Happy Easter

The Easter long weekend is almost over here in Australia and it has been joyful watching the delight on my boys small faces when they find one of the little eggs that keep turning up in random places ;)

Every Easter I usually try and do some sewing for my God-daughters and Sons. But since my overhaul last month I still haven't managed any quality sewing. Oh I did sew two border seams on the binary code I mentioned last month but that took me the next several days to recover from. And I have fixed some of my Husband's work pants that had split seams or fallen hems but those I pinned whilst standing up and the part I needed to fix was only a couple of inches long. Not fun sewing but at least they're not hanging around making me feel guilty any longer!

So I thought I'd share a couple of sweet little rabbit bags I made last year.

Itty Bitty Bunny Bag - Easter Bag- Rabbit Bag

Itty Bitty Bunny Bag - Easter Bag- Rabbit Bag

I used fabrics from the Reunion line by Sweetwater for Moda Fabrics.

Easter Rabbit Bag - in Progress

Rabbit Bag - Embroidery close Up

Easter Rabbit Bag - Back

and a pattern called Itty Bitty Bunny Bag that I found at my LQS.

Itty Bitty Bunny Bag - Easter Bag- Rabbit Bag Purse

They were simple to make and I kind of wish I was young enough to still carry one...

 Happy Easter to All. xx

Oh and since I was going to post this yesterday and didn't( I blame the rabbit), I'm now linking up to Fresh Sewing Day and Small Blog Meet over at Lilys Quilts. I would offer some refreshments but I figure you'll all still be full of chocolate and not need any ☺

Do you need a glass of water?

Do you need a glass of water? A fan? A quick lie down?? I was just checking you see, as this is my second, that's right folks, second(!) post this year and I thought maybe someone might have fallen over in shock. No? Just me then :)

That unfortunately is probably the most exciting bit as there hasn't been a great amount of progress here this month. I haven't been feeling that well and Ella has not been on her best behaviour.  She's been skipping stitches all over the place. So we've both been to the doctor to get an overhaul. It's not all bad though, soon Ella will be home and I have had the lovely Faye looking after me the last couple of weeks. It's been so nice to have another girl around to talk with, a rarity in this all boy house.

I have managed to finish all the stars for the rocket-ship quilt,

Rocket-Ship Quilt , Stars Prepared for Appliqué

make a test mini quilt of a larger quilt that I have planned, sorry no more details, I don't want to ruin the surprise!

Modern Mini Quilt - Detail

And make good progress on some binary code that's been waiting for ages to get some love and attention. (Yep that's my nerdy side showing its geeky head...)

Binary Code - Piecing Detail

But that's it. Everything else is still all plans and daydreams and possibilities. Which is kind of nice, then I can imagine fantastical quilts that I'd like to make. Ones with perfect seams, amazing colours and dazzling quilting. That in my head are a cinch to make and take no time at all....  Maybe I hit my head when I fell over in shock? Anyway, here's hoping this month of March will be more successful!

Linking up to where people have actually done some stuff for:

Fresh Sewing Day

and Small Blog Meet.

It was lovely to receive some new visitors last month.  Today I've put out some Jelly Lamingtons  filled with fresh cream and a nice cup of coffee.  Don't worry about getting crumbs on the rug - TH is great at vacuuming!

Fast Forward.... Fresh Sewing Day & Small Blog Meet

Modern Scallop clamshell applique pillow - detail

 

Do you ever feel like your life is in fast forward? That you blink and 6 months of your life have gone past without anyone consulting you about it? It's seemed like that here the past year or so. Though, once I find out who is responsible,  I shall be giving them a stern talking to!

Now apparently it's bad bloggy manners to apologise for absence(of any length) so lets just pretend that we haven't been apart and get back to the irregularly scheduled programme...  :)

In the summer school holidays, which have just finished here in Australia :(  I was lucky enough to have my annual summer sew in at Faye's house. The "sew in" part being very literal as the boys and I chose the hottest week of the summer to go. Most days were in the high forties. Of course the day we went home a cool change came through and by the time we were an hour from home it was 14°C and raining. Go figure.

 

Luckily she has a great sewing space and is happy to share. I finished making this feather bag which has gone as a present to a lovely friend of mine.




Tote Bag with pieced Feather - detail

I started making it as a Christmas teacher gift, but ran out of time, so sneakily made it for a friend of mine instead, all the while asking her opinion on how I should do it. The background is Robert Kaufman Quilter's Linen in Charcoal, the feather is made from my stash.



Tote Bag with pieced Feather - Front

This scalloped panel managed to get finished also and is destined to be a large pillow. I used a faced appliqué technique, a variety of cotton and linen fabrics and my current favourite colour scheme: navy and pink. (Though Navy and green is vying hard for second place). These scallops are 3.5" across and that pink fabric at the top of the photo is for the back. I hoped to finish it in the linen I used on the front but of course they don't make it anymore and I don't have enough left. I'd love to make a bigger version for my bed, though TH might not like all the pink!

Scallop clamshell appliqué panel

The rocketship quilt for BB finally got some attention too. I took advantage of Faye's space to cut out the large lengths of fabric required and have been making stars and working on the rocket. More stars than are in the picture, just in case you were wondering.

