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Friday 28 December 2012

No More Plus Something New

Okay enough of doom and gloom.  Yes I'm still full of it but there is no reason you all should be.  So just for today I am sharing with you a brand new FREE Block of the Month being run by Alyssa who has the Blog Pile 'O Fabric she has been blogging as long as I have and actually quilting as long as I've been sort of trying.  Anyway please go along and have a look at it.  Here is the logo which leads to signing up for this FREE skill building Block of the Month.  You will provide your own fabric - whatever your heart desires.  My heart right now is desiring solids because I have really fallen in love them them.  But it will be really interesting to see what everyone else comes up with and no doubt I shall wish I chose something else because I ALWAYS like what somebody else has chosen and made so nothing will change here that's for sure.  All you ahve to do is click on the logo below and you will be taken to the new BOM and learn  all kinds of new things or things you thought you knew but didn't really.  And now you will see.  If nothing else you will have a complete new almost Queen Size Quilt by this time next year.  Just think how fast 2012 went and I, for one, will not let 2013 go by like I let the last year.  So come on and join me and others and have a really fun year.


Pile O' Fabric

See you soon
Patricia xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way
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Thursday 27 December 2012

A very crappy Christmas

This was the worst Christmas of my whole entire life but it was far worse for my sister Jacquie.  I was still ill but my poor elder sister, who was just 70 and healthy, died so unexpectedly of a stroke, it just wasn't true.   She passed away last Thursday evening and and as we are Jewish the funeral was held on Sunday last.  We, that's my two other sisters and me, just couldn't believe this had happened.  In fact I still can't believe it.   The only thing I hope and pray is that she is in the hereafter with her adored son Jonathon.

I love you Jacquie.

See you soon
Patrcia xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way

P.S.  I did not put this up for sympathy.  I just wrote this because I NEEDED to!
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Tuesday 18 December 2012

I'm sorry

I know it's my Blogaversary today but I'm sick in bed so I will make my giveaway as soon as I'm better because I have to take photos for it.  See you as soon as I'm better.

See you soon
Patrcia xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way
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Saturday 15 December 2012

And the winner is ....

First things first.  The first thing is to thank all my new followers.  I am really overwhelmed by how many there are of you and I hope you will come and visit my blog often .  Well oftenish if you know what I mean.  I hope I replied to each and every one of you and if I didn't then I am truly sorry because I think it is only polite, and I'm a very polite person - you know please and thank you etc., to respond when somebody leaves a comment on my blog and I love it when people thank me too when I leave comments on their blogs.

So without further ado Mr. Random Number Generator (okay it could have been Mrs. but I have decided, and this is my blog, that the Random Generator is a tall, dark and very good looking MAN)  has selected, for this very auspicious occasion of Michele's 5th birthday 
So come in Number 173 who is TA DA DE DA...


Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy15 December 2012 03:26

Thank you for the opportunity!
Fellow FQS lover :)
Signed up to follow: Erin Davis
x
p.s.: not sure if you'd be interested or not but I've started a new bee, Simply Solids...and we're looking for UK members!
mummyquilts.blogspot.com

Don't know where that number 1 is coming from either, I've tried to fix it but can't!  Now before you all go (or b*gger off) I would just like to remind you that I am having another give-away starting on the 18th of December which is my BLOGAVERSARY so please come back because you don't want to miss this one that's for sure as it will be my birthday of this blog and I'm really excited about it.  

So hopefully I will ...
See you all very soon
Hugs
Patrcia xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way

P.S.  You may have noticed I have changed my name back to it's original as I think I'm too old to be called Patti and I reall do so much prefer my full name.  I have informed all and sundry that starting from now this is the only name I will answer to and if him upstairs insists on calling me Pat (which I HATE with a total vengeance) I just wont answer him.  Somehow I think he might be happy about that but he'll soon get sick of not being answered.  At least I hope he will.  I'll let you all know.


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Sunday 9 December 2012

Quilter’s Blog Hop Party with a Give-Away

Go here to get to
the Party
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to THE QUILTING GALLERY

I am just one of over 150 bloggers that is participating in this wonderful Blog Party celebrating The Quilting Gallery's 5th Birthday so come and join in and win something special for yourself.

