A little bit of progress

I've begun to quilt my Strawberry Patch Quilt. I started by echoing around the anvil blocks with I think really helps to accentuate the pattern. 

I think it needs something in the centre of the blocks to finish it off. Otherwise there's a clear 9" across the middle without quilting which I think is a little too much. I bought this stencil from The Fat Quarters but I'm struggling to quilt it.

It's only 3" big so the curves are very tight and I can't seem to get them right. I'll have another couple of tries before I give up. This week I've also completed a long over due task. I made these two cuties for my twin nieces for Christmas 2009.

 Last year they were given back to me in desperate need of some TLC. I've patched them up and they're ready for round two. I didn't want the twins' big sister to feel left out when I gave them back so I made her a little friend too.

He's from the latest Tilda book and I think he turned out super cute. I hope they last a little longer this time!

The wounded return

Last Christmas I made some stuffed toys for my twin nieces.  They were as adorable as the girls and I was sad to let them go - you can see them here.

This week I was handed them back by my sister and they look like they've been through a war!

Here's "Quack Quack" returned to me minus both wings and with a footprint on his back.  Bunny faired a little better with only an exploding arm to show for his battles with the terrible two.

At least I know they've been well loved, the twins took them everywhere (which explains the variety of stains). Time for some emergency surgery!

My first Block Swap

I'm very excited to be taking part in my first block swap through the Missouri Star Quilter's Forum.  The instructions were very simple (a must for a first timer) - make 12 12" finished blocks in a summery floral fabric, keep 1 and post the other 11 over to America.  I think I can handle that.

After months of sitting in a corner hand quilting it felt good to get cutting again.  300 2" squares, 96 2"x3.5" rectangles, 48 2"x5" rectangles.  I feel ridiculously excited, too excited to sleep, so I started sewing.  My lovely neat piles became this:

Not so neat.  I can't leave them like that or it'll probably become a kitty nest over night so more work before I can sleep.

That's better, sleepy time now zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A distraction before I go entirely insane

I've been hand quilting this wedding quilt for so long I've completely forgotten what it's like to cut and piece!  I come in form work everyday, I plonk myself down in my little corner and I sew:

Look at that vain kitty.  Always doing her hair!

It's come to the point when I just can't face sitting in that seat a night longer so I signed up for my very first  block swap at the Missouri Star Quilt forum.  The theme is very loose but it has to be summery and it has to use floral fabrics.  I had a spare hour so I drove up to The Fat Quarters and bought some gorgeous Tilda fabrics.

I chose them because they aren't available in America so it'll be a nice treat for the other ladies (I hope).  Now if I can just finish the block I'm hand quilting I can start cutting!  (I feel like a surgeon who's been denied time in the OR).

First set of Christmas presents

It's been an awful month. Ear infection which became labyrinthitis which was quickly followed by swimmer's ear. What on earth is going on with my ears?!? I'm typing with my head on one side so that my ear drops can soak in and it's very odd.

Through all the illness I've managed to get a good start on my Christmas presents. Meet Quack Quack and Bunny, they're made from Tilda patterns in Tilda materials and I just love them. They are for the twins but they're not quite finished. Quack Quack needs a hat and they both need faces but it shouldn't take long to finish them up.

I've also almost finished a quilt for my father and step-mother. It's all pieced and layered up, I'm just trying to do the quilting but the ear problems mean I'm struggling with straight lines. Hopefully I'll be finished in a couple of days and you can have a look.

Babies Babies Babies

I'm still off work because of my ear infection so I got to spend the day with my sister and her gorgeous twin daughters. They are just the cutest babies in the world (in my completely biased opinion). That is Lucy on the left and Alice on the right.

Unfortunately, mum has already made them a beautiful quilt each that they get wrapped up in for naps and chilly walks in the buggy so there's no point in me making them one. I have found a really cute book by Tilda with stuffed animals in though, so I'm going to get going on some Christmas presents. Alice's first words were quack quack so she's getting a duck (it's actually a goose but I think she's a little young to quibble) and Lucy is getting a cute bunny.