Jennie's Threads

Four years ago I made Santa Sacks for Mia and Jessica  (I can't believe it was that long ago!). I had planned to do stockings for them, but I couldn't find a pattern I liked that was big enough to take presents without having to be too careful to buy small ones, but not so big that it would cost a fortune to fill... my husband's family always had pillowcases rather than stockings growing up, so a drawstring bag seemed like a great compromise. When I made those original Santa Sacks, I only had Mia and Jess. We knew that we wanted to have a third child, but obviously we didn't know whether it would be a boy or a girl. So I made sure I had enough matching fabric in case we had another girl. Well, it's just as well we didn't cause I have no idea where that safe place is that I put that fabric! And it was just a bit too girly for Josh anyway.  Last Christmas I picked up some green snow-globe fabric. I ran out of time (and inclination) to make the Santa Sack last yea...

Well it's safe to say that going back to work has made a serious dent in my sewing output! Inevitably. The thing I've found hardest has been to carve out time at the sewing machine. I'm still sewing nearly every evening, but it's hand sewing. Going into July I want to remedy that and try and spend more time at my machine. Not quite sure where that time will come from mind you! Here's what I did achieve! Lots of EPP, including picking up my Pollinate quilt again: But here is a Brimfield block in De La Luna: EPP Geo-Diamond - I've now got four blocks so I can play with layouts a bit! A Hexie Shutterburst: I love the fabrics I picked, but the finished block surprised me a little: the aqua blends and the pink pops! Sharks Dinner When I have been working on my machine, I've been piecing Summer Sampler blocks... I'm planning a blog post to talk about the Summer Sampler 2019 in more detail, but for now, here's my favourite block so far...

It feels like the start of April went really slowly and then suddenly about mid-April it picked up place and just rushed to an end. We had a busy April with lots of family and Jessica's third birthday and I can't believe it's already May and just a month until I go back to work after my maternity leave! Scrolling back through my Instagram feed, it doesn't feel like April was very productive. But the reality was that I made nearly 100 Trinket blocks, and inevitably that took up a lot of my sewing time! I had a plan, and I'd nearly finished piecing blocks, and then I had a brainwave and needed twice as many.... so whilst I've been sharing regularly over on Instagram, you've only seen about half the blocks. I laid them all out on Monday and I've started putting the top together and if it looks as good in reality as it does in my head, I'll be happy. For now, there is a lot more boring construction in my future, but hopefully a finish this month. ...

Well, this has possibly been my most productive quarter ever! But before we get into the nitty-gritty of the original list , here's a final finish: The mermaid embroidery panel is by @aimee_littledear and I've bought it twice now. The first one I have lost. It is somewhere in the house, all prepared for embroidery. One day I will find it... for now, this one is the replacement! Aimee's designs are beautiful ( all available in her Etsy shop ), and the instructions are so clear. Postage is a bit pricey to the UK, but if you happen to have a friend who would bring you a little something back in their suitcase, then the panel itself is very reasonable! This is the second I've embroidered. The first and third will get a mention below. And I might have ordered a few more panels.... thanks @moomimomma for holidaying in the US! So on to the rest of the quarter and the 10 finishes! Five of those were lap quilts! Here they are: Hidden Agenda - a rainbowfied Tula...

March seems to have been a really long month! But in a good way! I've got loads of sewing done, Josh has grown loads - he's ten weeks old now - and we've been away together for a weekend to the Lake District. Here's what I've been working on: I've had some finishes: Awesome Ocean And Ice Cream soda And a cushion for Jess . There's also been a couple of other finishes that just aren't quite ready to share yet... I received my Tula Pink Pinkerville fabrics and cut them all up to start my Meadowland quilt. I've been taking part in the Trinket SAL I've made some progress on my Down the Rabbit Hole quilt - I've put together the bits I'd already completed and spent quite a few hours preparing the hand applique on the next border. I made ten blocks into four items in a little self-imposed challenge. I kept up to date with the Shark's Dinner BOM and the Coming Home BOM and started the Geo Diamonds BO...