Unpacking the sewing machine.

 

I cant seem to stop starting projects.

I have been meaning to make a few little things for myself over the past few months but just haven't got around to doing them..

I finally found a pattern by Cloud 9 for a knitting needle roll here. It will be tackled before Christmas.

And I am making a few of these sewing kits that were in the Zakka Style  book.

picture from Amazon

Judith from Just Jude gave me some really lovely thick linen pieces last year and I have been stashing them away until I found the right project.

 

 

I'm also going to use some of my liberty fabric that I bought last year. 

I'm not a big fan of Liberty fabric....ok  shun me if you want. 

 I can here all the gasps and horrors that you are all saying. 

 I just don't get it.  I do like some of the silks but these are not really my favourite so I'm happy to cut them up and use them.  I'm not going to use a second contrasting printed fabric.

 

 

I need a little sewing kit for my knitting bag and another one for my hand sewing purse so am going to make three...(which so makes sense Erin...)  You never know I may need another one.

(three months have been and gone since writing this...and my little bundles are still the same)

Sewing machine was unpacked this week and my wee one let me have a little time to sew..
(I'm very happy today)

I hope to show something soon.

Happy sewing.

Erin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Energizer Bunny.

I have been lead astray of late, but  all because of good cause...

 

 

This not so little (anymore) bundle of joy arrived a month ago and Cora has kept me on my toes since day one.

 

Very alert and loves to stay up all day and has to be poked and prodded to wake up at night to feed.
I'm not complaining...just at the end of the day I need to recharge the batteries again...I feel like that pink bunny running around all day.
 

I have been really bad at looking at any blog but am finding Instagram on my little iPod a saviour 

during the day when I want to have a wee escape from it all.

I have my stamp swap to finish and am trying to keep up with the bee blocks coming in but you can understand when all I want to do is cuddle.

 

 

So forgive me if you haven't heard from me.

 

Erin



Stamp, stamp, stamp.

Ok I know that I will be hard hit for time but I couldn't resisit joining up to Nicky's new swap.

Stamp it up!

Nicky tried this out as one of her classes at the FQ retreat recently in London.
I love that we that are unable to get to the FQ Retreat can still get something out of the weekend with a new skill.  Last year it was the Frame Purse swap which I loved.

No you don't have to be an artist,
No it doesn't cost a bomb
(All you need is an eraser and a little carving knife, some tracing paper....(did you think I could draw?) and a fabric ink pad that once ironed will be permanent on the fabric)

Think of all the lovely things that you can do with your new skill.
You could make your own labels for your quilts.
You could make your own business cards or thank you cards to send off with your sold items.
The list is endless.

Nicky has three tutorials here if you want to go over and have a look.

If you are interested this is what you have to do.
Join up over at the Flickr group and post your mosaic.

You will receive a SECRET PARTNER to make a stamp and then use the stamp to make a small gift for them.
One item only....no extras!
When you sign up you can suggest what you would like...coaster, mug rug, framed purse, pin cushion
What have you got to loose.

Sign ups - Saturday 10-17th August 2013 or until 40 eligible swappers have completed the Sign Up form.
The rest can be found on the Flickr group

Here is my Mosaic.

I love things simple (and easy)
I think one of these little Scandinavian flowers would be very easy to carve, or a little bird.
(I did look for a moose but couldn't find one)

I can't wait to start...Are you coming over to join?

Happy Stamping.


Erin.


Productivity is still happening.

Lots of little makes going on over at my kitchen table and the couch.

Another two little knits finished.

Baby ballet cardigan made from Sirdar Bamboo/wool.

 

Pattern is Snuggly baby crofter DK number 1931

Not bad for a first try I thought...I still have a few issues about tension but we'll get there one day.

I have knitted a little stripy hat in blue and white if it is a little boy but it has been packed in the bag already and is in the car. 

Some of you have seen it at my instagram page. (erinbillybuttondesign)

It was knitted out of Drops wool which I like, but my local shop has decided to change wool brand to Sirdar.   I liked Drops as it was easy to knit with for a new knitter, I am not having as much success in the neat look department with the Sirdar.

I made a second set of bunting...if it is a girl out of my Little Apples stash and seeing that I haven't had time to do a quilt for this little one yet, I just spruced up its cot blankets with a bit of binding.

