Create.....

As ever the New Year makes you think about a fresh start and what you want to achieve. When I look back on 2016 the achievement in my work life was huge but creatively I really suffered, I hardly made a thing and I miss sewing.

For this reason my 2017 word of the year, my mantra, is

 I need to create and be creative in order to keep myself balanced and focused. My work life is getting busier and my children need lots of my time too, so eeeking out moments of creativity are really what I need to be doing to keep me happy! Otherwise it all just gets a bit stressful this life malarky, don't you think?

Over the festive period I was struck down with Flu, so we pretty much just had PJ days the whole time the kids were off school! I managed to get some sewing in which has already made a difference to my well being.

These are blocks from a Block of the Month club I signed up to in 2012, I'm getting this quilt finished as a priority! I've now made 5/12 block and have a further 2 blocks cut out and ready to sew.I'm hoping it will all come together quite fast as I have the quilt finishing kit and the backing kit too.

I've also been doing a lot of work on my English Paper Piecing projects. I've been working on the Patchwork of the Crosses BOM all year and had got a few months behind, I've managed to catch up a couple of months in the last few weeks so I'm very happy!

This is just one month worth of blocks so as you can see it's quite labour and time consuming but I really do love it.

I've also started working on a La Passacaglia paper pieced project too, it's going to be made in really modern fussy cut fabrics which are in total contrast to the gorgeous Liberty fabrics used in the Patchwork of the Crosses quilt.

 

So having had a good start to the year, lets hope it continues and I can crank up my productivity and get my sewing fixes!

Happy New Year everyone!

It seems I have been sewing....

This year it feels to me like I haven't done much in the way of creating and this pains me, it really does. 

I feel like I have been lost in a flurry of business growth and parenting and trust me when I say there has been no room for anything else, Ha!

Looking back through the images on my iPhone I thought I'd share with you a couple of things I've managed to complete over the last couple of months.

These are my most favourite make of the year so far! They were commissioned by Quilt Now magazine, I supersized my favourite quilt blocks to make this trio of cushions.

The fabrics are all from Aneela Hoey's Foxglove Collection for Cloud 9 Fabrics which I just adore. 

Another of my projects landed in Quilt Now recently too, a quick and easy improv quilt in Halloween fabrics. A perfect weekend make, suitable for beginners too.

I used another of my favourite collections this year, Boo! from Cotton + Steel fabrics. 

I've also made a couple of swap items for my friend Amanda, she was my Secret Sewer partner whilst we were on retreat. {Did you know my business also runs a yearly sewing retreat?}

I made the very gorgeous Makers Tote another great pattern from Anna Noodlehead.

In my rush to hand this gift over I never took any of my own photo's of it, so I've nabbed this one from Amanda's Instagram feed!

I made the bag mainly in Carolyn Friedlander fabrics as they are Amanda's favourite and some co-ordinating Sprinkle by Cotton + Steel. 

I also made her this sweet scissor case in Elizabeth Hartman Paintbox Basics fabrics, which I love!

I think next year I really want to make more things for the home and for my kids.

Fun Fun Fun!!

As ever I'm not getting much personal sewing time just now but looking back through my phone's camera roll, I'm getting lots of time with my kiddos instead so I can't complain!

The sewing that I am managing to get done is mainly by hand, I'm still working away on my 'The New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt', Rosette 3 is very nearly complete with the addition of these cute hexies.

 

I've also started working on my 'Whirlygig' quilt after been inspired by Sarah Fielke's recent visit to my shop to teach! I loved having the chance to work and hang out with my utter quilt hero!

I'm also slowly but surely catching up on my Patchwork of the Crosses Block of the Month too, this is such an amazing quilt, I've even bought the add on kit to make it bigger!!

Jessie's choice of fabrics, especially the Liberty fabrics used are so amazing don't you think?? The BOM is going to be running again next year if you missed out on this one! Head over to Jessie's website Sew & Quilt to find out more!

Farmer's Wife Quilt-Along | Block 78 Old Maid

I've been really slacking on my Farmer's Wife blocks I've got to admit... but knowing I was guest posting today means I've pulled my finger out and started farming again!

Block 78 Old Maid is one of my favourite quilt blocks, I love how simple it is to piece and yet how striking it looks. I love that you can really let your colour play go wild and create blocks that have totally different feels just by changing up your colour choices!

There are a few tips I can offer, first is be organised! Once my pattern and fabrics are cut {I'm paper piecing most of my blocks} I use a wonder clip to hold the relevant sections together.

As you'll notice from the photo's above I also colour in my block diagram and mark my pattern so I know which colours go where when I'm sewing the pieces together.

My next tip is to use a Sewline glue pen to glue your first piece of fabric down. I also don't always follow the numbers on the pattern with regard the order of piecing. As you can see in the photo below I'm starting from the centre and working outwards as it will eliminate any difficult angles to piece.

I piece all my sections first before giving them a good press, I find that this helps your accuracy when piecing the block together.

At this stage it is important to make sure all your fabric is placed correctly and that their are no errors.

Piecing the block together should be a doddle now! Make sure you pin the intersections so you don't lose any points and so everything is straight.

As you can see I went for the classic red and aqua combination which will sit well with my other bright and modern blocks.

Please tag your blocks on Instagram so we can all have a look! Use #fw1930sqal #farmerswifeblock #fw78farmerswife

You can find out all about the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along on Kerry's blog.

A little catch up!

I always seem to be playing catch up, do you?

It's been such a long time and there has been so much happening I thought I'd just share a few photo's of what the last few weeks have seen me doing!

There have been lots of family birthday's and meals out, including the big 40 for me....

I've worked lots at the shop and squeezed in some sewing time too, I really don't know how!

