staple love

Today I spent a very lovely and much needed sewing day with my sewing bestie Katy, of I'm A Ginger Monkey fame!

Katy has just returned from teaching her now infamous EPP class at Camp Stitchalot in the USA. I'm a bit peeved I didn't go if I'm honest, it sounded like huge fun and there were lots of cool sewing types there! Camp Stitchalot is organised by Brenda of Pink Castle Fabrics so you know it's a winner straight away right? 

Next year I'm going. For sure. In fact the thought of a weekends sewing in the warm USA sunshine with lots of my sewing buddies makes me proper smile!!

Anyhow today we sewed and sewed and it was great fun.

We made a good start on Staple dresses for us both. If you don't know the pattern then I urge you to go and check it out here. It's such a wearable, versatile style and the fun you can have with fabric choice is unlimited isn't it?

I'm making mine in the most gorgeous Anna Maria Horner Linen.

Katy is making hers in her signature look, leopard print right?!

I'll fully update you soon once the dress is finished, I've just got the arm casings to stitch on, some shirring on the back of the dress and the hemming to do. 

Yay for clothes making!!

Finally for today here's a snapshot of my now 10 year old daughter (what the what? How the heck did that happen?) opening her birthday presents this morning - its a sewing machine in there by the way!!

Now this a massive finish...

I cannot actually believe I am finally blogging this massive finish!

Hot off the sewing machine around 10 minutes ago is this:

I cannot tell you how pleased I am it's finished and tomorrow it will be packaged up and sent to the lovely Angela Walters to work her quilting magic on it! Eeeep!

When it returns via the equally lovely Quilt Dad in July and I am reunited with this beauty at the Fat Quarterly retreat I will do a full finish post. So for now, safe journeys my gorgeous Swoon quilt........

Scrappy Trip Along

Unless you were hid under a rock in the New Year you cannot possibly have missed the sewing storm that was an overnight instant IG hit, the Scrappy Trip Along.

Brenda and Katy basically caused a furore with this quiltalong and there were literally hundreds of quilts been stitched up - amazing!

In my usual style I had to join in but then I took ages to finish, you know like I needed another big project when my sewing time is so sparse just now.

Anyhow it's finished.....

Happy on Holly's bed!

To be honest its been finished a while but Holly pinched it the minute I brought it back from the lovely Trudi who has quilted it for me and it's been on her bed ever since - minus the binding.

So seen as we had a little sun at the weekend I thought I'd get some decent shots of this lovely quilt: 

The pictures were taken at a place called 'The Watershed' which is a mill that's been turned into a creative space by Shabang Theatre Company. Holly does a lot of drama/creative work there as Shabang specialise in working with children with additional needs. 

Here's the quilt fitting in lovely on one of the show sets:

Perfect right?

Now all I need to do is bind the beast!!

Sewing, really?

This week I sewed. I mean I actually sewed and I actually finished something.

You've not passed out have you? No, Oh good!

This last week or so has seen two birthday's within the ladies of the Kitchen Guild and one of those was mine = yippee!!

So last Thursday we had a little meet up at Katy's house for coffee, cake and presents of course. Not all members were present but we had a majority attendance with Lauli, Trudi, Mandy, Katy & Myself and a jolly good time was had.

Naturally I had to make a birthday gift for Trudi and as she's been helping me with the Wonky Star QAL for Simply Solids I felt that Wonky Stars would be more than fitting.

After a quick hunt online I found this awesome tutorial for a Wonky Star Block and a quick dig in my scraps and a few hours later I ended up with this: 

How Cute is that teeny tiny star?? I used Moda Cross Weave in grey for the background and the pillow is bound in Sketch Denim.

For the back of the pillow I used more of the cross weave and a sewing themed fabric I received in a swap ages ago.

You are not going to believe the haul of awesome I received as pressies!!! Ready?

Amazing pillow from Lynne. I've been eyeing this one up for ages!!

