My Quilty Bucket List!

I mentioned last week that I had been pondering my Quilty Bucket List after reading the brilliant posts that were linked up at The Tilted Quilt and had joked to Hannah on IG that is might actually be easier to write a list of quilts I don't want to make……. but, with the linkup ending in a few hours I thought I'd get the mad list in print on the blogosphere so that I might actually get the courage to start one.
                                                                                       
The list so far is

A Scrappy/or not Trip Around the World.

Scrappy trip Around The World by Camille Roskelley

I loved seeing these pop up on IG, but last year I didn't have the stash to plunder to make one, but every time I see one, I still really want to make one of my own!

Grandmother Flower Garden 

I found this one on Pinterest!

I think I could start this now and finsih when I'm about 80!!!

Swoon for Me!

I made this one for my parents, but I want to do one with a Low Volume background that I can keep, all for me!!  

ABC Quilt

Spell it with Fabric Quilt By Messy Jesse

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this quilt by Jessie and really want one for my house! 

Churn Dash Quilt

This quilt by Crazy Mum Quilts is gorgeous! I don't know if it the Pezzy Prints or the Churn Dashs that I love more!! 

Irish Chain Quilt

Scrappy Irish Chain quilt by Messy Jesse 

I thought I would never have this on my list, but after seeing this tutorial I have hopes of making one…. one day! 

A Rainbow quilt. 

Stunning Quilt by Gemma @ Pretty Bobbins

I have loved this quilt for nearly a year! It is stunning and I can't imagine the work that went into it, but I would love to make a rainbow I Spy Quilt at some point in my sewing life!! 

I also want to use the bundle of Chicopee and stop looking for the perfect pattern for it.

And to be braver with fabrics, my Economy Blocks quilt really showed me that scrappy and loud can be amazing and that everything doesn't have to be matchy matchy.

And thats it…….for now…I think!

Now, what should I start first?

And what on your Bucket List?

Letters

I ……

have gotten the sewing machine out last night!! WooHoo!
I didn't realise I was missing it as much as I was.
These letters are from the Moda Blog Hop Spell it with Fabric patterns (they have taken down the original post with all the links for the letters so I had to do a bit of tinternet searching!!) and will be a birthday cushion for a friends daughter at the end of April.
I was completely inspired by this quilt by Jessie and I really really have to add this to my have to make quilt list!!
I just wish I'd have had the brain power to make a NAN for Sunday!!! Doh!

be I'll get it done for the mothers birthday in May! 

I've not got any handmade Mother's Day presents to give this year! Have you? I must plan better!  

21 Loops Along!

With a recent run of birthdays and the impending Mother's Day, my sewing machine has had to be cleared off the sewing kitchen table to allow for more people to be fed! They are so demanding around here, I don't know why my dad couldn't just eat off the sewing machine! Actually I do…..he's messier than a toddler!!!
But, it has meant that this week I have a fair bit of forced knitting time and so my CftC Kintalong Miss Winkle now has 21 Loops!

Although, it would be more if I hadn't spend most of Sunday evening picking up a dropped stitch about 10 rows down, with a crochet hook!!
The rows are obviously taking longer, but I love how the variegated yarn is being allowed to show the colour changes more.

And I've only gone and found another stunning shawl pattern by the same designer ( I just might have a crush on all of this woman's patterns) I think this could be my next knit. Only when I finish the ones I've got on the go, of course!

One the sewing front, I've chopped the fabric to make some letters for a birthday cushion and will hopefully drag the machine out tonight for a bit of sewing.

This week I have also been trying to make a list for Kids Clothes Week sewing projects to get me organised (don't laugh too much!), thinking of quilts that I would really love to go on my Quilty Bucket List (I've loved reading all those posts) and spending way too much time on eBay (eBay is an evil addiction, it just sucks your time up and make you think you NEED things) looking for a secondhand overlocker! One I was watching the other week went for just £50 lower than the brand new price! They go for crazy money, I'm using the idea of it being an investment to convince the husband……….. you should know it's not working!!! That and the fact I was shouting at my phone at nearly midnight when the bidding was ending and it went over my definitely top top bid. The man thinks I've finally lost it.
I think the problem here is too much time spent on list writing (and eBay) and not enough doing!

Woolish Update!

I think if you have a bad case of Startiitus of the fabric variety, it goes without saying that the problem may spread over onto other crafts and although I might have said I wouldn't start that Miss Winkle Shawlette for the CftC Knitalong without finishing Rose's cardigan…………I lied,

I was distracted by this yummy yarn that arrived…. and I had to cast on, as I'd read a few people had had to redo there first few rows, so I thought I'd just give it a trial go! 

And have ended up with 10 loops of pretty springness!

Even though the pattern read a little trickily, it is really simple and so far has knitted up really well and of course the best bit is the yarn matches the pouch!

I'm easily pleased! 

Also, Rose's Granny's Favourite cardigan has had some progress on it too.

Just the sleeves to go and the brilliant thing with this pattern, is there is hardly any ends to sew in  on this one! Not like the last cardigan, that was sew-in-hell!! 