I am giving away, courtesy of The Fat Quarter Shop, who has become my newest Sponsor!!! YAY!!  Because I truly LOVE buying from them.  No hoops tojump through because all you have to do to win this lovely fat quarter bundle is become one of my followers and leave me a comment telling me you have done so on this post.
It's a full FAT QUARTER bundle of
Merlot Kona Modern Quilts
by
Cynthia Frenette


My prize is available for anywhere in the world.

Please also visit The Fat Quarter Shop because they have just THE best selection of fabrics and their service is second to none.  

I have been shopping there since I started collecting fabric.  Yes I know I'm supposed to use it but, so far, I've just been collecting it.  I stroke it and look at it a lot and I have found the service I get from The Fat Quarter Shop to be so efficient and I love calling up because they still know I'm American, though why I ever think my accent is in any way British is beyond me.  Anyway they are always so nice and helpful and get my stuff out super quick.  My favorite thing they have is the Block of the Month and so far I have signed up for two um three :-)

The first one finished 6 months ago I'm intending on using that gorgeous fabric for The Farmers Wife Quilt but I have to cut some of it first.  I've now got almost 6 months worth of their current BOM and still haven't cut into any of it.  

So, if you are wondering why you hardly ever see any of my quilting or piecing on here, it's because I haven't really done any yet but I'm going to.  Tomorrow I am going to cut into some of my stash and actually make something but I can't show you what until after December 15, 2012 but don't worry it's coming - that's what I keep on telling him upstairs, otherwise known as my DH who puts up with my stash buying like he puts up with my toy buying for our grandchildren.   Please trust me when I say that The Fat Quarter Shop is worth visiting because it really is but take your credit card out first and get ready to use it!

Please make sure when leaving your comment that I can email you when you win so if your email isn't visable please leave it on your comment here on this blog.  

This giveaway ends on December 15, 2012.   The winner will be chosen by Mr. Randomizer himself (okay it might be a she but I like to think of him as big and handsome and sexy) and I will announce the winner soon afterwards because then I will be having another giveaway for my Blogaversary so keep watching afterwards for more stuff.

Well good luck and be sure and visit The Party because there is loads more to win from over 150 different bloggers from all over the world and you could win something great.  Heck I'm going to go and enter some too.

Finally thank you Michele for all you have done in the last 5 years and good luck to you in the next 5 years and here is the link that takes the viewers back to her site!

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way

P.S.  I keep on forgetting to put stuff on here.  So this is my very last addition to this post.  This giveaway WILL be mailed internationally.
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Sunday 2 December 2012

The Winner and an AMAZING ....

The winner was picked by the Rafflecoptor.  Not many of you liked using this so maybe I'll just go back to the usual way next time.

So without further ado the winner is:

Gene B.

and I have let him know and also the very kind lady, Caroline, that let me give this amazing class as a give away to one of you for free - that would be Gene B - and the rest of you that wanted it for half price during the week this was live.

I can honestly say this is THE best class I have bought and looked at so far.  I have bought quite a few that I haven't looked at yet - rather like all books I have to have and open once, look at, close and leave gathering dust.  But I will love all the classes I have purchased as much as I loved this one and of that I am sure.

Now for the AMAZING quilt I saw and pinned.  LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!

 

It is called
"Everything But The Kitchen Sink"
and was made by
Chase
who's blog is called
{1/4" Mark}
I do hope you love this quilt as much as I do.  I think it is just GORGEOUS MALORGEOUS!!!

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way
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Sunday 25 November 2012

A Craftsy Giveaway


As a lot of you know I am a Craftsy addict.  I have either purchased or joined Craftsy Online Free classes and paid for Craftsy Classes over the past year or so.  The very first class was with Jenny Doan who owns Missouri Star Quilting and it was Quilting Quickly and an excellent class it was too.  It gave me the confidence to start to piece to my newest Craftsy class Design It Quilt It with another 12 Quilting and Sewing classes in between.  Yes I really am an addict.


Cindy assumes that you can already piece and want to learn how to quilt your tops. If you are a really brand new enthusiast and you want to learn how to cut and piece without using pre-cuts then I would highly recommend The Craftsy Block of The Month, which is taught by the very talented Amy Gibson. Or if you haven’t learned how to piece and want to quilt a whole cloth quilt this is also the perfect class for you from beginners to those that have quilted but want to improve their quilting skills or just need to learn more than they have been taught. 

