Two blogs close and another blog opens!

So I have decided that it is way to hard trying to keep up with the two current blogs of 'little possum designs' and 'tillytom designs' so have set up a new blog HERE which will be everything and anything from sewing to knitting, crafting to quilting, family, life and more!

I hope that those of you that do read and/or follow my blogs will continue to do so over at the new one. This will be the final post here : )

Cheers!

EB Round Robin Quilt Swap - fabrics

These are the fabrics I am using for the EB Round Robin Quilt Block Swap. The swap involves 12 participants making up the same 12 inch quilt block in everyone else's fabrics. Once eveyone gets back their 11 blocks plus the one they make themselves they will have 12 quilt blocks in their fabric of all different designs (like a sampler quilt). Then we just have to put it together as we please! My finished quilt is going to be for Miss M's big bed when she moves out of the cot. I have a fat quarter bundle of the fabric collection 'Riley' by Anna Griffin which I am using.

Most if not all of the other participants are going for creams/whites as their backgrounds I think but this is my background fabric for all the blocks - bright enough? YES!

And the following are the fat quarters that I am using out of my bundle for the rest of the blocks - we send off one fat quarter of the background plus 2 fat eighths of different fabrics for contrast.

Take-a-long quilt . . .

I am thinking of adding something like this little quilt to my 'shop' as a "Take-A-Long" Quilt that you can roll up into a little bag. It measures 85cm x 100cm so a decent size for taking to mum's group or the park for bubs to lay on, plus also good as a comfort blankee or cradle size quilt. I put the quilt top together last night after dinner and sandwiched and FMQ it today at lunchtime while the kids slept - it seriously was a quick little one to make up! Just need to do the binding.

Quilt top

Backing

Close up of FMQStill learning . . . a little bunching on the back from the FMQ

I love fabric : )

Some more gorgeous fabrics that have arrived in the post today. I have a night market tomorrow night, maybe I can get some of these sewn into some pretty skirts and dresses by then - if the weather is kind and lets it dry on the line today!

Something new and something old

Happy birthday to me! Hubby bought me 'Weekend Sewing' which arrived a week or so ago (as posted below) and is taking me out for dinner tonight with some friends without the kids which will be lovely!

Mum dropped round this morning with these gifts. Hooray for the new rotary cutter! and the book has some great projects in it.

I also got these interesting folders from my mother-in-law who discovered them when tidying up her sewing room. The are two big binders filled with all sorts of projects ranging from knitting, needlework, workwork, painting, fabric crafts, pottery, and the list just goes on! They were published in the 80's sometime so the pictures are not flash but the projects with full instructions on how to do everything are great! There are hundreds of fact sheets that I have been looking through today, some that have made me laugh and some that I am very interested in having a go at.

Here's just a few of the fact sheets included;

Sock puppets

Flower arranging
Tucking

Caning - something my grandmother used to do

A crocheted bedspread

Marbling

Trapunto quilting - looks very interesting, something I would like to try

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend.

The rain is still about here which is lovely, but it is very cold days and even colder nights.

Quilt finished and a good day out

Apologies firstly for the terrible photos. This was about 10pm last night, inside under the lights. I really should have got a better shot today outside but the weather has been cold and miserable and we are finally getting some decent rain.

I finished the binding while hubby watched the footy.

I took this quilt to the craft fair I had a stall at today and received lots of lovely comments. It was terrible weather but luckily we were inside. I had a great day, with lots of new and returning customers from a previous craft fair which was really great to see. Some people were even seeking me out because of comments from friends from the last craft fair with others asking which craft market I was going to be at next which was very positive! I also caught up with a friend of a friend who also had a stall at the craft fair today and makes the most gorgeous little softies and gifts with chenille. You can find Leah here.

FMQ finished

I started FMQ this quilt yesterday lunchtime and had drama after drama with the tension on my machine, I was getting very annoyed and had to do lots of unpicking. I wasted so much thread and gave up. I got stuck back into it last night determined to get it done and after more tension issues, more unpicking, finally I finished it - with hubby saying 'are you coming to bed - its late!' lol It wasn't that late. I don't know what was happening with the tension, I got the setting all right and then about half way through the bobbin my machine would crack a wobbly and I would have to change the tension to the complete opposite settings - its was driving me up the wall! Anyway, its finished now, just waiting on my binding material from the FQS that hopefully is at the post office today! I love the crinkly effect the FMQ gives the quilt.

Quilt top

Close up of back
Back of quilt - I just went with plain natural coloured homespun with a simple strip of random colours a quarter of the way up

Quilt top finished

Finished off this quilt top this morning (just needs a good press). And happy enough with the sashing colour. Went with a natural coloured homespun, but do find it quite see through. Am planning on using some of the same for the backing mixed up with some larger panels of some of the strips of fabric somehow, not really sure yet. Undecided on what colour thread to FMQ with too. Either a creamy colour like the homespun or go with something like a really really pale pink, which I think will look really great on the back, might even have a go at some little butterflys or dragonflys or something, need to look into the FMQ a bit more for some tips on that though ; )

Snailblazer Swap Goodies Received!

