So what have I been Doing?

Well, I have moved house. We sold quite fast and are currently happily nestled in a rental house that suits just fine for now. I still have a sewing room but maybe not for long. We may have found the right house to suit our needing less money lifestyle (read as less pressure and stress lifestyle). Just waiting to see if it goes through. It will not have a room to dedicate to sewing, but I will manage. I did before and I will again. I actually love finding clever and innovative ways to store stuff and use my space. Keep you posted.

I have been doing some making in all this time but not sharing. How mean!

I have my first grandchild imminent any minute......literally. My daughter was due on Thursday so it really will not be long. She doesn't believe me, poor thing. I rustled up a cot quilt and bumper set for the nursery and a matching fleecy pillow. Hope you like. The beautiful knitted shawl was made by my very talented Mum who has been knitting some just lovely things for baby.

She also asked me to make some fabric buckets with some of her fabric. I love this colour combo.

There have been some crocheted blankets too but I quite forgot to photograph them. I will next time I am there.

Until next time folks. I have so enjoyed writing this blog again. Now that a lot of life's hiatus has calmed, maybe I can get back to it. Next time I shall share my non baby crochet.

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Its Nearly Christmas!

Well, its nearly here isn't it?  Every year we say "its ages till Christmas, why do folk start so early?"
Then every year December arrives and takes us by surprise and we all start rushing around like headless chooks. The same goes for our customers. Every year, I get the panic e-mails asking if there is any way I can get items to their various destinations in time for the big day. I have also lost count of how many times I have explained to the menfolk in my house why shops, crafters and Mums start thinking about the festive season so soon. They just don't get that as the provider you need to well ahead of the buyers or there is nothing for them to buy from you when they need to. Men!

I myself am having what we would have to call a very frugal Christmas and mostly a handmade Christmas.  That means I cannot right now show off many of my recent makes but you can look forward to post festive posts for that.

Things I can show off are the new stockings I have made for the etsy shop

Some old favourite designs

And some cute cute mini mittens for your tree.

Get in quick as if you are in the US Canada or Eastern Europe, its got be in the post on Monday10th December.  Western Europe, you have a bit longer with the in the post date for you being Wednesday 12th December. UK peeps you have the last in the post date of  Thursday 20th December, but if I were you I would do it sooner.  Please also remember when ordering from any online seller, last posting date, means just that, not last ordering date. You need to allow enough time for packing and getting to the post office and that you order before the post office closes.

Happy Shopping Folks

Some New Quilts in the Shop

I have been finishing things up this past week. I don't know about you guys, I start off guns blazing on things and then nearing the end I get bored/distracted by new ideas and then end up in the infamous UFO section. My UFO's where getting silly so I made it my mission to get some if not all of them sorted. I am not done by any means but some progress has been made. I have finished 2 bunnies (no pics yet but the sun holds promise today). That means actually sewn them up! They were knitted ages ago but as usual, I shied away from the finishing. I use all sorts of excuses to my myself. The stuffing bag will make too much noise whilst the family are watching telly, the ends will go all over the floor and I hoovered, I need to start that idea I had or I will forget! These are ridiculous reasons, but I have a feeling there are folks reading this will empathise quietly if not admit to it. There is one more rather large quilt and I don't think I have a backing piece  large enough so that one will have to wait.

For now, I sorted these 2 and the first pic of each will take them miraculously to my shop where I have actually managed to list them too! Don't fall off your chairs people!

Zig zag quilt (started about 18months ago) finished and laundered on Tuesday

Also this purple pink crochet lap blanket which I made last winter I think but never quite got around to weaving in the ends (still have a few to do TBH but they will get done before someone receives it. I am getting the crochet urge again now. Mind you, I have all manner of creative urges and not enough time to do them all. This is how the UFO's occur isn't it.

I also updated this patchwork blanket's pictures as the old ones were not really doing it much justice. These fleece backed blankets are a joy to make and to own. You may remember this one I made some time ago. I never listed it. I loved it so much it became mine. It comes out as soon as the weather gets cold and I snuggle under it whilst I knit in front of the TV. Really cosy. The buttons look so cute too. I have thought it would be quicker than quilting. Its not you know. 70 buttons take a while to sew on I can tell you.

Now, that sun is breaking through so I off to find my camera and get those bunnies ready for their publicity shots.

Dont Faint, I finished something!

I do have some beautiful bunnies to share but I want to wait until I have enough to open the new shop. They are coming on so well I cant wait to show you guys!
So this weekend, I decided to actually finish this zig zag quilt that I must have started this time last year. I did the machine quilting a month or 2 ago and just had the binding to do. So i stayed up last night and finished it finally.  The quilting is a bit puckery still. I need more practise. Also the band on the backing ended up a bit wonky but nonetheless I rather love it. I have to trim some threads and spotted a few pins I missed last night. But here it is whilst the sun makes a brief appearance. It was of those not really planned quilts. The majority of the fabric, was one of those 'oh i love that, I will buy it' moments and stashed away. I then saw how to make it on another blog (I cant remember who's and will add it if I do - yell if its yours!) and thought this would be the time to get out that impetuous fat quarter purchase. Its just because I wanted to make it so it doesn't matter that its a bit off perfect does it?

A Quilt for Mum

It was my Mums birthday last week, and I was a bit stumped as to what to give her this year. Its getting a little tricky as she seems to have most of the things she wants/needs.  So I decided to make her a quilt. A gift from the heart if you see what I mean. Its not a large quilt (I forgot to measure it, oops) and took around 20 hours to make.  It was my first attempt at free motion quilting. Not perfect at all, but I did enjoy it and will definitely be finishing my other quilts in my cupboard very soon, now I have gained my confidence a bit with my new sewing machine. Please excuse my display material, I was in a wee bit of a rush.



