QUILT LABELS

So who is guilty of not labelling their quilts? I'm putting my hand up here. I have good intentions but somehow manage to avoid the actual labelling.
Tonight I thought I would try a different way of labelling my quilts and it is so simple that I think I will make a huge effort to label all of them, well some anyway.


Design labels in photoshop using digital images, brushes and text
Cut a piece of fabric and freezer paper to fit your printer
Iron the shiny side of the freezer paper to the back of the fabric
Stabilize the freezer paper/fabric with paper glued to the back of the freezer paper
Print desired size label
Iron under raw edges and sew onto back of quilt

How simple is that?

I'm off to design some more.

LAST NIGHT'S SEWING

I'm in love!!!!
but I will have to wait to quilt her as I can't do the quilting I want to do until I have my new machine. There will be a stack to quilt by the time I pay her off!!!! I know these fabrics aren't for everyone, but I love the artistic 'painted' backgrounds and the depth of colour in this range.
The brown borders are a linen/cotton blend.

What do think about these fabrics and my quilt, it's okay to have an opinion that doesn't match mine :)

xxxSue

PRESENTS

I'd been trying to think up something to get my SIL for her birthday when it occured to me that she might like a set of stylish grocery/shopping bags. Anything has to look better than the good old green bags right?
I'm not sure how it works in other states or countries, but here supermarket style plastic bags are banned so you have to bring your own. I laugh at the people that complain as I have been taking my own fabric bags to the shops since I was a teenager, who knew I would be a trend-setter!!!!
I thought I would make her 6 of these bags, 3 with the white background and 3 with the red.

They are made from a heavy duty cotton and are slightly bigger than the "green bags". I may even make myself a set while I'm at it.

I've stroked the Laura Gunn fabric long enough and today I went into a cutting frenzy. The quilt top is finished and I will take photos tomorrow morning. It is so pretty.

PROGRESS

It's slow but it is progress.

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!!!

I had two parcels waiting for me at the post office today. The first was my Laura Gunn fabric from the USA. I am dumbfounded by the sheer beauty of these fabrics. I think I will just sit and stroke them for a while, I don't think I can bring myself to cut them up just yet.

The second parcel had a giveaway I won over at maree's blog These fabrics are so gorgeous and I think I will use them on my wonky houses quilt.

HEIDI AND WONKY HOUSES

We've had lots of play time with Heidi today, I don't think I've posted a photo of her for a while, here she is at 8 months today.

A new quilt I'm working on. Wonky Houses. No pattern required, just make your houses different sizes and wonkiness (is that a word?).

LOOK WHO WILL BE JOINING OUR FAMILY

Welcome my Janome 6600P to the Brown household.

After months of trying to figure out whether I should upgrade or not, the decision has been made. My Janome 3500 has been a workhorse, I have loved sewing on her, but sadly she just can't keep up with me any longer. I will keep her for scrapbooking as I wouldn't dare sew through paper on my new machine, also the kids will probably use her as they have been dying to machine sew for ages.
I have got a small Janome on layby for Sophie to learn on for Christmas. It's purple and soooo cute.
My new baby is a couple of months away however. She has been put aside for me at the local dealer as she is not the cheapest thing I have ever owned. My decision to get a new machine now is that at the end of the year I will be losing one of my jobs, so this is really the only opportunity I will have for a long while to update.
I just have to be patient and I'm certainly not known for my patience!!!!!!

I'VE BEEN A LITTLE NAUGHTY

THE TOP IS DONE

after 3 days of cutting and piecing, it is done. I love how it turned out and can't wait to quilt it. It's a bit bigger than what I thought it would be so quilting on my machine will be a challenge for that reason and because it's playing up again. Sorry about the photo, it was really hard to take a good shot today.


The fabrics used are Nature's Chorus by April Cornell for Moda.
Now back to the socks.

CRAFTY GOODNESS

What a miserable day we had today, it just reached 10 degrees and the wind was blowing straight from the artic I think.
What a great day to stay inside and play.
Every winter for some reason I decide that I need to knit, like I don't have enough to do! This year I am knitting socks, a bit harder than what I thought they would be, thank goodness I have "the knitting queen" for a mother in law. I don't knit, it bores me, but there's something about sitting around the fire, slippers and jammies on, knitting needles in hand that appeals to me once a year. So here is the start of my socks, this wool is so cool, it makes the pattern all by it's self, I think it's magical wool. Pretty isn't it?

I'm also making a quilt using a jelly roll my mum bought me for Xmas and bleached calico, hopefully it will be together tomorrow.

While I was attempting to knit and sew my quilt, two of my babies were kept very busy in the craft box, time for some replenishing of the craft box I think.


I hope you are fitting in some crafty goodness into your weekend.
xxxSue

A LITTLE SOMETHING

I'm enjoying working on.
I have a small collection of cabinet cards from the late 1800's-early 1900's. I love to look at them and wonder who these people were and how they lived their lives. In the case of the one pictured here, I know her name is Margaret and she is 1 1/2, if only more information was written on the backs of these cards.
I've decided to make a fabric book with these cards in it, so here is page one.


While I was working, look what Sophie made, it reads "working art Sue Brown" ahhh she is gorgeous.

AND THE WINNER IS......

CJ
(That is so cute! I would carry my little camera in it though since it needs a case and I don't have an Ipod. :o)

Congrats CJ, thank you to all that participated in my giveaway and I hope that you come back and see what I am up to soon.

BTW I did consider how long it would take me to make 94 pouches so everyone could have one :)
xxxSue

ALIVE AND KICKING

I'm still around, just thought I would let you know that.
I've been fighting the flu for 8 days and am finally starting to feel almost human. I've done an awful lot of lying around and not a heck of a lot of creating, but I will hopefully have something to show tomorrow.
Don't forget about the Sewn draw tomorrow afternoon, I can't believe I have had so many wonderful positive comments about my giveaway.
I watched Twilight again last night ahhhh, how can I ever get sick of Edward Cullen. But back in the real world, tomorrow holds a lot of housework from not achieving much in the last week, a bit of creating and finally some exercise now my chest is clear, look out punching bag!!!!
If you are having a long weekend with me tomorrow, enjoy.
xxxSue

I'M SQUEALING

Firstly because in November this movie will be out!!!

Yes, I'm well aware that I am a Twilight freak, I sure there are plenty of us out there.

Secondly, I'm squealing again.......

Lantern Bloom by Laura Gunn This line of fabric is amazing, and well, just gorgeous and guess who has got some coming from America? I am so excited, these fabrics are hot off the press and I can't believe I found someone who is selling it already.
And his is what I am using the fabrics for.....



She is already up to week 3, but she is laying it all out for a beginner, so once my fabric is here I'll be up to date in no time.

Don't forget to scroll down and comment on my Sewn giveaway, it will be drawn on the 9th June.