Unleash The Beast!

It's lovely Huw's birthday this week, and he is officially the hardest person to buy gifts for.  He's very closely followed by a couple of people, but there is no doubt he wins the award (although I wouldn't know what to buy him for his prize which would make the whole award thing totally pointless...)

 I started worrying thinking about what to get him for his birthday months ago, which is when the idea of The Beast started forming.  Huw loves campervans, and a few years ago bought a VW T25 called Sunny and I thought it would be nice, and pretty darn practical, to make him a special Sunny quilt.







I bought the basic pattern for this quilt at Jukebox Quilts; it's called Another Day in Paradise.  Remember when I made this quilt for Siblings Together I'd used left over pieces of cotton shirts?  Well those shirts were tracked down for this quilt.  As I needed so many different fabrics for this and no big pot of money to use I used a lot of re purposed fabrics as well as some favourites from my stash.  I love giving fabric a new lease of life, and being made especially for Huw and his vintage van, full of history and memories, this project lends itself perfectly to the cause.  I've spent a lot of hours putting this together, and the collection of fabrics can't help but make me smile: some of my favourite vintage fabrics alongside modern polka dots, left over project scraps next to remnants of old dresses, cuttings from garish surf shorts neighbouring vintage bandannas - it's all going on!







All 25 vans are intentionally different, and Sunny takes centre square, driving the opposite way to his friends.  50 buttons are sewn on for hub caps, with each van having their own unique set.  This required a LOT of button shopping, which I managed to endure (read 'indulge in').  There are also pieces of ribbon, embroidery and a couple of teeny charms to decorate the vans.






There were a few swear words and a fairly substantial sulk in our house a few nights before the big day, when a red kayak bled colour onto two of the vans whilst being washed.  As nothing would shift the dye, I ended up having to take part of the quilt to pieces to replace the ruined fabrics and put it back together again.  Once finished me and Alfie headed out to the fields to take some photos.  Well technically Alfie busied himself using the quilt as a tent, getting his bottom into most of the photos and getting totally lathered in mud, meaning he ended up in the bath as soon as we'd got home.  He looked pretty pleased with himself post bath though!

I'd like to be a busy little bee.....

Things have been pretty productive around here for the last couple of weeks - about time too!  I finally got round to finishing the colour wheel I'd started at Easter and then not known what to do with.  In the end I quilted it with simple lines, bound it with plain black cotton and finished it off with some cute black and white polka dot ribbon.  I'm not sure how this photo has managed to make it look so wonky - I think it says a lot about my appalling photography!









I was really excited to be asked to make a cushion cover and some bunting for a friend's sister, using some gorgeous striped fabric that was left over from her new blind.  All I was told was that her room was going to have a beach theme, and I was given free reign with a design.  I had so much fun appliqueing three little beach huts, and found these teeny buttons in my stash for the door knobs.  The back has a simple envelope opening, with matching trim and some cute wooden buttons.

I've also been thinking about craft fair stock - I'll be having a table next month at a fair organised to raise money for The Laura McPhee Memorial Fund. 








I was making a bib as a gift for a lovely lady at work who's going off on maternity leave soon using some super soft towelling that I picked up a few weeks ago, and I decided to make a batch for stock.






Last weekend gave me chance to catch up on a couple of baby quilt tops which needed finishing up.  This boys zig zag top is now quilted and is now patiently awaiting binding and the pink top is waiting on more batting supplies.








And I found some more fabric to do some of my favourite sewing; some little dresses for the dress a girl around the world project.  This pink fabric is a really nice weight cotton which was a dream to sew, and I made three more from a quilt cover which was kindly given to me a while ago.  I'll post these off the the lovely Louise tomorrow.









In between all the sewing I signed up for the pin cushion swap that Rachel at House of Pinheiro and Charlotte at sew far sew good are organising.  There's still time to sign up - so pop along to their websites and read all about it!












And little Alfie.....He's been very busy; napping, being lavished with attention, going walkies - it's just so exhausting ;-) x

Versatile Blogger Award

The lovely Jane at A pocket full of daisys has kindly nominated me for a versatile blogger award - why not head over to her blog and say hi!  So anyway, without further ado....

 So the rules are as follows:

Nominate 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.

1. Let them know that you have nominated them.
2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
3. Thank the bloggers that have nominated you.
4. Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your blog post

The people I'd like to nominate are below.  I have to confess that they're not all new to the world of blogging, but they are all blogs that I enjoy reading regularly.

Kate at Helter Skelter
Kris at Duke Says Sew What
Deb at Life on the Selvage Edge
Jeany at Meanyjar
Deb at Works in Progress
Anna at Noodlehead
Jen at lea & lars
Paula at Paula's Witch Stitchery
Emma at Lemons for Lemonade
Brenda at justabitfrayed
Rachael at Sew Ray Me
Meg at The Mad Quilting Librarian
Joanna at Two Owls Design
Ellie at Sew Far Sew Good
Rachel at houseofpinheiro

I hope none of you ladies mind being nominated!

And now for 7 completely random facts about me....


1.     I pretty much always end up wearing odd socks.  It's not planned, it's not a statement; it's simply a reflection of my (lack of) organisation skills!

2.     I beat cancer in 2001.  Or rather the amazingly skilled surgeon and fantastic medical team that looked after me did, and for that I will be eternally grateful.  My heart goes out to everyone whose lives are affected by this cruel disease.

3.     I wish I could speak another language and I'm in awe of those people who can.

4.     I don't like peace and quiet, it unnerves me. Whenever I'm alone I'll have music or the tv keeping me company.

5.     I've graduated twice - in 1999 and 2009.

6.     I've been vegetarian for the last 5 years, and I love cooking.

7.     I'm a wellies, mud and music kinda girl - I'm in my element slap bang in the middle of a festival!

x