Pretty sewing time.

I mentioned previously that I was feeling the need to do some pretty sewing, so last weekend I did exactly that.

I was surprised when I realised that this cushion was started just over a year ago! It has sat around for ages waiting to be turned into a completed cushion.

The design is by Tacha Bruecher from the book Pillow Pop complied by Heather Bostic.

The little Union Jacks measure 4.5" by 2.5" and were quite fiddly to make but I do like them a lot.

The colours in this cushion inspired me to make another in similar spring / summery colours. 

This one is my own "design", if you can call it that as it's very simple.

I thought I'd  positioned the squares in an alternate pink and green pattern and it wasn't until the day after I'd completed it did I notice those three pink squares in the bottom left corner and also the predominantly green ones in the row above!

I couldn't resist this cute owl fabric by Michael Miller.
These two now sit side by side on our living room sofa but
 things do look best displayed in threes so I think I really did ought to make another...........

Sewing for Boys

I really feel like I need to get my hands on some girly fabrics and do some pretty sewing!
 Apart from quilting a girl's Siblings Together quilt most of my sewing time over the last few months has been with more masculine fabrics.

I've completed three boy's Siblings Together quilts and I made my husband a quilt for Christmas.
For his work he goes to car racing meetings in the UK and Europe and he often sleeps in a motor home or tent so I decided he needed a quilt to keep him cosy. He was rather alarmed when I first suggested it as I think he imagined a flowery number but I assured him it would be manly!

I went for a St Louis Sixteen Patch in a variety of masculine fabrics. It's been put to good use during his last couple of trips but spends most of it's time all bunched up, hence the creases. Why do men have the inability to fold anything?!

Here's the pieced back looking more creased than the front.

My most recent boys quilt is another for Siblings Together. Mary, one of the members of the ST Bee asked on Instagram for people to send her Home Sweet Home blocks (from a tutorial by Jera of Quilting in the Rain), which herself and a couple of  friends would make into quilts for boys. She received a huge amount of blocks as well as binding, wadding and backing fabric from generous quilters from far and wide. So many in fact that she needed more volunteers to put them together......hence another boys quilt to add to my list.

One of my least favourite parts of quilt making is making the binding. Luckily for me it was donated, by whom I'm not sure, but whoever you are I'm very grateful!

 The blocks for this quilt were made by so many people yet they have all come together to be given to one child who will hopefully gain some comfort from it.

Back soon with some pretty sewing !