Swaps - My New Addiction

I promised you some actual sewing and not just fabric purchases, so this week I'm going to talk about my new addiction....Online Swaps!!

They are so much fun and it's a bit like an auction...your hand just randomly shoots up to join without checking in with your brain, and more importantly your schedule!!!

First up I have a love of all things Sarah. It started with her books

Specifically the Material Obsession books I and II. I just loved her sense of style and fabric placement, it all just seemed to click with me.

I have made my version of these two quilts, which you can see here

I also contributed to this quilt, which was made for Amy Lobsiger her co author on the Little Quilts Book

Which brings me to me first swap since the beginning of the year.

Sarah decided via Instagram to run a Little Quilts Swap using only patterns from her book of the same name.When my partner was a assigned I had a little freak out as she owns her own brick and mortar quilt shop!! WTF?! But I put my big girl undies on stalked her a bit and got sewing!

I always do one block first to test out fabric placement

Something you should know about all Sarah's patterns is this....they always look straight forward and generally are but they are NEVER as easy as you think! She is a master quilter and pattern designer and for results as good as hers there is always a technique that will test you!

Individually these units were a cinch to sew and not a huge amount of time was involved...but...theres always a but....getting them to sew up POINT PERFECT took some patience, accuracy and a few godammits!

But I was pretty happy with how it turned out and so was my partner! She cried...what a sweetie

These were the extras I made and popped in, the pouch is stuffed with chocolate and mini herbal teas.

This is the quilt I received from @sewcuteby lindsay....loooove

These are my all time favourite colours and the colours of Little OWB's room, which she based it on.
Plus these wonderful extras, fabric ,a purse and a seam ripper...always need an extra of these!!

I have two more swaps due in 2015. One is the #bitchesgetstitches Profanity Swap ( awesome ) and the #schnitzelandboom swap. Plus I've just signed on for the #rainbowminiswap which isn't due until March...luckily.
Somewhere in there I have another border due for Possum Magic !

There's another swap to talk about it but I think our eyeballs need a rest, talk soon my peeps x

I would normally link up with Alyce for Sew Cute Tuesday today, but instead pop on over and read her thoughtful post today about her home Country and it's recent tragedy in our news.

Sunday Stash #19 - Xmas Snuck Up On Me

Christmas has snuck up on me!! I seem to have somehow lost a week and all of a sudden it's only 11 days away??

I did have a birthday last week and went out for a celebratory dinner which somehow turned into a scene from Flashdance at some club that had a lizard in the name????

Anywhooo....lets leave that alone and onto the fabric goodness.

Massdrop I love thee...you are awesomeness!

Lizzy House Catnap, warm fat quarter bundle.Cats aren't normally my thing....I can hear the gasps...but I have a few swaps coming up and many of you love the furballs.

I also have developed a very unhealthy relationship with Westwood Acres...so much pretty all grouped together turns me into a robot buying crazy person, don't say I didn't warn you!!

They had a sale......Butterfly Dance by Natalie Lymer , I know I said no more cutesy prints for Little OWB....buuuuuuttt it was on sale! And Miss Kate jumped in too.

Plus they give you these cute mini charms for FREE....when you spend over whisper,whisper,whisper

But hold onto your knickers for these sexy beasts!!

Metallic Pearl Bracelets!! I know right? Shimmering awesomeness!

How have I not used these before?

The Rainbow goodies below aren't metallic, but I need more blenders not more sparkle.....

One more shot just to get you in the mood baby!

Perfect for the Rainbow Mini Swap I have going on in 2015!

More sewing related posts to come this week I promise!

Linking up with the ever resourceful Molli Sparkles and his fab new Sewing Space

Possum Magic Update - Border # 3 Dazed and Confused

Possum Magic update time!!

This time round I received Serena's Quilt and I was super excited! For once I had a preconceived plan....I know unheard of round here lately!!

Don't get too excited, it's never straight forward in the OWB house. For those of you new to the House of OWB and have no idea what I'm gabbling on about pop over here and catch up....I'll wait...

