Starting The Week With A Big Goodbye

Yes this week is the last week on Plum & June's 'Let's Get Acquainted!' Blog Hop

The blog has been so much fun; Beth has done a marvellous job hosting the event and I think all of us that have participated have shared and learnt and grown in both our quilting and blogging over the 26 weeks.  I've made some great new blogging friends and one or two have also become firm friends now outside my blogging/quilting life so I've lots to thank Beth for.

To round up the series here's the final burst of blogs and tutorials for you to have a wander around:

Handling Shashiko Thread tutorial from Cynthia at A Quilter by Night

Phone Pillow tutorial and Tissue Cover tutorial from Diane at From Blank Pages

Party Monster T-Shirt tutorial  from Laura at Waffle Kisses
How To Share Photos From Flickr Onto Your Blog from Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts
Christmas Yo-yo tutorial from Lynne at Bouts Choisis
Lasagna Quilt tutorial from Stacey at The Tilted Quilt

Jaime at Stitches to Sprinkles

Allegory from {sew} Allegorical
Cindy at Quilt Doodle Doodles
Nat at Made in Home
Francine at Mocha Wild Child
Lyanna at Purple Panda Quilts


and finally a very big

thank you Beth 

from ChrissieD :)

Back To Some Serious Quilting

After all the exciting and scary stuff that's happened over the last week or so, yesterday I was glad to get back to my quilting 'To Do' list.  Admittedly I wasn't totally idle last week, taking the opportunity to hand bind several quilts but it was good to get the cutting mat out and be a bit more creative yesterday.

Siggy Block

First up I made a siggy block using a great tutorial by Rachel Griffith of ps i quilt.  It's part of a project that Liz of Dandelion Daydreams is putting together as a thank you to Beth at Plum & June for hosting the 'Let's Get Acquainted!' Blog Hop which is coming to an end next week.

Philip Jacobs for Rowan.  Westminster Fibers #PWPJ42 'Primula' and Kona 'Azure'

Kandinsky Challenge

Secondly, I set about my NYC Metro Mod Guild challenge to take along to our December meeting.  I posted about the challenge here a few weeks ago but just to recap we each took a square image cut from a Kandinsky painting - it's 1/30th of the painting.  We've been asked to reproduce the image to 6" on a 6.5" fabric square using any media - paint/paper/fabric/etc and it doesn't have to be washable.

The original image and instructions

On the left: Neocolour image on fabric square and on the right: Finished textile art square

 I created a background colour image on cotton fabric using Caran D'ache Neocolor II - water-soluble wax pastels, wet the colour through with a paintbrush and set it with a hairdryer.  Then I added some tissue and handmade papers, then a small amount of sheer and netted fabric and free motion stitched over these areas. 

Another job done and ready to take along to our next Guild meeting :)

Once the blocks are all pieced together at the Guild I'll see if I can share a photo of the finished art quilt with you. 

Bear's Paw Block

Finally, in December it's my turn to be Queen Bee for the NYC Metro Mod Bee so I wanted to trial my chosen Bear's Paw block.  There's a lot of history to the Bear's Paw block and rather than write it all again here anyone interested can read this Quilt Patterns Through Time piece on Womenfolk.com.  It's larger than the normal 12.5" block measuring up around 16" untrimmed and, although there's lots of pieces, it's very fast and easy to make using a chain piecing method.

Here's my finished block - my chosen fabrics are a print from Tula Pink's The Birds and The Bees called Swallow Skies in Storm and a solid Kona Cotton Sage. 

front and back views of my trial Bear's Paw block

Need to crack on now with writing up my instructions for making the block, cutting the fabric and packing it ready to post out to my December Bees!

And you can click this link to see all of my NYC Mod Quilt Guild Bee Blocks and Challenge Blocks/Quilts.

 

 

An Unexpected Modelling Assignment

Well today didn't turn out quite how I expected!

This morning I headed down to Seaport, Lower Manhattan, armed with my SLR, lenses and tripod - off to take photos of the latest knitted pieces designed by my friend Ivete at Chiagu. Not quite sure what happened but we ended up with me modelling the pieces and Ivete taking the photos!

Chamomile Infinity Scarf Knitting Pattern

is already available for sale on the Chiagu website so why not pop over and take a look for yourself? :)

Doesn't the pattern remind you of flying geese or is that just the quilter in me?

Other news today is that my friend Sarah from Jersey in the Channel Islands has launched her new children's quilt website

Quilt Candy

  Her work is just gorgeous so please read all about it on her blog and then pop over and give her your support at her website and on Facebook.

