just a block or two

Oh I feel like I've done nothing and have nothing to tell you about!  My shopping day on Thursday (groceries.. boring..) really did wipe me out.  I could hardly stay awake at all  on Friday, and today's been a little dopey too :-)  However, thank you so much to everyone who commented on my "this quilt top just doesn't look right" dilemma.  I went with the general consensus, majority rules and all.  I've unpicked the whole top...  And I didn't rip the fabric!  Its all re-pressed and waiting for me to do the sashing, hopefully I might do that tomorrow as I really did want to do it today...  I don't know, the will and desire where there, but every time I walked into the sewing cupboard I just knew I was too tired, and sometimes its best to accept it and go vegetate...

I played about a bit on the ol' laptop and did me a new blog header, you like?  The awesome "narcoleptic in a cupboard" picture was done especially for me by one of my bestest mates, isn't it great?!

I did have good sewing days on Monday and Tuesday mind you, I got my blocks done for Project 51!  You know, the secret project, I'll never te-ell....
 

d'oh! only just noticed they're a bit blurry, sorry!

I can tell you that these blocks are from a lovely pattern by the very talented Angela @ Fussy Cut which featured on Moda Bakeshop

Oh, I told you a few posts ago I'd made a bag for my sister-in-law; well, it went down well - she likes!  I can show you now!

Its got one of my favourite prints on the inside, Michael Millers Dysfunctional Family.  Love it :-)

So, fingers crossed I'll be back in the sewing cupboard tomorrow, I've got a lot to get done!  First thing will be the message block for Project 51 (I did one already but numpty twattypants went and made exactly the same mistake I've told you about before, with the "vanishing" fabric pen , so it needs redone...)  Then next up will be getting my July blocks done for Brit Bee.   I've done one block, so I really need to get a move on and do the second.  Miss July provided us with some Oakshott cotton to play with.  I have to say, it is the most gorgeous red I've seen.

It will soon be my turn to be Queen Bee, so I've got a hell of a lot of planning and sorting to do!
 Carnt wait :-)

to sash or not to sash, that is my question..

I love that festival season is now given decent TV coverage.  My festival days have been and gone, I fell asleep during the last concert I went to and that was a couple of years ago so god knows I'd be even worse now!  But I must say I've thoroughly enjoyed indulging myself in my little Chris Martin crush ;-)  Anyway, concentrate Sarah.  I was going to tell you, as promised last post, about the quilt top I've been working on all week.  I did the design a few weeks ago and here it is...

I was aiming for a random look to it, so I was quite sure I preferred the above version to the version below with all the blocks sashed.  Sashing the blocks just seemed to highlight the fact that they are blocks, and I felt that kind of killed off my random look.

The cutting took f-o-r-e-v-e-r...  Making the blocks up was pleasingly easy and I really enjoyed it.  I did however, learn another little lesson the hard way...  I thought I was being proper and clever and pressing my seams as I went along, but I soon found that no matter the temperature of the iron the different fabrics were reacting in different ways - one particular fabric seemed to shrink a bit, another seemed to expand...  I swear I was "pressing" not "ironing", honest!  However.  I switched to using the Hera marker to press the seams and that worked a treat.  I got all the blocks done by Thursday, then found that my 12.5" blocks were, well, not all 12.5".  Not by a long shot.  I had some at every size between 12.75 - 12.25".  Just very few at 12.5"!

Friday was spent trimming every single sodding block down to 12".  Today I got them all sewn up.  Apologies for the crappiest photy yet but the bedroom is the only room in the house big enough, that isn't full of bits of bathroom!  And for some reason I just couldn't seem to hold the camera steady either so out of about 20 pics this is the least blurry...

Here's where I'd appreciate some help.  Flick back up to the designs, then back down to the quilt.  Is it just me, or does the real thing actually NEED the sashing between the blocks?  I cant make my mind up!  I look at the two designs and I much prefer the one without the block sashing.  I look at the photo of the actual quilt top and I'm thinking it looks wrong without the blocks being sashed...   Yes, it'll be a major pain in the ass to take it apart and sash it.  But I'm really loving this top, and I'd rather slog it out if it means I get it right.  I just love these fabrics!

So, please, if you will, some advice!

In other news...  My finished Single Girl has survived its first wash thanks to the trusty old colour catchers.  To be honest it's survived 3 washes as the first two times I forgot to put any detergent in the washing machine.  How I managed to forget the second time I've no idea, all I had to do was fill the soap trays and switch it on again...

A newly tiled bathroom floor covered in wet black grouting should not be left unattended.  Or rather if there is a floor covered with wet black grout Miss Elliecat should not be left unattended....

"What? Trouble?  Moi?"

The marks only took a few minutes to clean, however I the same could not be said for cleaning between a complaining Kitty's toes... Never mind.  It did give me a good laugh, and more importantly, look what lovely builder did whilst the floor was drying ...

