Beginners and Samplers!

My beginner's class finished on Monday with a flourish! 

This particular group impressed me with their courage and fearlessness to try new things, and by the end of the course, most of them were walking away with a finished cushion (with zipper), doorstop, tote bag and a lot more confidence than they started with!

One of my student's doorstop and tote bag

Well done to you all, and I hope you will have many more happy sewing days ahead of you!

In other news this week has seen 2 more Bee Blessed quilts finished:

1. A Modern Sampler Quilt:

The back

2. A more traditional style Sampler Quilt:

There are homes and knees awaiting the comfort of these quilts, so they will be passed on this week.

Thank you to everyone who made and donated blocks to these quilts.  I hope you can find your blocks in the pictures, and know that they are part of an international collaboration, bringing comfort and blessing to families here in N.I.

There is still time to make the May block of the month for Bee Blessed, Converging Corners, if you'd like to make a donation.

Have a great Wednesday!

Spring Greens (& other colours)!

I've decided I'm going to enjoy today!

The week has been stressful up to now, and it is robbing my joy of this beautiful weather and season.

So I'm taking the morning off from 'work' (I even had a lie-in, on a school morning - gasp!) and am going to slowly potter the day away.  Just what my (self-diagnosing) doctor ordered!

I've already been out in the garden, enjoying the new bursts of spring colour:

And talking of bursts of colour, I have some pics to show you of our progress in Bee Blessed:

First up, another sampler quilt in green and orange:

Doesn't this one just shout 'Spring'?  Just the back to get pieced for this one and it's ready for quilting.

And Sarah has been beavering away with the orphan blocks (the ones leftover from earlier projects), making up the cutest pram blankets:

The dino quilt was a panel kindly donated by River Fabrics, which has quilted up brilliantly into a cot bed sized boy quilt.

There are a few more still being worked on, and we meet again on Saturday, so I'll have another progress update for you then.

Also, I'll be posting the details of April's block at the end of this week - watch this space!

And now I need your help!

I would like to make my niece a cushion for her 14th birthday next month, using the Mod Mosaic pattern by Elizabeth Hartman.

But my niece's bedroom is pale pink and white, and my pale pinks are sadly lacking.

What collection would you recommend I choose from that fits my criteria, of not being too babyish, but suitable for a girly 14 year old?

All suggestions gratefully received!

Have a great one!