Wednesday, December 31, 2014

UFO Challenge 2015

Where did 2014 go? 
It's the last day of 2014; exactly 14 hours and 55 minutes to go until midnight (this side of the globe). No celebration at our place, just an ordinary day / evening.

Have you counted your UFO's? How many projects did you start and did not finish this year or previous years? :)
I thought I have less than 10.... I have SEVERAL; about 20!!! EEK!  

Quilts! Quilts! Quilts! on Etsy is having a UFO challenge that runs from January 1st to June 30, 2015. 
I have joined the challenge with 8 of my UFO's; most of them bed quilts. I'm not sure I will manage to finish them all, but some of them should be done! 


UFO #1
I think some of you will remember the BLOGGER'S BOM from 2011/12? I thread-basted it in May 2013, but have yet to decide on how to quilt it.


UFO #2
Scrappy green, cream and yellow log cabin quilt. This is ready to be quilted and I have decided on how to quilt it. 


UFO #3
Gray and purple Irish Chain quilt - ready to be quilted. 


UFO #4
Scrappy disappearing pinwheels - ready to be quilted.


UFO #5
Postage Stamp Quilt - have to add a few more blocks and then work on the border. 
All charms are from swaps.


UFO #6
Just ordered fabric for a border and binding.


UFO #7
Wall hanging for a friend, left to do the quilting and finish it up. 


UFO #8
Easter wall quilt. Waiting for fabric to make a 'Flying Geese' border. 

I have more UFO's, but I think this post should include those I have chosen for the UFO Challenge. 
More to come! :) 

You can see the other entries for the UFO challenge here or here



Monday, December 29, 2014

Christmas and a few finishes

Christmas came - and went.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We had a nice Christmas Eve together with our dear SA friends. Lots of chatting, laughing, eating and more eating! I'm sure I have gained some kilograms and there are still more Nidar marzipan in the fridge!!! As we say; 'it's Christmas once a year only'! 


This little fella got a new home and some new friends on Christmas Eve!
Isn't he cute? :)

I had to empty my sewing table (the dining table)  for lots of quilting stuff and the sewing machine, or else we had nowhere to have our Christmas dinner. Four days after Christmas Eve and the table is full again! :) I'm currently working on some Valentine's place mats... 

I haven't done much sewing this month, just a few, small items.


A blue and silver gray table topper. 
If you look carefully, you will see four hearts sewn together.


Cute snowman coasters


More coasters


Floral trivet / hot pad
Floral Candle Mat / Small Table Topper

It's time to take stock of my UFO's... will do that today. 


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

From UFO to FINISH / An unexpected Custom Order

HAPPY DECEMBER!

I have finished a UFO! 
I can't remember when I thread basted the binding on this bed quilt, but it is some months ago. I find hemming rather boring because I don't like to sit still for the time it takes to hem an item, even small items. For me, it is just to DECIDE I have to do it and that is what I did! First I was thinking to do one side per day; 4 days, but since I wanted to finish it, I decided against it! I sat the entire day to finish it; 7.9 meters!  


It feels good to see it on the line! :) 



I had lots of  Nancy Halvorsen fabrics and have used them together with white tone-on-tone. The small rectangles are 2 x 2.5 inches sewn into quilt. The quilting is done in a loopy pattern. 



The quilt measures 187 x 209 cm / 74 x 83 1/2 inch. 
 It fits a European small double bed (120 x 200 cm / 47 x 79 inch)

Last Saturday I got an unexpected custom order of 4 mug rugs. 










They are now on the way to the US! Thank you Kelli! 

I had to tidy up my sewing table / sewing area the other day. All Christmas fabrics are put away, don't think I will work on Christmas items now. I'm going to make one blue and white item for The Hot Bobbin album next week. Have yet to decide on what to make! What I know is that it won't be a big item! :) 

When I'm not quilting, we do this... :) 

THE HOT BOBBIN GIVEAWAY




The Hot Bobbin is having a GIVEAWAY!
Dec 1st - 3rd, 2014. 

Check it out and leave a comment on the original Hot Bobbin post on Facebook. 

Only comments on the original post will count in the draw.
Become a fan (like page) of The Hot Bobbin to receive notification if you are the lucky winner. 



