A quilt in under a week!

I actually finished this last Saturday night (whilst watching The Notebook ... sob sob!!) which means from start to finish, this quilt took me 6 days to complete :) Undoubtedly, the time needed to make a quilt is reduced when using pre-cuts and when you can spend 2 uninterrupted days at the weekend to get the bulk of the work done (a piecing day and a quilting day).

I free motion quilted some little flowers in the sashing just to break up the stippling ... I keep saying I'll make up some practice squares to try out different FMQ patterns but I never seem to find the time. These are by no means perfect but I like the effect:

I tried some different photo angles of the finished quilt:

But I think you can't beat it being held up by two willing volunteers ... even if they do muck about during the process:

And the label:

It's Aunty Ruth's birthday tomorrow and we get to give it to her the quilt before the big family meal we'll be having ... it'll be a surprise gift - I'll let you know her reaction :)

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts - Finish it up Friday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict - Can I get a Whoop Whoop.

It's going to be a perfect day :)

It's been a pretty good week too ... I made this quilt in January for a Hurricane Sandy survivor and look what came in the post on Thursday:

Made me do a big gulp! A letter of thanks was more than enough but a pack of batik squares too! Huge heartfelt 'woo hoo' to you, eQuilter and  Timeless Treasures ... you're amazing and I'm glad to have helped just a tiny bit.

This morning, I have finished making the back and basting Aunty Ruth's quilt, have cleaned my sewing machine, changed the needle, wound my bobbins, fetched myself a glass of iced water, got the radio playing some disco tunes (my favourite band ABBA have just come on as I'm typing ... life doesn't get much better than this!) and I'm now ready to start quilting:

DH is out all day (and night) with his football friend (first day of the new Premiership season) so I can sew sew sew ALL day long ... yippeeeeee!

As well as covering my sewing chair with Cath Kidston fabric this week, I also made a new peg bag and a pouch for Nell's treats ... I swear it's the only reason she spends so much time with me in the loft :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Good call :)

I have been working on my layer cake quilt ... the green blender fabric arrived in the post and I am sooooo happy I decided to do the extra bit of work and frame the blocks:

I cut 1 1/2 " strips for the inside sashing and 2 1/2" strips for the borders:

I'm very pleased at how it's coming together and we decided it would make a great present for our dear Aunty Ruth who will be celebrating her 89th birthday next Sunday so I have until next Wednesday night (gulp, a week!) to finish the top, make the back, baste, quilt, bind and label it! Love a challenge?! Easy peasy :D

Linking up with Lee @ Freshly Pieced - WIP Wednesday

Ah Paris ... c'est très magnifique :)

I have started a new quilt today - don't know who for yet :) I have only ever bought one Moda Layer Cake:

I actually bought this one two years ago (I think) so it was high time it got opened, don't you agree? And how pretty:

Had an idea in my head for a pattern  - must have got it from somewhere but could not find any images / patterns / blog posts so just went for it! I knew I'd need some 'blender' fabric and was lucky to find this cream 'Dimples' in my stash:

Once I'd worked out which order to sew in and made the first block, it just flowed:

I think it needs sashing to frame the blocks and stop them getting lost in each other so have ordered some sage green ...  hope it matches!

Oh and I spruced up my old pink (sun faded) chair with the Cath Kidston fabric I bought last week. Now it matches my radio ... yay!

... it's the little things that make me smile!