Rocketship quilt background

No idea why I've left it this long and the fact that BB has been so understanding about it only makes me feel worse. I'm hoping that the usual burst of energy I get at the beginning of the new year is not too far away. This year I really need to finish some projects that have been hanging around a long time, 'cause then I can start some new ones!

I really find it hard to blog on anything like a semi- regular basis. I can easily read 50 posts in the time it takes me to write one, well, one that makes sense. I'm more of a born-to-read person rather than a born-to-write.  So this year I am aiming for a post once a month. That's only 12 times a year, achievable surely??

I guess we'll have to wait and find out!

Linking up for the first time in aaaaaages to Lily's Quilts - for:

 

Fresh Sewing Day

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& Small Blog Meet

 

 

If you're here visiting from the linky party, Welcome, It's nice to meet you, I've got virtual chocolate cake and a cup of tea to share with you!

Festival of Scrappiness Quilt Entry- A little happy

Hi! I'm entering this mini quilt into the Festival of Scrappiness over at Stitched in Colour.

Mini Quilt - A little happy - 13.5" x 14"

As I haven't yet done my catch up post(oops and it is almost April! Oh the shame...) here is a quick rundown.  Last year I began making a quilt out of yellow and orange triangles all cut from scraps I inherited from my Mum.  This year while planning Project Half-Done(more on that later) I revisited the quilt, which is called "Happy Days", and decided I needed to make it a couple of rows longer. While cutting out the triangles for that I had some little scraps left over and decided to cut even tinier triangles and make a mini quilt for my ongoing Quall of Fame(a wall covered in mini quilts - miniatures of large ones I've made and others) because its a small version of "Happy Days" I've called it - "A little happy", and because its so small I only used a lowercase h. I didn't think it could handle a capital :)

Now entering an unfinished top is OK by the rules but as I've already started the quilting it feels a bit like I'm showing it to you naked. It is 13.5" x 14" and the triangles are just over 1 ¼" high. You can see my not very good quilting a bit better in the pictures below. I'm hoping to make the stars "pop" a bit, then I'm planning to bind it similar to this quilt here.




Mini Quilt - A little happy - Back

Mini Quilt - A little Happy -  Close-Up














 






I was hoping to finish the large quilt too but I've run out of time so I'll tell a funny(eventually) story instead.  When trying to decide on how to quilt the mini I tried putting some clear plastic over the top and drawing on possible designs. It was all going well until, yep, some ninny drew on the fabric. And no, whiteboard markers do not wash out nor do they come out with Metho or anything else I tried.  The funny thing is that when I replaced the triangle it took me less than 10 minutes.  About 5 times less than I spent trying to get it out in the first place... der.

That means now I've learnt 3 things:

1. Don't trim blocks whilst wearing a scarf with tassels.  Unless of course the tassels are much too long and you need them shorter.

2. Headphones don't like being trimmed either.

3. Don't draw on fabric with a whiteboard marker.

I'm a bit over yellow and orange after the DSQ and these so now instead of finishing quilting this like I planned, I'm going over to check out more of the fabulous quilts already linked up.  Go and have a look too :)



Modern Mini Quilt Contest - Plan C!

Hi! Remember me?? Well I'm back to share what I've been up to.  Complete with poor photos and excessive punctuation! You lucky things :)

I  will do a catch up post soon but for now, before I run out of time, I'm entering the Modern Mini Quilt Contest over at Ellison Lane Quilts. By the skin of my teeth I might add, as the linky closes in less than an hour! Eeek! I had grand plans of a super-gorgeous-awe-inspiring quilt I would make using a block that I've redesigned but after much dithering, frustration and indecision I decided to take a step back and let it go.  It just wasn't working, so that meant it was time for a new plan! I had a new idea that I was really happy with! Unfortunately by the time I had the good idea, I did not have enough time to make it :(

On to Plan C! I decided to enter my Mini DSQ.  Plan C Finishes at 15½ " x 20".




Modern Mini Quilt Contest Entry - Plan C,  15½" x  20".

Last year I joined in with the Dead Simple Quilt Along over at Lily's Quilts.  You can read more about it here and here.  While a bit late to the party as I was trying to finish this, I did put the top together in January(not pics yet sorry!). Then because I've decided to make a "Mini Quall of Fame" (more on that later!) and because I didn't have a big enough area to lay out the big quilt, I decided to make a little one to see how the colours played together and to try out a quilting idea.




Modern Mini Quilt - Quilting texture

Once I put the top together and after quilting I thought it was a bit plain and just needed a little something extra. So I decided to add some little pops of colour in the binding.

Modern Mini quilt - Binding Detail

I love this effect and will be doing it on the big DSQ too. It gives a plain back a nice pop.




Modern Mini Quilt - Plan C - back.



Modern Mini Quilt contest Plan C - Back binding

The big DSQ is still waiting patiently for its turn....


DSQ - Dead Simple Quilt

There are lots of fantastic Mini quilts already linked up, go and have a look.

Good Luck everyone!