Low Volume Fabric Swap

I am taking in part in my first fabric swap on flickr. We will be swapping low volume fabric so I am on the hunt for two low volume fabrics. I think this is the perfect way to start my weekend. You never know I might just end up with a little more then I need. 

I think these two are my picks for this swap? what do you think?

- Willow Herringbone in White, Riley Blake 

- Rain in Mist, Timeless Treasures

 After all this shopping I am going to get stuck into my triple zip pouch for my partner. Very nervous about this little project because 1. I have never worked with zips before and 2. its just plain frighting! Wish me luck.

What are you doing this weekend? Any sewing happening at your house?

Friday Night Sew In

This is very late I know but the weekend was jammed packed with social events that its the only time I have had to sit down.

Friday night sew in has been and gone but I am a little disappointed to say that I didn't get a chance to sew on friday night instead I did my sewing on saturday at a quilting day we have once a month.

This is the finished pinwheels top that I have been promising to show you. It looks really cute! I have a small red and white spot for the backing. Its going to be adorable. 

 

This is my friend Rachels quilt. Its very pretty. I do love Cuzco.

 

And lucky last my mums quilt. I LOVE this quilt so much. She made it from her fabric sample books she had and it looks awesome! I might try weasel this one off her for my bed.

There were many more lovely quilts and blocks made that day but was hard to get snaps when I was trying to get my own project finished. 

Did you finish any projects over the weekend?

Lone Starbust Paper Pieced Star

My paper piecing addiction has just gone to a new level.

I made this beautiful scrappy lone starburst star using Anna's pattern from Six White Horses. I made it for my sister but it was very hard to let it go. Now onto making two more, one for my modern scrappy bits partner and one for a cushion for our spare room

 

 

I am going to finish those for friday night sew in which is being held this friday. If you want to participate or just see what everyone is working on then jump on over to Wendy's Blog, Sugarlane Quilts. Pop back on saturday to see how my blocks turn out. Hopefully just as pretty as the one above.

Are you participating in FNSI?

Paper Piecing

For a while now I have been noticing alot of people in the blogging and flickr world making projects by paper piecing. Now that just sounded scary to me {PAPER PIECING} eeekk! So I watched their beautiful blocks come together from afar until I noticed a post from the lovely Jennifer @ Ellison Lane quilts with a pattern for a lovely star that was paper pieced. I just jumped in head first and this is what happened! Two mug rugs for my mum and neighbour Jude.

I now think I am a little addicted because today I am attempting to make The Lone Starburst pattern from Anna @ The Six White Horses. 

I just can't get enough of stars!

Wish me luck!

Have you ever paper pieced?

Swaps

I have been wanting to take part in some online swaps for a while just didn't know if I was really ready. But I have jumped in head first with two swaps on flickr.

The first is the Modern Scrappy Bits Swaps hosted by Leona from Leona's Quilting Adventure. She has done a great job so far! For this swap we have to make our partner either a cup cozy, mug rug or coasters. I have never made any of the above but have been sketching some ideas lately.

The Triple-Zip Pouch swap is the second swap I am apart of. This swap is hosted by Stephanie from Quarter Incher. For this swap we have to make our partner a pouch using a tutorial from Debbie at a Quilters table. I have never made anything like this so it will be a challenge that I am up for!

 

Sign ups for both swaps have now closed but be sure to follow along if you have flickr. You will still have a blast.

Floss and Washi Tape

I might have went a little overboard on the floss today

 

Who could resist those lovely colours!

I also bought my first rolls of Washi Tape

 

Very excited about my new purchases

Retail Therapy

Living about three hours away from the nearest quilt store/spotlight can be quite a nuisance for a quilter or crafter. So you have to be very prepared, have plenty of thread and solid white homespun in my case. But there are days when I just want to go buy new farbic!

So that's where the lovely world of internet shopping comes in. I have become quite addicted that's for sure, there are times where I have to refrain and restrain myself.

This week I needed to square up my pinwheels and a shorter ruler, along with some new scissors and a new blade for my rotary cutter. Thanks Oz Quilts for my lovely goodies.




I do love getting parcels, Lyn my post lady is great and she will always let me know if I have a parcel. Thanks Lyn you are the best!

With my new 7.5" square I got a chance to square up my pinwheels




Its all coming to together. Come back in a few days to see the finished quilt.

Pinwheels

I made these block last year and got frustrated with them. I didn't know if to sash or not to sash. Well I have got them back out again and I am sashing them with a cute little aqua square were each corners meet. Its going to look darling.

 

I got the idea for these blocks from a video tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Company. They have some pretty awesom video tutorials.

 

 

 

I am just waiting on a little parcel with a new 7.5" square to square the blocks up and I can sew them together hopefully this weekend. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain and we can't get mail.

I bought a new square ruler because I like to square my blocks before putting a quilt together especially with a block like this one which has alot of seams that have been cut and put back together. 

Do you square your blocks?

Carpenters Star

Over the past few months i have been working on some carpenters start blocks using this tutorial I found on Cheries blog Sew and So Quilts. Its pretty much all HST and doesn't take long to piece. The only time consuming part of this block is the cutting, pressing and squaring of the blocks. If you work on a few at a time and chain piece it comes together quite quickly.

Here is my progress so far.

 

 

I have three more blocks halfway through my sewing machine which need to be finished. 

P.S. sorry for the horrible photos I only had my phone.

What do you think of my effort?

Have you ever made a carpenters star?

Baby Quilt

So I have never made a baby quilt because I have never had the need to. Many of my friends and family are not at that stage of their life. But it just so happens that my partners sister had been expecting her third child so I was so excited!! Because now I had an excuse to make one. 

No one knew the sex so I had to wait till bub was born! After nine long months I got the news from across pond that it was a BOY! So online shopping I went for some boyish fabric. Btw if you have never looked at all the amazing fabric specifically for kids then you should. It makes me clucky just looking at it ( but for the wrong reason of course) I just want to make more quilts :). 

So after hours of window shopping I found one I thought would go great. 

Bungle jungle by Tim and beck. 

So I got 1 charm pack of that and 1 charm pack of moda Bella solids in white which made the whole quilt top come together a lot faster. 

I did a basic chevron pattern using HST and it came together in less then a few hours. I always forget to take process photos. 

I quilted this little baby myself which made it extra special. I had to add the red flannel on the back because this little beauty was going to the cold country of Ireland so this would have made it extra snugly. 

 Tip: if you are going to baste and quilt your own quilt I would recommend using way too many safety pins and a wool or cotton batting. 

My idea behind this is that if you are going to spend your hard earned money  and time on fabric and piecing and basting a quilt spend the extra money on the batting so that your quilt will be with you for a long time. I also find it easier to quilt with. Just my opinion though. 

So all wrapped up and sent off I hope that little bub enjoys it as much as I did making it. 

For now

- Jazz