Prairie Queen Quilt - Classic & Vintage Series

Ohh my poor wee blog, there are such big gaps here it's getting ridiculous!!

I have every intention of coming here and being more accountable for the process of making the quilts I do but Instagram is soooo quick and easy....and I'm lazy LOL

Anywhooo I'm here and I have a new quilt to show you...YAY!

Say Hi to the Prairie Queen Quilt from Fat Quarter Shop's Vintage and Classic Series

This is such a great quilt for beginners and more experienced quiltmakers alike, it's a simple block that relies on precise cutting and an exact 1/4" seam throughout for everything to nest and stay symmetrical...not at all difficult just be methodical :)

I chose to deviate from one particular line or designer and shopped my stash instead....it doesn't even look like I touched the mint and aqua blue piles so I clearly love them but need to use them in my quilts more than I do.

This OOP Aneela Hoey Posy print I have been hoarding forevahhhh, and I no longer need to hoard all the fabric and never use my favourites...so I forced myself to use it, and the gorgeous Moda Regent St Floral Lawns below......it was hard!!

I used a vintage 100% cotton sheet for the backing and this Riley Blake fabric for the binding....even though it only leaves me a tiny bit...it's ok it's ok...I keep reminding myself LOL

The small person struggled to hold it up for pics in the wind so I had to lay it down so you can hopefully see the gorgeous texture from the all over floral panto....sooo cute and I love being able to quilt my own quilts on my longarm. So much fun choosing a new pantograh and then holding my breath as it starts sewing and hoping I haven't made the wrong choice?!

 I will list this in my Etsy Shop as soon as I can get some decent pics with a taller quilt holder LOL

Talk soon Peeps, nice to see you XX

Monty the Monster - Finishing Stuff

Hi Peeps!

So as I mentioned last time, I have become the proud owner of a new to me Gamill Statler Longarm quilting machine named Monty. You can have a quick squiz at him here or just have a trawl through my Insta feed.

As a result I am getting a craaaazzzy amount of WIPS finished while I learn how to manipulate him and the quilting programme...it's awesome...and totally blowing my mind. But the one thing I didn't realise was how heavy the unfinished tops were laying on my shoulders??

Like this one...all the heart eyes here...I love it sooo much!

I accidentally made it while tidying up my sewing room......you know how it goes...found a cute pattern, saw a cute pile of fabric...stopped everything else to sew it up immediately like a woman possessed....siiighhh...life of a fabric hoarder/quilter LOL

And then I got Monty and he made this little quilts wishes come true and turned her into a beautiful swan.

I really want to keep it but I've made a pile of Quilts for a local charity that rehouses children into new families and the others like this one I am listing them in my Etsy shop....so I don't drown in quilts.

I've bound it with a coordinating Annabel Wrigley print from the front, the line is Daisy Chain if you're curious and backed it with a vintage pastel striped sheet...super cute and soft.

The sheet has a slight rust mark that I didn't notice despite pre washing but I'm confident it will fade over time. When using vintage sheets as backings I'm happy with the odd mark and/or stain ( as long as it's not blood ) for the sake of being able to recycle. The textile industry has a lot of responsibility on it's shoulders when it comes to polluting our planet.... I think :(

Talk soon Peeps xx

Trip Around The World - Last Family Baby

Hi Peeps!

Yes I'm still here and sewing and quilting up a storm LOL so I thought I'd better hop to it before the year is out and start updating you on what's been happening before it all gets too overwhelming.

As this title says, we're sadly up to the last family baby....boohoo...despite repeated gentle nudging and outright complaining on my behalf to the younger siblings LOL there will be no more little bubbas around until the grandkids start arriving.

As my eldest is just turning 25 and has no intention of procreating anytime soon he informs me I'm just going to have to be patient and grasp hold of any random baby that crosses my path......yes that sounds creepy but I love me a good baby sniff...am I right??

Anywhooooo onto this quilt.

This is a fabulous quick and satisfying make that will take you back to the most basic of patchwork, the humble square.

It was a free pattern from the Cotton and Steel website by Kimberly Kight, but it seems to no longer be there which will be due to the designers leaving and taking their intellectual property with them.

You could easily work this out yourself though with a piece of paper and some coloured pencils...go on be creative have a go.

If you follow me on Instagram you would've seen my gorgeous niece sitting on this very quilt...go on scoot over and have a peek, she is delicious!! So her mother is equally lovely and being Korean she has quite the cutesy taste when it comes to fabric etc. Knowing this I used this long hoarded Michael Miller butterfly print and chose the other colours based on this.

With a girly Tasha Noel print as the centre piece. Quick note if you do decide to draught your own pattern, it is made by four equal segments using strip piecing and then a centre strip piece both horizontally and vertically to jin all 4 quadrants together...google it they'll be tips and patterns.

The backing was an American Jane piece of alphabet fabric I've had forever and I surrounded it with a red pin dot.

