Wednesday 29 February 2012

HIVE #3 FIRST BLOCK

The title is "a bit" of a give away for what I am going to tell you about today.... BUT FIRST ....

I take it from the comments that you are AS SICK of the migraine inducing background as I am!! lol WELL its March tomorrow ...so it will be gone! ...

You will remember the colour for March is YELLOW.... wonder what I will find for that ?

NOW you may have noticed the button/thingy on the sidebar for the Stash Bee Swap .... I am in Hive #3 which starts in March with Debbie's block.

BY THE WAY Hive #4 is signing up so if you want to get involved click the button and it will take you to the link xx

Debbie posted her block yesterday... I read it....Panicked.... put a paper bag over my head, pulled up my big girl pants .... and started asking questions!!

THEN today I sorted out some fabric...


NOTICE she wants GREEN ... my kinda girl xx...and set to work. I made a block THEN wondered if she wanted the LIGHT on the inside OR the outside... so I made another one..


THEN I measured them... she is expecting 6.25... mine are SMALL ... so I made 2 more... RIGHT size (phew)...



SO what am I going to do with the other 2 ... well I am to make a signature block... one of those will do!!... and I can practice the applique "bit"...


THEN I put on the applique onto the "proper" blocks...


NOW I start to wonder... will she like my choice of colours? Too Late they are DONE .... what do I do with the other small block?... Heck she can have it!! x


SO all 4 are going in the post xx




SEE Hives are fun.. want to join in? Punch that button/thingy lol x

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Tuesday 28 February 2012

HOME

AH! I am just home from Congleton (Beartown) quilt group. It has been a lovely evening...now its feet up, cup of tea made........ and I get to write my blog. Wonderful way to spend my time.

Tonight was a mystery make....it was an OWL!! I am surrounded! I have it cut out ready to do...will show when its done...A LOT of talking got done, a LOT of laughter...not an awful lot of sewing lol x

We had a trader there as well to night OH NO! I bought the wadding (batting) I wanted......THEN I just had to buy these....


It is just SO lovely x

I cannot remember if I told you that I got my fabric from the Rainbow Charm Swap.... If I did OK! If I didn't ... then here is a picture of the wonderful fabrics I received....


I have a few ideas, but, not decided exactly what I am going to do xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Monday 27 February 2012

I KNOW....but !!

I KNOW I should be working on the wedding quilt! I KNOW I have a time limit on it! I KNOW I want to do some hand quilting on it. I KNOW I cannot do that until I finish the machine work........

                                       BUT

when I had my THINKING day last week , I spent part of the time thinking about the panel and fabric that Joan gave me .... if you missed it ...Joan from Congleton quilt group was having a sort out,and, because she seems to think I don't have enough... fabric or things to do!!... she gave me this fabric...


and this panel...


WELL I have been cutting out squares and making half square triangles..




You may notice there are A LOT..

They have slowly become pinwheels...



THEN I started thinking about it ...AND ...decided they are not really what I want to do!! SCREAM!!

SO. to day I knuckled down ,and, made the quilt top..


 now I have a lot of pinwheels....and more pinned together to make even more!! Never mind I will finish them and make something else...later!



I am soo pleased with it xx

I had some spare fabric from that which I used for the wedding quilt, I pieced this, and, I have my backing ,I am going to get some wadding from Congleton quilt group on Tuesday night (they sell it to raise money for the group xx)

SO.... now I will have some tea and MAYBE do some work on the wedding quilt...whatever I am a happy bunny xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Sunday 26 February 2012

an owl

Good afternoon...yes, that's right, I am actually posting in the afternoon....must be Sunday xx


You may remember that at the Regional day yesterday, the afternoon session was making an owl. It is a simple drunkards path pattern...with fabrics and placement to suggest an owl.


This one is NOT going to Sally in Australia ...it is staying in Crewe.... with my dad xx




I  made a mistake when I was cutting out ... and did not have enough fabric to make another piece....so I sort of winged it ...and fudged! You may be wondering why he is going to my dad? Well..... my dad likes the wonky and not quite right! They have several "odd" Christmas ornaments that he has "found" over the years! He finds the ones left on the shelf after the "good" ones have been sold.... he usually gets them at a reduced price too!


