EB Doll Quilt Swap - Sent

This was the little wall-hanging quilt I made & sent to AJ

All hand quilted except for once around the outer edge!

I even attempted a hand quilted pinwheel on the front centre block!

 

EB Doll Quilt Swap #3

Today is opening day for the EB annual Doll Quilt Swap. I joined in last year and it was great fun watching everyone revealing what they had been seeing sneak peaks of over the previous 2 months. This year has been no different - there has been some stories that girls were waiting till the stroke of midnight to open their parcels!

I was lucky enough to have Jade as my swap partner & I received this gorgeous (wallhanging) quilt from her!

It's a wonky log cabin design done in retro Katie Jump rope fabrics on a white homespun background! I've been eyeing off the wonky designs for some time now & had been meaning to do one - but now I don't have to!!!

It is beautifully made and so ME. Gosh I'm such a lucky girl to own this quilt!

Isn't the quilting gorgeous! It's so neat and straight (something I aspire too ;)

Love this funky label! I actually thought of doing something similar!

Love the little hanging tag - aren't those buttons so cute!!

Thank you so much Jade! I love it and can't wait to hang it on the wall of my sewing room!!!

Hats & Skirts

November is here along with the hot weather and I am in need of a hat!

A lazy days hat (excuse the dark tired circles under my eyes... it was a self portrait taken after a LONG day out!)

And in reverse... love these spots!  

 

Of course I was on a roll, so I finished the froggy one for my dear little Miss K

(please excuse the blurry picture + the dummy, we have one tooth to go & she wasn't giving up her num-num just for a silly photo shoot!)

 

The reverse which is a nice green swirly (pictured in my recent Blogtoberfest)

It seems Teddy takes a better photo then both of us combined ;)

 

Kylie asked for me to share some tips on making this pattern... to be honest I had the first one cut & half sewn for months as I couldn't get my head around the circular sewing. The first attempt was caught in several places and I threw it to the side intending to never finish it. BUT I will say

1. Make sure you mark the quarters of pieces accurately (I originally used a fading quilters pen that faded by the time I wanted to match my markings. The second time I used a bright blue pen that doesn't fade (but is washable) this seemed to do the trick & because the 2nd time around was more accurate, it seemed to line up better & less bulk

2. When attaching the crown to the band, pin it all in place then sew with the crown on the top (the first one I did with crown on bottom & it tended to fold under the crown... it looks vastly better with the folds appearing on the band.

3. Following Sadie & Lance' advice to leave a gap when sewing the brim to the band is fast & easy to do! I don't do hand-sewing well, but this way works wonderfully, just ensure you leave enough of a gap to turn the whole thing inside out! With a half inch seam, it's easy to catch all seams under when doing the final top-stitch!

I think that's about all that bothered me while sewing it. I'll definetely be making more of these!

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AND because once you start rolling you can't stop...

A skirt ~ I looked at the lazy days skirt pattern this morning... & it is pretty much similar (except for 3 differences) to the one I whipped up out of my head a few weeks back. This version just looks neater as I've used quilting cotton instead of a thin poly-blend AND thicker elastic in the waist!!! I did a different hem to it, this was similar to a pattern I did yonks ago.

Which has got me thinking about copyrights and selling. When does an idea become your own. If for example I add a frilled bottom to bottom of the poly cotton skirt I made a few weeks back ~ can I sell this? I have followed NO pattern for it - the frill is something that has been done on a tonne of patterns I've seen in my travels? Whose to say 'you can't do that' if I haven't followed a pattern... Anyone know the rules & would like to expand?

Regardless, I really love this skirt! Except I think my elastic needs to be tighter!

Blogtoberfest #31 ~ I made it (perfect)

31 days has October AND Blogtober(fest) and I made it ~ without missing a post! Thanks to Tinniegirl for hosting it again in 2009 and I can't wait to join in again in 2010!  Here are a few things that I think make blogtoberfest the best fest around!

1. I find myself CREATING more as the month goes by, due to added pressure to find something to blog about

2. I find myself BUYING more... pretty parcels are the best fillers for daily blogging!

3. I find myself READING more... adding new blogs to my expanding bloglines & making me feel more worldly ;)

4. I find myself WRITING more... well duh, of course - which really isn't that hard for me, although my written journal has been sadly neglected for most of October!!!

 

Thanks heaps Cathy! I had so much fun!

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And for my last post of the Month ~ I was hoping to show off the carved pumpkin that DH was going to do for Miss K for Halloween! Except we weren't about to pay $24 for a (single) pumpkin at Woolworths :o highway robbery woolies!!! Shame on you.

So you will have to make do with a viewing of my completed (and far from perfect) "Make it perfect" sunhat!

Modelled by Tenderheart Care-bear because Miss K is asleep and it is a little too small on her...

I was so impressed with how easy this came together, I have cut out a further 2!

Blue floral & blue spot for ME

Pink Frog and Green Swirl for Miss K

I even offered to make one for dear hubby, but he flatly refused to wear one... hmmm I might make him a fishing one for Christmas just because Tee hee hee...

Blogtoberfest #30 ~ Note(s) to future self

1. DO NOT TOUCH the sewing machine when suffering from the common head cold (aka man-flu)

2. DO NOT attempt to sew a pattern while suffering the common head cold (aka man-flu)

3. HORMONES and SEWING MACHINES do not mix. Refer point 1 and 2 and replace the words head cold with hormones.

4. CHECK that the *insert profanity here* bobbin has not run out of thread BEFORE cutting into the side seam of the brim and turning your creation inside out, only to find it all fall apart on you... 

 

 

 

Hoping your final days of Blogtoberfest are faring better than mine ;)

Blogtobefest #29 ~ Pay it forward!