Fab pouch & notebook from Lauli featuring one of my fave Liberty prints ever!

Gorgeous pouch & coin purse from Mandy = perfect!

 

Fab book & essential matching tea mug from Katy

You see I told you I scored well didn't I? Well it didn't end there, oh no......

Mini size weekender bag from Trudi!!

I nearly cried when I opened my pressie from Trudi. I mean good grief its perfect isn't it? And cute and just well..... I was lost for words!!! Lucky ducky me. Trudi even added 2 extra pockets to the inside for when I'm knitting socks! Attention to detail, you can always count on Trudi for that! Some may call that over achieving, not me though, no not me!

All in all I've had a perfect birthday weekend spent with great friends, giving and receiving great presents, a fab day shopping with my hubs and a great night out last night with some of my bestest friends.

Watch out for another post soon as lots to tell you this week.....

testing 1,2....

Phew, the blog still works. 

I did wonder as it's been a while since it was used, I mean I could come up with all manner of excuses but I won't bore you! Lets just re-acquaint ourselves instead shall we??

Here's a little evidence of what's been happening around these parts the last couple of months.

Swinging

Turning One!

Katy, Max & Leo - London

Visiting Monument - London

Quilt Making

Hairspray! Eeep! Marcus Collins! Eeep!

Pretty Fabric Stacks for Simply Solids

Simply Solids Hot Mess!

I'll blog more about the sewing later in the week as I've a couple of finished quilts that I need to tell you about (don't pass out in shock now will you?)

Have a great week!

Sew Solids Quilt Along!

So after much plotting and planning the day has arrived to announce that yes, after much nagging from many a customer of Simply Solids, I have decided to launch an informal Quilt-A-Long!

It's been designed to use the fabrics that members of the Sew Solid Stash Club receive and I'm sure you'll agree it looks amazing in this mock up:

The mock ups were designed by my friend and yours Lynne of Lily's Quilts and the amazing pattern was written up by one of my bestest sewing buddies Laura Jane of Needles, Pins & Baking Tins. What's more these two kind girlies are offering the pattern as a free download on the Simply Solids Website (look in left menu bar ok?) Kindness is cool right?

Each month I'll be blogging my blocks and Laura Jane will be blogging her blocks, which are a variation on the pattern and look amazing! There will be various other bloggers joining in too on a more ad-hoc basis and I'll link to those as and when so you can see all the lovely quilts in progress!!

I've started a Flickr group for Simply Solids where you can post pictures of the blocks you make and there's an IG hashtag too #simplysolidsqal so we can link up to the blocks been photographed there as well!!

So here's my first block: 

I've gone with Essex Yarn Dyed as my background as I think it will make the colours pop! What do you think??? I'll be getting the remaining 2 purple blocks finished over the weekend so will post pictures early next week.

Have Fun!!

Sew Solids Crew - January

Mega busy. I feel I just want to write that now!!

Anyhow another massively successful sale has just ended in my shop Simply Solids, I'm still working to get through the last of the orders, these will be posted on Tuesday now as I'm working on Monday at my nursing job - apologies for the postage delay but there's only little old me here!!

If you're signed up to the Sew Solids Crew Stash Club - Woo Hoo! Here's what you'll be receiving in January. Look out for parcels arriving towards the end of next week:

3 Colour Stack: Holly, Peridot & Candy Green

6 Colour Stack: Peridot, Candy Green, Holly, Olive, Ice Frappe & Avocado

If you've not signed up for lovely bundles of fabric to arrive through your letterbox each month, please check out the details here. You have until the 15th to sign up and get January's bundle. GO!

In sewing news I've done none. That's right none. Arghhhh! I hope to rectify this very soon and get started on #scrappytripalong >> This quilt a long has taken Instagram by storm thanks to Brenda of Pink Castle Fabrics!!

Here's a picture of Katy's #scrappytripalong

I'm so making one of these. I am.