A Momentous June

Hello there

I hope your week has been going well..... Thanks so much to all of you who sent me such lovely blogiversary wishes - I really enjoyed hearing from each one, so many thanks again... If you haven't already entered for the June giveaway, please do by clicking here ....

As I sit here in front of the fire (YES, THE FIRE IS LIT....its the end of June & its so cold we have a lovely fire crackling in the hearth....) But anyway, I was thinking how momentous this June has been for our country with the Queen's Jubilee. But for me, it was also a momentous month for family & friendships.... 

Here are some of the highlights:

The FAT QUARTERLY RETREAT in London was wonderful - a fantastic weekend to meet & laugh with bloggy friends ...& maybe get a wee bit of stitching done too!

I managed (just at the very last minute) get this backpack finished with some wonderful Summersville fabrics

The Olympic Torch arrived in town & my two lovely boys (& the rowing coach) were there to help receive it!!

My wonderful daughter finished her school years....

It seems that only a wee while ago she had her first day in a tiny school house in Scotland

How the years have flown by!!

Fathers Day included some more stitching

McGinty became a model (at the request of a local photographer I might add!!)

And in between all this & the exam (GCSE & A level) trials & tribulations & trying to avoid the rain, I made this sunshine tote for someone in our do. Good Stitches Circle

So a few stitchy things done & some still to do... Here's (some of) my plans for July

You might notice a lot of hand sewing over the next couple of weeks!! I'm wondering what you all will be up to.... Well, no matter what your plans are for July I wish you all a great month, filled with lots of stitchy creativity & birdsong!

Take care

Karen

Fathers Day (fatigue!)

Hello there!

I hope you had a great weekend... did you have a nice Father's Day yesterday?

I must admit I'm shattered!! Because my parents live close by, Fathers Day is a big thing in our house.... lots of food & chat (which I love) ... but the downside is I seem to have spent all weekend on it - either sewing, cooking or cleaning up!!! I'm embarrassed to say I didn't get the quilt finished for my husband - but  he got lots of lovely gifts from the children, so is happy to wait for his birthday in July to get it. 

I did however, manage to make something for my dad... 

A few months ago I gave him a camera with a case, but he keeps on loosing the charger leads & bits & pieces - so this wee bag will keep them all together for him. I love this Echino fabric!

He travels quite a bit, so I used fusible fleece to give the camera a bit of protection when he packs it in his suitcase. 

For this week I have set myself only one goal (seeing as I failed miserably on last weeks list!)

So I'd better get on with it!
Hope you have a great week & accomplish at least one stitchy thing :)
Karen

Foiled on Friday by Trials with Technology

Hello there!

How has your week been? I've been super busy trying to get some long-needed projects finished... but unfortunately I've been foiled by the storms which means we've been without electricity since Thursday night. We're all sorted now, but before I get on with my quilting, here is my to-do list & progress so far:

• Make a fathers day gift for my dad...something for his camera - got an idea for this
• Make a fathers day gift for my husband....something for his surgery - QUILT TOP FINISHED, BACKING FINISHED
• Post off some bee blocks DONE :)
• Finish a secret gift for someone in our Care Circle bee - almost finished
• Make a start at the Handstitched Class project - no progress yet :(

So unfortunately my great intentions haven't exactly come to too much!

The big project was a quilt for my husband for fathers day for his doctors surgery &, although I'm a wee bit behind schedule, hopefully I will get this finished in time....Thanks so much for all the brill suggestions about the blocks - I've squinted at it (thanks Dolores), looked at it through a black & white filter (thanks Kerry), scrutinised & pondered over it & finally, come up with this:

Now the colours are a lot lighter in real life than this picture & the squares are 12"X12" - so hopefully it will be a a nice wee throw & a good size for the treatment couch in the surgery... 

For my father I'll be making a pouch for his camera & leads & bits & pieces - but that will have to wait till tomorrow too!

So are you fixed for fathers day? Do you make gifts or buy them? What about cards?? If you're looking for some last minute fathers day gifts here are some great possibilities from pinterest....
Aren't these key chain fobs so cute!

Tutorial etc from My Crazy Life

Love this dog silhouette!

Tutorial etc from The Creativity Exchange 

This looks like a great printable book for dad

Download etc from eighteen25 

Lots of great printables for fathers day

Downloads from Hello Lucky

Hopefully this lot has given you some last-minute inspiration! I'll be back on Sunday hopefully to show you my completed gifts!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend! (& congrats to England who have just beaten Sweden for the first time in World Cup Football history!)
Karen

Wednesday wonderings & a little progress

Hello there!
Just dropping in for a wee progress report on my "project a day" plans...

The day started well I got the front & back of a bag I am making in a secret swap for one of the ladies in our do. Good Stitches bee

I am really enjoying making this bag....its so bright & happy! I had thought of using the quilt-as-you  go method, but instead I used fusible fleece & quilted around each patch - laborious, but I like the finished look

While it was still sunny I also made some progress on my husbands fathers day gift. A few months ago Lynne (AKA Lily's Quilts) posted a Dead Simple Quiltalong & my husband asked me to make him a quilt for his surgery. His favourite colours are green & purple, so I duly bought some lovely Kona Solids in various shades of purple & green. Of course, like many of my bright ideas, I kind of lost interest before I even started & the fabrics were left abandoned in a corner of the cupboard  (sorry Lynne). But seeing as Fathers Day is fast approaching I thought I should look again at the fabrics... but this time no matter how I arranged them, I just didn't like them together... Does that ever happen to you - you are making something for someone & really want to be directed by their taste, not yours... but its so difficult... Well, unfortunately I just couldn't go with the green & purple combo & instead came up with this

My husband LOVES dogs... I mean seriously ADORES them (while I'm typing this, he's looking at photos of Old English Sheepdogs - I'll say no more!!) So hopefully he won't mind me substituting the purple fabrics for Annela's Sherbet Pips dogs.. I've made some more blocks but I was just wondering before I stitch them all together, what do you think of the colour/pattern combos? I was reading somewhere something about mixing high & low value prints & I have no idea what that means... but I am hoping someone out there might help me out (preferably by tomorrow!!!) So, please do tell me - how does this look to you? If you were a patient going to see your GP (family doctor) & you had to lie down on the treatment couch would you like this little lot over you??? 

I can't wait to hear what you think.... 

Take care

Karen