Quilting In No Time

Right second time lucky with this post as I just tried to post via picasa and it all disappeared - pooff!!! Must try to remember what I had posted and drop the boring bits and add more interesting stuff...mmm we'll have to see!!!

Well ......
I can't resist crafting books, especially sewing ones and whilst at the library recently I found this "Quilting in no time" book by Emma Hardy. After spending several evenings on the sofa browsing through it conjuring up in my minds eye all the projects that I would make the book eventually made its way to my workshop where it stayed all over Christmas. Realising that I only had until New Years Eve to either make all of the projects in the books (highly improbable) or to just renew it on-line I took the easy option and renewed it.
As you probably saw from my last post I recently made a bag and some bunting using some patchwork cheater fabric and this inspired me to try a little quilting project!!! Unusual for me as I normally dive straight in at the deep end and decide to make the hardest and biggest item in the book. So last Sunday I managed to escape to my workshop for a few hours and found the book under a pile of fabric (like you do!!) and found the perfect project. This stripe patchwork bag.
I had also spied (and bought) the perfect fabric here at Octavi's Misi Shop.

I found cutting and sewing the strips rather therapeutic but sadly ran out of time to finish as I had a family to feed and a pile of ironing to do!! I finally finished the bag this week with several tweaks to the design along the way!! I used the quilting on both sides of the bag as I wanted my bag to look good from all angles!! Instead of the fabric handles I added some pretty pink acyrlic ones, I didn't add the piping as I hid the handles inbetween the fabrics for a neater finish and I'm still not sure if I should add the corsage yet.... Here are some photos they're not brilliant as it was getting dark outside but I will take some more tomorrow(weather permitting) and add them later.

I'm really pleased with the bag and now can't decide whether to keep it for myself or find someone who will love it as much as me!!!

I also thought I could offer a bespoke service for this type of bag and others, using either your own fabrics, maybe a dress, etc that you can no longer wear but can't bear to part with or maybe even baby clothes. Alternatively you can just chose a colour scheme and I can source the fabrics (a dirty job I know but someone has to hunt through all those fabrics out there!!!)
What do you think?

Lastly, I'm not the only one who likes the projects from this book, spookily Mary Poppins is wanting to make the washing machine curtain for her new kitchen and blogged about it earlier today, check it out as she is asking for a donation of a 30cm square fabric to make here curtain extra special.

Right hopefully you will be reading this edition of this post and it has not disappeared again!!!

Patchwork Bunting and Bag

Jack was invited to a party tonight by one of the girls in his class and wanted me to make a present for her, he chose some cheater patchwork fabric and this is what I made, some lovely personalised bunting and a pretty bag to keep it in. Lets hope Megan likes it...


If you would like me to make something similar for you then please don't hesitate to contact me

must pull finger out - part 2

Pulling my finger out is going to have to wait until Wednesday as I have a busy few days of friends coming for lunch this week. My friend Caroline is coming today and we don't catch up as often as we should, what with families, school, work etc but we shall have a lovely long chat today and Caroline wants to have a nosey at our new orangey, which is now water tight but very chilly..

On Tuesday Tanya is coming over, we've known each other for 11 years and met at a post natal group when our eldest children were born, again we don't see each as often as we used to as Tanya is a super busy mum, working at a primary school and is in the middle of her teaching degree course. But she's popping over after work and is going to have some lunch and lots of chatting.

I have been thinking up some Valentine gift ideas so shall hopefully get cracking on those towards the end of the week, if I don't get too distracted!!!! Hope you all have a great week.

must pull finger out!!!

I really must pull my finger out and do something, this snow as beautiful as it is is really stopping my creative juices from flowing (I think they are frozen!!!). It's been too cold to venture down the garden to my workshop as although I do have heating it takes a little while to warm up and I always find it difficult to sew with frozen fingers...I've haven't stopped crafting completely as I grabbed my (big)box of cross stitch and have been cross stitching most evenings - I'd forgotten how enjoyable that is..

Well the snow seems to be thawing a little which hopefully means that the kids will be in school tomorrow and I might just pull on my thermals, whack the heating on high and see what happens (might have to have a little(big) tidy up first). If you fancy warming yourself by my fire feel free...

Misi Slimathon

As many of you know there's a group of us over at Misi that have signed up for a challenge over the next three months - lose weight and get fitter all in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. You can read all about our ups and downs and our weight losses over at the Misi Slimathon Blog.

Big Bag Giveaway over at Sugarmouse's!!

Fancy winning yourself a fabulous new bag then pop over to Sugarmouse's blog and enter for your chance to win this....

No more chocolate!!!!!

Happy New Year to you all!!!!
I don't know about you but I ate too much and did too little over the christmas break. My present for christmas was Wii Fit Plus and I was more than a little surprised by my BMI and weight when we all logged on on Christmas Day!!!
So I have joined the Misi Slimathon which will raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and hopefully have lots of us feeling healthier and fitter over the next three months.
I have to weigh in every Saturday so will keep you all posted as to how I'm doing!!!
My aim is to have smaller portions, cut out sweets and chocolate, and my biggest downfall, snacking in the evening. So cutting out those and daily exercise on the Wii will hopefully mean that there will be less of me in three months.
I have counted the coppers in my jar and have £12 so I am aiming for at least that amount in lbs, hopefully a little more...
So here's wishing all the Misi Slimathon members good luck and good will power!