Brit Bee for Real

I finally got started on my Brit Bee block for May, despite my lack of skill in matching seams, I think I love HST's, I could have gone on making them all morning. As I can't show you the photos of my final block yet, here are the pretty Giddy HST's cut and stacked ready for placing in the block.

J x

Brit Bee Practice

I am so annoyed at myself that I couldn't find the time to finish my May block in May- even more so as it's the first block and what a rubbish first impression :( but I have made my apologies to lovely Miss May and will get on it asap.

It turns out that despite everyone thinking we were finished after the interviews and opening evening last week, no one had planned or done any work for the summer show so it was back to rearranging furniture and carrying huge models around the windy campus this week.

In the meantime I though I would share my progress so far, firstly (and most excitingly) my first HST :D

Isn't it beautiful, lol! The fabric is from Red Rose Farm by Elizabeth Scott and it's just a simple polka dot but I love it... and amazingly it kind of co-ordinates with my little Nicey Jane stash, and so the first block of my Bee Quilt is born

And finished!

Unfortunately it was dark by the time I finished, but you get the gist.

I am so glad this block was chosen, because I loved the Lynne Bob Squarepants but it seemed way to advanced for me (this is definitely the case- a lot of those seams do NOT match up, but hey I came here to learn right!) but I am grateful for the push! Now fingers crossed for better matching and more concentration on the real deal!

J x

Quilt Numero Uno

Finally, progress has been made on my very first quilt this week. After completing the work for my review I stopped off in Leicester to pick up some solid fabric to match the patchwork section. I am really pleased with the colour and used it for a thin border between the patchwork and the main spotty fabric to finish the quilt top.

I also finally picked up a rotary cutter, 24" ruler and a cutting mat and I am in love! It took next to no time to cut a series of strips and stacking them was really easy because all the seems matched perfectly (no estimating like I did with the patchwork section) so I have made a lot of headway with the back as well!

Unfortunately I ran out of the solid before I could finish the vertical parts of the outer border, but one more length from the market ought to fix that next time I am in town and then I will be ready for some serious quilting and binding- very exciting, but there are so many decisions to be made; I have no idea what pattern to use for the quilting.

Also, my practise bee fabric turned up this morning so I can give Lynnebob Square Pants a go before cutting into Trudi's lovely Giddy fabric. Hopefully that will give me something to show tomorrow too :)

J x

PS. Please excuse the little doggie feet that appear in a lot of my photos; he likes to be involved!

I am officially back!

I have been ridiculously busy with uni for the last few weeks, but as it is nearly finished (apart from a single 40 minute interview next week) I have managed to brush the dust of my sewing machine and I even have a finish to show...

I knew Chris needed a new laptop case, literally months ago, and decided to make a case which would match his iPad case (partly because I had so much of that material left) I took all of the measurements and cut everything out about two or three months ago, I even cut and raw edge appliqued the apples, but before I knew it work was piling up and this far from half done case was left in a corner.

After looking at it every day for months, I finally had time to finish it off last week and despite not having a clue what the original plan had been I quilted it, put everything together and was pleased with it as it is much neater than the iPad case, although still not perfect.

... Now if only the laptop fit :(

J x

I'm still here

Just popping in to say that it's only 2 weeks now until review 4, after that it *should* all be slowing down and finishing up, which is very very exciting (because I get to return to doing things that I actually want to do) but probably even more terrifying (as there is so much work to do.)

So here is  a quickie post to show that I have been productive, if not in a crafty way, recently.

Section One

Section Two

Close up  of tea rooms

See you soon!

Jx

Subway Art

I have seen bits and pieces of subway art cropping up on various blogs lately and I really like them, my favorite is the "You are my sunshine" print from Barn Owl Primitives shown below, but I am never sure what words I would use if I were to make my own.

I discovered a new website last night that compiles all the words used on your blog to create subway art with them. The more often you use a word the larger it becomes, it is saddening (but not surprising) that my largest words seem to be "work" and "time," hopefully this will be all changed in the next few weeks but in the meantime I will do what I can to stop venting at every opportunity and I am sure my friends will greatly appreciate this!

You can also generate these by adding your won words, just use it more than once to create the different sizes.

J x

Calling All Brit Quilters!

I'm in!!! Have you seen the new button on the rhs of my blog? Lynne over at Lily's Quilts has set up a new flickr group for Brit Quilters, head on over to check out what's going on.