African August

In the nick of time, I have managed an African block (actually two, one for Kate and one for me) for my one-on-one swap with Kate.



What I like about this swap is I get to try things out. I had wanted to make a Bento Box quilt in browns, but after making these two Bento Blocks I have decided an entire quilt is definitely not for me. Straight piecing like this can sometimes require more thought than foundation-piecing or perhaps I've just got my paper-piecing enthusiasm back.

And I was pretty tired tonight so I had a wee little unpicking to do on one (or two!) seams as I wasn't concentrating properly. Losing my sewing room has also been a bit of disruption on the making of this block as I had started it a while ago and couldn't find what I'd done... not under the bed, not anywhere!! (What am I saying? Losing my sewing room is absolutely awful, not just a disruption!!!)

August BOM

I have been doing the Quilterscornerclub
NYB (New York Beauty) BOM (Block of the Month).
These are August's...


... I will have to re-do the first two from June as our printer wasn't working at the time and my friend's husband kindly printed them out for me and 'scaled' instead of 'cropped' them. I think that was a happy accident as I prefer my present colour scheme to those first 2 NYB blocks.

She did good

Many thanks to my DSIL who brought me this wondeful parcel back from her holiday in Canada.
It included a quilting magazine that I have already read briefly (as soon as she handed the loot over, I had to have a good look at it!), I can't wait to read it again and again as it has some lovely bag patterns that I will have to make time to do! Some freezer paper, some Misty fuse, three cool FQ's. I think she did very well for a non-quilter. I asked for brown or stars, so brown stars are even better! The 3rd FQ was an impulse buy on her part. I was impressed that she had a fabric impulse LOL. Perhaps one day she'll quilt too :o) And a bag of buttons. Love these, they are great. Thank you so much Jane. I really have been spoilt lately, makes up for all the sewing I'm not managing to do.

BTW Here's the cake I made...

I believe it's all gone now

Where did this week go?

Well, I know where tonight went...

... I baked and baked! I made DH's nephew a birthday cake for his 18th birthday, hence the one and the eight LOL. Apparently it tastes quite good as there were a few extra bits, but until it's iced, it doesn't look like much. I also made DS1 some dinosaur ginger cookies (these are gluten-free so were a bit tricky as I tried to adapt the original recipe) - tomorrow we'll get the verdict on these :-)

As for the rest of the week. Tuesday saw us taking a trip to find Empress Mills in Colne. I missed the turning and we ended up miles away near Blackburn! Wednesday, I don't know what happened to Wednesday. Thursday, we tried again. We found it. I parked the car and when we got out, I couldn't find my purse/wallet. We counted up between us and taking lunch into account, I only had enough money for a few bits. No photo as I'm sure you all know what thread, felt and pelmet vilene look like LOL. However, the shop was a quilter's paradise, really nice bits and bobs. More thread than I could've imagined, beads, buttons, felt, fabric... No money though until after lunch when I found my bl**dy wallet had fallen down the side of the seat!!!

Friday, I visited Vicky who will be finishing my Linus offering. It's always good to see a fellow quilter and we had a mini show-and-tell. Fun! Then today!! Well I didn't sew a stitch :-( but Anne brightened my day with this little parcel...

... I will be swapping her some butterfly bits for these lovely stars. Thank you Anne, you cheered me up yet again because all day I've been feeling sad that I'm missing Birgit’s Quiltfest in Germany. I hope it went well. I will have to start saving up to go next year!

The kindness of others (part2)

Look what I found in my mailbox today! A beautiful artwork from Kate.

It really brightened my day. It hasn't photographed that well - it definitely looks better at my house :-)
Thank you Kate. I admired it on her blog without realising it was destined for me LOL.

She also sent her next block for our one-on-one African Blockswap. I like this one, it's a simple block, but shows off all the 'wild' African prints.


