Welcome 2015

Happy New Year to you all.

I am hoping that 2015 will be a better year.  Sadly we lost a dear friend and member of our quilting group at the end of August to cancer and another is having treatment.
I had knee surgery at the end of September to remove cartilage which I've had problems with for a good many years but which was a lot worse over the last year and it was slowing me down.  It took me longer to get over it as I had an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic and then I got the vomiting bug which took me a good week to recover from.  Thankfully I am now pain free but I will have to have a knee replacement in the next couple of years.

I didn't fulfill my promise to blog more often (bad me!!!) but I am hopeful for the next year that I will be able to.  My sewing has been put on hold for a while as I am studying for exams in April but I am doing a workshop at the end of January (will give more details later).

I hope that you all have a peaceful, healthy and happy 2015.

Best wishes.


Linda

goodies and FNWF

I've managed to make a start on the charity quilt blocks on Friday in the FNWF (Friday night with friends).  I got my fabrics together and finished one block.  Over the weekend I now have six ready.

 I was in two swaps on flickr, one was a mug rug and this is the wonderful mug rug and fabrics I received from Sandy of tangled threads.  I love that little running fox.

 the second was a fabric basket and this is the wonderful basket and goodies I received from Tiff.  The quilting on this basket was so good.

 I was also at a quilt shop with friends in Wexford (Kilbora Quilt Shop) where we made wool pincushions.  Will definitely go back again.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

 

Friday night with friends

I've just joined up in time for the FNWF (Friday night with friends) over on Cheryl's blog .  I'm going to be working on some crazy blocks which some members of my quilt group are making for a charity quilt.   We can use any fabrics we like so it will be a good way of using up scraps.  Hope you all have a great Friday night.

I actually got something done!!!!

I actually managed to get some of my goals done (a little miracle).
I finished the binding on my New York Beuaty Scrappy Quilt (which I will be using as a wall hanging).

I joined two swaps in flickr (one is for a fabric bin/basket and the other for a mug rug).
I made the fabric bin today (isn't it great having a day off from work).  My partner likes text fabrics and the colours blue, green, gray and navy.  I used a tape measure fabric for the lining.  This was really easy to make.  You'll find the tutorial on Birch Fabrics and you can make it in three different sizes (I made the small one).

 I hope to get the mug rug made on Monday (long bank holiday weekend).
I've also been working on kaleidoscope blocks.  So far I have the sections done for four blocks.  12 more to go.

 I have loved watching the Great British Sewing Bee (the second series) on the BBC and treated myself to the book which comes with patterns.  Another to go on the To Do list.

  We're making a charity quilt in my quilting group for a cancer charity (some of our members and families are going through treatment at the moment) so I need to go through my fabrics and see what yellows and greens I have.  We're making a crazy patch one.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

bonnie scotland

I've been having a great time in Edinburgh this weekend with 7 friends and we are visiting an old schoolfriend who lives here. We've visited the castle and other sites, had great meals, a few drinks, plenty of chat, some shopping and just had a great time. Hope you all have a great weekend.

                                                                                      
Linda

New York and other things

I had a wonderful trip to New York with my friend in February.  We were there for five days and I loved it, especially because there were so many dressmaking fabric shops and I also got to visit The City Quilter where I purchased some New York city fabric, a cushion kit, a book for using charm squares and some fat quarters.  I could have easily spent the whole day there. We visited Ellis Island which was the best $18 I ever spent.  We were there for three hours going through the exhibition and listening to the audio tour.   You can feel what it was like there for the immigrants and how frightened they must have felt waiting to see if they would gain access or not.  If you are ever in New York and you have the chance to go, please do, it is the best history lesson ever.



Inside the hall in Ellis Island.

We also visited the Empire State building at midnight.  It was very cold but the views were worth it.   We even managed to get to see Mamma Mia on Broadway (loved it).  We didn't get to see everything in those few days so I am definitely going back and I have some willing volunteers at home who want to go with me.  Maybe it will be the holiday for next year.

We had a "do what you want" workshop with my quilting group in early March.  I decided I wanted to start on making a blouse for myself.  I used New Look 6232 pattern and a tan/cream spot cotton fabric.

I have the front button facing, collar and buttons to finish it off so hope to have it to show in a couple of weeks.  I have some nice fabric for a skirt so need to get started on that as well.

I'm working on my New York beauty scrap quilt.  I just have the binding to finish so here is a work in progress photo.  I'm using a strippy fabric for the binding.   I used charm squares and some solid bright colours for the blocks and grey for the sashing. 



 

 

I've also started working on a hand pieced foundation by the yard kaleidoscope quilt.  I'm using black, some charm squares (which I got in a rainbow colour charm swap) and some of the strippy fabric left over from the binding of my New York beauty quilt.

 

 

I hope you all had a great St Patricks Day.  I'm heading off in a couple of weeks with some schoolfriends to Edinburgh for a weekend to visit a schoolfriend.  I know there is a patchwork shop in Edinburgh so I am determined to find it.

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and keep sewing (anyone else watching The Great British Sewing Bee, I'm shouting for my namesake Lynda).

 

The big 50!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

I knew it was coming but it still sneaked up on me, the big 50!!!.
I've hit this magical number and have had a great time celebrating.

 

The lovely ladies at my quilt group gave me a bag of wonderful fat quarters which I will have great fun making into bags, quilts etc.

I also finished my initial heart swap item (which I can't show yet until it arrives at it's new owner's house) so I have kept my swap pledge (yippee).

Here we are now into a new month and my friend and I are heading off to the big apple, New York City.  I have to plan out my visit to the City Quilter and hope that I have some space in my suitcase to bring home some goodies.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

I've taken the plege

I've taken the pledge.  Chez at Gone Stitchin has put up a swap pledge.  I have joined the Initial Heart Swap so I am taking the pledge

MAKE THE 7 STEP PLEDGE

I, Linda, will try my utmost...

·        To always swap on time.

·        To always email a THANK YOU to my partner.

·        To be considerate and thoughtful when choosing a gift.

·        To give my partner the quality of gift that I would like to receive.

·        To communicate when it’s required.

·        To NEVER over commit and let a partner down.

·        To advise the swap mama when I receive my gift.

This I sewomly pledge....