Just had to share these breathtaking photos

For many years I have been corresponding with Carolyn, a fellow Janome 11000 owner in Canada. We have become very close friends and hope to one day meet up. Carolyn has a new passion and it is photography. These are some of her latest photos. Great inspiration for quilting projects?

In a quandary-To buy or not to buy

I have spent the last few months pondering on whether I should buy another embroidery machine before I retire. At the present I have a Janome 300E, 2 Janome 11000's and a Janome horizon 7700. (I have a few others as well) I am thinking that I would like a multi needle machine and so I am considering the Brother PR 1000. Mind you also on the list are the Janome 12000, Husqvarna Designer Diamond and the Brother 6 needle which I can new for $10 000. Any ideas?

Midweek Blues and my helper-again

My little (big)helper

I seem to have lost my sewing mojo since being sick at the weekend although I am slowly getting better. I have got the next block in our Blackwork Roses quilt about half done and my little helper has once again been keeping me company. I am looking forward to having nearly two weeks off school at Easter.

More Pillowcases and Under The Weather

I always look forward to the weekends so that I can concentrate on doing some sewing for longer periods of time rather than grabbing 30 minutes here and there before and after school but this weekend I have not ventured out of my pj's. Seem to have picked up a respiratory infection of some kind and feel too weak to even pick up a piece of fabric.

Thought I would share with you some of the pillowcases that I have finished and have already gone to their new owners. All of the designs on these pillowcases have come from  Bunnycup Embroidery designs.

ITH Patchwork Block-Free download

If you have never tried making your patchwork blocks by the ITH method then give them a go. Lyn at Kenny Kreations has a free block for download from her Mosaic Melodies set. Make sure you click on the link down further on the web page you go to and not the checkout prompts. Blocks that are traditionally paper pieced are great done as In The Hoop projects and do not take much more time than the traditional way. The block can actually be put together in a couple of ways and would be great as a table runner. In fact I may have a go at doing one this weekend.

I really like Kenny Kreations ITH blocks as Lyn's stitch and flip method with a tack down row is easy to do and gives great results all the time.

Thank you to everyone and BOM

Blackwork Roses BOM Block 2

Thank you to everyone who voted for my Rainbow Bright cot quilt over at the  Quilting Gallery weekly contest. I managed to obtained the highest number of votes and will soon be the proud owner of a Sesame St fat quarter  pack with thanks to the Fat Quarter Shop.

I have also sent out Block 2 in my new Black work Roses BOM featuring the Blackwork Roses set from BFC. If you wish to be a part of this free BOM please EMAIL me.

Please Vote for My quilt

I have been impulsive and submitted my Rainbow Bright cot quilt to the Quilting Gallery contest for this week. I would appreciate it if you could follow the LINK and vote for my quilt. Voting ends at 11.59 Sunday night. Thank you in advance to everyone.

Day Off ,Lots to Do and New BOM underway

Blackwork Rose BOM in progress

We have had a long weekend and it was great not to have to go to work although I did do some school prep yesterday afternoon. I stitched three children's name pillowcases, all for little girls and hope to get them finished by tonight. Will post some pics when I finish them all. Have decided with these to put similar designs on them all. I love putting the sun on them as little girls are little rays of sunshine.

I have just sent out the first instalment of my new Block of the month for the Blackwork Roses quilt. If you wish to be a part of this new BOM please send me an EMAIL.

Pretty in Pink Elephant Quilt-Tutorial Uploaded

Pretty in Pink Quilt

I have finished my Pretty in Pink Elephant quilt and have uploaded a tutorial for it. It is based on the Little Elephant Applique set from Bunnycup designs. The quilt setting is made up of 2 1/2 inch or jelly roll strips.  The finished quilt measures 52 1/2  inches by 52 1/2  inches.
You can find the tutorial HERE.

Also a reminder if you wish to join my latest free BOM (Blackwork Roses)you need to email me. The requirements list has been sent out to participants

New Free BOM-BFC Blackwork Roses

BFC Blackwork Roses Block 1

I have just completed the first block in my latest free BOM. This red/black and white quilt features the new BFC Blackwork Roses designs and once again is mainly composed of 2 1/2 inch or jelly roll strips. If you wish to participate in this new BOM please email me HERE and I will add you to the mailing list.

Quilt top finished and long weekend

I have finished stitching together my applique elephant quilt top. I hope to get it quilted and write a tutorial over this long weekend that we have. I always plan to do too many things over a long weekend. This quilt top design has been floating around in my head ever since  I did the Pasiley Parade quilt and I was looking for the right designs. Although all the finished blocks are 12 1/2 inch square the usable stitching insert space changes according to the block orientation. Once again all the sashing is made up from 2 1/2 strips, making it a great quilt to use up fabric ends we may have.

I also need to stitch some personalised pillowcases that are special requests for brand new babies. The hardest part is trying to decide what designs to put on the pillowcases other than the name.

My Little Helper and New Quilt Sneek Peak

My Right Hand Man

Thought I would share some pictures of my favourite little helper when he is not rearranging my sewing notions or trimming up my patterns. Isn't he just gorgeous! He got a little upset yesterday when my husband took him to the vet for his yearly check up and vaccination.

Pretty in Pink Little Elephant Quilt

I have also just this minute finished stitching out the 16 blocks for my new pink themed quilt. It is based on the Little Elephant Applique set from Bunnycup designs. I have had this design in  mind for a while and once again is made up of 2 1/2 inch or jelly roll strips. This embroidery design set also has 20 designs so you do not have to repeat a design in a quilt block. There are 8 quilt blocks of each of the two block designs in the pic above. I hope to have the quilt finished and the tutorial done for you over the weekend. The finished quilt will measure approximately 40 inches by 40 inches.

Risque Embroidery Designs-Free KO Designs for this month

I hope I do not offend anyone with this post. I have only been machine embroidering for about 7 years and in those early years was not aware of the many websites selling and offering free their embroidery designs.However, I did hear about this one website that had offered some risque designs as a free download. However, I never actually managed to download them until now. One of those websites was the dutch digitizer KO Designs and they are infamous in the embroidery world for their Tarzan and Jane designs offered back then. I was very surprised to see them offered again for free on their website this month. Download them and stitch them out if you are game. They would make a great hen's night gift. One of the little surprises happens if you do not stitch out the last colour change in each of the designs.

Photo Books and Personalised Pillowcases

Photo Book Portfolio of my work

Earlier this year I decided to make some photo books where you upload your photos to an online business and they print the bound photo books for you. I have used them to make portfolios of my work. I have made one just of my machine embroidery projects and another of all the costumes I have made over the last 22 years. If you make things and give them away this is a perfect way to have an accessible and enduring archive of your work.
I have about 20 pillowcases to make as gifts for my work colleagues and friends so will be busy stitching those out over the next few weeks and months. One of them was ordered by a proud grandmother only two hours after her first grandchild had arrived.