Coaster Basket and Some Goodies for me!

I have finished up the little coasters for the basket.  Even with a slight wonk to their edges I think they're sweet.

Log Cabin Coasters

Coasters snug in their basket.

Here's a wee peek at a pressie from my lovely mum.  She has been on holidays in Florida for the last 4 weeks and look what goodies she brought me all the way from JoAnns -

Click on the pic for a better view of these lovelies.

2 mini- jelly rolls - fab!

I am green with envy that US folk can pick up these little fqs for 99c!  I have read some comments about JoAnns - some folk love it, some seem to hate it - but I have to say if we had one in the UK I'd definitely be a fan!  UK readers will understand my awe at this amazing fabric price.  Okay so they may not be designer fabrics but they are cute and gorgeous and they are about a quarter of the price we pay here for fqs!  Rock on JoAnns!  And mum, you can bring me back these kind of goodies any time - thank you so much!

Stash Additions

Yesterday morning the lovely Judith had organised a little class field trip to the Belfast Stitch and Creative Crafts show for those from her classes who were interested.  No way I was going to be left out!  Sadly the show seemed heavily weighted on the creative crafts (think card making, beading and stamping) rather than the Stitch Crafts, but of course that's just my personal bias. So although it would have been good to see some more fabric retailers exhibiting, there were a few and I did manage to pick up some bargains and a few non-bargain lovelies too.

A rather random collection, but all were £1 fqs!

Couldn't get a really good photo of this but hope you can see
this irresistible little French Mademoiselle in chocolate and teal

Love these red and white prints!

Calling all Brit Quilters

Guess what - Lynne over at Lily's Quilts has created a flickr group for Brit quilters to share and become acquainted.  So, if you're living short or long term in the UK you can join here (and yes, you can be a non-Brit as long as you're living in the UK).  If you're interested check out Lynne's blog for the details.  Maybe meet you there!

Scrappy giveaway!

Interested in a fab giveaway?  Sew Fresh Fabrics are clearing out their scrap box and are running a great giveaway until Wed 2 April 10pm EST.  They are giving away medium boxes of scraps to US readers and a full envelope of fabrics scraps to International  readers.  Details of what to do to enter are on their post.  Go on, have a go!

A Little Something Extra

Was in the sewing room this afternoon chopping all these strips

which I hope will transform themselves (well, with a little help) into the log cabin coasters to fill the little yellow basket in the previous post.  Out of the corner of my eye I could just see the basket sitting there and I couldn't shake the feeling that it just needed something more.  So one suffolk puff and a wee button later here it is again!

I think that just finishes it off nicely!

Easter is Getting Closer

School's out for Easter today here in Northern Ireland and there was even some lovely sunshine to herald the Easter season!  Had a bit of a surprise when I collected my lovely son from school at lunchtime and we had to make room in the back of the car for his enormous Easter win!

Easter Charity Basket winner!

The rabbit has been named Rolly and I think the chocolate is being eyed up by more than one of us!

Back to business... I got to go back to class last night which was so lovely, although must admit I did a lot of catch up chatting and not enough sewing last night (everybody is flagging and in need of the upcoming Easter break, I think).  Anyway, during the week I changed my mind about making a larger basket at the class as I had previously blogged.  Instead, I thought I'd have a go at shrinking the original basket size just a bit and making into a little basket to hold the log cabin coasters we'll be tackling next week.  How's that for forward thinking? (Easter hostess gift for my mother-in-law.)

A few calculations, a little tweak or two here and there, some stash fabric and an old lemon shirt ...

Gathering supplies ...

Eh Voila!

Next up, making some log cabin coasters to fill it.  This will be a  real test of keeping things square - little things are not so forgiving!

Both of my baskets from the class.

Class Withdrawal Symptoms

Ok, so I had to take a few weeks break from going to my classes (4 to be precise) because of a number of family-life events happening.  Who knew that I would miss the direction and inspiration of the tutor and the motivation and company of others so much?

Thank goodness class is back in the diary though.  I haven't even squeaked that due to hubby's work commitments and lack of babysitter I had to miss the first week of the new project (making it 5 weeks of no class!).  Well, all right maybe I squeaked a little!  But here we are, the new week is beginning and I can go to class this week!!!!!!!  Hooray!!!!!!!

Easter Baskets and fabric coasters are on the menu for the next couple of weeks just until the holiday break.  I was able to do some participating in spirit on Thursday night and got started by myself.  Isn't this cute?

Sorry it's a little out of focus.

And yes, it's purple again!

It's quite a tiny basket, so maybe this week I'll attempt the slightly larger version and then on to coasters in week 3.  Need to decide who might like a set of coasters and hope there's a suitable fabric or two in my small stash.