To round the day off nicely here's links to the latest posts on Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted! Blog Hop

Quilter's Motto Wall Hanging tutorial from Julie at The Crafty Quilter
Melissa at issa.ino:handmade

Tracey at The Peony Teacup
Megan at City Stitches
Fall Themed Table Runner tutorial from Kerstin at Sunset Sewing 

Ups and Downs Quilt Block tutorial from Jenniffier at Jenniffier's Sometimes Creative Life

Let's Get Acquainted

Last week I was asked if I'd like to move forward my 12 November slot on the Plum & June's Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop to Thursday, 11 October. I jumped at the chance - not a hope of me creating a new tutorial by then, I thought, but I'd just posted one that same evening and maybe not that many would already have seen it, so with that sorted, here I am.

For anyone who doesn't already know me, I'm Chris, I'm English, and I've been living on Manhattan's doorstep since 1 August 2011.  Thank you for visiting, and an extra big 'hi' to anyone who's also taking part in the P&J LGA Blog Hop.  Thanks also to Beth, who is Plum & June, for organising what has turned out to be one heck of a fantastic 6 month Blog Hop marathon :)

View From My Roof Garden

Tatty the Havapoo

For 20 years, I've been married to my worst enemy, Simon - since this Blog Hop started, I've wanted to say that as I can't quite believe just how many quilters are "married to their best friend" ;).  It's Simon's fault that I'm living in America and that I've given up so much to be here.  I admit I've done quite a bit of kicking and screaming along the way, but the problem is I kind of like it now and don't want to leave, but let's just keep that between us as there's a lot more mileage, yet in him not knowing!

I have one dog, Thatcher (known as Tatty to her friends and named after a woman I have much admiration for - Margaret), and then there are my three children.  Jack is 23; he graduated from uni in July and has since completed an intensive teacher training course and started teaching English at a school in Seville, Spain. 

In the middle, I have Joe, who is 22, and he too graduated from uni in July.  He's about to move to live in London as he's an aspiring actor, so if anyone knows of any roles suitable for someone bearing a remarkable resemblance to a young Hugh Grant, send me an email.

My youngest is Flicky, she lives here in America with me and today is her 18th birthday.  This is a significant birthday in England as you are now considered an adult in all respects and legally old enough to buy alcohol.  Unfortunately for Flicky, we live in America, so she won't be celebrating her big day in quite the same way that all her friends back in England celebrate theirs.  Still, I hope this shout out for her via my blog will ease her disappointment to some extent, but somehow I don't think so!!!

These photos were taken in Manhattan on Christmas Eve 2011, the last time the five of us were all together.

As is the way in my day-to-day life, I've just realised that I'm talking on and on about my family and haven't told you anything really about me, so ...

I've been sewing and knitting since I'm too young to remember.  I watched my mum knitting and then when I was about 7 I had a go myself in my bedroom.  I made a jumper for my teddy bear, Bruno, using scraps of Mum's leftover wool, and I remember how shocked she was when I showed her what I'd made as she'd had no idea I'd been watching her and learning.

I have always been artistic and creative but was pushed down a more academic route at school, as we pretty much all were back in those days.  I tailored my own clothes in my teens and 20s and then made everything for my babies as they were born, and finally, in 2006, I gave up office-based work and went back to college.  I studied Art & Design, following my creative dreams, later specialising in Ceramics and then moving into Textile Art. 

When we moved to the States, I booked myself on a quilting course and started quilting 1 year and 6 days ago today, and I haven't looked back; I've written more about learning to quilt on my blog post My Very First Ever Quilt.  I started blogging on 28 April this year, and you can also find me on Facebook, Ravelry and Pinterest - please come and have a look :)  Hopefully, my green card will arrive any time now, allowing me to set up my Etsy shop and start selling my work as my current visa doesn't allow me to earn money.



I'm an NYC Metro Mod Guild member, and I'm in their Mod Bee with my Queen Bee month, December, coming up fast.   When I'm not quilting, I can often be found at my LQS in Manhattan, searching out fabrics, attending classes and chatting with friends.  I also like to go to the NY Philharmonic Open Rehearsals on Wednesday/Thursday mornings. If you're visiting NYC and love classical music, this is an excellent way of seeing a concert for $18.




