A finished UFO!

It feels so good! I have finished an old UFO. I had this little quilt top that I made in September/October 2011 during a quilt-along. I made the blocks during the quilt along, put them together and it was ready for quilting. At the time, I thought it would be nice to do some trapunto trees on the blank blocks. And of course, that never happened.

So the mini quilt, ready with backing and binding was stashed away for that day when I would have time to do so. And that time never arrived... So when my Lazy Bums challenge for this month was to finish this mini, I thought it was now and never!

So last week-end, I quilted it with a cross-hatch pattern.

And this week, I finally finished sewing the binding. One finished mini, one more OPAM this month and one less UFO! Yes. And for the first time this round, I have completed my Lazy Bums challenge.

Talking of quilt-along, have you seen the lovely Elephant Parade from Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts? The quilt-along is starting this week-end. Cute little quilt that I am planning to make (yes I know I shouldn't start another project), will you join us?

Linking to Whoop Whoop Friday and Finish Along Q1.

Celine

A secret package and another year of OPAM!

I signed up last year for a sweet IG Secret Pal swap on Instagram where each month we make a little something for a partner (different person every month) and the first person I had to send to was my dear friend Gina who spoiled me rotten in the summer with the Secret Sister swap. I was delighted to have my chance to send her a surprise package so I bought a few pieces of fabrics and a few bits and pieces to send her and I made her a sewing kit from the pattern in the Zakka style book that I really like. I sent the package on Saturday and Gina has already received it today so I can happily show you!

I am really excited that Kris and Peg are running the OPAM challenge once more. I have played along for the last few years and this has been such a great motivator (not to want to put a big 0 against any month!) and a fun way to get things finished. So I have signed up again, if you want to play along, be sure to sign up before 1 February.
With my sewing kit, I have completed my first 2 OPAMs for this month. I am hoping for one or 2 more but then the month is nearly over.
Anyway, I have managed to quilt an old UFO from 2011 that had been waiting its turn :-) It only took an hour really... Let's hope I can bind it before Saturday midnight as this is my Lazy Bums challenge for January.

Last week, I was also happy to open a package from my secret partner all the way from the Netherlands, Saskia sent me some lovely goodies.

Linking to Anything Goes Monday.
Celine

A cute little book

To start off our Book Bee on IG, based on Ayumi's cute pattern from her Patchwork Please book, we are each making a block for ourselves.

And as much as I like to stash fabric (this is becoming out of control if I dare say myself), I decided it was time to start cutting in my Kawaii bundle of cuteness.

It is actually a very good block for this kind of prints as it is showing a big piece off to make my test block. And the block is quite fast and easy to make when you have enlarged the pattern to the right size ;-)

And you know what, I love it! Can't wait to sew more.

One more block for the 350-blocks challenge too taking my total to 16!
Linking to Sew the Library and Needle and Thread Thursday.

Celine

Some blocks

Finally a few blocks... I have such a long to-do list that I didn't know where to start so I picked some blocks, urgent and less urgent!
I started playing with the double 9-patch blocks for the Block Lotto. I really like how these blocks turned out in black and white

I also made 2 wonky (although not that much wonky as I find wonky quite  difficult) log cabin blocks for Kate for Bee Europa.

And finally I also made a Snowdrop block for the Snowdrop Festival, using Yvonne's free paper piecing pattern

And these are 12 blocks for the 350-blocks challenge taking my total to 15.

Linking to Building Block Tuesday, WIP Wednesday.

Celine

2015 Finish Along is go

A new year, a new start and another looong list of projects I'd hope/wish/dream of finishing. I'll list some that have been there before of course but also some new ones, to keep me going ;-)
This year, our cheerleader is the lovely Adrianne who lives at the other end of the world from me and who will be celebrating her 30th birthday during the year!

1. Work bag for myself - started years ago but stopped because of a zip fear! - this one is on my list since the beginning of the year so I am really hoping I'll eventually pick it up and finish it...  

2. Bag for Maud -started 5 years ago... 

3. Star Plus quilt - top ready for quilting

4. Cat bag as a Christmas present similar to the one I made 2 years ago 

5. Triangle Quilt take #2  - all the triangles are cut 

6. My Auntie's purple quilt - UFO from 5 years ago - 

7. Spools and bobbins - to be finished promptly so I can gift it to my Grand-Mum for her 90th birthday - 

8. Finish my Little Forest with quilting and binding - UFO from a few years ago - 

9. Make myself a skirt with the Skirt Sew Along - 

10. Mr Snowmen cushion - all the blocks are pieced

11. UK mini swap -  

12. Liberty of London swap

13. Frozen dresses for the girls

14. Valentine's swap

15. Custom cushions x 2

16. Downton swap

17. Mr Cars new quilt - all blocks done

18. Miss Baby quilt

19. Miss Strawberry Shortcake quilt

20. Mod Mod Along

The list could go on and on and on I think so let's stop at the grand total of 20 and see how far I can go!

Linking to 2015 Finish Along Q1

Celine

Hand sewing

We spent last week in the Alps under the sun and blue sky, enjoying the snow and the ski with good friends. 

We had a fantastic holiday week but a terrible journey there and back. We spent hours and hours in the car, which has allowed me to do lots of hand sewing, while hubby was stuck behind the wheel.

I finished my flowers for Michell (December blocks)

as well as a very belated block for Uschy for I love Lucy International

All the blocks are in the post to their new homes now :-)

and these are my first 3 blocks for 2015!

Linking to Building Blocks Tuesday.

