Finish-Along Q2 2015

1.  My main focus for this quarter (and part of next, in all probability), is to make this quilt for my youngest niece.  It's her fourth birthday in July and I'd like it finished by then, if at all possible.  I've deliberately designed an easy quilt (based on Sarah's Stained Quilt) so that I stand a chance of making my deadline but, unlike the last one I made, I won't be doing QAYG.  I may yet regret that decision!  I've got all the pieces cut out (it's taken days to get to this point!) and am about to start piecing the first block.

Anything else from this point forward is wishful thinking as I'm going to be spending most of my sewing time chained to my machine but you never know, I might get a spell off (while waiting for backing fabric to arrive and be washed, say) where I can squeeze in a little finish.

2.  When I entered Katy's giveaway (March 2014), I promised that I would take Mr Fancy Pants Pouch on a trip to Whitby for an ice cream and a stagger up the 199 steps (followed by a very, very, very long rest at the top.  And a cake.); I need to get him made so I can keep my promise.

Mr Fancy Pants Pouch

3.  This is the first thing I quilted when I was learning to quilt with a hoop and two thimbles (before this I used neither but the pain got too much and it was either learn a new way of hand quilting or give up!) and is going to become a tiny quilt for a tiny baby (I'm donating it to Bee Blessed once it's finished) and I have the pale yellow binding ready to attach.

Hand quilted panel - this desperately needs a press!

4.  I made this test block before I committed to making a whole quilt of these wonderful ET block (designed by Lynne, pattern here) and then put it aside once the excitement of the 'real' project took over.  This is going to become a little quilt for my sewing room wall.

ET block - Something else which is also desperate for a press!

5.  This is going to be a cushion...eventually!

Aqua and grey cushion - the colour is dreadful in this photo, sorry!  There's a much better photo here 

6.  I won this fabulous cushion cover kit from Seamstar when Kerry had a giveaway (May 2014) and now is the time to make it, I hope!!

Seamstar cushion kit

7.  The hexy quilt is making a reappearance on the list - if the weather doesn't get as warm as I fear it's going to get then I could make a decent stab at finishing this!

8.  Another project making a reappearance is the blue and white quilt - I'm going to try to piece at least another section (25 blocks) each month and keep this thing moving towards being finished, I'm getting sick of having it hanging around!

9.  I really need to take up the sleeves on my coat by about 1.25".  I've been wearing it for a year now and have just folded the excess inside the sleeve (you can see the crease in the right-hand photo) but I need to get it sorted!  (I don't usually have this problem (just the opposite, in fact!) but this is from Long Tall Sally and although their tops have an ideal sleeve length for me, the sleeves on this coat are too long - probably partly because it's a touch big but it's not the warmest coat in the world so I wanted to be able to get a thick jumper/micro fleece under it in really cold weather.)

10.  This quilt (wall hanging?) is one of the first things I made after I graduated from cushions.  Unfortunately, the navy border is very wavy (far more than it looks when it's on the wall, thanks to a few well-placed pins!) and it's time I fixed it.  I'm going to remove the binding, cut off the navy border and assess what it's like with just the aqua border.  If it's okay (and the aqua isn't also wavy!), then I'll re-bind it (no idea of the fabric choice as yet but I'm keeping the old binding, just in case!) and then re-hang it.  (That wall feels naked and cold without it!)  My first job, though, is to wash and dry it - it's very dusty after being up there for years with only a hoover run over it (one of the tools, not the actual hoover!) every now and then!

11.  This gorgeous yarn (the colour is called 'Drake') was a bargain from Maple Tree Yarns (found by Lynz - she has the most gorgeous green for her shawl) and is going to turn into a Sakura shawl.  Lynz and I are knitting this in tandem (in a very informal (and small) shawl-along) so we can provide moral support for each other and we are hoping to start very soon.  (Maybe even this week!)  It's going to be a Christmas present for someone who I think will appreciate a hand knitted shawl to keep them warm in the winter months.

Wish me luck - I'll do a proper post about my niece's quilt at some point so you can find out more about it.


As ever, Archie is going to be watching my progress with feigned interest:

I know my eyes are closed but I'm still listening...honest!