Go Grab a free Craftsy course

Ok, you know how I love my Craftsy courses, well today only, for those not already subscribed/taking a course, they are giving away some free courses Go check them out there are some really fab looking ones,sewing, quilting, cooking, cake decorating, crochet....
go on, sign up, you can follow the courses at your own pace, you can pause, rewind, rewatch, its valid forever, theres great class interaction... and Craftsy are donating to charity :)

Thank you

Thank you for all your birthday wishes, I had a lovely birthday and lots of lovely pressies. I'm going to be enjoying lots of bits for my patchwork, some are still in the post and haven't arrived but....



My french neighbours bought me some gorgeous Oakshott charms and a lovely moda charm pack. I think I'm going to plan a lush quilt with my text charms/rainbow charms and these oakshotts mixed in. Any great patterns for charm packs ???


I had a quick go on the iron and love it, I'd have thrown an iron at DH if he had bought me one 5 or 6 years ago, now I love him for buying me one...lol how times change.
He went out and bought his own pressies too,

I had this cute USB key (see hints do work sometimes) and he bought a fab pressie...















yes he has gone one better than the bobbin winder and purchased me the electric bias binding machine, I tried it and it folds and irons the binding really well, I'm now waiting on a 11/2 inch single quilt fold tip and a 1/4" for celtic work, we may be adapting it slightly to add the adhesive strips.

I've been busy trying to make some prototypes for my Sample swop at retreat,

 If I don't get a start on, i'll be panicking and stressing that my work isn't good enough, well I got good reviews for these cute small scissor holders, so I'm going with these. I've ordered some new embroidery needles and will hopefully get one or two done next wee, I only need to make 3 or 4 but am thinking it wouldn't do any harm to have some extras stashed about my person.
I'm also storming ahead with my name tag and have to make the lanyard and embroider the name when the thread arrives.




And this afternoon, my mum's taken the boy to stay with her and dad for the weekend, well actually until Monday, so dh, me and Amelia have the weekend to do as we please....I think A and I will have to tidy the sewing room and I'm going to sit and digest these lovely french mags I bought today

While Amelia plays with the sizzix and some card.

TGIFF

Hi All,
It's my birthday today so I'm going to be really quick posting this as it's soon time for me to go and blow out the candles on the cake, there are quite a lot of them this year, 38 to be precise :( I'll try and post some piccies of all the lovely things I got tomorrow :)

Anyway, I spent 15 minutes this morning finishing up the Siblings Together binding and getting the label on, the sun has shone down on me and I rushed outside to take photo's.


The Siblings Together quilt is a collaboration between me in France and Betty in the Netherlands.


It's pieced with stash and Kona Snow, I used Aurifil 50wt to piece mine. The block tutorial was from Sarah in Northern Ireland and it was used for a bee blessed quilt, the tutorial can be found Here
Quilted by me on my frame with superior thread Seashell, great variegated with light pink, light aqua, light yellow and light blue.

Finished up about 50x60"

Am linking up with TGIFF so go check out the great finishes for this week.

Possible Changes afoot

A complete surprise to me yesterday at patchwork club, the president that started us all off and likes to get lots of the press attention, big wigs like the maire (mayor) congratulating her, etc etc is stepping down and they asked ME !!!! if I want to take over the presidency.

I told them I need to think about it and I'd like some opinions,


1, I'm not really into the hierarchy of associations, I don't like bowing and scraping to people, I don't like the MMe President label and heads of associations here, even head of little ones are quite prestigious. I'm honoured to have been asked, especially as I'm English and we're mostly a French bunch.

2, I'm really going to struggle with the language, I could sort of cope in English, having to stand up and talk once in a while but in French EEEKK. The girls themselves are fine, they help me and correct my french and I could struggle through but if I have to talk infront of other people as the president I'd panic and probably muck up.

3, They are mainly hand quilters/patchworkers which isn't necessarily a problem it just means I'd have to look at more handy projects.

