A Long Overdue WIP Wednesday!

It's been 3 weeks since I posted a WIP Wednesday update. Despite it still being busy, despite evening games of football with the kids, a constant battle against the creeping intrusion of the sandpit into my kitchen, children who can't go to sleep until it gets dark at 10:30pm and a little evening away with my lovely hubbie at the weekend, I still managed to get lots done this week. I kind of suprised myself! So here goes:

Completed this week:

Box pouch and coin purse:


I'm going to make a couple more of these for my kid's preschool teachers for next week, they were so easy to make and so lovely finished! This project also got my sewing mojo back in action - nothing like a quick, easy and fun project to inspire!

Work in Progress:



All of a sudden I have a lot going on. I am at basting stage with this commissioned quilt based on my previous "Sophie's Dreams" quilt. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions on names! I was going to name it after the little girl it's being made for but decided to go with "Summer Dreams" instead. After seeing how Becky quilted her Little Man quilt and how gorgeous it turned out, I think I might just steal that idea for quilting this one - hope you don't mind Becky? I reckon it will really work with this quilt!

I've finally got back to my Skittles quilt and have all the fabric cut for the quilt top. I also got the first 6 blocks made up:


This pattern uses the Stack n Slash method. At first, I got really confused sewing up the strips and was convinced I hadn't organised them correctly or had mixed up my layers of strips. Then about 1/3 of the way through, I suddenly "got" it and once I knew what I was doing, it was a breeze and I chain pieced the rest at top speed. I didn't manage to trim these blocks yet so the photo is a little messy, but you get the idea. There's another 3 fabrics to make up the next 6 blocks and then I need to make up another 12 the same as the first 12. I'm very excited about this one now.

I've another very important project going on which I'll tell you more about in a few weeks (*nothing like a bit of mystery, eh??*)

I finally got the blue fabrics I bought for Jennifer's Rainbow Charm swap in the post this evening - need to decide which one to use, cut it up and get back in the post before the end of the week. No pressure!!

I signed up for Elizabeth's Kaleidoscope Quiltalong (not being at all busy of course!)

Lastly, I signed up for Cindy's Japanese import fabric swap which is the first Irish fabric swap I've seen hosted - and I'm really excited about it. Its also open to people in the UK - I can't wait to receive my fabric. I'm always admiring the Japanese fabrics but find them a little pricey. This is such a great way to start a little stash of Japanese fabrics!

Ok - lots there despite the fact that I'm supposed to be taking it a bit easier! I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced with some super talented ladies!

Birthdays All Round.....

It's been a week of birthdays here! There are 6 birthdays in our family in June, and 4 of them were this last week, including my son, my sister and myself. So I decided today to make a little pressie for my sister using this gorgeous Tanya Whelan fabric that my friend H bought me a little while ago.

I used this great tutorial at The Plaid Scottie that I found through Elizabeth and it was really a very straightforward make - even though I was, as always, afraid of getting the zip ends all messy. It takes only 2 pieces of 8" x 10" fabric, the same of lining fabric, a zip and some twill tape. Oh, and interfacing of course! But for a simple, gorgeous little bag its a winner and I'll definitely make more of these, I can see lots of use for them. Even the zip was easy!


The outer fabric is Darla Rosie Dot in Red (although I would see the colour more as a cerise pink) and the lining is Darla Rose on a pale blue background. I love Tanya Whelan fabrics and this is so girlie - its perfect for a makeup bag.



Then, when I had made it I felt it was a bit lonely - so I decided it needed a little purse to go with it - something that would work for coins, or some lipstick & eyeshadow - just a little handbag purse. I looked at the coin purse pattern in the Amy Butler Style Stitches book, but, to be honest, wanted something quick and easy and those patterns tend to be over complicated. So I cut a couple of 6" squares, made a small pleat and kind of improvised as I went along. I had a bit of a panic when it came to sewing up the side seams, but it turned out ok. I lined it with the same fabric as the pouch and its pretty much done, except I need to do a tiny bit of hand sewing to close the lining at the zip ends.

I think the two of them make a nice pair and I hope you like them M, if you're reading!


Even though I'm supposed to be working from my stash only at the moment and not buying new fabric, I was browsing through the shelf of fat quarters in a little city centre craft shop yesterday and, to my total surprise, came across these:


They are Penny Lane by Riley Blake fabrics and I've never before seen Riley Blake fabrics sold in any shop here in Cork! I just couldn't resist them, it being my birthday, so I bought them - aren't they pretty? I also was very naughty (as I would tell my kids!) and did a little internet shopping on Friday evening (I felt I deserved a little extra present!!). I bought some FQ bundles - 1001 Peeps by Lizzie House in 2 different colourways, this blue and also in dusk/orange:

Source: etsy.com via Sarah on Pinterest

And Just Wing It by Momo for Moda, also in 2 of the colourways, this lovely pink and the blue also.

Source: etsy.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I just can't wait for these to arrive - lots of plans are flying around in my head for what to do with them!!

I'm linking this to {Sew} Modern Monday and Fabric Tuesday as well as some other lovey blogs - links in my sidebar -->