Let's Get Acquainted Link Up..

...is here this week! I was so happy to be asked by Beth to host this week's link up. Let's Get Aquainted is one of my favourite link ups and a great way to be inspired and find some new blogs...just in case your reader isn't full enough ;-)

Did you know that this summer Beth is hosting another blog hop for new bloggers to take part in. If you want to take part, you can read all about it here.

If this is your first time visiting then welcome. I'm a Brit living with my family in Morocco - a vibrant, colourful, kind of crazy place to live, which definitely inspires me to create with warm saturated colours.

It gets ridiculously hot here in the summer months and that's the time when the machine gets a holiday and I do a little hand stitching.

Block 15 Camelot 

This week I continued to work on my Camelot blocks, which are handpieced and circular. I made my first block here, which came together pretty easily. This one was way more challenging! Above is a flattering photo of the block - trying to insert that star with the inset or Y seams was a bit of a nightmare to say the least - it's puckered and doesn't lie flat. So I may EPP a replicate hexagon for the centre and applique it on top as I'm pretty happy with the rest of it.

I have been wanting to make a pouch to keep all my hand stitching kit in for a while now so when I saw this pattern by Aneela Hoey I knew I wanted to make it. I bought the pattern, a PDF, but then saw that I needed extra firm interfacing for it.  This is a big pouch (10" x 12" closed) and needs the strong interfacing to keep it rigid.  Fast forward to this week when I received my gorgeous winnings from Heather's SMS giveaway (thank you Heather - I love my winnings!) as well as the interfacing.

Here's the pouch I made with some of Heather's fabrics and I love it!

It's huge and easily big enough to fit my Camelot pattern, EPP templates, an 8 1/2" embroidery hoop and other bits and pieces and still closes really easily.

So now I'm all set for a bit of summery hand stitching on the go.

Now it's your turn. Do you have a recent finish to share or something you are working on?

1. Link up any recent sewing/quilting post.

2. In your post or on your blog, please include either a text link or a button letting people know       

about this link up and link it back to this post.
3. Visit at least the two bloggers who link up before you and everyone who visits you from this post.
4. When the link tool asks for your name, enter your favourite vacation destination.

Never Mind Spring...

...summer has been declared. Yes, the socks have been put away and the shorts are out.  Well at least for some of us. It`been 38 C (102 F) here today and even though it`s ten years this month that we moved out here, the return of the intense heat is always a shock.

It`s way too hot to sew.  I have to plan some summer hand sewing and would like to have another go at Trish Harper`s Camelot pattern.  With all those Y seams it should keep me busy. I think it could look very pretty in some of Jenean Morrison`s Silent Cinema.

Tomorrow is registration for Rachel`s Handstitched class - registration opens at 9 EST.  Now if we are on GMT +1 here in Morocco, will 9 EST be 1.00 PM here?

After the success of her Curves class, which I didn`t actually do but heard it was great, this looks like huge fun.  Rachel has spaced the classes out more and is even selling a kit to go with the class so that you have everything you need. The course includes hand quilting, embroidery, applique, reverse applique and English Paper Piecing.

But there`s lots to do before that. I am working on Di`s block for the Stitch Tease bee and trying something new for the first time.  Yes Di, you are my guinea pig! But I can`t show you anything yet, and then it will only be sneaky peeks.

So I really have nothing to show you.  Just popped in to say `hi`.