Wonky blocks

Wow, more than a week gone since my last post! I had all the best intentions of blogging before now but they went well and truely out of the window. Infact last week is somewhat of a blur.

But I can say that the Cat in the Hat quilt is finished and Stingo is a very happy little girl now that she has her 'garlic' (??? - I really don't understand why she says this instead of blanket, two year olds, huh!) Still no photos as it seems to be permanently attached to her bed, which it is a perfect size for despite me not measuring anything or having a plan to work from. Beginners luck you might say.

Some more time for sewing at the weekend meant that I could start another quilt for the eldest. I bought some Patty Young 'Playdate' last year and have been hiding it in my stash unsure of what to do with it. Then a small splurge on some more FQs in the same range last month and a stumble upon this and hey presto - wonky blocks!

To be honest I made a schoolboy (or girl) error and made my blocks far too wonky so instead of them being 16.5 x 16.5 I could only manage 12 x 12 blocks. Lots of scraps which are big enough to piece together will make for an interesting back. I'm using Kona solids in crocus for the sashing and backing. Digby is pretty excited at the prospect of this quilt, at least it should tie in with the colour scheme of her bedroom this time.

Changing the subject slightly, Justine is having a giveaway. Check it out. I so want to win this one!

Saturday sewing

I've had a couple of hours or so up in the sewing room trying to sort out the Dr Seuss quilt top that I started last weekend and at last I'm happy with it. So much so that it is almost fully pinned ready to start quilting. I can't wait to get my mitts on the quilting kit which came with my new toy, especially the walking foot, sad I know but not to me! The Janome has loads of stiches so I also need to choose which one I want to use and have a practice to see how the quilting comes out.

Justine is having a giveaway this weekend to celebrate 100 posts. 100 seems to be so far away for me at the moment - this is only my 10th! Check out her blog to be counted in the goodie-fest.

Stash building

After reading various blogs it seems to me that there are a lot of people on a self induced fabric diet out there at the moment, obviously borne from new year's resolutions. I know that there is some research out there that states that people usually abandon all promises by mid January, February if they're truely hardcore.

I for one am not on a fabric diet of any kind, in fact it is one of my resolutions to build my stash this year. So much so, that when my eldest spotted a pink parcel arriving with the postie the other day she said 'Not more material!'. It seems that she doesn't quite have the same enthusiasm for fabric as I do.

These half yards were bought from here. They are by Jessica Levitt for Windham fabrics and they were on sale for a mere £2.50 per half yard. Bargain. Enough said.

A spot of Saturday sewing last weekend and one Cat in the Hat quilt top is complete - no photos as yet because if I'm being brutally honest I'm not 100% pleased with it. I need to re-evaluate it and make some minor improvements. The youngest loves it though, but she is only 2 and wants her Cat.Hat 'garlic' (blanket). So back to the sewing machine.

Cat. Hat.

Cat. Hat. as my youngest likes to call it, but to the rest of us Dr Seuss' The Cat in the Hat! It's one of our favourite books and since spending a wet week in Wales in a caravan in October, it's THE all time fave family film. Sad I know, but we can quote most of the lines. If one of us says the immortal line 'It's a what???' the reply is always 'A cupcakenator!' (And that's just the adults)

So when this line of fabric came out I knew that I had to get my mitts on some. I've had it for a couple of weeks and have spent most days stroking and looking at it, wondering what to do with it and generally trying to keep my children away from it!

I bought 8 FQ's, one yard and a panel from here.

I've pretty much decided to keep it simple so that my girls can see all of the prints in detail, rather than chopping them up too much. Apart from that I don't have a real plan, hopefully some sewing time this weekend should change that. I've spent a bit of time mooching around blogs and flickr looking at what others have done too, probably spent far too much time on 'research', yet again.

Step. Away. From. The. Computer!