Swoon Progress

Its September already, and I'm determined to have a productive month. I have been working on my Swoon quilt, and have not just one more, but 4 more blocks completed!

Please excuse the appalling photos - I love the sun, but it was playing havoc with my photography. I get lovely dancing shadows from a big tree outside when it is sunny at this time of the day. Or rather, they are lovely to look at, but not to photograph large quilt blocks in!

I set up a bit of a production line and cut out the pieces for 4 blocks. I then chained pieced all the half square triangles and the flying geese.

I love seeing nice neat piles of flying geese!

As one block swiftly followed another

I was able to remember the construction and so refer to the notes a lot less.

It took no time at all to get these four blocks made.

I had made the mistake of using a directional print for this last one. I'm quite pleased that I took the time to line the stripes up as much as possible, but if I was doing it again I would  fussy cut the centre square to get that diamond right in the centre. I'm not stressing too much though. I'm enjoying making this quilt and I don't think it will stand out so much when it is part of the whole.

Only another 4 Swoon blocks to go!!

Linking up with Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts and Anything Goes Mondays @ Stitch by Stitch Hoping you feel as inspired by the start of September as I do :)

A Quilt Finish

 

 

 

Yay! Ive finished another quilt. A very pink and girly quilt!

 

 This is made with just one jelly roll - Coquette by Chez Moi for Moda and some Kona Snow.

It came together really quickly. I didn't even spend ages arranging and re-arranging the blocks as I usually do - they just sort of fell into place first time round.
 

The backing is even more pink.... and I used the remaining strips of jelly roll to make a scrappy binding.





It is quilted with a simple straight line quilting 1/4" away from the seam lines.

When I bought the jelly roll, I didn't realise quite how pink it was. Too pink for this house and I don't yet have any "girly" relatives to give it too, so I think this would be a good quilt to donate to Siblings Together

 

As it's Wednesday, I also have a couple of Wishful Wednesday projects to share with you (the things I would like to make if I had a magical unlimited amount of time!)

First up is a knitted shawlette

Although I wasn't keen on them at first, shawlettes have grown on me over time.They are a quick way to dress up the jeans and T shirt that I'm wearing, when I'm off out and running late - a bad habit of mine!!

This is a free pattern and the equivalent yarn for UK knitters would be any aran weight yarn

 

And secondly, I have this crochet butterfly to show you.

 

I really must try and make time to have a go at these - I know they wouldn't take long. Again a free pattern (UK terminology) and you can find it here

The Le Challenge theme this month is wings - I've already planned my entry, but a few of these might just find their way into the photograph too! If I can tear myself away from the garden sunshine we have at the moment, that is...

I hope you like my pattern choices this week, and that the spring sunshine is filling you with energy and enthusiasm too.

Till next time..............Julie

 

Linking up with Fresh Sewing Day

 

A Quilt Finish

 

 

Yay! My first quilt finish of the year!! Actually this was 99% finished way back in October last year and various bodies have been snuggling under it all winter as it's been thrown across the back of the sofa, waiting to be finished.

I have the snowy weather to thank for that. What else is a gal to do when the weather outside is awful! So binding complete and photos done. It was a VERY cold photo shoot, and I think my neighbours thought I had gone totally mad. At one point I was trying to lay it on the snow covered ground, run to the door, boots off, sprint up the stairs, open a window and take a photo so as to get the whole quilt in the frame. By the time I got there the wind had blown it into a bundle. After three attempts I just hung it on the washing line.

It's a very simple design and used just one jelly roll with scrappy sashings and scrappy binding.

The jelly roll is Oh Deer by Moda, and the white is Kona Snow.

In my hurry to get back inside in the warm, I forgot to photograph the back - sorry!

It measures 50"x72" - an extra long throw for the sofa for my 6ft something youngest son!

 

 I'm writing up the pattern, so it should be available soon.

Linking up with Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts

 

Easter treats abound in our house this weekend. One involves a trip to the beach. Brrrrr!

But there are plenty of edible treats in this household too. No-one likes the traditional Simnel cake so we have a very, very unhealthy Easter Rice Kripspie cake instead (actually we have this for all celebration cakes - birthdays included)

It's very quick to make, so I thought I'd add the recipe to this post.

You need:

For the cake - 3 Mars bars (yep! you read right!!)

                       40 grams butter

                       3 tablespoons Golden Syrup

                       Approx 10 cups Rice Krispies

 

Melt the butter, Mars bars and Golden Syrup over a gentle heat in a saucepan. Blend together with a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Rice Krispies. Mix well. Spoon into a 22cm greased cake tin and press down well with the back of a spoon. Allow to cool and harden (refrigerate if you are in a hurry)

For the icing - 75 grams icing sugar

                        25 grams cocoa powder

                        40 grams butter

                        2 tablespoons water

                        50 grams caster sugar

 

Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Measure the butter, water and caster sugar into a saucepan. Put on a low heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter. Bring to the boil, remove from heat immediately and pour into the dry ingredients. Beat well with a wooden spoon to make a smooth icing.

Allow to cool and thicken a little, strring occasionally, then pour over the cake.

Add some chocolate mini eggs and enjoy! Happy Easter.

 

 

 

 

Fresh Sewing Day - September

 September - the start of the new school year, and for my daughter-in-law the start of a career as a teacher. We all think about the kids, but sometimes it's a new start for the teacher's too!
So what was achieved in August? Looking back, I finished a lot more than I thought I did.

First there was the Garden Trellis quilt, I'm really pleased with this.

Then there was four-patch baby quilt, with some hand quilting. I really enjoyed doing this, but the baby that it was for, that I felt certain (but for no good reason) would be a boy, turned out to be a GIRL!!!!

So I had to quickly turn round and make this bunting for her instead!

And finally, not a complete finish, but a segment finish - the first row of the Row Along (quilt along) over on Bee in my Bonnet

 

Hopes for September? Well, firstly get further than putting the fabric together for the How Far Will You Go Quilt Along which is all I've achieved so far!, and secondly make a Kindle cover before I go on my hols and get it all scratched with sand!! The rest can be serendipity.

 

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day  and Small Blog Meet over on Lily's Quilts