Ferry Floor Finishes!

I promised to show you the amazing finishes from my classes last week. 

First up - Ferry Floor Quilt:

Aren't they stunning! Well done everyone on your beautiful quilts.

And then there was Baby and Mama Bear Paw Quilt:

Not quite finished, but well on their way to being Baby and Mama beauties!

Thank you everyone for being a joy and an inspiration to teach.

Patterns for both of these quilts are now available in my Etsy shop, together with this pattern on making a made to measure sewing machine cover:



Jxo

What Should I Call This One?

You may remember some months ago I made 2 sewing machine covers: Hector's House and My Wee Brother!

By popular demand, I have finally gotten around to writing the pattern for these, and tomorrow I will be teaching this!



I have written the pattern in such a way that folks can measure their own machines and make a bespoke cover.

I love being able to use up smaller scraps for the patchworked section of these covers, and the quilting and decorative possibilities are endless.  It was nice being able to use 2 of my Sizzix dies here!



There are a few more technical aspects to the construction of this cover e.g. letter-box handle opening, elasticated pocket etc., but there are ways of simplifying things e.g. go for a non-elasticated pocket instead.

It has taken me a looooong time to write this pattern, and once my unsuspecting willing students test it out for me in class over the next 5 weeks, I will be putting it into my Etsy shop.

So the question remains, what name shall I give this rather girly sewing machine cover?

It Is Finished!

Around this time of year, a very long time ago, these words were spoken and revolutionised the Christian world for the next 2000+ years!

My version of 'It Is Finished' is much less significant and much more of a relief!

I am now officially on holiday for Easter - a whole week off!! Yippee!

Here are the finished projects from Thursday night & Friday morning classes:

EPP Starflower Wallhanging

Value Quilt - pattern available here

Well done ladies for sticking with some technical stages in your projects.   Enjoy your beautiful creations!

On the home front, I have several projects on the go and as many patterns to write for next term's classes!  I will try v.hard not to sneak in work stuff during my week off!

It's Hip to be Square!

This month in Hipbees, the lovely Catherine set us the LynneBob Squarepants Block.

Now I've made this block before, my very first ever Bee block for Trudi in Brit Bee (April 2011 I think?). (Note to Trudi: Still waiting to see the finished quilt - hint, hint!!)

It was invented by the uber talented Lynne Goldsworthy in 2011 and was popularised through the Brit Quilt Flickr group.

I didn't achieve perfect points back then, and sadly it would seem not much has changed!  Despite accurate cutting and painstaking trimming, I still have one or 2 points that just refuse to meet up!

In my opinion, half square triangles are the rebels of the quilting world!  Try as you might to bend them to your will, sometimes they just won't conform!

But the important thing here is that Catherine is happy with this block.  And going by the others that are popping up on the flickr group, this is going to be one superb quilt.

Let me leave you with some fine finishes from my Friday morning class.

These are Stack n Whack floor cushions.  Aren't they fab!!  All quilted and squishy and just waiting to be jumped on and snuggled up to!  Well done ladies!

The pattern for the Stack n Whack Floor cushion is now available in my Etsy Shop.

Have a great weekend!

Bee Blessed Relocates

The sun was shining yesterday, but a thriving company of women didn't get to see much of it!

Bee Blessed has relocated to the church where I teach my classes!  And it certainly made a difference!

The vast floor space meant quilts could be easily basted and blocks laid out!

And we even have our own coffee area!

Two quilts are finished and ready to be donated.  One you can see here, which Sarah did an amazing job on. This one is going to a young man with M.E.

The second one is a beautiful Oakshott Cotton quilt made by Marion.  This is being gifted to a man who is ill and in need of some comfort.

There are a few quilts and cushions still being worked, but I will keep you up to date.  Thank you to everyone who has donated Converging Corners Blocks so far. They are really taking shape and it's going to be another fabulous quilt.

The next BB meet up will be on 2nd June.  I won't be able to make that one, because I'll be somewhere in the depths of London, sewing alongside my Brit Bee buddies while waving to the Queen as she floats down the Thames (at least I hope she floats)!

And before you hop on to the next blog in your reader, check out the wonderful zippy pouches my Friday class have made!

Apologies for the over-cropping by Mosaic Maker - I'm still trying to remember to take photos with this in mind!

Have a great weekend!

