Fabric Fatigue and a PIF

Happy February pepes...January was a good month and I am hoping February will be just as good.  I have to have a radioactive bone scan in a couple of weeks so I expect I will be very busy stitchywise as keeping my fingers busy stops my mind thinking about what is to come.

If you look on my side bar you can see my total raised has, well, raised!  720 euros.  It is actually 750 but someone boobed when paying for two owls and paid the charity direct rather than go through my charity page.  I am waiting for the Irish Cancer charity to get back to me to let me know if they will put it towards my total, otherwise I have made two owls for nothing!
This is the last lot I made:

Three of these litle pin cushions have already gone.  I have several more cut out ready to sew but then that will be it: I am all owled out.  I do, thanks to a great idea from Deena, have some American Patriotic Owl pincushions to come..as soon as my American Fabric gets here!

I also have some more heart scissor keeps cut and ready to sew but this weekend I really wanted to do some things for me.

On Friday my PIF arrived from Jane (Loopyloo).
She sent me the most beautiful white embroidered pocket, for keeping special memories in.

And she sent me some hand crocheted hearts and pompoms which attach to handbags, purses, phones or keyrings.  She said I can offer these towards my fund raising.  How generous can you get?  They must have taken ages to make! And there are some amazing crocheted flowers, complete with bead stamens!  So  beautiful.  Thank you Jane.... please see the end of my post for pif details xx

They are cute aren't they?

I have joined in with a stitchalong with Terry (see side bar) and because I have never ever done a big project and wanted a bit more confidence I decided to put a quilt together.  I cut the fabric from a Moda Layer cake ages ago...and was tempted to just get rid of it or turn it into owls (I can hear Terry and Jane groan rofl).....but it is ok girls, I didn't.

I have made my very first big-girl-pants quilt topper..ever.

It was pain in the ass as there is no sashing seperating the blocks so any mistakes are cruelly shown in full but it is ok.  I am still pleased with it.  It also didn't help that I had to change sewing machines halfway through and the new one doesn't have an obvious quarter inch seam allowance..and adding tape doesn't work because it is a strange model...but we got there in the end.

It is double quilt size but it is laid over two single beds pushed together, making the bed bigger than a king size.  I have trouble sleeping and having seperate beds means I can wiggle and struggle to get comfortable without disturbing my hubby lol.  I ran out of sashing so I will have to come up with something to go around it.  I can't even remember what colour the sashing was; I just know it is all moda as was the layer cake.

It was meant to be a quick and easy quilt....mmm...took me over six months!  Though a full day to put it together so I suppose it was quite quick, just not when I am doing it!

I would like to say a huge thank you to Terry and Jane G (loopy lou).  Throughout my quilting experience they have both answered my emails and pleas for help and advice without a groan or a grumble.  It may have taken four years ladies, but I got there in the end!  Thank you both: I wouldn't have had the guts to give this a go without your support and help! You are both inspirational xx

So all in all I am suffering fabric fatigue (thank you shebafudge; I forgot to add why I used that title); it is because I am all sewed up: I def. need a break from the sewing machine!  And to answer another question emailed to me: I am not taking any money out of donations for materials; I am using what I have.  I did run out of fibre fill but my scissors 'accidently slipped' into a cushion which has been waiting for about three years for me to make cushion covers for...and the filling is way better so problem solved!  

I am getting on well with my Santa's Village but I want to finish the first instalment before I post a picture.  I have just been so busy and I was determined to do a quilt!

You aren't too late to take part in my Giveaway...just comment on the PREVIOUS post: there will be other choices of scissor keep by the time I do the draw, so please, go and have a look.  I am drawing on the 4th ( I think lol).

Now, because I have received something from Jane's PIF, I do believe I need to offer it out to the blogging world.  I think I have to find three people (I will have to check) who would like to receive a handmade item from me over the next 12 months.  In return you too have to offer a PIF to your blog readers. I do enjoy PIFs.  I have no idea what I will send you or even what craft...though I am fairly sure it won.t be crochet just yet!

I promise it will be something that you will like.  All you need do to take part in my PIF is leave a comment saying that you would like to take part.  I would advise you not to offer it out to your readers until you have received my item: then you know you have really got something.  I would never dream of not following through but I do know of people who have been bitten by the non-existent PIF gift, sad to say.

Right, thats me done.  Have a fantastic weekend everyone.  Hopefully next post I will have some cross stitch to share xx