Monday 31 December 2012

Five Years in Blogland - Giveaway 4

Thank you again for all you lovely comments ... I am thrilled that so many of you like the prizes I am giving away as I celebrate five years in blogland. 

Today's offering is another lovely craft book, Sew Darn Cute by Jenny Ryan. I am also including a Patchwork Pencil Case that I made recently. This pencil case was designed by Shannon Dreval and can be found in the book, Zakka Style.


 I really love the look of linen and cotton fabrics. These pencil cases are quick and easy to make. I used scraps from my dresdens for the patchwork parts. A small rotary cutter also fits in this cute little case.


 Sew Darn Cute includes instructions for 30 projects to sew and embellish. There are bags/totes, bracelets, cushions, table runners, quilts and lots more.
Below is an excerpt from the back cover.


If these prizes appeal to you just leave a comment on this post making sure I can contact you by email if you are the winner. As stated previously, these are random giveaways and will finish at midnight on Friday 4th January. They are open to Australian and overseas readers.
Happy New Year.
 

Sunday 30 December 2012

Five Years in Blogland - Giveaway 3

Ok, time for the next giveaway .. thanks for all the wonderful comments on the first two. I would love to reply to you all individually but please forgive me if I don't quite manage it. With so many lovely bloggers stopping by it's a bit overwhelming and hard to keep up with .. but all good.
  
Anyway do you remember these ...

 

 and these ...

 
 
 which became my Joy Luck quilt?

 
 
Well, today I am giving away a Charm Square pack of these retro inspired Denyse Schmidt fabrics. I've included sixty 5 inch squares, all cut by me, from my DS stash.

In addition, the winner will also receive the Schnibble pattern below.


You will have enough charm squares to make the quilt top if you wish. You will just need to add your own background fabric.

You probably know the drill by now but this random giveaway will finish at midnight on Friday 4th January and is open to Australian and overseas readers. Good luck everyone.

Saturday 29 December 2012

Five Years in Blogland - Giveaway 2

Thank you for all your sweet comments on my last post. It's hard to believe I've been blogging for five years. The great thing is I still love it as much now as when I started all those years ago. 

This year I've made numerous drawstring bags from Sherri's great tutorial so today I am giving away this cute version made from Marmalade by Bonnie and Camille.

Front ...


and back.


I used one of the lovely florals in the range for the lining ...


 and the red spot from Vintage Modern for the casings. I love how Bonnie and Camille's ranges work so well together .. I'm sure I've said that before too!


 The bag features simple straight line quilting. I will learn to stipple and free motion quilt one day!
 

 If you'd like to give this little bag a home, just leave me a comment on this post. Please tell me if you're a follower and I'll give you an extra chance to win. (That is, you'll get 2 entries in the random draw.) This giveaway will finish at midnight on Friday 4th January and is open to Australian and overseas readers. Good luck.
 

Friday 28 December 2012

Five Years in Blogland - Giveaway 1

On Friday 28th December 2007 Auntie's Quaint Quilts was launched with the following words:


Five years later I still have lots of UFOs BUT I have certainly finished a lot of projects too. AND I have friends both near and far who 'get' my addiction to fabric and all things 'stitchy and quilty.
To celebrate and say thank you for your encouragement over the last five years I will be holding five giveaways over five days. Each giveaway will be determined by a random draw. All giveaways will finish at midnight on Friday 4th January. (Penguin time!)
To enter just leave a comment on the post for that particular giveaway making sure I can contact you if you are fortunate enough to win. I always enjoy hearing where my readers are from, what you are currently working on or what your favourite fabrics are at the moment . I will happily post both within Australia and overseas.
Today's prize is a brand new copy of Molly Makes Christmas. 



As it says in the preface, the book features over 20 new projects from Mollie Makes magazine's favourite designers.

Good luck lovely readers and let the fun begin. 


Thursday 27 December 2012

Christmas Gifts

On Christmas Day I opened these amazing gifts made by my 'friends in stitching' pal, Dawnie. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement! Dawnie used beautiful French General fabrics to make me the Table Centre from Natalie Bird's Red Home book.
I love the stitching and fabrics on the front ...


and the backing fabric is divine. (I've already been investigating online to see where I can purchase some to add to my French General stash!)


 Dawnie also made me the Little House Pincushion from Red Home. There is so much work in this lovely pincushion. I love the appliqued house with it's stitched blue bird ....

 
 the musical quote and ...


 these tiny amazing hexies. Wow!

