What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #141

Just a quickie from me this week, as it’s half term and I still have a poorly boy here.

It’s a beautiful sunny morning and my wall looks pink in this shot, but I can assure you I’ve not been decorating since last week. My desk (and laptop) tends to get taken over by my lovely girl during holidays, because she likes to be where the rest of the family are, while she creates on her graphics tablet.

My quilting book arrived on Monday, so I’ve been able to make a start on cutting the strips. It’s a fairly simple design, made up of four patch blocks with a row of strips around them. I’ll post a picture as soon as I have a block sewn together.

Head on over to Julia’s place to see hundreds more desks from around the world.

Hope the sun is shining where you are.

She’s Got Heart…

 

It’s half term here and our plans are on hold at the moment, while my poorly boy languishes on the sofa wrapped in a variety of quilts and fleeces.

Meanwhile my lovely girl has been busying herself with creations on her graphics tablet (she was very excited when I asked to put this latest one on my blog) and I’ve been cutting up fabric. More on that tomorrow.

Five {+5} Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ Patchwork and Quilting Part 2

So I was all ready to go with the second part of my quilting themed FTILTF, when I realised it was the 10th today. I changed tack slightly and as well as sharing five favourite block tutorials, I’ve added quilts made using those particular blocks.

Making it 10 Things on the Tenth

A Starflower Block…..

…..made up into this wonderful rainbow star quilt.

An Hourglass Block…..

…..made up into a fabulous red and aqua colour combination.

A {Genius Method} Log Cabin Block…..

…..made into this simple, yet effective log cabin quilt.

A Half Square Triangle Block…..

…..made up into a HST quilt in lovely warm colours.

A Pinwheel Block…..

…..made up into this beautiful summery pinwheel quilt.

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #140

The short answer is, “Not much!” Well not much in the way of actual projects anyway. My desk is just not big enough when I am sewing and I have to resort to the kitchen table and my big cutting mat on the lounge floor.

I’ve been brave and unfurled that lovely jelly roll. It was looking a bit dishevelled, which is why I got it for £15, rather than the usual price, which would be almost double that.

All the strips have been ironed and I’m in the process of trimming off the frayed edges, ready to cut the pieces for my quilt top. I’ve decided on a pattern now, but it’s in a book I borrowed from the library and somebody has requested it. How dare they?! I’ve ordered my own copy now and I can crack on as soon as it arrives.

The desks are multiplying each week and I just can’t get round them all any more. I have a core of regulars that I visit each week and I also try to get to a few extra desks, which I pick at random. So if I haven’t visited you for a while, I’ll be turning up again before long. Go and say hello over at Julia’s, if you fancy sharing yours.

Storytelling Sunday 2 ~ Precious Gems

In 1985 my 17 year old self walked down a side street in the ‘pink city’ of Jaipur. She bought four tiny garnet cabochons with thoughts of turning them into earrings.

A little over 10 years later, her husband to be walked down a side street in Taunton and found a jeweller who would turn one of them into a simple engagement ring.

Now I’m not usually one for sickly sweet sentiment, but how could I possibly resist a sheet of scrapbook paper with a Cure lyric printed on it.

For stories with many more words than mine, head over to Sian’s place.

Five Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ Patchwork and Quilting

I have so many links to patterns and tutorials, that one Friday Five was not going to cut it. Instead the whole of February’s FTILTF posts will be on this theme. Let’s start with a few of my favourite quilting blogs.

One of the first blogs on the subject I found was Oh, Fransson! There are some great patterns for blocks, as well as quilt tops and smaller projects. All the instructions for this gorgeous Sparkle Punch quilt are available on the blog.

I discovered Cluck Cluck Sew more recently and there are some lovely colourful quilts on there, many made for her own children.

Lots of loveliness at Old Red Barn Co. where they host regular Quilt-a-longs.

Crazy Mom Quilts was another early find. The instructions for this simple log cabin block, which has been made into a beautiful baby quilt, can be found there.

The Modern Quilt Guild doesn’t have a lot of tutorials, but there are so many pictures of beautiful quilts by talented makers, that you can’t fail to be inspired.

I hope you find something to inspire you. Next week I’ll be sharing some tutorials that I think are helpful if you are just starting out with patchwork/quilting.

I’m off to iron the strips in my jelly roll now, so that I can make a start on my own quilt top. The only time I willingly get the ironing board out!

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #139

In complete contrast to last week, we have glorious sunshine here this morning and that’s guaranteed to put a smile on my face, even though it’s bitterly cold outside.

I bought my first ‘jelly roll’ last week. It consists of 40 strips, each 2.5” wide, cut across the width of the fabric. There are lots of different designs and colours within the roll, but they are all from the same collection. Gorgeous aren’t they?

It’s a great way of getting a wide variety of co-ordinating fabric for a quilt top, without have to buy lots of half yard/metre pieces.

It’s been a long time since I did any patchwork and I thought this would be a great way to dip my toe back in the water. Care to join me? I’m going to be sharing all my favourite quilting blogs, books, tutorials etc each Friday throughout February.

Now I’m off for a good look around the crafty desks of the world. I have a feeling there may be even more than usual this week, since Julia’s fame is spreading!