Thursday 26 May 2011

Giveaway Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway,

and thanks for all your lovely comments about my quilt!

I enjoyed reading about your favourite fabrics. I think my all time favourite fabric is 'Darla' by Tanya Whelan, followed closely by 'Just Wing it' by MoMo and I'm really looking forward to Kate Spain's new line 'Terrain'. Oh I could list plenty more,

but I guess you want to know who the winner is?

Well the random number generator has spoken and the winner is....

ETHNE who said "Oh you can get so much inspiration from the fabrics in Patty Youngs-Grand Bazaar range - strong colours and the patterns - dots, trellis, funky flowers,dragonflies etc-mixed with solids you'd have some stunning quilt/s.

Email me your address Ethne and I'll post off your parcel!


I'm off on my travels tomorrow, I'm driving down to Castlemaine, Co. Kerry to visit with the South-West Branch of the Irish Patchwork Society.

I'm really looking forward to it, just have a 5 hour drive to get there!

Sunday 22 May 2011

Ballynanny Bluebells and another giveaway!

Finally, I can show you what I was making with those Kansas Troubles Favourites fabrics!

Ballynanny Bluebells, which is featured in the latest Irish Quilting magazine.
This quilt was inspired by the tiled floor in our Church porch.
We belong to Ballynanny Methodist Church.
And the bluebells are found in a wooded area just behind the Church.

Hence the name Ballynanny Bluebells!
The quilt was long arm quilted by Beryl Cadman. She did a fabulous job on the quilt and the threads she used really highlighted the designs.

Unfortunately the bluebells were not in bloom when the photos were taken, but the cherry blossom was just beginning to peep through!

So to celebrate, I thought I'd take part in Sew Mama Sew's big giveaway day
I have some pieces of Kansas Trouble Favourites left over from making Ballynanny Bluebells which I will put in a parcel, along with the latest Irish Quilting magazine and you never know there could be a surprise popped in there aswell!

Fancy some of these beautiful fabrics to play around with?

To enter:

1. Tell me what your favourite fabric range is at the moment - just pick one!

2. Become a follower and tell me, or tell me if you already are a follower.

I will ship internationally, giveaway will remain open until midnight GMT on 25th May.

Be sure to check out the other giveaways on Sew Mama Sew's blog!

Monday 16 May 2011

Bloggers Quilt Festival Dot Dot Dash

Thanks to Amy over at Amy's Creative Side,
it's Bloggers Quilt Festival time again!

Amy's Creative Side

I'd like to share a quilt I made for the Moda Bakeshop,

it's called Dot Dot Dash.

The backing fabric was lovely, polka dots that increased in size!


I love this picture, even though it doesn't show very much of the quilt!
Thankfully the snow has long gone, but this will be
my daughters treasured quilt for years to come!

So go on over to Amy's and check out the other fabulous quilts on show.

Sunday 15 May 2011

Giveaway winners

Thank-you to everyone who entered the giveaway!

Without further ado the winners according to
Mr Random Number Generator are:
Number 25:

Memmens who said "I'm making a quilt, fabric flower hair clips for bridesmaids, shorts and pillowcase dresses! Busy, busy!"

and

Number 92:

Jennifer who said "I am working on making a american flag made out of fabric yo yo's."
Congratulations!

Please email me your details and I'll post your fabric asap!

Monday 9 May 2011

Sliced plan

I think my joke about the sliced plan in my Hippy Square Tutorial, got lost somewhere over the Irish sea!



Sliced plan


Sliced pan (sliced bread in Ireland!)




Anyone heard of a 'sliced pan'?


(don't forget to enter the Giveaway, open until Friday)

Thursday 5 May 2011

Hippy Square Tutorial

Fabric Requirements for one block:
Colour 1(purple): a fat eighth
Colour 2(red): a fat eighth
Colour 3(yellow): 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" scrap
Background: a fat quarter

Cutting Instructions
Purple 10 2 7/8" x 2 7/8"
Pink 4 2 7/8" x 2 7/8"
2 6 1/2" x 2 1/2"
6 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
White 6 2 7/8" x 2 7/8"
4 6 1/2" x 2 1/2"
8 4 1/2" x 2 1/2"
4 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Yellow 1 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

So first of all we're going to split the block into 5 different slices -
I call it my sliced plan :D)

Photobucket


1.To Make Half Square Triangles:
Take 10 purple 7/8" x 2 7/8" squares, 4 pink 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" squares and 6 white 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" squares.
Draw a diagonal line in pencil or water soluble pen on the wrong side of the purple squares.
2. Place a purple and pink square wrong sides together and using the line as a guide, sew a 1/4" seam on either side. Repeat for purple and white squares aswell.
3. Take a ruler and rotary cutter and cut along drawn line on each sewn square.
4. Press open, pressing seam towards darker fabric. Trim off 'ears' sticking out at corners of squares.
5. To make top and bottom slices of the block:Arrange a white piece 6 1/2" x 2 1/2", then two half square triangles of purple and white, and finally another white piece 6 1/2" x 2 1/2". 6. Sew together. 7. Make two, one for top slice and one for bottom slice.
8. Arrange a 6 1/2" x 2 1/2" piece of pink fabric, two half square triangles of pink and purple, then a single 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square, as shown in photo below.
9. Sew together. Make two, one for top and one for bottom of block. 10. Arrange Half Square Triangles as shown in photo below, with a white piece 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" in the middle and a single square at the end. 11. Make two.
12. Arrange two strips as shown in the photo, matching seams.
13. Sew together. Make two of these.
14. Sew a piece of white 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" to each end.
15.Repeat for second piece.Press well. Now sew the piece made in step 7 to the top of this, matching seams. (Refer to diagram)
16. Take the yellow 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square and 4 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares.Draw a diagonal line on the wrong sides of the white squares. 17. Place two white squares on opposite corners of the yellow square, wrong sides together. Sew along diagonal lines.
18.Trim off leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.
19. Repeat for other two corners.
20. Again trim off, leaving 1/4" seam.
21. Press well.
22. Sew a 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" piece of white fabric to opposite sides of the diamond. 23.Add half square triangles and single squares as shown in the photo below.
24. Now its time to sew all the pieces together! Mix up your colours for that Hippy look!I'd love to see your blocks, I've got a Flickr group here, so upload your photo and share your colour combinations!

Hippy Squares

I got carried away with those bright colours!
I have put sashing in between
and bright squares at the corners.

To make just ONE block you would need:



Colour One: a fat eighth
Colour Two: a fat eighth
Colour Three: a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" scrap
Background: a fat quarter



So spread some Hippy Square love..


Photobucket






tutorial will be here tomorrow!

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Hippy Square

Or as Huey Lewis said 'Its hip to be square'

(now I'm showing my age..)

So I had an idea to use these little spotties!

First block..
There's a bit of piecing to get this one to work, but I think its worth it!
To make a similar block, you'll need some dark and medium
fabrics and a light background.
Wondered if anyone would like a tutorial for this block?