Christmas Stockings!!

Two more sleeps! I love Christmas - a time of magic, family togetherness and no work until 4th January ... yay!

Since my last post, the lovely Fran @patchyroses and her delightful daughter Rosie have visited. We had a very productive weekend's sewing with Rosie bringing along a Christmas stocking pattern from the young quilters guild she's joined.

Fran gifted me this cushion - isn't it delightful? My sister in law has her eye on it but I'm not parting with it - keeping this one forever:

There was no stopping us! This was our collective effort and I 'taught' Fran how to paper piece - that's her gorgeous pineapple block:

The Christmas Stockings became addictive and I ended up making - a lot! I even sent some to friends abroad and made some LFC ones for DH and other male relatives:

I finished my friend Daphne's Christmas table runner:

And used up the scraps to make a mat for our coffee table:

My lovely friend Maria @majasparadis sent me this beautiful bag all the way from Sweden - she is so very clever. And two (pink, of course!) fat quarters; what a generous and talented friend she is:

Our fabulous Christmas tree is up:

And today, I started on a new baby quilt for a chap at work:  

Phew! A busy month; so happy to be home for two weeks. Looking forward to spending lots of time with family. 

Linking up with the wonderful Lorna ... I count her as one of my most favourite quilty friends and am so pleased to follow her and see how successful she has become. Blogging and quilting are both wonderful but the best thing about both is definitely the friends you make along the way. 

Wishing all my friends and followers a very Happy Christmas x

x

Happy days ...

Although I haven't been blogging much (am on IG lots!), I haven't stopped quilting. The week off work - seems like months ago - was a lovely and relaxing week and quilting was great therapy for my tired soul. 

I finished a quilt for my friend Ajoke's daughter's 18th:

The backing fabric is from their family's country (Nigeria) - isn't it beautiful? I was so happy it was suitable for free motion quilting:

One for my husband's cousin Lorena in America:

And one for my sister's boyfriend's Mum, Beryl:

I'm working on a Christmas table runner for my friend Daphne: 

And a Christmas quilt for ?? Don't know yet; haven't decided:

And this weekend's sewing will be extra fab-u-lous because my friend Fran @patchyroses is visiting with her delightful daughter, Rosie. What WILL we get up to?! I'll let you know :)

Linking up with Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend too! 

A week off work = lots of sewing :)

I have taken this week off work, not to go on holiday, not to entertain guests, just to spend time with hubby at home and recharge my batteries. It's been great. As well as spending time with loved ones, I have been doing a lot of sewing!

Three quilts basted:

And quilted:

And binding attached:

I made a Pants Bag:

Cut 257 pieces for a new quilt:

And made one block for a Xmas table runner:

Phew! I shall be glad to go back to work for a rest!! 

Linking up with the lovely Lorna:

And cute Kelly:

30 months, 6 friends, 1 broken shoulder !!

Doesn't every quilt have a great story behind it? Well, this one's no exception ... in fact, this has to be one of my best :)

In June 2013, I joined my first quilting bee, thanks to my dear friend (now) Fran @ patchyroses suggesting me as a participant to our lovely Queen Bee, Maria @sewlovetosew. The other 3 talented ladies were Amy @cloudcoucou, Julie @mackandmabel and Sarah @quiltcandy. The idea was a strip quilt - we'd each make a strip and pass it on, adding a strip to compliment as we went along until all six quilters had added a strip, then the quilt would be returned to its owner.

Here was my starting strip:

Each quilt was very different, I learnt some new paper piecing skills and played with different fabrics and really got to know my fellow Strippers along the way!! 

In fact, we were getting on so well, I invited everyone for a weekend in March 2014 so that we could meet and hand over our finished quilts in person. The day before, I went grocery shopping and, with two heavy bags, I tripped in the street, fell hard, dislocated and smashed my shoulder ... ouch!!

I was devastated - not just for breaking my shoulder - I had to cancel the weekend :( 

The ladies were marvellous about it and Queen Bee organised everyone and they made me a delightful wall-hanging strip and sent me extra gifts too: 

They made me cry:

Everyone was still keen to meet up and, thankfully, we didn't have to wait long. In June 2014, we finally got together. Here am I (you can spot the poorly shoulder) with my finished quilt:

And here's the whole crowd - from left to right: Sarah, Amy, Julie, Me, Maria and Fran:

My shoulder was really smashed so it took me a while before I got back into basting and quilting so she was put on the UFO pile for a year :( But recently, I got her out, dusted her off, added some borders and started quilting:

And here she is, at last - complete:

It took some time but I have a lovely quilt, my shoulder is as good as it will ever be, I can make quilts again and, more importantly, I have 5 new friends ... just like their quilts; they're all different, all unique, all very special. Thank you, ladies, you rock xxxxx

Linking up with Amanda Jean @crazymomquilts and Sarah @Confessionsofafabricaddict

Nid yw hi'n hyfryd?!

That's Welsh for - 'isn't she lovely?' And this little Welsh baby is adorable. Her name is Tanwen (= white fire) ... a beautiful name for a beautiful baby.

I started making this baby quilt for her just a few weeks ago and it came together really quickly once I had picked the fabrics. The fun fat quarter was new and the rest (including some Riley Blake spots) came from my fabric stash:

Once I'd chosen the fabrics, it was easy to make a design with 16 X 10" squares:

And here is the top:

Quilted with my favourite free motion quilting:

A metre of daffodil fabric on the back - the daffodil is national flower of Wales so a perfect choice:

And, saving the best until last, some 'action shots':

Linking up with Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.