Sunday 30 March 2014

Relaxing Sundays!

It's been a while......... I feel like I'm not accomplishing anything if I don't blog about it and show the world but I have been working away.  Slowly, yes, but working all the same.  Today, it's a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, and we have the day off!  My husband and eldest son are out, my twins are sleeping and finally I have the headspace for a little blog.

My lovely friend had her fourth baby recently.  Her last gorgeous baby was 9 months old before I finished a blanket for her.  Now granted, I was new to quilting then, and new to sewing at all for that matter, so it took me time to work up the courage to cut the fabric to begin with.  When this bouncing little man was born though, I got stuck in straight away.  I kept it simple and went with a bright brick design with his shortened name appliqued on and also added an elephant in minky so he has something soft to rub.  I bought some gorgeous, thick, super-soft fleece on sale at The Quilt Shop to back it and give it a nice bit of padding for and an extra cosy factor and this was the finished product.......... 


His mum sent me this picture of baby Olly snuggled up a few days later.  Nothing gives a crafter more satisfaction and pleasure as seeing something they have made being used!



I have also been working away slowly on my Economy Block Along, I had some help at my tuesday class to chose a beautiful blue border from the quilters shadow range by Stof.  I love this blue, I used it last year in my seaside quilt, it's really lively!

Once again faced with the daunting task of basting another quilt, all be it a small one, I decided to try using the curved safety pins for the first time.  I bought a pack of 40 for just €4 and it was the perfect amount for this lap-sized quilt!



WOW, consider me converted!!!  The whole lot done in about 15mins.  This would have taken me an hour or more if I was to use basting stitches!So with that done, I've started hand-quilting it.  Yes, I'm a sucker for the handquilting.  It's relaxing and the scaredy cat in me likes how very little can go wrong!






So with one quilt basted.........and so bloomin' fast, it was time to finally baste my Swoon quilt......  I LOVED making this quilt, I LOVE the top and yet, it has sat on a shelf, folded up for the past 9 months because I really couldn't face basting a kingsize top by myself.  A few of the girls in the Tuesday Night class I attend offered to help me out and we laid it down and it was done in no time whatsoever with this fabulous new-to-me method of basting!!

Aren't these ladies just amazing!  It's a wonderful thing to be in a class where the group is so willing to give up a night of their own work to help you out! 


I have so much more to show and tell but time is of the essence for me right now and I'm helping out with a really cool project and need to get working on it while the boys are still sleeping!






*watch this space*