I must not start a new quilt....I must not start a new quilt.....I must not...

A day of sewing and a front quilt finished just in time before the sun sets this evening.

Last week I started to cut up my 'Little Apples' charm packs and all week I have been umming and ahhing over what to do.

As you can see, I ended up just framing half the squares in White Kona.
(I do need to keep it simple) so I'm quite happy the way it has turned out.
I do wish though I got a layer cake of 'Little Apples' as I have missed out on the wee little girls and boys dancing in a circle. Maybe I'll just have to get that FQ pack at Fabric Worm.
I am looking forward to buying some of the prints when they do come out for some little dresses for my neice at home in Oz. I missed out on the Sherbet Pips, not much of it around now.

Ok, I promise I will not start another quilt until all quilts are finished, Oh except the Across the Sea Quilt Along.

Have a great week!

Goodies Swap and Across the Sea QAL

Ok. When I started this blog I didn't think I would be signing up for sewing groups or swapping my projects with others.
The blogging thing is a whole new technical lesson to learn in itself and I am still finding out how to add things onto my page....(I worked out how to put up buttons the other day...I was very proud of myself)
But when reading through others blogs I began to find a whole new language What does a QAL mean oh and LQS?
Then I started to ask myself, how does everyone have time to write these blogs and still sew.
If I joined these groups, would anyone like what I make?

I couldn't let this hold me back so early last week I joined...two.

Across the Sea Quilt Along....(QAL oh is that what it means?) is being co hosted by Sarah from Fairyface Design and she has assured me that I will be able to complete the quilt. (I still think the back looks a bit tricky.) I picked out my fabrics last Saturday evening, well really it was a layer cake that I had bought a month ago and still couldn't decide what to do with it, so with that done I am now ready to conquer my first QAL!

I hope that I'm able to keep up with each weeks task. (I'm behind already.) and glad to see a few friendly faces doing it also.

I also joined Fluffy Sheep Quilting Mug Rug and Goodies Swap.

Once I joined this I really had to stop and ask 'What was I doing! What will I make?'
I am hoping that 3am brain storm will happen sooner rather than later.
I think there is still time to sign up for Cindy's Swap so check it out!

Now I hope to get a bit of sewing done this weekend on my Little Apples quilt, but I have a more important task of decorating a birthday cake for a nephew who is having a 1st birthday party tomorrow and attending the tea party so it may have to wait until Sunday.
Happy Sewing.
Erin

Since posting this I have had terrible trouble with my blog...maybe I should just leave it alone and not fiddle around with it anymore...(like the tension on Mum's sewing machine)
I hope reposting this will stop my blog being redesigned by itself.

On the brighter side...the Cake is done!

Little Apples and Sherbet Pips

I've had a great time sewing this weekend and feel quite satisfied with what I achieved:
Binded a quilt that I started in March. (Another blog for that)
Cut into my Sherbet Pips Jelly Roll.
Pulled out my three Little Apples charm packs and planned what I will make.
Sorted out my fabric that I am to use for My Across the Sea Quilt Along.

While the washing machine was chugging early this morning, my sewing machine was also ticking over. No interuptions!
The Sherbet Pip Jelly Roll was cut yesterday and todays job was to join all the squares.
I was amazed at how quick and easy this was done.
No bobbin running out... No unpicking... No needle broken..How could this be?

I am happy with what I have done so far but now for the backing...mmm.
I don't know if I am a big fan of Jelly Rolls. I think I missed out on the design on the fabrics. (Especially for this fabric design)

Little Apples... My plan for this quilt has changed each hour today. I still can't deside what to do. Should I use some white and frame each square that I have made or do I use the other fabric squares that I have put aside? I know I am limited to what I can do with 5" squares. Maybe I need to just put it aside for the week and tackle it next Saturday. I'm sure It will all come to me at 3am in the morning.

Yes as you can see I do LOVE Aneela Hoey's designs and also LOVE her blog
I think I will be putting an order in for a FQ bundle of this.
It's far too cute not to have it in my stash.

A busy weekend been and gone...Where does it go?
Enjoy your week and thanks for dropping by.
Erin

My stash this week

Little Apples and Sherbet Pips.....Now what will I make!

I love, love, love Aneela Hooey's fabric designs.
Oh I can see a busy sewing weekend ahead!

