Espritpatch

I have finally finished my hens! I had finished the piecing in France and showed it to my Grand-Mum on the day we celebrated her birthday. And then I had to take it back to finish it. We are going again this week-end so I really wanted to finish it off to be able to give it to her for good this time. So I did the quilting over 2 evenings this week. No the quilting is not so expansive that it required 2 days it is just that I don't manage to sit down at the machine for very long at the moment. Anyway, only the label left to do and sew now but that can be done in the car on the way there! How do you find them? Celine

I am back home from a holiday in France at my Mum's with the 2 little ones. It has been a very busy time with lots to do. The wedding for which I had made the hats and my clothes customisation went well. I finish my daugther's shoes on the way there on Friday. Need to post a picture really but I don't have one now. The hats have been admired! My brother's 30 th party was great on Sunday. I gave him my mystery present I had posted about before on the blog. I made him a chalk/magnetic board picturing his 2 jobs and passions: tractors (John Deere) and trucks ( Scania ). I was planning to make some personalised magnets for the board for him but I haven't been able to find the right pictures so far so I have asked for his help to localise some for me. I think he likes it. We also had a family meal for my Grand-Mum's 80 th birthday on 14 July (Bastille Day) and I am ashamed to report that I gave her an uncompleted present. Despite spending some time on my hens on 1...

I have finally managed to find some time to play with fabric again! Yeah... While watching TV last night I have managed to finish fusing my hens for my grand-mum's quilt. Ready to be sewn now. I have also managed to start the block for June BQL. The top is nearly done. Need to add the outside borders so a picture should hopefully follow soon-ish. And I have started to reorganise my stash in the boxes I bought in IKEA last week since the shelves are already up on the wall. Thanksfully I have my lovely son's help to unfold and refold the fabrics to put in the boxes. What would I do without him really. Pearls of wisdom from a 3-year old lovely boy: "I am helping you very well with your fabric Mummy! No, don't take that fabric it's mine. No I can't get ready for dinner Daddy I am helping Mummy with her fabric" Celine

Not much sewing time in the last 2 days unfortunately. I had to treck down to London for some appointements with my daughter yesterday so that was most of the day gone. I managed to fuse my first hen onto the background fabric and cut the second one last night while I was watching the Apprentice on TV, the only programme I watch every year. It is not sewn yet but it is looking good so far, if I can say so! 3 more to go and then onto the sewing! I also now have a picture of the 4 blocks I made for the blocklotto. I haven't posted the picture on the block lotto blog yet because I am planning to make more blocks. I will post a picture there with all my blocks at once I think. Anyway here is a peak of my first 4 Cactus Pot blocks: This morning I painted the wall again with my blackboard/magnetic paint and it doesn't seem to be magnetic at all so far so I will probably have to apply a third layer. I have also drawn a branch of Japanese cherry tree (Sakura) with a pencil. I am pl...

I had a little bit of time to play today so I have been able to complete the personalised bodysuits and pyjamas for the 2 baby boys. I also cut out one of the 4 hens for my grand-mum wallhanging and completed another 2 blocks for the blocklotto and cut 2 more that I will try to sew tomorrow. I will post a picture once I am done with my Cactus Pot blocks. I also managed to start on my home decoration project while my little daughter was having a quick nap. I cleaned the wall this morning and did put my first layer of paint this afternoon. I am creating a giant universel calendar in my kitchen from an idea I saw in Marie-Claire Idees. Pictures later. Time to go to bed now. Celine

Because the list is not long enough, I am also planning to do a little wall-hanging from my grand-mum who is turning 80 in June. I found a cute pattern on the Sulky (german) website which would be very appropriate since my grand-mum has lived on a farm and kept animals all her life: I already made her a wall-hanging on the same theme for her 75th birthday (5 years ago) from a pattern I found in Magic Patch: Then there is my other grand-Mum turning 85 in September. I have signed up for a mystery quilt Chain-A-Spool , which is based on the reproduction of an antique quilt from the 20-30s. I am planning to make that one for my grand-Mum using left over fabrics I have from the log cabin and flower quilt I made her for her 80th birthday 5 years ago. I should really get started with cutting my fabrics, which is the task for this month but have yet to start. I think I am going to use the green left-overs as the main fabric and some red as accent. I also have to decide which size I am going ...