Happy Hearts ...

Apologies for the delay in posting about my All Hearts Appeal.

Thus far I have about thirty hearts, all donated from wonderful people near and far. I really appreciate each and every one that I have received and it's been lovely to see the effort that people have shown.

I do apologise for the photographs above, some of which were taken during the evening, the lighting is terrible. These are some of the hearts received in the last couple of weeks.

1. Anne in dedication to her first husband

2. Anne in dedication to her parents who both died from cancer

3. Angie Woodhemp

4. Janis Green

5 - 7. Anne

8 - 10. Wendy Herbert

11 + 12. Wendy http://thecraftersapprentice.blogspot.com

Centre. Jane Weston

I would be exceedingly grateful for more hearts, the more the merrier really as I would dearly love to be able to make as many quilts as possible and aim to use at least 60 heart blocks per quilt.

I'm also going to throw open the colour of blocks to extend to a red or pink background, I think the odd splash of colour will add so much interest to the quilt.

Thank you

Caroline xx

PAY IT FORWARD ANYONE?

I'm so excited to have joined Karen's PIF project over on her blog, here.

This means that in the next 365 days I get to receive something handmade from Karen along with two other recipients. How wonderful!!!

In true PIF tradition I pledge to also send a handmade gift to three lucky recipients in the hope that they too spread the love and share a gift within 365 days.

Is anyone interested in joining my PIF and receiving a gift from me - when you're least expecting it???

If so, leave me a comment on this blog post and the first three people to respond will be involved: please note - only respond if you genuinely intend to start your own PIF and would like to blog and post about it too.

Caroline xxx

All Heart Appeal

I want to make a difference, and I need your help!

I recently went to a concert where money was raised for various cancer charities. I got thinking that I would like to raise some money myself and my brain went into overdrive thinking of ways to help.

I have a number of reasons for wanting to support Cancer Research, my brother-in-Law died from cancer, my dad had a tumour removed from his stomach two years ago, a childhood friend died from breast-cancer in her thirties and my husband is undergoing treatment for cancerous tumours in his leg.

My little All Heart Appeal plan is to achieve the following;

I would like blocks to be donated that I will sash together, quilt and finish. The quilt (or hopefully quilts) will be raffled off at local events to and all proceeds will go to Cancer research. Even if you donate a heart you can also purchase a raffle ticket to win the quilt yourself. Each ticket will cost £2.50. That is a lot of tickets I need to sell to raise a goal of £400.00.

I would like the first quilt to be completed by August.

If you are interested in helping here's what to do;1. Measure a 8" x 8" square of neutral fabric, white-on-white or cream-on-cream to act as a background fabric.

2. Make a heart, any size so long as it fits within the block and less 1/4" for seam allowance. It can be any shape, fat, thin, elongated, stylized and in any colour.

3. You can also embroider a design within a plain heart like the one below:

4. The heart needs to be appliqued on either by stitching around a raw-edge, zig-zag stitched, blanket-stitched, fancy stitched, needle-turned the choice is yours - so long as it doesn't peel off is the general advice.

5. Once completed mail to me (leave a comment and I will e-mail you my address)and I will do the rest!!

Why not dedicate your heart to someone whose life has been touched by cancer. All dedications will be written in a note that will go with the quilt to winning recipients.

If you don't want to make a heart but want to dedicate one and I will make one on your behalf I will ask that you make a donation on my just giving page found here

You can make a difference.

COULD I ALSO ASK ANYONE READING THIS POST TO PLEASE BLOG ABOUT MY APPEAL FOR HEARTS OR LINK MY BUTTON IN THE SIDEBAR TO YOUR OWN BLOG - THANK YOU SO MUCH XXX

Thank you
Caroline xx

Happy Days ...

My colour scrap blocks are coming along nicely but this week I wanted to concentrate on something else. The arrival of "Lollipop Baby" fabrics made me put away everything else and whip up a simple baby quilt using the full range.

Although I love the colours for me it is a bit too busy, I'm wondering if I should have sashed with white!

Mmmmm maybe that's another quilt!

Excuse the poor photo on this one but the design wall was full and the only room left was on the floor with the awful red rug that covers a multitude of sins!!

My colour spools are coming along nicely, I wasn't sure at first - I looked at other spool quilts where straight piecing is more the norm, so I made red and green straight and left the others wonky. I like wonky!!

I'm quite excited about it to be honest, and I'm just going to take my time over these fun blocks. It's definately going to be a studio piece and will fit right in with my others. I sure do love gazing over the fabrics, especially when life has it's off moments and I need to remind myself of everything good in my life.

For now I will leave you with my photo of variegated thread. I love it.

They're multiplying ...

I've been having great fun this week, continuing to grow this scrappy little number - i can't seem to stop. I also found a whole heap of more scrap fabric that I've added to my basket.
I allowed myself to digress from the above and thought I would have a go at some colourful spool blocks. I was inspired by Jacqui's quilt over at Tallgrass Prairie Studio linked here.
Jacquie made hers with selvedges - which I don't have so hopefully I can get my stash of scraps down by using them in this way.

I've been itching to make a raw-edge quilt since I started quilting and I dived into these gorgeous flannel prints by Blue Hill Fabric called Zoo Friends. These prints are great for a youngster, either boy or girl. I made a little quilt measuring 36" x 42" in a day from start to finish. I love it.
I've also managed to design some cute little bags for a day workshop I'm teaching next month, there are a number of techniques thrown in for good measure, fusible applique, needle-turn applique, yo-yo's, 3d flowers as well as how to construct a simple tote bag.

Phew, I'm exhausted now but my other day job is requiring my attention this weekend and there will be no rest for me.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Simply Scrap Happy

I'm still here, alive and well!!!

I've had a pretty stressful couple of months and I'm trying to stay positive and grateful for all the wonderful things that are in my life.

This week I've been busy, as usual but I decided that I have had enough of the endless scraps of fabric floating about. Some of them are still left over from the very first quilts I made!!

Inspired by the many colourful quilts from the book Fresh Quilting linked here and Elizabeth Hartman's book here I fell in love with a block and decided to play.

I tipped all my scraps into a big basket and got simply, scrap happy!!!

I was going to stop at 6 blocks by 6 and make it into a baby quilt but it's quite addictive and I will keep expanding it until I'm happy.

I love the design, the vibrancy and the nostalgic moments I had when lifting out fabric I'd forgotten about. It's been quite a cathartic experience to get involved with my scraps.

The funny thing is that although the basket was full to overflowing when I started ... 42 blocks later, it is still full to overflowing!

Do you think fabric scraps multiply??

Colour me happy .....

It seems as though I have been away from the blogging scene for ages and ages.

As my little business grows from strength to strength other things have been requiring my attention.

Whilst my ebay shop has quietened down during the Easter holidays it has given me a little opportunity to enjoy some sewing - just for me - I have been wanting to create a colour-wheel quilt for a long time, an I finally manged to squeeze in a small wall hanging for my studio.

I will also be teaching some of my students this term
about colour, so it serves a dual purpose really.

Over the past couple of months it has seemed like all I have done is cut fabric - into fat quarters - into bundles - into neat packages tied up with string!! Aside from this I have been to my first trading event at a quilt group in Oxfordshire which was very enjoyable. I have also written about four patterns for various projects and more in the pipe-line.

Given the feedback I received I am now contemplating booking stalls at a few larger events, it's a scary thought but one I just about feel able to handle.

For now, I wish you all a happy, hoppy Easter with chocolate wishes for you all.

Caroline xxx