What A Girl Wants ... She Usually Gets!

In this instance, the girl in question is my daughter, Flicky, and regular readers can be forgiven for thinking, 'Isn't it always?' and this time, it's pillowcases!!!

Back in February, I shared with you the news that Flicky has been offered an unconditional place to study a Modern History MA at The University of St Andrews in Scotland 

University of St Andrews, Scotland

 and then in March, the two of us did a recce* and loved the place so much that Flicky immediately accepted her offer.

Screen Shot of Flicky's UCAS Offer Page

Anyway, to get back to this post and a bit of sewing content, on a trip to our Manhattan LQS, Flicky had picked out some fabrics and requested a couple of pillowcases for her room at uni. So, with the clock fast ticking now on the countdown to 7 September 2013, I've duly obliged.

Here's my Instagram photo of the fabrics - there are two Avalon JAY-CYN designs for birch fabrics and a piece of Kona Solid 'Red'

I used a straightforward 'burrito method' of making the pillowcases - I'm writing up a tutorial for some eye mask covers I've made recently in the same way, so I'll be sharing that with you soon.

 One happy young lady and another sewing job ticked off a long list.

This weekend, I also started work on a quilt that Flicky requested (see previous post, 'An Unexpected Trip To Mood'). The top and back are done, but I'm waiting for the batting to arrive - she's asked for a puffy quilt, so I will use 2 layers of Quilter's Dream Puff batting.

Instagram photo of my cut selvedge edges for quilt top - Kaufman Essex Linen - La Femme

 I also altered Flicky's prom dress - it needed taking in; she must have lost a few pounds since we bought it. I was terrified I'd ruin it, but it went okay, and Flicky's delighted with the fit now.

Instagram photo of the altered prom dress seam

On a bit of a roll, I decided to bind my first ever fmq sampler that's been in my 'to do' pile for 18 months.

My 'to do' pile is diminishing - I even sewed the handle back on my doorstep last week that the removal men pulled off two years ago when we were packing to emigrate to the States!

I also grabbed myself a great bargain last week - check out all these 40/2 and 50/2 spools of Aurifil thread and packs of sharps - total cost $132.90. Yes, you read that right, $132.90 - Sue at Sue's Sew EZ Designs is having a fantastic closing-down sale; head over and check it out :)

Instagram photo of my sale bargain

I am still deciding what to tackle next today. Maybe I'll look at my Queen Bee Bear's Paw quilt blocks.
What do you have planned for your week?




* old English word: If you recce an area, you visit that place to become familiar with it. People usually recce an area when they are going to return at a later time to do something there - Collins Dictionary 


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

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Anything Wills & Kate Can Do ...

Will Ye No Come Back Again? Absolutely, Next September! 
An Unexpected Trip To Mood
Back To Some Serious Quilting
Need To Nail That Bear's Paw

A Modern Bargello - The Something NEW Sampler: Week 1

This morning I read about another sampler block blog hop starting today.  It's just for a few weeks and covers quite a few techniques that I've never tried - well to be honest there's 9 techniques in total and the only one that I've actually done before is machine applique!

The Something NEW Sampler

being hosted by Amy @ the cute life

It's a weekly hop from 14 January to 1 March 2013 and here's the schedule that I've copied from Amy's blog:

14 January
Bargello Piecing - Amy @ the cute life

21 January
Folding - Heidi @ Buttons & Butterflies
A Scraptastic Technique - Chelsea @ Pins & Bobbins

28 January
Sashiko - Jess @ The Elven Garden
Reverse Applique - Lindsay @ Lindsay Sews

4 February
Trapunto - M-R @ Quilt Matters
Cathedral Windows - Heidi @ Fabric Mutt

11 February
Pinless Curves - Alyssa @ Pile O'Fabric
Machine Applique - Becky @ My Fabric Obsession

On Fridays Amy will be giving tips and tutorials on how to set these rectangular blocks!
18 & 25 January and 1 & 8 & 15 February

So nothing for it, I have to take part and with my Monday afternoon now organised I set about joining the Flickr group for the blog hop and delving into my stash to find some fabrics to play with.  Look what I came up with - some fabrics that I bought and posted about back in June last year, time to give them a good airing!

