Finish-Along Q1

Oh no, I've finally got to admit that I'm a serial starter...but never finish anything. Though I do finish things when I'm in a swap or for a deadline like Le Challenge, so with this in mind I've decided to list all my WiPs.....well all the ones I could find as some are still lost in carrier bags in the depths of "the spare room" .... Which if I sorted it out could be a great space...maybe that should go on the list too!

1. Martinique Heart jelly roll quilt
July 2000 not touched since then as I've not a clue how to quilt it!



2. Bang on the door hippo...I designed this from a card
2005 ish ... Might make it into a pin cushion!



3. tail feathers quilt...
Started January 2011 ... All embroideries finished and frames done. Need to make squares and log cabin border.


4. Warn and Washed Winter Fox Quilt...
September 2012 made the background on a Warn and Washed workshop but I'm not happy with the trees.



5. EPP ...
December 2012 ... All finished but needs making into a cushion.



6. Paper Pieced puffin and Penguin made from TartanKiwi patterns.
Autumn 2013 ... These are so cute that I really should use them somewhere!






7. EPP from Fat Quarterly Retreat ... I think this needs adding to and making into a cushion as I love the design.


8. Cathedral windows cushion.... This one is my friend Kath's ... As I swapped classes at the FQR mine is still just a pile of white squares that I prepared and took with me!


9. This is my Noodlehead super tote which I was making to take to FQR!



10. Quilt I started using Verna and these Monaluna fabrics. Also the campervan fabric is with the strips of stacked coins I made from the Verna ... Just don't think the two go together...or need to find a fabric to tie them in ... Also need to find the bag from the depths!


11. Camelot Quilt .... Just started hand piecing this!
January 2014


12. Green Tea and Sweet Beans ...also just started
January 2014


13. Rainbow Sprouts Quilt ... Collecting scraps to go with the rainbow and LV charm squares ... Slow progress.
September 2013


14. Scrappy Stars.... Proposed HipBees quilt for July 2014



15. Secret EPP with these Liberty Fabric hexies.


16. Make another bag to donate for the Quilt Club Raffle. Green flower/spot fabric and this pattern.

17. Secret project with great fabric for a thread catcher, etc.

Then there are quilts I have the fabric for...but not even started ... I'm trying to list everything just so I can keep track in my own mind and stop drifting around on the Internet and actually finish something!

18. Liberty quilt.... Slowly collecting fabrics.


19. Heather Ross fussy cut quilt. These are just some of the HR fabrics.


20. Vintage Sheet Quilt.... Last year it was going to be a giant star, then a Cherry Star....then a scrappy trip pattern and by the time I get around to it it will be whatever!


21. Cath Kidston star quilt ... Still need a couple of fat quarters!

22. Cover for ....... ....... Using Unicorn embroidery, which I will find ... Just had a look and it's not around, but did find....

23. Mums teapot cosy for August 2013 birthday...was waiting for insulated fleece, now needs making.



23. Last of the stuff I can find ... There is more hidden away in the depths... Socks ...
Summer 2012 ish!


Phew....I know there's more....but I can't find them and also don't really want to think about it now!!! And now I've had to edit the post as I forgot to add Katy's cute little button.

Happy Cloud Baby Toy and Precious

Le Challenge - Precious

Thanks to Lucy and Nat for running Le Challenge this year. When I look back through my blog posts it appears to be the thing that has kept me blogging this year. Like others my enthusiasm for Blogging has taken a dip but then I remember how precious online blog friends are and it keeps me going.

Cindy recently wrote a tutorial for a fantastic block when I was having trouble visualising how it was made....to me that is very precious. Thanks Cindy, I've made a block already and in this picture stolen from Fluffy Sheep Quilting Blog you can see how the hidden stars appear.






And on to precious number two.....
Sarah is expecting Little Beany and so she had an online Baby Shower which you can read all about here on her blog Narcoleptic in a cupboard.
I thought Sarah would like a little happy cloud and so I made this from a tutorial on Refabulous Blog. It was easy to follow....though I did sew all those little strips on the wrong way up the first time...I should follow the instructions!

Le Challenge ....link in the side bar...go and take a look at how everyone interpreted this month's theme and perhaps join in the next one.

I'm a month late for the Thriller theme....I so wanted to make Bubbles, but suitable socks were not to be found in Biarritz! Then when the next theme was stripes....I thought I'd make Bubbles come to life.


