Jennie's Threads

It's been 4 months since I last shared an update on my Mandolin Quilt. But I have been working on it behind the scenes. I now have 16 finished blocks, just four off the finish line. This shot is at 14 blocks when I was prepping the next ones shortly before Joshua was born. And here are the two blocks I pieced while being induced.... 30 hours! I'm not quite as up to date on my joining blocks, but those are pretty quick to piece once I've cut the fabric. But I've decided to move the goalposts... I have plenty of the fabric left (and I might have picked up a bit more in recent destashes), and I'm really enjoying sewing these blocks, so I'm going to go up to 25 blocks and make a quilt for our bed. So watch out for more updates rather than a finished top!

We are now officially a family of five...plus Charlie! Joshua joined us at 4.47am on 19th January after 30 hours of induction and 8 hours of labour. He weighed 7lb 9oz... my smallest baby! He seems so much smaller than the girls! We got home on Saturday evening and we're slowly settling into our new routine. Mia and Jessica are over the moon with their new baby brother. According to Jess, he is "adorble" and "so cute"! As for me, I'm still on painkillers but no worse for wear. I'd love a good nap though! But that is tempered with my desire to be doing something! I'm not very good at sitting and doing nothing! So today I started tidying my sewing desk so I can use nap times to get back to my machine and introduce Joshua to the sound of sewing! I unburied the triangles I received as part of the Alison Glass EPP Triangle swap last summer. I also found the extra fabric I'd dug out to add in and the planets aligned and I found the spare pape...

I am well known for my ridiculously long finish along lists. But this may be the most ridiculous - not just by volume, but also due to the fact that baby number 3 is due in just over a week! I looked back to when Jess and Mia were born: Mia's finish along list was just 7 items (my lists have definitely got more ridiculous since 2014). I finished just one - her quilt. Jessica's finish along list consisted of 12 projects - I completed two items but also, in re-reading those blog posts, I've learned that achievable finishes and variety are the name of the game - I did plenty of sewing that quarter, just not from the list! So with that in mind... 1. Hidden Agenda: this is possibly my favourite non-finish from last year - one side is pieced, but the reverse will be the same pattern, mirrored and in all low volume - you've got to love friends who have bright ideas! All of the low volume pieces are cut and stored in bags. The square in square blocks are pieced. And somewhere...

I started Q4 back in October with a newly found sew-jo and even a little bit of energy to go with it. But that didn't last - this third pregnancy is so much harder than the other two! But I do have an improvement on Q3 and its single finish. Q4 saw 5 finishes! Whilst the direction changed quite a lot, I finished a Bjorn Bear quilt . The Sloths and Unicorns quilt just needed quilted and binding. I knew the Wee Braw Bag would get done - it had a deadline! Threadfolk Embroidery Sewing Date Traveller - I honestly didn't expect to get this done, but I'm so glad I did! You can find my original list here . And my Q1 list will be up shortly (and just as ridiculous as ever!).

2018 doesn't feel like my most productive sewing year. Even before I fell pregnant in May, finishes were few and far between. But having spent some time this morning going through photos, it turns out that it wasn't quite as unproductive as I thought. Plus I've grown a human! So first up, the quilts: Gypsy Wife - I love that it's a rainbow and I love that I finished it on my birthday. I love the low volume stripes. I love everything about it! Summer Sampler 2016 - two years late but I still love the fabrics I chose. I also love that I was able to pick up a matching backing in the sale. I don't love that this quilt seems to have been "adopted" by my eldest daughter! Though it does look very cute on her bed. The Kittens Quilt - rather a spur of the moment decision to make this one but Jessica's reaction to her own cat quilt was lovely. Not quite a rainbow but so pretty. And go to the original blog post to see the amazing Caticorn backing!...

This year's Christmas sewing was definitely a reduced service compared to previous years and consisted of bags and pouches and a single cushion only. But I'm pretty pleased I had the energy to complete them and they turned out pretty well too. A few months back, I saw a Devon Pouch posted on Instagram. It was made by Saira, who runs the lovely Olive and Flo Handcraft fabric shop using the pattern by @ sotakhandmade . It's a fairly straightforward pouch but with a front pocket and the option to add a coordinating fabric - so a bit more special than a basic pouch. I made four: One for a secret santa swap at our local quilt group, filled with an EPP pincushion kit;  One filled with  a gift card;  And two for work colleagues, filled with sweets. I then made three Wee Braw Bags: These two were made as Christmas presents for Mia's teachers and filled with a mug and some posh hot chocolate. Mia picked the mugs and fabrics herself. And finally the sm...