I'm back.......did you miss me?

Perle Cotton bought on a brocante market in France

I'm back from my 3 month France Adventure - if you followed my LibertyBlueVan blog, then I hope you enjoyed the trip!
I was lucky enough to find the above thread and fabric on a Brocante market in Sisteron.  I think the yellow fabric is similar to some of the newer ones available today.
I have been busy since my return and have already joined 2 swaps. Firstly there is the Japenese Charm swap....I have bought my fabric...and a few others that were in the sale.  Now I have to pluck up courage to cut it into charm squares!

......... and a little bit scary is an embroidery swap as part of the Phat Quarter Flickr Group. Hope I'm not too much out of my depth with the embroidery. If you have not looked at the contents of this group it is worth a browse as there are some fantastic talented modern embroideries.  This one by Mabith could be a good layout plan for a quilt.

And I love the fabric detail in this one by Xperimentl

Today I completed this block for part of a charity quilt at my quilt club.  Handbags and roses are not realy my thing, but it will go well with the rest of the quilt.

My mum also made me this little Union Jack needle case for the Jubilee.

I've also joined in a blog hop with my Kitchen Aid Mixer I made earlier this year.

It's good to be back for a while and I am slowly getting around the blogs that I have been missing and seeing what the new trends are....Liberty Love and Low Volume........

Indianna Explained & Liberty Blue

I have a new blog Liberty Blue, so why not come on over and see where I am off to next.  I was going to blog about our travels around Europe in our campervan here, but I have friends who do not sew......and I'm sure some of you follow because of the sewing and have no interest in French surf beaches!


A few of you have asked why I'm called Indianna...well it has been my nick name, given to me by my boyfriend and for the past 15 years and it has stuck, mmm the boyfriend and the name, that is. It was originally because I was always off on an adventure to somewhere or other.


These are some of the books I have collected for some travels in the future, you never know I might turn up on your doorstep next!

Bits and Bobs

I have been very lucky recently and won 2 giveaways.  Firstly I won this fabulous selection of 40 greens and cook book from Karen at Listen To The Birds Sing, from her Irish Road Trip.  I might join the Stained Quilt Along as I think it will look like the 40 shades of green across Irish fields? I was also trying to bake one of the cakes to show you, but time has run out.....

Photos by Karen at Listen To The Birds Sing

Photo from VeryKerryBerry

....and then I won some Aurifil thread from Kerry of VeryKerryBerry.  I haven't tried the thread yet as I'm still using normal stuff, but everyone who has used it appears to rave about it and so I am looking forward to using it.
I also received the Liebster Blog award back in March from Anything goes with Betty van Os and Susan - Canadian Abroad. Even longer ago I received the Versatile Blogger Award from Nat of Noas' Libellule, who is creating a new blog soon......and I'm sure there were a few others too...so sorry if I've missed you out.
Everyone I know seems to have an award and so instead of following the rules I'm going to point you in the direction of these two 'Inspirational Blogs'
Karen Barlow, who is an interior designer and has good info on colour, fashion and current trends and Carolyn Saxby who has 2 lovely blogs Love Stitching Red and http://carolynsaxby.blogspot.co.uk/ and I also visited her textile exhibition in St Ives earlier this year.



I'm also late on the tagging game - think I was off at Maths Club, instead of running around the playground! These were Jan's questions Isisjem but I'm afraid the answers are pretty short, but a few pictures to look at!
1. I'm into photography and you offer to take me somewhere for the day to get great photos - where are we going?St Ives – beach, cliffs, sea and bird life. You get the idea here or here.


2. Do you have a party piece? You know some little skill or thing you could entertain everyone with at a party? I can sniff something rubber….like a balloon etc up my nose and out of my mouth!
3. What's the best book you've read this year so far?Laura’s Handmade Life….though I’ve not read many others…just reading the Twilight series and this is my beach read (lovely Liberty needle cord!).
4. Which fabric do you think everyone should have in their stash and why? I just buy what I like – but Summersville is on my list as I fancy colouring in the pictures with fabric paint and embroidery and more Heather Ross Camper vans can never go amis!
5. You win your dream holiday - where are you going?  New Zealand in a camper van …It’s on my list, but we have not been there yet….may be in the next few years.
6. What's the one thing you've done, that you think I should add to my bucket list?Sail half way across the Atlantic - via St Helena.
7. What's you're favourite way to spend your day if you don't sew!? On the beach or walking…anything that gets me outside.

8. What was your favourite cartoon/children's show growing up. Grange Hill or Bod.
9. Marmite - love it or hate it? Hate it
10. What are you going to make next? Tailfeathers Quilt was made by a friend a couple of years ago and so I've been busy cutting and ironing so that I can do all the hand stitching while I'm travelling. I had to buy the brown bird fabric £14 a M in my LQS!!






















11. You want to do something to cheer me up what will you do? Play Pirates or go bodyboarding - hopefully in a warm sea!
Pheweeeeeeeeeeeeeee any one still here?

Test from the beach

Sunshine and Billy windy!

Shy Girl Zip Pouch

I made this linen zip pouch for a friend's birthday as she said that she liked it when she saw it in my Mouthy Stitches mosaic. I'm very happy with the way it turned out, with a lovely flat bottom, as I used the pattern from Diary of a Flutter.Kat. The Shy Girl embroidery pattern is designed by LiliPopo and is available in her Etsy Shop, or take a look at her blog for the free dancing princess patterns.

..........and on the back a little bike to match the lining.

Kitchen Aid Mini Quilt and Cath Kidston Pillow Case

I have finished it! The binding was sewn on while eating fish and chips on the sea front....not the best combination, but I'm always "Last minute dot com".  The freezer paper was ironed on to the front of the fabric and it worked out quite well for my first attempt.  Thanks again to Erin of Why Not Sew for the free paper pieced Kitchen Aid Mixer pattern.  As for the Quilt Club challenge it was won by a very deserving Gill who made an impressive fabric folded necklace.


I also finished a pair of these Cath Kidston pillow cases to match my quilt cover.  I thought I wouldn't ever need a pillowcase tutorial, but this one is very good - even though I fussy cut the flap and it flip-flopped to the other side!

Book recommend

Nat recommended this book- Laura's Handmade Life and when I saw the cover was by Poppy Treffry I decided I would have to read it. Not yet though - so recommended just on the cover.

Also trying mobile blogger - can't seem to add any links. Has anyone any tips on blogging from a iPod touch? Need to find a way of communicating while away!
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