Spring

Well not quite but we did go above freezing for the first time in months this week! The sun has made things a lot more cheerful. It has also prompted me to try something a little more challenging. I have a plan.

And have made a start.

Happy sewing

Caroline

Slowly does it

It has been very slow on the sewing front around these parts. I have little inclination at the moment to be honest. I have however, managed a little hand sewing, finishing my second Rose Star.

I have no idea where I am going with these but I have cut out the pieces for another one. I am hoping they will inspire me to get back to the sewing machine and my impending bee blocks!
Linking up with the lovely Catherine at  Knotted Cotton's linky party for Slow Bloggers. I certainly am slow at the minute.

Happy sewing

Carolinex

Yippee a finish!

I am on a bit of a mission at the moment to clear my backlog of unfinished projects. Last year I had a fairly bad case of startitous and very little was finished. I am trying not to let this happen this year.  So this week I finished my Tetris quilt. I started it as part of Melissa at  Happy Quilting 's QAL last summer.

my glamorous assistant had to battle quite hard with the wind!

I quilted it in a grid pattern, extending the grid into the purple border. 

This was my first attempt at straight line quilting and I have to be honest I almost lost the will to finish it. I think I need to invest in a walking foot!

Happy sewing

Carolinex

a sparkly finish

I finished the sparkly baby quilt this week. I kept the quilting to a minimum with just a bit of echo quilting round each of the stars.

 I did break out the orange thread and hand stitch around all the little stars. The stitches are by no means perfect but I think they are pretty.

We have sun here for the first time in months so we are off for ice cream at the beach. I have been converted to the Finnish belief that ice cream tastes better eaten in the snow,  after all at least it doesn't melt!
Happy sewing
Carolinex

woolly grannies

I have been working on my crochet grannies this week. I finally had enough squares and I have been gradually attaching them. They went together really quickly. Weaving all the ends in however seems to have been a mammoth task! I snipped my last end this morning and am in love.

It is so warm and snuggly! 

I think there might be fights over this one, even my husband has his eyes on it!

Hope you are all keeping warm

Carolinex

sparkly!!

I finished the sparkly baby quilt top this morning. I love how the mix of three star blocks and one star blocks work together. I think I will just do a bit of echo quilting around each star. I am tempted to use orange thread but I think I might need to test it first.

We have oldest daughters' fifth birthday party this weekend. Ten little people running around the place. It will be carnage! Now I am not a very experienced baker but am going to try and make a cake.  A pink and chocolate cake has been requested. I have had a practice run and it wasn't too bad, so fingers crossed I can make it again. I am certainly hoping it is easier the second time round now I know what I am doing!!

I though I would leave you with this photo. This is what the sea looks like round here at the moment. Minus 23 forecast this weekend. Thank goodness for underfloor heating and saunas!!!

Hope you are all keeping warm
cx

Jacks, Owls and Stars

The small people have gone back to nursery this morning and boy is it quiet! I miss them. However, the bonus is that I have had some sewing time (and a cup of coffee and chocolate biscuit) without interruption. I got these 4 wonky star blocks finished. They are for a baby quilt for one of my friends. 

I thought stars would be pretty but not too girly. I need to get this finished pretty quickly as the baby is due any day, so am on a bit of a mission.

I thought you might also like to see a couple of bee blocks I managed to finish over Christmas. The first is for Colby in We Bee Modern Too. I just love the blue fabric!

The next one really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Debbie in Stash Bee wanted an applique owl. Well  I have never really done machine appliqué and my owl drawing abilities are not great but this is what I came up with.

It is now winging its way to the US. It was good to try but not sure I will be doing it again in a hurry!

Carolinex