Ugly Bug Ball - DONE!

I've finished the Ugly Bug Ball quilt, just in time to gift to my friends this weekend.

The quilting is a square spiral over each of the blocks which I did with the walking foot and a lot of patience.

Can't wait to meet the little one and hand this critter over.

Linking up with TGIFF

Ugly Bug Ball - WIP

I've been making progress on the Ugly Bug Ball.  The quilting is done..

and I've moved on to the binding.

This binding looks like sweeties!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday

And Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday

Ugly Bug Ball

Months back I found a little bit of Hungry Caterpillar fabric in the John Lewis off cuts bin.  I don't think I've ever mentioned that bin before and now that's two posts in a row.  Anyway, I digress....

I found a bright fat quarter bundle in Hobbycraft, along with another Hungry Caterpillar print.

I've been saving them all to make a baby quilt and my dear pals have just created a new wee human.

I spent the weekend piecing the top

basting and starting on the quilting.

I don't want to jinx myself but I think I might be on a bit of a roll!  Bet now I have said that, the baby will be at university before I finish this....

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday and Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday.

Brown Paper Packages - 9

Having resolved not to browse through fabric emporiums, on or offline, I accidentally purchased some fabric this week from the discard bin at John Lewis.

All bargains, including the solid yellow.  Finding that was a stroke of luck as I needed a piece to back a baby quilt I have started for some friends.

I've had a lovely Sunday of piecing, basting and quilting.

Linking up with Molli Sparkles and Sunday Stash

Buzz Buzz - 2

While I went off galavanting all over Europe, my Little Blog Quilt Bee chums were hard at work making me blocks for my quilt.

For my month as Queen, I chose the wonky log cabin block, following a great tutorial by Nicole at Mama Loves Quilts.

I asked for solids, as I loved Nicole's block so much, but also said bold, bright prints would suffice.

Well, the hive did me proud!  Look at these beauties:

First through the letter box was this winner from my pal at Handmade Somethings

Then I went on holiday and had a HUGE pile of lovely parcels to greet me.  You know what they say about brown paper packages (but more on that later).

First to be unwrapped was this lovely block from Joanna at My Quilts and Other Stories which looks like sweeties.

The Occasional Quilter went off-piste with this colour explosion

Nessa sent me this lovely mix of solids and prints, including some I recall from the Stitch Gathering.

Could I believe my eyes when I saw this from Patchwork Alley?  One of my favourite things.

Lovely presents!

And her block:

Espirit Patch whipped up this block for me:

This was was signed off  Love Natalie

From the Mindful Quilter, who sent me two!  What a champ.

From the machine of our organiser, I'm Studio Lou, blocks with chocs!  They didn't last long...

This gorgeous block is from Claire E Poppins:

And last, but not least, this lovely block from Not a Floral Girl:

Now, I just need to decide how to sew them together - to sash or not to sash!

Thanks again for all my bee chums for their hard work and lovely blocks.  I am really enjoying being part of my first bee!

Thank You Quilt for Beth

In summer 2013, I participated in the "Let's Get Acquainted New Blogger Blog Hop" organised by Beth of Plum and June.  She rounded up sixty or so new bloggers, and arranged for us to introduce our blogs week by week over a two month period.

It was a great way to meet other bloggers, and to gain hints, tips and inspiration from all over the world.  The other bloggers were a talented bunch, not only displaying a wonderful range of quilts, but also sharing technical wizardy to help others get the most from their blogs.

My introductory post is here (hello!) and a run down of the introductory posts from the other bloggers is here.  Go check them out, they are great.

The point of this post was to introduce you to the top secret "Thank You Quilt" the bloggers made for Beth to thank her for her hard work organising the hop.  Jan of Sew and Sow Farm suggested it and Em of Sewing by Moonlight offered to put the whole thing together.  Here are some in progress photos Em was kind enough to send us:

You can read her post on putting the quilt together here.

I'm allowed to blog about it now because Beth has received the finished quilt - hooray!

You can view the finished article on Beth's blog here and I would suggest you do, it is gorgeous.

And for good measure, here is a picture again of my block which I rather cryptically included in this post in August.

Good work everyone!

Work in Progress

I have been working on the BIG quilt for what feels like forever.

I decided I should press open all the seams to avoid bulk and then square up all the corners and sides.

On every one of the squillion squares.  Okay, there's only 120 but it feels like more.  I've done half so far.

Now, I like to finish one thing before moving on to the next, but the Stitch Gathering is fast approaching (woo!) so I thought I better get going on my ticket and badge (I might never finish the BIG quilt and I can't let it stand in the way of sewing greatness and me).

Being, as I am, extremely out of practice at embroidery, I decided to play safe and sew the name in cross stitch, but I've added a little quilt for fun.  

The name has to remain a secret until the day, so this might be the last shot of the ticket for a while.

And this is a block I have made but can't say anything else about.  How dull!

EDIT 13th August - I'm so touched by everyone's kind comments about my block.  To clarify, I don't think it is boring (simple maybe, but not boring).  I meant it was a yawn that I hadn't said anything else about it - it is a secret!  Thank you everyone for your encouragement though!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced  Liz at Shush - I'm Quilting and Kelly ay My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday (Edited):