ABC BOW week 12: Next time won't you sing with me?

Hello quilty friends.  It's ABC quilt time again already.  This week I decided to do a text block so that I could do this ...

Why yes, that is one third of a finished quilt top.

I have absolutely no ability to wait until the end and surprise myself.  I am having a little quilt angst at the moment too, because all of those border fabrics are quite full on now they're sewn together - but, as usual, I'm unlikely to change it - so the wee man will just have to live with it.

Here is the text block I did - which means I won't be doing my kite until next week.

Text block 2 - 2 to go.

Princess told me the fort and the cat "are my most favourite mummy".  I'm not sure she realises that it's for her little brother.  We will cross that bridge when we get to it.

The favoured C and F blocks

What blocks have you been doing this week?  I have noticed that all of a sudden everyone seems to be going crazy and adding their own individual touches to the blocks - like Barbara's inch worm, and the J is for Jellyfish which has given me massive block envy.  All of this means I intend to have something different for you when I show you my L and M.  Oooooh the suspense.  Can you handle it?

Anyway - show us all what you have been doing this week.  Some kites?  Some kittens?  Something else?  Link up and then don't forget to go and say hello to everyone else.

Have a lovely week everyone!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Super simple baby quilt one: finished

I have to say, putting together a little to-do list last weekend was very good at focussing my attention on getting things done.  I was going to tell you all about my finished zipper pouch for Princess today, but instead thought I would show you the little baby quilt which is all done.

You may remember I have decided to put together a few super simple baby quilts.  This is so that I can use some stash fabric, get some projects finished in between the big things, try some patterns I have never got around to putting together, and practise some free motion quilting.  Then when I'm finished, I will have a pile of baby quilts to give away next time someone is preggo.

The good news for you is that if you are new to quilting and want to start, these will be perfect for you (or if you're not new but want a quick project!).

Here is the first quilt all finished.  It measures approximately 42.5" x 48".  Materials were one Heather Ross Briar Rose charm pack (42 squares of fabric 5" square), about a metre of plain white quilting cotton for the sashing, a 1/4m of fabric for binding and some pink fluffy candlewick for the backing.  Because of the fluffy backing, I didn't use batting (saves money, saves time basting!).

Look at those little quilted flowers (deliberately a naive design, you know).

Princess and I went out to take photos for you this morning before the sun came out properly.  She tried to be helpful and hold it up.  Yeah - that didn't work.

Then we put it down to look at it.  You can see that to make it, you lay out the charm squares in a pattern you like.  This is the bit where you need to pay attention.  Your quilt can look completely different depending on the layout you use.  You could be totally scrappy and try and balance the colours across the quilt.  Or you could put them in strips of colour.  Or you could shade light to dark on the diagonal, like I did.  Or anything else that takes your fancy.  You're the creative genius, after all.

The charms were then sewn together in rows with strips of white sashing cut 2.5" wide (finished width 2").

One Briar Rose charm pack baby quilt

We got bored and went and looked at the flowers.

I loooove the pink flowers Mummy.

Moby the Siamese came over to see what was going on.

Moby - one of a pair.  His chocolate point brother is Toby.  Hubby picked the names.

Then we officially gave up and hung it on the washing line.  In the top photo you can see the little flowers I quilted in the corners of the sashing, in between the straight-line quilting.  Do you like the strawberry binding?

And here is the pink candlewick.  After I basted the quilt front and the back together with pins, I did all the straight line quilting one way, starting from the centre.  I quilted 1/4" in from the charm squares on the white sashing.  I then did the same the other way.  (If you are wondering how to stop puckering with straight line quilting, this helps - as well as good basting)  This stabilised the backing fabric nicely before I quilted the little flowers.  I drew the flowers on with a purple disappearing marker and then quilted over the top.  This meant the flowers were a nice consistent size.  However I noticed my stitch regulator foot for FMQ is skipping stitches.  I think it needs a visit to the quilting foot doctor. Naughty.

Quilt back.  Did you figure that out yourself?

At this point we all got distracted and went to check on the tomatoes.  We noticed that hubby bought pale pink fabric ties for the toms.  Princess approved.

Look at those babies grow - and from seeds too. I'm a proud tomato mummy.

And then went to pick some flowers.  Photo session over.

I need to keep this photo to look at during tantrum time.  Little heartbreaker!

Princess told me so.

Mummy put the camera down.  Sheesh.

Are you all having a great weekend?  The weather here is awesome, warm and springlike.  I'm linking up to link parties at Crazy Mom, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and TGIFF.  Howdy everyone!

In which we all get excited because BQF has finished her chevron Reunion quilt

This couldn't be a better post to write.  Not only am I showing off a finish, but I didn't actually have to do any work because this is BQF's quilt.  The best of both worlds, right?

