Yvonne's Finish Along List 2014 Q3

Gasp.....  Just realised today is the cut off for Katy's FAL 2014 Q3!!!!  

It's been a really busy week as it was Ralph's 65th Birthday on Thursday.  He took a couple of days off for us to go out a couple of times .... and then we had a BBQ on Saturday for the family.  It was a lovely time but I am Soooo tired now and, clearly, forgot pretty much all else in the busyness!!

Fortunately I had already decided what to choose for Q3 and it's a short list ..  again .. so I can quickly let you know my goals before I dash (!!!) off to do tea...... at least .... to prete look as if I have spent ages preparing it.   Shocking I know.  :-)

So here they are... my goals for Q3

1.  Sandwich and baste my Fresh Modern Bee 2 Secret Garden Quilt. You can see where I am on this quilt 
here on my previous post. 

2.  Complete the top and sandwich and baste my Hexistars Quilt.  Here's where I've got to so far.

Just needs squaring up now

I'm planning to use large hexies for the squaring up ....  oh here's a question.... can you square up an oblong? 

Anyway, hopefully you can see what I mean.  I haven't decided yet whether to leave the sides as they are or make them straight.  What do you think?

3.  Spring/Summer Table Runner.  The top is already done and the border added.  Now I have to sandwich baste and quilt it.  I'd like to have it completed before the next quarter!  Really... as it's title suggests it was started for Spring use and now it's Summer and still sitting there!  

 Such sunny pretty fabrics

The fabrics are by Quilt Gate I think it's called the Princess Rose collection and I got them from Kerri's etsy shop.  They are really soft and almost lawn like, they remind me of girly summer dresses.  

4.  30's Spring Carnival Quilt/Runner.  I started this back in 2012 I think, when the first collection of 30's Playtime fabrics were released by Chloes Closet for Moda.  I did quite a bit and then got sidetracked.... I know it sounds like a stuck record doesn't it?  I love the pattern, it's EPP (English paper pieced) and the design is by the lovely Katy of  imagingermonkey fame.  The templates are free on her website and she has examples of what she has made with them.  Wonderful inspiration.  

This is it so far

I made the cushion in reds, pinks and blues first from the same fabric collection.  Love it.... had to start something bigger with all the colours so it would be really scrappy.  I know it will be fab when it's done so I need to just get on with it.  It will be my next hand sewing for the evenings ... when I'm 'watching' TV and trying not to fall asleep or snore so loudly that Ralph realises I'm asleep!! I know I won't finish it in a quarter but I would like to have made progress with it.  

And last but by no means least

5.  Sevenberry Swoon Quilt.  I must carry on piecing blocks for this one.  Again it won't be finished but I want to have added more blocks to the three I've done so far.  You can see where I got to in my previous post here.

So that's it 5 goals this time and I really hope I manage more than my 50% from last quarter, although Helen has convinced me that there is nothing wrong with 50%.  And I know myself that it's much better than having all of them sat in my UFO/WIP pile making me feel guilty! :-) 

Thank you for visiting and encouraging me in my quilting endeavours.  I hope you realise how grateful I am to you.  I'm off now to look busy in the kitchen.  Take good care of yourselves and happy sewing.  

Yvonne Xxx    

Chock a block

In preparation for my stay at Costa del NHS, and the following period of inactivity, I've been churning out blocks, Chock-a-block style. In the process of uploading photos I found one I hadn't shown you in July. This first one was for Tanya's July HipBee block. We were asked for trees...on reflection I'm not really sure how tree-like this is but Tanya was kind enough to humour me ;)

 Fiona sent some rather lovely Amy Butler for her August HipBee block and left us to get on with it.

Sarah kicked off the second round of HipBees by asking for 2 concentric box blocks.

  I think this is going to be a really striking quilt.

 Then I've been working on blocks for my Amish with a twist BOM quilt. There were many, many half square triangles!

I've still got 36 log cabins to make for August's BOM but they'll have to wait until I'm up and doing again because I was utterly determined to finish a hand-sewing project that I started last year in June! I'm ecstatic to be able to show you my completed Love Spring Carnival cushion :)

I'm ridiculously pleased with this cushion! Love by Amy Butler is my all time favourite fabric range. It was the first designer fabric line that I purchased in its entirety when I started patchworking seriously in 2010. Crazily the majority of my stash was used in projects that were gifted to other people so to finally have a substantial project in my possession is very exciting! I used an Amy Butler Rowan thread  in a green to quilt it.

I can't decide where it will live permanently so for now it's been auditioned in the family room...

 and the living room. It's fair to say that this cushion will be my friend whilst recovering from surgery. It's a mammoth 24" square, so perfect for propping me up in bed :)

Confession time: I've recently tracked down the majority of the Love range and bought myself a new stash :) I'd like to say I'm sorry for doing it but I'm not in the slightest!

So there you have it, I've got one more full day at home to finish binding a wedding quilt and cook a zillion meals for the freezer for post-op mealtimes. I go to the Costa del NHS on Wednesday and am expecting to be there for at least 3 days, possibly longer. Yvonne will no doubt keep you updated on progress at some point as I'm not expecting to be up to blogging or anything much else for a good few weeks. Positive thoughts, prayers and other good wishes will be very welcome for the op and recovery. See you on the other side x

Gypsy Girl quickie

I know a title like that is asking for trouble but I couldn't resist ;) I bought a Gypsy Girl layer cake from Jane and designed a quilt in TouchDraw in anticipation of its' arrival. It went together super speedily and here's the finished top on the line :) I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it but it will be heading in Mum's direction when it's done.

This line of fabric is just fabulous, shabby chic meets bright hues. I can see myself buying yardage of some of the prints when they're available. In other news, I've managed to do a bit more to my Love Spring Carnival project. It's slow going but I'm enjoying seeing it grow.

Catch you soon x

Hand sewn

So far this week I have mostly been (in best Fast Show voice) hand sewing. I've attached the Siblings Together labels to 6 quilts so I can now ship them off to Delma at Siblings Together!

Labels ready to go

I've grouped all the quilt photos together because I felt like it :) That's Pips, It's a Hoot Half Time x2, Grey, Cape Ann and Dr Seuss ready to roll tomorrow.

6 Quilts

This next photo is a little peek at a hand sewing project I attempted with minimal success using Flock by Thomas Knauer. The full project is revealed in the Fat Quarterly Community Retreat Special Issue. I was delighted to discover that my Designer challenge project would be featured in this issue and I feel a bit better about not having been there in person now.

After my less than spectacular first attempt I am determined to complete a Spring Carnival cushion so I'm having another go with some of my all-time favourite Amy Butler Love fabric. I think I might have got the hang of it enough this time to complete the job, whoop!  

Hand sewing is definitely growing on me :) Catch you soon x