Not enough hours in the day.

Were has this year gone?

I had so much that I  promised myself that I would do this year and low and behold this week will be the start of November.

Finding time to sew and read (sometimes look) all these lovely blogs is hard for me...although I do love my iPod so very much and it does it's duty keeping me up to date when I have a spare 5 minutes or when I am unwinding after a crazy day at work.   Work also is what is eating into my spare time.  In the past month I have had 3 training days on a Saturday and another set for November in a few weeks.  Am I babbling...yes!  Unfortunately it is part of the job.  I do get my time back but where it goes...I don't know!  What I am trying to say is that I do look at your blogs and if I don't leave a comment it doesn't mean that I haven't checked you out this week. 

I sometimes get too excited to do these swaps too and then run out of time (have no fear all have been sent) and I have realized that my last quilt that I have made was my Echo quilt.

I have only discovered Instagram in the past month..

(I promised myself that I would not sign up to yet another social networking site.  I'm not a fan of Facebook and rarely go on it, saying that  Facebook does own it.)

I am finding it really handy though, a lot quicker to take a photo and write a note on it than to blog about it.  

If there is anyone else out there that is on it...let me know you will find me at  

erinbillybuttondesign.

But here is a few things that I have been up to this weekend .....It's a Bank Holiday in Ireland and I have loved every minute if it.  Lot's of Erin time this weekend and it isn't over yet.

As some of you know I am joining in with

Jennifer at Sew Kind of Wonderful was the Blogger's Block of the Month for October.

A churn dash block.

I haven't tried this block before and found it quick and easy to churn up ...(it had to be said now)

The finished block is to be 9 1/2". 

Unfortunately, I cut mine down to 9"....I wasn't thinking so I may have to make it again..ops!

I have also been admiring some lovely weekend bags of late that came out of the Sewing Summit.  

Particularly one from Debbie at A Quilter's Table.

I saw that Elizabeth at Oh Fransson!  blogged about the sewing technique

I had some lovely Washi to use and thought that it would be good to make some mug rugs

 I whipped these up last night...didn't take too long but as you can see.....I obviously didn't have enough lighting in the room as look what happened.

I also think that they do need a bit of binding around them.  These look too much like little bags and I want the backing fabric to be a bit more fitted to the batting....does that make sense?  So back to the sewing machine today.  Have no fear though, these little rugs have been put to work straight away.

Enjoy your day.

Erin

Still grooving.

Now that I have my front finished and I don't want to be branded a topper, I am on the way to having this quilt batted this weekend and hopefully get a bit of the quilting done.   Still cant decide how I am going to quilt this one....There are so many lovely FMQ on others but I am not that great at it and feel that straight  lines are more my forte.  I do think that I need to get out of my comfort zone though.

I originally chose the fabric for this quilt around this stash that I had hidden in my cupboard.

Amy Butler Belle collection.

See that lovely Amy Butler Belle Fabric down the bottom...yep that's it.

Although I had a meter of this fabric I still needed to use the rest of my solids to make the back up.  I wasn't going to spend any more money on buying the Belle fabric as it was OPP and I did buy a bit more of each solid just in case I made a mistake when cutting. 

Binding is cut and delighted that I have a little bit of each solid to put away in my ever growing stash.

So you know what I will be doing this week.

Linking up to Alyssa.....

Mouthy Stitches Tote bag done....TICK

Yes I have a list as long as my arm and was beginning to panic a week ago but with a bit of time off work last week I have been able to whip this tote bag up for my secret partner in round 2 of Mouthy stitches.

Pattern was from Skip to my Lou's blog

I was thinking some HST's but was too worried I would loose the design on the fabric I had chosen. 

 ( I was also thinking the tote bag was a lot bigger ) 

 Maybe another star block that I made for Cindy in the Modern Irish Bee but really that would be cheating right!

So 2" squares were chosen and am happy to see the final product.

Back was just the bits left over sewn together.  You can't waste anything.

I did do one mistake.....I cut the linen fabric for the strap and realised that it was an inch too thin so I had to improvise seeing that there wasn't any more of this linen in my stash...(believe it or not)

Fabrics used:

Geometric Fabric....Could 9  (if you can grab this for your stash do....its really bright)

Essex Linen in steal grey (bought from M is for Make)

Lining is Laurie Wisbrun (it was in my stash)

Partner I hope you like!

Erin

Oh man...the Last Quarter?