If you happen to be reading this blog from somewhere in Northern Ireland and fancy coming along to a wee patchwork/sewing class during your week take a look at Judith's blog for details of her classes which she holds in Belfast.  She has some smashing projects lined up for the summer term - Friday mornings, Thursday nights and a few one day workshops.  She is also holding a Summer Sewing School (one Sat a month through the summer) for anyone who would really like to get to grips with some of the basics in a beginner-friendly environment.  If you're tempted - give in!

Book giveaway opportunity!

Hey folks if you'd like to have a chance to win one of two Lotta Jansdotter simple sewing books check out Claire's give away on the Prints to Polka Dots blog.  Actually I think you can enter the draw for both books - Simple Sewing and Simple Sewing for Baby.  Worth a go!

PS Have you seen that Prints to Polka Dots shop are now offering 2 inch strips of all new fabrics (and are working back through their catalogue to make this available on all their fabrics)? It's like jelly roll pic'n'mix!

Someone thinks I'm stylish!

Actually, that title's a lie but I like the thought of it for just a moment.  It's my blog that has achieved the "stylish" accolade! Thanks Judith for sharing the Stylish blogger award.

In accepting the award I have a couple of obligations to fulfil, so here goes...

1. Thank and link back to the person who bestowed the award - thanks again Judith (you should check out her blog if you haven't already)

2. I have to share 7 things about me:

• I am a Christian.
• I married my first love (and yes, it was a good decision).
• Currently my favourite colour is purple.
• Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is my favourite book  (note to self: must read it again).
• I called my first car Mabel - she was clapped out but much loved!
• I stick my tongue out most unattractively when I'm concentrating.
• The best ice cream I've ever eaten was cinnamon flavoured and from a little shop just beside the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

3. Bestow the award on 6 recently discovered bloggers (some of these folk may have been around blog-land for a while but they're new to me and I'd recommend a peek if you haven't come across them before):

• Canadian Abroad
• North Star Quilter
• Crafting at Heart
• Noodle-head
• Ric-Rac
• Cut To Pieces

To all the blogs above I confer the honour of the stylish blogger award.  May you have many more happy posts ahead!

Room to grow

My increasing interest and activity in all things sewing has begun to take over in all sorts of areas of the house lately.  The kitchen table is frequently commandeered for rotary cutting.  The living room has a corner which at best has the sewing machine set up ready to whirr, and more often looks like a quilting explosion with machines, equipment, ironing board, iron, fabrics, wadding, threads on the carpet ... well, you get the picture.  Can you imagine what it was doing to a tidy freak to be the person responsible for all this mess?!  It's very confusing when you start giving off to yourself!

Time for a solution.  I have always had a hope in the back of my mind that one day I could have a proper sewing space and with a little encouragement from my friend Judith I decided to repurpose the guest room.  After all, four guests in 10 years hardly constitutes the need for permanently dedicated guest space!  As with all good spare rooms it has also been the place where everything gets dumped while waiting for a rightful home, so there was some sorting to do.

Could a guest even have got into this bed?

Crammed bookcase which has to stay but needed a tidy up!

I donated the bed to my son whose own cabin bed was very much the worse for wear, and this opened up space for the two tables.

Space created and remaining furniture shuffled
to see what might be possible.

Woohoo - a sewing table and a cutting table! 

I can hardly believe how much table top space there is!

As I dismantled the cabin bed in my son's room I was struck with inspiration to keep the base board for the purpose of turning it into a design board. Design wall would be too grand a name as it's only 1m x 0.5m , but with a little bit of wadding stapled on this will be just the ticket.

A design-board-to-be

There's still a bit of work to do to re-organise the storage and bring everything together so it becomes operationally improved, but I am so excited and blessed to have this space to develop in.

I did tidy the bookcases and freed up a few shelves  ...

... and some space across the top.

Big thanks to my hubby who supported the repurposing even though it meant a trip to Ikea, some furniture shifting and some minor DIY - none of his favourite pastimes!  Thanks, lovely hubs.

Slogress report!

Whew! It's been a hectic few weeks and life has had the audacity to get in the way of sewing so it's been more a case of slo-gress than progress.  But I can now report that my purple fest cushions are complete and adorning the sofas with their loveliness.

All stitched, filled and zipped!

I love how the same set of fabrics can be used to such different effects.

Hexagons with style!

Mosaic Fun

Bold bars of colour

Hexie cushion along with the quillow that started my purple fad!

I wish I could get the photos to represent the colours of these purples better - but photography isn't my strong point.  I am really enjoying the rich addition of colour these have added to my lounge and how they work with the quillow (perhaps even toning down that green a little). Job done!

By the way, Lynne over at Lily's Quilts is hosting a new monthly sharing day for folks to link to something they've made that month that makes them happy.  Great for inspiration, oohing and aahing,  and for seeing who else is out there.  Thanks for the fun fab idea Lynne.  If you're interested nip on over to her blog and add your link.  If you've peeked in here following Lynne's links - thanks for stopping by!