{can I} Patchwork Please

Life is in one of those 'full on' cycles at the moment, I seem to be constantly chasing my tail! Still, I am sure there will be a lull coming along soon enough, and no doubt I will get bored when it happens! I have found time to squeeze in sewing along with the wonderful new Patchwork Please book during Zakka 2.0. I really enjoyed last years sew along so I am going to try and dip into this one as and when I can. I love my new little
coaster, so cute!

   

 I also had time this week to make up one of the B, L, D tea towels (not saying I picked the one with the least and easiest lettering or anything!)

   

 I have started a little preparation for next weeks tea cosy, I just need to decide whether to bother to source some insulated batting or stick with regular. One project I can't wait for is the bloom quilt, I know if I didn't have to enlarge the templates on a printed I would have made a start already!

I am very excited (if a little tardy!) to announce that I will be taking part in the wonderful Season By Hand blog hop, a great hop focused on travelling with sewing, whats not to love!

There will be some great tutorials and inspiration, along with prizes too!

Schedule:

June 3 - Kick-off 

June 4 - Alyce - Blossom Heart Quilts 

June 6 - Emily - Mommy's Nap Time 

June 7 - Jodi - Pleasant Home 

June 10 - Suz - PatchworknPlay 

June 11 - Beth - Plum & June 

June 13 - Jenniffier - Jenniffier's Sometimes Creative Life 

June 14 - Heidi - Fabric Mutt 

June 17 - Rachael - Imagine Gnats 

June 18 - Elaine - Dashasel Sews 

June 20 - Sandie - Crazy 'Bout Quilts 

June 21 - Amy - Lots of Pink Here 

June 24 - Danny - Mommy for Reals 

June 25 - Cindy - Tops to Treasures 

June 27 - Leanne - She Can Quilt 

June 28 - Melissa - Sew Bittersweet Designs

July 1 - Cindy - Fluffy Sheep Quilting 

July 2 - Rhonda - Quilter in the Gap 

July 3 - Trish - Notes of Sincerity 

July 5 - Erin - Why Not Sew 

July 8 - Chrissy - Sew Lux 

July 9 - Carrie - A Passion for Applique

July 11 - Katy - The Littlest Thistle 

July 12 - Kelley - Casa Crafty 

July 15 - Emily - Strawberry Patch 

July 16 - Heather and Megan - Quilt Story

July 18 - Annette - My Rose Valley 

July 19 - Katy - There & Back 

July 22 - Melissa - Lilac Lane 

July 23 - Jenelle - Echinops & Aster 

July 25 - Shanna - Fiber of All Sorts 

July 26 - Jane - Jane's Fabrics and Quilts 

Wrap up and Linky running July 26 - August 5, 2013

Share what you're making:

Flickr group Facebook group Instagram - #aseasonbyhand

Sponsors:

These lovely shops and pattern designers are sponsoring some amazing giveaways throughout the series, so make sure you stop over and show them some support!

Supplies:

Patterns:

Fabric:

Was I born before the world wars ended?

Um, no! But my eldest daughter obviously required some clarification on exactly HOW old I am, as this is the question I was asked on my birthday yesterday!

Aside from the awkward questions, I had a very lovely day.....lunch in Nando's then a trip to my first ever Cath Kidston shop, dinner out with my hubby and then to the picture house. Spoilt I was indeed!

I didn't get any presents this year, I had asked for money towards my sewing machine, but I did allow myself a little treat

Tea towels on the left for me and napkins on the right for my mum, all to be turned into cushions. It is Mum's birthday in 2 weeks and I think the only thing on my FAL list I haven't started, now I have a plan I just ahve to make them!

Today I finished off my little extra for my BQS parcel, just in time too. I made up the sweet Zakka coin purse, I know I am going to have to make another for myself, I love this size!

I think this will make a great go-to present as well with the frames only costing £2.85 inc postage on ebay, brilliant!

I am off to the post office in the morning with my parcel, watch out partner ;-)

Sweet sweet memories

I . LOVE . THIS

It is holding something that is really special to me, memories of happy sisters....only fitting that I should make a very special frame to put it in. Another great Zakka project, I will be so sad in a few weeks when they are all done :-(

I used lots of teeny scraps collected from here, there and everywhere, more memories of the people that gave them to me and the reasons I have them.....my first ever quilt, various lovely swap partners, the fq retreat, my first lone trip without the husband and kids to London 2 years ago.

