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. 

De-stash -- fq's

Part of my #amysMinimalistChallenge is to de-stash unloved or unwanted fabric.  Some of these fabrics are delicious but I just don't have enough hours in the day to use it all!  Instead of jamming up the IG feed, I have decided to go with a de-stash here on the blog.

Here are a few things I am hoping to part with [please see the 'rules' listed at the bottom]:

1.  Dear Stella 'Piper' fabrics.  Combined total 8 fat quarters for £20.00 = 6 fat quarters plus the one on the bottom is a half yard. SOLD

2.   Daisy Janie organic 'Geo Grande' fabrics.  5 fat quarters for £15.00. These are a slightly heavier weight organic cotton and perfect for bags or a nice sturdy quilt.

3.  MoMo Wonderland fabrics by Moda.  5 fat quarters for £15.00.  Big spots and lady bugs/lady birds, butterflies and foliage.  Yum!

4.  Black and White fabrics.  5 fat quarters for £11.00.  A mix of Michael Miller, Makower and Robert Kaufman fabrics all pressed and ready to use!

5.  Gorgeous/gruesome Greens.  5 fat quarters for £10.00.  A wacky mix of green fabrics. Are they gorgeous or are they gruesome?  They look much better in person, honest!

6.  Pink bubbalicious bundle.  5 fat quarters £13.00.  This bundle contains a mix of fabrics and includes Aneela Hoey fabric and two fabrics by Blend.

7.  Aqua teal aqua bundle.  5 fat quarters for £13.00.  Another mixed bundle which includes an organic Cloud 9 fabric called Triangles, a fabric called Frog Spots and a skinny fq of Field Study by AMH (top fabric - skinny quarter).  The rest are regular fq's.  SOLD

8.  Orange you crazy bundle.  5 fat quarters for £12.00.  Mixed bundle includes two Lizzy House Pearl Bracelet prints and a piece of Tula Pink fabric.  Cool!

9.  Bye bye blues bundle.  5 fat quarters for £14.00.  Mixed bundle includes a Pezzy print, a Beth Studley fabric and fabrics called Beads and Flower by Free Spirit. 

10.  City Girl fabrics by Kitty Yoshida for Benartex.  5 fat quarters £10.00.  More greens and teal(ish) for those peeps out there who love these colours as much as I do!!  SOLD

That's all I can gather for the moment!  I have some larger pieces that I would like to de-stash as well but those will have to wait for another day! 

Rules are simple - all prices are in pounds sterling and post and packaging is extra.  My fq's are a mix of USA and UK sizes.  All from a smoke-free home and are unwashed.  In the comments, let me know what you'd like to buy and which country you are in and I will email you back with my PayPal address and the shipping amount (I will combine and I am also happy to ship overseas).  Payment can then be made to me via PayPal Friends & Family within 48 hours.  I will then ship one or two days after you pay. 

Hope you see something here that you like.  I would like to sell the bundles as they are but am willing to sell individual fabrics for £3.00 each. 

Thanks for looking at my de-stash and helping me become a minimalist! 

Around the World Blog Hop

Welcome to [Amy's] Crafty Shenanigans - the next stop on the 'Around the World Blog Hop'.  Thank you to Lisa of In the Boon Docks and to Kelly of jeliquilts for asking me to participate in this get-to-know-you blog hop! 

Hello - my name is Amy and I am a start-a-holic.  Yes, I am a serial starter.  A magpie of starting shiny new projects before the other projects are finished.

What am I working on?
The easiest answer would be what am I NOT working on?!  Seriously - I currently have 16 quilts in various stages of 'being made', several partially started zippy pouches, a dozen pincushions waiting for my attention, Block of the Month blocks to make, bee quilts to sew together etc etc.  Here is a picture of the fox that I machine appliqued to the front of a Reusable Grocery Bag for my secret partner in The_Fox Swap:

Kip & Fig Fox pattern

 How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I don't even know what that question really means so my answer would be that I consider myself a crafter.  I love trying new crafts and learning new skills.  Last year I tried rag rug making.  I love working with beads.  I make found-object sculptures.  I like to up-cycle.  I have done bookbinding, pottery classes, card making, scrap booking, felting, jewellery making, welding, printmaking - and I love it all!!  Next on my list is weaving.  I need to retire (please note:  I am still more than 25 years away from retirement) so I can fill my days with all the things I want to try!

Some of the books I have made

Why do I create what I do? 
I NEED to be busy.  I NEED to create.  My hands NEED to be busy doing something therefore I make schtuff.  This is why I join in so many swaps and volunteer to be a pattern tester!!  I have a restless mind so having a project - any project - to occupy my thoughts can often help me focus and tame that restless energy!!  I bake if I'm not being arty farty or crafty.  But then again, if I am not baking, swapping, sewing or crafting, I am on the internet pinning on Pinterest, drooling over images on IG, looking at fabric or planning my next shiny new project!  I make a lot of lists and piles. 'Nuf said.  
 