Anyway without further ado, here it is - one finished chevron quilt, made using Crazy Mom's zig zag pattern (see here).  Although BQF didn't actually use that tutorial, but instead this one by Bella Solids (who give Crazy Mom credit).  The Bella Solids tutorial is a pdf, which I find handy.

One jelly roll chevron quilt

Doesn't that quilting look great?  She echoed the zig zag pattern a 1/4" in on the white.  I think it gives a great texture, although she wasn't loving it during the quilting process.  All that heaving the quilt through the machine.  Ick.  I think it was worth it though.

Here is the back.  I just looooove this print.  It is a Spotlight special.  The quilt is supposed to have a seaside feel about it, so the seagulls go with the theme.

A seagull extravaganza

This is her little helper.  He got a bit anxious when his fingers couldn't hold on to the quilt any more.  He's super cute.  Look at those worried little eyes peeping over.

Princess is a big fan of BQF junior - the two of them went on a date to the Wiggles on Sunday (supervised by BQF and I).  The good news is that Princess no longer wants to be Sleeping Beauty when she grows up - she has now moved on to being Emma (the new yellow girl Wiggle).  As a career option I think that could have financial upsides that Sleeping Beauty was never going to offer (not being real, and all).

The helper

I think BQFs overall recommendation is that this is a great pattern. I still have a chevron quilt on my to-do list, so expect another one to pop up here sometime in the future (are you quivering with excitement?). In the meantime, feel free to tell BQF what an awesome job she has done.  

I'm linking up to some linky peeps (see my linky page) including Freshly Pieced, Needle and Thread Thursday and Show and Tell Thursday. Howdy visitors - I hope the rest of your week is full of fabulous fabric!

J is for Jump rope and Jacks: ABC BOW week 11

Oh look, I'm posting on time this week - don't go falling off your sewing chair in surprise. Just enjoy it for this week.  I'm having a little sewing time because Princess is with her Nana for a few hours and boy does that make life a lot calmer. The wee man, for all his babyness, isn't a patch on her for sucking up spare time. It is tough practising to be a prima donna, you know.

Anyway, to the task at hand. Here is my jump rope for this week. I didn't do the jacks block, because here Downunder we call jacks knucklebones and, well, I liked the texture of the rope!

I have no fabric around the outside again but at least I managed to finish all the stitching.  And, because I'm trying to be organised, I have traced the rest of the blocks. I used pencil. Now I'm more confident with my stitching, I'm pretty sure it won't show through. So that should help with stitching in the evening - it is hard to trace in the evening light, I find.

J is for jump rope

How are you getting on?  Has anyone done any of the text blocks?  I'm thinking of doing one again next week, so I can sew my top row together. 

Link up quilty friends!  I hope you're having a good weekend.

PS - if you aren't on Flickr or don't know how to link up - just email me, or leave a comment with your email address if you are a no reply blogger, and I can tell you how to do it.


   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

A wrangle of WIPS*

It dawned on me during the week that I had completely forgotten about one of the WIPs I have.  How does that happen?  Anyway, that made me think that it might be a good idea to put together a list of my immediate quilting priorities, so that I don't get even more distracted - and we all know I have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to fabric related activities.

So here goes.  These are things I would like to get done this week:

Do some more quilting on the Briar Rose simple baby quilt (the first in my series of 10 - you are welcome to start a sweepstake on how long that will take me).  I have basted this with the pink candlewick left over from Sweetie Pie and it feels snug as a bug.  The straight line quilting is done, but as hubby says "it needs some squiggly or wiggly stuff too".  And some binding, too.  Hence the red strawberry fabric.

Briar Rose charm pack quilt.  Time to FMQ.

I also need to get some of my ABC quilt done.  Oh, and get my photos on Flickr and other admin type stuff.  This has been going by the wayside with work.  When it comes to time to relax, I have been sewing rather than doing bloggy stuff.

Little blocks patiently waiting in their folder until they are all finished.

And now that I have culled some blocks from my EPP, I need to get the diamonds for four more blocks basted.

More liberty lawn, some Heather Ross, and a smudge of linen.

Finally, Princess has decided she would like a zipper purse for Christmas.  I have told her it is already made and hidden away for Christmas morning.  My nose is going to grow.  I need to get to it.  The other little purse in the photo is one I finished during the week.  That is a post for another day - but at least I have done something this week!

I definitely need to get me some more of those little dancers.  They are going into everything!

Linking up to Crazy Mom, TGIFF and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Howdy visitors!  

Have a lovely weekend everyone - what are you doing?

* Any other ideas as to the name for a collection of WIPS?  A writhe?  A wriggle?  A headache?

I is for Icecream and Inchworm: ABC BOW week 10

Guess what quilty friends?  Guess what?  We're now one third through our stitching for our ABC quilt. I know, that's amazing, right?!

For those of you who read along, you will know that finding time to stitch is getting pretty tough now I'm back at work full time. You can tell this from Inchy the Inchworm, who I have now realised is missing a stripe. Poor Inchy. He's also missing his fabric border. 

