Irish Pin Cushion Swap

A few weeks ago I joined the Modern Irish Quilter's pin cushion swap. This is such a super swap as lots and lots of new-to-me Irish quilters have joined in, so its great fun seeing what everyone is into or planning on making.  When making my inspirational mosaic, I found a few cathedral window pin cushions that just mesmerized me.  I loved loved loved them. My partner seems to like them as well, so I thought I might give one a try.

I used the tute by Jamie Mueller to make mine.  It was well written and easy to follow.  She has two variations of her pin cushion, but I choose the most basic and straight forward one.  It's my first, after all!  I used a cherry red Amy Butler paired with a light blue floral from Sweetest Thing.  The window fabric is a simple Kona white.  

And voilà!  After lots of folding, pressing, folding, pinning and a few bad words my mother wouldn't be proud of I made this!

I am quite pleased with how it turned out.  I did struggle putting the little button on the center. It's quite hard to hold it in place, stitch and press to get the little dimple in the center.  I originally tried with a smaller button (silly) with four holes in the center.  Epic failure. I then found a larger button with only two holes and it worked a treat.

So, partner, I hope you like it!  If it is not your thing, I can change it up and make something else.  Let me know what you think!  

Swoon Blocks 6 and 7

I am still Swooning along.  Honestly!  These blocks, and this quilt, still hold my interest, but each block is a commitment so I am slow to turn them out.  I have just finished blocks 6 and 7.  Want to see them?

I really like the grey eyelets in this block.  They set off the business of the green print so that the overall effect doesn't induce seizures.  I'm digging the green and grey color combo too.  That's a new one for me.

I'm a little flustered with this one.  I had originally planned this block so that the pink was the center star print and the grey they surround, but I cut them in reverse order.  This means I'll have more grey stars in the quilt than I originally intended.  That being said, the pink dots may have been too busy for the central star.  Regardless, this block still looks nice with the others on my design wall.

Two more blocks to go!  I should have them finished this week all going well.  Woo hoo!

Clarinbridge Market Day

Last week I wasn't motivated to blog.  It took a while to recover from our Electric Picnic adventures (unpacking and sleeping and all) and I picked up a (totally rockin') souvenir head cold.  Anyway, life is back on track and I have missed you guys!  Here's the news...

Myself and Molly at the opening of the shop.  Molly was more interested in
her new friends at Madra to our left.

This past weekend  I spent Saturday (7th Sept) with the shop at the Clarinbridge Market Day.  Once a year they transform their town square into a market highlighting all of the local businesses and crafts people in the area.  There were jewellers, cupcake makers, antique shops, knitters, bookshops, livestock and veggie vendors.  It was so lovely to meet our neighbours, have a chat and peek around at the talent is just at our doorstep.

A wall of quilts by Emily (top left), Lucy (top right), Lynz (bottom left),
Annabella (bottom middle) and Little Star.

My other half and I put up a 3 meter x 3 meter canopy right in the center of the market.  We had a fantastic spot between a silver jewellery stand and Madra (love them!).  It was cold and drizzly so we decided to put up both the roof as well as the walls.  Thank goodness because by opening the rains were falling.  And falling.  And falling.  It was miserable, so there were very few people.  Finally by around 1 the rains lifted and the nicest group of supportive, cheerful, neighbourly folks started to arrive. 

A table of precuts, bundles, perle and Echio.  Yum!  Quilts by Rhonda (top) and
Erin (bottom)

 What was incredible was the number of younger girls and teens who were into sewing clothes for themselves, their dolls or cushions for their room.  That was really unexpected and very cool.  There were some new quilting faces and a few familiar friends.  Thank you all for coming out and saying hello.

Aurifil, FQs and Kona bundles along the table with quilts by Fiona (left) and
myself (right).

I'm sorry for the bad lighting in the photos.  There was no way to get a good photo from outside in the miserable rain back into the dark stall.  Please believe me  when I say your quilts looked just amazing ladies!  Thank you all for your talent and time.  xx