We are all WINNERS!!

We have an incredible win/win situation here... because I didn't need a hat to draw the names out of, more like a THIMBLE!! ..all the kind commenters are winning a pincushion - and I win too, as its so lovely to know that people are stopping by on their journey through blogland and taking the time to say hello and share their thoughts.. so a BIG THANKYOU to ALL that stopped by.
Ellie and Mystica if you could email me your addresses, I will post out to you asap. The Other Mousie.. you're much easier to find....that trail of cheese and cake crumbs!!
So thanks again you've made a crafty so and sew very happy!!

Can't Wait ..Won't Wait...

Can't wait..Won't wait - thats the name my husband calls me. I'm impatient... there are worse crimes. I have started to hand quilt my Kaffe S-Block (sounds a bit like a prison wing???!!) but my favourite part of the quilting process is the very last bit..putting the border on. So... I've done it now..already

My friend Susann, a keen dressmaker and gifted needlewoman and at times, my fashion guru..has very kindly given me a piece of Kaffe's stripey grey fabric, which when used as a binding forms little squares....Just Perfect. I just couldn't wait to neaten it all up and see what this lovely finishing touch would be. Only its not finished....yet!!!

Whats happened to my pics??? White lines - funny colours?? The next pic was of my newest fat quarter - scooters and Jack Russells - how apt!!!

The Best Things in Life are Free

You know the saying... "see a pin, pick it up, all the day , you'll have good luck.... If you share it with a friend, then your luck will never end"
Well if you live a little like me... there are pins littering my pathway through life...and what does one do with them whilst looking for a dear friend to share them with??? Pop them in a PINCUSHION!!
and I'm GIVING THEM AWAY ... you don't get much for nothing in this life... and it is true what they say - for many, many reasons The Best Things In Life Are FREE.
Just leave a comment on my Giveaway Page and I will draw at least a couple of names from a hat on Monday (tomorrow)
Come on...what are you waiting for..............

Say No More

Flower Power

I've not monkeyed around with the settings on the camera.. these are the genuine colours...WOW !! Ain't nature wonderful?

Giveaway.... Giveaway..........

Here is the launch of my first GIVEAWAY..... drum role please..... if you would like to win a sweet little hand-made pin-cushion all the way from sunny Derbyshire UK - just leave a comment on this post telling me what you are looking forward to this Summer break. I can't wait for our family holiday to France... sunshine...food..... ooh la la!!
I will let you know the winner on Monday 27th June or winners depending on the amount of posts... I won't hold my breath!!!! I will draw the name from a hat at 6pm GMT Monday
So come on make my day... I'd love to hear from you, wherever you are, I am happy to post overseas. Come share your Summer hopes with me.

New Bag

I neede to make a new craft bag to fulfill a request from a customer at the craft fair - so - I set to.......

I sewed some scraps into a strip

I added some strips to the scrap strip

Some wonky log-cabin type stuff

Add some Mickey Mouse ears

Squared up and sewn into 2 blocks of 2

Wadding and backing added to each of the 2 blocks

Add a re-cycled gingham curtain as a lining and re-cycled handles et VOILA

A Craft Bag - hope she likes it!!

Bubblegum Icecream



Whatever next????

Last week, Jack and I went to Twycross Zoo. Boy did it rain that day, but inbetween showers, an icecream was called for.....

What about these amazing chairs? They glowed in the light like boiled sweets or a stained glass window

Kaffe Quilt Update

Piced, in peace in the garden.

2 Borders added (spot the Jack Russell!!)

The Reverse

The back is made from 2 pieces - 1 larger piece of a Martha Negley fabric that I snaffled from E-bay and the other is a metre long piece that I treated myself to, from the course. It still wasn't QUITE wide enough so i sewed loads of spare strips together left over from the S - Blocks , made 2 rows from them and added them to the back. I'll take a better photo soon.
I'm busy hand quilting now.....got to go!!