Wonky Houses and Trees

I started the blog so my family could see what I was working on.  They are in Canada and I am in England.  I had no idea that this creative on-line quilting and sewing community would be my source of finding and meeting some of my best pals.   For that I am truly thankful!  [waves at everyone] 

Big Bear pattern by TartanKiwi

How does my creating process work?
Hmmm - difficult question!  My head is so full of all the things I see on IG, Flickr, Pinterest, from books, from the things I see around me, that they all melt into each other and eventually I NEED to make something. However, my creative process can also depend on a deadline!!  If it is a quilt-along, the deadline keeps me motivated.  Swap projects and pattern testing are the same - a deadline set by someone else is important!  The rest of the time I am all over the place, creating whatever and whenever I feel like it.  I switch from project to project, not completing anything unless it is a swap item or something for a link up!

My Citrus Triangle quilt from the Triangle Along

There you have it!  That is me. 

Artist Trading Card swap

 
I am happy to direct you to rainbow-mad Kelly of Jeliquilts, for your next stop on the Around the World Blog Hop.

Wonky Churn Dash and textile with wire bird

Thanks for stopping by!
Amy x

Tardy

Regular blogging should resume shortly. My apologies for being so tardy!

Pay it Forward

Last November, I signed up to a Pay it Forward with Mary on Lake Pulaski and like she said in her blog post - "it is time to move it on"!  Thank you Mary - your hand embroidered tea towel was truly beautiful.

Pattern by Rebecca Sowers on Etsy

For my Pay it Forward, I am offering three people the chance to have one of these fun and colourful scrappy flower brooches sent to them in the post.  One of these flowers would look fab on a plain handbag or on a sweater, don't you think?

If you are interested, please comment below agreeing to the following:

1. You will make a handmade gift for three people to give away on your blog (you must have a blog).
2. You will do so within the next 365 days.
3. You will smile while you PAY IT FORWARD.....I sure have!

The first three people who comment agreeing to the above will get a fun, happy, scrappy flower brooch!

Enjoy!

Amy 
P.S.  Please make sure I can contact you for your postal address!  Open internationally and the flowers will be posted in the last week of August.

Linked

Big Bear

The lovely and talented Juliet of Tartan Kiwi put a call out for pattern testers. Once I saw the 'Big Bear' I KNEW I had to make him.

This is a 30 inch foundation paper pieced block and comes together really easily.  As ever, the hardest part was deciding which fabrics to use and then where to use them!

I decided to use my precious Art Gallery Pat Bravo Carnaby Street fabrics (I had 10 fat quarters) to make this gorgeous bear.  I wish now that I had used more contrasting fabrics for his back/hump against his light face.  I guess I will just have to make another!

My plans are to add a skinny border in navy (still undecided on navy) and then a nice wide border in Kona Silver to match the background that I used in the block.  Not sure what I will bind it in.

I hope to practice some free motion quilting on this guy too - wish me luck with that as I a seem unable to get the correct tension on my machine.

Thank you Tartan Kiwi for letting me test Big Bear.

Linking to WiP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced 

July 2014 month in reviw

Ooops - here I am with another very belated month in review.  Better late than never though, right!?

I loved the month of July. Once I returned from my great trip to Canada to see family and (new) friends, I set myself some deadlines and got to it!!  Here is what I achieved:

 

With all the sewing in July, I managed to cross off a few things from my Quarter 3 Finish Along goals, as well as A Lovely Year of Finishes July goal.  Yay - I love achieving things and crossing them off the list(s)! 

My favourite two makes of July were the Arrow Table Runner and the Ellie Travel Tote that I made for my partner [Clothwork Melissa] in the Sew Sew Modern Swap.  I even made a Melody Miller mouse and a thumb/finger pin cushion to go with it!  Everything coordinated. 

In July I also battled with did a bit of garment sewing, got caught up with the Aurifil Designer of the Month blocks, got busy with some hand stitching on my Oakshott 'Plaid' quilt and made my bee test blocks in preparation of being bee mama in August.  All in all it was a busy month and I enjoyed every minute!!

I received swap items as well so I will blog about them soon!

 

ALYoF August 2014 GOAL

My A Lovely Year of Finishes goal for August 2014 will be to finish my EPP Carnival project (Katy Jones pattern) from Fat Quarterly Retreat three summers ago.  Strangely enough, I worked on this again last summer but I haven't touched it since.  Perhaps NOW is the time... again??

Christmas Carnival

Wish me luck!

Linking to Fiber of All Sorts