Espritpatch

So Mr Cars' teacher got a pillow but I also made another 4 presents for the teacher's assistant and Miss Strawberry Shortcake's teachers. I found inspiration in the same lovely book Pretty in Patchwork Holidays to make some notebook covers for all 4 of them.

I have more OPAM this month, how incredible! A little while ago, I received an email from Terry's Fabrics asking if I would like to take part in their "Unleash your Creativity Cushion Challenge". The rules were quite simple, you had to choose 2 fabrics from their website (they sell furnishing fabric not quilting fabric) and you were sent a package with half a meter of each fabric and a 18' cushion pad and off you go!

So I haven't post for a long time because I have been really busy behind my sewing machine! The school holidays finally started last Wednesday so of course it was a last minute rush to finish the teachers' presents. Miss Strawberrry Shortcake only started school last April but she has 3 teachers in her class so of course that meant 3 presents and Mr Cars has one teacher and one teacher's assistant, so that was an extra 2 presents. Mr Cars' teacher was extremely good with him this year after a bad year last year so we choose an extra special gift for her. In the class, the kids are placed on the Super Star chart when they are good/doing extra well. Mr Cars judged that his teacher would be on the Super Star and we decided on a cushion with a Super Star inspired by the Christmas Tree pillow in the Pretty in Patchwork - Holidays book.

The week-end has been very hot here and busy as well as we have family staying with us. So I have spent a considerable amount of time cooking for everyone. And Saturday afternoon while the kids were playing in the garden splashing everyone around the paddling pool, I escaped to my sewing room for some calm and a rest! I must say I have been quite productive! First I finished all my 3x6 Mini Sampler Quilt blocks.

When it is warm it is always nice to have some portable hand sewing to do, and also it is great to have some sewing to do on the train. So I usually tend to do my EPP projects on the go, there are my travelling projects. Last week, I finish my block for Karen for the Get Your Hex On Bee in June. Karen had sent us an assortment of lovely fabric in mainly red, cream and green. And we had to make a simple panel with 24 hexies over 3 rows. I also finished this week my 2 June flowers for the Inchy Hexie Swap for Gayle and they are on their way to her. and I received some stepping stones from Alice Celine

I know, it is about bee blocks - again. Next week, quarter 2 of the 3x6 Mini Sampler Bee finishes and of course I haven't sent my blocks yet (well not all of them). I have picked my design weeks ago but I just never got around to make my blocks. I picked this block Up From Here from the Sew Mama Sew Modern BOM  by Alyssa Lichner from Pile O'Fabric . So last week, I pulled some fabric from my colour scheme to make my test block and I realised that the block was huge at 24 '. In the bee we make 12' blocks so I simply downsized the block and worked out the fabric I needed from a little paper sketch

It was so hot at the week-end that I was glad to spend some time in my sewing room as it is the coolest room in the house! I played with some solid fabric to make 2 wavy blocks for Alice for the Simply Solids Bee . I wasn't sure initially how well I would cope with the blocks she has asked for but in the end there were fun to make. First you cut the fabric free-hand, yes that's without your rotary cutter! I used this tutorial that Alice had recommended to find out how to sew the strips together. And I must say it goes together quite easily in the end. I did a block in yellow/green and one in pink/purple/blue Linking to Building Blocks Tuesday . Celine

Finally the summer has arrived and it has been so nice to enjoy the nice warm weather this week-end. The kids have had a great time playing outside and in the paddling pool! We have picked our first yummy strawberries and raspberries from the garden. And I have done a lot of baking again: cupacakes and bread this week-end. This week-end was also the wedding of Mr Cars' best teacher in the world. He is so happy with her and absolutely raves about her so I thought I'd made a little present for him to give her when she returns back next week. I had some heart blocks from a swap I did in 2006.  The "Raggedy" Hearts are made to be cut in 4 and sewn back together again (same principle as the bull eyes blocks). Of course my blocks have been patiently waiting since I got them about 7 years ago... Anyway I though they would be ideal to be used for a wedding photo album cover. I made up 2 hearts from 8 of the blocks I had

This month is my turn to be queen bee on Bee Europa. Of course, there are lots of projects on my wish list but I also have a large and growing collection of UFOs. So under the same spell which made me pick up my Farmer's Wife project, I digged very deep in my UFO basket to unearth a few projects which needed stone love again and decided to ask my fellow bee to help me get them restarted. So I did dig very deep in my UFOs box and unearthed 2 projects which could soon be called vintage! One was from 2004 and one for 2005. Both projects were starting at the Bramble Patch Mystery Night. I don’t if any of you are familiar with it/have been to it before. The Mystery Night was held for 10 years at the Bramble Patch and run by Barbara Chainey. on the last Friday of November. We would gather to the Bramble Patch at about 9 pm, start working on the warm-up project until midnight. And then we would start our main project at midnight and then sew like mad until 7 am before going for a ...

A long long time ago (about 2 years ago...), I started a Farmer's Wife quilt that I was planning to complete and give to my Mum's who is a farmer's wife and farmer's daughter for her 60th birthday. Well, of course it didn't go according to plan. My Mum turned 61 last month (don't tell her I told you that) and the quilt is nowhere near finish. When I started I made 13 blocks (about of the 100+) and then decided that actually I didn't like the look of my blocks. I had bought a great assortment of Kaffe Fassett prints that I was planning to mix in the blocks but it was just too busy for my taste. So I stopped, bought 4 background fabric  about a year ago (ranging from cream to chocolate) ready to restart.

So another month has finished and it is time to reflect on what I have actually managed to cram in. I won't compare it to what I was hoping to do because I might be disappointed! Why is there only 24 hours in a day and some of that time has to be spent in bed asleep? I know why really because after a 3-hour night and a day at work I am absolutely aware of the value of a good night sleep! Anyway, enough of that, time for some pictures. Some bee blocks, some me blocks and some UFOs digging. Even some blocks I hadn't shared on my blog yet (well I only finished them yesterday!) and even some finished objects! Linking with Lily's Quilt for Fresh Sewing Day . Celine

In the last week or so, I have been very busy getting on with my bee blocks. I can't believe how quickly a month pass really. Anyway on Friday I finished my 2 blocks for Simply Solids Bee . Diane asked for a 2 stars block and left us to it! These are the blocks I made for her. As usual when I try a new design, it is always scribbled on a piece of paper and then when I want to make the blocks again, I have to go back to my "drawing board". So I decided that I'll write a tutorial on my blog. Even if it isn't of any use to anybody else, then I'll find the instruction again! So here it is!