 I've made 3 Stitchy Pie needle cases so far, they're super cute! The pattern is by my friend Lucy, if you'd like to make one too!

I've had a project in Quilt Now magazine

 

I've nursed a really poorly baby that needed hospital treatment

It was the worst case of Noro virus any of my kiddos have ever had, poor thing. I needed a calmer that weekend I can tell you, luckily I'd treated myself to an amazing candle

 If you've not tried this brand I really do recommend them! All their scents are divine!

We've had a new baby in the family, ahhhh.

 Say Hi to baby Rocco, I'm one proud Aunty! Here he is with my mum, even though he's my husbands side of the family!

Today marks the 1st anniversary of my nephew's death. I'm feeling saddened and lost today, the world really did lose an awesome little guy when Elliot passed and we miss him like crazy.

 

 

A Sewing Catch Up!

I thought I'd been doing so well with my sewing and quilting and I was, until I realised I haven't blogged any of my makes or finishes!! Oh well, you can't have it all can you?!

Here's a little round up of what I've been sewing over the last few weeks:

 I've been working away on a Star Wars Quilt for my hubby!

I joined the Patchwork of the Crosses Block of the Month from my friend Jesse's shop, Sew & Quilt. I'm really enjoying this one and so far I'm keeping up each month!

 

I sewed up some samples for Dashwood Studio's out of their cute fabrics! This is the Butterfly Blouse pattern from Oliver & S in Nature Trail Geometrics with a Flurry Frill!

 

I've chain pieced some Flower Garden Mini Charms for a secret project I won't be able to share much more of!

 

And I finally conquered re-threading my overlocker and finished my Schoolhouse Tunic! Wahoo! I'm very happy with this, can you tell?

I'll be back at the end of the month with a round up of my quarter one finish along finishes!!!

A couple of finishes at last....

I'm jumping up and down at a couple of little finishes this week - wahoo!

First up is Rosette 1 of my 'The New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt'. This is all hand pieced and is a whopping 36" in diameter. I've had great fun with this over the last few months, the whole of my quilt will be in Cotton + Steel fabrics and I'm already well on my way with Rosette 2.

My next finish is this gorgeous Economy Block Quilt, I really love it! It's finally bound and has been laundered and labelled this weekend ready for posting to it's new owner tomorrow.

This one was made entirely from my stash, the blocks are 12" finished and it's quilted in organic lines with a variegated Aurifil thread. It's been a long time in the finishing, I hope my friend loves it still!

I've also managed to sneak some time on my Farmer's Wife Quilt too, I've prepped a couple of blocks that I'm going to sew this evening.

I've found that prepping a couple of blocks ready for sewing in one session, then sewing them in the next session, is the most productive way for me to work on this sampler.

Finally I just wondered whether you'd heard that the sewing retreat I host through my shop Simply Solids is down to the last space??

Click the image to go find out more!

 

2016 Finish-A-Long!

Since I've decided that I'm going to try and get some selfish sewing done in 2016, I thought I ought to sign up to the Finish-A-Long to give me some goals this year!

This year there are a whole host of hosts, click on the image above to take you to Nicky's blog post to find out more.

This first quarter I have decided to try my hardest to get finished on these projects:

 From top left we have:

1) Spring Carnival EPP cushion - requires hand quilting & turning into a cushion.

2) The New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt Rosette 1 - nearly complete and rosette 2 is started, hoping to finish both.

3) Fat Quarter Shop 2012 Mystery BOM! - Hoping to finish piecing all the blocks.

4) Schoolhouse Tunic - All cut out and part sewn, hoping to finish.

5) Economy Block Quilt - just requires binding and gifting

6) Cotton & Steel Cushion Kit - to make up

If I'm honest this list is a bit over ambitious as I have so much work sewing to do too but I really want these WIP's finished for good!

Are you taking part in the 2016 Finish-A-Long? 

Sewing anyone?

My poor neglected blog once again has fallen foul to my sloppy time management!

I'm refusing to promise and make resolutions about how often I will blog as I'm just adding more pressure to my busy schedule, that said, I really want this to be a place where I record all my sewing and fun times so hopefully I'll eeek some time out on a regular basis.

Here's a little collage of my makes from October 2015 to the year end. In making this I realised that I haven't documented some of the Christmas presents I made so I'll have to rectify that won't I when I visit them in their new homes!

I finished a really old WIP and gifted the finished quilt at Christmas, I made a bag for a swap I took part in when I went to Glamp Stitch A Lot in the USA in November, pencil cases, a cushion, lot's of EPP and my Farmers Wives blocks!!

There have also been lots of lovely times with my family and friends in the latter part of 2015.

 
My best friend Katy came to join the Simply Solids team, Jett began climbing in earnest, we had a family fun day out with my brother and his family, we also spent Christmas day with them. Jett amazes us with what he eats, Camembert anyone?

So here's to a productive 2016! I'm really hoping to sew lots and lots and lots!!!!
 

Ever feel like giving up?

Let me tell you I've felt a lot like that lately!

My sewing just isn't happening, I barely have time to keep on top of my day job at the shop and the usual boring housekeeping stuff, exercise has completely disappeared from my life and my eating habits are not good!

I've been really stretched by recent sewing projects for reasons I cannot even explain! Is it just me that makes the same mistake over  and over until the penny drops? My first few Farmers Wife 1930's blocks all too often looked like this:

I'm also finding that as the blocks are sooo time consuming I've already fallen behind schedule! Grrr!

My poor My Small World QAL is still at Stage One (oh it's just laughable isn't it?!!)

On the plus though I've finished quilting a long overdue quilt for a friend and started piecing another quilt!!!

Does anyone else struggle with this? Any tips to get me through? I feel like everyone gets lots of sewing in and I'm just a disaster!!!

Answers on a postcard please.......