Also, thank you to all the lovely bloggers (Juliann, Lynda & Kate P) who have offered to help with my local Project Linus UK. Vicky, my local co-ordinator was very pleased to hear that we were getting some help and said "anything would be much appreciated and nothing would be turned away". It made me feel so guilty that I had been sitting on this quilt top for so very long...
It's one of my UFO's. But on Friday I'll drop it off and it will be a Linus quilt. As you may be able to see it's basted and just waiting to be quilted.

Tonight I managed to get my "Butterfly Blossom" sewn together as well as starting another Linus top, this time for a boy (more on that another day).

And on another note, we had a little visitor again yesterday so I did a bit of sewing with her, using up another orphan block from a heart block swap (I appliqued the heart)...

Little girls... pink...hearts... say no more :-)

It's huge (again)

It started off as 20 blocks, but then I preferred the layout that 36 blocks gives you and so I made an extra 16 blocks of Bonnie Hunter's lovely Pineapple Blossom.

Here they are just laid out in rows. I'm not going to sash them. I'm just going to add plain cream borders.

I have used up almost all my butterfly prints. (Even the cream is a COC butterfly print)



I say almost all as I found 2 more butterfly FQ's when I was re-'hiding' my stash under our bed in preparation for the great bash through into the house (for those of you you've only just started reading this blog, my sewing room is only accessable from outside. I share it with the washing machine, tumble dryer and freezer and my DH is going to break through a wall and make the utility room a proper part of the house. I will lose access to washing facilities as well as 'my space' for goodness knows how long. Hence my quiet reorganisation of 'stuff' throughout the 'safe' parts of the house)

It's a (free) Flower!

The mystery unveiled....


It's a flower to make up a charity quilt that will be raffled in Germany. My very good friend Birgit hosts a Quiltfest every year at her shop in Schoenaich, Germany. It's next Saturday and I am so sad that I won't get to go this year. One year BC (Before Children) I was able to fly over and helped out by cutting fabric. I put the pins back in the fabric the wrong way and for a long while afterwards Birgit would know which fabric bolts I had cut LOL. I have been to Quiltfest the last 2 years running, but this year I just couldn't afford to go. SO I wish Birgit every success and hope that I can make it next year!

Anyway, back to the flower. This is what the finished charity quilt will look like:


And here's the blurb, with a link to download the pattern from Birgit's site as long as you adhere to the copyright conditions...:

"LET THE FLOWERS BLOOM!"

"It’s a tradition that every year Birgit Klein and Ula Lenz offer a pattern for Quiltfest available as a free download. This year it’s a flower. You can find the pattern here (scroll down to arrow).

The finished size is 20x20 cm (8x8 inch). Not neccessarily that easy to sew, but a lot of fun to make.

The flowers will be collected by Patchcom and we will be putting them together to make a quilt for „Aktion Lebenshilfe“ in Böblingen that will be raffled at their Christmas celebration.


Just a note regarding Copyright:
You may download the Flower pattern for private, non-commercial, use to use as often as you like, but you may not offer the pattern on websites or Blogs without express consent of Patchcom-Birgit Klein. It is not permissable to use or distribute this pattern in any form for commercial purposes."



And, I'd love to see them if you make any :-)

The kindness of others

I was feeling a bit low the other day so when Anne mentioned that she liked the African 'Pot' fabrics that my mother had brought over from South Africa, I took a chance and asked her if in exchange for a few FQ's she would make me something handmade. She did!

It's a beautiful needlecase. Brilliant! No more pins and needles on the floor or the bottom of my sewing bag (I use the term sewing bag loosely here LOL). What a wonderful 'pick-me-up' it's proved to be and her timing couldn't be better. I am about to lose ALL access to my sewing/laundry room for at least a month!! (And the Green & Black's Organic Ginger in Dark Chocolate hit the spot too - Thank you so much Anne!)

BTW I would like to help out my local Project Linus (UK) with either quilt blocks or tops (or even finished quilts),so I'm going to take another chance here and ask if anyone would like to help in exchange for some African fabric please contact me via email: sewkalico at yahoo dot co dot uk

Another little tease...

