Lessons learnt!

Finally I get to do my bloggy! I have missed chatting here  :-(

My sister and nephew were over from Italy for two weeks and I was forbidden from sewing!!! Well, that was until my sister discovered that I can sew pillowcases and then BOOOOOOM!!!
I asked myself how many pillowcases can this girl want...but she took  2 pairs with her and I am left with another 6 pillowcases to sew!!!!!

Well, before she gets her pillowcases I had to finish this block for Ceri for my Bee Europa.

I know I am repeating myself everytime but I do struggle with the Bee blocks, not because they are massively complicated but because they are not mine...and that means there is very little to no scope for error...I can be less of a perfectionist when it comes to my own quilts but when I know that what I am making will be going to another person I become the quilt police personified!!!!

Ceri wanted a flower for a quilt for her one year old daughter and clearly this is close to my heart having had Isabella 3 months ago!
I agonised over what type of flower and which of the fabrics to use and then when I finally came up with the flower the pillowcases got in the way and another fellow Bee got there first!!!! Lesson 1: get on with the block of your choice asap after you receive the fabrics and instructions!
Finally whilst awake in wee hours of the morning over a feeding session, I had a flower epifany! I have used a pattern from the Material Obsession book ( I love these 2 books and have read them millions of times!) by the brilliant Sarah Fielke. Lesson 2: no need to go far away from what I love for inspiration.
Once I decided the order of the fabrics I then went through some magazines looking for inspiration about the rest of the block. I finally found a shape I liked and proceeded to cut the fabrics (admittedly late at night) without doing the math and hoping it would all fall in place in the end. I was horrified when they did not!!!Arghh. Lesson 3: don't be an idiot, never cut fabric late in the evening and always do the math or get Mr Whirlygiggles to do it for you -even better as he is very bright with numbers although the 1/4 inch seam throws him a bit!!!).
Finally, I had to make up a border of my own without having to rely on other's ideas. As scary as that is, I think the block looks very cute and original. Lesson 4: no need to be so very scared.

I have worked on this block for days and I have learnt a lot as stated in this blog! Ceri & Felix, I hope you like the block and Felix, I hope you will be very happy covered in all these flowers!

By the way, where does time go? Isabella will be 14 weeks in 2 days!!! I cannot resist a little photo and to say that she seems to be learning loads at the moment too like sucking her thumb (she finally realised that the whole fist in mouth bit is not too comfy!) and how to get the immediate attention of her devoted parents whom (as my best friend Juniper pointed out today)  "Isabella has complete control over"...what can I say...it is all true!!!

Why do your Greek grandmother and auntie pop a hat on your head everytime my back is turned for one minute?!!!

Amelie x

Bee Europa 2011

and this is Cara's (Pink Stitches) block for June....
running a bit late :-(
BUT I loved the fabrics (Just Wing It by Moda) and I loved following this pattern...It is clever and beautiful and it should make a gorgeous quilt when all the pieces are put together.

Thank you Cara and I hope you enjoy your block!

The tutorial for making a plaid like this one can be found at:  http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/01/sultry-jelly-roll-project-sheet.html

Amelie x

Blocks coming out of my ears!!!!

I know I am walking a tightrope here in terms of boring you all to death with these blocks so I have decided that I will only put up my most favourite ones (as opposed to each one I make!).

My alterior motive is that I have been doing the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along and I have LOADS of those blocks to show you as well...so I must not abuse the patience and kindness of those of you who are following my blog! :-)

This is still my Japanese X quilt. I have now completed 30 of the 56 blocks! well, I guess the best way to look at it is that I have less than halfway to go!!!

The worry of what the border will look like on a quilt like this is keeping me awake at night :-(

I still struggle with the quality of the photos so I think I should aim for a new camera for my birthday as opposed to a new sewing machine? let me think about this for a nanosecond...I think the sewing machine wins!!!

Isabella is now 10 weeks (where does time go?????) and here is a gorgeous little photo of her and the clothes/hats my mother will get her to wear when my back is turned for 5 minutes!!!

Isn't she gorgeous in her little bonnet?!!! I can't believe she is all mine!!! (and Mr Whirlygiggle's of course!)

                                                                   Amelie x

The Liebster Award!

Yippeeeeeee!!!!!!

I have never won any awards (not sure that 2 bronze medals in table tennis when I was 14 count?!!! :-)) and I am very grateful to ScissorsandThread  http://scissorsandthread.blogspot.com/ for nominating me!!! That is very lovely of you A.

