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Busy times lately - I'm sure it's the same for everyone.

Weeks are flying by and I've found it hard to find the time to blog.

I've been busy teaching some classes, designing new patterns and trying to get my website up and going!

New fabrics are arriving and I've been posting them online. At the minute I can only ship within the UK, but I'm offering FREE P&P from now until midnight on Monday 28th October.

Here's a few I have been dying to make something with!

Some modern geometrics

some more subdued prints

and some great polka dots!

 

Please take a look, remember free p&p is UK only

If you are outside the UK please email me and I can work out shipping for you.

Vintage linens

Autumn has really arrived here, there's a slight chill in the air in the mornings.

Just the right time to bring out the quilts!

Although in our house they are never really put away,

always a chance you may need to snuggle under one while watching the tv.

Here's a pic of one of the things I've been working on recently.

(The others are Christmas related and will be revealed at a later date!)

A crazy patchwork cushion -

I made it from vintage linens and  cotton fabric which is from the Eden range by Nel Whatmore from Free Spirit Fabrics. (Available from my shop!)

 
The problem with vintage embroidered linens is that 9 times out of 10 there is a stain (which you can't shift no matter what you try!) or else Mr Moth has been there before you.
I know it seems terrible to cut these beautiful things,
but isn't better to enjoy then like this than leave them folded in a drawer?
Please don't chop up the family heirlooms -
sometimes you can pick these up at car boot or charity sales.
I was fortunate, that a friend who was clearing out a house, gave these to me.
So what do you think?
Modern fabrics and vintage linens, do they mix? 


Log cabin finish

I have been meaning to share this for a while, a log cabin finish.

I blogged about making it here, inspired by a Fons and Porter free ebook

I made this log cabin quilt.

I quilted it with a combination of free motion and straight line quilting. 

I quilted an all over flower and swirly motif in the center panel

 and then some straight lines on the white triangles at the edges.

 

 I even tried - for the first time ever - a feather border!

 It was very challenging - something that will take a whole lot more practice! 

 I still struggle to look at my quilting and feel happy with it.

Maybe it's not perfect, I definitely will not win any competitions for quilting!

But it feels good to make a quilt top and complete it yourself!

Do you hand quilt, machine quilt or send it to a long arm quilter?

What's your preference?

Festival of Quilts catch up and giveaway on facebook

It's that time of the year again and I'm just back form my annual outing to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. Unfortunately I didn't take very many photos, but I have a few to share with you. As usual the competition quilts did not disappoint!
I found myself looking at some of them and wondering how on earth they didn't get prizes, but hey ho, I'm not a judge! and I don't think I would like to be either!
Here are a couple of pixelated quilts that caught my eye...
No prizes for guessing WHO this is???

(Sorry, I don't have the makers name.)

 

Another highly pixelated pictorial quilt - try squinting at this one.

 

As always it was an inspirational show, and I've just about recovered today! Time to catch up on a few bees blocks that are long overdue!

And  before I sign off, pop over to facebook and find my fabric giveaway - make sure to share!  

Phew! it's warm!

Right now Ireland is basking in a heat wave!

It may be a mini one, I'm not quite sure -

but we're all enjoying it!

I'm sure it'll not last long so we better make the most of it!

Last week, in anticipation of this warm spell, I made myself a

tropical version of my Rik Rak bag.

The fabric is Cocoon by Valorie Wells, which is available in my shop!

I have also completed some blocks for my Bees:

 June Hipbees - A wonky log cabin for Lynz! 

May Modern Irish Bee - Some triangles for Anneliese!

and June Modern Irish Bee - some tumblers for Judith!

I really enjoyed making these and I'm sure there's something great in the pipeline for July!

Hope you're coping with the heat where you are - and finding a little time for sewing!

 

Shop!

Yes, that's right I've taken a major step and opened a small shop!

Primarily I wanted to promote my designs,

but of course if you have a pattern,

you really need the fabric too!

I live in an area where there is not a big choice of patchwork shops,

so I am aiming to give more variety to local crafters.

The shop is based at my own house, in a shed which I have renovated.

I've also set up a website www.lisnawearyquilts.eu

Here are a few of my newest patterns:

 This is Miss Honey Belle..

and this is 'My House' cushion cover,

featuring a traditional Irish thatched cottage.

So here's hoping it's a success...if you never try, you never know!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

I haven't done this is quite a while, but today I'm linking up an

extra special quilt, to the Blogger's Quilt Festival. 

 

Some friends and I got together to make a quilt for another

friend who is unwell at the minute.

We wanted something bright. Something to cheer her up.

Something to cuddle under when days are tough.

We took a pattern we found at allpeoplequilt.com,

made a few adjustments to the size and added

our own applique designs. 

 I'm not sure I can give you very many details on this quilt -

most of the fabrics are scrappy bits and pieces!

 

 



Made by: Lisnaweary Quilts bee! (Eileen, Mary, Sheila and me!)

Finished size: 56" x 72"

Pattern: Based on Fast & Fusible Daisy Quilt, allpeoplequilt.com

Quilted: Free Motion Quilted Loops by me on a Janome Horizon

Bluebell walk and giveaway winner

On Sunday we went to a local forest and took part in the 'Bluebell Walk'.