Now, I have had ideas for the club in the past and they've been well received but the president never really wanted to spend money, we've had quilt shows, christmas sales etc etc and accrued quite a decent some of money in the bank, we all pay our yearly subs and get absolutely NOTHING out of it. The hall where we meet I *think* is given to us free from the town but we have to pay insurance/heating/electric.
I suggested we buy a Sizzix *shock horror* when I took it the ladies all were really impressed with the hexagons and how quickly I could cut them, but whether they'd use it to it's full advantage I don't know.

Fabric here is horrendous price for pretty yucky stuff, but they are older and like the browns/tans/creams/reds but the shops here (those that can actually get to the main town 50kms away) aren't that great, I have again suggested ordering from the US and I'd sort it, the ladies all were really interested and then it never happened. Do you think it's really bad of me to want to suggest we get say £25/30E worth of fabric each out of the club money and I'll order it from UK or US for our own stashes.

I've asked I don't know how many times could we make a charity quilt together....all poo poohed and *no money for fabric* ...

Would a magazine sub for the club be out of the question ??? alot of the older people can't get online to sort out one,

We used to do BOM's or mystery quilts, sometimes a *task* over the summer, for a few years now it's more of a bring your own stuff and sew.

I'd like to buy wadding, thread, some perle thread, fabric etc for us all to use on a club project and if people want extra, I can order it,
Most of them would love to learn celtic work but they haven't ever had the bias binding machine or find it difficult to source the adhesive etc, I'm sure I can help with little projects or ideas.

Do you think it's a bit pushy, I'm all up in the air, I'm hoping my ideas could work, I'd like to get more English and French members because otherwise we're gonna shrivel up and die, but I'm really not sure I've got the ability or the language skills....

So anyway, please if you go to a quilt club/guild can you give me some idea of what you do, do u have to wear name tags (I still don't know all the names of the 20 odd members, how bad is that) do you do group projects, charity, what goes down well, any group purchases, etc etc or if you don't go to a club, what would you like to see in one :)

Tuesday Twitters

Just a quickie,it's not been a fab week to be honest, my parents have had to have their 11 year old dog put to sleep, he's been one of the family, he's had his problems in the last few months and today jumped off a low chair and cracked a bone in his shoulder/leg, along with his heart murmur, sight loss in one eye and mostly blind in the other, alzheimers and general weirdness, the vet thinks he might have had a brain tumour, a hard decision but one that's the best for everyone :( it's so tough losing a close pet.

And my machine woes continue yesterday my Brother machine didn't want to play nicely again...DH and I deduced it's overheating somehow, he punched a hole in the casing and *touch wood* it seems to be playing nicer.  I managed to get a speed control from Ebay, some new bungees and leaders, oh and a fab walking foot for the Bernina :)
I'll soon have absolutely no excuse not to get my frame quilting upto scratch.

 Anyway, I *knew* I had to get the siblings together quilt sewn together at least, Betty had made me 10 blocks and I finished off the other blocks I needed on the weekend, so with 20 blocks DD decided where they were going and by Sunday evening, I had a flimsy top :)








The front of the quilt, fresh off the frame, its a very large meander in a rainbow variegated superior thread, I wanted it to be cuddly and not overquilted.


The backing is a cute slightly heavier cotton fabric and it says its from the Netherlands on the selvedge



I've cut the binding, once again with the sizzix and am hoping to sew it down tomorrow at patchwork club. As it's my birthday week, I have to provide cake, cider, fizzy wine and juice tomorrow. Cinnamon rolls to the rescue :)

Soda Pop Sweetness

My little secret is about to be revealed, I was naughty again *sigh* On Wednesday, I succumbed and bought Soda Pop from Sara@Sewsweetness, You do remember I had an inkling I wanted to make it because I happened to purchase 8 Curtain grommets when the fabric shop was closing lol...

So after buying the pattern I went on the search for suitable fabric,
Some IG help and yes, Tulapink's frogs.... WTF I could not work out how to get the pattern pieces out of the fabric, DOH !!! all the pieces were half yards not full yards. Before FQR and Flicker I always bought yards of everything but then moved to half yards, I really could've cried not having enough frogs to make the bag... (i'll be ordering some very soon if I can get another half yard)

So then decided on the yellow with silver, the aqua pattern for inside and I wanted the birds on the chairs, hmmm note to self, if you can make something difficult you will.

