A Finish!

Strawberries & Cream is about to start it's journey to the UK.

For once I don't want to see this quilt go. It's so beautiful and cuddly and I hope its new owner will love and cherish it as much as I do.

I knuckled down last week and decided that this quilt had to go to its new home. Choosing the backing fabric proved to be more of a nightmare than I thought it would be.  I couldn't find a flannel sheet anywhere. The French don't seem to sell flannel, or flannel sheets, so a trip to the fabric warehouse at Javerlhac was called for.

It took ages to find the right fabric, but find it I did. A cross between flannel and fleece in a dark cream. Very soft and cuddly.

Then a couple of days while I plucked up courage to "birth" it. Never done that before and panic set in.  Took a few deep breaths, pinned the two sides together and sewed.

Turned it inside outside - that was so easy - sewed up the top and then started tying the sides together. What a mammoth task that was!

and here she is again - all tied together and ready to go!

I'd like to thank Mary for letting me use the Heartstrings Project pattern and for giving me moral support and help throughout this project.

More soon.

A Decision Has Been Made

The Old One does have his moments.

He helped out once before and, of course, being a Leo, was right.

I'm cutting more foundation blocks - 24 to be exact.

Just hope I can get it finished by October.

Stay tuned!

More soon.

Red and White Strings - Help Needed Please

Here's the proposed layout.

It's on a double bed and The Old One thinks it needs another horizontal row. I think if I do that I'll need to add another vertical one. Which will mean cutting another 24 9" muslin squares!

What do you think?

ADDENDUM : I can't add borders.  I'm not going to use batting.  The quilt will be too heavy. So I'm going to back it with a flannel sheet, use the pillowcase method and then do some decorative stitches, or use buttons, to stabilise it.  So do I add more rows, or do I leave it?

What's red and white and stringy?

No - not Liquorice!

Remember this?

I was getting a bit disheartened as the fabrics are all the same and I thought it was getting a bit boring.

I put out a plea on the Stashbuster Yahoo Group asking if anyone wanted to get rid of some of their red and white stash.  After all, the purpose of the group is to get rid of stash isn't it?

I received an email from a lovely lady in Illinois saying she'd willingly send me some of hers as she'd grown tired of them and didn't think she'd use them.

Woot!

Look what arrived the other day. 4lbs of fabric!

<3 those "heart strings".

The quilt is back on the floor and I'm cutting and

sewing again.

I've got so many projects on the go at the moment it's a bit overwhelming. So it's nice to sit down and do some mindless piecing.

If you read the Quilts 4 Leukaemia blog, you'll know that Quilt #32 was made for a little boy called Morgan. Sadly he became an angel in April and his mother is trying to raise funds for the children's ward of the hospital where he was treated. When this quilt is finished I'll be sending it to her so she can auction it.

More soon.

WiP Wednesday

A good'ish week I think. Nancy's Heartstrings are finished and waiting to start their journey across the pond to Texas. As she is very kindly doing me a 9 patch red and white top for Quilts 4 Leukaemia, she will probably get some more out of me, but not yet as .................... I have started Sophie's Leukaemia quilt. This one has been put together by my Alexandra. We have blocks from Turkey, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the UK and America. I have sashed together the bottom 2 rows and should have this finished, hopefully, by the end of next week. My Crazy Scraps Challenge quilt is nearly there. Hopefully another finish next week.

HeartStrings Foundation Blocks

With many thanks to Mary for letting me use the Heartstrings link and to Forest Jane for sending me the HTML. In haste!

A Boo Hoo

Heigh ho (big sigh). The one on the left - the centre strip is off centre and is not exactly square. The one on the right is too small! Do you know what I did? Put the material onto the cutting mat and cut out what I thought was a 10 inch square. The edge of the fabric was on the 1 inch line and not the 0 inch. Doh! Never mind, I'm hanging onto them (they will be used) and now that I have got the hang of this I am hooked! I am changing my mind about that stupid Sunburst quilt design which I loved designing, but can't seem to get motivated to do it. Despite having cut out most of the squares for HST's, I am going to string it! Got the material, it will help bust the stash and I will get my quilt done. There, 3 birds killed with one stone! Mais quand?

WiP Wednesday

I forgot to thank Debra of The Quilt Studio for letting me join the Quilt Studio ring. Thanks Debra. So, Wednesday's WiP is in the post below. There are a few additions, but I can't show them at the moment as the batteries in the camera are charging, but they do include a block for Nancy's Heartstrings. I am really enjoying making them. I have also been discussing with Tonya making a Wedding Quilt. Tamzin is getting married in July so I thought it would make a nice present. More tomorrow - I think I am coming down with something. All I have done today is slept and quilted!