machine applique and made a Kip & Fig fox.  This was for the front of a Michelle Pattern Grocery Bag that I made for my partner in The Fox Swap.  I LOVE his eye and his cheeky grin, and I even love the combination of fabrics I used!  This was a difficult one to not keep for myself!!!

• Diamonds in Diamonds was a pattern that I tested for the very talented Aylin-Nilya.  I had not used templates before so this was out of my comfort zone but once I started I couldn't stop!  This pattern has so many possibilities - a very exciting pattern indeed and I will be making another soon!  I cut some of my precious Echino for this and I love how it turned out.  Now to make this flimsy into a quilt!

September flew by at lightening speed and I can't believe we are nearly in the middle of October already!  This must mean Christmas sewing season is upon us.  I've made a list of things I plan to sew - have you?

Happy October - and Happy Thanksgiving to my family and friends in Canada.  

4th Quarter FAL 2014 - ambitious goals!

For the final quarter of 2014 I thought I should keep with tradition and write another long list of things I would like to complete over the next THREE MONTHS!  Three months sounds like a long time but when you are a project-magpie like I am then more things get started than finished!

Here are my slightly (hahaha) ambitious goals for the 4th quarter:

1.  Must make binding, attach binding, hanging sleeve and label on my 4 Things quilt

2.  Make a back, sandwich, baste, quilt, bind and label my Diamonds in Diamonds quilt

3.  Nat's Sew Together Bag

4.  IG Mini Swap Mini Swoon #flossysgroup for swap

5.  Sew Sew Modern 6 sewing machine cover or mini quilt for swap

 6.  Simply Solids Amaranth group bee quilt  - make back, sandwich, baste, quilt, bind and label

7.  HipBees bee quilt - sew 5 more blocks sew into a top, add back, sandwich, baste, quilt, bind, label

8.  Messenger Bag - I have had this on my list for a very long time!!  I need a new bag desperately!!  Wish me luck!

Picture from Michelle Patterns

9.  Grocery Bags for Christmas presents - I have already cut out pieces for five bags in the three different sizes

Image from Michelle Patterns

10. Big Bear - add paws, border, back, sandwich, baste, quilt, bind, label

WISH ME LUCK!!!!

Linking to The Littlest Thistle
 

#verycherryswap - sent and received

I was still fairly new to Instagram when I came across a post about the #verycherryswap.  I love a good swap so guess what - I joined in!!!

This was not a secret swap so we were able to get to know who our partner was and what they like.  Agnes of @finallysewing was my partner and I sent her a set of hot pads, a hanging tea towel and a trivet for her kitchen.

I also made some greeting cards - a hobby I have recently re-visited.  I made my own cherry and leaf stamp to make these.

I added some candy, a couple fat quarters in her favourite colour (pink) and a cherry cross-stitch kit and posted it across the ocean.

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Agnes sent me the most amazing Social Tote - I have wanted one of those forever and have not been brave enough to make one!!  A cute cube pincushion came in it.  Look at the perfect fabrics - birds and cherries everywhere!
 

Agnes also made me a needle-turn applique mug rug/mini quilt - very well done :)  She sent loads of extras too -- a frixion pen and cherry charm....

 ...and some amazing wooden spools with washi tape on them and...

...Cherry Koolaid , a sausage dog pen, fabric and some cherry stickers!  I was spoiled rotten - thank you 'sew' much!!

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I really do love swaps - you get to know someone new and get to be creative in what you make and send.  Then - you receive an amazing parcel full of surprises!!  So fun!

Yes, the #verycherryswap was awesome!  Thank you Agnes x 

August 2014 - month in review

My goodness where does the time go?  I am only now posting about my August makes - ooops!  My reason for being so quiet is that I have been working on my #amysMinimalistChallenge and spending time sorting and throwing things away.  Some major decluttering.

Here is my month of August in mosaic form:

My favourite item from August was definitely the Big Bear.  I was a pattern tester for this gorgeous fella for TartanKiwi.  He is 30 inches square and I plan to add paws and a border to make it a little bigger.

I had a lot of fun making  some kitchen-y items for my partner Agnes in the #verycherryswap but I will highlight that swap in another post.  I

Happy sewing!

3rd Quarter FAL - completed 6 of 9

 

Time to recap my 3rd Quarter Finish Along achievements.

1.  Oakshott Plaid quilt DONE - with loads of handstitching too!

2.  Kaffe tunic top DONE - bodice made by me and the rest completed by Mamafairy Rachel so if this one is picked I will give the prize to her!!  Sorry for the night-time selfie - I promise to get a better picture for a blog post about it!!

3.  Piranha pyjamas DONE - after some major difficulties, these were finally completed!  Read about it HERE.

4.  Sew Sew Modern 5 big and small items  DONE - I completed an Ellie Travel Tote, an Arrow table runner, a mouse pincushion and thumb pincushion.

5.  Michael Miller project  DONE with some matchstick quilting too!

6.  Simply Solids bee quilt  - all sewn in to a flimsy top.  HALF DONE

7.  Sew Together Bag for Nat  NOPE

8.  A handful of Thumb and/or Mice pincushions for Nat DONE - made two+one mice and a couple of thumb pincushions (not shown)

9.  A handful of tea wallets from Patchwork Please and Displacement Activity NOPE
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Six of nine - my best effort so far!   Linking to The Littlest Thistle.