A 'Pinny' Kind of Day!

Today was all about pin cushions!

I've been wanting to try out the Cathedral Windows pin cushion for a long time, ever since I started seeing them around blogland!  I used this tutorial.

Just like regular Cathedral Windows, they are fiddly to make, but I really like the colourful finish! And it's a great way to use up spare 2.5" squares!

Next was the snowball pin cushion!



This was a kit (available from Quilter's Quest), and again fiddly to make.  But I think the end results are so worth it!  Aren't the ear-muffs so cute!!

Not sure I would want to stick pins in Mr Snowman's head, but I'll leave that up to the recipient of this one!!

Jude xo

Conquering Cathedrals!

My first Cathedral Windows class finished this evening!

After some initial groaning challenges, and what felt like endless ironing, the ladies made it through this more technical class!  I even heard a few say they enjoyed it!! 

Well done ladies on stretching yourselves and adding a new technique to your skill set!

I have published the Cathedral Windows cushion pattern on Etsy, if you fancy having a go yourself. 

And I've also published the pattern for the Quilt As You Go Handbag!

Hope you are having a great week!

Jude xo

Things that make you go 'Mmm'

It's been a funny old week.  I had a bit of a shock on Sunday (in a nice way!), which took me 3 days to recover from (more on that later)!

Then Monday felt like a Saturday, cos the kids were off school for the St.Patrick's Bank Holiday.

I met mum for coffee on Tuesday, and gave her the Cathedral Windows cushion.  The word she used was 'exquisite' so I'd say that went down well!

Yesterday I actually managed to get some sewing done, and then last night it was my daughter's school Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall.

It was a fabulous evening, with nearly 300 kids showcasing their musical talents in this awesome venue.

Today, the sun is shining, which has had a bearing on my selection for the Katy and Brenda fabric bundle competiton.

1. Coral Bloom in sunshine - Salt Air by Cosmo Cricket 2. Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow herringbone in Berry Pink 3. Timeless treasures Grid graph paper in fabric in black smirk by Kyla May 4. Deck Chairs in Coral - Salt Air by Cosmo Cricket 5. Metro Living lattice in marigold yellow by Robert Kaufman 6. Circles in Strawberry Pink Modern Whimsy Organic Fabric by Laurie Wisburn 7. Pop Flowers in Yellow Woodlands by Khristian A Howell for Anthology Fabrics 8. Simple Dots in Cloud Gray Walk in the Woods by Aneela Hoey 9. Waves in Sunshine - Salt Air by Cosmo Cricket 10. Fizzy Dot in pink - Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt 11. Mono Pez in yellow Pezzy prints by American Jane 12. Yard Seeds in Gray - Fruit Slice for Anthologie Fabrics by Khristian A Howell

If I were to be fortunate enough to win my own bespoke bundle, I would make these into a summer quilt, because the complete lack of sunshine during the summer in this country, means that you have to find it elsewhere! 

I'm calling it 'Mmmm', you know the feeling you get all over your body when the sun hits it?

The sunny yellows will be my warm soothing sunshine, the raspberry reds remind me of sweet juicy strawberries and summer fruits, and the soft greys are the 'on trend' colour to help blend it all together.

And while I have been sewing the past 2 days, they are mainly class samples and more birthday presents for friends (perhaps some pics tomorrow)!

Just before I go, the shocking surprise I got on Sunday was a new Ipad2! 

Now before you get all excited, I don't have it anymore! 

When I eventually scraped myself off the floor and started playing with it (terrifying!) we soon realised it wouldn't be able to do all that I would need it to for work.  So it was returned to the shop and a handy wee laptop purchased in place of it. Much more me, and it's turquoise too!!

So no more fighting with the kids over who's turn it is to use the tin bucket family computer downstairs!

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring Thursday.

Mothers' Day Cushion

Although I'm not seeing mum til Tuesday, I managed to get her Cathedral Windows cushion finished in time for Mothers' Day today.

Hidden zipper!

This cushion was a struggle from start to finish, and while there are countless imperfections in it, I think mum will really like it!  And that's all that matters to me.

And my own Mother's day has been lovely!  The sun has been shining 'specially, and I got my favourite kind of pressies - homemade ones!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes - yum!

I did get another wee thing, which I'm too embarrassed to blog about right now.  But some of you bright sparks may eventually work out what it was!

Hope you've had a relaxing Sunday!

Thumbs are very useful things!

Aren't thumbs just the best invention ever (apart from the Pfaff sewing machine of course!).

You just don't realise how important they are until you can't use one!

All I'm going to say is that a newly sharpened vegetable knife & a potato conspired against me!

Especially when trying to tackle something as fiddly and annoying as Cathedral Windows!!

Now I know what you're thinking: 'that looks ok ... all those points are meeting up ... can't have been that bad!'  Right?

Wrong!

This is one of only 3 that is meeting up in the way that it should. Here is the full panel of windows, which will now be turned into a rectangular cushion (rather than a square one which required a lot more windows - please no more!)

Please don't look too closely, some of the points are horrifically off!  So, no surprise, the new design will also be involving buttons!

I've still the other half windows to finish and then to magically turn it into a cushion for mum. 

Isn't it fortunate that I've a poorly thumb to blame on my rubbish windows!!!

Hope you've had a knife free day!

Not For The Faint-Hearted!

Mothers Day is fast approaching here in UK (18th March).

I've decided to make my mum a cushion for her recently decorated lounge.

Here is a swatch of her new wallpaper:

The top right flower looks green but it's actually gold!

And here are the fabrics I've chosen:

Kona Ivory, Robert Kaufamann (Double Happiness) & some of my stash.

As I've been wanting to have a go at the machine sewing method of Cathedral Windows for a while (I learnt the hand sewing method at college) I thought I'd make a CW cushion for mum.

Oh boy!

It all came back to me like a disturbing suppressed memory from a trauma long ago!  The endless, tedious folding, ironing, burning fingers, more folding, ironing, trying to mitre and align points!  Who in the name of Henry thought this would be a satisfying and fulfilling patchwork technique?

If it wasn't for the stunning finished look of CW I think I would have reverted to plan B long before now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewfantastic/4423451388/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theworkroom/4723460560/in/photostream

But I press on (ohhhh sorry about the bad pun!).

8 squares folded & pressed.  8 more to go!

If only I had teflon fingers!