A JOURNEYS END

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Almost a year ago I started out on an epic journey, the journey of my first commission!!(whhaaatt?? someone wants me to make them a quilt, for money??) I was rather apprehensive as up until now I had only ever made things that I wanted to, blocks or patterns that appealed to me in colours and fabrics that called to me. Most of them end up as presents for other people, but still if you're going to spend hours on something its got to spark your interest right?

Suddenly to be faced with a very specific criteria put me in a flat spin, it wasn't a style I would naturally be drawn to, nor was the colour palette something I had worked in before but you know me, I love a good challenge!! You can read about the start of my African Adventure here.

Having made a sprinting start with lots of ideas and creativity flowing it got to around August/September time and I totally stalled, it was so sunny and bright, love was blooming (swoon Mr Keeble) and I just had no motivation to sit in doors sewing bits of fabric in brown and muted shades together. The more I knew I had to do it and was running out of time, the less I seemed able to motivate myself to do. I got a bit tangled up with it all, tried out a few experimental blocks that really really didn't work, so with my motivation and now my confidence totally down the pan I stopped altogether. I had a month off where I didn't even look at it, and then started doing lots of research into all the other projects I had seen being done by the wonderful people I follow on Instagram (you can find me on there as thatssewkerry) and that 1 month suddenly became 3 months - more on that later. Now it's January and I've got less than 7 weeks to get this monster done and dusted....panic mode!! 

Having spent a huge amount of time researching all sorts of blocks, designs, quilts you name it really over the last few months I went back through it all and found this particular block called 'Capital T'. 

Originally 6" I scaled it up to be the 18" I needed and set to work finishing off the African Star. You can find out how I made this block by having a look at my new Tutorials button at the top of the home page or by clicking here. 

Originally I made 4 of these blocks, 1 cream, 1 tan and 2 red with the intention of having them alternating along the bottom row, rather irritatingly 4 turned out to be to wide and would have resulted in me having to cut them in a funny position in order to get them to fit and as such the repeat pattern would have been lost, but of course 3 wasn't wide enough to complete the row ggrrrrrr!!! So back to the old faithful 2.5" strips to fill up the extra space, not a total loss as it reflects the top row where a similar totally planned design feature had happened!! 

Due to the size of these blocks there were several large areas of empty space so I tried to be more adventurous with my quilting, mostly just echoing the shapes being quilted such as squares and triangles but still and adventurous step for me. 

One of my New years quilting resolutions was/is to be braver when quilting my blocks and to try to add in more quilting opportunities to the blocks or quilts I am choosing to make. It's a baby step I'll grant you but I'm proud all the same.

The next stage is slightly less exciting but with all the blocks now done they had to be joined together, I opted for my old favourite quilt-as-you-go method, although I do now have the machine space and the table space to attempt whole quilting projects it's still not something I feel brave enough to attempt. Plus I really like the idea of working on smaller bits and then suddenly having a huge quilt to put together, there's a real sense of achievement in that somewhere for me - usually mixed in with a whole lot of madness.

Blocks become rows and then rows become quilts, soon there after there is a flourish of furious hand stitching to get all the back bindings attached and all those raw edges covered, all the while a lot of swearing and stabbed fingers is going on - I've never been able to get on with a thimble! Finally arriving at that very satisfying moment when that last stitch goes in and months and months of work turn into this......

Thank you to everyone who has offered me there thoughts, opinions, ideas and just general support throughout this epic adventure, it really means very much to me and I don't think I would have believed in myself enough to get it done without you all. Lets start the next one......

Happy Quilting

Kerry xx

STILL FLIRTY AT 30?!

Happy Birthday Chantal

Christmas Eve marks the day that this wonderful human was born, and I'm thankful everyday that she was!! And this year (last year) she turned 30 and therefore by default is entitled to a rather special present in my opinion! It's been months in the making.....mostly down to laziness, sadness and sickness but I got there in the end a multitude of bright shiny stars, for my bright shiny star. When making a girly present to go into a home she shares with a boy, does one need to take this manliness into account?? Uuuuuuummm NO!! Sorry Mark, but it was flowers, flowers, flowers and hearts all the way.

I did however take into account the colours of the house and their decor, even though it is intended for Chantal, and went with her favourite turquoise in as many shades and varieties as I had (and bought) and mixed that up with 50 Shades of Beige!  

I trawled through many a book to find "stars" that lept out at me and even invented a few of my own, all with my bestest in mind and things that remind me of her.

We have been through a great deal her and I with enough chocolate to fill 3 Olympic sized swimming pools (that's no exaggeration either....scarily) and come out stronger the other side. We have laughed, dear Lord how we have laughed, cried, danced, dieted, Zumba-ed, run, crawled, passed out and everything in between. 

She helped me move into my house after she had been at work the whole day, without complaint and with chocolate in hand and on her birthday she brought me Lemsip, Soothers and Cellotape because I was to ill to get it myself. So it seemed only fitting that her quilt was made of stars, totally unique, beautiful and ever so slightly wonky stars!!! 

It was a great success and she totally loved it...lets be honest did she really have a choice?!! On to the next 25 projects I have to get done.....

Happy Quilting

Kerry xx

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe it's a new year already, this year (last year) has just flown by and what a year it has been!! Some incredible highs and some hit the ground rock bottom lows......here we go!

In February my bestest got married and oh my what a magical day it was, now I know you will be thinking that I'm biased so obviously I'm going to say that, but it truly truly was!!! Everything was just perfect, the setting, her dress, the flowers, the band it was like being apart of an amazing film and I can honestly say I don't think I've ever cried so much from happiness in my life!! 