 

 

And I have started a back to front swoon block. (with my rainbow charm pack and the scrap box)

 

At the beginning I was making only two scrappy swoon blocks to make as pillows while I was waiting for the others to catch up to where I am (nine blocks made) but it has taken me about four weeks to finish one block and now I have an idea/dream to make another three and make a smaller quilt. (another UFO)  I am thinking of changing the kona grey shades in the next two blocks.

(this was ash and medium grey)

I forgot how big the blocks are.  They may be too big as a cushion.

You do need a clear head when you are making a swoon block and even clearer when making a scrappy swoon block...something I may do not have at the moment.  I hope to have another made in the next day or two.

Unfortunately my sewing and knitting has not stopped me from buying a few bundles from Fluffy Sheep Quilting store and M is for make.

 

A bit of Nordika

Look at those lovely kona solids

Happy go Lucky bundle

Bits and bobs from Kate at M is for Make.  My yellow leaves have already been used in my swoon block.

The comment of the week was with a raised eyebrow, 'I thought you had stopped buying fabric?'

I replied,  'Really...did I say that? I must be suffering from absentmindedness.'

Happy Sewing

Erin

Playing the waiting game.

Someone has me up very early this morning. 

 No, it hasn't arrived but moving back and forth across my protruding belly.

I thought it best to just get up and get a bit of muesli and a cuppa into me and start the day...I have a great excuse then to go for a Nana nap this afternoon.

 

Anyway there are two more finishes that I have been meaning to show.

 

I found this kimono cardigan pattern on the Internet...it looked dead easy, (just what I wanted) but it is very thick. Maybe a bit too thick for this lovely weather we are having. 

I did knit it in a 4 ply but wished I had chosen something a bit lighter.

The hat has been knitted in a bamboo/wool and is so fine and really soft.

I loved the feel of it so much that there is another little wrap around cardigan almost finished in it. 

 I better get my skates on if I want to finish it before he/she arrives.

 

I have given up on any more sewing at the table...it's not the sewing, I would rather just keep my feet up now and I get too tired standing at the cutting board and ironing those HST's .

I am hoping it will be only temporary and that once baby arrives and we find our routine that bub will give me a bit of time to do the odd bit of sewing again.

Until then it will have to be a bit more of this.

 



 

To keep me away from doing this.

 

 

Shopping!

 

Happy sewing.

 

Erin



A kick up the beehind for bee blocks.

 

 

I've been a bit lax on the bee blocks of late.

 

 

The blocks each month that have been requested for Bee a bit stingy have been fantastic and the pressure is on for me to find a good block to try out in October when I am queen bee.

 

 

These blocks are for Collette at Poppy and Poochie.  So going to put this quilt on my list of

TO MAKE. 

 

 

These next blocks were for Shelia at Blue patch Quilter 

 

 

 

 

Then I was delighted to get Nicky's block request early ...I'm expecting August to be a write off.

 

 



SO I am up to date for the singy group. 

Next... 

 

 

The Modern Irish Bee is coming to an end of its first year. 
I have loved how relaxed this bee is.
 

These are some of the blocks that I had to get done.

 

Some triangles in Glimma for Anneliese  at Mail from a cheeky monkey
I haven't tied to sew Triangles before so it was all a learning curve for me.

I love these solid tumblers that Judith from Just Jude got us to do.
Again I have never tried tumblers before.  We also had to contribute a tumbler for each block...I chose to do a scrappy tumbler in each.
 The navy really frames them well too.
 

I still have one more block to do.  Scrappy Chevrons.  (Sorry Eva). 
It will be done before this kicking baby arrives!

Happy sewing.

Erin
Erin



Swooning AGAIN.

 



Lets face it.  I'm not great at finishing off quilts at times. 

 

Last year I joined the Swoon a long and got all my blocks done but when it came to cutting them down, I stalled. 
 I didn't have a ruler that would fit these mammoth blocks to cut down so I put it aside and went onto another quilt.
 So when I heard that Sarah at Fairyface Designs was thinking of starting Swoon 2013...I egged her on as it would give me the kick up the beeeehind that I needed to finish this quilt off.

