Catching up ...

I have become such a poor blogger (still blaming Instagram!) that I'm not sure if anyone will even read this post - except for Aunty G ... hello x - but I was going through my photos since I last blogged and really wanted to capture what's been going on. I'm linking up with Lorna @sewfreshquilts and will see what I've been missing!

September was our return to the USA. Before the trip, I made my friend Gerrie some patchwork gifts out of her brother's shirt:

It had been 5 years since our last USA visit and there was a lot to cram in -  combining our 15th Wedding Anniversary, with a family wedding and visiting relatives in Maryland (MD) and Pennsylvania (PA). Cousin June has quilted for nearly 40 years and had a bit of a destash just for me:

Yes, I was very happy to take dozens of yards and fat quarters off her hands! We also spent a few days at Lewes Beach, Delaware and June and I 'got lost' for a couple of hours in the lovely Mare's Bears fabric shop with the friendliest and most helpful staff.

And this was me in The Old Country Store, PA ... could have spent days in here! I would've if DH had let me: 

Just a glimpse of what managed to come home with me ... there's still a box in MD with my name on it :) 

Upon our return to Wales, it was Autumn and the leaves on our Virginia Creeper had turned gorgeous shades of red:

A very special young lady turned 17 and instead of 'normal gifts' had asked for cash towards driving lessons - I couldn't not make her a themed gift to go with that now could I?

I finished a Christmas table runner for my sister (made mainly from Scandi Makower) and added a little bunting too:

I found the first quilt blocks I had ever worked on - shoved in the back of a drawer (how sad) but they forgave me and after a little fixing and trimming, I added some sashing and now have another quilt top ready to be basted:

I finally finished this quilt for our cousin in Florida (posted nearly 2 weeks ago ... I hope it survives the journey!):

I have started on a 'Stag Quilt' for my God-daughter who us 18 in January (think this deserves a blog post all of its own!):

And yesterday, I finished making for my friend 8 little Pants Bags for her 6 year old to give as Christmas presents to her school friends:

What a couple of months and what variety! One of the most used hashtags I add to my Instagram posts is #ilovemyhobby ... and I do - after nearly 7 years of discovering Patchwork and Quilting (thanks to this special lady): 

I still love it.

Holidays and high days :)

What a great week we've had. When we moved to Wales last year. we were a little worried we might lose touch with our friends in London but we are blessed to have the best friends and five of them came to visit us this week. The weather was a little temperamental but look how glorious it was at the top of Beeston castle yesterday:

Aren't they a beautiful family? We also had a wonderful day out at Llandudno; a walk along the Pier, fish and chips on the Prom, a ride on the tramway up the mountain, ice cream in the rain and my most favourite part?? The 2p push machine in the arcade - the most fun I've had with £3 in ages:

And I managed to get some sewing done too! The girls were desperately in need of new Pants Bags. The ones I had made them a few years back were well used (and loved) but were also not of my best earlier work - unlined and without a drawstring action - so each girl was let loose in my fabric stash and they chose their own fabrics and created their own designs. My friend Judi also asked for a Peg Bag and Millie wanted to make her Nanna a zipped bag so I helped her with that:

I showed Millie how to make the tissue holders and gave her some templates and fabric so that she could make them at home. They were only home an hour and she sent me a photo of one she has already made for her big sister. Clever girl:

And also for my dear friend, I had made her a cushion - just for her - just because:

When they drove away today, my eyes were a little moist :'( but we will see them again soon. I am very thankful they are in our lives and it was a most fabulous holiday ... thank you, dear friends xx

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

Two-timing, neglectful blogger! Tut tut :(

I am a bad blogger! I have been carrying on behind your back with a new kid (to me) on the block! I have neglected old friends and have shamelessly played with my new pals over at IG (we even have our own language #shameonyouGlinda) I am sorry. I am back ... and I am sorry. But words aren't enough - I promise to visit your blogs and read about your WIPs and finishes and take the time to leave you good comments. I will stop just looking at the pretty pictures on Instagram! It's not good enough ... forgive me?! 

Okay then, what have I been up to in the last couple of weeks? Quite a bit ... please stay and take a look. Some cosmetic bags for birthdays and Mothering Sunday:

I have made a few of these now using this You Tube tutorial from Debbie Shore. My addition is to interface the outsides with Pellon (and sometimes quilt the bag) and to add tabs to the zips, as taught to me by my friend Fran:

A couple of Pants Bags - this one for Jasmine's husband's birthday:

And this one for my first best friend; it's her birthday on Monday:

Love how colourful this is!

My little big sister came to stay last weekend. She doesn't quilt but she's very good at up-cycling furniture. Look what she did to my old table:

and my book stand:

But my biggest project had been making 16 'Home Sweet Home' blocks for the Siblings Together Quilts. Mary is collecting blocks for the boys' quilts:

and Hannah, the girls: 

I'm thrilled to have finished the top of my own Siblings Together quilt this evening. It's measuring up at 48" x 62":

And if that wasn't a busy enough few weeks, we went to the indoor ski centre on Monday and my poor SIL had a little fall :( she ended up with spiral fractures in her right shin bones and had a significant operation today:

So we get to babysit this beautiful boy for a couple of weeks - expect to see lots of cute Boxer Dog / next to quilt pictures!

Phew-eeeeeee! You're up to speed! Linking up with the lovely Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict. And if I haven't visited your blog for a couple of weeks, I promise I'll pop in and see you this weekend x

What's on my table?

Lots of house viewings since last week and a good offer but no sale yet ... it has only been a week so we're not worried. I got a bit of sewing done over the weekend but certainly I'm feeling unproductive compared to my usual outputs :(

I have finally added a border to my soldier's quilt and made the back, so if DH and I can baste this this weekend, I may even get it quilted:

Next weekend I'm hosting a 'quilt retreat' for our Strip Bee quilters  - I have previously made Fran and Julie a Pants Bag so felt it was only right that the other three ladies had a Pants Bag too to transport their 'pants' in when they come to stay! Here's all three together:

For Maria (pinks and blues):

For Amy: (aqua and pale blue):

For Sarah: (pinks and purples):

They'll be in the post tomorrow, ladies! Very excited to host the weekend, promise to take lots of pictures of our weekend and the finished strip quilts.

And one more thing on my table - I participated in a low volume charm swap around Christmas. Here are the 56 x 5" squares I received:

But I just haven't been hit by the inspiration fairy to know what to do with them. So, yesterday, I laid them out with different fabric choices from my stash:

My thinking is to keep it simple, maybe  a 10 x 10 lap quilt using one extra colour ... or more than one? What would you do? All ideas gratefully received :)

Linking up with Lorna, Lee and Heather & Megan: