sunday stash

It's been a while since I took part in Tam's stash sharing party. Maybe the guilt of fabric shopping has been getting to me. Maybe only a bit, it hasn't stopped me getting excited and NEEDING new stuff.

I know materialism is a hideous bi-product of our modern culture, it's the driving force behind lazy folk that don't want to work, but want to consume. Part of the celebrity envy of the Western world. But can I NOT include fabric shopping in there? It's not a fancy designer handbag or pair of shoes. It's not a watch covered in diamonds. In theory I can sew the fabric together to make useful things. Clothes (ok, I can't, but someone could), bags, and (above all) quilts.

And how gorgeous would this stack be sewn up into a quilt for a little person? (yes, I am obsessed with babies at the minute - I've got pregnant friends coming out of my ears). I'm not so keen on the orange and browns, but someone will sew that together and I'll see it and then start drooling. Happens all the time when I think I don't much like a colour combo.

This is Willow by Alexander Henry, bought from FabricWorm. And only bought because I had a 10% off coupon. I am so easily bought.

the quilt tops just keep on coming

I think of all fabric designers Sandy Klop of American Jane is my hands down favourite. I love her. I love everything she does. She rocks.

This quilt started back in August last year. The blocks multiplied in October and then I trimmed up what I had so far in January this year (don't you love how easy it is to remember when you started things if you take pictures? Yay for Flickr!). But for a month I didn't touch them. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, or if they were going to end up being a quilt for someone that I wanted them to be for (secret stuff - but not the other secret stuff you still haven't been told about - that is still super secret).

And then I decided to get on with it, because it was a shame to have those blocks trimmed up and ready for action but to just stare at them every day. I finished up the few stray remainders to give me a decent sized small person quilt, and alternated the pieced blocks with a square of my favourite American Jane prints. All in all, there's a little bit of something from peas and carrots, wee play, look and learn, recess and even happy campers. The only one I missed out was snippets...because it was a teensy bit too girly, and this is supposed to be a boy quilt (although Miss G didn't seem too convinced by that and raised her eyebrows a little too high when she said 'boy? hmm...'). Ginger said it was for him, but he's sadly mistaken. Off the top of my head I think it measures 65 x 75 inches, or thereabouts. Small enough for a small person to roll on it when he's a baby, and big enough to cover his toddler bed when he's bigger. It will also, I think, make an excellent den for hiding from a bigger brother, and mum and dad. I really hope it will end up full of stain and holes, because that would mean it was loved. We'll see.

But now on to quilting. I thought I might hand quilt it. It is for a very very very special person, someone who deserves hand quilting, even if my hand quilting leaves a lot to be desired. Those kite shapes are calling to be to be echo quilted in a brown thread. And I do have a few months before I need to hand it over. I should just take a deep breath, pull out the quilting hoop and jump in, shouldn't I? Special little baby, and all.


ps. When the husband saw it he said 'how about FINISHING something before you start on something new?' Ha. Does anyone actually do that? Anyone? I don't think. Silly man.

a bag of sweets

...or candy, or (as pointed out by Aneela) fruit pastilles. Yum. For those of you that do know what fruit pastilles are - have you ever been able to not chew one, and just suck it right down to a sliver? No, me neither.

And for those of you that don't know what a fruit pastille is - these are them. I'm a bit more than a bit partial to them. But I do tend to feel a bit sick after a few. That might just be the sheer speed that I guzzle them down, though.

What am I wittering on about? Well, this.....



The string quilt I started a wee while ago is now a top.

And the husband hates it.

Great.

It is a little on the bright side, so I'm not sure where it's going to live, but it would make a fab picnic blanket, wouldn't it?

All the fabrics are either Katie Jump Rope or Flea Market Fancy, by Denyse Schmidt, and it measures 60 x 75 inches. Not very big. Not really bed sized. It was going to be much bigger, but the husband's dislike for it put me off. So now on to basting and quilting. Maybe he'll like it more when it's quilted.

No, I can't see him changing his mind either.

Although, I will give him some credit, I showed him these and he got very excited. He's not a completely lost cause, after all.

you didn't guess

Really, not one of you. But John was closest first, so in the spirit of sharing he gets the prize.

Here I am holding the new puppy.

So much less mess than a real puppy.



John, I'll pop him in the mail next week. Hope the hope valley is kind of manly enough for you. It's pretty awesome, I think. And I'm still not fed up of it, despite seeing it every day whilst stitching up the dresden plate (that is currently in the magic hands of Christine). Which is kind of good, because I technically have another full set of half yards supposedly on it's way to me (if it ever shows up *sigh*)

I'll tell you next week, maybe, what me and the Floss have been secretly up to. That's if Brioni gives me the thumbs up.