Ah well. Here he is anyway. His background colour looks dark too. That's because he's sitting on a purple folder. 

I is for Inchworm

Here's the proof. This is the bomb site that is my sewing space. Does this make you feel better about your organisational skills?

Quilt bomb

It's time for you to link up now - show us what you've been doing. And don't forget to shout out to Susie and Becky who have their books now and are about to join the stitchy team! (well some time in the next 20 weeks - we're pretty relaxed around here!)

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

EPP crisis. Woe is me.

I can't believe it's been a whole month since I last told you about my EPP progress. Life is whizzing past at the moment. I'm certainly looking forward to the Christmas break!

Anyhow, I was busy tidying up my stash today - I needed to buy FOUR more fabric boxes to put it all in (I really, really, really need to stop buying fabric. Is there a support group out there for me?) - when I noticed my EPP blocks. I decided to put them all put on the floor together and see what they looked like. Guess what they looked like?

Fabric vomit. And not in a good way. Aggghhhh - after all that work too.  So do you know what I did? Are you sitting down?  Do you have a stiff drink?  

I culled. my. EPP. blocks. Three of them. Gone from the quilt. 

I know, right?  Culling hand sewing is some kind of quilting crime. 

The lesson learned is that even when you're making a scrappy quilt, there needs to be SOME sort of coherence to it. This is what's left.  16 blocks. 

Eye twitching EPP

I'm going for a sort of pinky, bluey, lineny colour way now. The three really dark blocks are gone. And there seem to be an abundance of polka dots. That's natural I guess. Polka dots are awesome.  But the fabrics I have picked out for the next blocks are a lot lighter so that it doesn't look too overwhelming.

I'm going to do eight more hexagons and then the half hexies for the sides. Rather than doing a whole quilt, it's going to be a panel for the centre and I'm going to sash around it in white or a low volume print. I'm not sure which. I seem to change my mind about what I'm doing with this each month.  The only thing that is consistent is that every time I look at it, I decide it's going to be smaller.  Heh. 

Right, I'm exhausted after all that. I'm linking up to Hydeeann's EPP party. It was like hand sewing karma when I pulled put my ipad and realised she had put her EPP post up straight after my EPP crisis. Come and have a look (well, after you've given me a little pep talk about how my quilting life hasn't come to an end from removing some blocks). 

A taste of sewing

Well my quilty friends, I had a bit of tantrum about my complete lack of time to sew last night. It made me determined to get something done. 

I have never really understood the obsession with zipper pouches until mine broke the other day. I promptly decided to make my own replacement with the famous Noodlehead tutorial.  And here it is. 

It was a good trial run, and I learned a few things. First, I cut my zipper too stubby. She said to leave an inch, but it's more like two.  Secondly, I decided to quilt the top layer. I did this after I had sewed the fabric to the zips. Next time I will quilt it first. I would also be keen to try some of that iron on clear laminate stuff, but I think I need to get these perfect first. 

This one is for me. I was thinking of doing more for my pay it forward pressies. I mean these are always useful, right?  See, I'm a convert!

The fabric range is Hello Tokyo. Fabricworm made me get it. Naughty Fabricworm. 

Goodness, I think I might even be able to do some linking up this week (links on my linky page). Howdy visitors!

Fabric happy

There hasn't been much happening on the quilting front this week in the Shush household. Mother was up from the deepest South so there were pedicures and haircuts and morning tea and dress shopping for Princess and other such lovely things instead.

But don't think that has put a dent in my fabric obsession. Oh no. I'll skip the Heather Ross at this stage, but here are some other tidbits that have turned up in my mailbox recently!  You'll have to excuse my incomplete fabric descriptions because I don't have all the names on the fabric selvedges.  

Fabricworm has a lot to answer for.  All of these fabrics are from there.  Don't go looking for fabric there or else you'll end up buying all sorts of things you don't need.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Let's Pretend by Sarah Jane for Michael Miller fabrics

Fox and the Houndstooth

Halloween linens that I can't remember the name of.  Eeep.

Snow White by Kawaii from Hawaii.  I think.

And here's a picture of Princess in her Halloween outfit.  Just because.

One cute witch.

Belatedly linking up to Sunday Stash which is at the Floral Suitcase and not Finding Fifth this week.  Howdy visitors!

H is for Hammer and Hat: ABC BOW week 9

Hello quilty friends!  I haven't forgotten you - I just got to work today and realised I couldn't get into my blogger account at work to put this post up.  Naughty me - but I was supposed to be working anyway, so it was probably just as well.

Here is my hammer, all framed up in some Riley Blake stripes.  This is very boyish, but pretty cute!

H is for hammer

How is your stitching?  How was your weekend?  Tell us all about it ...

   

    An InLinkz Link-up