FAL 1st Quarter Roundup

3 months in to the year and time for a roundup of what exactly did happen to all those lingering UFOs...

Back in January, I listed 5 UFOs here that I wanted to whip in to shape and finish by the end of March as part of Leanne's Finishalong.

So how did I do? Well I finished 4 out of the 5!

First there were the 2 quilt tops made by the Care Circle of do.Good Stitches.  As the quilter I was responsible for transforming them in to quilts.

First up was the Scrappy X and Plus quilt top which is now a quilt -  a finish I'm really proud of, and which will be going to Siblings Together once it's labelled.

Second finish was the Patchwork Wheel quilt - which turned from a pile of blocks in to this scrappy quilt destined for the Linus Project (although getting in touch with them is proving difficult so this may be another for Siblings Together).

An important finish was the Stained Man with a Curious Nature top for my husband, which is also now a quilt.

My Drunkard in Central Park quilt top was next on the list and still is - I hoped to add to it and make a quilt...



...not even touched but will go on to my FAL list for the next quarter.

Last but not least was turning a couple of handfuls of scrappy granny square blocks (10 I think) in to a quilt.  Yea - I finished it yesterday and I absolutely LOVE it.

You can see some lovely finishes from other peeps if you click right here!

Spot On

A final finish for March and just in time. I've rushed to take these photos as the light is dimming so they're not great but you get the idea. My scrappy granny quilt is finished. Ta-dah!


I started these blocks back in March 2012 when grannymania had taken over but then other things got started and projects needed finishing and they lay abandoned in a heap until early this year when I added them to my FAL list.

The blocks are made entirely from scraps and I really love the deep saturated colours! I used Kona Snow for the background but wish I had been a little more adventurous.

Aftersashing the blocks and adding a 3" border to all sides, I kept to the KISS rule (Keep It Simple Stupid) and did 'organic' straight line stitching 1/2" apart and it took ages!

For the backing I used some Hopscotch fabric from Amy Butler's Cameo line and some Robert Kaufman Spot On in navy for the binding, which I love.  All my bindings may now be spotty and navy from now on!

I think it was Jude who said that scraps are the memory keepers of quilt making and she's absolutely right - there are some of my favourite fabrics in this quilt - either because they are my favourite colour or design or remind me of a swap, QAL or a person who sent them to me.

I love this quilt.  It's sooo last year but it's very pretty and perfect for spring.  It's a quilt for my mum's room so now she has two quilts!  She was in Marrakech just recently after bringing forward her trip but it's on her bed waiting for her when she's here next.  In the meantime it may just get a snuggle or too...or not as it's warming up here and my quilting days at the machine are shortening.

Statistics
Front Scraps, Kona Snow
Back Hopscotch in Lake, Cameo Amy Butler
Binding Spot on, Robert Kaufman
Batting Quilters' Dream
Size 60" x 60"
Quilting Vertical Straight Line

Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates it!

I Need My Mojo to have a Staycation Not a Vacation

I hate to mention it but my mojo is kind of on a vaycay.  I am sewing but whenever I do less or blog less like when I go away or have visitors, I find it hard to get my rhythm back.

So here's a round up.

I finally finished up my Granny top.  It's on my FAL list so I have to hustle on this one. It took forever to make the blocks but it was all in my head as they are ridiculously easy to make - I think it's the fact I didn't square them up very well so they felt less than perfect and the latent perfectionist reared its ugly head and I went off them.  However, after a couple of posts on IG (follow me @lifesrichpattern) I felt the love again. Now just to add a border to make it a decent size.  I have the batting and backing so this could be a March finish.

I can finally reveal some secret sewing.  I sent Nat a tablerunner as a very small thank you for sending me the beautiful Simple Love quilt.  I know Nat  likes blues and geometrics so using the Fast Forward pattern from The Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters, some geometric blues, taupes, Kona snow and some Essex yarn dyed natural linen, I made this rather long tablerunner. It's difficult to get a good shot of it...but you get the idea.

I did some simple echo quilting, which I'm pleased to report Nat loves! Thanks so much to Nat - I still smile when I see her beautiful quilt.

More secret sewing will be revealed tomorrow in Fluffy Sheep Quilting's spring newsletter - if you don't already sign up for it, then you should here - Cindy has a great online shop full of gorgeous fabrics and she'll even send you swatches! There is a very simple tutorial from moi for table napkins using the Heaven & Helsinki line and there's an awesome tute from the funny and lovely Rhonda for some personalized table mats.  Here's a peek at mine.

