giant hexies...stateside...

 my giant hexies quilt pattern has always been a big hit. i really love doing it and i really love that others do. 

it makes me smile to think of all those giant hexie quilts that must be out there...or maybe it's just the patterns...

i was about to start a blueberry park version when i had an custom order from a lovely lady in the US for me to make one for her. 

very exciting...my first commissioned quilt!

we chatted a little over Etsy and she sent me some images of colour schemes she liked and we settled on red and aqua.

 i have a lot of red and aqua in my stash so it was pretty easy finding enough fabrics to use...

and particularly since I had a couple of recent arrivals from  DS Quilts collection.

 i really really enjoyed making this quilt. it is very easy to piece - although i did it differently this time thanks to my new 'y' seam skillage acquisition.

 i have to admit though that i think my favourite part of this quilt is the back!

i started out wanting to use the pale spot at  the bottom but didn't have enough, so i pieced it with another DS Quilts fabric that the uber lovely Audrie recently sent me. i made a little panel between the two of the cut-offs and put it all together. i love it!

the photos all look a little washed out due to so much light out there today and even more bouncing off the snow we continuously seem to have this year. i'm not complaining mind. just saying.

i did make this in record time which i think made it even more enjoyable. i didn't have time to get bored of it. i was spurred on by the possibility of it cadging a lift to the US tomorrow when hubs goes on business.

i am ever so slightly concerned it will get brought straight back again or worse still, left in a hotel room somewhere.

so still only tuesday and the biggest thing of the week ticked off.

surely that must mean it will be a productive week...

...will let you know!

the changing of minds...

 So, the Low Volume quilt for our bed has had various transformations while I searched for just the right block design.

You may remember it started life as a Log Cabin on Sunday...

 Early yesterday morning it had morphed into HSTs...

 And before the day was even out it had changed again into straight line piecing cut within an inch of its life. 

I woke up dreaming (yes, literally dreaming) of wonky windmill blocks, having gone to bed wowing at this beauty and finding this ace tutorial.

My Tuesday running buddy was coming round at 8.30 so I was hard pushed to do a trial block before then....I am seriously my own worst enemy.

That said, I am now 100% sure (yeah, right, until the next change of plan) that this is the block I am going to use. 

The log cabin would have been too busy, even if it is Low Volume...

the HST gorgeous, but too full-on for a king sized bed (yes, Charlotte, you were right...I do listen)...

as for the straight line piecing, I have no idea where that one was going.

I'm hoping the wonky windmills will be easy on the eye, be as asymmetric and random as I like and still be the one I love when it eventually gets onto the bed.

Now I have made a decision this will now have to be put on a shelf high up out of temptations way. I have a lot on. And I mean a lot. And if I'm good I'll let myself bring it down and do a few blocks for a while.

Ooh I'm so strict.

I had been starting to think about the quilt I want to make for the Siblings Together project and then a lovely fabric fairy came along and offered me a very generous proposition.

Kate really wanted to be involved but knew that she personally wouldn't be able to manage to make a quilt at this time and asked if she could donate me a bundle to make mine from...well, duh!

I felt like a kid in a sweetie shop...given full reign to choose whatever I fancied. After being completely overwhelmed by choice (aka that kid in that sweetie shop) I narrowed it down to 2 selections and finally decided on this one.

What do you think?

I'm still not a hundred percentage sure on the design of the quilt that I will do, but when I have these beauties in front of me I will probably have more of an idea.

A couple of these fabrics aren't here in the UK yet (ooh I can not wait for Summersville and FMF) so that gives me time to ponder and dwell, by which time I'll be itching to get going and sew all these lovelies together.

It seems like there is a lot of activity and enthusiasm going on with quilts for Siblings Together and I know Kate and myself are thrilled to be able to do our bit.

Go check out the group to see what's going on...

I've been picking out some fabrics this week for a quilt I want to make for our bed.

I'd set my heart on doing an HST but I'm not entirely sure it's going to turn out quite like I had in mind, but I'll carry on regardless at the mo and it will always do for an extra downstairs as 3 children fighting over 2 doesn't quite work.

We have a very bold grey and mustard paper on the back wall in our room so I couldn't exactly start introducing another colour.

Thank goodness I'm not short of yellow and grey fabrics hey?!

I've pulled a load of fabrics out and started a few trial HSTs.

The addition of a plain is needed I think, hence the Gooseberry Essex Linen and as for Lotta's Florian in dark grey, I'm thinking this is looking a tad bold but may be a contestant for the binding.

