My new Quilting Room :)

Our new home:

A new chapter in our lives in North Wales - and we are much closer to family after 26 years of living in London. On Wednesday, some of that fabby family helped me unpack 15 boxes in my new Quilting Room (frustratingly, I still can't move my right arm that well after breaking my shoulder 3 months ago) ... and in just a couple of hours all my fabric, books and magazines, WIPs and quilty stuff was out of the boxes - they know how much I love my hobby, bless them ... though apparently, I have too much fabric!

Judge for yourself - my new fat quarter drawer:

Over the last two days, I've moved and sorted, tidied and whittled stuff down as best I can. This room's not as big as my old sewing space but my oh my, I think it's magical ... what do you think? Warning - I've taken lots of photos:

Even Nell got in on the action:

LOVE it! Am so very lucky to have this wonderful space. Can't wait to start sewing in it! Maybe tomorrow ... but only after I've cleared the hallway - not so much fun:

Linking up with Amanda Jean and Sarah. 

Beyond generous! Thanks Carla :)

The wonderful Carla over at Creatin' in the Sticks is one of my oldest (and most special) blogging friends. Living in Kansas, we have an obvious affinity.  We began by leaving occasional comments - as you do - then became loyal followers - and have even exchanged a couple of gifts in the last two years. She really is lovely and very talented. I have seen both her blog and sewing skills grow and am so proud of her.

Just over a week ago, she posted this about making a Tammy Project Bag:

Perfect for keeping scissors, thread, and needles close by.

I made one with a friend in mind, Tea for Two.

Oh how I wish we could sit down and share a cup of tea.

It is now stuffed with goodies and on it's way

for a belated birthday...

I did not know she'd made it for meeeeee! It turned up today and I LOVE IT!!

But, if that wasn't gorgeous enough, look what was hidden inside:

I cannot wait to use these 4 Wizard of Oz fat quarters - you can't get the like of them in the UK. To think, I may have gone my whole life without knowing they even existed!

Belated or not ... these are such fabby gifts. From an even fabbier lady. Thank you, dear Carla. And one day, my friend, we shall sit down over a cup of tea, of that I'm sure :)

Showing off sharing your work: 

Cutting for a new quilt :)

We were away this weekend so I missed out on my bumper Saturday-Sunday sewing sessions! I have started cutting for a new baby quilt / playmat I'm going to make for dear niece's fiance's niece (Saffron, who has her first birthday in April), I'm going for two bold patterned pinks for the letter 'S' and a mixture of co-ordinating Makower Spraytimes as the background:

I had to use all my fat quarters and then raid my scraps to make 50 x 7" Makower squares:

I can't lay them out, check my design and start sewing though until I clear my design / basting / sewing table - think I'll have to do a tidy-up this weekend:

Oh and I've nearly finished another Pants Bag which I'm making for an overseas blogging friend (I've bought her a Hera Marker too as she doesn't have one):

Linking up with these fabulous ladies:

http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/lets-bee-social-6.html

http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/faric-tuesday-171.html

http://www.freshlypieced.com/2014/02/wip-wednesday-with-guest-host-leigh.html

Cushions ... do you love them too?

I haven't started sewing the binding on dear niece's table mats and runner yet:

... but I couldn't stop looking at the fabrics she chose for her cushions so I've made a start on them!

So, out of two fat quarters and a 1/2 yard, she's getting two 18"x18" cushions for her bedroom and I worked out the measurements for a very simple 5 x 5 pattern:

You can easily get 50 x 4" squares from this amount of fabric but I did check before cutting using Robert Kaufman's quilt helper App. I kept the pattern close by and STILL had to unpick two rows when I sewed the wrong squares together:

I always press my seams after sewing to seal the stitches - do you?

And pin - do you?

And very quickly, one cushion top finished and ready to be quilted. I love this padded square that DH made me, sits perfectly on my ironing board and makes ironing large pieces so much easier:

You don't have to press the horizontal seams open but I like to:

And this fabric was in my stash, which matches up very nicely, and will be great for the cushion backs:

Nine days before we visit dear niece and I hand over all of this loveliness - best I get a move on!

Linking up with Meg and Heather and looking forward to their Holiday Tutorial Series which starts tomorrow ... like I need to add any more projects to my ever growing list!

