June catch up…

Hey, can you believe we are in July? and I totally forgot my June update, I’m blaming  Love Island, its taking up an hour of my day EVERYDAY !!

Back to June – concentrate Michelle !!

Modern HST BOM hosted by @stephjacobsondesigns is half way, and I’m so excited to show you my blocks so far…

Jen’s @patternsbyjen Colour challenge 2019 is also half way through… June month was Orange, and I struggled to find Orange in stash, but ended up being quite pleased with the results

During June I was also busy finishing of my @siblingstogetherquiltgroup quilt.

This is group where we make blocks each months, and one sewing bee mama for each month sew them together. These get sent to summer camps for kids who get separated from their siblings in foster care.

Head over to there page, if you fancy getting involved, they are looking for volunteers…

After gaining my full set of wings for the beautiful charity @pyjamafairies.

I’ve been making hospital pyjamas and surgical gowns for UK hospitals

I have some very exciting news I want to share… my name made it to the front cover of Britain’s No.1 guide to Fabric and Patchwork Magazine ‘Quilt Now’.

Thanks for reading and sharing this journey with me, I have so much more to share with you from June, so I will be back 🙂

Follow me here on my blog, you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Happy Sewing

Michelle

Do you believe in magic?

I wanted to share with you this beautiful charity I’m involved with. When I’m not busy making quilts and trying out new notions, I can be found making garments for UK hospitals and spreading a little fairy dust along the way

 

After gaining my ‘wings’ I’ve made a variety of pj’s, surgical gowns and wrap tops for several hospitals

Each garment get wrapped up with a beautiful card with the following words written on it

Head over to www.pyjamafairies.org, for more information, and to read all the lovely comments who have received a garment from this charity

Ways to get involved…

FUNDRAISING FRIDAY

Did you know that even if you can’t sew for us there are lots of ways you can support us.

We accept donations of fabric, we recycle ink cartridges and stamps.

We sell trolley tokens and wristbands on our website

We have t-shirts and hoodies etc that we get a portion of the cost donated back http://www.printitstitchit.co.uk/?s=Pyjama&post_type=product

We are on several life style donation pages like Amazonsmile, give as you live
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/pyjamafairies/…

https://www.giveasyoulive.com/signup/choose-charity?q=Pyjama fairies

We also love when our creative followers fund raise in a different way, whether it be running a marathon or holding a bake sale.

Every little thing helps us to keep helping all your children sparkle.

Follow me here on my blog, and you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Happy Sewing

Michelle

 

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A little ‘May’ update…

Welcome, here in the UK we have been enjoying some lovely Spring days, which has got me out in the garden, planting new flowers, and pulling up the weeds – why do the weeds always grow sooooo much faster then the flowers?

I wanted share an update of my progress of quilt-a-longs I’m taking part in this year,

Here are blocks 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 out of 20, of The Flower Bouquet quilt along hosted by Pat @quilterpatsloan,

Phew… I had a few to catch up on, where do the weeks go…

I’m using fabrics by Gutermann from the Portifino collection

 

May blocks for the Sewing Bee 4 group, this month block has been chosen by Dawn @sewnbysunrise for the charity @siblingstogetherquiltgroup

I used some Island batik scraps, and some pieces from Craft Cotton

 

 

The Daisy Chain Mystery Quilt-along – hosted by Amanda @honeybunnyanddoll.

I’m so excited to see how these blocks are going to come together, and now there’s not long to wait…

 

I couldn’t resist having a play with possible lay outs

 

This months colour challenge is lime green, this quilt along is being hosted by Jen @patternsbyjen.

I’ve been using Batik scraps throughout this challenge, with Gutermann threads…

Looking for a Spring project?

Grab this months copy of ‘Love Sewing’ for my Springtime Table Runner pattern

OUT NOW

 

Looking for a new quilt along to get involved in?

Jacquelynne has just released the sign up for the ‘Happy Little Things’ FREE block of the month – click the link below

jacquelynnesteves.com/happy-little-things-block-of-the-month

I finished off last week with a cute Foundation Paper Piecing, designed by Jo @unicornharts, it came in a booklet free with Issue 61 of Quilt Now magazine

 

Thanks for stopping by

You can follow me here on my blog, and you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Happy Sewing

Michelle @creativeblonde66

 

Have I bitten off more then I can chew…

Wow, another week has gone by already…  although I’m very happy to say goodbye to today, as we in the UK have been hit by storm Eric, its not so bad, compared to other weather issues in the world, but I honestly felt like I’d been pushed through one of those automatic car wash places with the giant rotating scrubbing brushes after returning home from the school run.