Friday, November 21, 2014

Before I knew I started a NEW-FO - Some finishes

Yep! I've started a new project - and that even before I knew! LOL
I saw these fabrics in a shop in Port Louis earlier this year and I knew they had to go with me home! At that time I didn't know what to make and I had not bought enough for a twin quilt. Had to go back a couple of weeks ago to get more; they had just enough left of the gray so that I could  finish the quilt top and a little bit for the backing! There are lots of fabric shops in Port Louis, but as far as I know this shop is the only one selling imported cotton fabric from France that is suitable for quilting. 


This is what has kept me busy this month; 'Irish Chain' twin quilt in gray and purple.
It 'chain' looks pink on the photo, but it is a light purple color with black cherries and white dots. The gray fabric has white hearts. 

These colors are a bit outside my comfort zone, but I have to admit I love how it turned out! 
Am I into a purple craze?? Earlier this year I started a purple and black log cabin quilt - you can see the blocks in this post. I have not worked on it since June / July. Perhaps the next project to finish?!
Well, the 'Irish Chain' is thread basted and ready to be quilted. I have to wait for ordered thread from the US though and that will take another 2 weeks or more...

Some finishes since my previous post 


A pair of coasters in batik


Christmas card holder


Nifty Nurse Mug Rug #1


Nifty Nurse Mug Rug #2


Nifty Nurse Mug Rugs #3
These are perfect for gifts; Secret Santa gift, Secret sister gift, stocking stuffers, Valentine's Day, birthdays etc.


A table runner I finished long time ago but never got around to take photos


Another table runner - finished a couple of months ago too. The fabric has beautiful grapes and leaves.

I have finished a big quilt too! I took photos a couple of days ago but have yet to figure out the best ones. That will be for the next post!

Have a great weekend! 



Saturday, November 1, 2014

Some Christmas and other finishes for October

HAPPY NOVEMBER!

October went by like a whirlwind. I think that means I have been busy. 
I have been busy finishing some projects and - of course - there are WIP's. 

Warning: Photos heavy! 


First of all, I'm happy to say my scrappy Christmas log cabin quilt is finished! :)


I have quilted two 'bunting & bows' for each block. It was tedious, but I love how it turned out. 


The back has cuddly flannel depicting reindeer and trees. 


Four Santa place mats. I think they are so cute I have to show them all! :) 





I've used the same fabric line (as the place mats) to make this cute table topper.


Green patchwork / cardinal table runner


 I love this pattern and made a red one too! :) 


Cardinal table topper. Happy to say this one has sold! 



October - the month of breast cancer awareness - I made two mug rugs. 

Christmas card holder with three pockets

3 'grape' mug rugs


2 more mug rugs using the same fabric. 
Love to use up bits and pieces! :) 

You may wonder how I manage to do so many projects in such a short time? Well, most of these projects were almost done, but had to wait for batting and thread to finish them. 

I'm happy to say I have made some progress on my 2.5 inch charms Postage Stamp Quilt. A few blocks are sewn together already. I wanted to add it to this post, but it will be too much. I will do another post soonest.

Have a wonderful weekend! 


Tuesday, October 14, 2014

A custom order, other finishes and a new project

Early Tuesday morning and I'm having my cuppa - wonderful!
I love early mornings; dawn, birds chirping, the clouds and colors of the sky - pristine. 

Over the last days I have been working on a custom order; 4 mug rugs. 
It took some time from the order was placed before I started working on them. I had some of the fabrics and some I had to order from the US, shipping time is everything from 10 days up to 6-7 weeks. I'm not sure where it gets stuck! 

These mug rugs are gifts and they reflect the likes of the recipients; coffee, cupcakes, waffles and knitting, and your guessing is right; they are nurses. 





I hope the recipients will be happy! :) 


A finish; candle mat / table mat


Another candle mat / table mat


Remember the Christmas log cabin lap quilt I'm working on? 
It's almost done! I've left to hem the binding. :) 


I have some leftover fabrics from the log cabin quilt and decided to make another scrappy lap quilt
I need 20 blocks and I made 2 yesterday. Not sure I will be able to make 2 per day, but... let's see! :) 
Not sure I have enough of the background fabrics though... I have a little bit left of this one, should be enough for at least one block. A little bit left of the same but in green and a third one that is different in gold on cream. What I will need is fabric for the border and backing, should find something on sale later. 

My coffee mug is empty so I'd better get going with some (boring) housework this am. 

Have a great day everyone!