Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Short and Sweet.


Finally got a photo of the quilt top!

Enjoy your day.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Yea I know... but I couldn't resist.

Last week I was on the computer and some how my fingers took over the keyboard and before I knew it...Lotta Jansdotter Echo Bundle was bought from Fabric Worm.
It wasn't the complete line, but enough for me.
Ah well it's almost Christmas isn't it?
Now what to make...A Quilt of course and I have seen some fantastic designs out there already.

With only myself at home last night, I was able to get a good bit of time to sit at the sewing machine.
I purposely turned off the computer so there was no reading of blogs to distract me and fabric was cut and blocks sewed before midnight and then up early this morning to sew them all together.


I had cut the fabric into 7" squares  and then into triangles.
Co ordinating fabric were all Kona fabrics. Coffee, Sage, Ash, and White.  All in my stash.
 (I knew they would come in handy!)







Although it is very bright outside now, I knew it wouldn't be when I finish the next 6 rows this afternoon so I took the opportunity to take a photo of what I have done so far.

And the best bit is there is still a bit of fabric left over...which is great as I have an idea for another quilt.

I don't think there will be much more buying until after the Christmas posting rush is over. 
I wouldn't want any precious parcels going missing.

Thanks for dropping by.  Erin

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Look... I won!

Look, My first win from blogland. And aren't they so cute!

Lauren at Wilde Snapdragon Designs and I linked up together from Small Blog Meet at Lily's Quilts a few months ago.  I suppose I always find that I come back to these early followers of my blog because they helped me start and give me a bit of confidence that I could do the whole blogging thing too.
Now when I found out I won, I thought I was getting my favourite strippy heart...but oh no....look what else I got...A little felt pouch for my phone. A lovely broach, lots of little peg hearts. And when ever I go over to the bowl that they are sitting in the wonderful smell of lavender is so calming.
I really admire bloggers out there that sell their work too.  I think I'm a bit nervous that someone may not like their product when they see it in the flesh.  But have no fear..I LOVE THESE.  Now Lauren has re filled her Etsy store and has a few markets to go to in the comming weeks.
Thanks very much Lauren . 
Now back to some sewing...

Friday, November 25, 2011

Free Motion Quilting Friday....

Can you believe this...I'm posting my FMQ to link up with Cindy...I'm feeling a wee excited that I am so organised this week.  Usually the FMQ task is lagging behind and squeezed into Saturday or Sunday.

This week Cindy of Fluffy Sheep Quilting had us trying .......... Superstar


 It did take me a little while to find my way but I found that I turned the fabric at each point, my lines seemed to be straighter then and therefore kept the shape of the stat.
Oh if you should think that you may need to sneeze....it might be a good idea to stop, as I found.


 I chose to use yellow thread for my Superstar...maybe I should have chosen a different colour to show off the sewing.
I wonder what she will have in store for us next week....Looking forward to it already Cindy.

Thanks to all that suggested ideas for the binding, I will bring them out again this weekend and make my final decision on what to do.
And I have found a new home for my fabric, Now I need to find a new home for the DVDs.
(Hubby doesn't know this yet)

Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to all in the US.  Hope you all had a great day.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Will anything be finished?

I have been trying my hardest to finish off some projects before I start anything new.  And then there is always a set back of running out of fabric or you realise that you have no thread that matches.
So this is what I have been doing the past few weeks.

Do you remember these?

My place mats are being quilted.....oh and there are some little coasters to go with each set.
I may have to put this aside for another week while I decide what to do for the binding.
Any suggestions? I thought the prints might be too much to use as binding?



And I just have to finish off the hem on my Amy Butler Barcelona skirt....




There are a few more projects that need to be finished....doesn't seem to stop me from buying more fabric though....
Can you have too much fabric?  Because I think I'm beginning to run out of storage space soon.

Happy sewing!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

FMQ with H2.....OOOh no!!!

Is it Friday you ask...No unfortunately not, but with my Christmas shopping finished off yesterday, (so I'm organised for some things.) my only day for sewing was today.

H20 is the challenge this week...thanks Cindy...it was a challenge.  Circles are far from perfect. 
 I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I find that each week I do these samples,  I finish with a very tense back.  The concentration is immense and I end up scrunching up my shoulders and bending over to be closer to the needle..... A good posture for sewing goes completely out the window.


No I don't think these are H2O, but some aliens maybe from out of space...maybe I should have used green thread.

Now believe it or not I did the FMQ Star challenge too and all the advice to give you is to pivot your needle at each point of the star to get a straight line....Oh and if you feel like you are going to sneeze...STOP......