For those of you who do not know, the Liebster Award is designed to bring additional recognition to blogs that have less tht 300 followers! It is awarded to 3 blogs at a time and each awarded blog has to then nominate a further 3 lovely bloggies!

so, here we go my nominations of blogs I really like that I have discovered recently:

1. http://lifeinlists.typepad.com/ gorgeous photos and gorgeous handmade beauties!

2. http://craftsfromkaren.blogspot.com/ Karen's lovely blog called "Ramblings of a Novice Quilter". Gorgeous and inspiring work...

3. http://an-eclectic-mix.blogspot.com/ Rachael's blog called Tiny Pink , again full of lovelies, grorgeous colours and loads of inspiration.

Check these blogs out and if you are not seen them yet them, please do so as they worth every read!

                                                                   Amelie x

Night labour!

More Japanese X Blocks!

I love these blocks and what I love more about them is the thinking that I have to do for the colour choices and the lack of concentration that I seem to show nowadays when it comes to the construction of the blocks!!!
Please try not to look at the pictures too closely...not all points are matching as they should...but I am trying to be more tolerant of myself and more forgiving of my lack of patience when sewing after 10pm :-)

So, for the quilt police out there...thank god you don't know where I live!!!!

This next one has to be amongst my favourites...I loooove it!

I love the way these blocks are evolving...I started with one range of fabrics (scraps left over from another quilt) as I wanted some uniformity...but a number of other fabrics have been since introduced and I feel a lot less worried about the overall effect...(these might be my famous last words !!!)

Well, 25 done, another 26 to go!!!! Easy peasy (NOT) !!!!

                                                               Amelie x

My secret obsession!!!!

The lovely Kerry from http://verykerryberry.blogspot.com/ has started this funny link and I have been dying to take part for days except time is a very precious and limited commodity for me at the moment...however, I think I am still in time to disclose my obsessions and believe me I have thought about this long and hard in the wee hours of the morning when I am feeding my first and major obsession! :-)

The truth is that before I met Mr Whirlygiggles, in my single girl days, when I had a lot of time to myself, I had quite a few obsessions such as shopping every Saturday in Selfridges  followed by a creamy hot chocolate and a ciggie in their basement bar (ahhhh those were the days!!!), playing backgammon on the internet for HOURS and 'mashing' my opponents and buying millions of books and DVDs!!!!!

When I saw this post on Kerry's blog I wondered for ages what my obsessions are nowadays and I fear I have become an old and boring moo :-( 

Anyway, I will give it a go.
In order of priority and excluding Mr Whirlygiggles and fabrics and all things patchwork, here is my definitive list:

A. Isabella: what can I say....she came after a major loss for me and she is the 'be all and end all' of my life...

B. (Patchwork and all things thread and fabric...in brackets as I should not be mentioning this BUT it is truly my second biggest obsession!!!)

C. Orchids: especially the ones that I have rescued from the bin when people thought they were well and truly dead...to be honest I am not a green fingered person...actually I have a bit of a disgust thing about worms and so gardening is not on my agenda...but I love these plants and I have accumulated 9 beautiful ones so far.

And here is one I rescued from the office...poor thing was discarded at the back of a printer on the way to the rubbish:

D. Make-up: I simply loooove make-up although nowadays  I own a tiny bag of it... I have a fascination with the colours and the textures of make up and I love watching people applying make up. My alter ego is a beauty therapist but in reality I barely ever wear it!!!

Anyway, that is enough about my secret obsessions (did I mention buying fabric?!!!!)...it is 'feeding time at the zoo' so am off!

                                                                        Amelie x

Love actually!

In between nappy changes, feeds and masses of cuddles, I managed to complete my May Bee Europa block for Elisa...

It is based on a  tutorial by Aneela Hoey which can be found here: http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/comfortstitching/2011/04/crazy-scrappy-block-tutorial-and-a-maybe-quilt-a-long.html

As we know there is nothing about making a quilt (or a block in this case) that does not require loads of thinking, planning and hard work and this crazy scrappy block is no exception to my rule.
I find it very hard to work with another person's fabrics and that is why this block has been a bit of challenge but hugely enjoyable to make as well.
I have used some of my scraps to compliment Elisa's fabric choices and I picked my favourite "The Owl & the Pussycat" to be the central theme of the block.

As always, there is a lot of love here and i hope that these two creatures will live happily every after in Elisa's home!!!
Elisa I hope you like it!

                                                                    Amelie x