One particular one is an owl ...called Eric... see where the name on the cushion comes from (my dad is Peter) I finished him off last night... I think I must have been influenced by the morning speaker (Elizabeth Wall) because I had a go at machine quilting!! Scary stuff xx


To day I made my block-of-the-month as well (see the side bar),




 I liked this months MUCH more than last xx.... I can hardly believe we are already half way through
xx




By the way.... I checked and next months colour is YELLOW, now there is a colour I use ...so, I should be able to post more pictures than I managed for VIOLET..xx..and the project is Easter..... so only a few more days of this migraine inducing background!! Thinking cap on as to what I am going to make xx


Keep smiling


Diane  

Saturday 25 February 2012

SO< SO HAPPY XX

OH! I AM SO HAPPY I am dancing on the ceiling....the dogs think I have gone mad!!!

I have been out all day....more about that later!.... on the way home I called at mum and dads and had a cuppa.... then I came home , there was a parcel on the mat from Australia...OH! I thought Sally has sent me a present THEN because the boys have been on their own all day I took them for a walk...STILL WITH ME?   when I got back I looked at the parcel properly AND THAT'S WHEN IT STARTED

LOOK...

This is what was in it ...

OH HOW HAPPY AM I?

Its my mouthy stitches bag xxxxxxxx

I was not expecting it to arrive until later this week!!

These are my "extra" bits (ps forgot to tell you it was made by Katie, www.shockinghocking.blogspot.com )


Mine went earlier in the week because it has gone to Canada and it seems their postal service is C£*>P!!!

OH! it is so ME, rainbow colours.....AND GREEN, and embellishments and quirky!!

I LOVE IT

AHH!

You don't know it but I have been for a cup of tea and a stroke of my bag xx.. NOW the rest of this may be a bit boring so I understand if you nod off, or go for a walk... or just leave and come back tomorrow ! xx

Where have I been today? Well I have been to the  Quilters Guild Regional day (we are region 13). The venue was changed... and yes I missed the turning and had to go up the road and come back!!

The morning speaker was Lizzie Wall... oh her work is STUNNING.( I think she may have a web site..not sure XX)

Then this afternoon we made an owl... I will show you this when it is finished...I feel it is a "he" and will become a cushion cover when finished.

OF COURSE there were traders and as I had a bit of money "in the back of my purse".. that special place where money for special project lurks! So these came home with me..


AND this panel..




DID I MENTION how much I love my bag?

If you made it to the end..well done and bless you xx

I'm BEAMING so you keep smiling

Diane xx

Friday 24 February 2012

THINKING XX

Although I did not do any sewing yesterday I DID do a lot of thinking.... and planning. I have sorted out how I want to finish the wedding quilt, I have a plan for the Halloween fabric that Joan gave me. I have an idea of a cushion I have been asked to make...oh it goes on....and on ....and on...... I am sure you all know where I am!! I have even begun to write it all down ...... the memory can be fickle to say the least!!

The weather was back to normal today, rain, wind and more rain.... so sewing was the order of the day...

I have begun work on the wedding quilt...


I am going to do a simple grid in zig-zag stitch   THEN I will hand quilt leaves around the edges....


 feels good to be sewing xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Thursday 23 February 2012

NO SEWING TODAY

First off, hello to Debbie who is joining us here in this corner of what today has been a sunny  Cheshire xx

As the title says , there has not been any sewing done here today....... just watch out tomorrow!!

When I got up the sun was shining, and , it was WARM!! SPRING must be coming at last. I am not going to get too excited ... this IS the UK after all!

It has encouraged the beginning of the garden coming to life..



I had all the doors and windows open, the washer was working and the line was full of clothes blowing and drying.....DAMMN! NOW I have to iron it all!

OH WELL!

I have cleaned ALL of upstairs AND down the stairs.... when I got there the steam ran out! Maybe the sun will shine again tomorrow and I will get downstairs done!!

I took mum to the hospital today...YES its my day off... where else would I go!! She had a cardiac echogram and now has a tape fitted that will last for 7 days.... so next week I get to take it back!!

These are my 2 best friends at the moment...


WHY?   Could be because I just took this out of the oven!!!....


Keep smiling

Diane xx

Wednesday 22 February 2012

JUST IN TIME....

There are several " JUST IN TIME "  (thought I would get a VIOLET post in !!) moments in this post...

First is that I am JUST IN TIME to get this post in for today (22nd) !!

The SECOND is about the WONDERFUL evening I have just had xx...

On my last night I go to bed as usual, and, wake at about 2.30pm ish. SO. I thought .....that will be fine, I will have plenty of time . SO when I woke up at 4 O'CLOCK!!  It was a surprise to say the least xx

I had just enough time to walk the dogs, have some tea, wash ...body and hair...

AND THEN...

Adam was at the door to pick me up!! PHEW!!