You made me 'do a Gwyneth' !!

Yes, you lovely followers you, when I woke up yesterday morning and immediately grabbed my iPad (as you do!) and read all your wonderful comments on Friday's post about my quilting and blogging, I must confess I ... large GULP ... got a little teary :'-)

It woke DH up so I read him some of your comments and then, being the drama queen I am, I did a bit of this:

With my own, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for xxx and I also want to thank xxx so much for their help and support"... it made us both laugh ... you probably had to be there but take my word for it ... it was funny! Thank you x

And so, drum roll, please ... who is the lucky winner of the Christmas FQs: 

It's: 

Congratulations dear Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts who left me this sweeeeeeet comment:

Oh, Jennifer you are a fabby quilting blogger and we love you! Congratulations on your 200th post! That is exciting! Love your house blocks pants bag. Regarding the quilting across and bumping up..... I wish I had an answer for that one. But I am getting pretty good at burying knots!

Thank you for the opportunity to win those festive fat quarters! I have been on a Christmas project kick and would sew love to use those on a table runner or stocking. Did you know there are only 74 days left until Christmas?

Isn't she a darling? 

And, as promised, I have spent a lot of time sewing over the weekend! After a quick trip into Rochester to buy some batting and a little bit of fabric, I made a start on a baby boy quilt for my friend Laura at work, who has given birth to Matthew - pleased to say Mummy and baby both doing well. Inspired by the new fat quarter I bought, (bottom left), I pulled all the other fabric from my stash: 

It wouldn't be me if I chose something easy peasy! Also, why keep it simple and follow the pattern exactly when you can shake it up, add inches and have to work it all out because you want one bigger teddy bear rather than four small ones?!

It's actually been lovely to work on and here's a WIP photo: 

And, just because I could, I made a start on this Makower Advent Calendar (bought the panels weeks ago): 

I've had the best weekend, hope you enjoyed yours too :) 

My 200th post :)

I don't like wishing my life away but I have been so looking forward to today since like Monday afternoon! It's Friday and I have been sewing this evening since I got home from work and I intend to sew ALL WEEKEND toooooooo!

Only a little finish to share ... I've made another Pants Bag for my Kansas friend Carla @ Creatin' in the Sticks ... well, for her daughter actually who is a huge KU Jayhawks fan (yeah, I had to Google them too!) and here are they are having a grand time in their colours: 

So out of these fabrics:

And inspired by Maria's super houses, I made this:

And now there's going to be another owner of a Pants Bag ... they're getting everywhere!! 

Some progress on my Macmillan Cancer Support charity quilt which I started quilting tonight. I've done some straight line quilting along the sashing (ugh, my least favourite type of quilting) but I'm not sure about it ... why does it ruche up and get stuck over where the seams join -  am I going too slow / too quick? 

And all those knots to bury:

DH thinks I should now stipple the butterfly blocks and borders ... hmm, we'll see!

And so this is my 200th post! Who'd have thought it? Not me, that's for sure. Like quilting, I'm still an amateur at blogging - I make mistakes, I get stuck in a rut, I think everyone is much better at it than me and it's not always pretty but I love it! And I love my followers - they really make it worthwhile - so I'm going to put all their names in a hat tomorrow morning and the winner will receive these 4 Christmas fat quarters I especially bought this week as a little thank you from me:

Have a fabby weekend, whatever you're up to. Linking up with Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict:

Pants Bags galore :)

Over at Crazy Mom Quilts, Amanda Jean's Friday Finishes are made from scraps so I feel like I'm in very good company this week with my little finishes!

This afternoon, DH met Mutter (my mum) at the train station to hand over the 7 ... yes, the 7!! Pants Bags she is taking to Germany on Sunday: they're for my German Aunts and cousins. Here are the last two, which I finished last night:

And all seven:

I love making these - all different designs and fabrics, created in the moment, mainly from scraps with the occasional Fat Quarter (from my stash) used for the borders. They're so lovely to make and even lovelier to give away (though I was seriously tempted to keep the green one!) and now there'll be Pants Bags in Germany too ... I'm taking over the World ... LOL!

Also linking up with Sarah: