FAL Q3 1st Finish & Combining WIP's

Well, after 2 and a half years I have finally finished up my Sampler Quilt!  

This was one of the projects I started before I found all of the fab online shops, so a few of the fabric choices are not necessarily to my current tastes, but now it's finished with a riot of polka dots (my faves as I may well have mentioned before!) and stripes, I rather like it.  The blocks are from the 2012 Craftsy block of the month, and I think there are a couple of months missing, when I ran out of steam towards the end of the year!

This was always intended to be a sofa quilt for me, so finally after 3 and a half years of quilting I have my own quilt- not that I need it at the moment as it has been sweltering in the UK for the past few weeks and I feel like I am about to melt!

For quilting, I have added my trademark "light touch quilting" (anyone who suggests I'm a lazy quilter who doesn't like the actual quilting process may well have a point, but I can't guarantee I wont smother them!!!)  with a cross hatch across the blocks both ways, and then a little straight lining around the blocks.  Overall it's come up as a respectable 55 inches/140cm square, just perfect for me to snuggle under this winter.

This is the first quilt I've actually backed with the Britten Nummers fabric from Ikea, but I rather like it, and it seems just perfect for this Monochrome Sample quilt, first tick off of the list, yay!

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I am now turning my attention to some of my other WIP's, and decided rather cleverly (in my humble opinion) to combine a couple, and to get some of the additional blocks made up for my month (August) as Queen Bee for Stitch Tease.  Those with a long memory, may remember the plus blocks I started last year, with the aim of making a Super King Size quilt (apologies for the murky pic).

Well I was contemplating how to increase their numbers significantly, when I remembered the New York Beauty Circle of Flying Geese block I made recently, and decided it could be the centrepiece of the quilt, genius!

I adore this block, it's a fab pattern and I think it will make an amazing centrepiece for a quilt, and with the help of my Bee buddies I can move it closer to being a quilt, and further away from a WIP.  Just to clarify, I am only asking my fellow Stitch Teasers to make plus blocks, not more of these NYB blocks (can someone please resuscitate Susan, we know her feelings on foundation paper piecing!)

  

Sorry, I couldn't help myself, I had to throw a few more photos in, I adore this block, can you tell?
Ange x

FAL Q3- The Usual Suspects Plus A Couple of Newbies

So, there are 12 items left on the list for this quarter, and with the previous pattern/aim of 2 items per month my goal is to have all of these finished by the end of the year.  Yes, i know that's ambitious, but you don't get anywhere without aiming high, and I need to focus on getting them done.  It's clear from previous quarters that there is enough space in my month to fit in a few other projects too, so I can still start some other smaller things, but no more quilts until a few of these are done!

And here it is, in all it's glory:
1. Hexy 2
Started: December
Current Status:  About 1/3 of the way through this, need to cut and prep a load more hexies.
Plan: Aiming for end of year finish

 

  2. The Weekender

Started: Spring 2013
Current Status: Taken back apart.  Reduce size of the base, re-sew together and then fix the lining

Plan: Get it done so I can face making another bag (one day)

  

3. My Sampler Quilt
Started: 2012
Current Status: Half quilted yesterday (hooray)
Plan: Finished July 2014

4. Plus Quilt
Started: Summer 2013
Current Status: Handful of blocks, plus I have added the New York Beauty to this plan, as the centre piece, still need around 200 pluses.
Plan:  Have the pluses as my Stitch Tease block (next month), so my Bee sisters can help me get this one finished!

 
5 & 6.  Stitch Tease House Quilt
Started: Nov 2013
Current Status: Enough for 2 I think, will decide once I get to it!
Plan: Make into a quilt/picnic throw for summer in the garden

7. Simply Solids Quilt
Started: August 2013
Current Status: Just blocks
Plan: Make into a quilt/picnic throw for summer in the garden

8. Star/Bright Sampler Blocks
Started: January 2013
Current Status:  Just blocks
Plan: Piece into a quilt!

9. Portholes blocks
Started: Retreat 2013
Current Status: Just 2 blocks
Plan:Find a use for them I can only find the top one at the moment, vague idea of hanging laundry bags.

10. Hand Hoop
Started: Early 2013
Current Status: Needs hoop finishing off
Plan: Finish and hang!

11.Crochet Blanket
Started: End of 2012
Current Status: All blocks finished, need joining and lining
Plan:Sew them together and get them made into a little blanket

12. Jumper Blanket
Started: June 2014
Current Status: A big pile of squares cut from some of my old, favourite, felted jumpers
Plan: Sew them together for a winter blanket, fabric backed

Should keep me quite busy, and I'd better get a few of these done as I have ideas hovering in my brain for a Christmas Quilt, Single Girl Quilt, something Polka Dotty, an Oakshott Quilt, and a day to day bag as mine is falling apart after 5 years, how inconvenient! :o)

Ange xxx

Q2 FAL Success- 6 finishes

Well it's finally time to stand up and be counted with the FAL, and it's been a busy 3 months.  I had 16 items on my original list (see below), and managed to finish 6 of them, and make progress on a couple of others. I think it is pretty reasonable considering there is a small baby in the house (excuses, excuses), and it was my aim to get a minimum of 2 off the list per month, which I managed. 

So here are the details:
1. Christening Cushion for Amelia- DONE

2. Potholder- DONE

 

3.Crochet Blanket- fail
4. Hexy 2- quite a bit of progress
5. The Weekender- fail
6. Secret Squirrel- DONE

My 5 craft it forward gifts were finally completed, posted, and at least 2 of them have already been received (check out Duck Egg Threads on IG or Lias Handmade on Flickr- just trying not to completely ruin the surprise for my other recipients).
7. My Sampler Quilt - fail
8. Siblings Together Quilt- DONE

Ignore Jerry the Giraffe trying to photobomb hanging off the fridge!

9. Plus Quilt- fail, but progress made :o)
10. Stitch Tease House Quilt- fail
11. Simply Solids Quilt- fail
12. Star/Bright Sampler Blocks- fail
13. Improv Mini- DONE

14. Portholes blocks
15. EPP Star Embroidery- DONE


16. Hand Hoop- fail

Aside from these, I also completed 20 fabric party bags, 5 bee blocks, 2 peg bags, a New York Beauty Circle of Flying Geese block, and a hexy pushchair pouch, and no-one starved to death, drowned in a sea of dust, or ate cereals for tea (except me, but it doesn't count when i'm flying solo!!), so counts as success right?!?!

Now off to start compiling next quarters list...

Ange x