You will learn good practical tips on basting, threads, tension (the machine kind!), how to quilt basic designs, how to choose practical designs for your tops, etc. Very important tips are shared on how to get your perfect rhythm and stitch length and how to begin and end your quilting lines.  In fact most things I thought I ‘knew’ I didn’t but I sure do now.  Not only all of this but once you enrol on any Craftsy class it is yours for life – anytime or anywhere on any machine you just sign in to Your Account and there all your classes are and you can watch and re-watch whatever you want from any class you have FOREVER!

I cannot tell you how much I have learnt in Cindy’s’ classes.  It is just amazing from start to finish and even when I looked at an upcoming topic and thought to myself ‘oh I know that’ it was amazing how much I, in fact, did not know.

So now for the giveaway and don’t worry if you don’t win because Craftsy are offering you DESIGN IT QUILT IT ONLY for half price and if I were you I wouldn’t miss this class for anything, but one lucky person is going to get it for 
FREE
and it could be YOU

The GIVEAWAY ends on Sunday the December 2, 2012.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way
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Blog-hop and giveaway coming soon

I have decided, in my infinate wisdom (okay I'm not really that wise), to enter the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop Party with Giveaways!


From the 10th of December until the 15th you will be able to visit a whole host of blogs and enter a load of giveaways .... but please remember to watch out for mine because the giveaway is going to be awesome.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH

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Tuesday 20 November 2012

Accuquit and Craftsy

First I would like to welcome all my new followers - how rude of me not to do this before now.  So WELCOME and I do hope you continue to follow me because I love comments and will ALWAYS reply to you.


Let's talk about the first thing in my heading.  I have had the Go! Baby for around a year but because of my MS my arms quit working just about the same time I got it.  But, I have to tell you that the Accuquilt  Go! Baby is totally amazing and what's more 
Are having a SALE
that is lasting 8 whole days.  I have only just started quilting after looking at You Tube and Craftsy for a while.  Okay it's been more than a while - it's been 2 years but my arms are now working again so I can piece now thanks in whole to the Go! Baby and I have four cutters (they used to be called dies) and I have cut some hexagons and I'm currently hand sewing them.

The Go! Baby which if you live in the U.S. is now
$50.00 cheaper so do yourself a favor and buy it
because I promise you IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
I have to tell you that I so couldn't have done this if I didn't have the Go! Baby and and if I could afford it I would so buy the:

The Go! Baby 1 1/2" Strip Cutter
because Moda have stopped
making them :-(
AND
The Go! Baby Quarter Square 4" Finished Triangle
because it would just be AMAZING

Unfortunately in England the stores ALWAYS charge £s for $s - one of my pet peeves!!!  That and the fact that if you spend more than £16.00 on something you buy from the US they charge you the VAT - no problem with that at all because if I buy it here I have to pay it, but I have a huge problem with the flat fee of £8.00 they charge for charging the VAT (Value Added Tax otherwise known as just Tax).  That really P's me off.  So if anybody wants to buy me a Christmas or Chanukah present you know exactly what I want.  Not expecting much from this side of the pond because they are so expensive here in England and our darling son and daughter-in-law gave us a wonderful vacation as a present and I think that covered all things this year - birthdays, Chanukmas (that's Christmas and Chanukah combined) and our anniversary which was last week.  We have been married for an awful lot of years.

Anyway enough of my moaning and these are the 4 dies I have at the moment:-

Go! Value Die
which gives you a
4 1/2" Square
2 1/2" Triangles
2 1/2" Square
Go! Baby Drunkards Path 3 1/2" Finished

Go! Triangles in a Square
Finished Sizes are 3" of both
Go! Baby Hexagons
with finished sized of:
2", 3" and 5"
and this die I bought here in England
To end with Accuquilt !Go Baby for the time being I have to tell you that it is my most favorite thing that I own.  I LOVE IT!!!  And it has made quilting possible for me because I still can't stand and cut and using the Accuquilt Go! Baby means that I can quilt.


Now about Craftsy and me.  I joined 1 class on Craftsy when Craftsy was called something else, Sympoziam I think.  I have been trying to quilt for around 2 years I think.  I went to a class at my not-so-local quilt store first and found it pretty useless to be honest.  First I couldn't see what the teacher was trying to teach because (a) I'm vertically challenged and (b) I have MS and can't stand for very long and whatever she demonstrated was on the small high table and let's just say I learned virtually nothing and was quite despondent about it and if I hadn't bought some much stuff I might have just given up.