Thursday afternoon I started cutting out the pieces, fusing them (note to self, make sure you pay attention with cutting on fold, I cut my lining the wrong way and had to seam it together carefully)
this time I used heavy fusible interfacing for the lining and bases and just batting for the exterior bits. I used the really thick felt for a base that I popped in once I'd turned it out



Great pattern as usual, easy to follow, such simple instructions even for me :) and I managed to change bits and go with the flow more.
By the evening I had a complete lining with only one pocket not 2, which I'd customised to fit my phone, a pen pocket and I remembered to sew in my O ring for my keys.


Do you know how frustrating it is when you want to get on but the kids want to snuggle with mummy and watch a film before bed GRRRRR


This morning, I got up early and carried on, I only wanted grommets one side so just made 4 holes, then I didn't want to use a whole piece of birds fabric for the grommets so I cut some cheap solid to the shape and fixed the birds/chairs with fusible webbing to the plain, using only like 4 inches each grommet. They were a b****r to make sure I had enough of the chair or bird in each one, would've been so much easier without fussy cutting but I think it looks fab so worth the effort.


By 9am I had the 4 grommets and was ready to start the handles, had to go out shopping and restarted at about 5.30 this evening.

Handles, again adapted the pattern, I like solid handles so I shoved some webbing inside and covered them, luckily the webbing was the right size.
I had a big grin on my face as I was topstitching the handles. Suddenly a wave of pride hit me, I made my first bag back in January last year and it was more of a basket than a proper bag. I really feel that since Fat Quarterly Retreat, meeting more people, getting encouragement on twitter, Instagram and via the blog has helped me be more adventurous and tackle things I wouldn't ever have dreamt of. So thank you all for following me, encouraging me and challenging me.

Anyway, back to the bag, Changed machines to topstitch with the walking foot and 10 minutes later TADAHHH the finished bag

The outside,


The inside (i'm not sewing the lining up yet as I'm going to put bag feet on the bottom once they arrive)
and a close up of the fussy cut grommets


If you want to make your own Soda pop or perhaps the aeroplane bag Sara has a special coupon code on her site at the moment, just use happyspring for 20% off your entire order. The coupon code is good through Saturday, May 11th at 11pm CT. So go check out Sew Sweetness Pattern shop

And I'm going to link up to TGIFF as yup it got finished today and it's Friday, can't wait to take it out and try it tomorrow.

Have a fab weekend.

Bags...Bags....Bags

It's been one of those weeks and it's only Wednesday
Took my car into the garage on Tuesday and it needs 2 new tyres, (only had 2 back in March) and the garage said I was in danger of a blowout so had to put my spare on, it's bank holiday here today and Thursday so they can't order them until Friday and won't get them in until Monday, so next week 320E on tyres :(

DH spent the weekend and Monday cutting our grass, strimming the field and digging our small veggie plot, I really wasn't bothered this year but the kids want to be *mr bloom in his nursery* so Dh got out the rotivator

and dug us a 4m2 veggie plot, so far the kids have planted tomatoes and lettuces, we're hoping to buy some more stuff on Friday.

While dh was playing errr sorry digging a hole DD and I drew bee blocks,




and then I followed up and made it with some slight changes and finished it yesterday, not perfect but as close as I can get it without unpicking loads, one more block to go this month.

then I had some happy mail and won't this make a fab aeroplane bag
I've got what I need zips and  I *think* a solid canvas perhaps, was planning on cutting out but DD had other plans,
She wanted to make a bag (they are home until Monday *Sigh*) she chose her fabric, I cut it up and then we set to, she did all the stitching and I just did the handle stitching...

Making outer bag 


Making lining bag

Turning it out


and modelling her new bag, ready to go shopping, she has her hat and sunglasses in it so far :)
So that's a cushion, dolly quilt and now a tote bag, hopefully I might get to sew tomorrow !