We used these tickets


The 2 lead ladies had the MOST awesomely WONDERFUL voices xx

Head full of glorious sounds.... going to have a cuppa then go to bed xx

OH JUST IN TIME  also to welcome Michelle as our latest friend here xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Tuesday 21 February 2012

PHEWWWW

I found the button in settings/comments bit to turn off the

                            VILE

word verification thing!! So hopefully it will be better from now on !!

I think that maybe the "robots" were the only ones who could/can read the word @<%$*~ verification THINGS!!!!

Keep smiling

(ps.. left my self a comment(!!) and it works!! W..Hoo!

Diane xx

ONE MORE

I have one more night to go ...and then life can begin again. AH!! Lovely. I have quite a bit to do while I am off....being the tease I am I am not going to share it until JUST before it happens lol x

For anyone who want to get involved with  BEE swap, Emily at www.strawberrypatchramblings.blogspot.com had details of a stash bee that may be interesting xx

I have a VIOLET offering for you today, this is a quilt  that we made as a mystery make at Sandbach quilt group. I made it in these colours because my mum likes them.....I made and gave it to her as part of their diamond (60 ... like the Queen) wedding anniversary.

Sharp eyes will notice a ....unique design opportunity that arose!! I am good at twisting blocks... and NOT noticing until it is "too late" to do anything about it !! xx


Keep smiling

 (ps www.mammafairysews.blogspot.com also has a link to this .....I dont need EXTRA to do....so why have I joined up? I will be Ms October!! lol x)

Diane xx

Monday 20 February 2012

THINKING!!

I have been thinking about my award and who I am going to "share" it with...I get to award it to 5 people.

 I want it to be to special  blogs that I really love reading (and maybe would have on Desert Island Discs!)...but WHAT if other bloggers then think I don't LOVE them?

I have found that some of the bloggers I was thinking of ...already have it!!

I am finding it hard to narrow it down to 5!

I think I have to...


           STOP

           THINKING......

and just get on with it! Maybe when I finish Wednesday morning.... but then I off out to the theatre .......OH YES!!


So.... maybe by Thursday morning I will be ready!!? ... watch this space lolx

This is not really VIOLET but close as I can get with the meagre offerings in my garden...it snowed Saturday night and was frosty last night..poor plants x


Keep smiling

Diane xx

Sunday 19 February 2012

SUNDAY

Just back from having dinner with mum and dad....VERY full, maybe too much pudding? GOOD though lol x

I am ready to post my bag to my partner for the Mouthy Stitches swap..


My partner has been VERY quiet... NOT reflecting the title of the group AT ALL!


I made the bag from the few snippets of information she did post... lucky she posted GREEN !


Part of the swap is to include scraps up to half a metre, so snuggled into the bag......


Keep smiling

Diane xx

Saturday 18 February 2012

HAPPY DANCE

Hello, how are you all today? I am doing a happy dance at the moment xx

WHY you ask? WELL.... I have been nominated for a Liebster award xxx Jan-Maree at www.cherryredquilter.blogspot.com has given me the award...xxx... I feel so .....so lucky and excited and honoured that she thinks I am worthy of this  xx

I looked up "Liebster" and it is a German word that translates as ....DEAREST, FAVOURITE or BELOVED ........ now I feel even more special xx

NOW, in my technically challenged world this means I have to wait for Adam to come and  do the ... getting the button/badge thingy .... however, this will give me time to choose WHO I want to nominate/award this to... the idea is to share it around xx WATCH THIS SPACE xx (I don't have a VIOLET post so thought I would slip the colour in here xx)

I was asked about my job... briefly I am a nurse, I work in our local District General Hospital, ... as the senior nurse on duty, I run the Surgical Admissions Unit at night. I work 7 nights .......then I am ready for my 7 nights off. I moan about it at times BUT it must have "something" about it because I keep going back .... AND in September it will be 39 YEARS (!!!) since I started my training.... and THAT is SCARY xx

I have not been sewing ...BUT I have been cutting out, fabric for the binding on the wedding quilt


AND fabric for the Halloween quilt..


Keep smiling (like me xx)

Diane xx

Friday 17 February 2012

FRIDAY xx

Hello to Jan-Maree, lovely to have you as a follower xx Hope you enjoy your visits here x 

I finished the make from Congleton quilt group...



It is a needle, scissor anything you want case...



I LIKE it .... not LOVE it, I think it may well be winging its way to Sally x ...its very good for me, I can send stuff and she has to keep it...or give it away to someone there !! lol


Josh is here for tea tonight ...


We have been shopping... for him! SO, it was OK! He has had a new pair of trainers to wear at school.... I thought it was girls who took FOREVER to choose shoes! Fun time really xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx