A little giveaway...

I was very lucky to win a giveaway on modernjax's blog yesterday- a beautiful quilted Christmas table runner! I can't wait to get it!

 

To share my good fortune, I thought I'd host another little giveaway!!

 

• 4 Fat Quarters of "It's Snowing" by Deb Strain for Moda (it's never to early to start on your Christmas projects!)
• A quick unpick
• The cutest little tape measure in an even cuter little case
• A sewing pencil

And a little extra something not pictured (it'll be the latest copy of the NZ Quilter magazine)

To enter, leave me a comment. It can be anything you like... tell me what you're sewing this week, what you got for Christmas, your favourite movie - anything! If you're a follower already or become a follower you'll get three entries, and if you'd like to mention this in a post on your blog then I'll give you an extra five entries! (Just remember to leave a comment telling me you've posted about it.)

 

Entries will close on Sunday 7th February and a winner will be drawn of Monday 8th February!

 

Good Luck!!

More Staflowers for Aphra

Above: My favourite thus far...

Quite a few more to go. I love how they are coming together - I just wish I could trim a little faster!!

First Sew n Tell of 2010

I had been a little unmotivated to sew at the start of this year but I think my quilting mojo is back! Thankfully! Although not completely finished yet, I did manage to finish piecing the centre of my Wonderland Jelly Filled quilt top. I am waiting for the fabric for the borders to arrive from the USA.

Of course the minute I decide to take some photos, a small breeze picks up! But I love the way it looks blowing in the breeze.

Made using a Wonderland jelly roll and Camille of Thimble Blossoms Jelly Filled pattern. Check back next week for a completed quilt top!! I am linking in with Amy's Sell n Tell Friday... If you want to have a look at some more talented people, click on the button just to the right.

Happy sewing everyone!

A little more Wonderland - Sneaky Peek!

This is what I am working on when my brain can not piece the starflowers for Aphra's quilt...

Nice easy piecing using a jelly roll and Camille's Jelly Filled pattern.

Happy Sewing

My Two Boys - Cutest kids on the block...

Gus - almost 10 months and Ollie - 28 months

Desperately Seeking: Self Discipline

I had a very expensive quick stop at my LQS (the one that taunts me everyday because it's just down the road) last night. I'd told myself I'd be in and out to see if she had any Figgy Pudding left, I've been hoarding as much of that line as I can. While I was oggling the beautiful fabric I decided that this range would be perfect for my sister in law should she have a wee girl. The problem is we don't know what she is having, but I have my suspicions it is another boy. Despite that, I managed to spend $38 NZD on 15cm  on each of these prints. Yep - quilters are held to ransom here in NZ!!

I also invested in some more Figgy Pudding. Just a little - 1.5metres. I am slightly obsessed with this line. Above is my entire collection... Quite a few FQ's some yardage, a layer cake and a honey bun... I've got BIG plans for this Christmas!!

I also ordered some fabric online. But it isn't here yet, so it doesn't really count and it is for gifts. So it is budgeted for. That's how I am justifying this fabric binge... But I need to get back to dieting. Maybe I'll try a step by step approach. Perhaps trying to go cold turkey was just setting myself up to fail...

Have you had any quilty pleasures this week?! Please do share. I need to know I am not the only obsessive spender...

I know, I know...

3 posts in one day! The madness! I am taking advantage of the peace n quiet which is rare in our house to get some posts done! I hope I am not boring you all senseless!

I have never tried dieting before. I should've known that temptation would at times be too great. I went to Spotlight yesterday with the intent to only buy some much needed white fabric for a few various projects I have on the go. I did manage to buy 2.7 metres of white fabric - but I also stumbled across these Michael Miller prints and had to have them! I bought Merryville a while ago to make playmats out of as well as a wee FQ of the Fly by Night (black planes print) to make crayon rolls and always wished I'd ordered the range online when it was released. So when I found them at Spotlight for $22 a metre, I couldn't pass the opportunity!

Aren't they cool?! So perfect for the little men in my life. I bought half a metre of each. Ollie was with me at the store - he was very excited about the planes!

Unfortunately Spotlight didn't have an exact match to the white fabric I have been using as the background for the Starflower blocks... so I had to make a short trip to my LQS where I bought the fabric originally. Although expensive ($19 a metre) it really is lovely fabric and I wanted Aphra's quilt to be beautiful... While I was there I allowed myself to check out the scrap pile and found these goodies

All the prints were 80cents a square and the FQ of Figgy Pudding was $5. I am trying to build up my stash of Figgy Pudding to make some more Christmas gifts this year. It's expensive here though - $30 a metre! I thought the prints would make a nice addition to my scraps - I am still trying to decide if I will make a quilt like this one with my scraps or postage stamp quilt.