In May this little monkey was born and totally brightened up my life with her tiny hands, those darling eyes and an infectious giggle like no other.

My little Amélie bear continues to get more and more beautiful every day, so talented is she that Santa even called upon her this year to help out with elf duty.

More recently, last week as it happens this little monkey made his appearance, unfortunately I have to wait 47 more sleeps until I get to snuggle up to him, his big (but still little) brother and my other favourite who sadly doesn't live here....can not wait!! 

The rapid spiral down to 30 is fast approaching me.....shriek!! And I never thought that after nearly 9 years I would be heading there single, but life has a funny way of pulling the rug out from under you without warning and that's what happened nearly 5 months ago. It's been a massive adjustment, but I have to say not quite as scary as I thought it was going to be largely due to these wonderful gems that have kept me going with their love presents, cuddles, encouragement, support and down right hysterical behaviour!! There have been times when I honestly couldn't breathe and I thought I might just wet myself, and I for that I can not thank you enough. You know who you are, and I love you lots. 

Unfortunately I still continue to lose my battle to Fabricitis and as a result I have kept a multitude of quilt and fabric shops in business this year in a number of countries, here are a few of those piles.....

And the creations they helped create for a multitude of special occasions - Daddy's 50th, Granny's birthday, the birth of The Vinster, 2 quilting bees and a ridiculous amount of UFOs

In amongst all of this chaos, the highs, the lows, the hangovers, the laughter, the tears, the weddings, the babies, the break ups, the birthdays, the funerals and the almost start of something wonderful, I have successful managed to lose 31lbs so although I'm dangerously close to becoming Bridget Jones....at least I will be a skinny one!!

Look out 2015 I'm coming for you.

Much Love

Kerry xx

TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

Christmas Bee Round Up

WIP Wednesday was super productive not only did I manage to complete two Bee blocks, but I also got some work done on a secret project for a special little monkey! Smug smile and own back pats coming up!!

First up is the completed Triple Star block that I made for Gemma, she had very specific color choices and color placements as these blocks are intended for a particular place in her house. Although some of the pieces are really small the block itself comes together really nicely and the finished product looks really good.

Next up is my absolute favorite.....Cordelia's Garden, this time in a modern Christmas theme!! 

Kona snow was the requested background color, I got mine from the fabulous Plush Addict, if you haven't checked them out you really should, they have a fantastic range of just about everything and their service is really fast. Most of the work for this block is in making the half triangle squares, after that it is just a case of sewing all the squares together.

I just love this block so much, I know I say it a lot but I really really do, no matter what the colors or patterns of the fabric are it just looks great!

I also had a new challenge this month in the form of Ziggy Stardust, Kona white and a jewel color of my choice were the requirements for this one.

Again with this block there are a number of little pieces that make the start of it quite fiddley but they do result in such a cute little star that is the focal point for this block.

I am really happy with this little star, it is my first attempt at this block and I managed to match the points and the seams up rather well. After putting the star together the rest of block comes together in minutes as all the other pieces are larger and just various sized rectangles. 

I loved making all these blocks, I mean come on who doesn't like twinkling stars?!

Happy Quilting

Kerry xx

AROUND THE WORLD BLOG HOP.....

The Makings of An Autumn Triple Star!!

I have been tagged in the Around the Blog World by my fellow Bee member Pam, over on Sewing Wilde all the way from Western New York. If you haven't yet seen Pam's blog make sure you check it out, she has some wonderful tutorials on there and many inspirational projects to keep you entertained over these horrid cold evenings!!

As I didn't get any responses back from the people around the world I asked if I could tag, I am going to have to bully my quilting bestie Kerry Q into it, since I know she has some fab projects on the go right now....she's going to kill me, so this will probably be my last post!!

Ok, here we go

1. What are you working on?

I have a few projects on the go right now, as I always do because so many things catch my eye that I simply can not focus on one project at a time, from start to finish. I have three baby quilts on the go and another one that needs starting, a really cute advent calendar (dear Lord it's almost that time again), an idea for a macho man quilt and a multitude of Bee Blocks.

This month is the turn of the lovely Gemma, who is currently suffering from baby brain, to be Queen Bee. She chose the Triple Star as her block and sent out a fab array of reds, beiges and browns for us to use.

Once I had cut down the fabrics to the sizes and shapes that were needed, each beige square had to be sewn to a red or brown square depending on where in the star it was going, thus forming a multitude of half square triangles....

The squares then need to be trimmed down and sewn together in order to build up each section, eventually forming the points of the stars.

2. How does my work differ from others?

It is entirely made up of fabrics, colors and patterns that I like, even if I am making it for someone else!?! I have to say I am not very good at following a pattern, I do tend to start at the bit I like the most, even if it is in the middle or in fact the end of the instructions. And try as I might I simply can not move away from turquoise! So you will know it is my work because without fail there will be some turquoise in there somewhere....even if it is pink and girly!

3. Why do I do what I do?

To stop myself from going completely mad, to hide away from the rest of life which isn't always very nice! I just love to be creative and make things, I have a real disease when it comes to fabric, so really quilting is just a disguise. I enjoy the challenges quilting presents, although I don't always come off the better for it!

4. How does my creative process work?

It's very simple really, I find something that makes me go "ooooooooooooo" and I go from there, it could be a pattern or design, a color palette, a piece of fabric or collection of fabrics or a person or occasion. I think the most important thing is to be inspired by what you are doing, to have something constantly on your mind that you just can't wait to carry on with or develop further.

Usually my process starts with finding "that" fabric.....you know the one!

Happy Quilting

Kerry xx