I heart sentimental memories :-)

I am a very bad blogger......

I just can't find the time at the moment, plenty of sewing happening but just not the inclination to post about it, as I've said before I am sure something happening in September could resolve this! Hopefully I will catch up soon with all the things I've made that I've yet to show you.

I went away for a few days this week with the girls to my in-laws. That meant no sewing machine and lots of mummy-daughter time. Not that I didn't have a lovely time, I did, but I was in desperate need of some me-time with my machine when we got back!

So yesterday I pulled out my hoarded liberty scraps and some old salvaged curtain lining and set to work on this weeks Zakka project.

I love this pillow so much, it makes me wish I was little again and could have one of my very own. I am not and I can't but the reaction it received from Juliette more than made up for that!

I used some salvaged cotton jersey for the ted, it made him so soft and cuddly. The liberty scraps were a mixture of lawn and silk, a bit fiddly to work with sewing all those diamonds up and my points are far from lined up in places!

I can see her big sister putting in a request for one of these and I know I will definitely be using this as a present go-to in future, although perhaps without the diamonds!

Whilst I was away I did get a little hand sewing done, infact I finished it so quickly I wished I had taken more!

The lovely Boris pattern from Jo at Bearpaw. Jo gave away this pattern a while back and I printed it off immediately. I am so glad I finally got around to doing it, I even learnt a new stitch. I am putting the other woodland portraits on my to-stitch list! Now I just need to find a home/purpose for Boris....at the moment I am thinking simple, in a wooden hoop.

Right, I am off to catch up on a weeks blog reading, wish me luck! If I don't manage to comment, please forgive me :-)

Cookies!

Just had 10 minutes to stop and blog this sweet little Zakka project that I ran up this week, my littlest daughter was over the moon with her new cookie bag and cookies

Linen from an old blouse, 50p in the charity shop, a much nicer salmon pink in real life!

I love the label and know I'll be adapting the embroidery for other projects in future!

I wasn't looking forward to making the cookies but actually they only took a short time, that said I did only brave making two!

Top tip this week included using shirring elastic, perfect for little hands and keeping everything in.

I haven't seen it since I finished it, she has been too busy using it at her 'tea party'! Looking forward to next weeks Zakka, this sew along is so much fun! Especially when your 2 year old squeals when you make her something ;-)

Whoops, yes I did make 2 Zakka pincushions too.....I AM going to make EVERYTHING in this book, don't ask my why, it is just one of those silly targets I like to give myself!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, what's left of it :-)

The Return of the Zakka!

First up, I want to apologise for the lack of comments I have been leaving. I am reading everything in my google reader, but the kids just are not giving me time to comment! So for where it is due, well done, congratulations, sorry to hear that (Hadley!) and it is amazing! Normal commenting will resume, um, in September I guess!

Meanwhile, we had to stay home today to wait for a courier to collect a parcel, for the third time, and no surprise, they didn't show again today b***tards! There is nothing worse than being stuck home with 2 bored kiddo's :-(

So I made the most of the confinement by catching up on a few of the Zakka projects I missed recently. First I made the hand warmers, but decided to make them from print, I though little hands would fiddle with the embroidery.

My back sections didn't overlap like in the book, not to worry though! And it was a great idea to make them first as a certain 2 year old was delighted with their squishy bean bag like nature and promptly ran off with them, leaving me to get on with the next project....

Big sister decided it was cool enough that she have one too, so she picked some fabric and I set her to work!

Love the safety awareness with the positioning of her hands, good girl!

Then they were both so delighted with their new bags we had a full on giggly modelling session! cue photo overload :-)

Finally I found time this afternoon to turn a well worn and softened from use tea towel into the bread basket for this weeks Zakka project. Honestly, leave something lying around long enough and I am sure to cut it up!

Terrible photo, but the day was late and I was so smug with it I just couldn't wait! Perhaps later this week when I have to wait in for the courier, again, I will bake some rolls to put in it :-)

I am off to prep some pieces for the travel embroidery bag, cos I am green with envy at Lucy's gorgeous one!