Time well spent ...

On the rare occasions I try and rationalise the amount of time spent on blogging and on Instagram, I am instantly put right by the amount of support and inspiration I get from those 'time-bandits!' Fellow quilters really are the best people, aren't they? So much of what I'm working on at the moment, I wouldn't be if it wasn't for the people I've met or if I didn't receive the help or see the ideas everyone is willing to share.

Over on Instagram, six of us have started a Bee where each person works on a section, then passes it on to the next and so on until the quilt comes back to you with all six sections completed. There are no rules but you are guided by the design of the quilt owner's first block and any colour preferences they suggest. Our tag is #weshouldbeesectioned ... and I definitely thought I was going mad last week when trying to think of what to do!

After reading many great tips on the Internet - just googling 'quilt bee' brought up dozens of fabby ideas - I decided I would go for a seasonal-themed design. Yes, you are correct in your immediate thoughts - there are only 4 seasons - but I'm giving everyone carte blanche to just choose colours or themes that represent their favourite season ... so if I end up with six autumns (my favourite season), so be it.

The finished block is 27" x 21" and is made up of 5 different sized sections (wonderfully organised and put together into a pdf for us all by Julie @mackandmabel) and my first attempts (and a now discarded half dresden plate which will now be made into a cushion!) didn't float my boat:

That's supposed to be an apple in the top left! So, back to the drawing board ... any autumnal block surely has to have a leaf in it so that was easy:

Afterwards, I went back to the dresden plate (because I really like them) and found (in a very old quilt book) what was described as a Grandmother's Fan - only needs a 1/4 of the petals - so that was my next block and, for the strip in between, I just went with some simple blocks out of apple fabric I had in my stash rather than trying to paper piece 3 x 3 1/2" apples:

Now for the bit that made me think I had lost it! I decided to make a paper pieced pumpkin - in the biggest section - an 18" block! What was I thinking?! It's been ages since I'd paper pieced and even then, it was only simple stuff. Ah, what the heck - let's go googling again! And whilst I didn't find a template for exactly what I had in mind, there were plenty of tips and good sites for me to feel confident enough to crack on.

It took a while; I had forgotten about the extra amount of fabric you need to use: 

But by putting that photo on IG, my friend Maria (@sewlovetosew - our Queen Bee) reminded me and eventually (it took hours and hours!) my pumpkin was finished. In the end, I had to make him in 3 sections:

Here he is with the other blocks:

Maria may regret giving me great advice because she gets my block first!! 

And my other finish this week was an 'old and forgotten' group of blocks that I made about 4 years ago and put away because I'd fallen out of like with them:

After putting the photo on IG - 'should I bin or add to and finish? I was so humbled by one of the responses: 'I think someone would be very happy to get this, especially someone who doesn't have much.' (thanks again, Tammy) that it chivvied me along to finally finish it:

Kindly photo-bombed by Nell! And another great use of time on social media is the link ups - thanks to Amanda Jean and Sarah - through their link ups, I have met lots of talented and kind quilters and learnt loads. 

Going. Going. Gone!!

Three of my favourite colleagues have retired this year. My Line Manager, Emma, went in April and she received my first finished quilt since breaking my shoulder last year. Simple but sweet:

Then in July my boss, Mike, retired after 37 years and he got my piece de resistance quilt:

And this week, my specialist adviser retired after 30 years so he just had to have a unique quilty gift too! I love to personalise my gifts and Ian was easy to plan for. I tried to pick out non-girly fabrics:

He loves photography and rugby, drinks lots of tea and enjoys the 'occasional' packet of McCoy's crisps with his lunch! Here's the appliqué blocks:

I wanted to try a new free motion quilting pattern (motivated by my friend Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses whose improvement in her FMQing is so inspiring) and got great advice from Angela Walters:

After a little practice (5 minutes!), I just went for it! The swirls were a little crazy to begin with and I went a little bit off with the tails:

Nell offered her advice:

And I just persevered ... the more I did, the easier it got:

Here's the quilting from the back and the label:

And on Tuesday, I handed it over and said goodbye to a dear colleague who will be irreplaceable :'( 

Goodbye, thank you and good luck, Ian:

Linking up with the lovely Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts and Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Birthday quilty gifts :)

I'm not sure when I was 4 if my Mum's crazy quilting friend had made me a quilt for my birthday, I'd have known what to say but I know this little girl will adore her birthday quilt from Aunty Jennifer and will know exactly what to do with it! I made this quilt for her Mum and Dad as a wedding gift and she cuddles under it all the time:

Oh, and makes tents with it!! So, I know she will love this - my own improv design, using charm squares, a couple of fat quarters and all that lovely pink is Makower Spraytime (my favourite blenders - they have a great range of colours) and I finished it just in time for her moving into her 'big girl's bedroom':

And I still have fun making binding:

And it was her Mormar's (Grand-mother) birthday a couple of weeks back and I made her this cute Dresden plate tote bag. I'm enjoying practising these free-motion swirls:

This weekend, I'm hoping to finish a quilt I started last week - got the idea out of my favourite new quilting magazine - Love Patchwork and Quilting (enjoying making this so much, will do a full post later):

What are you working on this weekend? Are you trying something new?

Linking up with 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