I know I learn better if I either read about it or see it demonstrated and got my first class from a blot (sorry can't remember who's) for Craftsy half price - it was the Jenny Doan (Jenny is from Missouri Star Quilt Company) class which is called Quilting Quilty. I thought hey that's for me for sure.

So I joined that class and quickly thereafter joined Quilting Quickly II and I have become quite addicted to these classes to say the least and will be giving one away shortly so keep watching because it will be within the next week or so.

Right, let's get back to what I was saying.  Craftsy have one full free classe for quilters and it is called Block of the Month and has run since January of this year and is now finished but it will always be there and Amy Gibson who has a blog gives this first full free class that is suitable from a Beginner to anybody.  So if you are just starting quilting go and sign up for it - it costs you absolutely nothing and I have saved this class and Amy is, as are most of the tutors, totally amazing.  This class is called So please do go and have a look at what Craftsy has to offer I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way
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Saturday 17 November 2012

I Was Only Asking Last Week ...

about what was the best way to baste a quilt.  Whether I should use those bendy safety pins or that spray glue stuff before I quilt my quilt.  Yes I am going to quilt it myself once I have made the top that is.  But I have to clear up my sewing room first so that I can get in there and actually cut so I can sew.

Then I came upon this via my Twitter pal who is also a GREAT designer and person and I love her fabric to pieces.  So who is she you ask?  Well it's BariJ.  Anyway she found this online and I'm sharing it with you because I think it is such an awesome way to baste a quit without any fuss or bother.

What is it you ask?  It's this, and this is Part 1 and the woman who is so clever to do this is Sharon Schamber and I have linked her name to her website because she does all kinds of classes in the USA you lucky people you.  But this one is absolutely amazing.


and here is Part 2 albeit not in the middle of the screen sorry.


I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.  Now all I have to do is find out where to get these bars from in England and I'll be home and dry and wont have to scramble on the floor which wouldn't be easy that's for sure.
So until next time
Patti xxx
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Wednesday 14 November 2012

And the WINNER is...

Well it's time to announce the winner of my giveaway.  So without further ado the winner of this giveaway is

List Randomizer

There were 45 items in your list. Here they are in random order:
  1. 44
  2. 26
  3. 30
  4. 34

Now I just have to go and see who number 44 is so, hold on I'll be right back.  Number 44 your time is up and your name is:


I love Simply Color, looks like she has most of them. I like them all it will be my next oops I went shopping honey!

I will write to Lisa and let her know.  Come back next week because I'm going to have another giveaway.     Plus I can't believe it I got the numbers to work - well if I didn't somebody did - maybe it was the cleaning fairy that escaped from my house, and I'm just so happy about it because it means I won't have to count anymore.

Until next time ....
Hugs
Patti xxx


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Thursday 1 November 2012

A GIVEAWAY + things I've seen

I promised you guys another giveaway and there is one at the bottom of this post and trust me it's good.  Not just good but GREAT and it has been sponsered by Dina (dot com website) who owns Spiceberry Cottage (Etsy Store) with her lovely daughter.  So read this and you are going to be so surprised by what this lovely lady is offereing my readers and followers.

I don't know about any of you but I tend to subscribe to blogs by having their updated emailed to me.  It's because I don't want to miss anything and I also have a list of Blogs that truly inspire me.  Anyway to cut a long story short I received an email yesterday from Lee who's blog is called Freshly Pieced and Lee is involved in a new Quilting Bee and is sending out

these charm squares for her quilt top
and I immediately loved the colors she has chosen.  They are just so yummy but I thought to my I wonder what kind of block she is going to make out of them. I scrolled down a bit and
this is what Lee is going to have made from her squares
then I scrolled further down and Lee had a WIP Wednesday load of small pictures which led to other blogs that had sent her what they were working on.  I didn't get very far because at the end of the second row I spotted this

and I have loved this pattern since I first saw a different version by Orla Kiely 
anyway this one has been made by Tracey Jay Quilts  where I found out why she was making this quilt and how it was being made so please go and have a look.  


I'm making a block for this will you??  Don't forget Tracey Jay Quilts

Then I went to another website.  I think I got there via The Long Weekend group I am in.  Anyway the blog is called Sewing by Stephanie where I found these lovelies:


aren't they just gorgeous.  Go on, you know you want to, go and visit Stephanie's Blog it's full of yummy things and links to yummy places too.