Anyone else interested in joining up, you can find the Flickr group here.

 

These are my blocks that have been finished.

Hold on a minute...I'm missing one...

 

 

So I am up to the sashing stage and am hoping when everyone gets to this stage that we may have a few bloggers that will quilt as they go.

 

This is what I want to do, maybe quilt in rows as this big mama is not going to fit on my sewing table.

 

I'm going to have to go off and look for  a tutorial on it.  Any suggestions?

Erin

 

 

Joining up.

 

I have decided to join up to the linky party with Leanne and the others for the FAL 3rd Quarter.

I have a good few projects that I want finished but these are the most important as I just want to be finished them.

I know that you have all seen these on the list for 2012 FAL but I am sorry I have to get them done.  So here we go.

Project 1.  My Kitchen Window Quilt.

 

I'm up to here (like so many other projects of mine...you topper)

 

What needs to be done?

batting,

quilting,

binding.

 

Project 2

 

 

Seriously this should be finished.  It is easily two years in the making and its only a baby quilt!

 

Again I have it to this stage

 

What next?

Batting,

quilting,

binding.

 

 

My 3rd project is this

 

Another small quilt

 

 

Quilt top is ready.

Batting done.

Just quilt it will you Erin!

oh and some binding too.

 

That is it,  three projects...I can do three projects in three months...with a new born....sure!

 

Good luck all

 

Erin

Jumping over hurdles.

 

With only a few weeks to go and a couple of weeks after that (they never come when they should),

 I thought that I better get some things ready for this bundle of joy that is going to turn our lives upside down.

 

I have been looking around the past few months for a couple of things to make for the wee one, and have found a few tutorials but was hoping there was a linky party that would bring me to all of them at once..(I'm becoming a bit lazy, my hubby is bringing everything to me, why can't the internet?)

 

Now my list for this baby  is like all of my lists at home....never ending, so I have decided that I will make two things a week (if I can) and hope for the best...maybe I will get that extra two weeks to get a few more projects done.  Some of the projects are big and some are small.

 

I thought that I would start with a nice and easy project....bunting.

This is about all I am going to do to decorate the half room the baby has....as my stash and sewing machine will be on the other side of the room (for the time being)

I knew Sarah at Fairyface Designs had a bunting tutorial so I got my bundle ready and off I went.

Safari Soiree by Burch Fabrics

The toucans are my favourite.

I know they are a bit boyish but that is what I think I am having...I have a second set of bunting  cut out of Little Apples to sew just in case I have a little girl.



I popped it up on the wall in the kitchen to get an idea of how it looks.

 

I love this line of fabric and bought a FQ bundle of it when it first came out.

I love the colours, prints and that it is organic. 

Eventually I will get around to make a baby quilt or two out of the rest of the bundle.

 

The second project this week was this.

 

Look at that fat belly!

Lining of a moses basket.

 

  

At the beginning of this pregnancy, I said to myself I would not be sucked into buying all these extra things that these so called lists tell you that you need.

Who makes these lists up anyway...obviously its the stores so you buy more and more and more.

(I go by my lists and my lists only)

 

I wasn't going to buy a Moses basket as I didn't see the point of buying one for only a few weeks of use, so when there was a chance of scoring one for a tenner I grabbed it.

 

 I knew I could make a new lining for the basket so nothing really hard here, I just unpicked the bottom and improvised with the rest.

 

I have a lot of Amy Butler in my stash that I really needed to start using up so this is how it ended up looking.

 

I quilted the lining with straight lines (surprise, surprise)

 

I have also made a fitted sheet with some moda fabric in the big stash cupboard.

(I'll make a few more if these at some stage.)

 

Next weeks projects?

 

I 'm going to make some burping bibs...or spew bibs as I like to call them and maybe seeing that we are having such a heat wave in Ireland...(gosh this makes me laugh!!!)  A car seat cover. 

Tutorial by Cluck Cluck Sew.

 

Until next week

 

Happy Sewing

 

Erin

Where have I been?

Yes I know I am extremely quiet these days, or is it I am getting slower and slower at doing things.

It doesn't mean that I haven't stopped shopping.....

 

This is my new stash...not of fabric this time.

My new skill this year was to take up a bit of knitting.  