An annual event which helps raise funds for cancer charities.

Due to a very cold spring the bluebells are late this year,

but we did manage to spot a few!

 and some lovely primroses.

 A new friend called Fudge.

The climb to the top of Knockmany was worth it,
just to see such a lovely view on a clear day.

 

And now the important info!!
 The winner is.......number 11 Linda



Congratulations!

Linda 29 April 2013 17:02

HELLO! NEAT GIVEAWAY!
HAPPY TO FOLLOW >GFC!
LIKE YOU ON FB TOO!

Please send me an email with your details and I'll send you the bag kit!

GIVEAWAY IS HERE

  

Just a quick post today to share some bee blocks.

 A pieced block for Hipbees, requested by Sarah @ Sew me 

and an Improv Chevron for Modern Irish Bee, requested by

Eva @ Pippa Blue 

Both are in todays post!

Little things

GIVEAWAY IS HERE

Here in Northern Ireland the Government has introduced a tax on shopping bags.

Personally I think it's a good thing, encouraging the re-use of bags.

I have no problem remembering to put bags in the car when going shopping,

the real problem is remembering to take them into the shop with me !

 I made this shopping bag last month and appliqued a little large birdie on the front.

I added some strips of hessian for the handles which saves time and are super strong!

 To-day I made some little gift bags from some fabric scraps -

I'm sure the plastic or paper gift bags are liable for bag tax aswell?

Anyway, totally unrelated to bags, I made re-up-cycled an old...emm...whatchamecallit..

covered it with fabric and now it holds my rotary cuuter and pencils!

I had to rearrange my sewing room a little and didn't have room

 on the table anymore for my usual pot of pens!

I'm really pleased with this new holder.

Have you upcylced anything lately?

Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
I've been quiet for such a long time - its not like me;)

I had a busy month in April, preparing patterns and fabrics for my first ever show!

I took the plunge and took a stall at our local craft and sewing show in Belfast.

It went very well and I met loads of people, all enthusiastic sewers and patchworkers!

And I was able to catch up with some friends who I hadn't seen in ages.

This show has sent me spinning in a new direction,

it involves patterns, fabric and kits!

 

To celebrate I'm giving away one of my bag kits:

 

(This pattern or kit is available to buy, please contact me)

To enter :

1. Follow this blog and tell me. Or tell me if you already follow!

2. Like Lisnaweary Quilts on facebook and share the giveaway.

For an extra entry, share this giveaway on your blog!

 

That's it! Giveaway closes Monday 6th May at 12 noon GMT.

 

 

The root of my addiction - log cabin

Yep, there it is.

The one thing that got me addicted.

Hands up who's with me?

The first ever quilt I made was log cabin, and ever since that,

I've felt this need to sew pieces of fabric together and create things.

I say create 'things' - not necessarily quilts - all things fabricy.

At this stage you may expect to see a photo of my first quilt.

Not a chance!

I still have it, I still want to pick it apart and re-sew it,

but it rests undisturbed, in a forgotten corner of the attic.

Thoughts of all things log cabin came back to me when I was asked recently to review a free ebook of Log Cabin Quilt Patterns from Fons and Porter.

 

I have always been a fan of log cabin,

in fact one of my most treasured quilts is a log cabin design.

The Log Cabin Quilt Pattern ebook is jam packed with different ideas

and layouts for log cabin quilts.

But best of all, it give charts which state the different strip widths you need to produce different sizes of log cabin blocks.

I decided to try out a small scale 'chevron block'.

I made the quilt top using some scraps (a lot of them from this quilt),

 my blocks measure 5". 

I am really pleased with how it turned out. The border is actually

more of a raspberry red colour than the photo shows.

The ebook is not totally about log cabin, it also has a few extra

hints and tips on finishing quilts.

 

So if you fancy taking a new look at log cabin, this is a great place to start.

It supplies some patterns, but I think best of all, it gives you the measurements and inspiration you need to come up with your own designs.

So tell the truth, which patchwork block started your addiction? :) 



Queen Bee for February!

It's my turn this month to be 'Queen Bee' for the Modern Irish Bee.

I came across a tutorial for this block on the blog Sophie Junction, which I thought was a great take on a traditional 9 patch block.

I took the plunge and cut into my treasured stash

of 'Chicopee' by Denyse Schmidt.

Her new range 'Shelbourne Falls' has just hit the online shops and I'm really tempted - all those plaids...

 

Here's a few more Bee blocks I've made lately-

first up, is a disappearing nine patch for Collette in the Hipbees.



Flying Geese for Di, another Hipbee, which I returned to her in

super quick time. (Because usually I'm last!)

And finally. some scrappy triangles for Fi, in the Modern Irish Bee.

Just goes to show, that no matter how small the scrap of fabric is,

there's always a use for it!

Long time no blog..

Well, at long last I've got back to my blog.

Things have been busy around here (As usual!)

 

Last week I got a lovely email from Lorraine who lives in Denver, Colorado.

She had found one of my quilt designs on the Moda Bakeshop

and had made it for a friend's new baby.

I was delighted that she had taken the time to share it with me,

And allowed me to share it with you! 

Such fantastic quilting.

Seeing this quilt really made my day.