Sugar Pop and Sour Apple Drops

I have had only limited time this weekend to sew. I find that if I miss out on my Saturday fix of sewing, I get a bit fidgety and my pile of fabric seem to pile up with the next weeks fabric deliveries..(I'm always on the lookout for something)

I had bought another charm pack some time ago 'Sugar Pops' by Moda.
I wanted to buy the FQ bundle of this product but decided to buy a charm pack first and see if I liked the fabric. All my fabric purchases are bought online and at times I do buy something and then am disappointed when I get it.
I do find it hard sometimes to pick fabric myself and choose individual fabric for a quilt. Although the fabric stash is growing each week that goes by, I seem to still buy bundles that are pre cut.

I do like 'Sugar Pops', It's so bright and happy. It took me a while to decide what to make out of it but in the end, I chose to cut the charm pack into triangles with a splash of Kona Solid fabrics.
I haven't tried to sew a quilt like this before so it was certainly an experience in itself.

As the quilt front was whipped up in no time (another crib quilt) I took the afternoon off and zipped over to the local haberdashery store to pick up a few essentials that were running low and a quick detour to the sweet store for bag of sour apple drops. ( A surprise for the hubby.)

Quilted and binded didn't take too much time and before I knew it the quilt was finished. I sat back and let myself suck on a sour apple drop while looking at what I had created. I was happy with the end product and will return to this pattern again...maybe on a larger scale.
Now I do have a confession to make.....I found a Fat Eights bundle online last month, so yes I will be using this fabric collection again sometime soon.
Have a very happy sewing week!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles Continued......

The sun was out this evening (hooray) so I took advantage of the rays and got my camera out to take a few pics.
Although I haven't finished the binding. (I'm thinking of finishing them off tonight after this blog) I decided to take a photo while I could.

And the second quilt...much the same as the first!

I'm really happy the way they came out. Bright you could say!

Anne Kelle's fabric (Ready, Set, Go!) was organic fabric. When I received my parcel in the mail, I couldn't get over how soft the fabric was.
I matched it with some Kona White, Orange, Corn Yellow and Grass Green but I still thought I needed another colour so went up to the trusty stash in the cupboard and found the spotty brown...Ah we'll give it a go.

I have had a few questions on the bamboo wadding from you all.
I bought this when I was back in Australia a few months ago. I have a few neices and nephews that suffer from ezchema and so picked some up. I think the brand was 'Matilda'. I haven't seen it sold in Ireland though. Is there anywhere in the UK that sells it?

Now for my next project....I'm sure I will wake up in the middle of the night thinking of just that.
Thanks again for dropping by. Erin

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Well another weekend over and I really don't know if I have achieved what I wanted to get done.
I was following many new blogs through the past week and I am in awe of the sewing projects from everyone and what gets done during the week....Where do you all find the time?

This weekend I was hoping to get four baby quilts finished off...that was quilting and binding....Did I get that finished....NO!
I actually decided that I needed some pins ( my favourite set)so had to finish another large quilt (that I started back in March, I think) as my collection of pins had been in the binding of this quilt for the past three weeks.
Like Fairyface Design
I too wanted to get outside today and take a few photos, but as the rain kept falling, I gave up and went back to the computer and checked out some more blogs.

So - what did I get finished?...well I have almost finished the two 'Planes Trains and Automobile' quilts.

Two you ask?
I am still learning how much fabric I need for a quilt, so when I cut up all of my FQ bundle of Anne Kelle fabric, I realised I could make two small quilts.
I have also used 100% bamboo wadding for the first time in these quilts. I still can't decide if it was easier to use than the 100% cotton wadding or not. (I found it a bit slippery to work with when pinning it together)

So the final photo of my little quilts....Sorry, it is going to have to wait until tomorrow...it was too dark to take a photo when the rain stopped.

On a final note, I would like to thank again to the followers that joined my blog this week, I have been quite surprised at the messages that you have been leaving. My quilting experience and experimentation of fabric is only limited, and I suppose I am taken back with the messages that have been left.
Thanks again. Erin.

A Busy Long Weekend

Here in sunny Ireland (well it was meant to be sunny) it was a Bank Holiday and with the other half on nights this week meant that I had ample time to myself.
I took the opportunity to finish (or try to finish off) some baby quilts that I had started. With the rain falling, I took out my scrap bag my Kona solids and started to make backs for four quilts.

Still have a long way to go before these quilts will be finished off.
When is the next Bank holiday?

Thanks to all that have joined my blog ( Lily's Quilts you are a star!) and all the messages of encouragement. I'm looking forward to reading all the new blogs this week.

I have been following Lily's Quilts for a few months now and love the colour she uses and her fabulous new logo..Very creative!

She has a link to new bloggers out there,(just like me) It's all a little bit daunting at the start, but I'm glad to know there are a few others out there just like me!