You're never too old ...

... to learn something new.  I proved that yesterday.  My friends J and F were over for the day, and J was using Big Brother, one of my machines and she was using the thread cutter, see that handy little "bit" on the side of the machine, next to the label? 

"So what?" you're all thinking. Well I'll tell you "so what".  I have had Big Brother for over 7 years, and always wished he had one of those!  I had honestly never realised.  I was so happy, until I told Mr Fixit that I had this handy-dandy little device and he simply looked at me a bit pityingly, and said "yes, I know, and I thought you did too"  J and F (OK and me too) thought that was so funny.

Tomorrow I'll tell you all about our day together and show you the great things that J & F both made.  Oh, and don't forget, Saturday is party day - yes, it's time to hop over to Jolly Jo's for the next Christmas QAL day.

Country Charmer ...

... check-in day.

Yes, it's the first day of the month, so it's time to check in with all the other Country Charmers around the world.  We're all making this great quilt, designed by Lovely Lynn, as a quiltalong which is being hosted by our Leader Lesley. This quiltalong is a bit different from most, as we are really all working at our own pace each month, doing as much or as little as we want and then on the first of each month, we show our progress, and link up at Lesley's place.

If you read my blog regularly, you will know that I am now the proud owner of a design wall (of sorts). and it has proved invaluable this month while I have been sewing the blocks and sashing together.  this is where I finished up my last report, all the blocks, sashings and corner posts laid out on the "wall"

 so the next step was to sew everything together.  Easy-peasy yes?

NO!

I sewed sashing to rows, I sewed rows to sashing, then I was going to sew the top half to the bottom and this is what I had.

Whaaattt???

How did that happen?  I thought the "wall" was supposed to stop things like that happening?  Oh well, I got out my trusty friend the very blunt (I really must treat myself to a new one) stitch-ripper, and soon put it right.

So now everything is looking great again and I need to decide on borders.  I am thinking I may go "off-piste" with the borders, if I have the courage.  I may not have time to work on this wonderful quilt at all during August though, as I have two quilts to make to use for the class I am teaching in September while I am staying with Lovely Lynn, but I will try.

So, to see some lovely eye candy, just go to the bottom of Lesley's post here and click on each of the links.

The joke's on me ...

... if you read Hazel's blog, here you will see that she has been commissioned to make a quilt and she has decided to go for Starstruck, from my book.  The only thing is, she wanted to make 10" blocks rather than  12" as in the original, so I offered to re-work the cutting instructions for her.  When I had done it, I decided to make a test block, just in case my brain had been fried in the heat, so I pulled out 3 ugly fabrics and had a go.  The good news is that my calculations were right, so I put the block on my design wall to take a photo of it to send Hazel, and then realised that I really like the block in these ugly fabrics. What do you think?

The reason the joke's on me?  Having decided I like the block, I don't have enough of the fabrics to make any more!

Winner ....

... actually, that title should really say "Winner, winner" shouldn't it, cos the wonderful people at Oakshott gave me two bundles of their fabrics to give away.

If any of you haven't already visited their website, then do go and have a look round.  Not only do they have gorgeous fabrics and bundles, but they also have kits and free patterns.  I have already put one or two things (yes, OK, it's rather more than one or two things) on my Christmas list.

Now I expect you'd like me to stop chuntering on and announce the names of the winners wouldn't you?

Well, the first number generated by Random.org was ....

Tammy

who wrote

"I've signed up for the newsletter. Thank you so much for the chance to enter. This is gorgeous fabric."

and the second number was ....

Nancy D

who said

"I'm signed up for their newsletter. The fabric is so pretty!"

So, congratulations to both winners, and thanks again to Oakshott for their very generous giveaway.  

Thanks ...

... to everyone who replied to my call for help for my friend Nancie.  She thought it was a sign of real friendship that I did it, but really it was self defence that made me post that SOS.  Cos I was spending so much time on the computer looking for this quilt, the cobwebs were growing all round the house, the dust bunnies were doing what bunnies do, Mr Fixit was wasting away from starvation, and I need new glasses!

Anyway, all's well that ends well, cos thanks to Freda, who replied within minutes of me posting, Nancie had her quilt.  You can see it here, and also thanks to Marj who also told us that the pattern was shown in the latest McCalls magazine.

