Some finishes!

Long time away again. But I can assure you that I have been doing some things!
Here are a couple of pincushions I have made, the first is from Joanna Figueroa (Fig Tree Quilts) book, With Fabric & Thread.

And the next is from Red Home by Natalie Bird, with my favourite colours of the moment, RED and also hexies!

And finally finished an advent calendar which has be waiting for me to add the 24 red buttons that were needed to hang all the ornaments on the tree.

Also managed to finish this quilt, well almost just need to tidy up the ends from the quilting. Then there will be a picture!

Bye for now.

 

 

Just some things...

I have been working on some hand sewing, as with all this hot weather we have had this summer and that apartments are not built for these hot peaks (and I don't like air conditioning!) not much work has been done.

I have done some cross stitch, this is one by Blackbird Designs, of whom I also love their quilts

I also did one by Little House Needlework, but haven't yet got around to deciding how I am going to mount it!
Just some small projects, like this "Handy Hussif" by Sue Daley Designs. It is all mainly handsewing.

 

 

That's all for this post.

 



 

Basket Block

Instead of getting my head around coming up with ideas for workshops, I decided that I would have a go at making this 2 inch finished basket block.

 

I know you may think me made. It was a bit of a challenge to get my 1/4" seam allowance right. This was originally a project over here. The idea was to make 31 baskets, one for each day of July. I decided one was enough. I think I will stick to just working on 4.5 inch blocks and no smaller. That is what I say now!!!!

Cross Stitch

I have had a sampler heart cross stitch hanging around, wondering what I was going to do with it. Didn't want to frame it, or make a cushion stuffed with lavendar, so........ I made a Needle case with it

Some things.....

Now that I have some free time available (for now!) I have been doing some finishing touches to a couple of projects

 

And a bag "Grab and Go Bag" from Cotton Way. It comes out quiet big.

And a pencil case with some scraps left over from various projects

Now I really must tackle some of those quilts that need quilting!

 

 



Cross Stitch

Some of you might know that I love handsewing. So here is my latest finished cross stitch, turned into a drawstring bag to carry around my projects.

The cross stitch chart can be found here.

SITGES 2013

It is hard to believe that it is a year since I last went to the fair. The weather was fine and as usual there were a lot of people and of course lots of nice things to buy. At times it was like being in a sardine tin!!!

This year my DD went with me and got to meet Véronique Réquena from "Born to Quilt". DD especially likes Véronique's dog, called Lizzy.

 

And of course spent far too much money, but at least the projects will keep me busy for the rest of the year and that goes for my DD as well. You will all have to wait and see in the future what I bought, once it is made!!

I'm having to look at this more and more!

Two jobs done!

DD asked me to make her a drawstring bag using red spotted fabric, so that she can put her trainers for gym in and here is the result.

And I have been meaning to get rid of these plastic/paper bags (what an embarrassment) that have my knitting in. 

You would have thought I would have got around to it before now! This week I was spurred on by a pupil, that I should really make one. So here it is

I really must get down to quilting and also start making the blocks for "Busy Little Christmas Elves" stitcheries!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope I am not too late in wishing everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here are a couple of things I recently made for our home.

And for this year's hand sewing, I have decided on Sue Daley's "Basket" quilt. So here is the first of 128 basket blocks!

Until next time!

HURRAY!

I have finally finished all the stitchery blocks, there were 17 to do in total.

Now onto making the quilt blocks! Now have I enough red fabric for this?!

Few things I have been doing

Last weekend DD wanted to make a pencil case, using, but of course her Mum's fabrics and here is the result.

She needed help with the zip, but the rest was her idea as to which fabrics and how she wanted them to appear.

I finally put the finishing touches to my Hex Purse that appeared here, but changed the stitchiery which I found in Stitch with Love by Mandy Shaw. And the other sewing bag with various pockets inside is a pattern by The Birdhouse.

The Hex purse involved over 80 paper hexagons, anyone that has classes with me knows that I love hand sewing.

I am hoping to this week to sandwich this quilt and get it finished in time for Christmas. It's red, so will go nicely over the sofa.

I haven't this year made anything new in the way of Christmas projects, just haven't had the time. The Nativity scene will have to wait yet another year. Let's see if in 2013 we will finally get it finished. DD in term time really doesn't have much free time, so maybe in the long summer holidays we could finally get down to finish it. Let's wait and see!!





Work in progress

I have finished the "Blessings" quilt and now just waiting for my DH to come home so that I can hang it up in my sewing room. At the moment I don't have anything hanging up in the room.

Do you remember this well I have finally finished all 48 blocks and am piecing them together. So far I have three rows sewn together, just another 5 rows to go.

And as a diversion, I made myself another pincushion, as if I don't have enough to do already, but it was a quick project.

I am hoping to be able to get some more stitchery done on Gail Pans "Busy Little Christmas Elves" but I don't think it will be finished for this Christmas, maybe 2013!
Thats all for now.

