Taking a break.....

I won't be blogging for a while or blog reading. If you have a post you'd like me to read just email me and I'll reply. I'll catch up on anything I may miss during the break.
I just need some time to myself.

Thanks for understanding

Cherie

So many pins so little time!

Work was a little less crazy today...though there was far more going through the warehouse to locate some solutions we had on order to go out! It's like a maze!  The guys are too funny. There was a box marked do not open or move, so the guys were all like "what if somethings been put inside the box and when we open it we get attacked!" I looked at them with that 'Yeah riiiighhhht' expression.

Back home was more relaxing in front of the TV....had I have gone online I would have seen that the deadline for the pin to win! had been changed to today!! By the time I got online I had an hour to get 30 pins!.....I didn't make it! I was 26 away....
Oh well I guess I'll have to buy myself the bundle like I was planning too..This price is cheaper than all others I've seen as well, so even better! A few other fabrics may just sneak in....

I made an attempt on some gift bags and totally made the biggest error! I know what I did wrong, but at the time it was too late to fix it! Good thing it was just the off cuts..

I then sewed together the strips I'd cut from my Christmas prints....Not too sure what this will end up as yet, I may make another with this same pattern, and try out the pouch thingy again...

Have started sketching up label designs using the trusty power point,.....

Then realised I probably won't be making that many quilts so I have to change some of the wording   any suggestions, maybe just my shop name, blog and a few care symbols? I thought making quilts was hard, but designing a label!!! Give me the quilt! 

I'm working out pricing and trying to make a few more things. It's just when I get in from work I am so tired! I may use some of my upholstery weight fabric as backing for my things, like the cushion covers. 

I may go with a theme to the items in my shop to make it a little more unique,  I'll see how it goes...I have some idea's in mind, just gotta sketch things out....and see if it's cost effective too....

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Pin to win!

I have no sewing to report today! After a long day at work I felt like chilling out in front of the TV watching a few movies Rags being the main one! Some great songs and a really good movie for brightening the day!

This evening whilst blog reading I spotted a competition going on for the chance to win your FQ bundle of choice.
Head to Fresh Squeezed Blog for the full details.

I'm hoping to win this


So could you help me out by re pinning? My fabric bundle please and thanks.
I just need 50 re pins to win my bundle.
Leave a comment here If you want me to re pin your bundle too.

Siya'll tomorrow =D

The weekend roundup...

After completely forgetting to post yesterday and then getting so engrossed in a movie after blog reading.....Real Steel. You HAVE to watch it! It's a great movie with just the right amount of every good movie element to mark it as a 10/10! Plus Hugh Jackman is in it! Need I say more.....

Earlier yesterday afternoon Mother and I went to my Besties as she was hosting a Macmillan coffee morning. For the past two weeks she bought in cakes and such to raise more donations for the cause. I helped out on Friday and gave her some cookies and cake to share out. Mother and I ate a lot of cake and bought a lot back home with us too....Most of them are gone now......

I also got on with sewing the Christmas table runner tops. I went with 1 of each design in the end

I got the hot pad tops sewn up too

Just need to pull out a print for the backing of these. I'll have to see which one I have the most of.

Today I did an inventory of all the things I've made to sell in my future Etsy shop (still need to work on those labels!) and saw that I haven't made many actual cushion covers! So I pulled out the solid strips I'd for sashing, to make up some cushion covers.

This should roughly be a 20" cushion cover once the back is sewn onto it. I'll make up 3 more perhaps in different styles, using the solids. 

I'll also pull out my rainbow charms and make up a few cushion covers with those too. As well as those triangular prints to make up some covers. 

 Then I decided to join the 2nd round of the Modern She Made Swap this time round the theme is triangles. My partner was very specific and said she liked orange and grey together and would like a mini quilt. So I went through all my scraps to pull out pieces big enough to make a triangular mini. I made a template from news paper and sewed the pieces together until the strips were long enough to cover the template.
They are 3" by various widths I used some linen in there as I don't have a grey solid.

