Swap catch-up #1

Mini QT Swap on Flickr

This really gorgeous quilt came from Amy, of AFriend2 on Flickr.

These swaps are not secret, we are paired up by the swap mama, and it is up to us to contact each other and discuss our hopes for the quilt coming to us. The theme was beach/underwater, and I'm sure you can quess which way Amy and I decided to go! There are many aspects to Amy's quilt that I adore. I really think she has managed to give that underwater, gentle current sway feeling to her quilt.

The quilting on the clam is stunningly accurate.

The disappearing mermaids tail adds just the right amount of whimsy.

French knots and squealy fab quilting on the outside of the tentacles.

More french knots on a completely darling starfish!
Plus button seashells. *sigh*

The label! Too, too cute!

Amy also sent me an, oh to die for, pincushion! Which she printed herself! And we are doing another one-on-one swap. I get to have more of Amy's adorable prints, and I will send her a 'My Hugul', plus something else.....not to be revealed here....yet!

Darn, thought I'd taken photo's!

Be back in a couple of days with Swap catch-up #2 post, 'The Doll Quilt Swap', your in for another treat people. I have been so very fortunate lately, very, very fortunate!! Of course you can always nip over to Flickr and check out my photostream there!?!

Cheerio for now
x Mandy

Where'd August go?

Latest Bee Crazy blocks

These Anna Maria Horner voile fabrics are sooo beautiful, slippy as hell, but lovely and soft. I thought these colours from Kathryn were divine.

I love using these Kona solids as well. And they went with the Amy Butler Wallflower print beautifully. Add some aqua Freshcut and DeliHi, and you really can't go wrong!

This is the block I'll be asking the Bee Crazy ladies to make for me in October. I have them all cut and bagged ready to go. A little ahead of schedule, which feels good, but slightly weird!

And these are the first blocks I've made for a new Bee I've joined, the Fresh Modern Bee. I just could not resist joining this one. I was on Flickr at the right time to see Lily's Quilts post about a vacant spot on the Bee. I jumped in before I'd thought really, absolutely no regrets, I mean, just look at those fun fabrics from Jolene.

I have received my DQS quilt's!!! And I will post pics early next week, I should be finishing off my DQS tonight, but I want to quilt it in daylight. The DQS quilt's I received will blow your socks off!!!! Plus my fabulous partner sent me a Kona Colour Chart, and a lovely little zipped purse, and some Kokeshi doll stickers. She did a real number on me, I feel very lucky. In fact I feel very lucky with all the quilts I have received. Oh.....I can show you the Mini QT from Amy!!!!

The one I made for Amy ~ The one she made for me.

Isn't it gorgeous, can't you just feel the sway of the under current. Amy also sent me an adorable pincushion, pic to come...

Here's another photo of the one I made for Amy, I desperately need to take some new photo's tomorrow, hopefully there will be an abatement of the Spring winds we've been having lately, we even had sleet on Friday!?!

cheerio for a few days,
x Mandy

Spiderweb Blocks ~ done!

Gosh, how I loved making these! They are now sewn together and on their way to Sara for the Spiderweb Block Swap. Mostly from my scrap bags, but I did add in some from my charm stack. I really think you can't go wrong with spiderwebs. I'd like to make a quilt to showing all my fave fabric lines, ie have a spiderweb of Wonderland, Freshcut, Kaffe, etc etc. You'd need to keep track on paper of which triangles went where, totally doable. It could be a memento quilt of all the quilts you've made. Mmmm, I really like this idea, it would be a long term project in my case......lol

cheerio for now
x Mandy

Lots on the go!

I seem to have a lot of fingers in a lot of pies at present. It's not really bothering me, but I wonder if it should? I kinda like having several (okay, 6) projects in progress. No, their not on the wip shelf, they are actually ALL being worked on at once! Well, no, not literally!

Pork Chop Swap Hexagons
Made from the 5" charms, received from the gals in the Flickr ORBC group.

Ah! My DQS9 inspiration mosaic for my partner.
I've an idea on paper, and fabrics pulled for the one I'm making for my partner.
But no sneak peeks, just yet.

Bee Crazy Block for Curtinqueen.
I'm working on an adaption of this, no sneak peeks for this just yet either.

This is my first Asterisk block. This one is only 3.5", I'm hoping we'll be doing a swap of these on the Itty Bitty Block Swap Flickr group. Can you imagine receiving 12 or 15 of these little beauties from all over the world? I get excited when I think about it.

But, for now I'm making bigger Asterisks for a Quilt along. I'm starting with 7" squares, all tone on tone, in mauve's~purples~amber's~oranges~greens~blues. The strips are 5 different shades of cool grey. I've only done 2 so far, so will post pictures when I've done at least 9.

Off to watch 'Little Dorrit' on the ABC now. Love a good period drama me, especially one I'm not familiar with.

