Tuesday, May 31, 2011

mmmm....hexagons

As you have probably guessed by now. I'm in awe of hexagons. That is anything hexagon. I love paper piecing the shape and I love seeing what other do with the shape. So as I browsed my favourite blog sites, I was happy to discover another hexagon pattern.

I catch up with Lee at Freshly Pieced on Wednesday for W.I.P. Wednesday. Lee has put up a tutorial for a hexagon block called Hexing Around Block. Its a must try on my to do list. It could also end up on my W.I.P list as well. I'm thinking putting the pattern into an up and coming baby quilt with you guessed it some paper pieced hexagons. Hmmmm. The mind just boggles.

So thanks Lee for the great pattern.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Helping out a Friend..

I just spent an amazing couple of hours helping out my friend from Daisy Hill Quilts to get her blog happening. But as it would turn out Blogger was misbehaving and would not let us do anything. 

Her darling DH recently built her an amazing sewing area and I'm so jealous. It looks fabulous and I can't wait to get back there (minus 2 extras) and have a sew-a-thon. 

Thanks for the morning Michelle and Heather. I had a fantastic time.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

W.I.P. Wednesday

Hip Hip Hooray....its W.I.P Wednesday.

So I have had a busy week. This week also happen to involve family time with my in-laws as they are returning from their 3 month travelling around the western parts of Australia. My little ones were so excited about their grandparents visiting and we sad to see them return home this morning.

But I did happen to make a start on Archie's Quilt this week using the fabulous pattern from Moda Bake Shop Easy Strawberry Fields Brick Quilt. I have loved how the jelly roll scraps from Wee Play have come together with some natural homespun. The quilt is going to be gorgeous.

Secondly, to fulfill my addiction to paper piecing, I have been secretly working on some snowflakes or stars whichever you like to see them. I'm using 3/4 inch hexagons. They are just devine and I plan to make some more and use them in a baby quilt for a very special friend. Stay tuned for further additions.

My W.I.P Wednesday List:
1. Naked Bed Challenge  - top needs to be finished by 1st June (looks like it won't be a finished quilt top as I haven't even started the sewing yet :( )
2. Snickerdoodle Paper Bag Swap (awaiting my paper bag goodies)
3. Hannah's quilt
4. Will's floor mat
5. Massachusetts Star Block for next Quilt Block Swap -June 2011
6. Friendship Block swap with my local quilting group
7. Friendship Challenge - quilt to be finished by September 2011
8. Archie's quilt
9. IPad and Accessories Case

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Its arrived...

It arrived yesterday in the mail and I'm so excited. Can't wait to install the program and take it for a spin.

Look out computer, here I come.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Sunday

I love Sunday...especially this Sunday. I was catching up with my quilting friends today and love spending my 4 hours of sewing and chatting once a month. Its my grown up time...no kids, no DH and no worries. I worked on some hexagons which I love. I show some pics for W.I.P. Wednesday. But for now its more sewing for me...

Friday, May 20, 2011

Mmmm....Fabric

So I thought that I would share with you some of the wonderful things I have discovered over the last few days and it all revolves around fabric. Fabric that I have recently purchased and fabric in my stash.

Mmmm....Fabric. 
Max & Whiskers Fabric
I could just sit and drool like Homer Simpson some days over my fabric and I love rummaging through my stash that is hidden away and out of eyes sight to rediscover pieces that I have forgotten about. 

Anyhow....I'm in love with Sandy Gervais's fabric collection, Lollipop
I previously purchased a layer cake and some yardage to make a quilt from a Moda Bake Shop pattern but it has been sitting in my stash for a rainy day when the Fat Quarter Shop (thanks Kimberley) had Lollipop on sale. So I just had to buy more fabric. Woo Hoo!!! It arrived this week and is being put away for another rainy day.

I also purchased a Kona solids card because I find it difficult to see what colours would look like over the Internet. Some photos aren't so great for colours so having the card is making my life so much easier. Now I have colours at my finger tips.

But my biggest find was some fabric from an Australian designer Jan Mullens. I had forgotten that I purchased this range Bohemian Melodiez. So with another baby to make a quilt for I thought how great this fabric would be as the baby's mother has indicated that she likes retro modern fabrics and not baby cutesy poo.
I just wonder if it is ok to put black in a baby quilt or should you stick to other colours? What are others' thoughts on this?

But the main reason for stash hunting today is finding more fabric for my Friendship Challenge. So here is the fabric that I was sent.
Here is the fabric from my stash. What do people think? 
How much fabric is too much. The quilt will only be lap size. But I hope that with the colours I have (I'm not allowed to purchase any fabric I must use my stash) that I have enough to play with.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

W.I.P. Wednesday

So its W.I.P Wednesday again. Yeah!!!

I finished my Quilted Fabric Basket and it has been sent off to Canada and its new home. Can't wait to see how excited the recipient will be. 
Isn't it gorgeous. Had so much fun with the process, I will definitely make another one soon.

I also received my special fabric from my friend for our Friendship Challenge. I have started to go through my stash of fabrics to match. Here is a sneak peak of what I have found. 


I have also been cutting up fabric for a baby's quilt. The baby was born in April and I'm yet to see the new little man but I wanted to make him his own special quilt. So in my search for a pattern, I was happy to see one of the latest Moda Bake Shop recipes Easy Strawberry Fields Brick Quilt. Though it is made with a Layer Cake and I have cut into some jelly roll scraps. It will be gorgeous. Can't wait to show more photos.

