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

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

 

Keeping out of trouble…

Hello, thanks for stopping by.

I wanted to do a quick post to keep you updated with the many quilt-a-longs I’m taking part in this year, and to announce the winner of the Lap Size Piece of Vlieseline Wool Batting competition from last weekend…

Here are blocks 12 and 13 out of 20, of The Flower Bouquet quilt along hosted by Pat @quilterpatsloan,

Im using fabrics by Gutermann from the Portifino collection

I got in nice an early with April blocks for the Sewing Bee 4 group, this month block has been chosen by Jayne @plaincreations for the charity @siblingstogetherquiltgroup

I used some Island batik scraps, I love the swirls in the purple

This week brought with it Unit C of the Daisy Chain Mystery Quilt-along – hosted by Amanda @honeybunnyanddoll.

I’m so excited to see how these blocks are going to come together…

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

I’ve been using Batik scraps throughout this challenge…

and the last in the quilt alongs this month, is the Modern HST BOM hosted by Steph @stephjacobsondesigns.

I’ve used Ditty Batiks and Black Batiks to complete this block

The Winner of the beautifully soft Vlieseline Wool batting is… 

nwpaintedlady

Huge congratulations, please get in touch with your address, so I can this sent out to you – happy sewing

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

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

 

 

Hands 2 Help 2018…

I feel so happy to of been part of this challenge, hosted by Sarah @ confessions of a fabric addict, this is Sarah’ 8th year, and each year more and more quilts are being lovingly created, visit her blog for more details @fabricaddictquilts. You’re truly awesome Sarah

I’ve only been making quilts for just over 2 years, since I achieved my diploma in Patchwork and Quilting. This year I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to make and donate a quilt to a lovely charity, with the gorgeous fabrics lovingly donated by Craft Cotton – a company i write many blogs for.

I hope my quilt will bring a warm hug to someone special

The charity I have chosen, is one based in the UK (which i where i live)

Sarah very kindly put me in touch with the lovely ladies Maria, Nicky, Jenny and Jen from

http://siblingstogetherquiltgroup.blogspot.co.uk/

www.instagram.com/siblingstogetherquiltgroup

Head over to their page, to read all about their fantastic work, and to get involved…

“In the UK there are approximately 40,000 children in care now who are living separated from brothers and sisters who are also in care, and a further 4,000 children entering care and separated from siblings each year. Siblings Together provides opportunities for planned, enjoyable, creative and high quality sibling contact, for children living in different care arrangements”

 

To see everyone’s beautiful quilts, head over to Sarah page confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com to find a post FULL of stunning quilts, all on their way to give a big warm hug to lots of lovely charities

Oh wait… I almost forgot to show you my finished quilt…

Each heart is appliqued on using blanket stitch, and some beautiful variegated threads from Gutermann, which worked so wonderfully

Many thanks for reading, be sure to mark this date in your calendar, so you too can join in next year, and make your own special quilt (hug) for someone

 

Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 2018

I’m thrilled to of found this challenge, and to be taking part, its being hosted by Sarah at confessions of a fabric addict, this is the 8th year, and each year more and more quilts are being lovingly created, visit her blog for more details

https://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk

www.instagram.com/fabricaddictquilts

As I live in the UK, I was keen to donate to a local charity, Sarah very kindly put me in touch with Maria, Nicky, Jenny and Jen from

http://siblingstogetherquiltgroup.blogspot.co.uk/

www.instagram.com/siblingstogetherquiltgroup

Head over to their page, to read all about their fantastic work, and to get involved…

“In the UK there are approximately 40,000 children in care now who are living separated from brothers and sisters who are also in care, and a further 4,000 children entering care and separated from siblings each year. Siblings Together provides opportunities for planned, enjoyable, creative and high quality sibling contact, for children living in different care arrangements”

Today, is the day for showing our progress and to help spread the word… so here are fabrics I have chosen, they were very kindly donated from craftcotton  – Huge thank you for your generosity

My Progress so far…

Follow my progress here, next update Sunday 6th May, and the final reveal Thursday 24th May, check out the blogs mentioned above to see all the other gorgeous quilts being created with love

Thanks for reading, you can follow me here on my blog, and can also find me on Facebook and Instagram

Happy sewing

x creativeblonde x