So, thanks to everyone who tried to help, Nancie has now got her brain back, and another quilt on her to-do list.

PS Don't forget my Oakshott fabric giveaway, here.

Can any one help ....

... my friend Nancie?

She's mislaid her mind and can't remember where she put it.  It seems that about a week or so back, she was whiling away some time on the computer, looking at quilts, like you do, and she saw a quilt that she fell in love with.  Apparently, it had granny square blocks in the centre, with a border of hexie flowers.  Unfortunately, she didn't take note of where she saw this masterpiece, and now can't find it.  Does anyone know where Nancie might find this quilt again, and hopefully find her mind at the same time?

PS Don't forget my fabulous fabrics giveaway, here.

Chatterbox ...

... has had a great couple of weeks.

(Warning:  this is a proud grandmother post.)

Today was his last day at junior school before joining his older brother (The Professor) at High School in September.

A couple of weeks back his year at school put on Bugsy Malone, and he played Fat Sam.  (Apparently he counted the lines one day, and he had more than Bugsy himself!).  The play lasted an hour and a half, and he was on stage for a lot of that time and he did not once forget his lines, or even drop the New York accent (pretty good for a Yorkshire lad I thought).  His parents (the Nomads) were told by several people that he stole the show, and I definitely thought so too.

A few days after that, he got his SATS exam results.  These are national exams, and he got brilliant results almost all subjects at grade 5, which is about as high as he could get.

Then, a few days after that, his football team were playing in some sort of gala, and they drew in the finals so it had to go to penalties.  Chatterbox volunteered to go in goal for that part, and saved 2 penalties, which meant his team won.

Just to top off a brilliant fortnight, he was awarded Student of the Year at school.

Didn't he do well?

PS Don't forget my fabric giveaway, here.

I i i t 's....(the same post but with an update)

... been a long time since I did a giveaway, so I'm about to put that right.

Update:  please see below for the small print I forgot!

Have you heard of Oakshott Fabrics?  No?  Well, you are missing a treat.  These are fabulous shot cottons handwoven in India specially for Oakshott Fabrics.  Go ahead and pop over there to have a look, I'll wait here for you.

See, aren't they gorgeous?  They are wonderfully soft to touch, in lovely colours and they all shimmer with a silky lustre. (Did you like that last phrase?  I stole it straight from their website cos I thought it described the effect so much better than I could!) It's hard to describe the appearance of the fabrics, and even harder to photograph them - and believe me, I tried - but thanks to the generosity of Michael (Mr Oakshott Fabrics himself) I can offer two of you the chance to see for yourselves.  I have two packs to giveaway today, each one consisting of 12 Fat 8ths.

The pack on the left is called Italy, and the one on the right is Lakes. These are so new, they are not even on their website yet.  Now it's confession time.  I wanted to see them close up, so I undid each pack.  I justified it by taking photos of the fabrics spread out so you could see them better, so here are the fabrics from the Italy pack

and here are the Lakes

They are all gorgeous, but my photos are not doing them justice.  I tried taking these pictures outside, but it is so bright that they looked totally washed out.  In reality, the colours are much deeper than they look here.

Anyway, enough of my wittering on, I should think you want to know how you can get your hands on one of these packs don't you? It's very simple.  All you have to do is visit Oakshott's website, have a good look round, and then click on the "contact us" tab to send an email to Michael asking to be registered for their newsletter.  (Don't worry, they do not share your details with anyone else) Then come back here and leave me a comment telling me you've done that.

Here's the small print:

• this giveaway is open to anyone, wherever you live
• I will need an email address to contact you if you are a winner, so, if you are a no-reply blogger, please leave an email address in your comment
• the giveaway is open for one week, and will close at midnight on Saturday 27 July.  I will use Random.org to draw the winners, and notify them by email and announce them here on Sunday 28 July.   
• Update:  the first name drawn will have the 1st choice of the packs and the second winner will receive the other pack.

 If you're not lucky enough to win this time, just go visit your LQS and ask for them.  (If they don't stock them yet, I am sure Michael would love to hear from them, so he can put that right!)

