Sew Sew Modern 5 - Received

Happy clappy day.  The courier has just delivered my Sew Sew Modern Swap package.  I received the most stunning New York Beauty cushion cover, pouch, charm squares and thread pack from Pam (Sewmama123).  I had seen a couple of sneak peaks during it's progress, and hoped it might be mine. My favourite fabrics, colours and one of my favourite quilting block styles - apparently she found it just as hard to post this off, as I did mine.  Luckily I had a cushion inner the right size, so it is currently brightening up my family room at present.

Thanks so much for a great swap

Sew Sew Modern 5 - Sent

Now that my partner, Sara in the SSM5 Swap has received her parcel from me, I can finally reveal everything I sent her. The New York Beauty mini quilt, which was posted about over the last couple of months, was made up of four different blocks from these free patterns. I also included the cathedral window pincushion and made her a hot pad.  It was the first time I had sewn with insulated batting before, but I am really pleased with how it turned out, especially all those tiny flying geese.  Some beautiful shot ribbons, embroidery threads and zippers which co-ordinated with the items I had made, were sent as little extras. After I got home from the post office, I found the fabric covered 'to do" jotter pad I meant to send her too.


In these items I used a lot of fabrics from Denyse Schmidt, Anna Maria Horner, Julianna Horner, V & Co, Joel Dewberry, Zen Chic, Kaffe Fasset and Lizzy House.   The beautiful amethyst coloured shot cotton was from Spotlight.

I loved how this mini turned out , and am really proud of myself for attempting these blocks.  They were definitely some of the most challenging things I gave sewn.  I will have to make myself one at some stage. Now I am eagerly awaiting the postie, to see what I receive.

Tuesday's Tales

 

Well, I missed my weekending post, but really it wasn't very different from most of the others I do.
Reading, cooking and some sewing.

• Attaching the binding to my New York Beauty mini quilt.  A beautiful berry shot cotton was the perfect fabric for it.
• Some more envelopes for the Swak swap 

Today certainly has been filled with drama and stress though. The drama started at 8 am this morning, when I thought The Scout would be at work, I received a call from him to say that he had been involved in a car accident.  Luckily he was not hurt, but still somewhat shaken.  We are still awaiting the insurance assessment on what is going to happen to his vehicle.  A return trip to Cambridge was had in rather horrible weather, to pick a spare car from his parents for him to use.  Needless to say, we were glad to get home today.

The stress is coming from the new computer we have installed.  Trying to get it set up how we like, when neither The Scout or I are that technologically minded is somewhat challenging.  I still have to work out how to get photos from my camera onto it, so if I am somewhat sporadic with blogging over the next couple of weeks you will know why.

Anyway, I hope you all have a fabulous and safe week.

Wednesday WIP

Having Mr J, home from school with a tummy bug for two days, meant that I have been able to start quilting my New York Beauty blocks for my Sew Sew Modern Swap partner.  I couldn't decide on one style of quilting - straight lines or lines radiating from the centre for the whole piece, so instead have quilted each quarter individually.  I love how quilting changes the look of an item and gives it so much texture.

Just the dark border to quilt and then the binding to go on now. 

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Weekending (The Belated Edition)

 

• I had a pile of lovely inspiring magazines, that always make me want to pack up, buy an old home in the country, get a dog, and have lots of lovely recycled/upcycled furniture in my home
• Some more blocks for the Pack Patch quilt along. The top block was laundry themed and the second one was our sewing room.  One of the questions was how we store our fabric,  some of mine is in colour order, some is by pattern eg: dots, text, florals and some is by designer.  Here are all six weeks blocks together 
• Loving the patterns and colours on the leaves of my new plant (Can't remember it's name sorry)
• New York Beauty - four blocks done and assembled together,  It was bothering me, how not all of the outer edges were aligned, but after throwing the question of whether I redo it, open to my swap group, the general consensus is that it is lovely, they don't have to align and to leave it.  So I will.  Now it is time to think about the next border for it.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and that the week is a good one for you.

Wednesday WIP

Note to self: when signing up for swaps and then sewing for your partner, it is generally easier to make things within your area of expertise.

I have  long admired some of the fabulous New York Beauty blocks I have seen turned into mini quilts and cushions. Knowing that they were paper pieced, and now that I am comfortable attempting paper-piecing, I thought I'd be able to sew these, easy peasy. The triangular points, no problem, they were fun.   Not so the curved rings and borders.   After unpicking the block I completed over the weekend, cos I wasn't happy with it, repinning it and trying again, I was almost ready to throw it out. Time for a different tactic.  I have since learned, that for me pinning well, then hand basting, removing the pins and then sewing the curves is giving me a lot more even and flatter sitting rings. They are not perfect, but I am so much happier with how they look. I still have some more borders and centres to add, then the decision as to whether it is a cushion or mini quilt.  Luckily I have a little time to work on this.  Stay tuned.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.