Bloggers Quilt Festival 2012

I cannot believe it is Quilt Festival time again over at Amy's Creative Side. This year I would like to tell you about the first quilt I ever sold! I made this quilt from a pattern by Sandy Klop of American Jane which was featured in American Patchwork and Quilting magazine. I was so thrilled at how this had turned out that when I was asked to hang some of my quilts in a local gallery I included this quilt. I was asked to put prices on all of the quilts and lo and behold this one sold!
I was so sad to say good bye to this quilt as I had made and machine quilted it myself and I really loved it!!
I fully intend to remake this quilt again some day. Go on over to the Festival and check out the other great quilts on show just click on the green button on the lower RHS of  this blog

Liv XX

Birds and Boughs !

I started a new quilt this week once I had finished and posted off the swap blocks. I decided to make an American Jane quilt pattern I bought last year, using fabrics from my stash,  as I am saving myself  for the Fat Quarter Shop blow out sale on May 21st. before buying any new fabrics.
I am using a combination of methods to applique this quilt but mainly a freezer paper method for turn edge hand applique. It is very satisfying and I am looking forward to seeing the finished quilt.

 I saw Sandy Klop's own version of this wonderful quilt in her home in California last year and it was amazing!  Here is the first completed section just four more sections to make! Have a good weekend
Liv xx

Swap Blocks done!

I signed up to a block swap on the Jelly Roll Quilters website sometime ago and I was so worried I would miss the deadline of 1st June 212,  as I have been away from home so much over the last few weeks. In fact I have been to the UK three times over the last four weeks so it has been hard to get some sewing time at all.
I will do a bit of work on my Grandmothers Flower Garden Hexagon quilt while I wait for the swap blocks to turn up.

I am off to the Irish Quilt Festival in Galway in a couple of weeks so it will be good to have a portable project to take with me. I will post lots of photos from the Festival where I am going to meet some of the lovely people I have met here on my blog. One of my blogger and emailing friends  is coming back to my house for a weeks visit after the Festival and then in September I am going to Wisconsin to visit her. I am really looking forward to meeting them!
Have a great week
Liv xx

Cath Kidston Inspiration!

No sewing for over a week as I have been away in the UK again babysitting my granddaughter Lily. I thought I would share with you some photos I took over Easter in the Cath Kidston store in York. The whole store was amazing and a feast for the eyes but I was most inspired by this chest of drawers covered in Antique Rose Wallpaper and varnished. I bought a roll of the paper and I hope to copy this idea on a suitable piece of furniture at some time in the future!
Lily came with us and as you can see she enjoyed the shop as well! Have a great weekend

Liv xx

Blue and Red Laptop Tote!

I am really enjoying the art of bag making so I decided to make a cosy bag for my laptop. My laptop is pretty large and really old but it is a reliable old work horse so I am loath to part with it. I made a cover in some lovely retro blue and red Lakehouse fabrics left over from another project. I bound it with some Annie's Farm Stand polka dot and made a matching handle.
I love it and I shall enjoy using it it coordinated with my Cath Kidston Red and White polka dot travel bag.
Hope you are having a good week!

Liv x

New Tote Bag

No quilting this week just lots of painting. Yesterday went to our local IPS meeting and bought some great fabrics and a pattern for a tote bag from Anne Marie, of Kilbora Quilts. I could not wait to make it so I cut out the squares yesterday as soon as I got home and finished it this afternoon.
I love the colours of these Minick and Simpson fabrics from the Banner Rose and Prarie Paisley lines. I am away to the UK again this week to babysit my granddaughter for a few days so guess what I will be using for my carry on bag!
Have a lovely weekend !
Liv x

Home again!

Got home on Saturday night after a wonderful visit to the UK to visit our children. We had a bit of bad luck with our car on Friday 13th ( should have stayed in bed all day!)  so had to come back in a hire car. We are now busy looking for a new car at the moment so I am angling for a sporty Mini Cooper!
I finished my quilt as you can see and also have just finished painting and waxing a little table picked up for only 20 pounds in a junk shop in the UK.  As this is going in a hall area I tried a little more daring colour to my usual muted tones the colour is called Provence by Annie Sloan.

The jury is still out on this one I may paint it grey yet!
Have a good week
Liv x