Espritpatch

  Wow, what a start for the year! I have finally taken some time to sew, regularly. Not always a massive amount of time but some time. And it has made a difference I am happy to report. I have also started (too?) many quilt alongs, and I know it will be a challenge to keep up with them all but I'll have to try...  I have also managed to blog a lot more than I had for a very long time (maybe simply because I had things to blog about!) Let's have a look at how this month went... I finally managed to finish a few bits that I had cut before Christmas: underwear for my daughter and I and also a personalised key ring. All in use already :-) I picked up my winter coat again and made some progress... finally. Nowhere near finish yet but at least it is moving in that direction! I made quite a few blocks this month for the new quilt-alongs I joined: 4 Birthday blocks, 2 Paper Piecing blocks and 3 brick piles! I also made some reusable kitchen towels that came handy on Sunday when I boil...

  Another week gone by... there is some work done on our kitchen this week (getting part of the walls down to remove the tiles and changing the worktop and splash backs) so we had to empty all the cabinets at the week-end, not the most fun activity, which in turn has taken quite some time away from my sewing machine! Looking at last week's list, I progressed on a few projects: 1. Make the first 3 blocks for the Modern City Scape - first 2 completed  and blogged 2.  Sew the front lining pieces of my Forester coat with the internal pockets - partly done, need to add the pockets 3. Sew the next  Birthday block  -  completed and  blogged 4. Finish cutting the pieces for the  Mystery quilt scrap galore  - no progress 5. Start sewing the Morgan jeans  -  no progress 6.  Make some biais for my hand towels  -  no progress I am happy that I managed sewing activities for 5 days last week, keeping up with my goal for  15 mi...

Yes, I know, this is yet another project that I start this year... anyway, I bought the pattern so better make the quilt and use my stash, right? There was a lot of paper cutting (50+ pages of patterns!) and some careful colour/fabric planning before I cut start sewing but now the fun part has started!  I really love this pattern by Quilt Art Design. It is a 25 weeks quilt along but you get the pattern from the beginning so can go faster or slower. I have started 2 weeks late really but have now caught up with Block 1 Block 2  Difference in light and background between the 2 pictures make the colours in the blocks appear quite different. Already a lot of pieces sewn together! 😀 I also completed the Birthday block for this week, so at least I am up to date with this quilt along too! Linking to  Patchwork and Quilt , D esign  Wall Monday ,  Midweek Makers ,  Wednesday Wait Loss Céline

I had bought some panels last year to make some reusable kitchen towels and some make up remover pads with the idea to gift some for Christmas. Well, that never happened as I didn't get around to do anything with the panels.  Finally last week I cut all the squares out of the panels, there were 6 per panels on 2 panels. I also cut the backing squares out of wafle fabric I had bought at a local fair in October.   I only had enough wafle fabric for 8 kitchen towels in the end so I finished those 8, making sure to match the top stitching thread to the colour of the panels. Reusable and suitanable sewing but still keeping an eye on the details :-) A lovely finish for January and one from my Fettle list . Linking to    Happy Needle and Thread Thursday ,   Put your foot down ,  Brag about your Beauties ,   Off the wall Friday ,  Can I get a Whoop Whoop Céline

Wow I can't believe it's been a week already! We've had a different one this week with much more snow that we usually get and very cold temperatures which means the snow has kept for 4 days and the kids were off school from last Wednesday until this Monday. Quieter weekend too as a result, which was nice after all. I have progressed a bit in some of projects too 😊 1. Start unpicking my Morgan jeans - all done and I've marked the design on my back pockets. Need to buy some thick thread for the topstitching and maybe I'll finally start? 2. Sew the front lining pieces of my Forester coat with the internal pockets - not touched but I've found the tutorial again... 3. Sew the next  Birthday block  -  done and blogged 4. Finish cutting the central pieces for the  Mystery quilt scrap galor e -    some progress but not yet all cut (9 pieces missing from the focus fabrics) 5.   Make some reusable kitchen towels -  done 6. Make some biais for my hand...

I am happy to report that I am still on track with the birthday blocks. I didn't follow the exact instructions for the cutting which asks for squares, instead I kept strips where possible  Only I sub cut one too small when slicing them so had to redo one part in the end But the block came together quite quickly in the end. I also spent some time at the week-end cutting the background fabric and more of the main fabric for the  Mystery quilt scrap galore . I still have about 15 pieces to cut, nearly there! And finally I printed all 50+ pages of the paper pattern for the Modern City Scape quilt along .  Linking to  Patchwork and Quilt ,  D esign  Wall Monday ,  Midweek Makers ,  Wednesday Wait Loss , Céline    

  Yes I know, another new project... but (!) this one is all about using my scraps, what's not to love. And the instructions come in German for the  Ravenbrook Scrap Quilt Along .  The first 3 blocks are made of rectangles and I used only scraps to make those (I can't really say I have made a dent in my scrap basket either actually...) I picked green as the focus colour for the blocks since this is the January colour for the Rainbow Scraps Challenge organised by Angela I joined the challenge years ago but hadn't participated in recent times. Of course it would be tempting to start yet another project but I think using my scraps for this quilt along in the set colour of the month is a safer plan. Linking to  Put your foot down ,  Brag about your Beauties ,  Off the wall Friday ,  Can I  get a Whoop Whoop ,  ScrapHappy Saturday Céline

Well it has definitely helped me to have a weekly list! I haven't completed everything I had planned last week but at least I have made some progress on quite a few projects. 1. Print and cut the Stitch Banner paper pattern - done 2. Sew the front piece of my Forester coat that I unpicked in December and recut at the week-end -  done 3. Sew the first 2  Birthday blocks  -  done and blogged  4. Finish cutting the pieces for the  Mystery quilt scrap galore  - some progress but not yet all cut 5. Cut the background pieces for the  Ravenbrook Scrap Quilt Along  and make the first 3 blocks -   done   6. Make some reusable kitchen towels - front cut 7. Finish my Binky panties -  done and blogged   Not all from the week is completed but I've made some progress/touched each one which is encouraging. Now for next week, here is my list 1. Start unpinking my Morgan jeans 2. Sew the front lining pieces of my Forester coat with the int...

