New Linky Party

I love a good linky and this looks a great one. The lovely Sunni over at Love Affair With My Brother is having one for the first time and you have the chance to win a customized bundle of 6 FQs (whichever ones you want) from The Intrepid Thread.  How good is that? To win, just enter a blog post from the last week featuring something you have made (doesn`t have to be a quilt!).  The blog post with the most `likes` will win.  So why don`t you hop over, have a look at some crafty loveliness, like some (you can like more than one hint hint!) and enter one of your own!

A Drunk in Central Park

It`s been a chilly, windy and rainy day here today.  Zaki finished pre-school yesterday as next week it is Eid here (the biggest religious holiday of the year) and so we will be off to the in-laws for a few days.  Everything shuts down for 3 days and it`s difficult to get bread and vegetables for it seems like forever as everyone enjoys the holiday and takes a well earned break.

So today I got on with piecing my Drunkard`s Path (DP) blocks for the QAL.  Apart from a couple of initial blocks, I soon got the hang of the curved piecing and there was scope for trimming them down built into the dimensions.  I do like a block where you can trim it to size as however hard I try, my blocks are never exactly square.  Why is that? So I`m all caught up and while there`s still a little tinkering to do with the colour layout, I`m pretty much ready to sew them together.

I used a Central Park charm pack and even though this is going to be a baby quilt, it`s still pretty small and will need a border round it to pad it out a bit.  So 2 QALs caught up with.

When I was writing yesterday`s post I was surrounded by hungry people asking when supper was going to be ready so I was under pressure to get it done and completely forgot to show you what I received in The Scrappy Swap 2011.  My partner turned out to be Hannah who lives in Columbia, Missouri.  She sent me some gorgeous scraps, a lovely needle-case and some chocolate.  Win.  Win.  Win.

So thank you Hannah for a great package and to the lovely Kat who organized a fabulous and energetic swap.  It`s not quite over as my partner still hasn`t received her swap goodies.  I hope she doesn`t have to wait much longer!

I`m now off to work more on my second design for the Modern Christmas Tablerunner Swap and I`ll show you that tomorrow. Have a great Friday.  Anyone in England doing fireworks this weekend?

Fingerless Thursday

Well almost.  With a Kona solids drought chez nous, I decided to cut out my Drunkard`s Path blocks for the QAL being hosted by Kate and Kristie. It`s going to be one crazy mix up of Central Park with no solids.  That`ll be because I basically don`t have any until the big silver bird brings some over the pond.  So until that happens, I can only make blocks using patterned fabric.

So today I printed off the template.  Call me old fashioned you gals with your Go! Babies but I used my hands, picked up a rotary cutter and cut some curves.  All fingers on my left hand are still intact and it took less than 20 minutes.  Phew.

So I had a little play this evening and got myself completely befuddled by the amount of options available as to how to lay these pieces out. I`m not sure why I`m worrying as it is going to be a big crazy mix up of oranges, yellows, greens and purples.  And you thought I was going in the direction of muted. Shame on you.

What else?  With fingers intact it meant I was still able to tap away on the computer and use a credit card.  So I bought Lark in the Glamor colorway and to say I`m excited is a slight understatement.  I love Amy Butler and all that she comes up with and this collection is so beautiful.  Here are 3 of my favourites.

and I forgot to mention that the other day I also ordered the Swoon pattern so as soon as my Kona white arrives, I`ll be whipping up a block or two.  I wonder what I`ll use.

November promises to be another busy sewing month.  I have my modern Christmas tablerunner to start working on.  I`m shamefully behind everyone else but while I wait for fabric supplies for the back and binding,  I am going to offer my secret partner an alternative design involving stars.  I saw the most beautiful Christmas star block today and am very excited as it could look beautiful.  I`m quite `starry eyed` about it. More on that tomorrow.

I think I`ve kept you long enough.  I`ll just quickly mention that I`ve made it to the gym 3 times this week and that means my lovely fitness buddy won`t be making the 8000 km trip over here to give me a pep talk.  I had the old weights and measures taken yesterday and they did not make pretty reading.  Hoping next month may be better!

Thank you for all the lovely comments about my FMQ. Keep fit and happy - it`s nearly the weekend!

