Don't look, Katy!

My sister Katy liked the colours of the Wonky Squares quilt I made, so I've used the same fabrics to start a quilt (or wall hanging) for my niece Amy, who will be one year old soon.

I wanted to try out the technique where you sew on patches, leaving raw edges, then wash & dry it to soften up the edges. I just cut out patches at random, and layed them all out, then pinned them on ready to sew. I hope it works!

I got the idea from the 'Scruffily Quilt' shown here.

The Ugly Quilt is Finished

I finished off the binding on the Ugly Quilt when the kids got back from school this afternoon. I backed it with a kind of fleecy/almost faux-fur stuff, and it was a nightmare to sew with - it stretched, and made all the quilting sort of puffy. The up-side is that it is gorgeously, wonderfully soft, and Tom loves it and is adopting it. Here are Tom and Harry (watching something very engrossing!), snuggled up in it.
It's safe to say that I won't be making another true scraps quilt - sewing with chenille, suede, satins and fabrics that fray ridiculously, wasn't that much fun! (I also appliqued two hearts on, to hide two bits I managed to melt!) At least now I feel more justified in buying new fabrics!

Desperately in need of cards!!

I have none whatsoever in stock, so I set aside a couple of hours this morning... The Daring Card Makers' challenge is to use green, so I did, on a baby card for a friend. Used a few things from The Making Memories Chloe's Closet line.

This card for Scott's Uncle, goes with the Male theme that is the challenge over at Cute Card Thursday. No ribbons, flowers or pink! (Saying that though, it's my least favourite card.)

Made with the sketch from Mojo Monday - love the papers from K&Co Cut n Stick. Ribbons mainly Making Memories. Rub-on from Melissa Frances.

Baby card made using the sketch at 2 Sketches 4 You, with Colorbok chipboard stickers (not the 'Baby' one though - can't remember that one) You can't tell in the picture really, that the green cardstocks are all different - linen textured, glitter and metallic, all by DCWV Latte Cardstock Stack.

Used the Card Patterns sketch for this one. Mainly made with the Making Memories Noteworthy Delaney line.

Oh, nearly forgot...

...I wanted to add these pictures too - we went to Yorkshire last weekend for a hike, and after we had finished, we were hanging round waiting for some others of our group to finish. It was pretty cold, so my kids got their quilts out the car.

I love to see them being used!!(That's not my kid by the way, that's my husband, and I'm not sure where he was wandering off to in this pic?!)

I am finally getting sorted out after returning from America - the first week I had horrible jetlag and then last week I totally did my back in and couldn't do anything much.
Yesterday I finished off the ugly quilt and pinned it, so it is ready for quilting now, and I sorted out the material I bought back from the States.
And here are two new books that I got for my birthday last week... lovely, lovely, lovely!! I have to say I was a bit disappointed that I didn't find more beautiful fabrics while I was on holiday. I think I should have done my research better and gone to the right shops. I did visit one really nice one with all my favourite lines of material, but it was pretty pricey, and no cheaper than buying things online and having them imported.
I did find a sale of Kona Solids though, so bought a few.

Some fabrics more suited to my boys, than those I am usually attracted to.

More sale items.

And a few other fabrics that I have no plans for as yet, but just liked, including a fabulous little town print, all in black, white and red (2nd from bottom) which Eve, the woman who kindly housed us while we were volcano stranded in NY, gave to me.