  Of course I need a new project like I need a hole in my head... but I might have joined a quilt along... or three! I quite liked the first block Edyta Sitar posted for her Birthday Quilt 2024 . I checked my stash to choose some fabric and I decided it would be a good opportunity to break into the Obi bundle by Hyokka Ryoran from Quiltgate that I bought nearly 10 years ago on Massdrop/Drop without any specific projects in mind. I started just a little late but I am happy that I am all caught up just ahead of block 3 coming out this Tuesday. First block was a simple star Second block is below I am happy to report that I have been able to spend some sewing/crafting time 5 out of 7 days last week, keeping the motivation with  15 minutes to stitch with Kate . Linking to    D esign  Wall Monday ,  Midweek Makers ,  Wednesday Wait Loss Céline

  Another finish this week-end! I've had this pattern, the Binky panties for over 5 years and I hadn't tried it yet, I don't think. There are quite a few variations, I initially thought about trying a mace overlay on the front but finally abandoned the idea because 1) I wasn't sure to have stretch lace in my stash in the correct colour and 2) I figured out the lace wouldn't quite work with the wide elastic for the waist. Assembly is rather straight forward and well explained in the pattern. All I had left to do for the last week was to sew the elastics. I used the leftovers from the set I made for my daughter and it worked really well. Another piece made all from my stash and another finish for January that had been cut in November... one from my  Fettle those finishes  list Céline

  I have been trying for a couple of years and I haven't yet manage to graduate, and to be perfectly honest, I doubt this year will be THE year but why not trying or at least making some sort of progress on a few projects... 1. Harry Potter (started 2019)    2. Farmer's Wife 1920 quilt (started 2011) 3.  Gipsy Wife (started 2017)  4. Mini Series blocks (started 2022) 5. Boho Heart (started 2021)  6. Morgan Jeans (started 2020)  7. Forester coat (started 2022)  8. Townline bag (started 2023) 9. The Nutcracker Parade (started 2020)  10. Laundry Basket Quilts Birthday Quilt (2024) 11. Mystery Quilt Scraps Galore 12. Ravenbrook Scrap Quilt Along 13. Stitch banner This is more than enough for a year that should be somewhat busy... Linking to PhD in 2024 Céline

This is my first time linking to Carol's To Do Tuesday Linky party , as I am trying to find time and motivation to sew more often.  Sometimes when I only have a little time, I just don't know what to pick so I thought that maybe it would help to have a weekly to do list to refer to. Might also help to see the progress (or lack of!) 1. Print and cut the Stitch Banner paper pattern 2. Sew the front piece of my Forester coat that I unpicked in December and recut at the week-end 3. Sew the first 2 Birthday blocks 4. Finish cutting the pieces for the Mystery quilt scrap galore 5. Cut the background pieces for the Ravenbrook Scrap Quilt Along and make the first 3 blocks 6. Make some reusable kitchen towels 7. Finish my Binky panties Maybe this is enough for one week. Let's see how I fare by next week. Céline

Another project I had started in January and hoped to finish before Christmas... While cutting all the pillow card holders with my cricut, I cut out a keyring for hubby and got some fusible vinyl out to add a little Star Trek symbol. It didn't take long really and all that was needed was to find a ring and thread my machine with the correct colour to sew along the sides. Well that didn't happen before Christmas but it is finally finished and gifted and this was also  one from my  Fettle those finishes  list! Linking to  D esign  Wall Monday ,  Midweek Makers ,  Wednesday Wait Loss ,  Happy Needle and Threa d ,  Put your foot down ,  Brag about your Beauties ,  Off the wall Friday ,  Can I  get a Whoop Whoop ,  Patchwork and Quilt . Céline

Plenty plenty to finish up and probably not enough time to finish them... I anticipate this year will see some major changes again which will take away sewing time/energy or motivation but never mind, let's write THE list again and maybe try to finally cross a few over (either from the UFO list or from the planned projects) and to link up to Fettle Those Finishes, edition 2024! 1. Harry Potter (started 2019)    2. Farmer's Wife 1920 quilt (started 2011) 3. Farmer's Wife 1930 quilt (started 2015)  4. Enchanted Star (started 2019)  5. Gipsy Wife (started 2017)  6. Project 48 (started 2016)  7. Mini Series blocks (started 2022) 8. Kingfisher Quilt (started 2018) 9. 365 Challenge Quilt (started 2015)  10. Halo Quilt (started 2020)  11. Boho Heart (started 2021)  12. Life is Beautiful Quilt (started 2011)  13. Fandom in Stitches Quilt (started 2021)  14. Mod Mod Along Quilt (started 2014)  15. Mischief Quilt (started 2017) Dressmaki...