I'm counting down the days and weeks to QuiltCon, Austin, Texas, in February and hope to meet up with lots of you there so I can put faces to all the wonderful people I've met through blogging.  Be sure to let me know if you're going too :)




Here's a quick list of answers to Beth's original suggested questions for the Blog Hop:

Favourite quilting tip(s)
Using 2 small spare pieces of fabric, chain piece on and then off your main fabric piece saves thread, and the machine foot doesn't have to go up and down as it stays engaged.  That's hard to explain in writing, so I'll have to sort out a photo tutorial!!!

Favourite blogging tip(s) 
Don't write long wordy posts - this tip is very tongue in cheek as I'm the world's worst  ;)

Favourite fabric (or wish list fabric)
Currently, Aqua La Femme by Melissa Crowley and a Betsey Johnson plaid that I'm using to make a lofty quilt for Flicky to take off to uni with her next September.

Favourite craft book
Piecing, The Piece o' Cake Way by Becky Goldsmith & Linda Jenkins
a 'how to' quilting book recommended by my first quilting teacher, the fabulous Christine Janove.

Favourite book (or book you are currently reading)
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
Both of my two grandads, as teenagers, fought in the WWI trenches and survived The Somme.  This book gave me my first insight into what shaped them as men and helped me understand the subsequent impact on their offspring ... my family.

Favourite children's book
Unless he was working, my Dad read to me every night while I was growing up, and every night I asked for the same story - Old Mister Glue-Pot from Tales of Green Hedges by Enid Blyton. 

Favourite quilting tool
I can't pick one as I have three that I love so much I did tutorials on using them.
June Tailor's Shape Plus Cut Ruler and Bloc-Loc and Rotating Cutting Mat

Favourite music to listen to work to
The Wanted, Neon Trees, Cee Lo Green, LMFAO, Katy Perry, Jesse J, Ed Sheeran, Olly Murs, Taio Cruz, oh and better mention One Direction as Flicky and her friend Maud run a fansite about them, Maud and the Dods.

Favourite TV shows to work to
The Great British Bake-Off

Strictly Come Dancing
Project Runway
The Good Wife

Binding
99% of the time, I machine the front binding and hand sew the back.

If I'd only known 
What excellent, encouraging people are out there sharing the same interests and equally keen to share their knowledge with you too.

Other people on the Blog Hop this week and next:
Tuesday, 9 October: Amy from Sew Incredibly Crazy and Foster from Foster Reviews It
Thursday, 11 October: Marit from Sew, love, live
Tuesday, 16 October: Vicki from Quilting Lodge Blog and Liz from Dandelion Daydream



The official theme of the Blog Hop is novelty prints. Fortunately, I posted a tutorial last week using 2 novelty prints - Echino Deer Patchwork in Purple and Circa 1934 by Cosmo Cricket for Moda. Here it is, A Laminated Mug Rug, for those who are still awake to finish reading this!

and finally, finally


Happy 18th Birthday, Flicky xxx

Another Week In Manhattan

Thursday - morning coffee with Christopher Columbus at his apartment on Columbus Circle.  If you're around NYC anytime through to 18 November be sure to visit this free exhibition - the artist Tatzu Nishi has built a temporary apartment around the Christopher Columbus statue on Columbus Circle and you can go up into the apartment and stay for half an hour.  Christopher is standing on his own coffee table!  For free timed tickets here's the link.

Me and my good friend W enjoying the view from Christopher Columbus' living room!

Saturday -
First meeting of the year for NYC Metro Modern Quilt Guild.  Good to finally put faces to people I've been chatting to via the blog and to meet everyone.  I took along my Dad's Memory Quilt to share in 'Show and Tell' and the group were so encouraging when they saw it.  You can see my quilt and all the other great quilts by following the link below (Mum - if you're reading this do just don't follow the link x).

 'NYC Metro Mod Guild 'Show and Tell' quilts - October 2012 
There's more photos also on Victoria's blog  Bumble Beans Inc (Guild President) - I'm sat on the floor on the right wearing a blue and grey stripped t-shirt and chatting to Maren from The Agitprop Quilter.

If you followed the link did you spot Lisa's 'Triangles Galore' quilt which includes my July Bee Block?  Well Lisa has finished her quilt now and you can read all about it here on her blog The Red Headed Mermaid.  I love that I can see my block in so many of the photos - the yellow star with a sky blue surround!!!

While I'm on the subject of my Bee Blocks - another Bee Block quilt has been completed incorporating my two June Bee Blocks - check it out here it's Kimberley's New York Beauty quilt.

Look what I won in the door raffle  

and here's are challenge for our December meeting - it's 1/30th of a Kandinsky painting and I can reproduce it in any media - paint/paper/fabric/etc and it doesn't have to be washable.

