Brown Paper Packages - 2

Please Mr Postman has been in my head for a couple of weeks awaiting this bounty:

I have long coveted the Riley Blake Geekly Chic line and knew I was going to end up with lots of it.  I love tapes and think it is a real shame nobody makes mix tapes any more.

I have no idea what I will use this for, but thought these gals were pretty fun!

I really like chevrons too!

The last two I have to show you are the only fabrics I purchased with a purpose.  They going to end up as part of my name badge and ticket for the Stitch Gathering in August.

Every Day's a School Day - 4

As referenced in my last post, there has been a lot of learning going on at Note to Follow Sew towers.  This has a lot to do with the wonderful advice and tips being shared as part of the Plum and June Lets Get Acquainted New Bloggers Blog Hop - thanks everyone!


So here goes.  This week I have learned:
1. Make the photos on my blog bigger, as most people's (including me) favourite bit is the pictures. 
2. Get a walking foot.  This has to be my number one quilting priority from now on after attempting straight lines with my darning foot.  I'm still too much of a novice to know if this was crazy or not.
3. I have alluded to this realisation before, but now I'm just going to apply it across the board and buy the best quality materials, fabric and equipment I can.  Can anyone recommend the batting/wadding they like the best?
4. Don't let your project know you are in a hurry.  Like a computer, it can smell fear and panic, and will crash if you let on you're short on time.
Linking up with the Monday Let's Get Acquainted Monday Link Up which is hosted by Lucy at Charm About You this week.  She too has been creating cushions in a hurry! 
Here are mine again for good measure:

V and B's Wedding Cushion Covers - Done!

Thank goodness they are finished.  These have been a bit of a nightmare, not least because of the tight deadline I had to get them ready.

The offending article referred to in my last post:

Really, was there any need for that to happen?  Turns out yes, there was, because it taught me a lesson and out came the unpicker. I feel another Every Day's a School Day post coming on.

In other news I have spent my morning Blog Hopping and having a look at all the blogs scheduled for this week:

Friday 14th June

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin

Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting

Adrianne @ On The Windy Side

Molli @ Molli Sparkles

Laura @ Little And Lots

Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

Cari @ There's A Thread

Valerie @ Between Quilts

Excellent and inspiring work on show.  It just makes me want to spend my afternoon sewing, but alas I can't.  Why?  I AM GOING TO SEE THE STONE ROSES!

  

Work in Progress

Hooray, some actual sewing happened!

I have made the second of the cushion covers for my pals' wedding in a couple of weeks:

I also quilted the top of the first one, but it kind of looks a bit wonky....

It's nicer from the side, but I don't think my basting was tight enough.

I then of course sewed it all up into a cushion and victoriously held it aloft after struggling all evening with it, only to discover I had blooming caught the material on the front and there was a dart effectively.

I am going to sort that mess out for another post.

Hope everyone's having a good Wednesday!

Linking up with:

Blog Hopping

I am excited to say I will be participating in the Plum and June Let's Get Acquainted New Bloggers Blog Hop this summer!



What am I up to?  It's a fun way to meet other new bloggers and to gain some extremely valuable insight into what makes other people's blogs work so well.  Every week there will be a series of posts by new bloggers introducing their blog and their quilts.

This is the schedule for the whole event:

Friday 7th June

Nancy @ Owen's Olivia

Amy @ 13 Spools

Ashley @ Wasn't Quilt In A Day

Casey @ The Studiolo 

Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That

Ange @ Heart Of Charnwood

Kim @ Robot Mom Sews

Erica @ Kitchen Table Quilting

Friday 14th June

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin

Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting

Adrianne @ On The Windy Side

Molli @ Molli Sparkles

Laura @ Little And Lots

Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

Cari @ There's A Thread

Valerie @ Between Quilts

Friday 21st June

Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage

Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt

Sarah @ Quilt Candy

Jackie @ NW Patchwork

Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles

Erica @ Happy Fabric

Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity

Lauren @ Seraphym

Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Friday 28th June

Green @ So Sew Green

Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts

Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme

Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap

Kathy @ Kayak Quilting

Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts

Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

Kris @ Sew Sunshine

Camilla @ Faffling

Friday 5th July

Christa @ Christa Quilts!

Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce

Anna @ The Crooked Banana

Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After 

Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

Kristy & Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs

Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness

Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

Friday 12th July

Leona @ Leona's Quilting Adventure

Karen @ Quilty Creations

Anne @ PlayCrafts

Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...

Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm

Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain

Cath @ Wombat Quilts

Sarah @ {No} Hats In The House

Friday 19th July

Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures

Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma 

Alison @ Making Happyness

Kelsy and Amanda @ Everyday Fray

Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room

Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts

Nicole @ Modern Handcraft

Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya

Friday 26th July

Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission

RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts

Elisa @ Lovelea Designs
Elizabeth @ In The Boondocks

Jenny @ A Note To Follow Sew

Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts

Sonia @ Fabric & Flowers

Emily @ Sew E.T.

Em @ Sewing by Moonlight

Already there has been a flurry of activity and information sharing which is exactly why I signed up.  I'm really looking forward to learning from others, and sharing hints and tips I've picked up.  

And to looking at excessive numbers of photos of beautiful quilts!

Weekend!

Although there's no quilt progress to report, I have been:

Eating Arbroath Smokies - yum!

Sitting outside in the sunshine - at last!

Enjoying interior design, caravan style.

Loving the smell of newly mown grass

Separated from my sewing machine, but not the wool!

Linking up with the Small Blog Meet at Lily's Quilts - what's everyone else been up to this weekend?