The other night ...

... I did something I haven't done for many, many years.  It was good fun, and I had a great time.  So what was I doing?  I was colouring in with kids wax crayons, look

I went to Tuesday Quilters, where my friend Quilthaze was demonstrating how to make these fabric postcards.  The colours are brighter in real life, but as you can see, I went for the quiet, subtle look with mine.

Calling all quilters ...

... do you know someone who is just starting out or who wants to start on the quilting journey?  Well you could help them to win all the equipment they'll ever need.  Just click on the button on my sidebar for more information.  I am reliably informed that the prizes are going to be just wonderful. 

All the details will be posted on Sew We Quilt @ Stash Manicure in a month's time.  I'm not going to tell you that apparently you could win too just for nominating someone else, cos that will mean there's less chance that I might win!

(PS this is going to be open to anyone, whether you live in the US, UK or on the moon, but we overseas entrants will have to pay the shipping for our prizes, which seems fair enough to me.)

In the words of Victor Meldrew …

I don’t beleeeeve it.

I’ll try again…

Not to be defeated by Blooming Blogger, I’m trying to use software called LiveWriter to do this post with photos.

I wanted to show you some of the great mail I’ve received recently, so, here goes:

Every month one of the blogs I follow, Quixotic Crafter has a giveaway, and I have been lucky enough to win in May and June.  In May, Susan sent me this cute scissor bling, and in June I received the pattern for these cute flowers.  Thank you so much Susan, I really love them both.

Early in May I entered my name on many blogs to try and win a copy of this magazine:

and I won one of the copies.  When it arrived a couple of days ago, the scissors in the photo were also included.  I thank the editor of Quiltmaker for sending me these.

As you know, I am planning to join Charlie's quiltalong on Sunday 10 July, and here is the fabric I ordered from 1choice4quilting:

This was so quick, it arrived in 6 days, which is amazing for a package from the US.  When I opened it, I loved the fabrics, but there were other things included as little gifts.  There was a great emery board, with quilt patterns on, which I love; there were some quilt labels and a pair of scissors, which were not in the photo cos they were actually being used at the time, and a thank you card from Shawna.  What?  Shouldn’t it be me thanking her?  Anyway, it really made the package special, so thank you so much Shawna.

Now I’m off to put my feet up.  It’s 9pm and I’m exhausted from all the tennis today!

Grrr....

.... I was planning to show photos today of things I have received in the post recently.  Blogger thinks otherwise and won't let me upload anything.

So I'm going back to watch Wimbledon.  Come on Andy Murray!!!

Re-inventing the wheel ...

I decided I didn't like the stars I was doing for the Scatty Christmas Stars quilt, so I'm remaking them on a cream background, and the other fabrics will be much more muted than I originally intended too.  I obviously have too much time on my hands, if I decide to remake 10 blocks.  Either that or I'm mad.

Now for some fun news.  During the last Christmas quiltalong I was contacted by Charlie from Qubee Quilts, who wanted to join in but who works every Saturday.  To cut a long story short, he is now going to run a quiltalong on the day after our July one, ie Sunday, 10 July.  He has a super quilt design for us, and will be posting all the instructions to make this quilt over the course of the day, so instead of just locking up the family for one day, in July you will need to lock them away for the weekend.  (Food and water might be advisable in the room where you put them.)  Here is the quilt that Charlie has designed for us

and you can go here for the fabric requirements.  I have to tell you that I have already ordered mine to be sure they arrive in time.  I have also put Charlie's button on my sidebar so you can click it and go directly to his blog.

I hope you'll join us and make a weekend of it!

Come in number 5 ....

.... oh no, you're thinking.  What IS she on about now? 

Well, I'll tell you. 

On Saturday, during the quiltalong, I told you that I would draw a winner from amongst the people who joined the party.  Furthermore, I promised to draw the winner and tell you about it on Monday.  So I'm a day or so late.  Yeah, OK, I'm four days late.  But you know what they say?  Better late than never. 

So, according to Mr Random.Org, the winner is number 5

and number 5 is Sharon from Vroomans Quilts.

What service ....

... I wanted to order a couple of charm packs and some co-ordinationg fabrics today.  I found what I thought I wanted from an on-line shop called 1choice4quilting, but it was difficult to be sure whether brown or black fabric would go with them, and also which cream background would work best.