As I said, I'm not entirely sure about it but will go with it for now.

Perhaps the quilt needs smaller triangles, tiny in fact, but I'm not sure I'd quite manage a project piecing teeny triangles together right now.

At least this one will sew up rather speedily and hopefully I'll feel differently once it's all pieced.

Oh and by the way, these photos have been edited on PicMonkey a great alternative to our much loved soon to be gone Picnik. If you are still looking for an alternative to Picnik, this is perfect. Actually I'm pretty sure it's the exact same template. The only downside to PicMonkey is I haven't found a way to upload a group of photos rather than editing one at a time. But maybe that will come.

Hello and Happy Monday to you!

I can't tell you how much I am loving life being calmer and being in control. Don't get me wrong, I still give my fair share of crabby irrational crossness, but generally life is cope-able at the mo.

Just as I say that watch it change...

First weekend for a long time with no visitors, no trips, nothing pressing, leaving me to get started on a commissioned cushion for a new baby.

I really love doing these log cabin cushions. Every one seems to be different. One of the recent ones was a bit too pink for this customer, so I pulled in a bit more green and teal. Log cabins are perfect for adding a little special piece of fabric without hyper-ventilating at the thought of using up precious stash. Just a little row of Lu Summer's Hearts, along with Mikodesign's Matryoshka dolls work a treat. Oh and let's not miss a couple of teal Scruffy Daisy's here and there ;-) I love the pop of colour in the Erin McMorris Lollie fabrics too.

I've just embroidered the centre panel and am finishing off the personalisation, then magic it up into a cushion and we are good to go.

I have a couple more in the queue...let's hope I'm still enthusiastic about them after I'm done.

By the way...quick question...

I'm thinking of adding to my Take Away Kits and making a Log Cabin Cushion Cover Kit. What do you reckon? Is this something you'd like to see? Will possibly be based on my screen printed fabrics, along with coordinating plains. What do you reckon? A goer or a noer? If a goer , what would you particularly like to see in them?

Answers on a postcard please, and you never know, there may be a little something in it for you... ;-)

I am just about done.

I have to say this design has taken longer than any other design to date. Maybe that's a good sign...maybe it will all be in vain.

But tomorrow I am taking this little baby to the screen printing studio and turning it to life.

In my minimal experience things always come out completely different when turned into a screen and actually printed. You'd think you can imagine exactly how it will look, but it always gives me a jolt of surprise.

I'm very excited about it. All I have to do now is decide which colour??

This is my last full child-free week until November 7. How crazy is that? With the way the Jewish festivals have fallen this year, Ruby, being at a Jewish school, breaks up on Wednesday for 10 days. She goes back the day the boys break up for 2 weeks...yes, 2 WEEKS!!

Of course I am panicking just a tad about the stock I have committed to get to stockists by end of October, knowing I have just 4 more child-free work days before then.

But I am also panicking a little about other commitments I have made, like this Flickr Pillow Swap. As usual I got off to a flying start, but as usual if the project doesn't get completed in that time, it tends to sit to one side when other things jump the queue. I hate letting people down and as pictures were being posted about completed pillows I glanced to my half-finished one in one corner of the studio. So last night, as I was spurred on by something - guilt, most probably - I finished the pillow. I had so many more plans for this pillow that time wouldn't allow but hopefully my partner will love it and won't think there is anything missing... I've also included a few nice surprises to soften the blow.

You'd think I would learn and not commit myself to any further challenges on my time...but oh no, I've just signed up for this...

p.s. thank you for all your advice on fabrics for the European Pouches...I really appreciate it...and if you haven't done so already, you've got until tomorrow to give me your opinion and enter my giveaway x

Sewing has got underway with the new linings, starting with the gorgeous AMH voile. This fabric is so beautiful to work with. It feels like silk. Just gorgeous.

The rest of my fabrics have been pouring in this week, including these much awaited for dotty oilcloths for my washbags. Mr Postie handed me 4 envelopes and had the cheek to ask whether I was expecting anything else...he should know better than that...of course there are still more to come.

I have been waiting for these oilcloths to arrive from US for EVER (a week is forever, right?) and so when they arrived today, it was washbag making mania at the ready.

They are as fab as I had hoped and am delighted with how well they work with my screen printed fabrics.

These are the start of another batch of goodies getting ready to make their way down South to another of my lovely stockists.

Hope Stephanie likes pink...