I had to swap some pieces around and add on some extra pieces to make them long enough after they had been sewn together. I just have to cut the final shape then work on the backing. That might just be one solid colour in a nice dark shade. Then I'll double up the batting and hand quilt it. I need to make up some binding..... The finished size should be 14" tip to bottom x 22" along the base. This may be an early finish! The deadline is mid November! So I can make some fun goodies to go with it too.

I noticed I really need some more orange and grey prints in my stash! It was a struggle to find those grey prints. Pink Castle here I come!.....

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Options.....Options and more Options!!

Work was Urghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. The colleague I liaise with was off so I had to fill in part of her work and keep going back and forth (not that I don't do that anyways) to print up the sheets to make the labels, then actually make the labels, deal with phone calls and then the dispatches! Then towards the end of the day there was a really rude woman on the phone who wanted to blame us for her parcel not being delivered as she wasn't in to collect it. Once it leaves our warehouse we have no control over it! We tried to help her, but she wasn't having any of it!!!
The biscuits went down well and my Bestie is taking them for her coffee morning tomorrow which Mother and I will be going to after shopping..

Back home was cutting fabric and auditioning ideas...that's where you guys come in. I'm going to be making some table runner/toppers but not to sure what style to go with.

There is option 1. I cut the 9 patch in half and flipped it to put two ends together. The sashing in the picture is not the sashing that will be on it, it's just for show..

Option 2 is the Disappearing 9 patch blocks end to end.

Option 3 is 2 D9 blocks at each end with a halved D9 patch in the centre.

Then just for fun I made a layout for a mini quilt using both sets of blocks....

With the four patch blocks I plan to make some hot pads. I just need to get some insulated batting. Shops with decent prices would be a great help if you know of any.

I could in theory go with all 3 designs just not too sure yet. Then I'll have to wait for the batting....once I order some that is.....

Also when I got in I noticed a parcel for me, not in it's usual place of the Ironing board!!
A cute name tag and some awesome fridge magnets courtesy of Leanne thanks to the RATZ Swap

Well I'm off to catch up on a few shows and possibly watch the film The Older Giant has been raving about all week!

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Would you like a cookie with that?

After getting in from a typical work day, I quickly went around the shops to buy two baking sheets (as all ours have ridges in them!!) Getting in I threw down my things then ventured downstairs and pulled out the ingredients to make some Oatmeal and Raisin cookies! Father came in to 'help',  as he left a mess over the other side of the kitchen!!

Also cut up the cornbread cake to bring in. The Younger Giant was very eager to try some, but I told him he had to wait till after dinner!

Cookies cooling on the rack. The house smelled soo good!

I've saved some back for us to eat to and of course any that come back from work will also be eaten by Father  the family.....

After the baking and some laundry I got on with sewing the four/nine patch blocks just need to iron them again and they will be ready to cut!

I'll be sure to let you know how the cookies and cake go down tomorrow. I do love to bake! 

Siya'll tomorrow! =D

Twas 3 months and 6 days before Christmas...

and all bout the house, nothing was stirring, not even a mouse..... OK so not true as a cake was totally being stirred....

So today was another busy work day, far more people actually coming in store to buy vacuums and pick up ones they had ordered. I still hate hearing the phone ringing, the sound really drives me crazy....I need to work in a building with no phones to answer.....

So upon returning home I dithered on whether to make a cake today or tomorrow...Today won as It'll give me a chance to cut it then bring it in on Friday without having to wait for it to cool down. Momma came in an made one too to bring to her work place!

We have a whole lot of cornmeal in the cupboard so I looked for a recipe to use some of it up. I'll have to see how the cake tastes before I bring it in, you know just encase....

I then got to work on actually cutting those Christmas fabrics...yes I missed the Christmas in July.....

I'm planning to make some disappearing 9 patch table runners I can get 2 out of those then some table toppers using the 4 patches-I plan to sew and then cut them into 4 triangles sewing them back together. I've used 6" squares for those....
I have some 3" strips cut too ready to make some more things with. I also want to try out some drawstring bags.....I'll see how that works out.