Oh yes, and one more thing.  If you are planning to go to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham (UK) and would like some vouchers from Oakshott to help your pocket money go a bit further, then all you have to do is email Michael and ask for some.  You have until the end of this month to do that.

Right, I  think you're probably all fed up with the sound of my voice by now, so I'll just say good luck to you all, and thank you very much to Oakshott Fabrics.

It's a challenge ...

... Who's bright idea was this?  A quilt on the theme of Christmas without using red or green fabric?  Ridiculous.  Still it wouldn't be a challenge if it wasn't challenging would it?  This is mine so far.

That's the easy bit done.  Now I've got to do scary free-motion quilting without the aid of a robot.  Eeek.  Actually, I don't think Big Brother is all that keen either.  Yesterday it had a total meltdown in the heat and started making a horrid noise, running on after I took my foot off the pedal and refusing to reverse. I took it apart, cleaned it, oiled it and left it overnight.  It didn't need cleaning or oiling, so I was a bit worried that I might have drowned it, but it ran OK-ish this morning.  So, as I said, next thing is that we're going to play at FMQ.  Wish us luck.

It's Christmas ...

... now I know it's only July, but it must be Christmas cos look what arrived all the way from Australia one day last week

 and inside were these absolutely GORGEOUS fabrics from OzSue.   Aren't they just so "my" colours?

I can't wait to do something with them, but first I've got to decide what to make that will do them justice.  Meanwhile, I can stroke them!

Thank you so, sew much Susan, I absolutely love them.

Christmas QAL (Monday) ...

... is over again for another month, but I wanted to thank Happy Hazel for being such a wonderful hostess, and Grumpy George for doing his bit too.  By the way, I think I know why he looked so grumpy.  I reckon that Hazel really did make some eggnog, and then made George drink it!

Next month our hostess will be Joanna, so don't forget to visit her on the second weekend of August.  I know I've already marked it on my calender.



Also, I have a message for Elaine S, who left a lovely message on this post on my blog and also left me a message on Lynn's blog yesterday.  Elaine, I can't reply to you as you are a no-reply commenter and I don't have an email address for you, but thank you so very much for your welcoming comments, they are very much appreciated.

Now I'm off to work on my Christmas challenge (you know, the one that someone said could not include red or green fabric?) for an hour.

Christmas QAL

This weekend is the Christmas Quiltalong, hosted this time by Happy Hazel from Hazel's Quilts.

As some of you know, I have been staying with my friend Bilbo at Bag End for a few days.  We had a wonderful time with lots of chatting, teasing each other, putting the world to rights, etc - all the usual things friends do when they get together.

Since I was travelling home again yesterday, we decided to start our Quiltalonging on Friday instead, so we would have the whole day to play together.  We both decided to work on our Christmas Challenge quilts - you know the one: no red or green fabrics to be used and a maximum size of 96".  (Wonder who on earth came up with such a stupid idea?)

 So anyway, we started with this: French Toast  (would you believe I had never had French Toast before?) with yummy strawberries picked from Bilbo's garden about 5 minutes earlier and creme fraiche.

Then we set to work.  This is what the sewing room looked like before we started:

and after much planning, drawing and re-drawing

we were ready to start sewing,

I think!












I had planned to carry on with mine today at home, but really it's too darn hot (as someone once sang) to sit in the conservatory where I sew today.  What I am going to do though, is visit everyone else who's linked up with Hazel (go here to see who's taking part) and see what is happening around the world.  Don't forget to check out Hazel's blog too, she has already had some fun things happening yesterday, and I know there'll be more fun today.

Have you remembered ...

... what's happening this weekend?

Here's a clue

This month the party is at Hazel's, so don't forget to pop in and see what we're all up to here.

I'm off to spend a few days with Bilbo tomorrow, but I'm sure I/we will pop in from time to time.

Google + update ...

... following on from my whingeing yesterday about the fact that anyone who uses a Google+ identity to leave comments is showing up as a no-reply blogger, I think I have a fix for you.

In fact, Sharon left a comment with this link, but when I thanked her and said I was going to post about it, she told me that it was originally Tonya who found the solution.  Well I want to thank both of you very much for helping.  If you go here, you will be taken, step by step through what to do so that you can become someone that I can reply to again.