Enjoy your week!  Erin

Saturday, November 12, 2011

FMQ Friday Pine Needles and My New Fabric Stash.

You may not believe this but fabric stores in Ireland are few and far between.
It can get frustrating at times so when you can get your hands on quilting supplies, you can go a little bit crazy.
The Knitting and Stitching show was on this weekend in Dublin, (along with some bulls) so I headed over to get a few bits and bobs.  New larger mat, cutting rulers, freezer paper, bobbins (good idea Eva). 
I didn't spend much time there, as it was packed.  The stalls were really more for traditional quilters so no fabric was bought. And to be honest I don't even like shopping on a Saturday with crowds, so this was defiantly not my scene.  I like to just swan around like you can in a book store...take my time.  But it really was like 2000  bulls in a china shop so after an hour I legged it.

When I got home the postman had kindly left something behind the flower pot at the front door.

Now that's shopping for you!...Jealous?
I was really disappointed when Fabric Worm ran out of Daisy Chain (Prints Charming) and I wasn't leaving it to chance to wait to see if it was coming back in so I headed to  Charm Stitch at Etsy.  And there it was. 
 Expensive but well worth it.  ( Months fabric budget blown in one go)
But really I still have this.....
Jay - Cyn Designs

And this to use...
Kona Solids from River Fabrics
Head down now Erin no excuses not to start.

I am loving this FMQ each week.  It really puts me out of my comfort zone and this little bit of homework for me each week is playing on my mind all week to finish
(Oh, how it comes around so quickly) 
It also finishes up all my almost empty bobbins and my scraps of batting. 
(Yes I'm a hoarder...and I get it from my Grandmother)

So here it is.....Well some of it. 
(look right to left)
When I started , I sewed a line down the block.  It was easier to concentrate on the pine needles and not think of the straightness of the line....so I found out in the third line.
(Because I didn't stick to logical thinking on this line).
I was playing around with the angle of the pine needle and then realised how messy it looks. So yes you need to keep the angle the same for each pine needle....
And then........I started thinking.  (light bulb please)  Pine Needles, Christmas Tree....Presents......
And this is what happened.


Oh... the power of  media.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Puppy Love with Sherbet Pips

I know, I know, Sherbet Pips is not the latest design from Aneela Hoey, but I do love the designs on the fabrics...Although I can't decide which particular fabric I love the most.
I had bought two jelly rolls of this range...Yes I did indulge, but I am happy that I did.  I suppose my two quilts I have made from these designs have two different layouts...nothing too tedious or over adventurous, but I was glad to try them out.
I cut up my second  jelly roll up in strips of 6 1/2" and made blocks out of three different strips. 
56 blocks made in total, sewed up and a few strips left over for two rows of the puppy's on the top and bottom of the quilt.
Binding was made from the strips of dots in the range and the backing was the pink puppy fabric.
Cotton wadding was used and I machine quilted the quilt with straight lines...No FMQ here, well not yet.
I do wish now that I did buy more of this range... but well I still have this in my cupboard and haven't a clue what I am going to do with it.

Now this was not on my list of Winter Stitching Projects that I have joined up with from FairyFace Design, but its another quilt on my finished list.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

My Halloween Wedding Anniversary.

I haven't been around much of late and have no sewing really to show you.  But that doesn't mean the mind hasn't been ticking over thinking of new projects to do.

My FMQ was missed last week as Hubby and I had a weekend away in Galway for our Wedding Anniversary and to see the many delights of Halloween.   Galway put on the rain and wind for us so we were really indoors for the weekend...but maybe that is why there are so many good pubs in the city.
So between rain falling and the sun trying to peer through the clouds, I got some shopping in, and dropped into Pippa Blue and met up with Eva for a quick chat and one or two purchases.  Eva is my first Flickr contact that I have meet from the cyber world, and it was really nice to meet a fellow sewer.



And Cindy I did see  that cake shop.....but I kept walking...I was not aloud to be tempted.

I have finished my two weeks FMQ for Cindy's link. 
My Star...


Next time I will sew a cross first.  It was easier to see where the middle was but that didn't stop the wonky straight sewing....Maybe I should use a smaller piece of fabric.

Stomach Lining was a lot more fun,



Although half way through my hubby came over to ask if there were enough peas in the dinner for me.  So I had to try and look up and keep sewing at the same time, while turning the piece around.


I have also purchased some thread from Fiona's new store on etsy Threads 2000.


I wish I bought the green as well.

So not much else to show. 
I still have to blog about my two quilts but when ever the sun is shinning, I have been stuck in work.  The short days aren't helping either so hopefully I can get out today.
I have also two weeks of blogging to catch up with, oh a busy day ahead.