I just couldn't help myself!

I know I haven't finished the latest quilt I am working on but I was so inspired by a patchwork cushion design in one of the craft books I got for my birthday (Cottage Style Quilting by Lynette Anderson ), that I couldn't stop myself from starting a new project before I had finished the last one!

Ah well what can I say! I had a really good time sorting through my fabrics, seeing what would go with what. I wanted  to create a vintage shabby look and I used vintage style pink and blue floral prints.  Now for the precision part of the process, with great solemnity (and may I say skill!!) I then cut out 128 x inch and a half squares and a four and a half inch square for the middle. The next step was to to make a 9 square block.

Did you notice the deliberate error??? One square too many, I have to say that wasn't the last time I did that!

sorry about all  threads in the pic, I do actually snip the threads.

all the blocks nicely made up ready for me to design something for the middle

I haven't done any embroidery for years but I do intend to do some more now I have a bit of a taste for something more elaborate. The little hearts were scraps of fabric from a design called Durham by Lecien which I had used from a previous quilt and it is a lovely faded romantic look.
Tomorrow I will hopefully have time to finish it!

knitting with bamboo!

My lovely niece Katie is expecting her first baby, a great excuse to knit some baby stuff. I wanted to make a shawl or blanket that wasn't too complicated and didn't have crochet edgings as I cannot crochet! I also did not want to have to buy a book of patterns either! You would think that would be quite simple. No way! It took me ages to find the right pattern, but I did still end up buying a book of patterns! But not only that, once I tried to buy the wool I realised the wool had been discontinued! And not for the first time this has happened to me, beware if the pattern book is cheap there is a good reason for it! Never mind I managed to get the wool and it knits up as DK,

 The wool is a bamboo mix, very very soft perfect for babies and the colour is not a bright white but described as Ice white. It was fairly simple and quick to make.

yet another birthday!

yes I am still only 30 ( oh dear my nose has just grown longer!) well double it and that will be about right!  I had some lovely birthday presents, I did very well indeed! Two of the presents were craft books that I had specifically asked for having checked them out on Amazon. The books were Fast Fabric Gifts by Sally Southern and  Country Cottage Quilts by Lynette Anderson and I was so pleased with them,they were full of gorgeous things to make. I couldn't wait to get home and get crafting. So as soon as I could I sorted through my stack of lovely fabrics and decided to make pencil cases for Rosie, Joni and Poppy three of my grandchildren. And here they are after several mistakes like sewing the applique on upside down or attaching the bondaweb to the wrong side of the material to name just a couple! By the third one I just about got it right!
This is the first one I made, a lot was learnt from this! The front of the case

and the back.

Number 2....

and the back....

and last but not least number 3...

the back of this one is made in the same fabric as number 2. The lovely fabrics were from www.sewlala.co.uk . I stiffened the fabric to make the case more sturdy and each one has a zip fitted. I can't wait for the next project!