BWQS2 - Black & White Quilt Swap Round 2

If you've been around these parts at all you know I'm a fan of mini quilt swaps.

The main reason being it's an opportunity to try something on a small scale that either you've had on your bucket list and it's stayed on there through fear of commitment or you're not sure if it's within your skill set.

JOIN A SWAP.....sorry for yelling...but the best way to empty your bucket is to tip it out and jump into the wide world of options...but in a mini way LOL

I loooove NYB blocks.....but I have a fear of commitment...allllll those curves and bias edges and templates urggghhh

The paper piecing bit is easy and you know what??

When you follow the instructions of a NYB expert stuff works ....crazy thought ay???

I missed the first BWQS and there was no way I was missing the bus this time....I also love me some skeletons....even the non fussy cut ones....LET IT GO....OCD issues.

I'm hoping the neighbours are getting used to the crazy happy dancing and positive self talk that goes on in the basement...dontcha dance around by yourself when stuff works??

I learnt a couple of things on this mini

1. Instructions are helpful

2. Expert tips are even more helpful

3. You can sew anything when you relax

I also learnt that I still love NYB blocks but if I'm going to make myself a quilt its gonna be made out of blocks bigger than 6" or I will never finish it LOL

I'm totally thrilled with how this turned out and I should've taken some close up photos of the FMQ that I did like a ninja all over it....perfect block to practice and pretend like you're Angela Walters and noone can see that you're really like a 3 year old scribbling hahaha

Linking up for a Friday Finish with Amanda Jean and Finish or Not Friday with Myra

Poinsettia Pattern - Testing for Alyce an Overdue Post

This is a long overdue post....sorry Alyce... 

I sucked last year at blogging but this year...you'll be sick to death of me ;)

Alyce is the super productive, mathematical genius, and all round nice person behind Blossom Heart Quilts and you should totally stalk her.....in a non creepy quilty way!

Quite often she puts the call out for pattern testers and I always put my hand up cause I know it will be something unique and fun...check this one out I tested and then I also tested Bright Sky.

The patterns are always clearly written and easy to follow Poinsettia was no exception, fabric choice is up to the tester and luckily for me Alyce embraces my non traditional choices ;)

I'd had this voile for some time so decided to use it as the background, I swapped out my first hot pink choice for a non directional print as I knew it with mess with my OCD

The Voile, Art Gallery,Tula and Michael Miller fabrics all played beautifully together and sewed like a dream....but be warned Voile is a slippery Wench and frays quite quickly if over handled.

I highly recommend starching the crap out of her to tame the bias edge or you'll be buying lots of vowels!!

Open pressed seams to keep everything flat and crisp

The  Poinsettia block lends itself to so many great fabric interpretations and the beauty of Alyce's pattern is that there are options for more than one size block, great for a secondary pattern on a smaller block size repeat.

I like to have baby quilts on hand for gifting so I added some zig zag borders and Voila she's done.

It's hard to show but it was quilted beautifully by Sandra in a cube and circle panto that echoed the building outlines of the voile...clever

Machine binding and a stash backing, win ,win.

Sunday Stash #28 - Yowzers There's A Bucket Load of Fabric!!

Hi Guy and Gals!!

No messing around!Yes I'm here and I'm blogging...YAY!

 This is a New Year and it's the year of being organised and getting shit done!

Fabric has been marching through my front door quicker than I can sort and stack it in any semblance of order!

And quite frankly I'm too embarrassed to show you how much.....

So here's just a little snippet of a few cuties

Tula Pink never needs introducing and I didn't have these two....and they were on special...just sayin
Slow and Steady

One thing I'm finding with all the Bees I'm in this year and last year, is it quickly highlights any colours lacking in your stash.....reds are mine, I seem to have a few red/orange or red/pink but not alot of true reds.

So these two came home with me from Storybook Classics by Windham Fabrics

If anyone knows of where I can purchase some of this line in alternate colourways of all the ditsy prints I will probably send you any fabric you want from my stash!

Which then led to a frantic online search for more prints and that led to this lot!!

Top to bottom

All My Heart Type Print in Tomato and Dark Coral
Storybook Vacation which is on sale so I took the last of the Mint and Orange Daisy Dots....but you can get them here

And these two red prints are also from Storybook Vacation.....did I mention it's on sale here...

Linking up with my gorgeous boy Molli