Each one I’m in is slightly different:

1: See. Bee. Create: This is different every month, receive fabric from that Months Queen Bee and make a block according to there requirements.

This month I had a mix of orange, grey and aquas in the post (love this colour pallete at the mo!) and had to make a Modern Wonky Block… I was a bit daunted.. but this was my effort…

Have to say I love it! Wish I had more fabric I’d have done another one for me! I wasn’t confident enough t do it free hand, so drew the design then paper pieced it which I love… so win win!

2: Modern Minx Beginner Bee: This is one block chosen by the monthly nominee. Materials from stash, and the block from Modern Blocks – 99 Quilt Blocks Compiled by Susanne Woods (Scrummy book).

This months block was for Connie.  Envy (page 56).  She requested constants with Kona Green Tea and Snow and then other fabrics inspired by Denyse Schmidt’s Hope Valley line.

This is the one that daunted me the most.  Choosing fabric to compliment others…

This is my attempt….  a mix of Pear Tree and some unknown Basic Grey from the stash,  I really hope she like it…

I’ve decided to make two every month one for the receivee and one for me that will become a rather eclectic sample quilt at the end of the year!

3:  Modern Round Robin.  I’ve paired up with Connie (who gets the block above) to make a quilt as a round robin.  We do a centre send to each other, do a border, send again, as many times as we like…  but at leas twice!

I came up with a design last week was all set to sew this week…  when I came across a book on Friday that caught my attention (One Block Wonders – Cubed by Maxine Rosenthal and Joy Pelzmann on sale in a local store.

So original idea bit the dust and I had a new plan.

Here’s the result:

The colour mix in the batik has meant a bit of mismatch in the colours, and think I need to use more solid ones if I do again, but I’m pretyy pleased with it – think it looks effective.  Now just to post to Connie!

Basically – pop over to the Fat Quarter Shop mooch around for a few hours, find an assortment of material ( 12 patterned 3 solids), arrange in a mosaic and post away!

A number of wonderful independent judges (other bloggers) will judge all the submissions and the winning bundle will receive  15 half yards (oh yes!) of the fabric of their choice from the Fat Quarter Shop.  Too good not to have a go!

Today’s the closing date – so without further delay:

1:  Rivoli Black and Salmon Dot Yardage   SKU# 7499-C

2:  Fight Like a Girl Pink and Black Flower Yardage   SKU# 33354-1

3:   Timeless Treasures Grey Floating Spiral Yardage  SKU# C8195-Grey

4:   Oval Elements Eggplant Yardage  SKU# OE-905

5:  Hyperreal Garden Red Fantasy Roads Yardage  SKU# HG-8406

6:   London Pink Lindsey Yardage  SKU# PWDF116-PINKX

7:  Free Spirit Designer Solids Black Yardage  SKU# S12-BLACK

8:  Free Spirit Designer Solids True Red Yardage   SKU# S61-TRUERED

9:  Michael Miller Petal Cotton Couture Solid Yardage   SKU# SC5333-PETA-D

10: Durham Anew Dusty Rose Polka Dots Yardage   SKU# 30433-30

11:  Stitch Organic Raspberry Tonal Patchwork Yardage   SKU# 11901-238

12:  It’s a Girl Thing Petal Stitch Petal Yardage   SKU# CX5181-PETA-D

13:  Annie’s Farm Stand Pink Bubble Dot Yardage SKU# 10066-Pink

14:  Put Your Heart In It Charcoal Polka Dots Yardage  SKU# 7608-98

15:   Rivoli Red Curl Yardage  SKU# 7502-D

New “serious” sewing machine for my birthday last October and now the perfect excuses to use it!

I’m hoping to get involved in a number of Bees this year – so this seems the best place to keep track!

So when I spotted them both, looking smug – it was too tempting to not try and get a photo (sign of the camera – normally prompt for cats to exit stage left!).  Shows how comfortable they were that they stayed!!

Card Stock – DCWV  “Jewel” Pad, Papers – LLB, Flowers – Prima, Bling, Brad and Ric Rac – Various in stash

Noticed it fitted well into Creative Craft World’s latest challenge – so fingers crossed 

Where has that time gone!!

Funny how blogs go in and out of fashion….

Mine got “Outdated” by Ravelry.com, twitter, etc…

BUT my scrapbooking now needs somewhere to post my LO’s as I don’t particularly like posting them in the gallery on UKScrappers.co.uk (it’s a bit of a faff!), so thought I’d try here…..

My Bijoux Belle teamies like to see what I do (still not sure why!), so thought I’d try and get the “Not too personal LO’s” up on here…..

so….. let’s see if I manage to keep this uptodate!

Pay It Forward 

I’ve been reading about the Pay It Forward exchange on a few blogs, and finally decided to sign up on Natalie‘s blog. Here’s the deal:

It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based on the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. You all know I’m already a PIF type of person. So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

You do need a blog to join in, otherwise you can’t offer it to anyone else, but that’s the only stipulation. My gifts may or NOT be woolly ones – depends what I think you’ll like(!)

Meet Frank – the Sonata…   Get it?  )

He is a Kromski Sonata…..    and after many moons are research I took a trip to Wingham Wool Work at the weekend (don’t EVER be put off – the bark it worse than the bite!)Ruth spent a good hour with me looking at my two final candidates…  the Ashford Joy and the Kromski….The Joy didn’t like me – I only had to look at it and the drive band would fall off – Ruth could spin quite happily – it came near me and….  off it fell again – was very odd….But Frank was a dream – bearing in mind I’ve never sat in front of a wheel before in my life, and therefore have never spun….  there I was was…  fibre in one hand…  drafting through with the other…  and this magic was happening to make a spun thread on the wheel….Felt very natural……  and in hindsight a bit scary…..   how did I know how to do it?  *eek* don’t think about it – just do it!

I am SOOOO  looking forward to it!!!

If you get the chance to visit Wingham’s do!! It’s a fantastic place – and the fibre is to just heaven!! 

I think it’s a good job we don’t live nearer(!)

Ruth is you ever read this – THANK YOU!!  Your help at the weekend was SOOO appreciated!!

 ….and it’s growing really quickly – a nice easy knit…..

The backs done and I’m up to shaping the front neck….  so not much longer now….

This is everything that came away with me….

 *eek*

and I also ordered some merino from scandanavian yarn which is lovely(!)

Think I’ve got 12 months of knitting sorted(!)

I’ve been poorly ‘ick for practically the last 2 weeks!!  A nasty summer cold that has meant I’ve been coughing lots (spare lung appreciated if anyone has one – as I think I’ve coughed mine up!), an elephant sat on my head, and general aches, tiredness and irritability (probably no-one noticed the last one!)

Can tell I was ill – as I didn’t even knit for about 4 days – as no concentration and couldn’t focus eyes properly!!

 Now still not brave enough to tackle any lace but have attacked some lovely socks!!

September sockamania, these are brill…  the first time I’ve actually managed to do the right pattern in the right month!  and the first time I’ve EVER done fairisle..  but am loving these…

The pink is hipknits and the blue / green is middle earth both BFL

I also finally blocked the Hanami last night!  I’m entering it to the summer show!!

Just need to take some arty farty shots – but some of it blocking are below – I’ll add a proper summary with stylised shots  )