Wednesday 23 January 2013

Good start...




 I am feeling pretty pleased with myself today.  I was tempted to write "smug" but quite honestly "shocked" is more accurate....  I have had 2 finishes this week!  Each finish has been given to its destined recipient already, and I'm relived to say they were liked.

First up, we have my first Giant Star Quilt.  I didn't follow a pattern, its a supersized quilt block, even a numpty like me can handle that maths.  It was for my mans parents.  They help me out a lot when man's at sea - taking me here there and everywhere!  So I wanted to give them something to say how much I appreciate them.
Its 64" square pre wash - I'd expect it to go to 60" square or so after its washed and all snugly and crinkled, but I was so keen to hand it over I didn't wash first.   Its Rock n' Romance (and that lacy print is from Moda's Little Black Dress) with Sketch Charcoal, and Freespirit Plum solid for binding.
I quilted it the same way Katy did for her fabulous Indie Star.  Have remembered now that I really don't like quilting...  Machine. Too. Small.  Table. Too. Small.  Back ouchy...   I used a guttterman variegated thread cos it was greys and purples and pinks and I thought that would fit nicely.  And frankly cos I had it sitting there and I've never gotten into the whole buying thread specifically for one project extravagance yet...  Best reason really!





Secondly we have the tumbler cushion!  This was cut and destined to be a Christmas present.  *sheepish* didn't quite make it on time...  Still, I'm pleased that I still went ahead and made it and gave it anyway.  It was for my favourite postie!  Well, I've fessed up already about the whole shopping to have something to look forward to addiction.  Naturally this gave me a fair bit of experience with posties and delivery people...  One postie has always been awffy kind to me and so I wanted to make her something to say thank you.
Its 19" (was supposed to be 20" but then I couldn't find a 20" insert anywhere so I did reverse french seam for a binding effect to make it a bit smaller so I could get away with an 18" insert)  its Domestic Bliss from Moda with co-ordinating solids on the back.  The quilting is just 1/4" either side of every seam.



Just when I thought I was doing so well in my limited spend on fabric pledge, this happened.





My last purchase of 2012 and it's had to be my first purchase of 2013 too.  The air was every shade from baby to navy I can tell you...  Still.  Aren't these just AWESOME?  (you know you want them now... *evil cackle*)  Rainbow....  Sparkles....  Dots....






Okay, okay, that's not all...  I was gutted at having to spend again on fabric, so to cheer myself up a bit from that fiasco I got a couple of FQs of Quilt Blocks cos it was on sale for £1.90 each.  I think that wee slip up should be allowed, don't you?!  Less said about the couple of half price charm packs on the way the better eh....   I know... I need help.....

So what next?  Am quietly, slowly, piecing a jeely roll quilt.  Well, the whole #scrappytripalong was tempting, and there are so many of them out there that I love,  but I just didn't want to.  So I'm doing something similar but different, and I'm just using up a Just Wing It roll that's been around too long.
Oh, and there's a lovely bit of sweary stitching to cheer me up too.  Gotta love a good  F***.  (albeit embroidered).

36 comments:

  1. I agree, the customs charge is nasty but what really makes me fume is the post office handling fee. On top of that I have to drive out to collect my parcel and pay for the privilege. I now save up and do a big shop so I only pay once, but it hurts oh it hurts.

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  2. Beautiful finishes, I just love tumbler blocks in a cushion. Lucky postie. The charge was a bit tough though, especially as you have taken the Restraint Pledge on the fabric buying front. Enjoy the jelly roll sewing. Di x

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  3. Good for you doing something different! Lovely finishes, especially the tumbler cushion - that design is hign up on my to-do list!

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  4. Yeah I got a customs charge on the one I was simultaneously waiting for too. Boo! I also only buy coordinating project thread if I already started with some and ran out, still a fan of off-white for mostly everything!

    Where are the sparkle dots from?!

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  5. Loving the giant star quilt! Very lovely :-)
    Lucky postie!
    And boo hiss to the customs charges!

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  6. Nice finishes, I'm at this very moment wasting what precious peace I have trying to decide what background fabric for my own Timber and Leaf version. Oh boy the customs/handling charge thing can really hurt!

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  7. Definitely should be feeling smug. They are lovely. What a lucky postie! Juliex

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  8. ooh, sparklies! love the giant star.

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  9. brilliant finishes and who wouldn't love sparkley dots? The FAA approve of everything in this post (except the customs charges obvs.)

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  10. I wish I had some of that Rock n Romance - your star quilt is just gorgeous and I may have to make one. Lovely makes and boo to the customs man. Grrrr

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  11. HaHa! Love the last sentence. Great finishes you. Just surprised us with those then, didn't you!! And new fabric. No comment. (Just jealous.)