And here it is my first Something New Sampler block - the Modern Bargello

and here's Amy's great 'how-to' instructions

Looking forward to the next blocks and to learning all those new quilting/sewing skills :)

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Shopping List? What Shopping List? Are We Supposed To Stick To The Shopping List?

How I pass a day in the City:

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

10 to 11 am

F's fab shoes

Sit in Think Coffee, Meatpacking/Chelsea district, drinking Earl Grey tea and eating smoked salmon cream cheese bagels with your daughter, F.  Discuss all the items you both need to purchase to finalise your outfits for JA & JT's (my 2 sons) university graduation ceremonies in England in July.  The shopping list includes:

• black suede summer weight shoes for F;
• clutch bag for F;
• cream strappy top for F;
• long sleeve 'floaty' cream blouse for F;
• nude summer weight handbag for C; and
• 2 cardi's for C to match each of  my 2 graduation dresses purchased last week.

Get a text from husband, S, telling me that No 2 son, JT, has been awarded first class honours for his MDrama degree in Drama and Theatre Studies at The University of Kent in Canterbury, England.  JT, we're so thrilled for you, you've worked hard and played hard and you deserve your success xxx.

11 to 12 noon

F tries on shoes in Shoegasm and picks up an incredible pair of Chelsea Crew shoes - they're exactly what she's looking for.

12 noon to 1 pm

Watch F try on pretty much everything that's currently available to purchase at Urban Outfitters - F comes away with a dress, tie-dye purple shorts and 2 pairs of strappy sandals (yes, you're right, none of these were on the list but we both know she looks great in them and they're such a bargain!).

1 to 1.30 pm

Nip into The Container Store and pick up a necklace holder for, yes you've guessed it, F!  Leave F at subway loaded down with bags though none of it's for me - some use that shopping list proved to be!

1.30 - 3 pm

Meet up with my friend, W, at our Manhattan LQS to put together a collection of black and white fabrics with a splash of red for a table runner she's going to make.

Spot a laminate that I just have to have a yard of Kaffe Fassett Studio- Petunias Blue.  Thinking toiletry bags lined with the Early Birds by Jane Sassaman 'Poka Dot' that I've used with my Sparkle Plenty quilt and lime green zippers.  But I've also got a hankering for a picnic blanket using this laminate as the ground sheet, how stunning would that be?  Mmm, I'll have a think on that one.

Kaffe Fassett - Petunias Blue

Jane Sassaman - Poka Dot

3 to 4 pm 

Hot Lemon Ginger tea and none stop chin wagging at The Blue Dog, then jump in a taxi with W and you'll never guess where we're off to ... (some readers may recall a place in NYC that I've not been to yet but am very keen to visit) ...

4 to 5 pm

... finally, my long promised and awaited trip to Purl Soho and I'm not disappointed.  It's a really cute shop in a fab area with lots of other great shopping and eating.  Right opposite is Kiteya, Soho, a Japanese accessory and fabric shop so we pop in here first and I pick up a small canvas shoulder bag and a notepad - will be calling back again when I need to stock up on gifts and pressies.  Satisfied with our purchases at Kiteya, W and I cross over to Purl where we are greeted with a great selection of yarns and fabrics.

So PurlSoho, not as many fabrics to choose from as at my LQS, some fabrics are the same but enough are different and are current popular ranges so it makes it worthwhile to shop at both locations, which is good.  A bit pricier than my LQS also - a fat quarter is $3.50 compared to $3.00 but not too badly priced (nothing in NYC seems badly priced to me compared to English prices where retailers seem to think they can just change the $ to a £ instantly making all English prices 1/3 more expensive than the American price).

So here's what I bought:

I've got a bit of a thing for purple and green!

Loving the Avalon Birdie Spokes (Concrete) - it grounds all the other colours and stops them being too sickly together

Not my usual colour palette but thinking I should work outside my comfort zone sometimes just to see how it feels

5 to 6 pm

As we're walking back over to the West Side to get on the subway let's just recap that shopping list for today:

• black suede summer weight shoes for F;
• clutch bag for F;
• cream strappy top for F;
• long sleeve 'floaty' cream blouse for F;
• nude summer weight handbag for C; and
• 2 cardi's for C to match each of 2 graduation dresses purchased last week

Looks like we'll have to go back again another day - now isn't that a shame?!!!

For details of other NYC fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I love along with other stores around the world, exhibitions, and events I've attended, click the links below or in my sidebar

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