May [review]

May was a bit of a slow sewing month. Instead I've been enjoying time with this these two fruitcakes!

Jess is now 6 weeks old, desperate to see whats going on and be involved, giving out great big smiles, and starting to chat away! I forget how quickly they start to interact.

And speaking of chatting away, Mia doesn't stop! She's taken a liking to map-reading in the photo above!

Having completed 43 blocks in April, I had a feeling May would be a drier month - just 27. But my running total for the year is still a healthy 283, so my 365 blocks in a year goal is well on track! But this month's blocks were more varied: I finally made a second Zodiac block.

This project has been held up because I do freezer paper piecing and I had to replace my iron, and it just didn't get hot enough to melt the wax, making freezer paper foundation piecing a thoroughly unenjoyable experience. I've now replaced my iron so hopefully I'll get caught up on the BOM over the next few weeks.

I started a new project: I couldn't resist the Summer Sampler. I had the perfect fabric already in my stash: Dreamin' Vintage by Jeni Baker. But I'm not loving the blocks as much as I loved the fabric before I cut it. I think I'm finding it all too busy, so I've splashed out on the coordinating Art Gallery Pure Elements Solids, and once they arrive I'll get going on the next block. I may remake the first block if I have enough fabric left at the end.

I made nine Splendid Sampler blocks and prepared a load more: here they all are to date.

I also made nine #365 blocks.

I'm behind on both these projects, but not too upset by it. I have a few blocks prepared ready to sew in grabbed moments, and I have all the patterns, so I'm happily plodding on.

I did a single Farmer's Wife block

Four blocks for Mia's big girl quilt...

And just one Jane Austen block... which turned out the wrong size. Bugger. I want this quilt finished in just 7 weeks time... need to get a move on! One correct block, many more to go!

My other May sewing was an embroidery hoop for a birthday present and another scrappy pouch, christened the Baby-Brain pouch because of the stupid mistakes I made on it!

I quilted two quilts for my mother-in-law: a blue and red one and a low volume one.

I finished piecing a quilt top which I hate... suggestions on a post card

I also worked on a couple of other projects meaning some finishes in June! Watch this space! Non sewing, we've had some great days out as a family, to Plessey Woods, Alnwick Gardens (where we became "friends" so we get free entry for the rest of the year!), and the beach. I baked my first ever loaf of bread...

And we sadly had to say goodbye to Archie.

It was quite the emotional rollercoaster of a month. Here's hoping June is a bit calmer!