I knew there would be a time that I was not able to reach the sewing machine (which is around now)

My local store is Treasure. Knitting Boutique

It is so handy to be able to go down the street to get a few supplies, which is what I have been doing over the past few months.  I was also sucked in by Catherine to buy this little book.  (and let me tell you I have about 6 sticky notes on different projects to do.) 

I am now onto my third cardigan and can see that I am getting better at the tension each time.

(I'm a beginner here!)

These booties have been just too cute not to knit and knit and knit.  ( I want to knit a pair in red next.)

 

 

pattern by Julie

at www.lovefibres.etsy.com 

 

 

 

 

Getting better each time too!

 

It just seems to be easier to put my feet up and knit something than stand and use the rotary cutter these days.

Oh and I am wondering if I really have my priorities right....I seemed to have everything ready for me to take to the hospital..( a bit of knitting and hand sewing ). 

I cut these out while on my ball the other night.

 



I must be staying in hospital for a week!!!! 
What am I thinking?

But I have absolutely nothing else packed in the bag. 

Baby is going to wrapped in some hospital towels to be sent home.

 

Cracking day here and am going to enjoy it but before I go, if anyone knows of a tutorial to make your own knitting needle case/roll, please let me know...It will be put down on my to do list for the maternity leave.

I'll be back to let you know about the Swoon 2013 which stated about two weeks ago....behind on that too!

 

 

Happy sewing

 

Erin

My turn at the Block of the Month.

Hi all

 

Almost a year ago Dhia at Peach Patch Quilts asked me to join in the Blogger's Block of the month.

Sure I said , honoured that I was even asked.

I have mentioned it on my blog here.  But seeing it was so long ago that we started I will  give you the run down of participants again.

 

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

 

 

 

So here is the block that I have chosen for this month.

 

As you all know I love Little Apples and I have made a good few things in Aneela's fabric line.

 

I don't know what this block is called, and I am not announcing that I made the block up.  By all means if anyone knows a  name for it, please let me know too.

 

It really is a quick and easy block to do, I just did a bit of fussy cutting for my block but you do not have to do this at all.

What you need is


3 1/2"  square for the middle x (1 piece)
2" squares of fabric of your choice  (12 pieces to boarder the middle square)
6 1/2" x 2 1/2"   strip (2 pieces top edges)
10 1/2" x 2 1/2" strip (2 pieces for side edges)

I have used a scant 1/4" seam throughout and I have pressed all seams open.

 

 

 

Set out your fabric around your square to decide checking that you are happy with your layout.

 

 

 

Pin each group together.

Top row, bottom row and the two side rows.

 

 

Sew top four 2" squares together in a row.

Repeat for the bottom row.

Sew the two 2" blocks together for the sides.

 

 

 

Press seams open.

(I realised after this photo I had turned the iron off...baby brain)

 

 

 

Take the middle 3 1/2" square and sew the two side blocks on.

Press.

 

 

Pin top and bottom row on and sew.

 

 

Looking good!



You are almost there.....

 

Pin the 6 1/2" by 2 1/2" strip to the top of the block as shown

Press and trim

Repeat with the second piece of strip at the bottom of the block.

 

If I have explained well enough, you should only have two strips left that are the biggest strips

(10 1/2" by 2 1/2")

 

These two strips are sewn on each side of the block and Bob's your Uncle...you have done it!

 

 

 

Give it a good press   Your block will be bigger than needed but sometimes it is better to be safe than sorry....( which I did on another of these blocks and now have to make it again)

I cut down  the block to 9 1/2" (which is what Dhia wanted)

It will be going with my other blocks that I have made.

 

 

Block tutorial at

Margarets Hope Chest

 

 

 

Block tutorial at

Sew Kind Of Wonderful

 

 

 

Block tutorial at

Ellison Lane Quilts

 

Don't forget there is a flickr group if you are making the blocks for the Margaret Hope Chest and all block  that are donated will be made into a super quilt at the end.

 

If you have missed out on a few blocks (like me...I have about 6 to do) click on the links and you should fine the block tutorial.

 

Thanks again for dropping by (sorry I was a  little late)

Dhia.   Thanks again for letting me participate.

 

Good Luck and Happy Sewing.

 

Erin