Blueberry Park Makes 4...

September Instagram's #blueberryparkmakes

Wow that came around quickly! It seems like everyone has rediscovered creative time with the kids going back to school n all!

It has been another month of wonderful makes ~ man you lot are so creative!

As ever I can only choose 4 so September's favourite 4 Instagram pics with the hashtag blueberryparkmakes are as follows...

clockwise from top left...

@themessynest ~ Cuter than cute row of pips on Jen's apple block...check out Jen's other apple blocks with Blueberry park centres...

@theochiltree ~ the most stunning log cabin block EVER...and check out Nikki's feed to see what she did with this block...it's awesome!

@sewist53 ~ the ever creative Sue's coffee jug jacket...love it!

@littlecreatable ~ a paper piecing masterpiece by Brie is just too astounding for words. I can't even imagine how incredible this is in person.

Thanks as ever to all of you for lighting up my world with your amazing creations...I can't get enough of them!

Quilt Now...

I am assuming, like me, you are eagerly awaiting the anticipated new magazine by our lovely Katy K...

I am assuming like me you have jumped at the offer of getting your first 3 issues for just £5...

No? You haven't??

Well what are you waiting for??...do it right now...you only have until July 6! Follow this link to sign up and then like me you will be one happy bunny when the first issue lands on your doormat later this month.

What are you still doing here?? Go!! go!! GO!!!

Cover Girl...Take 2...

I had the biggest shock this week when the quilt I had designed from the gorgeous Grey Abbey collection...the beautiful Cloud 9 fabric by talented designer Elizabeth Olwen...was given front cover status on this month's Love Patchwork & Quilting.

This fabric was an absolute delight to work with. Firstly it is Cloud 9 fabric, which in case you don't know is a beautiful organic cotton with the loveliest feel. 

Secondly the collection by Elizabeth is one of those collections that works so beautifully as a whole and doesn't need much more than the simplest of piecing to let the fabrics do the talking.

I really enjoyed every single second of working on this quilt and seeing LP&Q's stunning styling on it makes me feel very very proud.

This is yet another winning issue and is full of the most gorgeous projects. I think my favourite, if you were to pin me down to state one,  of which I will certainly be making, are the gorgeous boho pompom cushions by Jo Avery.

If you have your issue already I am sure you are enjoying it and if you haven't just yet, don't worry you are in for a real treat.

Happy New Year...

 So how was your holidays?

Did you get your WIPs finished?

Any new projects started?

 Suffice it to say I was far too distracted by external influences to finish any of my WIPs. 

Suffice it to say I was even too distracted by external influences to make the 2 new projects that I was planning.

This external influence was so strong it even pulled me away from my recent pile of Glimma which I absolutely adore.

If like me you haven't been looking after your family adequately this holidays and creeping off to sew you will probably know what I am talking about.

The project taking over IG, the Scrappy Trip Along is the most addictive quilting I have seen.

Seeing Rita's, Brenda's, Katy's was enough to make me drop everything and get blocking. Thank goodness our New Year's guests cancelled their 3 day trip. It's one thing to ignore your family but quite another to ignore your guests. That would just be rude.

It is such a great anything goes piecing quilt.

I haven't managed to do as much as I would like - apparently I'm not neglecting them as much as I could - but am probably half way through this one that is earmarked for Ruby. And in typically me mode I'm already thinking about all the combinations I want to do next - navy/grey/mushroom for Sam, red/white for Noah not to mention the wedding quilt option, friends moving house option. 

This is definitely going to be featuring heavily in 2013 both here and I'm pretty sure a lot of blogland too.

If you haven't jumped aboard yet go check out the Flickr Group Brenda set up and see all the great quilts taking shape.

I may not be starting the New Year getting my WIPs under control, but I am starting it with excitement and that's no bad thing. Is it?

Happy 2013 to one and all and wishing you many exciting quilting times xx

quilting magic...

Every now and then my fabrics have the opportunity to be turned into something magical by talented quilters.

This time the incredibly talented Jane of quiltjane has weaved her amazing magic with some scraps of my fabrics.

Take a look at what Jane did here...

...be prepared to be amazed.

In the meantime, for the opportunity to weave some magic of your own with Anna Maria Horner's Field Study, don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

It's nearly New Year...

...and I tell you something, 2012 is going to see me so organised, disciplined, calm, resourceful...

remember, you heard it here first.

We've had a week of visiting, having visitors and awaiting for the next lot to arrive and all that that entails.

No doubt it's been pretty similar for you too and no doubt you have been a lot more organised about it than I have...like not getting distracted by making a new quilt when really you should be getting the house geared up for guests.

On the other hand, this long holiday is all about having a break and spending time on doing things you love, when let's face it the speed of the rest of the year takes over and there's not usually much time for enjoying a quiet bit of guiltless sewing.

So, guests are arriving tomorrow and what am I doing? Making a new quilt of course.

I've had it on my To Do List for yonks to make a large hexie quilt. At the start of every winter when we all fight over the solitary quilt in the living room, I have it in mind to make a cosy pile of them to grab and snuggle under. Obviously I have these thoughts when I don't actually have the time to action that plan.

At least now though I am getting one quilt closer to quilting nirvana...

I had a lovely afternoon in my studio today, having sent the others to Tesco (they don't know they are born, that lot) and spent time, new CDs blaring, piecing together the quilt top.

I'm just awaiting delivery of this scrumptious flannel for the back.

Then it's a question of binding.

Do I play safe, below, and go for a coordinating fine stripe?

Or add a bit of wow, above, and use a zing of luscious Lotta?

I think you know which one I'll be choosing...

I hope this out of routine week has been a good one for you and you have had time to guiltlessly do something you love.

New Year's Eve tomorrow and I hope 2012 brings health, happiness and more guiltless pleasures xx

Me and my big mouth...who'd have thought I'd be able to keep it shut all this time?

Way, way back in August I was asked by the lovely peeps at Fat Quarterly to take part in a design challenge.

Obviously, I had to be the sole of discretion and not spill the beans ahead of time what I was up to. I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to be in fat Quarterly and having been given the go ahead today and had a quick sneak at Issue 7, I have to say, it is FAB!

Not only am I really really pleased with how beautifully they have presented my contribution, but it really is a beautiful issue, aptly titled "Colour".

I won't spoil it by telling you too much about it, but you can see the whole article in issue 7.

If you are a subscriber you may already have had a flick and seen my little piece, as well as all the other gorgeous contributions, but in case you aren't a subscriber, I can highly recommend you go straight here and get yourself a copy.

Although you will have to have an ounce of patience as it isn't available until tomorrow. But hey, if I can show patience all these months, you can for one more day!

Every now and then I shock myself and sit down and yearn to do something a little different (different for me in any case).

I'm normally quite a simple kinda gal..simple needs, simple likes and that particularly applies to my sewing tastes.

But every so often I see something that inspires me and gets me wishing to try something a little different. This also coincided with me being asked to produce a piece with something a bit more than my usual minimalistic style.

I can't say too much about the above piece and the project. I'm not even sure I should be showing even this fuzzy glimpse, but, hey, it's my blog right? And you'll know soon enough... (suffice it to say I'm just a teensy bit excited about what it's for...)

In the meantime, while I was in this crazy phase, (I know, wild, huh?) I also played around with some of my pieces of fabric, just to see what happened and how it would turn out.

There isn't really much more to show than this. It's merely time out from my usual to spend some time creating something that I wouldn't normally.

I really should step out of my comfort zone more often...I do enjoy it so.