I'm nothing special ...

... well, I am special - we all are, aren't we - in our own way? But I mean I'm no different to thousands of other quilters across the world in that we just - keep - giving. I have been busy making lots of little gifts over the past few weeks - and I just want to keep going! 

Friends and family often comment, 'you should start charging' or 'you can't keep giving everything away for free' ... but I can. And I will (until circumstances dictate otherwise) because I really do love my hobby. And I love how much happiness a small gift can give.

Take my friend Shauna @ lovinquiltin who won my birthday giveaway. She received my gifts this week and wrote the most lovely post. Please go and check out her blog - it was her birthday this week too!) This was the sewing mat I made for her:

It was Mum's birthday (at the end of May) and I made her a new peg bag (the last one I made was very sun faded) I struggled to find an easy tutorial so just made it up as I went along. Anyone recommend one, please - my friend wants one now!

DH said we 'needed a big one' - your wish is my command, m'dear (that's our old one next to it!):

Dear niece needed some new cushions:

And my little zipped pouches have gone down a storm at work (perfect for keeping things tidy in your handbag) so I have been making lots of these as well:

Speaking of DH - he was 50 last week and I surprised him with a trip to the homeland of his father - Poland - we had an amazing time. It is my new favourite European city and we will go back:

 We loved the flavoured vodka - even made our own cherry beer one night:

Loved it so much, we brought some home! Didn't spill a drop :

But I mustn't be distracted further this weekend! I have two more weekends after this one to finish my piano quilt for my boss. Just needs a border today and basting - then I will have to think seriously about how to quilt it:

All of this activity has meant I have been neglecting my blogging friends and I have missed seeing what everyone has been up to. I shall link up with Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict and check in later on everyone else's finishes.

Have a great weekend and whether you sew for yourself or others - it's your job or just a hobby - you get paid or give it all away - enjoy yourself. And never forget - you are special too.

She likes dogs ... and girly colours!

That's what my friend said when I asked her about what style of quilt our God-daughter would like for her 18th birthday! 

I found some lovely dog fabric online and it inspired the colour choices for the rest of the fabrics:

I made this block and then just built around it:

Friends know I am challenged by straight line quilting - whether, it's me, my machine, the way I baste (spray not pin)?? Who knows ... but I gave it a go on this one using my zig-zag stitch. I put my gloves on, I went slow, I gripped (and it hurt my shoulder!) This was what happened with the walking foot on:

But it didn't happen when I just had the ordinary foot on?? Go figure ... so I quilted it without the walking foot, persevered and after a glass (or 2!) of the white stuff:

And using both my chins:

It was done ... Phew!

Finished sewing the label on this afternoon and took a few garden photos:

I love it! I think she will too ... dogs and girly colours she has! Linking up with Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Hitting the right note ...

Do you ever get that excited feeling? When you start making a new quilt and you just know it's going to be a good one? I have that feeling about my 'Piano Quilt' and I really can't wait to get at it again today.

My boss is retiring after 37 years and I wanted to make him a special quilt. I know he plays the piano and enjoys many a soirée at his home entertaining his guests, so I did a Google search for musical themed fabric. There wasn't a lot (in the UK) so I narrowed the search to 'piano quilt'.

And now I am so happy! It is perfect:

I couldn't find a pattern anywhere so have been working just from the image. I bought some new fabric (as you do!) but also used a lot from my stash: 

12 x 14 is a lot of squares to cut. I never clear up as I go along! Do you?

I made the piano keys first - figuring that once they were made, it would be easier to build around. They were fiddly and time-consuming and my fingers got very close to the iron! But the overall effect is worth it:

Just the rest of it to piece today then! You can check out my progress on Instagram (@glindaquilts) but I will blog about it too :)

Linking up with the lovely Lorna and Lee:

Catch up post from Jersey :)

I do have to wonder lately where does all the time go?! Since my last post, I have been working on our god-daughter's 18th birthday quilt:

I took a bit of advice from my birthday giveaway comments and included a churn dash block. My giveaway winner Shauna has let me choose fabrics for the sewing mat I'm going to make her. So I have chosen these four (and there'll be some left over for her to use):