Sandra from Wise Owl Quilting did an all over pantograph of a Ginko leaf which was just the perfect choice

Incidentally this was the last quilt that I've had sent out to be quilted as some of you know I've purchased my own Gammill Statler longarm machine. And I'll let you know how that's going shortly.

Talk soon Peeps xx

Simple Zipper Bag Blog Remix - It's been A While

Hi Peeps!

It has definitely been awhile, but I'm still here just been a bit absent in the blogosphere and hanging out over in IG Land.

But I'm here to show you something cute and quick that I made.......we all need to take a break from all the big things sometimes.

It's the Simple Zipper Bag!

Literally a really really simple zipper bag, but so so fun!

I decided to make the smaller of the two options using a Sweetwater Boat House mini charm pack (circa 2014 ! ) and some left over Daisy Chain scraps by Annabel Wrigley.

I made two small pouches while I watched the video after having prepared the pieced and quilted fronts in advance. I also used scrap batting instead of Soft and Stable and they worked out great.

I even got to use some of my teeny labels made specifically for little items like these, I clearly need more practice to get them even....sheesh

From One mini charm pack you'll be able to make both the large AND small zipper pouch, and I'm ready to go with the bigger one.

Fat Quarter Shop are remixing up some of their older blog tutorials and I'm so glad they did otherwise I never would have discovered this nifty tutorial.

 This would make a fabulous go to gift for teachers or to hold a smaller present with a handmade touch...I'm thinking of doing some Xmas ones with yummy treats inside :)

 Nice to see you again.

Talk soon Peeps xx

Pinkilicious - A Sunday Morning Quilt, But It's Saturday

Hi Peeps!

Welcome to June! Halfway through the year already?!

I went to drop a quilt to my lovely friend Sandra and look what she had just pulled off the frame!!

It's my Pinkilicious Quilt from the Fabulous book Sunday Morning Quilts!!

I just love it....I know I always say that about every single quilt when it comes back quilted LOL

Plus my scrap box of pink's and low volumes is pretty much empty??....now to find a pattern for the blue scrap box!!

What I think I love most about these scrap quilts, that like my Vintage 9 Patch, is revisiting some of my favourite fabrics that show up again as little strips or pieces.

Quite often this sends me off on a frantic internet search for some favourite fabric...sometimes successfully but more often not... thank goodness, or the fabric stash would never get smaller!!!

I backed it with a vintage sheet in the perfect complimentary pinks, with a touch of mauve, and although difficult to photograph it shows up the floral and swirly pantograph beautifully.

I wish I'd used a little more of the silver/metallic Jennifer Sampou fabric as a highlight as it provides a fantastic subtle pop........

I've glue basted the binding down and had grand ideas of hand stitching it over the long weekend....but I doubt that will happen and I will end up machine stitching it LOL

Have a fabulous weekend Peeps xx

Linking up with Amanda and Myra

Plus and Minus Quilts - Times 3

Hi Peeps!

Sit down put your feet up or grab a cuppa there's 3 quilts so there are alot of photos!!

It's not often, if ever, that I make a quilt using the same pattern more than once, but I've made this quilt three times, and I absolutely don't think that will be it!

Pattern is Plus and Minus quilt by Emily Dennis from Quilty Love.

I have several of her patterns and they are easy to follow with lots of pictures and easy to follow instructions.

This colour combo was from a Fat Quarter Shop stash pack, this particular pack is no longer available but they have some others that are equally great....you get matching Aurifil thread with the coordinating Bella Solids...YAY!

I used Kona Cotton Snow for the background, and crosshatched all over....but my favourite part is the backing!

This Suzy Ultman print was beyond perfection when it came to matching the front colours I just wish I had enough to have them standing upright instead of laying down LOL

So backing is from the stash aaaand the binding.....win win...using it up!

This version uses a Cotton and Steel bundle by Alexia Abegg called Flowershop that when paired with a charcoal shot cotton makes a very funky little boys quilt.... I think

I even used another stash fabric for the backing, Filigree by Anna Maria Horner...still trying not to freak out that it's pretty much all used up........

And this is why I love this pattern so much...I've had this Dashwood fabric pile forrreevaaahh....along comes the Plus Minus magic and boom we have another quilt.....just what we need Mwahahaha

I also got to use a couple of other random fabrics and some recent purchases to round out the overall colour scheme for a decent sized lap quilt.

Excuse me while I high five myself for another hoarded fabric used in the backing....feels so good...but also freaks me out when it's actually goooone.

Love Cypress Paisley by Amy Butler

Binding is stash fabric by Jennifer Paganelli Maritza dot.....no idea how long I've had that??

OK you made it to the end! Well done!.......go get the pattern you'll use it over and over, I promise!

All three are listed in my Etsy Shop......seriously I can't keep them....can I ?

Talk soon Peeps xx