Sort of, bananas

So, you might have noticed I'd been a bit quiet on the blogging front for a couple of years. And during that time I moved interstate, and completely transformed my life.

So, now that I am settled in my new home town, I am excited to announce the finding of my new LQS! It would be a delight if I could work there sometime... you never know!

I did take time out on my own today for a few hours, and enjoyed the solace of choosing fabrics, from a range I love at excellent prices. I think they've made a friend in me!

I've kind of put myself under the pump a bit. Last week I realised we had been invited to the Christening of my Sweetheart's niece, well our niece of course. And they've got everything that opens and shuts... but I am not sure whether they have a baby quilt. The Christening is less than two weeks away. So I've chosen a pretty easy idea of an Irish Chain using these pretty monkey fabrics. Why haven't I started it yet? I don't yet have my rotary cutter, rulers and mats in this state. I've made a new sewing buddy and I am going to her place tomorrow to use hers. I am going to cut and sew as much as I possibly can!

I've chosen Emma Louise vanilla quilters muslin to go with it.

Then I saw this beautiful piece of multi colour batik. One metre for $10 (half price). So I bought it for the back, along with two other pieces I shall splice in.

Adding to that, I bought some yellow Shadowplay to go with this little 1930s jelly roll to make a baby quilt (Irish Chain again I think) for me. Yes. I am having my own baby. And it's exciting to be sewing for me. I am trying to make sure I sew for our two little babes before I sew for the baby to be sure they feel included. I don't mind if there are flowers in the quilt, even though we don't know if we are having a boy or girl (we love surprises!) And the little duckies for the back.

While in the quilt shop I saw this gorgeous layer cake "color me happy". Aha! That will be perfect for my new mother in law. She was looking at buying a cheap foreign made "quilt" recently, and I said "Noooo. I will make you one." I thought I'd make the Persian Tiles quilt I've made several times. I love it, and it showcases the fabrics.

Alas, there was no matching jelly roll. So I calculated how many fabrics I'd need and found 16 different ones. I love the busy effect when they splash together.

This is for the border and binding. Ooh. My fingers are itching!

So, you see, I have put myself quite under the pump. Mum is coming here in 3 weeks. If I can get the Christening quilt finished within a week I will be pretty happy with that. In the meantime I need to work on the horses quilt, and I would love to get Color Me Happy made and posted to Mum for quilting so she can bring them up with her... Plus, I'd love to finish a baby quilt for my sister who is also expecting her first baby.

Hmm... I am going to be sewing my heart out for the next couple of weeks.

See you when I am on the other side!

Whimsical, fun and bright - horsies!

I've been going like the clappers on the double sided horsey quilt in the hope that I can finish it and post it to Mum for quilting before she travels 3,000km to visit me... Otherwise it will be a few months before Mum is home again and can quilt it.

We shall see what I can do... in the last few days I found some horse colouring pictures on the internet and have traced out a few and turned them into blocks. I bought these gorgeous Gutermann Sulky variegated threads to stitch the horses on, but after cutting them out I can see with vivid Kaffe fabrics the outlines will need more definition.

 I have chosen colours to give a whimsical fun air, bright and lavish.

 This is for one side of the horsey quilt.

 I've now stitched 5 horse blocks. I am not sure what size I will trim them to yet. I will wait and see how many I make.

 The black free machine applique has certainly helped to define the outlines of the horses.

 I have another 7 horse pictures. Let's see how many more I can cut out, fuse and stitch on in the next few days.

I am feeling excited!

Snuggies

Even though they are not quite finished, Shelley and Rhette needed to snuggy under their blankies...

 both feeling a bit under the weather, and really, it's all a crafter asks for is her creations to be used, loved and appreciated.

 Here is a pic of the robot and dinosaur bunting hanging in situ.

And even though I'd love to get them finished, (and the purple one on the couch which is for my sister expecting her first baby), the mailman brought the horse fabrics to make my little girl's quilt.... and I'm going to try to whip up an original double sided quilt in the next couple of weeks - so that I can post it to Mum to quilt before she leaves (3000km from here) to drive here for a visit. I'm keen!

Better get a move on.... I'll keep you posted...

A little distraction

At the same time as juggling deadlines for the July cushion, I am trying to finish two crochet blankets. When will they be finished? Er. How long is a piece of wool. No really, I want to use as much of the wool as possible. So I will make them as large as possible.

 I've just joined on another piece to Shelley's blanket, and it is now doubled in size. It's just big enough to go over her body. Really needs to be bigger. Of course, ends must also be sewn in.

I am loving the variegated yarn. I would be bored silly making the same block over and over if not for the colour changes.

I'd better get cracking on Rhette's blanky now. I need to finish them at the same time you see... siblings. ;)

cushion update

I've been working great guns on the cushion. It needs to be finished by July for a special gift. Should be a shoo-in..... except that I have a couple of things I want to quickly make that may just distract me for a while... I hope it ends up finished at the right time!

I'm loving the richness of the colours, even though it's an acrylic yarn it is very soft and the hues are vivid, even if they don't glow as wool does.

Well, I knew it...

I totally knew I could be addicted to making Bunting! It's just so easy to do, and requires very little thought process. It's also quick, so I feel like I can achieve finishes very easily.

 This is the rest of the dinosaur and robot bunting - this one doesn't actually say "happy birthday", so it can hang all year until he's a bit older... Perhaps a space theme next year will work well.

 And, as I finished those ones, I started babushka bunting.... I'm not quite sure who it will be for yet. I suspect another run to the local fabric shop to see what other bunting panels are there.

To be finished kid-free next week....

Birthday Bunting

Ahhh. *satisfied sigh* I've decided to try to machine sew for at least a few kid-free hours each week while they are at school and kinder. 

 This is secret sewing for Rhette's 5th birthday present in only a few days....

Robot and dinosaur birthday bunting... He's only young for a short time, why not enjoy it?

I must be careful, this bunting thing could be addictive.