 
Thank you so much, Dawnie. My presents are perfect. I purchased the Red Home book earlier this year but haven't had a chance to make anything yet. I feel thoroughly spoilt but so grateful for the thought and effort you put into my gifts.

Monday 24 December 2012

Lovely Gifts

I am lucky to belong to a lovely online group of ladies called Friends in Stitching. This year in addition to making a stitched gift to be opened on Christmas Day we sent each other 5 extra gifts to be opened in the lead up to Christmas. I am thrilled to be receiving from Dawnie this year. Below, in no particular order are the lovely items I have received so far.

SOMETHING FOR FUN - a gorgeous Christmas shopping bag and shopping list. I have already used the bag and have had people asking me where I got it from.


I always make a list before going grocery shopping. My current note pad is nearly empty so this one will start being used very soon. And it's red!

 
SOMETHING FOR THE TREE- I love the stocking Dawnie made me. I think it is a Lynette Anderson design. As you can see there is so much detail, front ...


and back. Adorable.


 SOMETHING FOR THE HANDS - these DMC threads will come in very handy ... Dawnie knows I LOVE red. Great scissors too ... I use this sort a lot.


 SOMETHING FOR THE TUMMY - yummy Lindt chocolates. I LOVE chocolate!


SOMETHING FOR THE TABLE - a lovely silver candle. My family are coming for Christmas lunch tomorrow and this will look lovely on the table.


 Thank you so much, Dawnie. I love all my gifts and can't wait to open my Christmas Day present tomorrow morning. Below is the delightful box my presents arrived in ... so cute.


Merry Christmas to all my friends in blogland. I hope 2012 was good to you and that 2013 will be even better. Now that the holidays have started I plan to be here more regularly ... fingers crossed! And in just a few days Auntie's Quaint Quilts turns 5 ... stay tuned for the traditonal birthday giveaways.

Saturday 8 December 2012

Delightful Dresdens

I'm really looking forward to having some time to work on these dresdens again soon.


I started these last summer as part of the Scrappy Plate Club over at Bunny Tales.


Thankfully, I still love the fabrics and can't wait to start playing with them again.


I might have mentioned that this summer at Auntie's Quaint Quilts is going to be all about finishing some UFOs .. and no doubt starting some new ones too! 

This afternoon I have a tablerunner that needs binding .. sounds like a good excuse to watch some TV. Luckily Project Runway Australia is on ... one of my favourite shows. Have a great weekend.

Thursday 6 December 2012

I Made Another One!

One of Sherri's bags that is. Rosemary was the last Material Girl to have a birthday this year.



Rosemary's 'theme' was 'something you'd like to make for yourself.' So I did! Her bag is made from Sweetwater's Mama Said Sew range of fabric.


 I really love the lining fabric ... there's something very nice about those red, black and grey flowers on the white background.
 

 Maybe after Christmas I'll find some time to make myself one. 

The next two weeks are hectic with lots of performances to either conduct or perform in. My school choirs have seven performances in seven days and I have five brass band engagements to attend too. Madness! .. so looking forward to the end of term and 6 weeks holiday.


Sunday 18 November 2012

Cherry Sundae

Block 5 of the 2012 Designer Mystery BOM from the Fat Quarter Shop is Cherry Sundae. This cute block was designed by Barb Adams and Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs.


This weekends sewing mainly fell into the 'secret' category although I did trim the edges of this quilt ...   

 
and try to decide what fabric to use for a binding. No decision yet!

 
 I also remembered to take a photo of these hexies. Have to confess I've lost count of how many of these I've actually stitched! 


I've decided that during the summer holidays my stitching time will be divided between quilting my Schnibble quilts and taking stock of all my 'works in progress'. That's the plan anyway .. wonder if I'll stick to it!

Friday 16 November 2012

Zakka House Pouch

Currently I am besotted with linen so when it was time to make a birthday gift for Annie it had to be The House Pouch by Julia Bravo in Zakka Style.


Teamed with some Ruby by Bonnie and Camille, it made a rather cute house pouch.


I used the red and white scallop for the roof ...
 

 and spotty fabrics for the door and windows.


 The lining is another Ruby print. I had some dramas with the zip but it all worked out in the end!


Annie had requested some ric-rac so I used that between the roof and walls. 


 It was a fun little project and I'd love to make another one soon.