I’ve so much to tell you about, and as the title reads ‘I may have been off more then I can chew’..

Join this QAL?,

What about this one?

Ooo this QAL looks good!

Oh wow I have to join this QAL…

Yes I spent January doing too much of this, and now I’m involved in so many, but secretly I do love a QAL, I love to see what others create and I love the sewing circle of chatter.

So here is this week progress…

I couldn’t resist playing with these adorable buttons by Trimit, available from Groves. they would make a super cute addition to any make.

After getting distracted, I pulled myself back on track, and completed month two of the colour challenge hosted by Jen @patternsbyjen , this month the colour is PINK! I used Primrose and carnation fabrics from Island Batik, teamed with some pretty variegated threads from Gutermann

Next up is the weekly ‘Flower Bouquet’ QAL hosted by Pat @quilterPatsloan, we are on week 6 already…  this month was a double block (I know, I’m a week behind, I didn’t think you would notice). I’ve created these blocks using the Gutermann Portofino fabric collection and threads

Keeping on track, I thought I’d get this months Charity quilt blocks made, Elaine @greenandscratchy has gone for bright blocks, so I knew some Batik fabrics would be perfect. I wanted to be organised, as next month I’m the sewing bee mama, so that mean I have to come up with a design, sew everyone’s blocks together to create a gorgeous quilt for the siblings together charity @siblingstogetherquiltgroup

Moda are hosting a ‘Moda Love Quilt’, its a free pattern, and come is various sizes. I decided to make the Charm size. I’ve used ‘dreamer’ by Carrie Bloomston available from @windhamfabrics together with the ‘love you’ by Sandy Gervais available from Moda, teamed with a red batik fabric. This QAL is open til February 14th, so you still have time to whip up this beautiful pattern over the weekend @modafabrics

The last QAL which I’m all up to date with, is the Modern HST Block of the month, hosted by Steph @stephjacobsondesigns , I’ve decided to stick with bright Batiks and Black, this month I’ve gone purple, I absolutely love this mauve thread from Gutermann…

Some exciting new to end on, I’ve chosen my fabrics for the Daisy Chain mystery QAL hosted by Amanda and Alison @honeybunnyanddoll and @littlebunnyalison, so it definitely not to late to join in, as its only just started…

I’ve chosen’ Panorama’ fabrics and ‘supreme solids’ from Cotton and Steel @cottonandsteel

Thanks for sticking around and reading till the end, I hope this post brings you some lovely inspiration for the weekend ahead – enjoy!

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Check out my Instagram and Facebook page @creativeblonde66

~Michelle~

x creativeblonde x

 

This weeks catch up, plus free Christmas patterns…

Hello, thanks for stopping by…

I have so much to tell you about, this week has been so busy, and I’ve loved every minute

…Did you know there is only 29 days till Christmas?

I’m so excited to tell you my ‘SNOW’ and ‘HO HO HO’ wall hangings PDF can now be downloaded below.

For more Christmas inspiration head over to the Craft Cotton Blog

Christmas wall hanging – snow

Christmas wall hanging – ho ho ho

I’ve been busy making this months sewing bee block for the ‘siblings together’ charity.  I love this pattern and the colours chosen by Karen@weekendtextiles. 

I used Island batik scraps to create these blocks, and Gutermann threads

This week I was able to complete the final block in the #savethebees quilt, designed and hosted my Jacquelyn. I think this block is my favourite, i love the super buttons from Groves

This month also came the release of block 10 of the shared quilt-along, hosted by myself and Dawn at Honeybee Cloths.

There are 10 blocks so far, with 2 more to be released, below are the latest five blocks. I’ve used Caroline Fabric by @brengr from Moda to complete my blocks

 

And lastly this week, i got involved in a sew along called #retrosnapssal hosted by @imstudiolou. Its such an adorable pattern.

I chose to use the scraps left over from my ‘winnie the pooh’ quilt, the fabrics available from craft cotton soon

Now i just have to keep the dog away from it, its the whitest item in this house 😉

Getting ready for 2019? I’ve signed up for the following quilt-along, Im so excited to be sewing along with Sherry at powered by quilting

A little bit wild…

Wow, the end of yet another week, or the start of a new one, depending on when you see the week in and out. Today also brings the first day of Autumn in us here in the UK – my favouite time of year, not only because i love to see the changes of the seasons, the cooler weather and shorter evenings, which gives me the opportunity to light the candles in the living room, but its also my birthday – yay roll on the 3rd of October …

This week I’ve completed my ‘starstruck’ Island Batik Challenge, i used a ‘rolling star’ pattern along with the fabulous ‘wild things’ batik fabric, all the fabrics and batting used in this challenge were given to me by Island Batik and Hobbs as part of my year as Island Batik Ambassador …

I used a mixture from the ‘wild things’ layer cake, and teamed it up with some Black solid batik. I love the striking colours, the EPP worked really well, as it added to the crisps edges, although i had forgotten just how time consuming it was.