Last year I signed up for a couple of pay it forwards, except I lost track of who and how many I signed up for... *whoops*

Turns out Selina's PIF was a definate YES

And that's what I said when this gorgeous little gift arrived in my mailbox today!

& the best part was contained within ~ this gorgeous little Christmas wall-hanging that is far too cute to be packed away each year. I think this one will be staying on my walls!

 

So in keeping with the Pay It Forward tradition. IF you would like to play along and pay it forward (leave me a comment & I will book in the first three comment(ors)! The rules are simple. I will make you a hand-made gift and send it to you sometime within the next 365 days. All you have to do is pledge it on your blog to Pay it forward and make three someone's something within the next 365 days. And so on, so forth. It's all about sharing the love.

BUT (there is always a but) IF I don't get any takers to play along with the pay it forward (I realise this meme has been doing the rounds & some people have probably paid it forward time & time again...) 

I do solemnly pledge that I will choose THREE people who have commented on any of my blogtoberfest posts (and there WILL be exactly 31 posts) and I will send you three a pay it forward gift. If you want to share the blog love, then by all means you can do so, but you are in no-way obliged (consider it ME fulfilling my pledge) so come on.

NOTE: if you want to Pay it forward, please say so in your comment, if NOT just comment as usual!

Blogtoberfest #28 ~ quilting again

Don't go getting yourself excited by my blog title!!! Although this technically counts as part & parcel of Quilting ~ I didn't even make it to the machine today...

4 blocks all cut up ready to piece as part of the EBNQ Round Robin Swap. Only 2 more blocks after these four, then we will get a parcel of 12 individual blocks returned to us in time for Christmas *yay*

 

Meanwhile ~ my head is thumping, my throat is sore... OMFG I think I'm coming down with man-flu ;)

I'm tired, run down & excessively hormonal - I'm thinking it's time to go relax on the couch, with a hot lemon & honey tea accompanied by the FULL block of chocolate in the fridge ;)

If only I had some stamina to keep working on this little sweetie! 

 

Only THREE days to go for Blogtobefest ~ bought to you by Tinniegirl. 

Blogtoberfest #27 ~ raindrops on roses

brown paper packages ~ tied up with string!

Oh how I wish I could keep the contents for ME!

Aren't they gorgeous!

Blogtoberfest #26 ~ nothing to see here...

I signed Miss K up to another day at daycare (she now goes 3 days in total) so I can allocate a day for working from home, 2 days at my old/new job (which incidentally is going well, I am really enjoying it!) so today was spent doing bookwork and drinking coffee. So nothing crafty to see here folks.

I did however start this book this morning.

Recommended & leant to me by my SIL, it's another vampire saga. I'm really getting into these vampire books, reminds me a bit of my late teen phase with Interview with a Vampire saga in the late 90's! Anywho, what I'm keen on knowing is this is book 1 comprised of 3 short(ish) stories. Do I count each story as ONE book in my 2009 Read 50 challenge? I think I might. Must bump the figures up somehow!!!

Blogtoberfest #25 ~ The Haul

My BIG haul from the Quilt show yesterday... consider yourself warned - a picture heavy post abounds ;)

Better Homes & Gardens were there (again) selling these goodie bags. It's official, I am a total SUCKER for bags and freebies. In my defence - the bag is totally waterproof and WILL be used for my daughters swimming lessons ;)

Not to mention the current issue of BH&G which is a jam packed full of Christmas crafts and food.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!

Which led me to buying this pattern:

with 20 individual stitchery designs + a table topper pattern!

Then mum bought me a copy of this pattern:

with a further 12 stitchery patterns!

Then of course I just HAD to buy this gorgeous Christmas fabric + some itty bitty bells to use on the above decorations! Luckily mum bought the other pack of fat quarters, we are going to share the fabric between us.

Of course when I saw this cute Teapot, I had to get it for my Christmas tree (I buy a decoration or two every year!)

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Moving on from the Christmas theme... Mum bought the two vintage look green fabrics for Miss K, I am planning on whipping up a little outfit for her... maybe she can wear it on Christmas day!

The super cute Pink Froggy fabric and Green swirls were also a gift to Miss K from mum, this is because Miss K was entranced by the froggy quilt that was on show in the fantasy section of the Quilts and would NOT shut up about it ALL DAY!!! The blues are two 30cm pieces of flannel that I am going to use as backing for some bibs!

After seeing the gorgeous fantasy quilts, I was in a trance and simply had to buy some *bling* fabric ~ I think this cute fairy fabric and matching pink silver fleck fits the bill nicely. 

Then we went past a stand that sold Mellie & Me patterns and fabric packs. Of course I've had poor Hilda sitting in the cupboard for some time now, awaiting the perfect fabric so I can make her up. You see Hilda is pretty groovy and not just anything would suffice! So I now have a pack of groovy "austin powers" groovy baby fabric (finally!)

Ok now I'm getting a little embarrassed at the sheer volume of stuff I bought yesterday... but honest, I spent less than $200 (I think!!! gawd, I hope I spent less than $200!!!)

The Kids Quilts stand was G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. I could have done some serious damage there, but restrained myself to a mere $60 (including the fairy fabric above!) This little cutey found her way into my basket & I have every intention of making her for Miss K's Christmas present... or maybe Birthday present...

The gorgeous purple and green fabric included and I bought the ABC pattern too!

 

And how gorgeous are the Ella & Skysie patterns & kits? I swear I was a little tired by this stage which is why they fell into my basket and came home with me... thinking of that beautiful lavender smell ~ hmmm... makes me want to sleep & have sweet quilting dreams!

& some quilt labels for those times the printer runs out of ink and you simply must have a label RIGHT now.

Last and most probably least, an assortment of odds and ends that were a just because I can buy!

Do you like the little Teapot brooch on the right ~ it's so cute!