Friday Report - Busy Fingers

The week goes so fast when you are having fun...doesn't it? and also when you are keeping busy...

I have had the most productive week for quite some time this week....I have made some progress on my birdie quilt. After a little email chat with Kathleen (Four Miles North of Nowhere) I have changed my mind about putting in a grey sashing between the blocks and will figure out how to sew in another cathedral window instead.  It works in my head so lets hope I don't overthink it.

I got the vliesofix in town this week so it is go,go,go to get these blocks done!

I have also 'sort of' started a new project throughout the week...I have been thinking of this project for quite some time (See my Pinspiration post) I couldn't find any yarn, soft enough or fine enough in my stash so called into BigW yesterday and found what I needed....I have to say, I got the colour pretty spot on! When I came home, I sat with the tutorial open in front of me and crocheted some stitches, couldn't get it to look right, so pulled it all out....repeated this process about a dozen times...in the end, I went my own way, experimented a little and found I really enjoyed working with the finer yarn. I am thrilled with how it turned out. I want to make more of these blankets so I might have to write myself a little tutorial.  What do you think of my efforts? I am not going to show too much....want to keep it a bit of a secret.

 And lastly, I only have a few more stitches to go on A Country Tea Party - Block 2.

I am joining in with FNWF tonight so first off I will be putting the flower on miss Teddy's head. There is still time to link up if you want to join in.

I hope you have had as good a week as I have....You might like to visit me at Bits 'n Bobs on Monday for Design Board Monday's Linky Party or you could head on over to Cath@Home to link up at Fun Friday Favourites!

Keep your needles threaded and your bobbins full,

Linking up with: 

Wednesday Pinspiration....Crochet & Fabric Fusion

I saw an article in Homespun some time ago about fabric squares crocheted together to form a blanket and it has stuck in my mind ever since. I didn't buy the magazine so I went to my favourite go-to-site for some guidance....Pinterest!

I have pinned quite a few on my Pinterest Board....'Crochet'....and there are some good tutorials as well. The most complete tutorial so far has been at Sewing Daisies but I am still on the search.....just type Crochet Fabric Fusion into the search box at Pinterest and heaps of ideas come up. Here are some of my favourites.

Yesterday, I 'hitched' a ride into Hobart town....the easiest place to go was Spotlight as far as directions are concerned. I needed some Vliesafix for the Birdie Fussy Cut squares and knew I could get it there...plus, I wanted to wander around their craft section to look at the yarns.  While I was there I had a look at the flannelette, they didn't have exactly what I was after but there were some that inspired me and of course I had a look at the cotton fabrics too.....As a rule, I don't buy cotton quilt fabrics from Spotlight but when you see something that you really like....well...and I think it would be a great fabric for a project like this. The only issue I have so far is nobody tells you how much yarn they have used for their projects!!! and that is where I need help.

Crochet Fabric Fusion for secret something

Crochet Fabric Fusion for me!

just because!

Speaking of Pinterest, I made sure I pinned this gorgeous quilt tutorial for the "Kitty Shuffle" from Lynette at What a Hoot as well. Here it is being modelled by a couple of Lynette's gorgeous Kitties. (Lynette gave me permission to use her photo's which I worked into a collage) Please go over and say hello...tell her Cath at Bits 'n Bobs sent you!

 Till next time.....keep your needles threaded and your bobbin full,

DBM #8 - Scrap That!

After last weeks post where I shared Kay's quilt, I have been taking a long hard look at the 'little birdies' I have been sewing for Baby G's quilt and realised that the reason I haven't been doing anything with it is because I am a little unsure about it. I am unsure that the colours are right (I bought some more fabric in different coordinating colours....yes, I did!). I am a little bamboozled at the measurements without a pattern to guide me and it is a little bigger than I wanted for Baby G.

The original baby G quilt has been scrapped (don't worry, all the components can and will be salvaged). It has been taken off the Design Board and replaced. I headed to the link that Kay used and shared with me for the 10 minute block (link at the end of post) to see how it was done......

Yet again, I needed to get the measurements right so I made a scrap mock-up.....now excuse the colour combo....I tried but really I just grabbed bits of fabric from the scrap box.

Three seams.....that is all it takes. I found the 3rd seam a little tricky.....but once you get over the middle seam hump...it all works out (if you make this block, you will see what I mean). In the next picture, I just ironed the edges over for a cathedral window effect.  I used 5" scrap blocks for this prototype.

