Where did May go to?

Wow that month just flew past didn't it? I've also realised this is my 100th post on the blog. Note to self: keep up the good work!

I've slowed down in my finish it up frenzy, but I've still been busy. This time, it's been commission work, getting paid for my hobby, which is always good! I've been sensible and after speaking to the Taxman last year. I'm keeping notes of money in and out. First of all I was asked to make a baby boy quilt, which I did last weekend, but unfortunately, the battery died in the camera, so you'll have to make do with this rubbish photo from my phone instead. It's really not your eyes, it IS the photo!

I just went with juvenile prints, sashed with cream , backed and bound in blue batik. It was quilted in a large meander in a cream cotton. Cute enough, and worth every penny I got for it!

This weekend was Quilts UK in Malvern, but as there were notices everywhere asking visitors not to post photos to websites, I feel I should comply, so no pretty pictures. I have to admit I was slightly disappointed with the overall winner, and preferred the second place quilt, but fully understand this is a personal view that not everyone agrees with, certainly not the judges, and they're the ones who count in this instance. Maybe I should think about entering next year as I'm such an "expert".

I brought back plenty of goodies, everything on my list and only threads as extra impulse purchases. Two 7500 yard cops of piecing thread...a bit linty, but it's what I use for everything when I'm piecing. I bought the same offer in Birmingham about 6 years ago, and have around 1/4 of a cop left...I used to use it for thread basting, so amazing value in there. I also got some pink and cream FQs (no pictures, I've used most of them already), some purple sparkly thread (that was a freebie for leaving my name & address with a stand holder), border stencil design with scoopy swirls and hearts, to be featured in a Very Important Quilt very soon. I got a tiny brass stencil which I'm going to use in my labels from now on with fabric ink as a mini logo. It's 4 hearts surrounded by leaves, and I can stamp the ink right on it to make a colourful logo. Might need a practice first!

The best purchase was a bag of 50 reels of rayon thread for less than 50p each! I shared a "Two bags for £45" offer with a friend. She was the smart one and bought a thread box to store them in!

The other news I can share is I've been asked to make a pink & white/cream quilt for someone, in additional to the existing pink & cream commission. I think I've got a design picked out for that one. The previous commission has been cut out and awaits me starting to piece it. I can't say anything about the other Very Important Quilt, except I can't wait to start on it...or I could even say finish it as I pieced the top some time ago.

My lips are sealed until it's complete.

final tally

Ooops missed my self declared deadline for finishes, but I've been working hard at the sewing machine. So, who's ready to see the big reveal and final tally?

I'm declaring 4 more finishes, with another one which will be done tonight.

Finish 1: Sashiko sampler. I bought this at my first trip to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, in about 2003. I started working on it straight away, did the green outer border and inner dividing lines and the top left square, then stuck it in a drawer. I kept looking at it and working another thread's worth of stitching, then back to the drawer it went. I'm really not a fan of handwork! When I set myself this mini challenge, I rediscovered this piece, and got it finished in an evening. I had to cobble the mount together as there were no square frames in my budget, but it;s not too bad, and even better, it's only pritt sticked together, so if I find a nicer frame I can remove it and re-frame it.

Finish 2: I'd not even started this piece this time last week, but was browsing through some old magazines and saw the cockerel pattern as part of a larger wall hanging in an Australian magazine. I've got a friend going through a rough time right now, and as she and her husband rescue ex-bettery chickens, thought (hoped) this would raise a smile. It's bondawebbed and machine button hole stitched, with small swirl quilting and a looped hanger. I've checked my visitors' locations, and haven't spotted hers in there yet, so think I'm safe in posting it here before I've posted it to her!

Finish 3 is my Basket of Logs quilt, the Guide trip fundraiser. All labelled and ready for taking up to them tonight. I've written a little note with some facts about it that they might consider as fundraising ideas...how long it took, how many different fabrics, how many individual pieces of fabric. Of course, however they choose to use it is fine by me!

Finish 4 is that I sewed some binding onto the sample quilting piece for the Basket of Logs and am using it as a hot pad on the kitchen counter.

This will be finished within a couple of weeks, but that's all I can say about it, except for any Sound Stitchers group members...what are they and when would see more of them than any other flower? ;-)

This will be finished after the weekend...it's half a sock from the Frome yarn. I'm not sure when its mate will arrive!

Other things I've got on the machine or sewing table just now include a siggy quilt for my daughter, a baby quilt for my cousin's daughter (needs to be done by Friday morning, but only needs the binding slip stitching down and labelling), I need to work up some designs for a kingsize quilt with hearts in for a commission, and also a commissioned baby quilt to make by the end of May.