Kaffe Quilt

Well, this is what has been keeping me out of trouble for the last couple of days, and as always I'm obsessed and can't leave it alone.
The workshop last Friday in Cornwall with Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Maltby was FANTASTIC - an absolutely full-on day - hitting the ground running. No time for chat really or socialising BUT plenty of time to create, instinctively with wonderful. tips and guidelines from Kaffe and Brandon.
I think that was what struck me the most, that we were advised to NOT think too much and to whack half a dozen blocks up onto the design wall, following your gut instinct - then to stand back see if anything required tweaking and changing.
Right at the end of the day, each quilt was critiqued by Kaffe in a great positive and praiseworthy way with his great expressions and humour. Mine was likened to a Victorian paisley shawl, with its colours... and he LOVED my red and white polka dots and the black and gold block in the centre.
This is a great quilt to sew.. its his S Block quilt which features in his book Country Garden Quilts.. its relatively easy to piece together. I still have a couple of blocks to sew, never mind sewing the whole lot together, but I'm loving doing it, I think because I love all the fabrics so much, its a joy when I reach each combination.
Here's a few snippets of other quilts...and of course the man himself

This is Ali's beautifully tropical one..

How different everyones were!!

This was a favourite of Kaffe's as it was so rich and opulent in colour

This one was special as it was made from wool woven fabrics!!

If you get an opportunity to attend one of his workshops, I do recommend it... ours wasn't organised as well as it could have been, there were a few grumbles as many had received no instruction of what to bring. So if you do go, my advice would be to take plenty of pins, your rotary cutter and mat (although some managed with scissors), some flannel/brushed cotton fabric big enough for your design wall (better too big than too small) and of course YOUR chosen fabrics, some already cut to be able to make a start. I just cut 2 and half inch strips of my favourites, and I could  cut strips to actual size as and when necessary.

I didn't hear of any fabric being rejected as such, what didn't work for one person often was perfect for another!! and Kaffe was able to advise fabrics from an amazing pop-up shop that had come for the day, which were very reasonable prices - so take some pocket money!!!!

What a wonderful way to spend the day.....

Can you see the join?

I'm pretty sure that this is the same view as last time - and I'm really happy with the result. ( This quilt needed some serious patching after some pet rats had escaped and had one hell of a midnight feast!!)
It means that this quilt will live to see another generation and I have loved mending it, I have found pieces that I have collected over the years in my stash that have just..waited..patiently for this project. I have used Liberty hexagons that were once a project that a friend started years ago and gave me as a U.F.O - a 1950's apron that exactly matches the pink and white striped material originally used in the quilt, red and white polka dots from a charity shop find, that match - its amazing and a project that just had to be mine. I have popped the pocket of the apron over the hexies to match the polka dot one already there.
Amazingly enough I was worried about trying to match a border, when I noticed that originally the hexagons went right down to the very edge obscuring the border - so I have taken that as a green for go and taken the hexagon patch right down there too.
I hope my friend likes it as much as I have enjoyed doing it. It's now to live on a barge - can you imagine it? I think it'll fit in lovely.

I LOVE this quilt

Middle patch is bang in centre of pic with horizontal stripes, a turnip and 2 dotty fabrics

Here are the hexies with a pocket on top - on the top right of pic

Thank you Em

This was just the most lovely surprise to come home to...I had just about given up on ever seeing the package as it was sent on the 8th of April from Utah. You see I had entered a giveaway over on Em's blog and was THRILLED to be one of her winners ...I've been watching the letter box for weeks and was starting to think that it had got lost...but No here it is AND not only did I receive the 'Love' fabric but this cute purse and the jolly yellow piece too..Thank you Em -its all beautiful and I love it.
P.S. Even the squishy jiffy bag is the prettiest I've seen

Home again ..home again..jiggitty jig

I'm back, after the most marvellous break in Cornwall, from the most southernest point of England - and here's a clue to my joy - a photo of the man himself Kaffe Fassett critiquing MY quilt.... I have so much to add but have so much to catch up on here at home.. so I'll dash back to reality and enter once again the blogesphere later x