So, I must get back to being disciplined and on my diet. We've booked and paid for our venue. We are getting married here. It's beautiful. Go check it out. We're getting married on the 6th November!! There's not too much to plan as we're forgoing a lot of traditions but I am really looking forward to marrying my best friend.

Happy Sewing!! What have you been up to this week? Please share!!

Churning 'em out!

A little while ago I signed up to be a part of a quilting bee with some lovely girls across the globe and another fellow Kiwi!
The bee is called the Beatnik Bee. January is Heidi's month - I am not until July! Heidi chose some gorgeous prints from Timeless Treasures aptly named 'Kiwi' and the churn dash block. Here are my blocks

They'll be in the post tomorrow Heidi! Made using this tutorial.

More Starflower's...

I wasn't so sure I was loving this too prints together, but I have to say I do like the way it has come together! The pasley print reminds me of Rainbow Paddle Pops... oh so yummy!

I like this one too. The actual piecing is quite quick - it's the trimming that takes time! Only 13 more to go - I think? Or maybe 6? I am not sure if I should do 4 x 4 or 3 x 3 with a border?! I'll make 9 and go from there!!

Happy Sewing!

Starflower's for Aphra

My cousin is turning 30 in April! She is absolutely gorgeous and I want to make her something special. The fabric is "Dance with Me" by Jennifer Paganelli - my winnings from the Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Along on flickr. One down. Fifteen more to go. I plan to try make one an evening for the next couple of weeks. The tutorial for this block is found here.

Happy Sewing!!

On a diet...

A fabric diet! Oooh it's hard to say out loud but it's true. Planning a wedding does not come cheaply and we're hoping to get married later this year... so I have put myself on a fabric diet to try to save as much as possible for our wedding. I am allowing myself a few exceptions including Verna and Hunky Dory which I am eagerly awaiting the release of early this year. And maybe this too... isn't it the cutest?! I think I've accepted that my little Gus won't be getting his cross stitch Christmas stocking in time this year, so I thought I might make both the boys a stocking out of these prints! That little penguin is my favourite!

A few guilty quilty pleasures I ordered a couple of weeks ago arrived in the post last week. A small bundle of Figgy Pudding FQ's and a Honey Bun of Figgy Pudding. I intend to use them to make a couple of Christmas Tree Skirt's this year for the MIL and Nana to match the Figgy Pudding gifts from last year. I love Figgy Pudding. A lot.

I haven't done much sewing this week. Life has been busy. Work. Boys. Cooking. Cleaning. We went away last weekend to the Hawkes Bay (where I grew up) and so this week we've been recovering. I did however whip this little block out yesterday for Dana from the Old Red Barn Co quilt along group on Flickr. Dana is kindly putting together as many quilts as blocks will allow for a breast cancer awareness fundraiser. This is my block made using this tutorial. It needs a good iron and then it'll be in the post.

So here's my stash busting this week...

•Purchased this week: 1 Honey Bun and 9 FQ's
•Used this week: a few little bits and bobs...
 
Have you had a good week? What have you been doing? I've spent A LOT of time perusing stores on Etsy getting ideas for our wedding. Hopefully I'll spend some more time sewing this week!

Taking stock...

It's hard to believe that we are already in 2010! Like many, I am not a resolution keeping kind of girl.  I am forgetful. I do however, like to use the beginning of a new year to get sorted. To take stock if you will.

So, I sorted through my clothes pulling out the clothes I forgot I had to donate, as well as sorting out all the little baby clothes into two piles - definitely for boys and unisex. My cousin is having her first baby and won't know the sex for a few weeks but I thought I would get sorted now while I still have the energy. There were some items I decided I still couldn't part with. Those special little outfits no one else will ever love their babies in as much as I did. I've decided to keep those so that when my boys are towering over me, I can hold those little outfits and remember how little and dependant they were. Call me sentimental.

 I sorted Ollie's bigger clothing... Phil's aunty just gave us a bundle (I love hand me downs!). I've piled them into sizes and taken stock of how many items we have and what we need to buy. The benefits of having two boys is that you get your money's worth out of clothing.

I also decided to do a stock take on my stash of fabric inspired by Judy at Patchwork Times. Unlike most quilters my stash is very small. I try to be economical (perhaps frugal) when I purchase fabric and calculate to the nearest 1/4 yard. I try to only order as much as I will need. And then I try to use it all up. My fabric breakdown:

• 7 charm packs
• 1 jelly roll
• 2 layer cakes
• 14 FQ's
• 25 yards of fabric
• A bundle of scraps 
• Purchased this week: 0 
• Used this week: 1 charm pack

You can see some other quilter's stash statistics here. What does your stash look like? And how do you store it?
My entire stash fits into two drawers of this little sewing cabinet my DP's Nana gave me...

I hope everyone had a very happy start to 2010. If you share in the stash busting please let me know, I'd love to follow along... and if you also post about how you store your stash I'd love to see it too!