There are lots of tutorial on line for making sock monkeys but the two I found most useful were these ones, the first for the clear pictures and the second for the excellent way that was suggested to stuff the tail with a piece of wadding to make it smoother.
Tutorial one
Tutorial two


Carefully select your socks, as the heel and toe colour will make a big difference. Some tutorials used the heel for the nose and others used the toe section. I tried both ways and I thought the heel section worked better.
There isn't that much sewing and could easily be made by hand. The hardest part was attaching the nose section.


I pinned all the bits in place first to get the right look.


I used Google images to see lots of different monkey expressions and I think he looks quite cheeky.


He was definitely grumpy when I asked him to wear his hat though!

Location:Bubbles the sock monkey

le Challenge

 When Nathalie and Lucy announced that the Le Challenge this month was Heroes, I immediately thought about Super Ted.  We still have a glow in the dark Super Ted and Spottyman on the wall in what was "The Girls" room. I'm not too sure what our visitors now think of them!

My partner, Sandy in Buenos Aires, for the Fab Little Pin Cushion swap received this super cute little bat from me.  Though he is only small, one day he will grow and be as awesome as his hero Batman! (...poor link I know, but it's the best I can do!)
Sometimes I can search for ages on the Interweb for a suitable pattern, but as soon as I saw this, I knew I had to buy it.  The pattern is by Maritza Soto @Soto Sew and available in her Etsy Shop. I reduced the pattern by 50%, if Sandy really wants to store pins and needles in him, then I hope she carefully puts them in his wings so as not to hurt him!

In return I received a fantastic Deep Dish Pincushion from Leslie, made in fabric by my hero...Heather Ross!

 

There is still time to enter Le Challenge. Link up is on the 15th September.

Click the link in the sidebar to look at all the inspiration on the Le Challenge blog.

Tea Bag Wallet

My mum's birthday is in August and she is visiting this weekend. I knew when Nathalie swapped me this butterfly fabric a while ago that my mum would love it....I just had to decide what to make with it. Charlotte who blogs over at Displacement Activity has a great tutorial to make a tea bag wallet, very easy and quick to make, but looks very impressive. Well I think so anyway.



This week there has also been some Bramble and Apple jelly making....after picking 3kg on a long walk. Last year I didn't make any until late September, so this is much earlier, but the berries weren't as juicy. I even squeezed the bag to get more juice, as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall suggested, but still not as much as last year.



The first lot of fabric has turned up from Sarah, from the HipBee and so now I have to put my thinking head on and make sure I don't mess up on my first month in the Bee.

Paper Pieced Houses

These paper pieced houses are from a free pattern on Craftsy. It was called holiday houses, as there was some snow on the roof and tree. I missed off the snow as Amy wanted a white background. Amy put a shout out for scrappy little houses for her wonky village. If you fancy making her a couple have a look over here and I'm sure she will be grateful.

I seem to have lost my blogging mojo since I was at the FatQuarterly Retreat in London. I think I was overwhelmed by all the talented ladies I met and by the amount of stuff I then had to blog about. I didn't speak much to "old" bloggy friends as unfortunately there just didn't seem time to talk to everyone. I made some lovely new friends and through visiting London I am now pleased to be in a bee..... With the HipBees....I just hope they will be patient and don't mind waiting a few weeks for their blocks if I'm away on my travels....which I will be soon. You can read all about where we go on my other blog.



So, a short and sweet post, linking up with Liz to Brit Thursday Sewing and Paper Piecing Friday with Kristy...must be Friday in Australia!

Coin Purses

These UR Priceless coin purses have been made for my sample swaps for the Fat Quarterly Retreat in London THIS weekend.


And as this one is a wonderful toffee colour, has chocolat on the front and "T" on the back...T for Toffee then my homework is done for Le Challenge. Hopefully Lucy and Nat will forgive me for being last minute again. If you have not seen Le Challenge yet then click the link in my side bar. The next challenge is to make something using Heroes as inspiration.....I have an idea....just need to get on with it!
These are the other purses and I have been lucky enough to do a little swap with Di @ Willowbeck for one of her wonderful Liberty book of Pockets. So Di the little bike one is on its way to you. Thanks.


I also must show you this fantastic quilt name tag that Ceri of Inspired By Felix made for me.......it has the cutest little fussy cuts and the back even says have a nice weekend on a large London Transport ticket....think I will still need my Oyster Card too though.


This is the one I made for Ange @ Heart of Charnwood


And this is what I made for ME ME ME....


Ok.....it was supposed to be a Noodlehead Super Tote......but the weather was just too nice so we went away for 3 nights and came back 10 days later!


Oh.....this is getting so long that if you want to see a picture of me or find out a bit more then please look back here at my Liebster Award post.
See you all soooooooooon.