I finished a couple of cushions for a friend's birthday:

And I made some cushions for me from fabric DH bought me for my birthday:

Have made a start on my 'Piano Quilt'

And am currently on holiday in Jersey! Five days with DH, his Mum and my Aunt. Yesterday, we just happened to stumble across a delightful fabric store (as you do) called Treadles and I made a few purchases. Today we visited Durrell Wildlife Park and stopped by the sea:

Busy couple of weeks, yes, but always enjoyable. Hope your weekend is fun too xx

Loving my hobby :)

Thank goodness for an understanding husband - who gets me. The last few weekends, I have been a demon quilter and have spent hours and hours in my sewing room. He hasn't complained once. He helps me choose fabrics. He helps me baste quilts. He holds up quilts whilst I take their pictures. Love him x

And tonight, he helped me pick the winner of my birthday giveaway:

Congratulations commenter #9 Shauna @ lovinquiltin ... I shall be in touch soon about your prizes :)

Here's a few photos of what I worked on over the weekend:

Can't wait to get home tomorrow and start working on my next project - thank you all for sharing your great ideas and for your lovely birthday wishes ... I don't know yet which pattern to go with. But I'm looking forward to cutting into these: 

Linking up with Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts

Siblings Together ... Finished Quilt :)

This has been a labour of love. I will be making another one of these quilts for DH who has been really taken by the bold colours. These blocks are a dream to make - no real measuring until you square them up to 7.5" (as I did) and is a great scrap-buster. What's been extra special for me is all the memories the little scraps brought back as I remembered the friends and family for whose gifts the material had been used for.

I had some special help when Fran @ PatchyRose and 'my adopted niece' came to stay a few weeks back:

I only had to buy fabric for the sashing and backing - and I chose this gorgeous butterfly fabric ... I thought the symbolism of  butterflies very apt for the charity I have made the quilt for - Siblings Together - "Interpreting animal symbolism is a powerful way to connect with nature, and learn lessons from her creatures - lessons that we can apply to our own lives. Observing the butterfly and learning her symbolic meanings offers us an opportunity to apply her movements to our own lives. For example, we can relate the butterfly's stages of life to our own life-phases...growing pains, times of ravenous hunger, times of vulnerability, moments of miraculous expansion."

Siblings Together is a UK charity - they aim to help young people in care initiate and continue to have contact with their siblings, helping them to develop strong family bonds and above all achieve an independent and positive place in society supported by their sibling relationships.

See this post for this year's quilt drive and the reasons why we've all been happily making blocks and quilts. 

And some photos just taken in our garden - it's going to rain later so I'm thankful for the little bit of sunshine we've had:

Linking up with Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Don't forget to enter my birthday giveaway! Happy weekend x

Birthday giveaway :)

I had a wonderful birthday! I'm so blessed with great family and friends and they all made me feel very cherished - IG and Facebook messages, texts, phone calls, cards, gifts and great company throughout the day ... it doesn't get much better, hey? 

DH and I went out during the day. I had an ice cream on the beach AND we even found a friendly little quilting shop - Tailor Made - totally unplanned ... honest!

Today, I finished my new sewing machine accessories using these fabulous fabrics gifted to me from the lovely Carla @ creatin in the sticks:

See this post for some of the techniques I used. The sewing machine mat is so handy - I keep my seam rippers, scissors, tape measures in the pockets so I always know where they are:

The cover keeps all that yucky dust off my darling Juki when she's sleeping:

And the little bag is for all my leaders and enders:

Here's it all together:

So here's my giveaway. I need to make a quilt for our God-daughter's 18th birthday (and for her to take to University later this year) and here are my main fabrics - I'll probably add some pinks:

I need some ideas. What block would you choose? Leave me a comment below and I will put everyone's name into a draw on Wednesday night (7pm UK time). Your prize is - I will make you a sewing mat - you choose it's size and colours - and I will add some co-ordinating fabrics for you to make the other accessories (if you want to or you can just keep the fabrics).

Have a lovely weekend :)