My first Rug Mug

In my quest to improve my embroidery skills I have started going to the "local" (it's miles from my home but I think the closest) Embroidery Guild.

At the meeting I was offered the chance to go for a sewing day at the LQS.  Did I know what I was making? No, I heard the word 'mitred' that was enough. Was I in anyway worried about this? No. It's a day at the quilt shop, I just paid up!

I arrived to get sewing and then discovered that we would be making mug rugs with decorative stitching (the embroidery link).  I had taken my trusty machine with me but thankfully there was one I could use with some stitches that were decorative and not just odd looking!

It was a lovely day with tea, cake and the soothing sounds of sewing machines being used!

It's funny how you don't factor in things like lunch and so don't realise how long a task will take, but we were all done by the end of the day.

I was expecting to do mitred borders, but it was after we had started that i found out that it was mitred corners!  Thankfully our teacher was kind enough to show me mitred borders so now I can get another quilt top finished and to the shop!

And Stitches

I needed something to do over the holidays that didn't involve my sewing machine.
I spent an evening looking for an easy embroidery pattern to try.  My embroidery skills are a bit more than limited!


I came across this pattern and decided to give it a go without buying more floss; always a challenge to then get the colours organised!  Anyway I finished last week!!  The girl helped me pick which colours would go where and she was pleased with her input.  It came out looking like this...





Not quite a pattern of fire but I like it.  Clearly I chose well as the designer is also co-author of &Stitches.  I couldn't resist and have bought the first issue which is really interesting, especially the section on colour selection!  Now that I can't confuse myself (don't look at the random red/orange I've put in) and have finished the embroidery I will be giving that a read!

A quick fix

The boy needed to wrap a present for party, so of course I made a bag.  The present brief was pink and girly.  I think I managed that!





This was a quick fix of sewing I wanted to do as I'm trying not to start anything that is big and most of my machine time is spent on my swoon quilt top.  Then my mum pop in for a visit so I 'let' her sew and I did the cutting and ironing.  It's been awhile since I have seen my mum at a sewing machine so this, for me and I think her, was good fun.  It also meant that dinner was on time!

Swoon 2

Finished my next block, at last.





I had planned to put the pink in the middle but I'm glad i didn't.

Yes, I am Swooning too

Oh, you have the best will in the world and make plans and I would have to say for once sickness, not procrastination, has beaten me!

I have joined in the Swoon Quilt Along and have finished my first block.

I found 16 FQ's in my stash and some yardage to make up the last 2. 

Having used white and cream for the negative space before, I fancied a change and went for light grey which I picked up from the local fabric shop.

I've not make a single block so big before and I love the grey.

Well I cut out the second block and then was struck by some nasty virus. I'm still fighting it - I don't do sitting still well! So hopefully there will be another photo next week.

Feel free to join in the fun and thanks to Katy for setting the group up.

Enjoy the weekend!

Resolved to Sew 2012

Very Berry Handmade are offering a fantastic draw, open until 26th January, and all you have to do is blog about your 2012 sewing resolutions and link back.
So, my resolutions for 2012 are;

• Join in and blog more!  I lurk a lot and generally don't enter giveaways because I think it's a bit unfair to win when there are so many that actually join in.  This is possibly the best giveaway for me to start with, so "Hi!"
• Finish all my UFO's.  It is a disgustingly huge list and top of it should be my dressing gown, or maybe the sofa quilt or my bed quilt....
• Go to Festival of Quilts and also The Knitting and Stitching Show again.
• Save up for my new sewing machine.  Mine is 14 years old and entry level.  It works very well and the only need for a new one is to let me do a bit more quilting at home.  
• Keep trying new things, like this embroidery.

So that should be achievable!  


The last thing is which prize, if I'm lucky enough to win. So difficult to choose but the FQ bundle of Little Apples from by Aneela Hooey from Quilt Me Happy.

New year sweeps clean

Happy new year!


I've been hiding from many things.  Some are minor niggles and some are so monumental that I don't know how long it will be until they will be fixed or if they ever can.


Couldn't stop sewing though, was probably the only thing that got me through.

A qulit for a J's new baby boy

A quilt for I's first birthday.

I'm hoping that I have now arranged my life to cope with what lies ahead - as far as I can plan.  So then I can be a better blogger, maybe....