When I had done that, I made the decision to CUT my fabrics. I am using the same birdie fabric that Kay used on hers (remember Kay......imitation is the greatest form of flattery!). I already had the co-ordinating blue and yellow and found the grey for the centre block last week.  I hadn't intended using it for this fabric selection but I like how it looks.

 Now I had a good basis to place my fussy cut little birdies. These squares are cut at 7", giving me a 4.5" square in the middle for the cathedral window.

 Just pinned at the moment but you get the idea of how it will look.

Mmmm, I am liking this block much better.......by the way.....it may be called the 10 minute block but if your name is Cath and you are a bit ditsy.....it could be the 30 minute block.....that's right, I wasn't paying attention and got the fabric the wrong way round so had to unpick and start over. I will be more careful next time.

Too gorgeous!.....I am going to use the grey for a sashing in between the blocks as well.

Thanks Kay, for the inspiration and the link to Suzanne McNeil's YouTube Tutorial.

I am planning on making more of these blocks this week as well as finish off block 2 of A Country Tea Party and tracing the next block.

Oh, I also made one of these this weekend.....it is the 'tarted up' teatowel for the What's For Dinner Wednesday Giveaway...I am quite pleased with how it turned out. I you want to be in the draw for further giveaways, visit me at Cath@Home to link up. The fabric is "waste" from the little birdies fabric.

How about you?

What is on your Design Board, wall or table for this week? 

• link anything that you are working on this week or over the past week....needle and thread is all it takes! 
• Please add a link back to Bits 'n Bobs as part of your post (get the button code)
• Please make the effort to visit other link users and leave them a comment to make their day!
• Link will be open until Sunday 08/11/15
  
  

This week I am linking with:

 

Friday Report - a Bit to Stitch

Friday Report is a bit late today.....Friday may almost be over here but I know there is plenty of time left in some parts of the world.

 I said I was going to stitch, stitch, stitch and that is exactly what I did.

I took Flowerville with me to the sewing group at Frangipani Fabrics and finished stitching it while I was there. Block 2 is stitched!

And then I got to tracing Block 2 of  'A Country Tea Party' and started stitching it that night....once I started stitching these cute teddies, I just couldn't stop.

I enjoyed stitching the ice cream cart...the lettering was done in chain stitch so I am glad I got plenty of practice doing that stitch in Flowerville and I think it looks lovely.

I have been stitching the gorgeous little polka dot dress this evening with its french knots....all stitched in the lovely 'delphinium' variegated Cottage Garden Threads.

I have a linky party at Cath@Home today.....Fun Friday Favourites....I invite you to take a look and link up your favourites too.

Here's a taster of what you will see for my own favourites post.

 

 Linking this post up with:

What's Cooking....Goodlooking!

Here's what's cooking over at Cath@Home today!

Sweet Chilli Chicken Stir Fry with Cashews.....recipe included.

 Come take a look....link in and share your food adventures in the linky party....

 

DBM #7 - A Quilt to Share

Can you believe we have been sharing weekly design board happenings for 7 weeks?
 

I will be working on the usual things....my fabric arrived from Claudia last week so I will be racing ahead to finish Baby G's quilt.....and then some stitching....and some tracing - teddy bears & baskets....and then, more stitching!

Instead of bombarding you all with the same old pictures, I am going to share some photo's of the quilt that a friend of mine has made.

I have known Kay for a number of years now....we met at a sewing group and I liked her right away.  Kay doesn't blog but she does avidly read a number of blogs, mine included. It turns out that Kay made a quilt with some of the same little birdie fabric that I am using and when she saw the one I was making, decided to email the photo's to share with me. She has kindly let me share them here on Bits 'n Bobs.

Kay went for the soft look....working the little birds into cathedral window blocks....how beautiful is it? Great job Kay!

Thank you for sharing Kay....I know you will be reading this.....I just love your version of 'little birds'!

 And now it's your turn...

What is on your Design Board, wall or table for this week? 

• link anything that you are working on this week or over the past week....needle and thread is all it takes! 
• Please add a link back to Bits 'n Bobs as part of your post (get the button code)
• Please make the effort to visit other link users and leave them a comment to make their day!
• Link will be open until Sunday 01/11/15

Friday Report - Share your Favourites

No regular Friday Report today....I am off to the Hobart Show!

While I am gone, I thought you might like to pop over to Cath@Home and see my Fun Friday Favourites instead.

You might even be persuaded to share YOUR Favourites! Gardens, Quilts, Food, Occasions...the possibilities are endless. Even if it is just a photo - kinda like wordless wednesday!

HAVE FUN!

Either way, enjoy the pics.....I am off to take more at the Hobart Show!