Scrap busting to make way for new fabric!!

I have had the best birthday weekend and I want to thank you all in Blogland and on my IG account for your birthday wishes. The winner of my birthday giveaway was Anu in Finland and she chose the pouch and tissue holder so my friend Kate gets the Pants Bag for her birthday tomorrow! (The log cabin pouch is an iPad case for me!) 

Giving really is as much fun as receiving:

Speaking of receiving, as well as some perfume and little bits and pieces, DH got me this wonderful stash of fabric from Craftsy:

The top 4 yards are Blueberry Park by Karen Lewis, the smaller two are Cotton and Steel and the 17 fat quarters are 'sweet petites' by Michael Miller. 

I feel very blessed not only to have all that new loveliness to play with but to have a husband who truly gets my obsession hobby and doesn't moan about all the time (and money!) I spend on quilting ... thanks Nick X  

As if that wasn't enough, I also received these gorgeous birthday gifts from my very kind and talented friends Fran and Maja. From Fran, a mini Pants Bag:

And from Maja, two delightful little pouches:

And on to my scrap busting because I need more space! I am continuing the theme of my scrappy Siblings Together quilt by using up more blue scraps for the backing. Not sure exactly how this will turn out yet! And I pulled some drawers and bins of other colours and have started on some log cabin duet blocks. Again, no idea where this is going!

I used to trim my scraps but find grouping them by colour now is more productive to me than by size - that way if I see two pieces of a similar colour, I pick the one closest to the size I want, thus saving the bigger piece for another project on another day. My scraps are kept in drawers, bins and a birdcage:

More scraps were used up in this 20.5" block for Nicky @mrssewandsew who is the queen of Siblings Together quilt making, bless her:

Linking up with Molli Sparkles showing off my new fabric and sharing my scrap-busting with Cynthia @quiltingismorefunthanhousework 

Can't help but play with fabric scraps :D

Since pulling all the blue and grey scraps out for my Siblings Together quilt, I cannot seem to stop touching my fabric scraps! What's strange is the more I use up, the more I seem to make! 

Today, I have made a few gifts all from scraps. Firstly, I look at the fabric colours and sizes and that helps me to decide on a design / object. Also I find great inspiration from the Internet and other quilters. This block was inspired by Cathy's quilt:

All made from pink scraps and white leftover binding strips. I needed a new iPad cover and now I have one:

It's my birthday tomorrow (and St George's Day) and also my friend Kate's on Monday so I decided to make some gifts for Kate and as a giveaway! I raided the red bucket and made an open wide zipped pouch (great tutorial by @Noodlehead):

The large glass of bubbles was for scale but did get drunk eventually! Then I made a Pants Bag (so called because when I travel, I don't like putting my drawers in other people's drawers so I can just keep my pants in a bag hanging up!):

And here they all are together with a tissue holder I made too:

Would you like the Pants Bag or the open wide zipped pouch and tissue holder? Leave me a comment saying which (giveaway open for 24 hours only) and I shall then pick a winner. I will also offer this on my Instagram account tomorrow and will announce the winner on Sunday. 

As I was tidying up, I just couldn't but help touch some more scraps and quickly made these two log cabin blocks in no time - not sure what to do with them yet:

Have a great weekend - I know I will!

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

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.

Gifts - bags, tissues, quilts :)

I hope I never stop thinking, 'I love my hobby' because I really do. I love playing with different fabrics, planning my next makes, finishing little projects, starting big ones and giving them all away! Two fat quarters, a bit of lining fabric and ribbon - a couple of hours sewing and voila - a bunch of gifts for a few little girls:

I have been sewing a bit crazy the last few weeks making zipped bags and tissue holders ... great gifts and a wonderful use of fabric leftovers. The iPad case in the top left, I actually made for me:

I made 4 yesterday! This one is going to the USA for a friend who's been a bit under the weather:

And the others are going to friends in Yorkshire, France and Sweden:

Isn't that the great joy of quilting? Spreading the love all over the world?! 

I've also been making a quilt for a colleague who retires in September (best I get a move on quilting it then!) This is my own design, based on the things he loves (photography and rugby) and what he does at work (drinks tea and eats crisps!), using 'boy' fabrics:

Here it is on my ironing table; must make the back and baste today:

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

A few finishes :)

I have been enjoying this little hobby of mine lots lately but haven't been blogging much. Aunty told me off yesterday (she loves to read my blog) so a quick round-up of what I've been making.

A new quilt - made for a much longed for little boy:

And I tried some different free motion quilting, which I think worked out okay:

Better to see on the back:

Great timing, I had the fabric but was waiting for inspiration to hit me ... bought the Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine:

thank you for the dresden plate templates - turned them into this bright chicken table runner for dear sister's birthday:

Appliqué, zig-zag and stippling:

The back: 

A peg bag for my friend Fran @PatchyRose:

And my latest quick gifts? Some tissue holders - aren't they gorgeous??

Have been posting regularly on Instagram - mustn't forget my blogging friends - linking up with Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Off to create some more loveliness now! Happy weekend x