So this is Serena's centre

 

 

Which she then sent to Carla who did this to it

 

 At which point Carla then sent it to Jane who then added the squares

At which point it arrived on my doorstep.I knew that the centre was from Piece by Numbers , which is incidently where I got my Ladybug pattern for Carla's quilt from, and that the 1st border was a variation of that.

 But I hadn't seen Jane's addition as she hasn't had much time to blog since she became Editor in Chief of Make Modern the newest online Quilting Mag.

Luckily she did what I hoped and that was a rainbow colour saturated block of some kind....Booyah!

I wanted to do more geese and on a light background but not in a circular configuration but still keeping a curved theme....so began my journey with the dazed and confused geese....and my seam ripper!!!

A simple concept?...absolutely.....technical difficulty?...not great ....ability to turn your brain to mush at the end of the day? ....without a hint of a doubt!!!!

The slow part was my brain could only do one block at a time, even though I had the fabrics all picked out, I couldn't do speed piecing as the orientation of the blocks required you to sometimes sew on the printed side of the paper and sometimes on the blank side!!!

Recipe for late night swearing in the NTH DEGREE....then I found out halfway through that I was going to run oput of my favourite Heath in Grey, I didn't have another yard stashed......and wait for it....it is now out of print!

My undies were so twisted it's a wonder I could sew straight.!!

Instagram to the rescue ...my peeps sent out a call and lovely Anne from @elmosmate sent me some scraps while I waited for the last yard on the Earth to come from ScrappyGirl on Etsy.

And she's done!!

But not quite....teal geese on top decided to try and buck the flow, which I only noticed after I posted a pic on IG. AAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH

Fixed the next day and I sent her on her way.

This was the mess left on my floor and if you looked inside my head my brain would match 

 linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday and Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday.

Also WIP Wednesday which I haven't done in forever!!

Hight Tea Quilt - Pattern Testing

I'm doing some housekeeping and realised I hadn't blogged about this wee baby quilt!

Back at the beginning of October...a lifetime ago...Adrianne from On The Windy Side put a call out for pattern testers of her High Tea Quilt.

I really enjoy pattern testing so I put my hand up for the baby size as the turnaround needed was pretty quick and you all know I have my finger in many pies!!!

 It's a Charm square or Layer Cake or Fat Quarter friendly pattern. So since my Scrumptious charm square packs I bought way back were just laying around feeling sad, I used them.

Adrianne came up with the idea for her Bonnie and Camille charms that she acquired through Ms Midges charm swap

What a great, straight forward and clearly written pattern.

I whipped the baby size....everything is so cute when it's wee...up in an afternoon.

This is the post that shows all the different pattern testers sizes.

The sashing is Kona Snow and a lovely stripe print from the Avalon Range by Fig Tree.

Simple grid quilting finished it off and I'm happy to say it is now being loved by a family awaiting their new baby.I think I may use this pattern for my Amy Butler charms that have just arrived from the same Ms Midge.

To purchase your own downloadable copy from Adrianne go here or here

Sunday Stash #18 - Getting To The Crazy

Hi Lovelies!

My last post was at the beginning of this month so it's official...we are definitely getting to the crazy part of the year.

 People start amping up for Xmas and are in one of two camps.

The " I Love Xmas Camp " or "The Complete and Utter Grinch Camp"

I'm usually in the LOVE Camp but this year I'm undecided. Nothing morose, I just simply haven't had time to fart let alone comtemplate Xmas.

Plus I've made that many trips to the Post Office to send stuff it's ridiculous....pretty sure I'm single handedly supporting NZ Post LOL.

Enough yakking ...fabric this week...lots, but I'll just talk about a couple.

MIMOSA! Yes I'm shouting but I'm so in love with this collection!

I only managed to score a Fat Eighth bundle from Westwood Acres along with the coordinating solids in a half yard bundle as the fat quarter bundle had already sold out. But it is still available here and here and I will definitely be stashing some of the prints.

