Who's this here?

I didn’t think I would be doing a post for a while as I am off on holiday at the weekend, only for a week but I am so looking forward to it. It is a holiday suggested by my dear husband as it is our 20th wedding anniversary next week. We are both really looking forward to the break but will no doubt spend most of it asleep, as we are so busy at the moment and not working will be a bit of a shock.
What has made me want to do this post was the parcel the postman delivered this morning. This was from Paula who was my partner in Lucy Lockets Easter bunny swap. I couldn’t wait to unwrap it but couldn’t rip the paper off as Paula had done a delightful little drawing on the wrapping, this was to help Mr postman find my house. (How did Paula know that my postman doesn’t get here until the afternoon at the moment)? Darn, Paula, I had to take the wrapping off very carefully.

When I finally got the paper off, just look at this delightful box with a butterfly on the lid that I found inside.

I took off the lid to find a note written by Paula in the smallest writing and the most delicate envelope.

Under the tissue paper was hiding this delightful little bunny with the rosiest cheeks and the cutest whiskers. What you can’t see is his or her fluffy white tail. We will have to think of a name for this newcomer to the family.

I checked the box and there was more inside, a bundle of fabric and some delightful cup cake buttons.

Paula had also made a most delightful Easter card for me with Mr Tortoise on the front made with appliqué and machine quilting. She had also written a poem inside. Cute

And that wasn’t all, hidden at the bottom almost covered with more tissue paper was a reel of spotty ribbon; it was such a special gift as I just love spots.

I then unwrapped the fabrics to enjoy them and look what I found inside, this brilliant cake fabric, just for me.



Thank you Paula, I am one happy bunny.

Little Quilts

As you can see from the side bar, I have joined Lucy Locket’s Mini Quilt Swap. I haven’t made a miniature quilt for quite a while but it will be fun so I am joining in. I have been paired with ‘Fran’ who unfortunately hasn’t got a blog. Hi, Fran if you are looking in, hopefully I will have your email address soon and will contact you. You may even be persuaded to set up your own blog!

One job I have got done this week is to complete my March Journal quilt. I know it is a late and we are already into April, but I really didn’t think I could get moving on this one. Sharon B’s hints were ‘Little things’ and when I first thought about the subject it was early March and the blossom was coming out on the trees. As we moved further into March the blossom was falling like pink snow on the ground and I received a postcard from Diane in America as part of my postcard exchange group’s mini swap, Simple pleasures of Nature. This is one of my favourite cards and reminded me of the Cherry Blossom celebrations held each Spring in Japan.

As soon as I saw it I thought again of the falling petals and the pink snow it left on the ground. The idea for my March journal quilt was born. I just did not have time to get the idea into fabric at that point and thought I might really fail but yesterday afternoon I suddenly thought the only thing that is stopping me is I haven’t started, (hope that makes sense) I just got out the fabrics and made a start and once I got going it only took a couple of hours to finish.

Hope you like it………..

Fusible applique, thread drawing on the branches and machine quilting made this one quite fast and very enjoyable.

The Blues!

I had the blues recently, and I was so thrilled. Let me go back a bit, a few weeks ago Kate had a give away. Well to be really truthful Kate has a giveaway every Monday. Don’t ask me where she gets all these things to give away, she is one amazing girl that not only does she have a family she also is an active member of so many Internet groups and not only a member she organises things and also runs swaps and trades herself.
I digress, I have made comments on Kate’s blog and a couple of times and have entered her giveaway’s not thinking I had a chance of winning. Well I was wrong and a couple of weeks ago Kate emailed me to tell me that I had won some blocks that she had offered up. I had liked the look of these blocks, blue being a favourite colour of mine and just loved receiving the parcel the postman delivered.

I haven’t decided what I will do with them yet but they are quite yummy so I will let you know.

I often think I should blog more often and then think that I have nothing to say and have done nothing to show anyone. But this past week has been different. As it has been the Easter break I try to do something different rather than class projects and as I was looking at some of the blogs I visit regularly I decided to join in with Bonnie Hunters mystery quilt ‘Orange Crush’.

Bonnie is very generous with her designs and there are loads of patterns for scrap quilts that should eat away some of my fabrics. All these can be downloaded free from her website.

This quilt making is part of my plan to use up some of my fabric stash, especially fabric I have had for some time. I set to and sorted lots of scraps and fat quarters into strips. I did really well and the pile ended up quite large. I also had great satisfaction in being able to use some of these fabrics. I have had a lot of these fabrics for many years and it felt so good to cut them all up.

The next stage was to make up lots of four patches and as you can see I did rather well.

I have loads of strips left over so have started and done all the blocks for another quilt designed by Bonnie Hunter. This one is called ‘Weed Whacker’ and it soon gets rid of more fabric. I must admit I was on a bit of a roll with the cutting, grabbing any fabric I could get my hands on and making it into strips or squares.

I haven't arranged these blocks in any particular order and have yet to stitch them together but I like it already.
I think the best thing is once again recognising that I am basically a quilt maker. I diversify into so many crafts and get involved in so many different projects but at the end of the day I know that I am a quilt maker and there is nothing more satisfying than making a quilt just for the sake of sewing.