Hoop, hoop, hoop

I was giggling to myself as I wrote that title. It reminds me of a very funny sketch from Horrible Histories (if the link doesn't work it was about Egyptian hieroglyphics). It has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm showing you today though so I'd better get on with it :) I'm also slightly distracted by Wimbledon so this will be a short post. I've made up some scrappy hoops for the Fat Quarterly Retreat Sample Swap.

 I love making scrappy hoops, it's a fab way to use up some pretty scraps. I added some embroidery in the centre to commemorate Fat Quarterly Retreat 2013. The back of the hoops are very simple but contain my fancy labels from Karen. I'm hoping that whoever receives these at Retreat will be happy with them. Unfortunately I won't get to see their reactions for myself as I won't be going. I'm feeling way too uncomfortable to be gallivanting off to London for the weekend, much to my despair. I'll be keeping everything crossed that I'm able to go next year! 

Oooo, Murray has just won the match! Result :) Hope you all have a good weekend. Catch you soon x

Ramblings

This week seems to have gone on forever but I'm thinking that's a state of mind rather than a space-time-continuum issue. We've had our very own Anti-prom, complete with gorgeous teenager in snazzy dress. We decided being home-educated shouldn't stop you from getting glammed up when your former classmates are having their actual prom!

Check out the fabulous corsage ;) 

We were delighted to have been able to attend a few hours of Download Festival with our gorgeous girl! Not so very long ago this would have been totally impossible, so we are very thankful that we finally managed to share the awesome experience of live music with Jess. Iron Maiden and Rammstein aren't too shabby as your first live gigs ;) We've been exhausted since we went 2 weeks ago but it was totally worth it!

On the sewing front I don't have a lot that I can report on just yet. I've been pattern writing this week...yawn! I can't give you more detail about that until some time next month. I've been sewing a quilt from another pattern I've written that I can't show yet either.

I can show a sneak peek of the name tag I've made for my partner in the Fat Quarterly Retreat. This is the back.

All I can show of you of the front is this...

...excuse the moustache ;) I'll show you the rest when my partner receives it whenever that may be as I haven't posted it yet, oops sorry partner!

Hubby painted the bathroom at the weekend so I'm hastily making a roman blind to go in the window so I can stop crawling around on the floor at bath time to avoid showing off my wobbly bits to the neighbours. I'm really way too old and cronky to be crawling anywhere! Anyway, back to the blind, I bought a rather gorgeous stripe fabric from here and cunningly ordered a little extra for a carpet bag for me :) I've used the excuse that I need a new hand sewing project bag as I'll be unable to use the machine for quite a while after my surgery. Who am I kidding? I just wanted to make a new bag :)

 I love it! It's a canvas type fabric so I'm hoping it will stand up to a lot of use. Those red leather handles were a bugger to sew on but they look fab!

 I lined it with this funky Ikea print that I've had stashed for ages.

It's a proper Mary Poppins bag with loads of room inside for projects and other stuff. You can just see the Circle Game pattern book by Jen Kingwell. I've wanted one of these quilts ever since Lynne made hers and as she's been a right cow (love you, Lynne) and not let me have hers I decided to make my own. 

Of course it would have been rude to only purchase one pattern when it was coming all the way from Australia so I added Steam Punk and Midnight at the Oasis to the pile for company. Both the Circle Game and Midnight at the Oasis will be excellent hand sewing projects and who knows I might even get accustomed to hand sewing. Nah, not a chance, I'll miss my machine too much.

So, I got my operation date through the post today, Wednesday 7th August...yikes! I've got a ton of things to get done before then so if I'm quiet you'll know why. No doubt Yvonne will be loitering around these parts while I'm out of commission so it shouldn't be too cobweb strewn ;) Have a good weekend all. Catch you soon xx

Awesome mail

Today the postie delivered some awesome mail. Take a look at the most perfect Fat Quarterly Retreat name tag ever!

Joanne has beautifully and faithfully reproduced my fabric likeness. Check out those teeny-tiny stitches!

 The piecing on this gorgeous feather is jaw-dropping!

Who'd have thought someone who's never met me could make something so perfectly me?! Thanks again Joanne, I absolutely love it! Catch you soon xx