Of course, maybe you don't want me to reply, but I always feel that I am being very impolite if I don't, so humour me, please?

Google+

I have noticed that if anyone leaves a comment on my blog using a Google+ identity, they seem to be coming through as no-reply bloggers.  Does this happen to other people, or is it something I've done in the settings on my blog?

 

So, if you have left comments for me and don't get a reply, this is why.  Please don't think I'm being rude or ignoring you, it is just that I have no way of contacting you.

Oooh, look ...

... I've gone international!

Yes, I'm going to be teaching a class at the Quilts in the Garden quilt show while I'm in the USA.

I'm staying with Lynn from Sew'n Wild Oaks and we're both going to be teaching at the show.  Lynn is taking a class that sounds really great, called Patchwork Math on Wednesday 25 September, (you can read a bit about it on her blog, here) and I'm teaching my 3D Noughts and Crosses quilt, which is this one,

on Thursday 26 September.  We're also planning to go to each other's classes and sit at the back and heckle.

There's not much information about the show yet on the site, but you can go here to see the classes on offer so far. It should be fun, but I'm a bit scared too.

 If you're going to be in the area, do come to the show - both Lynn and I would love to see you.

Happy Fourth of July ...

This is specially for my American friends who might like to do something special to celebrate today:

I'm doing an impression ...

... of being the White Rabbit - in other words, "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date" as Lewis Caroll put it.  Yesterday was the day for linking up for the Country Charmer quiltalong, and here I am, a day late!  I really don't have a good reason, except that yesterday I was needed to support both Laura Robson and Andy Murray in their Wimbledon matches.  Anyway, shall I stop wittering on and show you how I'm getting on?

Well first thing this morning I had this

By lunch time it looked like this

Now it's time to stop for today and watch some more tennis, but this is where I am now.

I absolutely love this quilt, which was designed by Lynn from Sew'n Wild Oaks, and I am enjoying the easy-going quiltalong, which is being hosted by Lesley, The Cuddle Quilter.  Thank you both for all your efforts.  If you would like to see more Country Charmer charmingness - and who wouldn't? - then pop over to Lesley's place, here, and at the bottom of the post she has all the Linky's for you to visit.

By the way, did you notice, I have a design wall!  Well actually, I have a piece of wadding hanging over a cupboard.  Mr Fixit had all sorts of bright ideas about making one but that's as far as it got, so then, after reading about Donna's idea, here, I also sent off for a tablecloth.  Obviously tablecloths here in the UK aren't as good as those in the US, cos my blocks kept falling off.  That's when I suddenly thought of just hanging up a piece of wadding, and it worked, and I'm thrilled about that too.

Happy Canada Day ...

Red Sprinkles anyone?

If you remember, a week ago I had a lovely day playing with red fabrics

 to make these blocks

Well, just before I show you what I have done with the blocks, just look at my unforced error (sorry, but it is Wimbledon fortnight, which I'm watching as I write this).  Really, wouldn't you think I'd been making quilts for long enough to not make silly mistakes like this?

Anyway, here is what those blocks have become.  I'm thinking the quilting needs to be fairly small circles on this one, unless anyone out there in Blogland has any better ideas?

A lovely day ...

... that's what last Sunday was.

I went to a sit-and-sew day with a relatively new and informal group called the Yorkshire Modern Quilt Guild.  This is only a small group of like-minded people who have been gathered together by my friend QuiltHaze and another friend of hers (called Janet, but I don't know if she has a blog or not.)  Anyway, this was only the 3rd meeting of the group, and at the previous one some people decided it would be fun to make scrappy Trip Around the World quilts and swap strips for it - don't worry, I decided that was a step to far for me, so I worked on something else.  If you would like to see some of the blocks, and other quilts from the show and tell time, then just go to the YMQG blog, here.

I was quite brave, by my standards, and cut some of these

and came home with a pile of these

and hopefully will have a finished top to show you in the next few days.

Oh, and this

shows why they say you should always measure twice and cut once!

It was a fun and friendly day, and I am already looking forward to the next meeting, thanks everyone.

Christmas QAL, post 3

Well it's now Sunday afternoon and I've been auditioning fabrics for my challenge quilt.