Obviously, there had to be a card too. I have really scaled down my card making supplies so was quite chuffed with this.



So Excited

Remember that song?  the next line is `I might wee`.  Well that's me.  We have been being very careful with money as OH had an employment blip.  Now some purse strings have been loosened and I have just  ordered my last years birthday and Christmas present.  This is she.  I think I am going to name her Martha.  I don't know why, but its a nice name and it was the first one that popped in my head, so Martha it is.

Now, despite the fact that I blog regularly about sewing projects, this is actually my first sewing machine.  The singer I used is really Mums, and was purchased easily 20 years ago and was for different purposes to mine.  To my knowledge she has never had a service and has always been a bit of an awkward customer.  I googled her once to find out how much it would cost to get her serviced and the first result said,  and I quote, "help me before I kill it with an axe!!!!".  There was more, but that basically summed up how I felt about the old girl. I have plodded on with crappy irregular tension, a power lead that falls out just when you least expect it and a light that flickered so much I disconnected it. I shall ask Mum if she wants her back, but I have a feeling that even if Mum says yes, Dad will give a resounding NO!

So, I am looking forward to her arrival and am going to sort the garden out tomorrow before she gets here or it will never get done.  Not sure OH has quite realised what he has let himself in for.  There will be shabby, late dinners and evenings where I cannot be extricated from the sewing room.  It will make up for the endless evenings of football I happily (well ish) participate in.  I shall keep you posted, if you are at all bothered.

Best nip to the loo given the beginning of this post.

Another Finished Quilt aka UFO

This windmill quilt  was started almost a year ago and in fact, the piecing was finished within weeks. I could not face machine quilting, as my old girl is a bit temperamental. I have quite a thing about quilting and would dearly love a machine that was better for it.  Having not hand quilted before, I was a bit daunted.  I started the quilting at Christmas and will always think of it as the `Upstairs Downstairs quilt` as much of it was worked on whilst watching the new one last year in peace (with tia maria and cashew nuts) as no one else wanted to watch it. I have just quilted in the ditch for my first hand quilting attempt.  It is by no means perfect but I am really pleased with it. Not sure at this point whether to sell it or keep it, so it has a place upsatirs in the sewing room until I decide.

A Finished UFO at Last. Oh boy was it a wait

I have been concentrating on getting some of those unfinished objects (UFO for all you that have not heard that term already).  Not seeing aliens spaceships.  I cut out this patchwork blanket way back in March last year after completing this one.  As usual, I got distracted by other exciting things to make and although it has been pieced for quite some time, I never quite got to finishing it. It consists of both new fabrics and some reclaimed shirting (some quality brands in there as I recall).  Now, a purchase of one piece of soft polar fleece, 70 dotty spotty buttons and only 2 evenings work, it is ready to go.  Who would have thought it was that close?  It is not a quilt per-say, but a patchwork blanket.  It is machine pieced on the front, but backed with snuggly soft polar fleece for comfort and warmth, and held together with  hand sewn buttons instead of top quilting to keep the softness of the fleece.  It just covers most of the top of a single bed and is the perfect snuggle blanket for chilly days or in the car for a little one (not under 3`s because of the buttons. I have no little ones any longer so it will be in the shop very soon.  Just need to properly measure it and price it up. Now I have to find all the receipts for all the components!  That will teach me to leave things halfway.

Imagine if you will, the look on my teenage sons` face when he came home to find this on his bed.  Not impressed, I can tell you.  Its the only single bed in the house!

I finally get the Mr. on the blog and he hides behind the quilt. Hey its a start!  Gotta love human quilt hangers.

70 hand sewn  buttons I will have you know!!!

So snuggly. I love mine on a chilly evening. ......and the odd lazy afternoon.

Happy 4th January!!!!!!

Well its different isnt it?  I really think 4 days into 2011 is too late to bandying New Year Greeting about.  Hope you all had a fab Christmas.  Mine was quiet to say the least and I got a horrid cold the day after boxing day.   Its pretty much gone now and I back off to the day job tomorrow so normal service should be resumed.

Upon finishing the custom orders for Christmas I put down the knitting needles and decided to finally finish a quilt I started around April time!  It had been pieced for months but I knew my dodgy machine was not up to the top quilting so put it off as I have never hand quilted before. I thought it was going to be tedious and drive me mad, but actually, I am finding it very relaxing...and warm on my lap hehe.  Two blocks and the binding to go and I can share it with you.

I have spent this morning updating the Perfect Little Purse Company , re listing some items, and adding a few new things which ironically are not all purses.

Look what the cold weather made me do

I bought a fat quarter set of Katie Jump Rope from Twiddletails a while ago just because I liked it and really not knowing what I was going to do with it. I spent ages looking at quilt options and just could not find anything I fancied. Then I got this fabulous book just after Christmas but who cares cos its the most lovely book ever and full of things you could easily make any time of the year.

In said book was a simple patchwork blanket backed with fleece and held with tiny buttons instead of quilting. Now I have never been one for the quilting, I just like the piecing; so that made it just what I needed.
Here is my take on it and just right size to keep me warm whilst its still so chilly in the evenings. Keeps you warm while you are sewing the 70 buttons on too. Keep warm and craft. Perfect project if you ask me.
I have another one cut out already because I enjoyed it so much.