So now its time for my list....It has grown just a few items and I'm sure I could find more so now for the reveal.
1. Quilted Fabric Basket Swap - finished and sent off
2. Naked Bed Challenge  - top needs to be finished by 1st June
3. Snickerdoodle Paper Bag Swap (awaiting my paper bag goodies)
4. Hannah's quilt
5. Will's floor mat
6. Massachusetts Star Block for next Quilt Block Swap -June 2011
7. Friendship Block swap with my local quilting group
8. Friendship Challenge - quilt to be finished by September 2011
9. Archie's quilt
10. IPad and Accessories Case

I'm sure I could just keep adding to the list but for now I will concentrate on just my 10 items list

Monday, May 16, 2011

Quilted Fabric Basket Swap

I was so proud of myself this weekend as I managed to finish the quilted fabric basket. I love purple as it is one of my favourite colours. 


It is so cute. I love how the colours came together in the end. The recipient asked for purple and orange. I since found out that purple and orange are opposite colours on the colour wheel. But the colours are amazing together. It will be sad to see it go. 

I hope that the new owner will love it just as much as me.
 

For anyone interested in making their own quilted fabric basket, the instructions from the tutorial were really well done and it came together easily. It can be found at Greta's Quilting Studio. I plan to use this tutorial again soon. My daughter has requested one for Katy and it has to be rainbow colours as they are Katy's favourite colours.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

An amazing find..

I just happened to be on Facebook yesterday when I noticed a news feed from Quilting Bloggers. ( I have a button in my side bar) 
 
There was a picture of this really great quilt top. Anyhow I had to look further and found that there had been a link to a tutorial on how to make the quilt top. Bonus....

So I am sharing with others. The quilt pattern is called Rectangle Squared.

Check it out. Its a great modern pattern and would gorgeous as a baby's quilt. My mind is ticking as I am planning another baby quilt for a special friend who is due in December.  She has indicated that she likes modern patterns and fabric. I will be finding out the sex as the parents plan to know so I will have a better chance with colour matching. I've already found some fabulous fabric for either sex but I will just have to wait another few weeks before the big reveal will occur.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

W.I.P. Wednesday

Its W.I.P. Wednesday again.

I have a confession that I'm not very good at taking photos of things I have finished. Well this week, I finished some gorgeous little hexagon flowers for a friend and sent it off with some material. Its for the Friendship Challenge that I started with my girlfriend that moved away. 
I love this fabric and can't wait to see it come back to me in a friendship quilt. I hope that she loved the hexagons and maybe she will be nice enough to take a photo for a later post. (hint..hint).

So my W.I.P. week went like most weeks, gone before I knew what has happened. I'm still busily working away on my Quilted Fabric Basket but its been slow and I have a deadline to meet to have it finished to send off by Monday.

My DH had two nights away from us and came home with a new toy for his IPad and a request for a cover for both items to be kept together. 
The colour scheme he wants is blue, grey and black. So I did a little shopping and came back with this fabric. 
How gorgeous? There have been some odd looks, but I've told him that it will be ok in the end. Stay tuned for a look at what I make.

As for my list...it is still a list and continues to grow and be less, however I chose to go.
After all, isn't our W.I.P. Wednesday a chance for all of us to stay true to ourselves, identify our UFOs or W.I.P.s and continue our journey of self discovery as quilters and craft enthusiasts.



Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mother's Day

Today was a great day for me...Mother's Day.

I am blessed with two gorgeous children and a wonderful DH. I often tell my little girl that being is Mum is the best job in the world.


So for Mother's Day this year I'm getting Electric Quilter 7. Oh how much fun will I have...

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

W.I.P. Wednesday

I have been following Freshly Pieced for a while and just love the idea and concept of W.I.P Wednesday. If you haven't already guessed what this is...it means work in progress. I have a button on the side so check it out. And who as a quilter has got some W.I.P's in their sewing rooms or house.

So I thought that I would list some of my W.I.P.s that I would like to finish off for May 2011.





The top of my list for May is my Quilted Fabric Basket Swap. I need to have my basket finished and sent off by May 15th. I don't have much time but this week I have been finishing off my hexagons to put on the bag. Aren't they gorgeous. I am addicted to paper piecing.

Other projects that are on my list include:
  1. Naked Bed Challenge (top to be finished by 1st June 2011
  2. Snickerdoodle Paper Bag Swap
  3. Hannah's quilt and Will's floor mat
  4. Massachusetts Star block for the next Quilt Block Swap
  5. Friendship Block swap with my local quilting group
  6. Friendship challenge (to be completed by September 2011)
So for #25 W.I.P Wednesday here is my list of  To Do's...

Addicted to Blogging....

I think that I'm addicted to blogging. Well that is reading blogs. We all have our favourites that we browse all the time.

I love the blogs that do giveaways. I love the blogs that enable us to learn new skills and do a quilt along or make a new quilt.

I would love to hear from people who their favourite blogs are. I always like to find someone new. 

I just love blogs. Its my new addiction.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Its arrived.. F is for Friendship....

My book arrived in the post today. I'm so excited. 

I was flicking through the pages when I thought I would put is away and share my excitement with my little girl later on today. I know that she will love the book and will ask if she can have it for herself.

But its mine...all mine..

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Snickerdoodle Paper Bag Swap

Well its started...The Snickerdoodle Paper Bag Swap. I found out today that my swap partner is Ruth from USA. Here is her blog Bloggin' it out....

Hi Ruth. Can't wait to see whats in your paper bag. Here is a photo of what is coming your way.

Can't wait to speak with you soon.