I'm linking up with 

WIP - The nameless block!

I've had an idea in my head after spotting a block on IG and can't for the life of me remember
a. Who's profile I saw it on, or b. If it had a name!
I've searched and searched the internet and pinterest, looking up grid quilts, fence quilts, X quilts and lattice quits (the last one was the closest,  but still not quite what I wanted). I just can't find what it might be called, so after a bit of dodgy quilt maths and planning…….I've made this 11" ish block.

And then three more…

And then PicMonkey mocked up if I made loads, well 32 more blocks….. although those four have reminded me what a mare it is to sew on the bias!

So, what do you think?
Can you name that block?
I was thinking of using my Chicopee bundle and some Kona Bone…. or maybe just carry on with some more scraps….. I fear it may actually hurt me to cut into that bundle!

I'm linking up with 

 

Le Challenge - Order

Spring has definitely sprung around here over the last few days and it's given me a good excuse to start a new thing or two……. and to get some ORDER in the process!
I spotted that Sarah from Crafts from the Cwtch is starting a spring knit along of a beautiful shawlette called Miss Winkle and of course I needed very little encouragement to order a new skein of yarn in very springish colours to make the said shawlette (plus it had 40% off, my arm was well and truly twisted!). And in the name of organisation (yes, yes, I'll get there eventually!!!)  I needed a new knitting pouch because the other pouches are filled with wip's to keep the pattern, yarn and bits safely together and to be ready to grab for knitting on the go, at yet another after school club!
So I decided a boxy pouch was the way to go and here it is…..

I used this amazingly easy and clear tutorial by Bonnie of Pink Stitches, the panels were quilted in an evening and I put the pouch together in no time. Honestly over a lunchtime!

It's the first time I've Quilted As You Go and this tutorial gave me a brilliant idea of where to start and it has made the pouch so so sturdy.

I made the larger sized pouch and it's finished dimensions are…

Perfect for what I needed to keep everything together and what more I LOVE it!!
I used all scraps for this and even though it's only March I can see these being a brilliant Christmas present make!!

Now all I need is the yummy yarn to arrive!! So, maybe I'm not that organised……

I'm linking this up to the brilliant Le Challenge! 

Economy Block Quilt ✓

You are probably sick of the sight of this quilt, but it's done!!! It's bright, scrappy

And I'm in love with it…….. each block makes me smile so much!

Can you spot the join?

I made my first block back over the New Year and 196 blocks later I have a gorgeous quilt just for me and my 4th finish off my Q1 FAL list!!

The blocks were mostly made from my scraps and although I used quite a lot of them, I think I still have enough to make another, but I won't!

I quilted it with straight lines framing the centre fussy cut blocks.

It's a good size for a single bed, but the children are not having this one, it's living on the sofa, to be snuggled by me of an evening.

The Details.

Pattern: Economy Block tutorial by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts 

Size : 70"x70"

Fabric : Loads and loads of scraps for the blocks from my stash and the great UK fabric destash 

Backing : Baile de Calaveras from Folkloric By Alexander Henry

Binding : Sketch in charcoal and smoke

And after all that work and love that went into it, the hubby turned around and said he prefers the back…………. thank goodness I spent all that time matching the backing pieces so perfectly!!! Bloody men!

I have just two more things to finish off my list, I better get a wriggle on!

nearly there!

I have had my nose in a Kindle over the last few weeks and it seemed that my sewing and blogging mojo had a little rest! But, along with some very needed spring sunshine and a delivery of Aurifil it reappeared on Tuesday and gave me the kick I needed to quilt my Economy Blocks!

It was already basted and I got straight in with quilting until…….. it all went a bit Pete Tong!! I had basted it really really badly and it puckered and bunched horribly.
I confess, I did nearly pack my sewjo back away and give up, but after a lot of unpicking, a little bit of sulking and a whine (no! not the vino variety, although only because it was too early in the day!) on IG, I re-basted it on Tuesday evening with the help from a hot iron on the floor and ½ a can of starch.  

Quilting was fairly quilt and easy, lots of straight-ish lines and so now it's on to picking binding.
I don't know if to order this clown stripe in blue and completely follow the brilliant Rita of RPQ who started this whole economy craze or go for one of these. 

From the top     Sketch Charcoal

                         Scribble Blue

                         Sketch Smoke

What do you think? The hubby thinks Charcoal, not that I asked him!!
I should really use what I've got…………

I'm linking up….. a day late, but better late than never?!?

Farewell February!

February was very wet and windy and to be quite honestly, I am so glad to see the back of it.
I was fairly productive and got a few things to the finished stage!

1. Jan Sew Kitschy Bom, 2. Feb Sew Kitschy Bom, 3. Woodland Sampler Done!, 4. Dribble bibs, 5. Adventure Time Cushions, 6. quilt top done!

And I've got a few things I really want to get finished up in March, like wrestling that Economy block top through my machine and a quilt that I'd really like to start….

I'm linking up with the lovely Lynne's