I've been involved in a Flickr Group Swap this month...Pretty {Little} Pouch Swap. Since I'm big into making pouches at the mo it seemed the perfect group to be in. I don't do many swaps, but this one tickled my fancy - a nice small project, a quick time frame, and quite frankly nothing better to do with my time (and if you believe that you'll believe anything).

I love swaps. Actually that's not wholly accurate, but it's been quite a while since I've been involved in one, so at the moment I love swaps.

I love meeting new crafters. I love browsing the group and getting a feel for what everyone likes and fabrics they enjoy using.

And I love the opportunity to create a one off piece for my partner, using fabric combinations, designs that I wouldn't ordinarily be justified to find time to try out.

With the summer holidays upon us, it was decided that this would be a rapid turn around swap, which suits me just fine. Most of you know my character flaw of being all-consumed by a current project and consequently I made my partner's pouch in next to no time.

I used one of my new hand printed flower patches, some of my favourite blue palette fabrics, a little embroidery, all sewn together in a new (for me) shape pouch.

I'm pretty happy with the result and will just have to wait to see if my partner is too.

If you want to see what the rest of the group is up to, take a look right here...

Do you like japanese fabrics?

I do. A lot.

And I particularly like this circle range.

I'm particularly partial to this yellow and grey combo.

I know - I shock you with my revelations ;-)

But this red and navy combo is rather delish too.

The lovely Jo at Saints and Pinners sent me some samples of these fabrics that they are now stocking, along with some of these ditsy flower and dragonflies.

Gorgeous, aren't they?

I love how japanese fabrics are so compatible with each other and I can just picture them together in a variety of projects.

I for one am going to be racing to S & Ps pronto to add each of these to my fabric collection. I have a feeling as soon as the show orders are completed, I'm going to be in the mood to create with some of these lovelies.

With Orla constantly around me and being my biggest source of inspiration these days, is it any wonder that my latest little girl's bag has turned out quite the way it has? I like to think of it as my Orla for Kids Bag.

It has a strap large enough for a little one (or a bigger little one) to wear over one shoulder as an across the body bag. If a certain model had been in the mood for showing how this looks, then I would have been able to illustrate the point. But let's put it this way - never rely on kids for anything.

The bag is fully lined in my favourite of the moment crisp fresh green stripy shirting fabric.

I've also inserted a zip to keep everything in it safe and secure.

This is the first of a new style of bag for me and whilst it took me a while to work out the best way to design this zipped bag with a flapped front (I'm sure there's better terminology for that), now that I have, you'll be seeing a few different versions of this. Particularly if that afore-mentioned model gets her requested designs approved and produced.

Not that she deserves it, mind.

I've been trying out a new idea this week. Actually, to be pedantic, I've been trying out an idea that has been mulling around in the far corners of my brain for, ooh, about 4 years, ever since I first started designing these.

I can't blame not being able to find the time. It's been more a case of stalemate and knowing where I was starting from and sort of knowing where I was going to end up, but not sure of the journey I was going to take to get there.

A lightbulb moment occurred last night, some time between finishing tutoring, dropping Noah off at Scouts and coming back to get Ruby to bed. You know how it works. And it was plainly obvious that I wasn't going to be going to bed until I'd at least got somewhere along to trying it out.

I have got somewhere along and I'm quite pleased with where it's at and hopefully they'll be ready for a bit more show and tell early next week...

Declaring more from the holiday buying fabric stash...

Last night I made some Wash-bags with waterproof lining. The linings were delivery number 43 in the buying stakes, bought from Dreams Come True.

I'm waiting on delivery number 44 for some more linings for more designs I have planned...

They are available right here, here and here.

I'm taking part in a Flickr Swap at the moment. I have mixed feelings about them as I have been 'stung' before by a swap partner not holding their side of the arrangement and actually making something in return. Time is too precious to spend it making something only to have your partner not do the same.

This swap enticed me however. First of all, how could I resist an invitation from Heather? Secondly, it's a Cushion Swap (or Pillow, as it is called in US). How could I resist? I simply love cushions. And not only am I excited about receiving one from my secret partner, but to make one too is sheer joy. In this busy work time of working like an automaton, wrapping up orders, it is a lovely distraction to have a bit of creative time.

This swap is a secret swap. We are given someone to make for and someone different will be making for me. I am given some info about my partner's likes and dislikes, colours he/she (can't give the game away!) likes. The rest is up to me.

Having had a good nose around their Flickr site and blog, I've come up with these fabrics and am now working on the design. I'm not quite there yet with the design, but I'm pleased with how it's all coming together. But above all, i hope my partner will be.

If you want to see some of the amazing talent in this group, go check it out here.