Espritpatch

Of course, I had great ambitions for March and in the end, I didn't do as much as I had planned! My overlocker is still not working so I haven't sewn as much as I was hoping. I was also away for work a few days so I took advantage of the evenings for some hand sewing. Quilting: 1. Continue to work on the Harry Potter sew-along and keep up the pace, if possible. I am still 2 to do to be back on track but I have made great progress this month. 2.  Scrappy Trip Along - red and green blocks needed to be able to finish the top - no progress 3.  365 challenge, so many more blocks are needed, let's see if I can make a few - no progress 4. Dear Jane -   I will make completing Row A my   One monthly goal    - Row A finished 5.  HST modern sampler quilt - make the last block and finish the top - no progress 6. Kingfisher Sew Along - prepare more blocks for sew on the go - no progress 7. Threadology quilt-along - make March blocks - ...

I finally made some more progress and so nearly caught up with the Harry Potter quilt along! Cutting all the pieces for the blocks last week took quite some time but proved to be the best way to get the blocks done in the evenings. First to join the gang was Minerva Then Snape Followed by the one we don't say the name  And finally a rather wonky Luna... I think there will be some unpicking in my future.... I also cut all the sashing last weekend so I started putting the blocks together,  not always very successfully.... The quilt will be massive. I had trouble taking a picture of the first 2 rows! A new block was published today so I'm 2 behind once more! 4 more blocks for March. Linking to  Monday Making ,    Let's Bee Social ,  Needle and Thread Thursday . Celine

Would you be surprised if I admitted I underestimated the time it would take to sew those lovely vintage kitchen blocks? Of course not,  I hear you! Paper piecing allows some very intricate blocks but takes forever! After competing the kitchen mixer in month 1, I feel behind in month 2 (I had great intentions of course but little time) and this month 2 blocks were released. I should have 4 completed blocks by now but unfortunately I only have 2.... block 3 was a relatively easy string of hearts Which are added to the side of the kitchen mixer and here for the first section More catch up to do of course so maybe it's not a good idea to admit my weakness and show that foot good measure I added another paper piecing project from this lovely book too.... Not that much advanced but this is a VERY detailed one! Can you tell what it is yet? Celine

I have been travelling for work lately so, of course that had hampered my time with my seeing machine... so instead I have been hand sewing. And I have finished block A2 for my Dear Jane, all 40 pieces of it! And because I have (thankfully) sashed and assembled my blocks as I made them,  it didn't take long to FINALLY finished my first ever Dear Jane Row. Row A is complete and I'm so happy! And a few close up of the blocks: This was my    One monthly goal  for March! Celine

I bought the Jasika Blazer pattern and videos a little while ago and I started to follow the #blazerofglory challenge on IG but I'm scared! All I've done so far, apart from being the supplies, is to cut the toile... not even sewn it. In one of the preparation videos, Heather speaks about the importance of ironing well and the tool required for it.  She mentioned a tailoring ham and a tailoring sausage. I have neither so I set to make both using a tutorial by Tilly and the buttons. Both are now finished, ready for some action.... let's hope that will come soon...   2 OPAM for this month.  Celine

I finally finished Hagrid, I had started and cut the block last week and got bored of all the strips! But here he is, ready to meet the others! I also finally ordered my background fabric for the quilt which means that I can start to assemble the blocks while I continue to try to catch up!  5 blocks out of 9 for now.... Linking to  Harry Potter quilt along link-up 2 Celine

As is often the case, I had planned/hoped for lots of sewing at the weekend. But of course, real life means very little happened.... between baking birthday cakes (again), playing taxis for the kids and the rest of it, I barely sat at my sewing machine BUT I did some batch cutting! And I hadn't realised how much cutting I had done over the week-end until I started adding it all up yesterday to count more than 50 pieces! I cut 3 pairs of pyjamas, one Berlin tee, one Givre tee and part of a Blackwood cardigan. Plenty of choices of what to sew first, right? All the pieces are jersey fabric so perfect to whip through the overlocker quickly but sadly mine is still not fixed. I recently bought a lovely Jersey called Cassiopee by Stof, perfect for a stargazer and  I really wanted to gift a new pair of pyjamas to my eldest daughter as a late birthday present so I started with that one first. I added white ribbing for the cuffs and waistband  And about one hour and a half afte...

In an effort not to fall behind, if at all possible, I made the last 5 blocks for the  Threadology Quilt-Along . Block 3 was released last Friday and again 5 blocks are needed: 4 small ones and 1 big one.  The new block is a Shooting Squares block as a larger version and 4 of the smaller version for 5 finished blocks I now have 6 blocks for March.  Linking    Let's Bee Social ,  Needle and Thread Thursday ,  Wednesday Wait Loss ,  Midweek Makers Celine

Off we go! After a 2 years pause, following a 5 years pause one (!), I have finally made a block for my Dear Jane. Block A1 Pinwheel Gone Awry   I also joined a few blocks together:  C12 with C13 And D8 added to D6/D7 and D9/D10 One more block and Row A will be complete, I would be so happy to finish it this month! Linking to  Monday Making Celine

It's funny how things go sometimes. I haven't touched my Dear Jane for such a long time but decided to get all the blocks out early February to touch base with it, in the hope to rekindle my love and finish it... one day. And I think it worked! Once I laid out all the blocks I was in love again! Not that I have done any sewing on it since! And then a Dear Jane quilt-along came up on Instagram, starting in March. What a coincidence really, I can't let that opportunity to work on such an old UFO go, surely? So for now here are what I am starting from, made years and years ago... I started my Dear Jane in 2004 and everything so far has been hand sewn. I have 122 of the 169 blocks necessary, only 7 triangles, and none of the corner Row A is only missing A1 and A2 Row B is less advanced with only 9 blocks out of 13 Row C has only 8 out of 13 blocks Row D  11 out of 13 Row E 9 out of 13 Row F with 10 out 13 Row G is one of the least advanced one with only ...