So, with one heck of a cheek, I emailed Shawna (who is the owner) at about 3.30 this afternoon,  to ask her if she could choose these 2 fabrics for me.  Within an hour, after a few emails going back and forth, she had sorted it all out for me.  She was a delight to deal with, and I just wanted to say thank you so much Shawna.  I'm always ready to complain if I don't think I'm getting good service, so it's only fair that I also give praise where it's due.

The price are great too, and I suggest that next time you are looking for anything, you go and have a look at 1choice4quilting's website here. 

I've just also had an email to say that my fabrics are on their way to me already, 3 hours from my first contact with Shawna.  So that's what I call brilliant service.

Thank you and a message for Malmur ...

... so much everybody who has taken the time to try and help me with my lost snowmen.  Several of you are no-reply bloggers, so I have not been able to reply by email to thank you.

Also, Mal, please would you contact me again about the Christmas Quiltalong, as your email was also a no-reply, so I haven't been able to answer you.

Help please ...

... I have a problem. 

Yes, thank you, you at the back there, stop giggling.  As you know I have this inexplicable urge to do some redwork ad you were all so helpful with my previous questions that I thought I'd ask you this.  I am sure that last year there were loads of people stitching away at snowmen, which were being offered as free BOM type patterns, but now I can't find anything on any blogs.  Am I going mad?  Can anyone help me please?

Here it is ...

...the centre of  my Christmas Wreaths quilt.  It still needs the borders, which I hope to put on tomorrow, but I love it so far.

Found them!!!

... My missing strips were all hiding from me.  They were on the floor, behind my sewing cabinet.  I blame the cat personally.  She's not ours, she's a lodger who is with us while Mr & Mrs Nomad completely renovate their new house before they move in.

So this is what they've turned into now.  I'm off to press them and then sew them altogether now.  Hopefuly I'll get that done in the next hour, then I can post again and show you the complete centre.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 9

I like this so much I'm going to post it again! (Well, it's my blog, so I can do it if I want to.)

I'm not going to do a quiz this month.  There will still be a prize draw (when I decide what the prize is), but what I will do is draw a winner from amongst everyone who has posted during the day about what they are sewing today and I will announce the winner on Monday.

Now, here's some interesting facts about Christmas trees.  Did you know...

The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an American named Ralph E. Morris in 1895. The new lights proved safer than the traditional candles, which often started fires by falling in the dry Christmas trees.

The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531.

Real Christmas trees are an all-American product, grown in all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the top Christmas tree producing states. Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas trees - 8.6 million in 1998.

Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.

The best selling Christmas trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine.

For every real Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place. Each hectare provides the daily oxygen requirements of 45 people.

Artificial Christmas trees have outsold real ones since 1991.

In 1856, President Franklin Pierce decorates the first White House Christmas tree.




Does anyone else know any useless facts about Christmas Trees?

Now it's 9.00 in the evening here, so I'm stopping for tonight.  Thanks so much everyone for joining in.  I hope you've had a good day, and look forward to seeing you all again next time.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 8

This is what I've done so far, but disaster seems to have struck.  I have run out of red strips.  I must either have put them somewhere incredibly safe, so I can't find them, or I have badly miscalculated.  I am so annoyed with myself as I was absolutely loving how this is looking, and I would have carried on tomorrow to finish the centre.  Now I'll either have to go hunting tomorrow or go shopping online for some more red fabrics.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 7

Big Brother and I need a break ...

 Those delicious biscuits were a gift from Ann.  They were in a gorgeous tin

and are rather special biscuits from Brittany.  They arrived this morning, which was wonderful timing, as it has meant that I could have one (yes, OK, two) with my coffee.  They are wonderful, thanks so much Ann.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 6

 So this,

plus 3 more, becomes

Eventually there will be 3 more.  As soon as I saw the pattern Over and Under in Scrap Basket Sensations, I thought of Christmas Wreaths, in red with white stars in the middle.  I absolutely love how this is turning out.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 5

Here is one complete block.  I love how this looking.  Now I'm off to make some more.  See you later.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 4

Progress ... or not?  I've had a rethink on this colour.  It's too bright with rest of the reds I'm using.  So, out with my trusty seam ripper it is.

Bet you can't guess what I'm making can you?

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 3

Rest of the washing done, dinner now cooking, so I started sewing.  Not for long though ... it's "Spot the Deliberate Mistake" time:

Oops.

