April ...

my favourite month - especially exciting when this box arrives ....

my Bernina 770QE and I've nicknamed it "The Beast"!

I felt so nervous to use it and I wasn't sure where to begin ... SO ... decided to take a deep breath and just make some little houses ...

and a table mat ...

as you do!  This pattern came from Teach Me to Machine Quilt by Pat Sloan.  It's a brilliant book to get you started with free motion quilting.  I think I have many happy sewing hours ahead!

I've got two quits which I've pieced and are all set to baste and machine quilt ... 

I've had this Pam and Nicky Lintott pattern and Moda fabric called PotLuck for years!  The fabric is so bright and cheerful ...

The second quilt pattern came from Popular Patchwork, March 2013!!! And the fabric is called Padstow Range again by Moda ...

I've basted Potluck using two planks of wood and I'm hoping for no puckering on the back!

I'm now in the process of machine quilting - it takes longer than you think!

Vanessa x

March ...

 and another bag making day with Jennifer ...

I have taken my medallion quilt to a long arm quilter to have it partly quilted.  When I get the quilt back, I will hand quilt around the appliqué.  Spent a day preparing the quilt - removing all the threads from the back (what a tedious task) and pressing and preparing the backing!  Note to self - in future keep the back of quilts tidy as you go along!

And now I'm working on some free motion quilting!  One of my New Year's Resolutions (of which I had many) is to crack free motion quilting on my machine!  I've had this Moda layer cake called Noteworthy since 2014!  I just love the design with all the little notes written over it! 

Before Christmas I pieced the quilt top using a pattern by Sherri McConnell from her book 'Fresh Family Traditions'.  

It's a simple pattern which was ideal because I wanted to be able to quilt the quilt myself and also I wanted to still be able to read the notes on the fabric!  The first thing I did was to stitch in the ditch all over the quilt to secure it.  This was a tip I got from Steph at Cupcake Cottons!  This took me ages because I kept having to check the back wasn't puckering up!  I need to work on my basting technique!

Once stitched in the ditch, I free motion quilted a doodle design - block by block.  It is the first time I have free motion quilted such a large quilt.  I took my time and did a bit each day and my stitching gradually improved...

It's not perfect by any means but I am pleased with the end result.  And I know that I'll improve, the more I do.  Next month I'm going to make another quilt which I've had planned for years and have all the fabric for!  Again, it's a simple design which will piece really quickly and then I will be able to spend my time free motion quilting it!

And finally, as you know, I go to a class once a month at Cupcake Cottons.  Steph calls our class the Friday Flanges!  This month we made bags as some of the girls hadn't made a sewing bag yet - hard to believe I know!  As I have made several .... I used the same design to make a beach bag ...

I made the buttons myself using a gadget my friend Jennifer told me about ...

It was so easy to use!  I ordered the button maker by Debbie Shore from The Pattern Den and I have to say how impressed I was with the service - I got an individual confirmation email from Diane telling me she thought the button maker was great,which I thought was a lovely touch!

I am totally bagged out now, so it's back to proper quilt making for me!

Vanessa x

ps:  March houses ...