I have cookies to make tomorrow also to bring into work on Friday, oatmeal ones....I did find one for cornmeal cookies...I may just make those for the family.....
The Older Giant informed my that my Granddad is expected to be flying in next week!!!!!  My Grandparents live in Jamaica so we see them in turns once each year. I have to make him something light to take back with him, that will neither overfill his case or be too hot to use...suggestions are welcomed....

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Now you can all "Say Cheeeeeeeeeeeeese!!"

I took a day off from sewing and posting yesterday as work was soo crazy!! Over 300 labels to type up. print off and note down. I did get some help, but it was still a crazy amount! Luckily I got a break from answering the phone as that would have way eaten into the deadline time!

Today was a much better day labels wise only 100 or so to do. Customers were coming in for collections and repairs...luckily I didn't have to deal with them all *sly laugh* The phone complaints weren't too extreme. Though one guy was talking for England I think I tried to say bye to him at least 6 times!!
Getting home I needed a nap as I had a really bad headache so one hour later I got up and pulled out the Polaroid blocks I'd started with a mission to get them all finished! Of course there were some minor interruptions and I asked Mother to print a few recipes off for me....(well I asked for 1 she bought in 3...)

Whilst I was at the iron I got my Christmas fabrics all nicely pressed all ready to be cut....then I need to find that template....

Then I finished of my latest fairy. Now to sketch another custom one this time....

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Say che.........

So still with the tidying bug I busted out our brand new vacuum cleaner and gave my floors and rug the once over. I can actually see that rug now! (it was a mess of fabric stringy bits and odd threads that didn't quite make it to the bin.....
Next weekend I really need to sort through my other things and have a good old clear out too! I have a lot of things that are 'out of sight out of mind' so why am I keeping them? I could use the space for my sewing things more practical things....

Ok well not quite to that title as my Polariod blocks are only part way done.

 I also added some more colour into the wings of my latest fairy sketch. I also have one on custom request by a good blogging friend of mine!

I pulled out the Christmas prints today all ready to be ironed, cut and sewn into......*taps nose* you'll just have to wait and see.

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Out with the old.....

Today I decided to take a sewing break and catch up on some much needed clothes shopping. I happen to have an oddly long torso with just as wide shoulders to match. Which means when buying clothes I often have to get tops a size bigger than the one I need, as well as look out for ones that go well past my hips without being dresses. Clothes tend to shrink a lot in the wash, so if I buy them longer they have shrink room.
The shoulder area is a big issue though, some clothes fit my shoulders, but then don't stretch down long enough to cover my arms. I seem to also be cursed with long arms which most shirts don't accommodate. Some stop a good 5" from my wrist, which is a pain in the butt!

I really actually hate shopping for the reason above, it's so hard to find decent clothes in the length I need them to be, without feat they will shrink to nothing in the wash. As well as the hustle and bustle in the shops. I like catching them when they just open and there are only a few shoppers about. That way I can see what I'm buying without elbowing someone to get there first!

So today after going shopping and finding a few awesome jumpers (of which I plan to buy a few more of as well as some others I noticed when leaving the store!) as well as some other essential clothes. I emptied my wardrobe and drawers, grabbed all my clothes from the washed pile and sorted through them all with the help of Mother.

There were way more clothes than that, I forgot to take a proper before shot, this was a more during the process.

The white bag is the clothes to go to the charity shop and the black bag is ones to sell to a shop that buys clothes and random accessories. We've never actually been in the shop to know for sure what they buy, but we'll find out.....

This is the bag of clothes to throw out.

This is part of the hanger collection I seem to have accumulated. There were TWO other bags full, as well as some still in my wardrobe! (never again shall I ask for the hangers when buying clothes!)

The bags of my new clothes....

All that's left to do is organise my wardrobe as Mother just placed everything in....Then I plan to cut up some fabric into large squares to make some table items...I'm thinking placemats....table runners and coasters.......

Siya'll tomorrow =D