(not the blocks..what they're on...)  I got a design wall!  Woohoo!  Admittedly its not actually big enough for a quilt top, but its the biggest bit of wall I had to use, and I love it already :-)

Next bit of sewing on the list will be my two blocks for Project 51, and my July Bee Blocks, so before I forget again (like I have done the last 3 posts) here are the disappearing nine patch blocks I did for Miss June using the lovely Dream On charms she provided.

I await your advice!  Ta ;-)  

 x

Charms away!

Its been quite an exciting weekend for those of us in the Brit Quilt Swap, parcels have been flying off all over the UK and there's been many reports of "happy dances" and jiggles and I told you all about my bouncing and squeaking episode when I got mine

another pic for you cos it is so awesome...  lol.
The quilt I made was sent off on Friday morning, along with this

and I had a really lovely couple of thank you messages from Terri (I can say who it was for now!) which brought a wee tear to my eye...  I'm such a sap!  She liked it!  Woohoo!  Happiness all around.  This swap was my first ever swap, and I cant get over just how much fun it was.  Big thanks to the mamas in charge, and the organiser Uber Mama, for everything!

It was a pricey trip to the post office on Friday as I was posting a sackful..  The Brit Quilt Swap parcel.  A special order bag for sister-in-law, pics to follow, once she's received it of course!  Another bag went to granny...  and, I got these little cuties posted.

My 1 yard of 100% cotton Japanese Import fabric, painstakingly cut into 56 x 5" charm squares...  Never been so careful with the rotary cutter before!  Seriously, there was NO room for error.  It would be nice to say that I'll continue to put that much effort into precision cutting in the future...... but I sincerely doubt it, it was hell!  However...  Charms sent off to Cindy for Japanese fabric charm swap - done.  

Its been a chaotic week what with a deadline to meet (and we know how utterly pants I am with deadlines) and the bathroom still out of action...  Progress is being made...  There are boxes of bits of bathroom everywhere!  

Elliecat, its not even a box its 4 sides of cardboard!! lol

I was hoping I'd have a bit more progress on my next project to show you, my third attempt at a design,  with a bundle I put together, but no...  been too sleepy...  I have made a start though, cutting in to this pile of loveliness....

I've just noticed there's a print missing in this photo... you'll see more next time!

Its great, it feels like ages since I last made a quilt top!  (lets just forget for now that there's still a finished top waiting to be basted and quilted....and two lame ass attempts at projects started that I'm not in the mood for...)  

Actually, wee bit of news there.  Whilst I was out at the post office I couldn't stop myself having a wee wander along to the Local Quilt Shop. The lady there was very nice and friendly, she always is, and they've offered me the use of their massive table for basting if I want it!   Now if I can just get over the thought that people will see me, see what I'm doing, and might even talk to me (the horror!) and steel myself to try and stay wake for more than an hour....    Oh I know, I sound terrible.  Antisocial little hermit.  Cant help it!  Being out of the house, being in front of strangers, being polite and chatty, trying not to be shy, trying not to fall asleep, trying to concentrate on just one thing for a long time... these are all things that I know will make me very, very tired.  Now that I don't HAVE to do all that for work, I guess I put off having to do it at all!   But yes, I should probably get out a bit more...  We'll see...  

I want that one!

I tried to wait a couple of days before I posted this, I knew there would be a serious risk of over-excited rambling and hyper gushing, far too many exclamation marks and probably bragging too...  But I cant wait any longer as it doesnt appear that I am going to calm down enough to avoid all that...  so, sorry, but that's probably what you're gonna get!
I received my quilt from the Brit Quilt Swap...

"Resurrection Tea Party"

When I got the packet in the mail I recognised the sender name, and still I thought "nah, it cant be"...  I actually got a bit of a cataplexy wobble I was so excited and I had to open it sitting down!   I've been admiring this quilt since I first saw the design idea sketches, I just never thought I'd be lucky enough to be the recipient!  Like many others in Brit Quilt Swap I thought it would be destined for a cool quilting chick, but no, I GOT IT!  WOOHOO!
The very talented lady who made this rockin masterpiece is none other than my fellow Brit Bee blogger, Hadley at Flying Blind on a Rocket Cycle (click on the linky for much better photos of it, including the perfect backing choice!)  Not only is she a fantastic quilter (check out her scrumptious Happy Scrappy Quilt ) but she's also someone who always makes me laugh, and a generally all round awesome gal.  Check out the goodies she sent with the quilt (as if I wasnt already bouncing up and down with joy just from getting the quilt!).

Every last bit of it is perfect!  Some trees, a monkey, gorgeous fabric, chocolate, good coffee, Mr Bump (very appropriate!) sweeties....  And this deserves a close up

Her wee man made me a book mark, isnt it just lovely?  Thank you and a huge hug to the clever wee chap :-)
So thank you Hadley!  I simply could not be happier :-)  Huge hugs xxx   Oh, and well done mum!  Mum phoned me the first time she saw the sketches and fabric bundle of Skully to say "oooh Sarah, I've seen your quilt!"  lol

I've got more bits to share so I'll save it and do another post tomorrow.  Resurrection Tea Party deserves a whole post to itself ;-)  It rocks!