 This is a cute little bundle that I scored at my local Spotlight.I'm finding more and more good quality basics there, rather than just my usual DS and Sarah Fielke must haves.The light isn't the best but the top print is a two tone grey stripe that I think will be very handy, and I was very much in need of some lime green.

Massdrop also obliged me this week with some Wonder Clips at a ridiculously cheap price for 50, in Pink, to my door. I paid NZD$13 for 10 at one of my LQS's and these were delivered for under NZD$30....

That's enough from me this week, I've got three swaps to get a sewing for and I'll call in tomorrow to talk about my latest border in the Possum Magic Round Robin Quilt.....there was a little drama but I've still got hair so it can't have been that bad!!

Linking up with Molli......who has Bambi on his blog?? And I know he has an aversion to woodland creatures. Better pop on over and see what's up!!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner - You Are All Awesome

Jeez you guys are like a party all for me!!

Your comments have been nothing short of spectacular and sweet and kind! I wish we all did live nearer and could share an adult beverage, as Chels says!

So I have decided to pull four winners, cause you are all the Shizz.

Please contact me with your delivery addresses  oneweebird@gmail.com.

On a side note alot of you were no reply bloggers so I couldn't reply to your comments directly...insert sad face...don't feel picked on I was one too.

Here's a great post from the lovely Adrianne from On The Windy Side who'll help you out

Junia  October 30, 2014 at 5:49 AM

What an amazing, positive person you seem to be! I hope you have a great last two months in 2014 and an amazing 2015! I´m not picky, I would like anything from your giveaway, though I live in Germany and I´m not sure if I´m eligible. In any case I wish you all the best, always.

Janie October 29, 2014 at 7:58 PM

I would love the Denyse Schmidt Picadilly 7 Fat Quarters in Blue/Green. Simply stunning. Thanks for the chance.

carolann October 30, 2014 at 5:22 AM

I really enjoy your blog and admire your strength and creativity. It would be easy to stop sewing with the loss of your sweet husband and four children to care for, but I am glad you kept sewing and blogging. I am not picky, I would love anything from your giveaway! Take good care! carolann427@aol.com

 

Wendy October 29, 2014 at 10:24 AM

What a year you have had. It's lovely to hear that you've made some connections through this quilting community and found a way to help you through the dark times. x

Friday Finishes - About Bloody Time!

Well Hello There!!

 You guys are awesome! All the lovely comments you are leaving for my giveaway are making me feel delicious...give yourselves an extra piece of chocolate! I will close it up on Sunday xxx

Friday for me started at 4am with Little OWB waking up......and then vomiting...everywhere!

Poor wee soss, but it did mean a day off work and sitting very still while she napped on me.....so I finally manged to put the binding on this quilt!!!!

 I still love it, and I even like the backing that I let the boys choose!

She's bright baby!

 I collect Chenille bedspreads and use them as quilt backs for that extra snuggle factor and to provide some weight that I feel sometimes cotton wadding lacks.

I bound it with some V&A that I've lying around for about 4 years? Quite cool spooky trees as a large piece, but just higgeldy piggeldy low volume as a binding,perfect I think.

The Plus Quilt ( my names suck ) ends up at a good wrap around size of  50 x 70.

Now this baby is HUMONGOUS! So much so that I couldn't get a decent photo of her even tho I stood on all sorts of things...I'm a midget!

  

On a Whim by Camille Roskelley.

It finishes up at a whopping 71' x 86" including the border.

Throw another Chenille backing on it and it's really heavy and delicious! I used two different lines of MoMo, Flutterby and Just Wing It.Both are quite hard to find now...shame

I machine bound this big girl with Leaf Vine in Cherry from Oh Deer, which you can still find bits and pieces of.

My longarmer quilter her all over in big butterflies

and little butterflies.

I'm so glad I can finally show you guys a finish or two!

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish It up Friday 

 

  and TGIFF which is being hosted by ayliN-Nilya

and Lindsey for Fabric Frenzy Friday