Baby Quilts x 2

I can now show you all the two baby quilts I've been busy with lately! They're almost identical with the exception of the top panel, which have different animals. The 'elephant' one is for my nephew Jonathan and his wife Hafsa, who made me a Great Aunt on 2nd December with the birth of their gorgeous little boy, Mika (pronounced Mee-ka).

Isn't he just beautiful?

The 'bunnies' one is now in Perth, Australia, which I made for Ross & Amy - Ross is my nephew's cousin and he also grew up calling me Auntie. He married an Australian girl a couple of years ago and is now settled over there. Their baby is actually due tomorrow and we don't know what they're having yet (and neither do they!)

I designed the quilts myself and then managed to source a gorgeous selection of fabrics - they're mostly vintage/retro child/nursery themed designs. It's not a true rainbow of colours, but I chose 3 different fabrics in each of 7 colours. I knew exactly how I wanted the quilts to look and I have been chuffed to bits to be honest with how they've turned out. I didn't have a clue what size to make them though and 'Googling' didn't really help, as I ended up with a variety of sizes!! In the end, I opted for 'on the larger size' because they will actually be big enough for a child's first bed. 

They're both labelled on the back in the hope they might be kept and treasured and become family heirlooms - that's if they survive the baby treatment!! LOL

I hope you like them!

Another completed quilt!

I've finally finished my Summertime Delight quilt and I love it! The colours are so refreshing and summery. Although I finished the patchwork top around Christmas time, it was a while before I had it quilted and then I just had to complete it with the binding. This was bought as a 'Block of the Month' from Totally Patched; and what I loved most of all, is that everything comes pre-cut with the instructions. The pre-cutting is what takes so long and is usually what puts me off. As soon as the monthly block arrives, you can sit down and start to sew! And I was very strict with myself, because I know it doesn't take long to lag behind with BOMs - it was completed on time over 10 months.

I was even very good and labelled it!

I know it's way, way too hot at the moment, but it'll be lovely come the colder weather!

Month 8 - Log Cabins

I'm back again! I'm considering these 4 Log Cabin blocks as the last ones really, as the only other blocks are the 4 corner pieces, which are just plain pieces of fabric (no sewing together tiny bits of fabric!). I do love Log Cabins - one day I shall do a quilt entirely made up of them ....... one day!! LOL

So which way around do you like log cabin blocks? Not that there's a choice: I have to lay them out according to the pattern.

So, apart from the 4 corner blocks, there will just be sewing all the blocks together(ONLY!!!) and then add the borders.

It's looking good!

Next installment - Summertime Delight BOM

I forget which month I'm on now - month six I think!

It was a bit tricky with so many smallish squares - but the measurements are correct! Mind you, if I thought these were small, I'm not looking forward to the next one (Totally Patched sent two Blocks together this time) ............. just look at all of those little 1½ inch squares :0( 

Baby Cot Quilt

I’ve had a short break from my bears the last few weeks or so because I was asked by a work colleague to make a baby cot quilt. Something traditional was the request; but, still unsure what to do, I asked her to find a design she liked – and hexagons were her choice! These are approximately 4½ inches in width and machine stitched, rather than the smaller ‘paper piecing’ ones, which would have taken 'forever', or at least until the youngster was about 5-years old!!  I hadn’t a clue how to go about machine sewing hexagons, other that knowing accurate points would be crucial!! However, I found an excellent tutorial on YouTube, which worked really well. Even though I say so myself, practically all of the points are spot on! I added a border in a neutral ivory tone and a smaller lemon one to help the hexagons pop. Anyway, this is it

Thankfully, baby cot quilts are small LOL. Mind you, I ended up making two, because when I was half way through making this one, my sister-in-law saw it and asked whether I would make one for her to give as a gift to one of her work friends who was also expecting. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photograph of that one, as there was a bit of a rush to finish it – the said lady having had a C section a week ago and my sister-in-law was due to visit her on Thursday, so I had to get it finished quickly! It’s a shame, because it’s a different design to this one, other than I used a few of the left-over hexagons in the centre; and then I did appliqué birds and flowers around the edges – very sweet!