Yay, I got my parcel of Snailblazer Swap goodies in the post this afternoon. Oh, I have been spoilt! A big thankyou to my fellow swap partners; Cam from Curlypops for the gorgeous keyring and brooch, Amanda for the stunning polymer clay necklace, Aimee for the cute little zip purse, Fran for the reversible glasses case, Michelle for the cute little felt brooch, Nikki for the super cute little frog fridge magnet, Xena for the lovely little tote bag, Tania for the gorgeous handmade cards, Vickie for the great little pen holder and Sandra from Pepperberry and Co. for the great little tissue holder. Everything is lovely, beautifully made and certainly going to be put to use! Lastly, thankyou to Cass for organising this fantastic swap - look forward to the next one!

And this is what I sent off for my swap group. Little vintage book gift tags with 4 hair accessories attached; pony, pin, yoyo button and crochet hair clippies. I hope my swap partners like them : )

I also received this book in the post today - I only ordered it earlier this week from Fishpond, so super fast delivery was great after hearing a few others had to wait for their copy. Will get stuck into browsing through it over the weekend.

A new quilting project

I have been wanting to get into another quilt for a few weeks now but have been so occupied with market sewing that I haven't had the chance. I knew exactly what I wanted but couldn't find a pattern I like so decided to have a go at making up my own pattern. I wanted to use the jelly roll that I had bought recently (see previous post) so wanted to make up some simple blocks using these strips. There are 7 different 8 inch square blocks, with a total of 20 blocks in the quilt. I am planning on adding strips of plain white or off white material between the blocks as well as around the edge to really make the blocks stand out. Then FMQ again as I really enjoyed doing that with the last quilt.

So I drew up what I wanted and spent an hour or so working out the calculations and checking and double checking all my measurements (I felt like I was back in school!) lol

Cut and make up these blocks which actually turned out to all be the right size - yay!
Now I just need to get my plain fabric I want for in between the blocks and around the edge and work out what i want the backing piece and binding to be. It should measure when finished 40" x 52" (approx 100cm x 130cm), so a good size for a cot quilt. If all goes to plan I might even do a tutorial for this one as it has taken no time at all to get to this stage, jelly rolls make it so easy!

Its been a busy week!

This is what I have been up this past week or so getting ready for this weekends art & craft fair that I am having a stall at.

Lots more 'Tilda' dresses, now in 2 sizes; Size 1-3 & Size 3-5.

And something new, some little skirts. I am a little unsure of the sizing as I was just guessing here with these as I made the pattern up as I went so have sized them as; Size 2-4 & 3-5 as being an elastic waist they can be pretty adjustable to fit a bigger range and I went with a pretty generous length.

I have a confession - I LOVE FABRIC! lol

These fabrics are just stunning, the colours as so gorgeous!

New fabric haul

Some recent fabric purchases destined for more 'tilda' dresses for my markets/madeit shop as well as a few other designs that I am working on. I am loving the momo wonderland butterflies and the new collection of fabric by Sanae (fabric on right with birds is just one from this collection). The fabric layed out flat I purchased from Fresh Fabrics - I discovered that Amber is really only just up the road from me and I can get my fabrics very quickly from her! The fabric folded on the left side is from Kelani.

WIP Wednesday

This past week I have been busing working on drafting up new ideas for my shop and getting ready for upcoming markets.

And, then spending the evenings knitting away little beanies - sorry my models couldn't manage a smile ; )

I also had a big tidy up of my sewing space which is still just a small card table in one corner of my office, but I managed to organise everything into containers and stack all my books and patterns across the back of the table.

And I sorted out my fabric stash. The biggest container is actually full of nappy making stuff, I really need to use it - I have a huge amount of bamboo, hemp and maiden mills fleece that I need to get stuck into and make some more nappies with or something. The other two tubs contain all my other fabrics.

I think I need to make something other than shop stuff. I am in a bit of a sewing lull I think, maybe another quilt on the horizon soon, or get stuck into some summer sewing for the kids.

Make It Perfect Giveaway

If you would like to win this super gorgeous pattern by Toni from Make It Perfect visit her blog. Or don't - because I want to win please : )

New quilting fabric

Don't you just love it when there is a big fat parcel from the US sitting at the post office for you - you just know its full of beautiful fabric! I bought these at the Fat Quarter Shop's recent pre-cut sale - a fat quarter bundle of 'Riley' by Anna Griffen and a jelly roll of Nouveau. No idea what these will be made into yet, but possibly a quilt for Miss M when you moves into a big bed, maybe a quilt for the spare bed? Not really sure, it was a sale and i just had to buy something! lol

Is it a bird or duck?

So I drew up this little bird over lunch while the kids slept and decided to make up a little softie. I think it needs a little more body and a little less neck, lol. This is the first time I have made a softie and also the first time at doing applique and using the blanket stitch on my machine so all in all I think it turned out not too bad, although Master T thinks its a duck - quack, quack!