Then today I got another email from Debbie whose blog is called A Quilter's Table and Debbie has already finished The Weekender Bag and I wanted to end with this because I sort of started with it and here is one that has been completed in a completely different way and I LOVE IT

In fact I love everything I have shown you on here or else I wouldn't have bothered.

Now for the giveaway.  This giveaway is given by the very lovely Dina who is Spiceberry Cottage and I really thank you Dina for doing this from the bottom of my heart.

What do you have to do:
  1. Become a Follower of My Blog
  2. Go and visit Dina at both her website and her Etsy store and come back and leave me a comment of what you would buy from her
  3. Sorry this is only open to the USA but if you don't live there and you still want to enter just offer Dina to pay the postage costs (in your comment) and I'm sure there won't be a problem

FRESHCUT by Heather Bailey 6" Charm Pack 

Gypsy Caravan Amy Butler Stash

 Charm Pack - Thirty 6" Squares


Dena Designs London Charm Packs - 

Set of 30 six inch squares

If you can I would really appreciate it if you, if there is a you, putting a small thing on your blog about this giveaway please.  If you do please leave me another comment letting me know for your third chance of winning these great fabrics.

So this is not one, not two but THREE 6" square charm packs.  Wish I could enter but I can't there you go.  Good luck to all that enter.

I almost forgot the competition ends on the 14th November 2012.

Until next time
Patti xxx

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Monday 29 October 2012

I am REALLY excited

Why you ask?  Because I've been buying again!!!  It's the first time in months and boy have I ever gone to town.

First thing I bought was this

The pattern for the Amy Butler
Sew-A-Long
with
and this is what you need for it:

Materials List

Allow extra yardage for matching or centering a design on your fabric.
  • 1 5/8 yards of 54" wide heavier Home Dec fabric for the Exterior
  • 2 ½ yards of 54" wide heavier Home Dec fabric for the Lining, Handles and cording
  • 3 ¾ yards of 20" wide fusible woven interfacing (we use Shape Flex® SF-101 by Pellon®)
  • 2 ¼ yards of 20" wide Peltex® #70 by Pellon® or a similar extra-heavy stabilizer
  • 1 sheet of 12" wide x 18" long Heavy Duty Template Plastic from Prim-Dritz ™ (found with the quilting supplies)
  • 5 yards of 6/32" cotton cording (found in the home decorating departments of most stores)
  • 30" coordinating plastic or metal teeth heavyweight zipper (non-separating)
  • 1 spool of coordinating all-purpose thread (we use Coats Dual Duty XP®)


and so far all I have bought is

2 1/2 yard of Amy Butler's
Home Decor Fresh Start
for inside the bag and the piping

AND 2 yards of this which is
for the outside
Amy Butler's Home Decor Bright Buds
for the outside of the bag

So I think I have a load more to get before I can start well not a load but quite a bit.

I also bought from my friend Dina (Etsy link) who owns Spiceberry Cottage (dot com shop link) these yummy fabrics just because I wanted them

Vintage Modern
Yes I know I'm doing (or supposed to be) making the Block of the Month from The Fat Quarter Shop but I love it so much that I want to put some of it in the Bee In My Bonnet Row Along which I also haven't started yet.  Go on you can tell me off I don't care because after listening to him upstairs it would be like water off a ducks back trust me AND I also bought
Flea Market Fancy just because I LOVE it
PLUS if I can find a photo of it I also bought
Remnant Scraps from Sew Fantantastic Destash
and I was so lucky because the bundle Terri sent me was from Bonnie & Camille and it was Bliss and I had about as much chance of getting this as flying to the moon.  YAY Terri and I hope you are having a nice holiday (vacation)

I also got this amazing Japanese Book for a reasonable price

From Megumi in Japan and it arrived
in good time and absolutely Perfect
AND besides a couple of patterns I also bought some selvedges for a string quilt.  Do you really want to see them????  Okay as you insist I will show them to you

From Connie who is Refabulous2 at Etsy
Well that's it Petals for now anyway.  Okay Petals = you guys who are reading this blog I so love writing if there are any of you out there that is.  

The reason for my hiatis is my DDIL and younger grandson Oliver (3) and Chloe (11 months) have all been ill and we (that's him upstairs and me) have been spending all day there every day and we are just about to go back again.  Poor Danielle had been so poorly and I do hope my DS James doesn't get the lurgie they have all had.  

Until next time ... 
Lots of Love Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way