In more mysterious sewing news, Stitch Tease the mystery online bee is finally coming to an end and all will be revealed very soon.  I am making up Katy's quilt and it's a good one. Here's a sneaky peek of my block. The quilt top will be winging its way to Katy today and hopefully it should be there in a week or so.  My quilt top is already on its way from Di in California - I can't wait to see it!

Finally spring sprang here on Monday - blue skies and 25°C...

...but as you'll see from the first photo it's gone back in to hiding! Still it's nothing like the UK peeps are enduring - here's hoping you have a hot summer to compensate.

I met my best friend from high pre-school after not seeing her for a whopping 28 years. Two and a half hours wasn't enough time to catch up but it was so fun to see her and laugh and yes, reminisce!

So happy Thursday - now wish me luck as I go to the post office and visit customs who peek in your envelope before it's sealed up! This could be the law or pure nosiness - who knows!

Modern Low Volume Swap

Rebecca is hosting another Low Volume Swap - and she's being super specific about what counts as modern low volume fabric. Places are limited. Sign ups here.  Are you in?

88

Wowzers - I've had an unintended blog break! My mum was here for 10 days bringing forward her trip scheduled for April and she left last Friday taking with her the two quilts made by the Care Circle of do.Good Stitches.  We had a lovely time despite her coming down with a cold and the weather being a bit mizzy and we could spend Mothers Day together.

There hasn't been a whole lot of sewing round here but neither have I been completely idle.

There has been some secret sewing...

...and some more secret sewing...

...and with 2 trips to Casablanca in as many weeks, some progress was made on the aqua, orange and grey hexie flowers - I EPPed in the car for the first time and it made a dull motorway journey pass in no time.

There are 88 now and I still have quite a few more hexagons basted. I could continue assembling these for a while as the thought of stitching them together and then appliqueing them fills me with dread.

Here's my handsome boy who was on more than a couple of occasions a bit of a cheeky monkey while his granny was here but he's a very normal little boy I guess and redeemed himself with impeccable behaviour at the 'sbour' (naming party for baby Amira) last weekend.

Linking up with Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted blog hop here this week.

Be Still My Beating Heart

The fabric mule (my lovely mum) arrived last night for an earlier than scheduled 10 day visit and I've had fun unpacking the fabric, thread and batting.  But best of all, The Simple Love quilt has come to live with me!

A couple of weeks ago on St.Valentine's, the lovely Nat at Made in Home posted pictures of her Simple Love quilt - a quilt she had made for a photo shoot with her beautiful 2 month old boy for thank you cards.

Now despite those beautiful pops of pixelated reds against the gorgeous low value charms, Nat confessed that she wasn't really feeling the love.  I know. She posed the thought that perhaps it would be good for a giveaway.  I cheekily suggested that yes, she should just give it to me. And she did!

Now I'll confess that despite the photos of Baby MIH on the quilt, I thought the quilt was a mini - kind of wall hanging size but as you can see from the picture above that it's big!

This is the softest quilt I have ever felt.  It's truly beautiful.  Nat kept the quilting to a minimum with some red hand stitching around the heart blocks - just perfect.

The binding is Liberty and the backing has some lovely red Gingham and more of those lovely charms.

I am so thrilled that Nat sent me this quilt - she said she wanted a home where it will be loved and I can promise that in bucketloads. Now it wouldn't be fair if Nat wasn't to get something in return and I'm hatching a plan - thank you Nat!!

It's the Little Things

For Zaki, it's lifting himself off the ground to get a better view of the giant 1,000,000 litre aquarium at Morocco Mall - Africa's largest shopping mall in Casablanca...

...so that he can get up close and personal with this guy...

...or these pretties.

For me, well it's the opportunity to occasionally have some 21st Century retail therapy as opposed to bartering like we did in Marrakech last weekend. The ceiling of Morroco Mall looks like a starry night.

I could go on about globalisation but knowing there is somewhere within a couple of hours drive I can buy a bra I can fit in to (sadly no food hall) is a good thing. The new and first M&S in Morocco at Place d'Anfa, Casablanca.

But of course the best little thing? Well it's holding my new niece...

..., Amira (Princess) born on 28 February weighing just 2.5 kgs.

Happy Days.