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  12. I think the greatest irony of shipping charges is that it keeps going up in price because people are using it less which drives costs up and causes people to use it even less than that. Sigh. Soon FedEx and the large courier companies will be cheaper than the post.

    Beautiful quilt!

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  13. Love the giant star, i will do one soon, they are supposed to come together quickly, and I could do with that type of project. And the gorgeous tumbler cushion, and then there's the shopping, lovely, I can barely take it all in. Oh, and bad word embroidery, that'll make all the old lady embroiderers blush! : )

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  14. Yeah, I'm not a fan of the ransome charges either. I always know when I've been caught because the ransome note comes several days after the parcel should have arrived. Like they think that the longer they hold onto it, the more desperate you'll be to pay up. Well, pay up I do, but I don't like it. Especially the handling fee.
    Congrats on the finishes.

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  15. OMG I love the rainbow dot sparkles !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I have only had one customs charge on fabric and that was for a damn fabric.com order where they sent it DHL and dhl took the charge *ready* for customs, didn't even necessarily get stopped by customs, they do it as a matter of course grrr

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  16. Woohoo to finishes! Love your star, and the cushion looks great :o) It seems customs are having a lean January so needed to fill the coffers a bit, I'm sure they'll lose interest again in a couple of months ;o)

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  17. Love the big star quilt. You finished it so fast. I just seem to plod along.
    And the new sparkly dots, A-MA-ZING.
    Who's are they ?
    Yes I know they're yours ..... who's make ?

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  18. I love your two finishes! The envelope on the back of the postie cushion is fabulous!! 'Arghhhhhhhh!!!' to the custom charge. IT'S NOT FAIR!! (But the fabric is gorgeous!)

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  19. Fabulous finishes! boos to customs charges! Yayyyy to stitching happiness!

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  20. Look at you! The Queen of the finish. Brilliant. I esp love the star quilt. I see one of those in my future :)

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  21. Your giant star is truly beautiful S! I love the colours you've used. And what a bright and cheery cushion for postie! Such lovely gifts! You're incurably generous as you are a fabric addict! Jxo

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  22. Giant star - gorgeous! Cushion - Lucky postie! Postal charge - Pants! Prospect of new quiltiness with embroidered sweariness - intriguing!?? Fabrics - who wouldn't be tempted and where did you get them?

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  23. fantastic!!! That quilt is gorgeous, and what a brilliant postie gift! Looking forward to seeing what you do with the sparkly dots :-D

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  24. A 14 quid charge from customs?? WTF??
    Someone has to explain this to me as I have never encountered it. Call me a numpty but WHY????
    Love the star quilt, reminds me of a flannel one I made ages ago, coming in our soon to arrive shipment Yay!!

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  25. I must admit I am a bit jelly too! I have had a chat with Kaylah and she surprised me with her choices. But an order will be placed very soon. Hey, up for a chat this weekend?

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  26. Gorgeous cushion.
    Grrrrr to Customs!!

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  27. I do love those fabrics, but I am pretty sure I don't need them. I love the quilt, and the quilting is perfect even if the back is ouchy. I can relate to quilting ouchy back these days for sure. I love that you put a letter on the pillow for your postie. You are rocking the finishes!

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  28. Does Britain charge a customs fee when you buy from overseas? We don't get that here in Australia. We just have to pay so much for postage from other countries coz we're so far away. And heaven forbid you want to send anything overseas! The rates are ridiculous. One year it cost me $40 to send a $30 present to my brother who was living in London. I just love those mirror ball dots. I've resisted so far, but your photo shows their true beauty so maybe ...

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  29. Sorry - am somehow two days late again with my reading. The quilt and cushion are gorgeous! How did the recipients react? The dots fabric is awesome. If you have any scraps feel free to sew them into a birthday present for me, haha...shameless!

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  30. Your finishes are lovely - I really want to make one of those giant stat quilts. Lovely new fabrics too!

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  31. I think you should be smug! Not only two finishes but fabulous ones! I love your star quilt and I really like the reverse french seam on the cushion :)

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  32. Finally catching up on some blog reading. I love your star quilt, it's fab! I'm on a tight fabric budget, I blooming hate it, there's just so much I want to buy!!!

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  33. Ooh, yummy big star, and yummy rainbow fabric, boo to cutoms :-(

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  34. Pat yourself on the back for your two finishes. The quilting design you used on the big star is a great choice. The envelope on the back of the pillow is so clever. Well done.

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  35. Your giant star is gorgeous! A lovely finish ; )

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