 Other News:  Here's a peep at an applique block I've made for a very special quilt - I'll tell you more about it another time :)

For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my side bar :D

Another Busy Week

Trees & Bears Baby Quilt

I've spent the last week making a handful of baby quilts (four so far) and I've also started quilting my Dad's Memory Quilt, but I haven't been able to make progress with the Double Irish Chain quilt as the white batting I've ordered hasn't arrived yet.

 and here's a peep at one of the baby quilts.

Dad's Memory Quilt progress 
- usual story that all regular followers know by now:

"I can't post any photos of my Dad's Memory Quilt on my blog as it's a present for my Mum and she wants it to be a surprise so again I've posted some photos to my facebook page as my Mum doesn't have facebook and can't see it there."  

If you want to see how it's looking, just click this link :D

I can now give you an update on the July NYC Mod Bee Blocks for Queen Bee Lisa - Triangles Galore.  Lisa has now pieced the 12 blocks together and you can see her progress at The Red Haired Mermaid.  As always I love spotting the block I've made which in the photo on Lisa's blog is top right!


On Tuesday afternoon, my friend A invited me to attend a musical event held by the UN Women's Guild Manhattan Group at the UN Church Center, Manhattan.  It was a 9/11 Memorial Gala Performance to raise funds for needy children's projects around the world.  Concert pianist, Michael Fennelly and his wife, soprano Megan Weston entertained us fabulously for the afternoon and the programme was so wonderful that I've put links to the pieces here (although the links aren't by performed by Michael and Megan).

Exsultate jubilate "Alleluia" - Mozart

Sonata in C Minor, D. 958, I. Allegro - Schubert

Vier letzte Lieder "Beim Schlafengehen" - Strauss (Richard)

Etudes, Op 10: No 1 in C Major; No 3 in E-Flat Major; and No 4 in C-Sharp - Chopin

La traviata "Addio del passato" - Verdi

La sonnambula "Come per me sereno ... Sovra il sen la man mi posa" - Bellini

Reminiscences de Robert le Diable - Meyerbeer/Liszt

The Pirates of Penzance "Poor Wand'ring One" - Gilbert & Sullivan

On Saturday I'm off to Quilters Take Manhattan at FIT, Manhattan, it's going to be really great and today I had my first peek at the house shaped quilts for the 'Home Is Where the Quilt Is' exhibition on display at The City Quilter - they're looking absolutely amazing and so inspiring.  Then straight after QTM we're heading out to Sea Cliff, Long Island to stay with good friends P&L - a much needed break and a way overdue visit, can't wait :)




And finally, for my round-up of the week here's the latest posts and tutorials for you to check out as part of Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted! Blog Hop:

Travel Makeup Case tutorial from Bethany at Make Me A Quilt
and congratulations Bethany on your wedding this weekend :)

Log Cabin Hexagon Block tutorial from Tessa at The Sewing Chick

Fat Quarter Table Runner tutorial from Anne at SpringLeaf Studios

Chelsea from Pins & Bobbins

Related Posts:
Double Irish Chain Quilt - Strips All Sliced
Will Blogging Help Me Sleep?
Two Quilts and Making Progress
Project Update And Shout Out for The Agitprop Quilter
Triangles Galore Saturday

Linking To:

Summer Posts and Tutorials on the Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop

 

Finally back from England and another 2 weeks have gone by on Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted! Blog Hop.

Be sure to check out the latest blog posts and tutorials:

Modern Sewing Machine Cover tutorial from Colby at Sew Quilt Explore

Travel Coin/Key Tidy tutorial from Fiona at Celtic Thistle

Charming Trees paper piecing pattern from Fiona at Finding Fifth

Baby Quilt tutorial from Audrey at Hot Pink Quilts

Growth Chart tutorial from Michelle Renee at Quilt Matters

Interlocking Tiles Table Runner tutorial from Jennifer at GH Quilting

Discovery Box tutorial from Danny at Mommy for Reals

Tutorial: Personalising Your Blogger Comment Message

As part of the Plum and June 'Let's FIGURE it out together! series I'm writing a tutorial on how to edit your blog comment page to leave a personalised message for your readers.

It's so simple to do so here's the tutorial bit:

I'm assuming that if you already have a blogger account you know how to get to your Design screen.  Once you're there select Settings and you'll be offered a list of options that includes Posts and Comments.  Select this option and below is a print out of what will appear on your screen and instructions on how to change your message. 

And that's all there is to it :)

 Please feel free to pin this post to your Pinterest walls or share it on your blog.