Anyway, I’m back to my bears now

and hope I shall soon have another one to show!

I nearly forgot; Happy Spooky Halloween everyone!!!!!!

Say hello to …….

Humphrey the Elephant!

Humphrey was a very popular greetings card character a few years ago – not seen so much now, but I used to buy lots of ‘Humphrey’ cards. This is one of the sketches they used to use:-

I made him from a kit I bought from ‘Create & Craft’ on the Freeview Shopping channel on TV – I just had to have him when I saw Debbie Shore making him, although I didn’t realise just how many separate parts there were ……. 25 individual sections to cut out and sew together! The fur is beautifully soft, although that made it difficult to work, but thankfully he still worked out quite well. 

The dungarees didn't come as part of the kit, so I had to make those up myself – really pleased with my bargain too – yellow corduroy for £1 a metre – and I only used half of it, so 50 pence they cost to make ……. Not bad eh? I had no plans for Humphrey when I ordered the kit, and I was going to keep him for myself, but while I was making him, I heard from an old neighbour that their little 3-year old girl has just been diagnosed with leukaemia, which is heart-breaking, so I think I know where Humphrey will be heading off to – I hope he manages to raise a small smile when he’s received!

My next finish is this wall hanging. 

It’s from a pattern called ‘Pleasantly Primitive’ by Kim Diehl from her ‘Simple Blessings’ book, The fabric is a random selection, but based on a similar colour palette used by Kim Diehl. I love it, and it’s now hanging on my dining room wall. The patchwork is by machine and the quilting is by hand for a more rustic/primitive look.

So pleased I managed to get something posted – it’s been a while!

My new bag

Like my new bag?!! This is the front

I bought the pattern and fabric when I was the Malvern Quilt Show the other week and decided to set to work on it straight away. The sheep is my own adaptation, as the pattern called for an applique angel, but I'm not particularly in to angels too much and preferred a sheepy! 

...... and this is the back, including a large pocket!

and the finishing touch - a metal charm dangly thing!

You like - I just love the colours of the fabric?

Giveaway!!

I just came across a great Giveaway on Janet’s blog. It’s for a chance to win this great looking book called ‘Patchwork-Play Quilts’ by Lynn Roddy Brown. The book shows you how to use up some of your scrap fabric to make fabulous looking quilts. It’s certainly appealing to me, as using up some of my HUGE hoard is what I’m going to attempt to do once I’ve completed my current project (a cross-stitch sampler).

So, if you want to be in with a chance of winning the book (which is autographed), then pop over to Janet’s blog and leave a comment. The Giveaway closes on Monday 26th September.

Wallhanging

I’ve been working on two rag dolls this week. The ‘Tilda’ doll that I made for Katarina for the Easter Swap turned out to be quite popular with a few other ladies who make lovely cards with the ‘Tilda’ rubber stamps and, as a consequence, I have received two orders for a doll and have been busy with those.

So, the only thing that I can show this week is a wall hanging that I started over the Easter break. I’ve used some of the absolutely gorgeous Moda ‘Harvest Home’ fabric, which I just love (a lot)!! I decided to have a go at the pinwheel pattern (that is what it’s called, right?!). I haven’t attempted it before and had thought it would be relatively easy, but, for goodness sake, trying to sew all eight corners together is a bit of a pig (sorry, challenge)!!! Then I’m going to have a go at some proper needle turn appliqué – I’ve only ever done it with ‘Heat n’ Bond’, i.e. no hems and I shall do some simple appliqué on the side borders, but not until I’ve finished my ‘Tilda’ doll orders!!

Hope everyone has had a good weekend - back to the grindstone tomorrow!!!