On hold for a while

Looks like there won't be a lot of sewing happening for a while as I've just started to pack up boxes ready for the house move in a few weeks time. Today I as I packed my stash away I had a hankering to sew something quick. I fought the urge as in all honesty time wasn't on my side. As I lovingly stroked and carefully packed the fabric into boxes my mind wandered onto what I could make for use in the new house. It's a much newer style house to our current one and we will have to change our usual style of decoration - we're thinking Centerparcs new style lodges, just as well I have something in the stash which just might work. Sewing to be resumed at some point in the future but for now, on hold.

Wonky blocks - complete!

I've done it, a second quilt completed within a week, OK I know I've had it sat around for a while but the basting, quilting and binding was all done once the Ginger Blossom quilt was finished.

I've managed to take this picture but as you can probably tell, the weather is dull and there are quite a few rain clouds in the sky hence the indoor shot. I'll take more tomorrow as this one doesn't quite do the quilt justice.

Digby loves it - so much for keeping it hidden until her birthday next month. The scrappy binding and random straight line diagonal quilting looks fab - something I'm sure to use again in the future.

Ginger Blossom completed!

I finally got round to finishing the Ginger Blossom quilt last week but then the weather decided to turn to being totally rubbish and I couldn't get a half decent picture of it. Today is lovely and sunny and bright, perfect photograph taking conditions, so here it is.

I'm about 90% happy with it to be honest, the backing isn't perfect due to the basting. I use safety pins but I think I might try some of that fancy basting spray. I've some how managed to get a few puckers on the back when I quilted it, nothing major but it still makes me feel a little bit sad. I haven't washed and dried the quilt yet but I'm hoping a little bit of shrinkage might disguise it. This time round I've used Hobbs hierloom batting which should crinkle up nicely.

For the past couple of days I've been working on the wonky blocks quilt for Digby - all quilting now done, lots of random straight (and a few not so straight) lines done all over in a mix of purple and pink thread. It makes a good contrast and seems to be working well with the mix of colours in the blocks. Just the binding to attach and another quilt will be done!

My next project might involve breaking open my Sherbet Pips jelly roll - If I'm brave enough!

Catching up

The school summer holidays are here - at last! Though to be very honest this academic year seems to have flown by. Now that I have a bit more time on my hands it I'm taking the chance to catch up on a few things.

First of all I've managed to finally finish the Ginger Blossom quilt top and on Monday I pieced the remaining 4 blocks onto the backing fabric. I've gone with a solid in an olive green colour. I was dithering between green and pink but I think my friend is more of a green girl overall. You can just see the backing peeking out from behind the quilt top. My plan is to get this beauty basted over the next few days and hopefully quilted.

I've also been messing around with a few scraps to make these wonky stars. I've seen them around on various blogs and thought I'd give them a go. I used the following tutorial which was really simple and easy to follow, I think I may have found something that I'm going to use again and again and probably again too. http://thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com/2009/02/wonky-star-tutorial.html

There has also been rather a lot of stash building too. Some more Max and Whiskers half yards - I now have enough to make a small quilt for a new baby boy if I need to at some point.

And finally here are my yard set of From Little Things - truely a bargain (I think they were $5 each!). No plans for these yet but isn't that always the way, I'm sure they will be used or probably just stroked ;o)

No sewing for me today - Digby has a friend around and a spot of catching up on household chores for me inbetween searching the main house buying/selling websites trying to find our next pad. The tidying up of the sewing room must have worked as we've now sold - eeekkk!

Ginger Blossom continues

Sorry but no photo as the camera has mysteriously disappeared - along with the husband and two small people...

With a quiet (and still tidy) house I've finally managed to get the Ginger Blossom blocks squared up and sewn together. I even tidied up after myself as well.

I made the quilt top 5x4 blocks rather than the 6x4 that I originally intended. I've decided to keep the remaining four blocks for the backing, once I've decided on a solid to use with them.

My school summer holidays start in 10 days time which will hopefully mean lots of time to sew and quilt and get both WIPs done and dusted in time for the end of summer. I'm also looking forward to doing a few smaller projects whilst the smalls are occupied by nursery and kids clubs and playdates.

I'm off to find the camera so I can post a picture of the quilt top and a little more stash that somehow ended up coming through my letterbox earlier this week!

Before and after

Spot the difference!

It's amazing what an impending visit from the Estate Agent can make you do.

Absolutely no sewing has been done this week. I've been far more focussed on getting the house clean and tidy and ready to be put up for sale. This room was by far the worse in the house. It's the spare room, come sewing room, come dumping ground if I'm being honest. It was a tip!

I've managed to stash my stash of fabrics into some of the already crowded drawers including the ginger blossom blocks. If I dare to do any sewing next week I'll have to tidy up straight away - no going back to the before picture!

Sunday stash and de-stashing

A spot of fabric gazing a couple of weeks ago led to a bit of fabric shopping and then a bit more. 6 yards of 'From little things' by Sarah Fielke bought from the USA. I liked these so much when they arrived that I went back and bought another 5 yards!

The Ginger Blossom quilt is on hold at the moment, although all 24 blocks are made. I've been roped into helping with the costumes for my school's end of year production and so instead of spending lots of time handling lovely quilting fabric I've been spending a far bit of time altering and tailoring mens suits to fit 11 year olds! Not an easy task I can tell you. A fair bit of swearing took place the other day when I was handed a size 42 jacket and told to make it fit 'this child'. Anyway I'm looking forward to squaring up the blocks and working on a layout for the quilt as soon as I possibly can.

*The de-stashing which has taken place in our house this weekend does not involve any quilting fabrics but has resulted in 9 bags of textiles for recycling via Digby's school this week!