Christmas Eve - What Have I Been Doing?!

So this happened?

I'd like to know where the rest of October, November and most of December went thankyou?? 

That's the last time I was here! And now it's Christmas Eve afternoon Down Under??

I'm hoping to remedy that...you may get sick of me..as Santa came early and bought me a new laptop...I've been a very good girl..not so much in the fabric buying department ...but everywhere else for sure!

So lets get on with a quick Christmassy post brought you by the lovely ladies from my #dogoodstitchescarecircle ladies. We decided to do a quick blind swap amongst ourselves and these are what I made for my partner.

My partner was Gina of @happygolizzie who has a love of all things linen and floral and cuteness...don't we all! So I used my teeny tiny dresden pattern from Westwood Acres ( pssst it's free on their website ) and a Thimbleblossoms pattern for a wee pouch.

It's been a long time since I handstitched anything...which I used to do alot, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

But it was this mouse from Gina's mosaic that really captured my eye! It's also a free pattern from Bustle & Sew and is really quite straight forward. I made a couple of amendments only to allow for my lack of practice at handsewing and I think she turned out cute!

I filled her with half rice and half polyfill so she sits very upright.

I received a lovely package from one of my fellow Kiwis in the group Vicki......she only lives about 1 1/2 hours from me so it arrived very quickly, and it was gorgeous!

A really lovely paper pieced Owl incorporated into an equally lovely quilted pouch....I love pouches and rarely make them for myself, so win win!

And it was filled with some cute and very thoughtful gifts

I know I bang on about it but quilty people are simply the best

The details sometimes make the gift...I was very spoilt!

And on that note I hope you're all very spoilt with the things you can't buy, family,friends,love,kindness and a safe holiday period xx

I will be back after the Xmas Day bloat has subsided!!

Jolly Braid Tote Bag - Fat Quarter Shop Pattern Test

I promise you these patterns that I'm testing or just simply making as a quilt along for Fat Quarter Shop aren't the only things I'm sewing lately!!

But since they have a deadline for posting they seem to be leaping the queue ahead of other quilts LOL...you can tell I was a goody two shoes at school ( rolls her eyes)

Anywhoooo onto the Jolly Braid Tote Bag!!

So I used 3 "new to me" products in the making of this bag....of which I've made a sum total of zero!!

So to say I was a bit nervous is an understatement but it went perfectly!!

The braid section is sooooo awesome AND made ridiculously easy simply by using two things, Jolly Bars!! and Fat Jelly Braid Triangles on a roll specifically made for , You guessed it! Jolly Bars!

So Jolly Bars are 42 pieces of one collection that are 5" x 10" and I chose the delicious Sweet Marion fabric by Amy Rosenthal....how did I miss this collection before??

You start with one half of a HST and sew on the line on top of the paper, not like usual foundation piecing when the fabric is on the backside of the paper...little weird to start with, but sooo easy to line your fabric up, so thats two new things.

Wonderclips....I use them for everything!

The third new thing was Annie's Soft and Stable...was freaked out about sewing with this, but changed my needle to a 90/14 and it was a dream to sew ...thumbs up!

And now I have a real bag with proper handles and everything....and I didn't even swear once!

Aaaand Little OWB thinks her Mumma is so clever...her words LOL...cause now she has a cool new library bag

One disclaimer this triangle is too big I cut the braid to near that end so lost the braid effect....this is now the back of the bag hahaha....and this fabric pattern almost gave me a headache it made my eyes go so wonky!!

Also I could've ironed my lining a bit better for pics....but yeah nah, this is how I roll.

So if you're a bag virgin like myself the Jolly Braid Tote is the bag for you, if I can do it on the first go you definitely can!!

Fat Quarter Cobblestone Quilt - Pattern Testing Delight

Hi My Lovelies!

It's October and Down Under, for me anyway, it signals the real beginning of Spring!

 Daylight Savings has started and so we have an extra hour of daylight after work and a long weekend to look forward to mid month.....Bring It On!!

On the sewing front, along with lots of WIP's and finishes patiently waiting to be shown off I have a pattern test to show.

Fat Quarter Shop's Cobblestone Quilt

Unfortunately it was a gloomy day when I had a willing quilt holder so the pics don't do the Hometown Christmas Edition Fabric by Sweetwater, that I chose , any justice whatsoever :(

This is a fat quarter friendly pattern and ridiculously quick to sew up into a 63 1/2" x 80 1/2" snuggly quilt.

I'm actually feeling quite smug because thanks to the last quilt I did for the Fat Quarter Shop and National Jelly Roll Day I now have two new Xmas quilts ready to go.....just as well since one of last years ones has well and truly faded due to it still hanging in my entry way!!!!

Sandra quilted it all over with a gorgeous holly and berry panto in a yummy green thread.

This little house print is my absolute favourite ( looks like it's sold out unless you buy a bundle ) followed closely by the buffalo check prints.

The Charcoal Tinsel print was perfect for the binding and one of my favourite Denyse Schmidt prints for the backing just fitted with the colour story perfectly.