Now what is this?
It's all I could manage this evening and it's for a charity quilt a friend is putting together, BUT that's all I'm telling you tonight LOL.
I have to say that after piecing my rose...

I felt almost paper-pieced out,

but I think I may be getting into it again.

On another note my absolutely darling SIL is in Canada and I had asked her if she was near a quilting shop to pop in for me. If she saw any browns or star fabric she was to feel free to buy me some. She texted today to say she'd been in one, but not seen anything LOL. Just as well, because I really don't 'need' anything do I? :O)

Bag O' Stuff Quilt challenge

Well I have finished the "Challenge"!

Basically we sent in our own 'bag of stuff' and in return we received someone else's Ziploc Gallon bag full of fabrics, embellishments etc to make an 18" x 18" quilt. I mailed the one I completed today and will have to wait a few weeks to see what someone else has made me. I can't show what I've done (not even the back as even that would give it away). But I'll do a little tease as Jane likes to do LOL

Here's a corner...

More to be revealed when it has been received!

Tagged by Kerry

Kerry has tagged me for 8 random things. A while back Kate tagged me for 7. BUT not to be a spoil sport I thought I'd do 8 of the most random things possible about me...

RULES - Post rules before giving the facts - Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves - People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules - At the end of the your blog you need to tag eight people and list their names - Leave them a comment on their blog, telling them they have been tagged and not to forget to read your blog.

1. I did Greek dancing at junior school
2. (Also at Junior school) I won a merit award from the Natural History Museum for my 'Study on Mung Beans'
3. I love ginger in most forms especially dark chocolate gingers
4. I drink far too much tea (it's a living in England thing LOL)
5. My DH says my favourite colour is purple
6. I hate seafood
7. I hardly ever wear make-up - too lazy to put it on, too lazy to take it off
8. I am messy, but I know where everything is (almost everything LOL)

Now, I'm not going to tag anyone unless they want to be tagged, but if you want to be tagged PLEASE let me know as I'd love to read all about it!

Beware of Mothers bearing gifts

My DM arrived from Cape Town today. She travelled light LOL - She only brought me 2 carrier bags of fabric...
These are some African fabrics she found
And these are from a friend of hers for me (Thank you!)

One would have thought this meant she understands me. Not so it seems as later I was trying to sort some swap blocks to make some charity quilts (our local Linus chapter is short of lap-sized quilts at the moment) and DM says to me:
"When are you going to stop?"
Me: "Stop what?"
DM "All this. It's all-consuming for you."
Me: "No, my children are all-consuming, this is my hobby"
DM: "Well, why don't you do something else?"
Me: "Like what?"
DM: "Well I play bridge..."

I say no more.

Comments and confessions

Thank you for all the kind comments of late, please forgive me if I have not replied to them all (some are un-relpyable (new word - LOL) on blogger), but I have had a sick baby for 2 days and 2 very long nights! I do appreciate hearing from people out there in the land of blog. Not only have I not had a chance to email much, but I have not sewn a stitch. I have a deadline looming for my Bag O' Stuff challenge and in 2 days have only managed to cut the binding, BUT I will try my darndest as we seem to be over the worst of it now.

I have also had quite a few comments on and off my blog re that pesky cube. Seems none of you believe me when I say it was a complete pain in the you-know-what to make LOL! I have looked for the instructions to no avail, but I will ask my friend Vicky if she has more info on it, as she is the one who got me started on it(!) and will let you all know.

Yesterday my mailbox 'overfloweth' with a wonderful 'lump' of loot. I say lump because Donna sure knows how to pack a parcel LOL. Inside was a very generous gift from my friend Michelle....... Homespuns and Focus fabrics for some upcoming swaps...

Also some notions that I just had to have... And only a teensy-weensy bit of fabric....