Cheerio for now, be back soon!
x Mandy

Playing with Solids

Robert Kaufman, Kona Cotton Solids, to be precise. I LOVE a good quality solid! The Kona solids are, in my experience, beautiful to work with. Never again, will I buy homespun for my quilts. There are a number of online spots to buy Kona, including a very new one called 'Simply Solids'. If you live in the UK, take advantage of the free delivery, you only have to spend over 15 pounds, and quite honestly, that's easy to do!! Go on, take a peak!

Also check out the 'Simply Solids' blog too, it's written by 'Made with Love by Mandy', so you know it's going to be good!!! lol, not me, wish it was!



And why? Am I telling you this.......well Lily's Quilts is having a giveaway, and I want to win it!!! The prize is a stunning package of 22 Kona Solid fat quarters! No, I don't mind if you enter too, of course not. I'm a firm believer in the 'more the merrier' attitude. The second best thing to winning the prize, would be to *know* someone who did. So, be sure to come back and let me know if you win, I'll be so thrilled for you!

Cheerio for now
x Mandy

Such a happy swap!

As well as participating in the Doll Quilt Swaps on Flickr, I also enjoy belonging to the Mini QT Swap. The mini quilts swapped, are usually are between 6 and 12 inches.

The theme for May was black & while + one other colour, not square or rectangle. I had promised myself to do no more swaps until DQS9, but...........I Just. Could. Not. Resist that theme!

I was partnered with Kimberly of bahamadawn, a very talented and creative lady, living in, yup, you guessed, The Bahamas! What a thrill! We exchanged addresses and colour preferences for the quilt we would be receiving. I asked for an Ocean colour, and I decided on using Fuchsia, from Kimberly's correspondence. Shape! eek! But this is why I love swaps, they challenge me to create outside my own preferences. Pink! 10 million raspberries! Pink, just doesn't do it for me, Pink, oh me, oh my!

I got over it of course, and this is what I sent to Kimberly......



I'm really pleased how it turned out. Thank you Jane for the loan of your wedge template, ooops I think I still have it! This is what I happened in the middle, it started out as such a small thought. What would it look like if I back stitched along the printed lines on the flower. I liked it, and, just kept going. So now I am experimenting with beads in my quilts. But just a few, I don't want it to detract from the fabric.

I enjoyed all the hand quilting, and the ric rac was fun to use too!





So......I hear you say, what did I receive?

One little birdie,

two little birdies,

three little birdies,

in a darling birdcage!

Isn't it divine! Kimberly also made a copper wire hook, and attached it to the top of the cage, for me to hang it up. Such a fab little piece, I sooooo adore it. Thanks again Kimberly!



I'll have to show you more from this group. Because we also swap 3.5" little blocks, in groups from 9 - 16!!! I've participated in two of these. One with a "Spring Fling" theme and another with the b & w + 1 colour theme. We were all given a specific colour, mine was Amber. The last block arrived yesterday. I'll get the camera out soon and take the necessary photo's.

Okay, that's enough from me for the moment.
Cheerio for now!
x Mandy

Catch up!

I've been away from my Blog so long, I can't remember if I have shared some of these photo's! I don't think I have, but my apologies if I repeated myself.


This is the DQS8 quilt that I sent to my partner, The Sometimes Crafter. I really enjoyed using the grey to highlight some of my fave big floral prints. And the variegated grey DMC thread was perfect for some simple running stitches. I wanted to try and emphasize the weave effect of the floral fabrics. I was pretty pleased with the outcome!


This one also has some running stitches! More along the Sashiko line though. The Sashiko panels are also my own work. The cushion size panel comes from Japan, it has pre-printed lines to follow. I found the hand sewing to be very relaxing. But decided to cut up the panel to make this Wall Hanging. The indigo fabrics are from my first Jelly Roll purchase. I just couldn't resist all those different Indigo 2 1/2' strips. I really enjoyed making this one, I gave it to a good friend for her Birthday.


This is a tiny Coin quilt! I sent this along as part of a fabric swap. Ack! I can't remember which one!


Ahhhh, this one is quite recent. I called it 'Amy Butler Sorbet', I am sure all these colours could be found at a Gelato bar. It went to Melanie, and was a DQS Angel quilt. Poor Melanie waited a long time to get her quilt. I hope this made up for it. Me and my monochromatic prints, I do so love them!


Look!!! I've finally pieced another big quilt, I've even quilted it, just trying to decide if I've quilted it enough though. Each pinwheel is about 18", yes huge! It is a ORBC quilt-along quilt. I'm really quite pleased I've started to use some of my yardage. I've definitely got over my 'cutting fabric' hesitation! 'The Old Red Barn Co.' Flickr group is like a second home to me, along with the 'Doll Quilt Swap' group and the 'Mini QT Swap' group.

I've found I have more conversations with people in these three groups. It feels so good to talk to like minded quilting/fabric peeps. I don't really get to chat to people, about my obsession, in my daily life.


I've got more to share, more Bee blocks, a Mini QT Swap quilt (sent and received). Plus some adorable 3 1/2 " blocks from 2 swaps. Oh and DQS9 sign ups are happening again. I love swaps!


Cheerio for now
x Mandy