FMQ Moves Like Jagger

I`ve been a bit afraid of FMQ and particularly stipple quilting. I`ve suffered from stipple-quilting stage fright but today I took a leap of faith and decided to deal with my Red City quilt for the Duo QAL.

I watched a couple of youtube videos on how to stipple quilt, had a quick practice, put some music on...and plunged right in. Here`s the result.

Is the stitching of a consistent length?  No, not really.

The back

Is the tension perfect? Definitely not.

but for a first attempt I `m happy enough.  What would I do next time?

The front

Gloves.  I`d definitely wear gloves and turn this song to full volume!

So with the quilt ready for binding, I`m delighted to be linking up with W.i.P Wednesday - thanks as ever to Lee for hosting. Have a peak and see what much more talented people are doing and no doubt see some proper stipple quilting!

Fresh Sewing Day

Like September, much of October was spent sewing although looking at this mosaic I don`t feel like I accomplished as much as I wanted but isn`t that always the case?

Last month, I was pleased to get shot of a couple of UFOs in the shape of the Union Jack cushion, which I started back in February (I think) and absolutely love.  I also finished the Marrakech Rose quilt.

Other highlights included being busy with the Scrappy Swap 2011 organized by Kat and which is now winding up.  After the pink puffy pouch was rejected (by me for quality standardss - not my lovely partner who said she loved it), I sent her the Terrain fabric basket, some scraps and a couple of local items.  They have a long way to travel and haven`t arrived yet.  I hope she likes them.

I was also working on the fabulously fun Modern Tablerunner Swap being organized by Susan.  Design done.  Fabrics chosen.  Just waiting on additional fabric ordered online for backing and binding.  I`m lagging behind on this one but it will get done.  Never fear.

I made a quilt top from Moroccan Mirage for the Duo QAL and it is basted and ready for quilting!  On time on this one (after a massive catch up!)

What else?  A fall tote bag made from fabric and pattern brought over by my lovely mum during her recent lurgy ridden visit, my second block and a remake of the first block for the Bloggers` BOM and now I have work to do for the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee.  There`s my colour inspiration mosaic bottom left.  My colours are purple (think deep amethyst and plum), orange and grey.  No pink. When I saw the talent in this bee, there was an audible gulp.  Have I got myself in too deep this time?

Linking up with Lynne over at Lily`s Quilts.  Thanks as ever to Lynne for hosting this linky party.  Hop over there and see the amazing talent out there.  Lynne also hosts a Small Blog Meet Up every first day of the month so go and show your support to the smaller blogs and get following a few.

Happy Halloween!

You really wouldn`t want that face peeking out from your crystal ball reading would you? Well there`s no need for me to put a costume on!

having a bit of fun over at picnik.com

Scrapilicious!

Are you loving the Bloggers` Quilt Festival (BQF)? I am and have seen the most incredible quilts and found the most amazing blogs.  So far, there are over 350 quilts! If you haven`t been over there, you must and put in one of your quilts by linking up.  You`ll have lovely visitors come knocking at your blog door and they`ll even leave a comment.

So inspired by some gorgeous scrappy quilts I saw at the BQF, I made this month`s block for the Bloggers` BOM QAL.  This month, it`s designed by Vicki Welsh of Field Trips in Fiber. Here it is, made from incredibly good value FQ scrap packs I ordered from M is for Make.

I really like this star and am very happy with the scrappiness and the colours I used. I recently `fessed up on a flikr thread that I hadn`t always been a star girl but was in the process of being converted to them and was picked up on this by the queen of stars herself.  Just look at this star which she not only designed but made herself.  Incredible!

The Bloggers` BOM started last month when I made this block designed by Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life.

So as I had decided to go scrappy, I redid last month`s block and it`s a good job I did looking at some of those points!  Here it is - again made with those scrap packs and some Parisville.  Much better points.

I much prefer the scrappy one.  So here are Blocks 1 and 2 nestled together.

Blogger turned it round.  Silly Blogger.

The blocks are quite small coming in at 8 inches finished so I`ll have to make 2 of each or I`ll end up with a very small quilt.  I`m really enjoying this QAL as it is a relaxed pace and I`m making blocks I wouldn`t normally try.

The only other sewing news is that the Red City quilt is basted and waiting to be quilted.  I`m all caught up with the Duo QAL.  Yea!