Espritpatch

I know it isn't October yet and Halloween is still a little way off but I joined this lovely swap on Instagram/Flicker to make a Trick or Treat Bag using this tutorial . The deadline for sending the package is tomorrow and for once I have sent before the deadline! How amazing! Anyway, I had found this lovely paper pieced block to make Witch Shoes  and thought it would make a cute bag front! So I played with a little paper piecing for a few evenings (I hadn't done any paper piecing for a while so it was nice to get back to it!) and from a shoe, I got to a pair of witchy toes For the back of the bag, I had a lovely selection of fabrics (most of them I ordered for the swap) that I used to make a simple block. And for the lining I used this lovely large scale print. If my partner doesn't like the outside of her bag, she could always turn it on the lining side, it is Halloween too! And here is the finished bag (with the lining still sticking out). In

With the very limited time I have at the moment for any quilting related activity, I just realised that I haven't shown my latest swap items sent and received. I joined my second dumpling swap organised by the lovely Mary-Ann over the summer. For this round, the theme was apple, perfect for a September swap. I  made this dumpling for my partner and a mug rug inspired by Ayumills' book Patchwork Please and added a few goodies to the package to my partner. And I received a gorgeous package from Mary (it is the second time I received a lovely swap package from Mary as she was my secret partner last year for the Christmas Modernista swap) -  a cute pouch, some lovely fabric and stickers and yummy sweets (the package smelt so nice!) These little dumpling pouches are easy to make and can be declined into so many different version. I love that they open wide as well so you can see what is in the pouch. A great pattern by Michelle's pattern. And that'

Sewing is really my sanity at the moment. And even if I don't have time to do much, it feels so good to do a little in the evening before bed time. This week I have been paper-piecing. I am working on my bee block for Stash Bee as well as on my bag for the Trick or Treat Halloween Swap Love this pattern by Soma. Linking to WOW , Needle and Thread Thursday . Celine

I have fallen behind quite badly on my bee blocks, there are so many fun swaps at the moment that it is very hard to resist and then of course I stretch myself so much! I was hoping to catch up over the summer but it didn't quite happen. Anyway, I have finally pieced 3 of my blocks that are on their way! There is a flying geese block in white and cream for Alissa for the Stash Bee and a chevron block for Natalie for the Little Blog Bee and finally a 30s inspired Patchwork of the Cross block for Hannah for I love Lucy International. These will count as my first 3 blocks for the 350-blocks challenge. And I also started on my apple dumpling swap for round 3. Love the theme! Linking to Building Blocks Tuesday , WIP Wednesday , WOW Celine

This week has been very very busy, very very stressful and very very tiring! But I did manage to fit little sewing time. And because I am so much better with deadlines and a queen of last-minute, I did manage to finish 2 bags this week! The kiddies were back to school this week, Tuesday for the 2 eldest and Friday for the first time for Miss Baby. A few years back I won a messenger bag pattern by Candied Fabrics during the Blogger's Quilt Festival. The pattern is available in 2 sizes and gives lots of pockets options. I had pre-cut all my pieces for both bags during the holidays and prepared them with the interfacing I was going to use so it was *JUST* a matter of sitting at the sewing machine and stitching, *just*! I started by constructing the multiple pockets for the bag which took a few evenings like the bottle pocket and eventually on Monday I sat down with all the pieces and a fast-apporaching deadline as the bag needed to be finished for the following evening.

Earlier in the summer, Michele proposed a fun little swap: It's a Sister Thing. I haven't got a sister (in my real life) but I have a lovely brother (although he doesn't quilt! He has other passions though) so I thought it would be a fun swap and signed up. I knew straight away that I would make a sewing kit that I had made before and cut the fabric while I was away. I noticed that Penny had joined the hexie swap so I applique some little tiny hexies on my kit. I also wanted to do a mini quilt for Penny but I wasn't sure what to make, even after stalking her. I went through my (large) collection of quilting book and selected the Fractal design from Ali's lovely Quilt Lab book which is rather neutral and made it with solids too. I really like the design and I can see more of these in my future! I decided on a spiral for the quilting to contrast with the squares in the design I finished the binding all by machine using a black batik I had left from