2010 continued ...
So, having made over 20 cushions and 20 Pants Bags (I know!!) in just a few months over the summer, it was definitely time to try and make a quilt ... very daunting and where to start? Looking back, I actually made the hardest quilt first (typical me!) as I wanted to make something for my dear Dad - a lapquilt I thought would be a safe start ... and a nice easy design - simple blocks, hey? That would have been sensible but that's not me - I decided to design a seaside themed quilt as my Dad loves boats and the sea ... what was I thinking??

So I started with a boat ...

... and added some sand

... and even made a lighthouse!!

I even hand quilted the clouds to make them 'fluffy and puffy' and tried (not very successfully) to free motion quilt the sand. Thankfully, I managed to do the backing with one piece of material so that reduced the time a little bit. It took weeks ... but I really really enjoyed making it and learning all sorts of new things as I went along.

And my favourite bit - apart from presenting it to Dad - was the binding ... I absolutely LOVED making it (out of the spare backing fabric) and hand sewing the back of it to the quilt in the car journey's to Dad's (sooooo last minute, me!) It was worth it:

More of 2010 still to come ...

2010 Creations ...

So I went through all the photos on my mobile, on my camera and on hubby's camera and I think I have captured all of the things I made in 2010. I don't think I'll publish them all here - far too many of the same genre. At the beginning of the year when I was learning how to even rotary cut, piece and sew a consistent 1/4" seam, I seemed to have made lots of cushions and Pants Bags and not much else:

Some cushions:

All made possible thanks to a generous donation from my dear Aunt which paid for this:

and some of the Pants Bags (so called because I think your 'pants' should be nice and safe in a bag when you go on your holidays) - these took me AGES to make in 2010 as I learned slowly as I went along - I'm glad to say I have found easier ways since then and now do proper lining and double ties - but these were fun at the time and very well received by friends, aunts and Mums:

More to come soon - this blogging is not a quick process, hey??

You're never too old to learn - new Blogger ;)

I'm a brand new blogger and a newish (2 years) quilter ... I wanted to create a space for my quilting adventures and challenges so I'm going to try blogging ... deep breath - here goes!

For my first post, let me introduce you to Nell - you may not see much of her (I don't) as she is a rescue cat and is still very jumpy even though we've had her two years now. Here she is checking out my first 'proper quilt' that I made for Christmas 2010:

It was lots of fun (pieced at a one-day workshop in Surrey) but nearly put me off quilting at home as my first attempt of the stitch in the ditch on my domestic sewing machine was rather tricky ... but I persevered and a year on have enjoyed making many more quilts, cushions and bags (or, as I like to refer to them, 'Pants Bags') which I'll start to catalogue over the next few days as I get more into my blogging.

A special thanks to Penny and Pauline - both of whom inspired and supported me at the beginning of my quilting life - without them I wouldn't be the happy little quilter I am today xx


If only there was more time ...