A very quilty day

Today was the start of the Great North Quiltshow in Harrogate, Yorkshire. I went along with DM and DS2....

Everyone pictured above was very well behaved LOL and we had a lovely day. There was not a huge amount of quilts or vendors or even visitors so it was actually relatively stress-free pushing the buggy around. I imagine the weekend will be much busier.
I only did a small amount of shopping... Some homespuns for a current swap (and a brown dot print, not sure about that one - weird impulse buy LOL)

And some birthday fabric for 'Aunty' Vera who will be celebrating her 80-something birthday and is still quilting!



Then when I came home THE squishy was here! My 'Bag O Stuff' has arrived!!!
This is what I sent...

This is what Lorrie has created...

And a wonderful back as well!

And here's her statement

Thank you Lorrie - you've done a great job!

All can be revealed

The 'Bag O Stuff' quilt that I made arrived at its destination today so now I can show you the whole thing.

This is the bag o' stuff I received...


This is what I made...


This is the back...


Here is my statement:
"I was nervous to open the bag, but when I did I immediately thought. Hey! Look at the cute little Rain-dancer and I had all sorts of ideas. But then I had some doubts and I wondered if he was a symbol of some sort – I had never seen him before so I took a photo and asked a friend. She said he was Kokopelli!* (She even gave me a tiny piece of Kokopelli fabric that I used in the centre block.) Knowing who he was obviously changed everything so I took another long look at the fabrics and thought he is traditional, some of the fabrics are quite traditional and I went with this design. I loved the buffalo and feather fabrics and wanted to show them off as big as possible. I designed the arrows and used the beads as arrow tail decoration. It has been hand quilted and I was very pleased with the design so I hope its owner is too."

(*Just a note here to say that as a South African, we don't know Kokopelli, just like Americans probably don't know about our Tokoloshe)

I believe Carole was pleased as she said:

"Thank you, Karol-Ann, for my fabulous wall-hanging! Love the way you
made something wonderful out of my fabrics--you have an incredible
imagination! I have a modest collection of Native American art, got
hooked in college, and your piece will fit in perfectly! And it is
hand-quilted!! Just can't thank you enough!"

I can't wait to get mine. I've had a sneaky peek at who made it and their statement (I know, I know, I should just wait, but I couldn't help myself!!) so I'll be camping out next to my mailbox from tomorrow night LOL

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!

All I ever seem to do is pin...

... so yesterday when we had our pub lunch at the pub opposite Embsay Mills, I just had to pop in and buy some Quilting Pins. That's not new fabric the pins are lying on! Ok, it is, but I only bought these 2 pieces and the shop was just full of fabric LOL

This evening, I cut borders for the 2 tops that need to get ready to go longarming, I've pinned one and hopefully tomorrow I'll get some sewing time.
I also basted the top for my 'Bag O' Stuff' quilt challenge, but I can't show that as I'm still supposed to keep that one under my hat until it gets sent home to it's owner whoever that may be...


On the homefront, I tried doing some more housekeeping today in between fetching, carrying and looking after children. As soon as I start someone wakes up or wants something, but I may be on to something as DH had been out and I used some pretty powerful cleaning stuff in the shower. When he came home, he said "Hmmm, someone's been cleaning!" So I was thinking perhaps if I just spray that stuff every few days, he'll think I've cleaned...!

Feeling challenged

My artistic director (a.k.a DH) was full of ideas tonight while I was working on my BlockBuddySwaps "bag O' stuff challenge. Sadly, I can't show you what I've been doing because it's supposed to be a secret... However, as soon as it's quilted and if you promise not to tell (LOL) I'll post a photo of it, but I'm pretty pleased with it and DH's imput was quite useful actually. I would have been in bed already, but as he had got me going, I couldn't stop, but now I'm off... but I'll leave you with a view of Toby's finished quilt hanging over our garden gate and with a view of the countryside beyond. It was a beautiful evening after a scattery showered day.

Blocks, chocs and the pox

Yesterday was 'one of those days', I had meant to post, but got nothing done. The hightlight of my day was getting this block in the post from Kate as part of our one on one African Blockswap.


The lowlight was discovering that my little chicken has the pox! Jack (DS1) has picked up this lurgy from nursery. We're pleased to get it and then be done with it, but the nights are bad as he is itchy and doesn't want to sleep.

I was going to do more hand quilting on this


but decided it was more important to eat an entire tub of chocolate ice-cream to cheer myself up and didn't want any chocolate stains on it. The pics are not good, but show up the quilting better in this light...

Also received my baggie for the BlockBuddySwap Bag o' Stuff quilt challenge this week and have been thinking, thinking, thinking. Can't show you the baggie as it's meant to be a surprise. We only find out afterwards who's bag we had and who had our bag. Should be fun.

Bag O' Stuff

Finally decided what I was going to put in my 'Bag o' stuff'. Here it is...

I seem to have collected several sheep prints and wanted to use them for wallhangings around the house (here in the Yorkshire Dales....fitting, eh?)

Basically you send it off, it gets swapped, you get someone else's bag with who knows what is in it and you make them a small quilt (18 x 18). Send it back, get yours back... Sounded like fun so I decided to join in. Not been feeling very well so didn't manage to post it today, but will definitely try tomorrow. Just so bunged up with flu at the moment.

Met Chris on Sunday and am now looking forward to seeing Toby's quilt done, ready for binding and my Ostrich basted. Looking forward to soon being able to tick a UFO of my list. (And this was my first attempt at linking to someone else - hope it works)