It's either going to be this one

  or this one.

Decisions, decisions.

I've also done some shopping (I love the internet), so hopefully I'll be ready in a few days to start creating.

I do hope everyone else is enjoying the challenge - I know it's tricky, but then, that's why it's called a challenge.  Remember, there's plenty of time for anyone to join in, just look at the separate Christmas QAL page that our two hostesses, Jolly Jo and Happy Hazel and I have on our blogs for the challenge details. 

Don't forget, the Christmas QAL is now spread over the whole weekend, so there's still time to hop over to Joanna's and join in the fun.  Yesterday she showed us 2 great blocks and a wonderful, diet-busting recipe, who knows what might be in store for us today? 

Christmas QAL, post 2.

I have a confession to make.  Today we have had wall-to-wall sunshine all day, so I haven't done any sewing at all.  I have done some housework, some washing, some weeding, some cooking, some eating, and lots of thinking.

I think I have come up with an idea for the challenge quilt.  It means I need to order a couple of things so I won't be able to start it this weekend, but I'm sure I'll be back at the party tomorrow to do something a bit more constructive in the way of sewing.

In the meantime, thank you Jolly Jo for having us all over at your place for this weekend. I'll see you all tomorrow.

Woohoo ...

... it's Christmas.

Well no, it's not really, but it's the next best thing cos today sees the start of the 2013 Christmas Quiltalong and Challenge.

Between now and December, the 2nd weekend of each month will be party weekends either at Jolly Jo's or Happy Haze's.  These two wonderful people will be taking it in turns to be our hostesses, and this month we're all invited to Joanna's place, Needle, Thread, Happiness.

We all have a separate page on our blogs called something really original like Christmas Quiltalong and Challenge which explains more about everything, and that is also where you need to go to either join the Linky party or just to see who has joined and go visit them. (Just look at the top of our blogs, below the header to find the pages, and click on the tab you want.)  In fact I've just been over to Joanna's and see that she has decorated the place specially for us so it looks very festive, and I also see that Hazel has beaten me to it, so I'm not going to be the first to arrive!

Now, I devised this challenge so wouldn't you think I'd have some ideas of what I'm going to do?  Nope, not a bit of it, so I'm going to take some books and a stripey coffee out and sit on the deck in the beautiful sunshine, and start planning.

I'll be back in a while.

Full Circle ...

... just about 2 years ago, my friend J started to make her very first quilt. Yesterday, she and F came over for the day, and here is J putting the very last stitch in her quilt.

and here it is, finished

and just so you can see the quilting, which was all done by hand by the way

I called this quilt Full Circle, cos when all the blocks were made, they were first laid out altogether in my conservatory, and that is where the photos were taken yesterday.

I think this is a stunning quilt.  Well done J.

Country Charmer update ...

. oops, I'm late again!  How does that keep happening when I don't go out to work, I don't have kids to look after, yet I am always late?  Well anyway, I'm here now to link up with all the other Charming Girls around the world.  It's really a good job that this quiltalong is so laid back, cos my progress recently has been pretty slow, but I am happy to say that I have now finished all the blocks.

Aren't they pretty?  All (all, she said, ha, ha!) I have to do now is decide on the sashing and 9-patch fabrics, and I'll be well on the way to having a finished top.

This lovely pattern was designed by Lynn from Sew'n Wild Oaks, and the quiltalong is being coordinated by Lesley, the Cuddle quilter.  If you pop over to Lesley's now, you can see some other wonderful Country Charmer quilts. Thanks Lynn and thanks Lesley for getting me to climb out of my little box and work outside my usual comfort zone.

Christmas Quiltalong ...

... is coming back.

I am thrilled to say that the Christmas QAL is starting up again, in a new, bigger and better version.  Your hostesses will be Jolly Jo (aka Joanna) from Needle, Thread, Happiness and Happy Haze (aka Hazel) from Hazel's Quilts.

You may have noticed our new button, on my sidebar, please do copy it and put it on your blog to spread the word.

The first QAL will be next weekend, (8 June), and the format will be different this year, but I'll leave it up to the two of them to tell you more.  All I will say is that it's going to be different, and it's going to be exciting.