Yep it is the last quarter for Rhonda at Quilter in the Gap's Finish a long....

.

I thought I would be very sneaky and put up only one finish to do last quarter and do you think I got it done....NO!

So it seems that it is now back on my list again.....

No. 1    Log cabin Quilt......blogged here

And this is how far it has got to date...well at least I had organized it to which blocks were going where.

photo

Need to do.....

Sew it all together, 

Quilting 

Batting 

Binding 

and hey presto...it's done! 

No.2   My Swoon Quilt. Blogged here

My beautiful Swoon quilt is on my list....it really needs to be finished.  the reason why I have stalled on this mama is that I have to square all the blocks up and I do not have a block cutter that big....am I procrastinating or what!  

Need to do...

Sew the quilt top together

Back( all ready and waiting)

Batting

Quilting...(oh man this is going to be a big one)

Binding

No.3  My Kitchen Window quilt. Blogged here
 

Again it has been hanging for quilting some time and will need to be finished.

Back

Batting 

Quilting 

Binding.

Now do you seriously think I am going to get any of these done....yes indeedy!  I want a fresh start for next year.  Now that Mouthy Stitches is out of the way and all my charm swaps and finished my pin cushion for Bee stingy.....I  can concentrate on these.

Happy Stitching.

Erin

Thanks Linda

A little parcel arrived out of the blue last week....who could this be from?

I've got a wonderful parcel of Linda before and my mug rug is always ready to be used when the cuppa is had.

From Mug Rug and goodies swap.

I sent some things over to Linda and look what I got in the mail...a big surprise....

Now I have another wonderful bundle of goodies....

Linda thank you very much....they have been put to good use already.
I honestly believe that you can never have enough pin cushions and
my little purse is now on my car keys...I will always have change for the parking meter and that pesty parking inspector will never get me again.

Thanks again Linda

Erin

Bee a star!

I'm having a few days off work so am loving that it is raining cats and dogs outside...until I want to take a photo that is. Finally I got my September block finished off

for our latest blocks for the Modern Irish Bee....

Cindy at Fluffy Sheep Quilting was our Queen and what a block she had for us.

Now I do love HST's but I kept putting these off as I didn't want to rush them.

 I hope they will be OK for you Cindy

I promise they will be in the post tomorrow.

 Erin

Blogger's Block of the month at Peach Patch Quilts

I really am stunned when someone asks me to join a group in blog land, especially groups that I have to make a tutorial for.  Ah it's Erin you are taking to here...what can I bring to the table that someone else could do a far better job at?

But alas I have joined (with delight may I say) a new group of very lovely and talented bloggers for a bit of fun and creation.

I have joined up with Dhia of Peach Patch Quilts to her Blogger's block of the month at Peach Patch Quilts

Each month a blogger from the list will make their favourite block 

My month is ...if I can remember June next year...

( it seems so far away but I'm sure it will come around quick enough) 

Date	Name	Blog
Sept 15th 2012	Carin & Carol	Margarets Hope Chest
Oct 15th 2012	Jenny	Sew Kind Of Wonderful
Nov 15th 2012	Jennifer M	Ellison Lane Quilts
Dec 15th 2012	Natalie	Craftin Mechanic
Jan 15th 2013	Stefanie	Little Lady Patchwork
Feb 1st 2013	Jennifer I	Knotted Thread
Feb 15th 2013	Sandra	Sharp Quilts
Mar 15th 2013	Nicole K	Patchwork Duck Designs
April 1st 2013	Bree	Distant Pickles
Apr 15th 2013	Tracey	Itching 2 B Stitching
May 15th 2013	Felicity	Felicity Quilts
June 15th 2013	Erin	Billy Button Design
July 15th 2013	Nicole N	Mama Love Quilts
Aug 15th 2013	Dhia	Peach Patch Quilts

Our blocks this month are 'fun in the middle' 

(which I am delighted to do as they will be whipped up in no time)

Carin and Carol at Margaret's Hope Chest are putting these block together to make a quilt that will given to girls who have a parent in prison. They will be distributed next year through our 'Wrapped in Hope' program. If you want to donate your blocks to them you can find their address on the blog.

If you want to join in please choose pastel colored fabrics for this project-light pinks, greens, yellows, and blues.

Here are my collection of blocks.

These two are some extras that I am going to send off

My first block for my quilt.

Anyone can join in and make the blocks and you might like to pop over and see our flickr page too.

Hope you come and join us.

Erin