Blessings

Yesterday, as I was at home for the first time in ages, and not for happy reasons, I decided to make a small quilt. This was from a quilt along here called "Blessings" and the blocks are 4" x 4" finished. I have only now to quilt it, which won't take too long! And hang it up in my new sewing room!

 
It was very appropriate yesterday to be making this quilt. Those that know me, know that I have been working at Patch-mania, and sadly Ines Touzet, the owner of the shop passed away this week. She will be greatly missed, but I am thankful that she won't have to suffer anymore and that she will be at peace. I wish this horrible illness, Cancer, would someday have a cure.

Ines was an inspiration to Patchwork here in Portugal in opening peoples eyes to what Patchwork is really about. I am sure that Carolina will do her best to continue with the shop and in getting more people to be drawn into the world of Patchwork, we need more people to take an interest in this lovely craft.

Latest

Not much has been happening in my world of patchwork. Time has not allowed me to go down into my sewing room and get any work done. Since I started working and with the current situation at work, by the time I have done my daily chores, I am too tired to get out my work. When I do it is mainly handwork. I have managed to put all the hexagons together and now I just have to make a purse out of it. It is a design by Lynette Anderson, but I think I will change the stitchery in the middle. Sorry Lynette!

There were over 80, 1 inch hexagons in this purse, which I have slowly been stitching by hand. And as some of you know, I love handwork.

And today I had an a couple of hours to myself this afternoon, before picking DD up from ATL. So I decided that I would give myself some sewing time, instead of housework and sewed this drawstring bag, which I had bought from Arco Iris A Metro, because I liked the stamped linen fabric!

It will come in very handy to take my stitcheries from Gail Pan's Design "Busy Little Christmas Elves", when we go on holiday soon. Just another 5 out of  17 left to go and then, when time permits I will make the quilt blocks that go with it!

I hope I don't leaving posting for another 2 months!!

I AM STILL HERE

So long since I have blogged about anything I am doing. I managed to do an hour's work the other weekend on this project. Other than that, nothing as since I started working part-time! my spare time has been taken up with being with my daughter and keeping the housekeeping up to date as much as possible. I am so missing getting any time for patchwork. I may be working in a patchwork shop, but no progress being made on any of my personal projects. I hope it won't be too long before I can get some work in. I am so missing my sewing machine. When a pupil needs help on the sewing machine, I am so pleased. Sounds strange, but I so love patchwork.

A LITTLE SEWING BAG

I am still slowly working my way through "Some Kind of Wonderful". This is the latest finish, one side has the patchwork and stitchery from the book

and on the other side I added a stitchery from the book L'atelier de Lilie.

It came out so sweet, that it will now be my travel bag for my stitchery and cross stitch projects that are on going.
AND I made this door stop, as well!!

I am still working on my Saturday Morning quilt, but took a break to make these small and at times fiddly projects, which involved some hand sewing, which I really love to do. I know that it isn't always a good idea having a couple of projects on the go, but I needed a change.

SATURDAY MORNING!

On my recent visit to the UK, I made some purchases in advance from various quilt shops, as I knew I would not have time to visit at least one shop!
I ordered these threads from Angela, who did you know has recently opened a shop in Cheadle, Staffordshire. The one on the left I use for piecing (Prescencia 60/3) and it does go a long way. Still only half way through the one I bought last time (but you can never have enough in stock!!) and the other is King Tut, which I will use for quilting on a long awaited Pineapple Blossom quilt, with fabrics purchased also from Angela, a while back!!!

And now onto "Saturday Morning", this was a kit I purchased from The Quilt Room, along with the Kaleidoscope Double Strip Ruler.

And here is a picture of the fabrics that were inside the pretty packaged box.

and a close up of the red fabrics from Rouenerries Deux fabrics by French General

I have cut all the strips and started to cut the wedges using the ruler, which with the help of the video by Pam Linott which is on their website, makes the work of cutting them sooo much easier than the normal method. I am not normally one for buying these rulers (Oh I did by a Tumbler Block ruler recently), but I am so glad that I bought this one.

And here is one block already made

Only another 47 blocks to go, but with this method of cutting and speed piecing, it shouldn't take too long to finish. She says!!

FULL HOUSE

Do you all remember the cushion I made here, well you are now able to purchase some of the Schnibbles patterns online as a pdf file from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co, via this link. It is great news as you can purchase and download straight away and not wait a couple of weeks for them to come from the USA. I really love her patterns and they are easy to follow.

DD project

DD has been busy these Easter holidays, making this small hand applique wall hanging. She admitted that she enjoyed doing the blanket stitch by hand (sorry Ana!) and wants to do some more!! Thanks Ines for the gift and coming up with the idea.

I wonder what will be next. But it will have to wait for a while as DD is back at school and this last term will be very stressful. So sad that in this day and age that a child of 11 has so much school work and tests to prepare for, but a bit of patchwork may come in handy to stop her getting stressed out and worried.