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 2

Housework's done.  Washing on line.  Dinner NOT in slow cooker yet cos I got bored with being a domestic goddess and thought I'd just go and play for a little while first.  So, this is what I've done so far, thanks to my Go! cutter again:

Don't those fabrics all look lovely and Christmassy?  Did you notice, I'm doing scrappy too?

Christmas Quiltalong - Post 1

Good morning everyone.

Rotary cutters ready?

Machines revved up?

Right, let's party.

Don't forget to sign up on the Linky-thingy by going to the tab just under my header called 2011 Christmas Quiltalong so I can send you the instructions for the next block of the Scatty Christmas Stars quilt and we can all visit each other during the day.

I'm off to do the necessary stirring up the dust in the house, get some washing done and put the dinner in the slow cooker and then I'll be back and ready to go.

A Christmas invitation ...

Cathi is unable to host the Christmas Quiltalong this month, due to business commitments, so I'll be your hostess this time. Won't you come and join us?

Is everybody ready to start sewing up a storm tomorrow?  I am, look, I actually got my Go! cutter out and started cutting some strips today so I can sit right down and sew in the morning.

Look again ...

... I know this is my second post today, but I'm just so excited I had to show you what I received a couple of hours ago.        

Yes! My book!  Written by me!  I can hardly believe it.

(Oh and the eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that in the comments yesterday, Bilbo was so excited she can hardly wait to see the book published, so she decided to bring the publication date forward by a month.  She was convinced that it was coming out on June 11, when really it is July 11.

Look ...

... at what I received today from Martingale & Company

I wish I could find a way of showing you how beautiful they smell too. 

Thank you so much to everyone from the company.

Look where I am today ...

Madame Samm has invited me to be her guest blogger today, so just click on the button above to see what I am wittering on about over there.

Guess ....

... what day it is on Saturday?

Just in case you need it, here's a clue:

Please help ...

... I really have an urge to try my hand at some redwork, but please could someone tell me what to use as my fabric?  Is it anything special?  Should it be a plain fabric?  Is it supposed to be done on white or cream?

Well OK I don't have a question do I?  I have four questions.  Cany anyone help me, please?

Fixed it ...

... I think.  Please let me know if anyone still has a problem.

Something strange has happened ....

.... to my Christmas Quiltalong button on my sidebar.

While I was asleep last night, some mischevious little pixies have come in and changed it.  It now shows a picture which is on someone else's latest blog post!  These pixies have been very busy as they have managed to change it on some, but not all, of the other blogs which have my button.  Now, I think the photo it now shows is a very cute one of a guy and his girlfriend and the quilt she made him, but it's not really relevant to the Christmas Quiltalong, so please bear with me while I try to put things right.

I just don't believe ....

.... how stupid I can be. 

This time there is no excuse whatsoever.  My friend Quilthaze had discovered last week that a fabric shop fairly near us in Leeds, called Skep Mill, which we both thought had closed down, had in fact been taken over and was still open, so we felt a visit was in order.  (Actually it was a return visit for Quilthaze as she had popped in there last week.)  I needed to get the remaining fabrics for my Scatty Christmas Stars so this was a great opportunity and Quilthaze also wanted to go to a city fairly near here where there was a large store which sold dressmaking fabrics.  So a Big Expotition (to quote either Pooh Bear or Christopher Robin, I can't quite remember which) was planned for yesterday. Before we left, I very efficiently checked how much fabric I needed, but decided that EQ7 had got it wrong.  I quickly recalculated, BUT .....

... I only worked out the borders.  I didn't realise what I had done until last night.  So, I now have the border fabrics, but not enough for the connector blocks.  Oh yes, I did also buy a FQ bundle and some background fabric, as the prices were fantastic.

From there off we went to the big, scarey city of Bradford.  We had a map which Quilthaze had printed off, so decided we didn't need to take Tom (my satnav) with us. 

BIIIG mistake. 

We got fairly near to where we wanted to be, then found the road closed so we had to turn off.  We got very lost, got caught up in loads of traffic (I wonder why they use their car horns so much in Bradford?), nearly had the side of the car taken off by a dustcart who wanted to be right where we were and so on, but somehow, we suddenly found ourselves on the right road. 

Hurrah. 

Nope. 

No parking spaces.  We were about to give up and go home when we spotted a space and squeezed the car in.  Quilthaze found out what she had gone there to discover, so then we decided to try and get out of the big scarey city, which we did more by luck than judgement, and drove to about 1/2 mile from my house and went to a restaurant for lunch. 

We deserved it, specially Quilthaze who had been driving.

T