A border for my Happy Houses quilt

I've started making a wide border for my Happy House blocks (which are now all put together - and what a job that was!) The border consists of 2'' squares of all the fabrics used in the main quilt. I had a go at strip piecing for the first time - sewing long strips of 3 fabrics together, then cutting them down to 2.5'' wide, ready to join together into a border.

It does look very 'busy' here, but I think a solid red border in between the main houses piece and the patchwork border will help. Not sure yet what the binding will be.

I am impatient to see it finished! It will probably take a while, as I want to do some hand quilting around the house blocks in red, and add some applique flowers.

Fun, Fun, Fun Applique!

I ordered this book from Amazon, and love the simplicity of the applique in it! I copied the house design almost exactly, and it only took an hour or two the other night. (I still need to add some wadding to the back and quilt round the shapes in white stitches.) I love it though, and imagine I will be making more similar pictures in the future!

New Fabric (Eeeeek!!!)

A sunny day at home, with 3 out of 4 kids off school ill... and I have finally got round to photographing my new fabric! I made a good amount of money from selling some old craft stuff on eBay, and that combined with being my Christmas present from all my family meant I got to have the most wonderful fabric splurge!!

I bought everything from America, on Etsy.com

A Moda Layer Cake:

An assortment of fabrics I just fancied...
Some Japanese linen, and Cosmo Cricket,Ikea fabrics - the green spotty one I thought would be good for backing a quilt - a whole bed set for £1.99!, and my sister bought the heart quilt cover in a charity shop for me!Riley Blake Christmas fabric (I might get round to something before next Christmas)Lots of fabrics from the new Tanya Whelan range,Heather Bailey (I like this selection - fresher looking than her pink range, and without the spotty fabric in the range which I'm not as keen on.) Some more subdued Denyse Schmidt Hope Valley range,And lots of gorgeous classic Amy Butler... Now I just need some time to MAKE!!!!!

Christmas Day Sewing

My lovely parents-in-law bought me this book ('Sew Sunny Homestyle') for Christmas. I couldn't resist making this little sea horse on Christmas day...

Beautiful Books!!

Before Christmas I had a clear-out of some of my scrapbooking/rubber stamping stuff, and sold it on eBay. I figured I would rather have some new delicious sewing and quilting books, than a load of stuff sitting there that I hardly ever use any more. Amazon is by far and away the best place to buy books! I see books I like in local shops, then get them for at least half the price on Amazon.

Spring Birthday cards

Had a little card session the other night... getting ready for lots of birthdays coming up!