Celine

Finish Along Q4

1. Work bag for myself - started years ago but stopped because of a zip fear! - this one is on my list since the beginning of the year so I am really hoping I'll eventually pick it up and finish it...  - no progress

2. Bag for Maud -started 5 years ago... - no progress

3. Star Plus quilt - top ready for quilting

4. Danse bag for Miss A since she has started and loving it. Done, although I didn't use the fabric I had originally thought I'd use because I bought some more.... :-)

5. Cat bag as a Christmas present similar to the one I made last year - no progress

6. Triangle Quilt take #2  - all the triangles are cut so maybe I could finish it for my Mum, unless I keep it as a Christmas present. no progress

7. Finish my Unicorn Mini quilt for the Happy Unicorn Swap - finished and sent

8. Make a sewing mat for the Liberty of London swap round 1 - finished and sent

9. Make a Little Red Hiding Hood mini for the Fairy Tale Swap -  finished and sent

10. Make Christmas Ornaments for the Trim the Tree swap x 4 - finished and sent

11. Make 3 different Christmas Ornaments for the Ornaments swap - finished and sent

12. Make my mini for the IG mini swap - finished and sent

13. My Auntie's purple quilt - UFO from 5 years ago - no progress

14. Spools and bobbins - to be finished promptly so I can gift it to my Grand-Mum for her 90th birthday - no progress

15. Finish my Little Forest with quilting and binding - UFO from a few years ago - no progress

16. Make 2 Dumpling pouches for my friends for our week-end together - no progress

17. Make myself a new dressing gown as my first try at garment sewing - no progress

18. Make a Christmas stocking for Miss A who is the only one not to have one.... - finished in time for Christmas!

19. Make key fobs and/or dumpling pouches for Christmas- no progress

20. Make a bag for my friend for Christmas - finished in time for Christmas!

Not many items crossed off my list this time (only 9 out of 20) but lots of lovely swaps, where I have also been receiving some gorgeous goodies,

Since it is time for New Year's resolution, I think I will try to sign up for maybe a few less swaps so I don't have to stress against deadlines as much but equally they are so much fun!

Linking to Finish Along Q4.
Celine

Goals for January

So the year has started and it is time to make a list for January! I am still in holiday mode and can't think of enough projects to put on my list!

Hoping for Finishes!

1. Mr Snowmen cushion - all the blocks are pieced - my choice for A lovely Year of Finishes

2. Star Plus - needs quilting and finishing

Bee Blocks 

1. Little Blog Bee block (January) 

2. Block Lotto blocks

3. I love Lucy international block (September and January) 

4. Flower hexies for the Inchy Hexie Swap (December and January) 
5. Get Your Hexie On - (January) 
6. Snowdrop block
7. Bee Europa (January)
8. Book Bee (January)
9. Flying geese Bee (January)

WIP

1. Midnight in the Oasis 

2. Mod Mod Along blocks: Sunrise Blocks x 6, Little Window blocks x 11 and Sweet Dreams blocks 

3. You've got Mail wall hanging - need 4 more envelopes 

4. Finish Maud's bag 
5. Finish my work bag - my Lazy Bums challenge for November 

6. Make a few blocks for my Green Tea and Sweet Beans quilt

7. Make more Farmer's Wife blocks
8. Flowering Snowball quilt-along
9. Quilt for my Grand-Mum's 90th birthday 

10. Continue working on my Once Upon a Time Sampler 
11. Purple quilt for my Auntie - my Lazy Bums challenge for October  

12. Triangle quilt for my Mum 
13. Quilty Fun Christmas  
14. Little Forest quilt - my Lazy Bums challenge for January

New Project
1. UK mini swap -  NewFO 

2. Skirt Sew Along - NewFO
3. Frozen dress - NewFO

Linking to A lovely Year of Finishes
Celine

Happy New Year!

2015 is here! I wish you all the best for the New Year:  a good health, lots of love and great friendships, and lots of happy times with your loved ones!

Celine

Another year is finishing....

It is nearly time to say good-bye to 2014 and to welcome 2015. This year has been busy (as usual) on the family front with some great times and some sad times too.
I have left my job of 10 years just before Christmas and will venture on a new experience starting a new job in January (same field but very different company/settings etc). My Grand-Dad has left us this year a few days after his 88th birthday. A few months later, we had a fantastic week-end to celebrate Mr Cars first Holy Communion.

On the sewing front, there has been loads happening, I have been swap crazy this year I think! Lots of last minute stressed finishes but lots of fantastic packages in return too! And I have also met amazing and generous friends online, the sewing/quilting community is so good!

With taking part in the 350-blocks challenge, I haven't quite mastered 350 blocks this year but I have completed 335 blocks, not so bad really! Lots of bee blocks but also blocks for some of my quilts too!

and also 55 finished projects in total this year, some big like my Triangle quilt

and some small like my tree ornaments

I have only finished 2 of my long-standing UFOs, I definitely need to do better next year as I have also created UFOs this year...

and I have made reasonable progress on my Once Upon a Time sampler, but it is still far from being finished...

I have played along with a few sew-along: triangles, 318-paper piecing patterns, Fair Isle quilt, Mr Snowmen, Flowering Snowball  etc but only finished the Triangle Quilt.

I have started a number of new projects that I hope won't fall at the bottom of my UFO pile: Midnight in the Oasis, Green Tea and Sweat Beans, You've got Mail, Mod Mod Sampler, Star Plus quilt for example.

Time to focus on the New Year now and to try not to forget these WIP too quickly!
Celine