I actually am not feeling so bad about my stash at the moment (as you can see LOL) because when I get a chance to sew, I really enjoy using what I have and I've noticed since I've started swapping again that I do have quite a few holes in my stash, but that's probably because some fabrics/colours I just prefer not to buy when given a choice... Given a choice I'd buy everything LOL

All hail the humble tote

I entered some of my 'handicraft' into the village show... I wasn't going to after I heard a story on the radio the other day of a lady who entered her Victoria Sponge cake into the local show and even though she was the only entrant she came second!.... but I thought maybe this would be an opportunity to meet more crafters and it's just a bit of fun anyway.

The results...
In the 'handbag' section...

I was really surprised that my lowly tote won a first.


In the 'sewn item' section...

this little wallhanging came second
and my patchwork puzzle balls came third




I also managed to sell 'the cube' (which I didn't enter) to one of the organisers,

so not a bad day all in all LOL

A day in the life...

What day would be complete (for a little boy) without a trip to the local tractor shop? We made a diversion on our way to Grandma's just see it and 'we' were not disappointed.



Just to keep this blog on it's sewing track, here is a bag I made DS1 a few months back for taking his bucket, spade, tractors etc to the beach or park.

The front is an applique pattern by Four Twin Sister’s. That link will take you straight to the tractor pattern and you can see one of my red tractors there. I love this pattern! DS1 has a pillow case and a cushion made with it LOL.

The back side of the bag is 'official' John Deere fabric bought from my friend Angela.

The other sewing I've been up to is finishing my August Purple Maple Leaves - these I hope to post tomorrow!

Oh... um, yes well, I couldn't resist this little 'special offer' that arrived in my post box today. Fossil Ferns are one of my favourites...

How could I say no?

Who ate all the pies?

Ok, I did, I did! But these are not just any pies. I'm 'wheat-free' and have been for quite a few years now so I don't usually get to eat pies or cakes or biscuits or Yorkshire Puddings... unless they are Gluten-free. However, a wonderful book has changed all that for me...Healthy Gluten-Free Eating by Rosemary Kearney and Darina Allen. Hence all the recent pies. This book has great easy-to-follow recipes and I LOVE IT!!!

I ate almost all of the blueberry, apple and raspberry pie (pictured left) and the rhubarb and apple pie was made for DH. In fact I had pie last night after it came out of the oven. Then I had a slice of pie for breakfast. After lunch, a slice of pie. Then when I had another cup of tea, a slice of pie. When we came home from the park, another cup of tea and ... a slice of pie. No wonder I had no dinner LOL

I get so distracted...

I was meant to be working on my brown strips.. They are going to be Bento Boxes or something. I can't decide, I guess that's why I'm not working on them...

Then I started working on these..

(Note the little person who kept grabbing them!) They are from Bonnie's wonderful Quiltville site and are called Pineapple Blossom
Lots of people have done wonderful versions of these and it's a fun block to make plus it's using up almost all of my butterfly fabrics that were just sitting in my stash making me feel quilty.

But then I signed up to make Maple Leaves for a BlockBuddy Swap. These are already cut and in rows ready to be put together so no pictures yet.

But while I was doing those I wanted to make someone special a block...


But then I realised the reason I can't focus is because of all my mess and clutter in my life, so I started tidying my spaces. Why does it always look so much worse before it looks better???

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

Yesterday, I dropped off my Scrapbuster quilt with Chris from Father's Heart. She is a really nice lady and very busy which is great to see. She is in the process of reorganising her space so I didn't want to take too many pictures.
But it's always nice to pop in, except that because of my 'little problem' (The little problem of always wanting more and more fabric), I purchased a little something... Some Homespun FQ's for an upcoming BlockBuddy swap...


Today, I had a little friend come to play with DS1 & 2, but because she's that much older than my two and because my two have daytime naps, I thought I should do something more exciting with her. First we baked, then we made little bags. I managed to rustle up one for her and one her sister while she was here. She chose the fabric and can be seen here holding the bags and looking very shy (she is, she's a sweetie!) I probably should have photographed the bags before someone sat on them, but never mind!

Tomorrow, I hope to do some 'proper' sewing, but who knows something always seems to crop up, but I do have lots of bits cut so maybe I'll get lucky LOL