Pick a Pouch!

My new term of classes starts next week.

My Friday class will be making zippy pouches, over several weeks.

Here is a flavour of some of the different styles we'll be making.

Row 1: L-R: Project Pouch, Pencil Case 1, Pencil Case 2, Cosmetics Bag 1
Row 2: L-R: Cosmetics Bag 2, Coin Purse, Cosmetics Bag 3, Personalised Pouch

Small projects are always popular, and one of the main aims of this course is to learn, and grow more confident in, how to insert zips.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to making pouches.  Once you get the hang of putting zips in you can pretty much make up any style or shape that takes your fancy.

These cute wee pouches also make great gifts, as they can be multi-functional, and can be filled up with lots of suitable treats!

Some of the techniques we will be covering are inserting zips at the top, zips on the front and fail-safe covered zip ends. 

We only use plastic/nylon zips for these projects - you can sew over the ends of a plastic zip with your machine, so it's not so crucial to always have a zip the right length.  I always buy zips longer than what I need, and then cut them down to size if required.  10"-14" zips are a good average size for these pouches.

I'm sure we will have a lot of fun making these together!

Zippers at the ready!

Something New!

I'm currently working on class samples for up and coming projects, in both this term and next term's programmes.

I'm getting a little excited about some placemats I've designed for my Friday morning class, with matching coasters.

I'll reveal more when I get the full set finished.

I'm also working on a quilt for my new beginner's class, starting after Easter.

This will be a simple design, but will teach the key aspects of quilting making. 

Again, this is still a work in progress, so can't show you much just yet!

Finally, one of my lovely followers, Di, has just set up her own blog, called Willowbeck Designs.  Di's husband is from my neck of the woods, so we're practically related!!

Please hop on over to Di's blog and give her a great big blogland welcome!  She makes wonderful creations AND she's in the Mouthy Stitches Swap!

Hope you're having a fab Tuesday!

Wonky Cushions!

My Wonky Cushion class finished today.  This design was a 'positive/negative' front and back, with a hidden zipper in the bottom.

Just take a look at these beauties!

Ooooh the concentration!

A couple of cushions didn't quite get finished, but you can tell they are going to be stunning!

Well done ladies - you did great!

And before I leave you, a pic of the most scrumptious chocolate cake we've been enjoying with the birthday girl!

Tonight a clatter of teenage girls have arrived to eat pizza, ice cream and lots more junk food, and then sleepover (eventually).

Me?  A night in with my 4 favourite men - hubby, Ben, Jerry & Tom (Hanks)!

Have a great weekend!

Judith xo

A welcome roundup!

Today saw the end of my Welcome Wallhanging class.  Here are a few of the finished ones:

For most of the ladies, this was their first introduction to free motion quilting, and they thoroughly enjoyed this sketching technique.  

Well done girls for being brave and trying something new!  The results are amazing!  Display with pride & big cheesy grins!

Tomorrow is our 2nd meet up of the Bee Blessed group.  We will be piecing together many of the wonky star blocks we have received and made.  Thank you everyone for donating stars - from all over the world (I received 2 today from Morocco!).  I'm really excited about showing you the pictures of the pieced quilts.

I also received these lovelies in the post today:

There's something retro 70's about these prints I think!  Or is that just me feeling my age today?

Laura Jane is Miss October in our Brit Bee, and has themed this month as STAR month.  We get to do whatever we want, as long as it is something to do with stars.  Can't wait!  And thanks LJ for the treats too (what's the betting I won't get any as soon as my 3 see them!!).

And last, but not least, a glimpse of a wee charm pack pattern I'm working on (test driving it out on some of the scrappy charms I won from Pickle Dish a while ago - love these colours).

There will be another row down the right hand side - my design board isn't big enough!

Happy Friday everyone!

Baskets Galore!

Here are some pics of the cute wee baskets my Friday morning class have been making:

Aren't they adorable!  Well done girls!

Kaffe Fasset Fabric Bundle:

I ordered fabric for my nephew's birthday quilt from Gone to Earth & it arrived today! Yippee!! 

The purple at the front is for a pencil case gift!

Their website pictures are very true to the colours of the fabrics when they arrive.

My nephew is a very trendy, stylish almost 13 year old, and he's already approved these prints (without realising they were for him!). 

Just need to decide on a solid to break them all up, and a design.