The Cobblestone Quilt pattern is currently available here as part of a quilt kit using Zen Chic fabric, but I'm sure by the time this post is released it will be available as a stand alone purchase.

National Sew A Jelly Roll Day - Fat Quarter Shop Quilt A Long

I'm Baaaaaaaack!

It's National Sew A Jelly Roll Day!

I'll let you in on a little secret.... I used to be a precut snob.... I know I know judge away LOL

I couldn't work out why you'd spend so much money on only having a little piece of each fabric from a line.......until I unrolled my 1st jelly roll!

There's something about seeing every single piece of a fabric line in front of you that is so intoxicating for a fabric hoarder like myself.....just quietly I now have several precuts stashed....and by several I mean a shelf full....sigh ;)

I rarely buy or even like every single piece in a line but with a jelly roll or any other precut for that matter, you can instantly hone in on your must have fabrics!

The Fat Quarter Shop asked me to test Jelly Jam which is a free pattern from their website and has an accompanying tutorial.

I chose Sweetwater's The Cookie Exchange for my fabric, thinking I could kill two birds with one stone. Pattern testing and a Christmas quilt all in one go...boom!

This is a seriously quick way to whip up a quilt in an afternoon!

The patterns instructions allows for two quilts in a 3 x 3 layout ( perfect for two matching baby quilts!)

but I went with a 4 x 4 layout for more of a play mat size.

She loves to help!

I used the two leftover blocks in the back with some of the cut off strips and my favourite Kona Snow

I've one small pieced strip 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" left from the entire jelly roll!

Peppermint striped binding and  simple crosshatched quilting through the blocks and it's done.

Now for the good news!! Fat Quarter Shop are having a 20% off sale on ALL their jelly rolls until Sunday night....which is Monday morning if you live Down Under with me.

They can fit 3 jelly rolls in one international parcel so with the discount that easily offsets the cost of postage.....just saying :)

Happy sewing my Peeps xxx

Geode Quilt - Bound and Delicious

I'm counting this as a Friday finish even though it's Saturday here as I finally got the binding on last night!

this is a quick picture heavy post as you're gonna have me popping up in your feed again in a few hours for National Jelly Roll Day....sorry LOL

I shared pics as I was making this on Instagram as a pattern testing project by Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts

Let me introduce Geode

 ( every time I lay a quilt down BOTH the cat and the small person have to dance and/or lie on it! )

I absolutely love it! It's fat quarter and yardage/scrap friendly, with so many options for different looks depending on your fabric choices.

I went for a different colour palette for a change of mustard, black and pink. Using some of my favourite designers.

I sent it out to be long armed as I backed it with another chenille bedspread.

Not quite as thick as some of my others but a good match for the peach/pink blocks on the top.

In fact this is one of the stubblier ( is that a word ) bedspreads I have but I love the weight that they add to a quilt for increased snuggle factor.

This one is currently on my bed over the top of Fractured Heart as Spring is giving us some cooler nights and I love a heavy bedspread feel on me.

Linking up with Amanda and Myra

See you soon with Jelly Roll shenanigans xxx 

September - You're Almost My Favourite

I Heart Spring! 

Almost as much as I love Autumn, I don't hate Winter but this year I have developed a strong dislike to it we have had week after week of rain...which I know is nothing compared to some of the weather that you Northern hemisphere peeps have had to endure!

But damp day after damp day makes me cranky and my hair like Monica from friends when she went to the Bahamas...crazy!! Plus we've had no end of boogers and coughs and lurgys and I'm done!

So Spring I welcome you with open arms and a boatload of quilt tops to be bound and quilted LOL

Let's start with this Little Beauty...all the heart eyes!!

*WARNING* Picture overload

In the midst of my Pickle Dish obsession this quilt pattern from Lindsey Neill of Pen + Paper Patterns fame popped up in my feed and I fell in love instantly and had to make it...you know how that goes...and I have a small liking for baby quilts

IT'S FREE!! heres the link......I'll wait while you download it.....and follow her on Instagram @penandpaperpatterns.

she's also the author of the Garden Snails Quilt which I also have half cut out ready to go....read WIP in waiting...rolls eyes

Even though it's the worst time of day to take photos I think you can see how stinking cute this little quilt is and perfect as a gift for a baby shower or a little person in your life.

My wonderful longarmer Sandra of Wise Owl Quilting chose the perfect panto of all over clouds

I used Birch Organic fabric in Wink for the raindrops and a Moda white dot on cream for the background

The cloud quilting looks so cute on the cream spotty background!

The back was four pieces of flannel that I'd forgotten what I had in mind for, so they became the backing...I'm trying to use and not hoard

And it is true what they say the more you practise the better you get! Machine binding for me saves so much time. don't get me wrong I love and sometimes prefer the look of a hand bound quilt but I simply do not have the time anymore so I've let it go and machine it if I can.

Last two in the sun so you can see the texture...can't wait to spa treat it and see how snuggly and crinkly it gets!

That's it my lovelies see you soon for International Jelly Roll Day YAY...and another cute little quilt.

linking up with