Right now it's the sewing olympics. Team KJ (c'est moi) is hoping to win gold. The event for the day - 4 x flea market fancy/katie jump rope string blocks for this neglected project.

Cheer me on. I'm a Brit, we're not all that hot at winning medals. Not gold ones, at least.

good stuff

Work continues on the slightly secret project. Tell you what, the first person to guess what it is EXACTLY gets a prize. I'll make you a patchwork scottie dog, if you'd like one. But you have to guess exactly - 'something patchwork' or 'a quilt' is not exact enough. So there - you've got a clue. Get guessing.

The postman has been very good to me. Maybe he senses that I am waiting for more fabric and without it I can't get on with the next dresden plate quilt that's haunting my dreams. Whilst he doesn't bring the fabric I'm getting impatient for he has brought me gifts.

This little piece of quilted gorgeousness is from the quilt dude himself, John. Who offered up this awesome kindle case he'd made when he heard I'd got one for Christmas. Yesterday the kindle, the case and me went on the train. I saw one other person with a kindle type of thing, but she didn't have a fancy schmancy case for hers. She doesn't have an awesome friend like John, though.

John - you rock. And that notebook? It's too nice to use and will sit with my other too nice to use things. (Once John sent me a pencil - that is also too nice to use). I have quite a collection of too nice to use objects. I think I get that from my Grandma, she had bed sheets that she never used. They were still in the packets when it was time to move her into the nursing home. I hope I can bring myself to use my fancy stuff before I'm moved into a nursing home. Maybe I should make an extra big effort, but just write special things in my special notebooks?



And then, just yesterday, when I got home from the big smoke I spotted an envelope on the table for me. Still no fabric, but this made up for it. It was complete surprise. I had no clue it was coming. It's a chicken pincushion. Yep, you guessed it, it's too nice for pins. He (or I guess, she) will just sit on the shelf next to the computer with my other precious stuff. Maybe I'll stick one pin in her for effect? I don't know. That seems a bit cruel. Isn't she awesome? She has rice in her bum, so she's all crunchy feeling, I sat last night crunching her whilst I watched TV. The fun never stops in this house.
Miss Chicken was a surprise gift from Rebecca who had made pin cushions a little while ago on her blog, and I asked if they were from a pattern. She said yes, would I like it? I forgot all about it, like I tend to do, having the brain of a chicken (how coincidental). And then Miss Chicken turns up, with the pattern as well. Too cool.



So, John, and Rebecca - thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. This is a week full of good stuff!

patchwork puppy

I've been trying to come to terms with the mess that is my fabric cupboard(s), and the biggest bane of my life - my scrap box. After making the spiderweb quilt (before someone asks, no, it's still not quilted) I thought that I would surely have less scraps, but no - somehow, in some way, they breed and the box was getting beyond stupidly full. I would always rather go for 'real' fabric than sit there wading through scraps. I'm lazy, I'm all for the easy life, I can't be bothered. Impatience and instant gratification wins every time - I'll cut into that nice big piece of fabric, thanks very much.
But, whilst moaning about my scraps and how I was getting ready to just dump them Brioni said 'hang on, let's do something with them instead - because mine are getting out of hand too'. So we are, but more on that at a later time, because it's slightly secret.

Then, on Friday, whilst I should have been doing the slightly secret thing I got distracted by a flickr group I joined a while back, then forgot about. This group. And I made me a scottie. Actually, not for me, it's part of the slightly secret thing too, but because I can't show you the slightly secret thing I'll show you this instead.

But wait - last night I was thinking to myself 'I must start that single girl quilt before it eats my brain away' and I went to visit the woman I would like to be best friends with, or just stare at, or hang out with, or visit, or just say hello to one day and did you see what she has been making too? YES - a scottie dog, and she has a free pattern. Hoorah. So go make one for yourself. I'm going to make more. But I really must get the dresden plate to the quilters, and finish the slightly secret thing.

Until then I shall fawn over Denyse Schmidt's scottie dogs and smile ever so slightly to myself, because there is something really quite lovely about a dog made out of squares, especially when he is lying on your bed.....

charity quilt kit giveaway

My friend Dana from Thistle Hill Fabrics has put together some designer fabric kits to get you started on making a charity quilt for give a kid a quilt. She's giving away (yes - giving away) 3 kits to the first 3 people that sign up. Head over to her blog and check out the details, and do something that will make you feel so very warm and fuzzy.

Tag Sale

Doesn't that sound much nicer than 'clearing out the cupboards?'

head on over to my shop for a variety of Liberty print fabrics and some Cath Kidston too. If you mention you've come from here I'll pop some extra goodies in the parcel. (All of the above pics are there, plus some others)