I quilted Autumn leaves in different Autumnal colours from my Gutermann collection, and i couldn’t resist making some complimentary coasters to go with the starstruck quilted table mat, i just love these prints

I got creative with some gorgeous fabrics from Gutermann using their new collection called ‘blooms’, making a messenger bag with matching pencils cases

This week bring the new issue of Quilt Now Magazine, where you’ll find heaps of inspiration including my travel items; passport/money bag, luggage tags and a tote bag, with internal zip pocket using ‘Japanese Indigo’ prints from Higgs & Higgs.

 

And I have a date for your new years diary… The Fat Quarter Shop Charity Quilt Along running from February to June 2018, with two patterns coming out each month for 8 blocks and a finishing and backing pattern to make the quilt!

Every year @fatquartershop host a charity quilt along in which they post monthly patterns on their blog in exchange for a donation each time a quilter downloads the pattern. In addition, they auction off a completed charity quilt where 100% of the proceeds go to the charity they picked that year. This year, they are very excited to be holding the Threadology Quilt Along that will be benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation. The donation efforts for the Quilt Along are on a good start with Moda and Fat Quarter Shop donating $10,000 each and their goal is to raise $40,000!  They have announced the Quilt Along as well as have the Quilt Along page ready for the February launch! Head on over to sign up 💕 🤗
They even have a Quilt Kit and Backing Set using Little Snippets by Bonnie & Camille to make a Threadology Quilt like the one they made.

That’s all for this week, I feel the week ahead will be a busy one, as it also brings with it the end of the month – where did the month of September go? I’ve decided to add a profile photo of myself, on all my social media outlets, as i receive quite a few comments suggesting it would seem more friendly… so yes here is me!

Many thanks for reading, have a lovely week ahead, until next time… happy sewing

Check out my Instagram and Facebook page @creativeblonde66

~Michelle~

x creativeblonde x

Sew into September…

Hey 🙂

Thanks for stopping by, i hope you’ll join me for a well deserved cuppa (only because its too early to open the wine 🙂 ) My boys are back at school, so back comes the refusing to go to bed at a decent time, and the endless shouting up the stair to ‘get up, you’re going to be late’…so i basically spending half my day telling them to get out of bed, and the other half, telling them to go to bed !! *sigh*

Now the kids are back, it has meant lots of uninterrupted sewing time (which is the best kind!), I’ve been busy getting involved with a few new things to keep out of trouble for this coming year, the first of which i’m super excited about, is becoming a new mama… wait… that came out wrong, I’ve become a sewing bee mama (just thought id get that straight before my hubby leaves home ha ha)

Last year i made a quilt for a fantastic charity called ‘siblings together’, everyone involved in this charity is really lovely, and so when they advertised for sewing bees, i knew i wanted to get involved. Each month we make a few blocks, which get sewn together by a mama associated for that month, who makes a gorgeous quilt, which gets sent off to the charity. They then distribute them at camps, where foster children get together with their siblings. Sending a warm hug feels great. My month is March! I’ve made a few blocks so far, and i’m super excited to see them come together into a quilt…

The start of September also brought with it, block 2 of the #savethebeesquilt, hosted by Jacquelynne Steves at ‘Sew Quilty Friends’, find her group on Facebook and Instagram, and join in this beautiful quilt a long…

I was thrilled to be asked by Craft Cotton to make a quilt to be put on display in Houston in October, showcasing their new ‘Monochrome Zoo’ fabric collection, the fabrics are so cute.

If you would like to make your very own ‘monochrome Zoo’ quilt, you can download my pattern at the link below. The fabrics will be available any day now from Craft cotton.

monochrome zoo quilt craftcotton

And… Christmas has arrived!, well my order from Groves has, i think i read somewhere its only 110 days till Christmas – yay!! Head over to www.facebook.com/grovesltd and grab your Christmas catalogue – The UK’s leading independent distributor of haberdashery, craft, sewing, knitting and needlecraft.

I’ve so many ideas, stay tuned for some Christmas project, patterns and inspiration

Thanks for reading, if you like what you’ve read/seen, please follow me here on my blog. I love to receive comments too.

heck out my Instagram and Facebook page @creativeblonde66

Happy sewing, until next time…

~Michelle~

x creativeblonde x