Please vote for me to Play!

I don't normally like asking for people to do something for me but........as you may know I've entered a mini quilt into Jenna's Play! competition and she is holding a Most Popular Linky Party and the winner get $35 Fat Quarter Shop voucher. So, all I'm asking (begging!!) you to do is to pop over to SewHappyGeek and click on my link to vote for me!! You only have until Friday 10am.
My card is the 3 of hearts (just incase I haven't shown the photo enough!!!)

Thank you sooo much, I really do appreciate every single vote!!

Jubilee Swap gifts

I was lucky to sign up for Laa Laa's God Save the Queen Swap a good few weeks ago, to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee. I was matched up with Pj from The Snails Garden and as I mentioned here she sent out her parcel nice and early (unlike me!!!). After a few issues with not having enough wool, I managed to post out her parcel last week and I now know she has received it so I could open my parcel.
I was so fortunate to be matched with her and this is what I was lucky enough to receive.

The most wonderful hand knitted tea cosy, that covers my very boring brown teapot.

An amazing keyring (which I have already attached to my car keys!)

 

Some wonderful London bunting

 

A lovely handmade lavender heart.

Yummy M&S chocolates. 

A wonderful bracelet.

I felt really spoilt when I opened it all up!! This is the first swap I have taken part in and it can be so tricky to know what your partner will like. 

I sent off these gifts to Pj. 

My favorite things I made for Pj and that I will be making for myself are 

A cross stitch stamp made using a pattern from Jacqui P and Appleton Wool and some bunting

On one side I used I ♡London fabric

 and just red, white and blue on the reverse.

I hope she liked them as much as I liked hers.
I'll be back tomorrow with a new knitting project and to ask you to vote for my playing card in PLAY!

My cards ready to play

I've finished my mini quilt this weekend to enter into Jenna's competition PLAY. I picked the 3 of Hearts to symbolise my 3 children and I love the colour red so it will definitely be up on my wall soon.

It measures 16.5" x 22" and I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. I've used a quite a few of my favorite fabrics in this quilt; Ruby by Bonnie and Camille, I ♡ London by The Henley Studio,  Ring Dings by Holly Holderman, Toy Box II by Blue Hill Fabrics and a few others. 

It's backing is a John Lewis polka dot and the binding is also made from a Ruby print (I wish I'd bought more of that!!).

I haven't used a pattern to make this, and if you follow me on Instagram you will have seen this from the sketch stage. I used quite a literal translation of my card but there are some amazing mini's in the Flickr group, people have really used their imagination and they have come out stunning!! Please pop over and see what card everyone is PLAYing with!! 

                                                               

I'll be back later in the week with a new woollie project. 

Playing with cards

You may have noticed that I'm very easily distracted! Even though I have a list of wip's as long as my children's birthday list I can't help but start something else.
Jenna from SewHappyGeek is hosting a mini quilt competition using playing cards as the inspiration and I have been resisting joining up! Honestly. I really couldn't think what to do or if I had an idea, the sewing capability to carry it out without a pattern to follow. Until last week, when I thought of making something with meaning to me and drew it out and then made a start.

, a photo by RoseDahlia on Flickr.

And this is what I have ended up with so far. I wanted something I could use after that was relevant to us,so the thought behind picking this card was my 3 children. The photo is rubbish as it's a quick one from my phone.
I've only got till the 21st May to get this finished as I left it so late to get any creative thoughts!!
The PLAY mini quilt competition Flickr group is here.

I still got to get my Siblings Quilt top finished and decide on a border for my Hexagon crochet blanket(!). I've also missed a few weeks of the Zakka Sew Along and want to get back on track with that !!

So, any ideas of the card I picked?

I'm linking up with  

Getting on with some Granny Squares

It's been over a week since I have posted and just as long since I have not spent any time crocheting or on the sewing machine. My hexagon blanket is still untouched as I've not decided on a colour and I haven't completed anymore of the Zakka Sew Along!! I also still had more of the granny square blocks for my Siblings Together quilt. My wip's list is rather long at the moment.

So, on Tuesday evening I got the children to bed promptly and the husband was off at his training, which meant I could pull out the sewing machine and get to work.  The Siblings granny blocks were my priority and I had got some cutting done earlier to make it quicker.

I was unhappy with the navy blue solid that was in two of the blocks (you can see them here), so I unpicked and changed them. I then managed to make up a further 5 blocks, taking my total to 17. I plan on making another 3 blocks as I think this will be a good size child's quilt.

I hope to get these finished next week and then sashed. I've yet to pick a backing but am hoping I can find something wide enough that I don't need to piece it! Please pop over to the Flickr group to see all the other creations and donations.

I've also have been quietly crafting in secret over the last few weeks!! I joined up with LaaLaa's God Save the Queen Jubilee Swap and have been making things for my swap partner Pj, so I can't show them on here incase she pops over and I spoil the surprise!! I have already received Pj's parcel (she's very organised!! ) but I am not going to open it until I get my stuff sent off to her. I should be finished next week and then can send it all off.
                                      
I did plan on putting up Laa Laa's button in the side bar, but I'm useless at them..... I still can't get my Ravelry one to work!

I hope you are having a productive week and if your in the UK I hope your not too wet from the drought!!!

One a Day - My hexagon progress

This week I have finished the first row of the border in the orange (Florence) and I have to say it is really linking all the colours together beautifully. Thank you so much to all of you who commented on last weeks post, it is so lovely to read your thoughts on the progress of this beast of a blanket!!

So, now I've got to pick a colour for the shell edging!! I've had to rule a few out as they are discontinued, these are the yellow and darker blue (which are both my favorites!), but I have narrowed it down to three that I think works with the orange well.

Left is Seafoam, top right is delphinium and bottom right is gooseberry. 

Any thoughts on these colours?

It's so strange how your choices change as you are working on a project, greens never used to be a go to colour, I always favored pinks. But as this blanket has progressed the greens really are becoming a firm favorite.
It is so heavy and warm now, and over the last few rainy days has been lovely to snuggle under and work on. My husband is finding it highly amusing that I've nearly finished it as we head into spring, but at least it will be ready for the winter!!

Crocheting the border has been so nice and I'm already thinking of my next long term project!!
I wondered about a ripple?! Are they as soothing and low concentration as I need for evening crochet time? Or is a granny stripe the way to go?
The pattern is from Lucy at Attic 24 and all yarn in Rowan Handknit cotton.