Click this link to see all my Tutorials, Hints & Tips

   

Triangles Galore Saturday

Finished it!

Triangles Galore July Bee Block is all ready to post off to Lisa our July Queen Bee

Another paper piecing block but I didn't find it quite so easy to do as the New York Beauty block:

•  it took me 3 out of the 8 main triangle sections to get into my stride and then the paper piecing part of the block all fell into place
• sewing the sections was trickier and not everything lines up as well as I like (being a total perfectionist) - the horizontal lines around the star aren't all level and the centre of the whole block doesn't meet up properly
• the block didn't lie flat initially - I'd sewn up one of the sections slighter wider than the others and this made the fabric lift instead of being flat.  I measured each section, narrowed the one that was a tiny bit wider and then everything lay better.

 I've posted it to our NYC Mod Guild blog, just need to get it in the post now and I hope Lisa likes it :)

Related Posts:
Triangles Galore - My July Bee Block

And you can click this link to see all of my NYC Mod Quilt Guild Bee Blocks and Challenge Blocks/Quilts.

 

 

Tutorial: The Dreaded Comment 'Word Verification' And How To Remove It

So you want to leave someone a comment, tell them how amazing their quilt is, that they've used your favourite fabric and the colours dazzle, you type it all in, click Publish and there it is:

!!! the word verification screen !!!

We've all been there. It's so hard to read. How are you supposed to type what they're asking for?   

The characters you entered didn't match the word verification.  Please try again.

Frustration building?  

Do you try again?

Do you delete your comment and forget it?

Do you struggle through, publish your comment and swear never to leave a comment on that blog again?

I felt all those things, and then three weeks into having my own blog, I read an article about word verification, and it was then that I made a terrible discovery - I had word verification switched on for my blog, too! I was horrified; I was one of those bloggers who make life more complicated than it needs to be. You don't send messages to yourself, so you'll never know unless someone tells you you're an offender.   

How had this happened?
When you set up your blogger account, word verification is automatically set to Yes by default, meaning it's turned on. I set about turning it off (No) straight away and can confirm for anyone who's feeling a bit nervous about doing this that, to date, I have yet to be hit with a shed load of spam and/or robot comments.  

It's so simple to change it, so here's the tutorial bit:

You can get to your Design screen if you already have a blogger account. Once you're there, select Settings, and you'll be offered a list of options that includes Posts and Comments. Select this option, and below is a printout of what will appear on your screen. Just turn your word verification option from Yes to No and click Save settings.

That's it, all done, nothing too technical or painful, and I'm sure there's a whole heap of very grateful bloggers out there feeling much more inclined to leave you a comment ;)



A late post add-on:
I've had so much feedback on this post that most people aren't aware that word verification is switched on for their blog. If we come across it, why not leave the person a message telling them so, and then they can sort it out? It can feel uncomfortable to say it, but they may be grateful to be told.

Please feel free to pin this post to your Pinterest walls or share it on your blog - let's get the message out there :)



Click this link to see all my Tutorials, Hints & Tips.

   

A Weekend Full of Sunshine

This past weekend I've completed three quilts and done a six quilt photoshoot on our roof garden in crazy, hot sunshine.  Needless to say, I'm shattered but very glad to have everything finished, especially as two of the quilts, Surprise Projects I & II, are on a very tight deadline.  The third is my Sparkle Plenty Quilt, designed by Loft Creations.

The pattern is easy and fast, especially when you use the two tools I introduced you to in my tutorials, Charm Squares - An Easy Way To Cut Multiples Quickly and Using A Bloc-Loc To Cut Half-Square Triangle (HST) Squares.  What's also amazing about the pattern is how different it looks depending on the fabrics chosen.  There were 7 quilts well on their way to completion in our final class, and not one looked like another, and it was all down to the fabrics - but one thing they had in common, besides the pattern, is that they all looked great.  

And here she is; I know she's mine, but I think she's stunning, and I'm delighted with her.  I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

 

And here's a late addition to my post in response to Leo's comment - a photo of the full view from my roof garden :)

and finally, a view from my living room and, yes, we can't wait for Macy's 4th July fireworks - it's our first year here for Independence Day, and I think we've got the best seats in the house :)

Related Posts:

Tutorial: Charm Squares - An Easy Way To Cut Multiples Quickly

Tutorial: Using a Bloc-Loc To Cut Half Square Triangle (HST) Squares 

Did Thursday and Friday Sparkle? Yes, Plenty! 

Disclaimer:

This post is for informational purposes only; no payment or commission is received on click-throughs, and opinions are my own.