Birdie Charm Pillow: a Challenge project and a pattern

Earlier this year, the Modern Quilt Guild offered a spring fabric challenge sposored by Riley Blake Fabrics. We were provided with 6 fat eighths of a new fabric line and challenged to make something with it.

I made this cute birdie pillow that I love very much.

I pieced the front then added the appliqué shapes using fusible web. I quilted the pillow with an all-over vertical design and used thicker thread and a scribbly free motion stitch around the shapes and to fill in details.

The back is a simple exposed zip closure for a pop of colour.

I'm delighted to announce that I got my poop in a group (as they say) to write up a pattern for this pillow. It's available as a pdf download in my Craftsy pattern shop.

Bee Sewcial, Updates

I've been merrily making blocks for my wonderful online bee, Bee Sewcial, posting them on instagram and then forgetting to blog them. OOPS. Here's a summary of the blocks I've made this year. (January is blogged here).

February's prompt, "Eyes", was from Karen Capitola Quilter. I kept one block mostly linear:

And the other embraced the curves.

Both blocks were pieced improvisationally.

My prompt was for March and you can read about it here - I've received some wonderful blocks that are awaiting my assembly inspiration.

April flowers were on order from Marci (Marci Girl Designs). The brights against navy are so wonderful, aren't they?

Here are some close ups:

May was Silvia A Stranger View's month, and her prompt was all about bones and structures in lighter greys with a pop of certain select colours. I tried a 3D effect for one block and it turned out great (if I do say so myself):

The other block was intended to mimic vertebrae, and some improv piecing including the curves really worked out well.

Next up, we had June and M-R Quilt Matters' prompt Group Hug, encouraging or inspirational graffiti. I have to say, I absolutely adore the creativity and inspiration that goes into the Bee Sewcial prompts month after month after month. 

Both blocks were made improvisationally (of course). I cut the pieces for the letters out of leftover bits from another quilt and they were already pieced so they ended up being cross-cut. I found the final effect in the words quite interesting.

And finally (thus far), was Debbie A Quilter's Table's turn. July was about "looking up" in greyscale. I chose the view of the ceiling at the pool that I see when I'm doing my backstroke. Lucky me that it was already in greyscale!

Here is my block, with a more head-on view than the angled photo.

Whew! That was a lot! Stay tuned for some other updates: The Canadian Sampler blocks, plus some end of the year teacher gifts too.

Finish A Long Meet the Host: Lucy from Charm About You

We've got another post to introduce you to one of the FAL hosts - read on to learn about Lucy!

Hello! I am Lucy, Charm About You blogger and one of the Finish-A-Long hosts, here to share a little more about myself.

I come from a creative family, everyone is an artist or crafty type - whether it's by profession or a hobby. My creativity and love of art was encouraged as I was growing up but it wasn't until I was at university when I made my first quilt. It was really, really bad. I used the type of wadding meant for furniture, it was nearly impossible to quilt and it put me off for a long time. Fast forward and after breaking my elbow in a roller derby accident, with two small children to look after at home, I needed a safer hobby and I returned to quilting.

Eager to learn, I got some great advice and support from the two women in my family that quilt, I read lots of blogs, tutorials and quilt books and then went for it. I made simple quilts and a sampler quilt, building up my skills trying out new patterns and techniques. The addiction gripped me and the more quilts I made the more I discovered which elements I was good at, enjoyed and wanted to do more of!

I live in Manchester, UK with my husband and our three kids. They are wonderfully supportive of me and put up with the piles of fabric and works in progress that have filled the house. During the evening I love to do hand sewing, whether that be English Paper Piecing, hand piecing or quilting. It's my time to relax and I find it really hard to sit without sewing now!

I was lucky enough to get a job at Patchfinders, a local quilt shop, where I also began teach quilting classes (and still do!). It was brilliant to be able to 'talk fabric' with so many people - I learnt a lot about style, colour, print etc. from being in the shop and witnessing the whole process of how people chose fabrics for their quilts. The same sort of inspiration and delightful insight into creativity comes from the people in my classes and is one of the many reasons I enjoy teaching.

Then this year I also started doing demonstrations on the Sewing Quarter shopping channel. It involves travelling to work and train journeys equal sewing time! One of my recent finishes was the Everything In It's Place Bag, which I wanted to make to hold all the sewing 'stuff' I can't live without. It feels so good having my supplies with me and there's such a buzz that comes with using handmade. 

The tangible products we create, the snuggly comfort of quilts and the fact that they are enjoyed and used is a big part of the joy of making. I am also drawn to all the possibilities of patchwork and quilting, the various techniques you can use, the choice of fabric - prints / solids / colours and all the patterns. Machine sewing is my choice for quick sews, the precision of foundation paper piecing and meditative chain piecing. More recently I have had to hone my skills at machine binding because I just don't have the time to hand sew binding on the quilts I make for work. Hand sewing would generally be my preference for patchwork and quilting, though I really love being able to switch between the two and do machine sewing when I have that need for speed.

Having insatiably explored various patchwork and quilting methods I share tutorials and tips on my blog, from cross hatch quilting to cleaning your cutting mat;  free patterns and fun things to make.

Visit my Etsy shop for patterns like the popular Stitchy Pie needle case and my most recent A Piece of Me pouch. Later this year I will be adding quilt patterns too, all being well!

I have a 'to sew' list, along with a notebook of design ideas - making them into patterns is my intention and my goal for the next few months is to make time to do that. I would love for you to come and visit me at Charm About You or jump over to Instagram and follow me there, I share all my finishes and everything I'm working on.

So how is everyone getting on with their Finish-A-Long list? Any finishes checked off yet? If not, don't fret - there's still about 7 weeks before the link opens... just remember that time flies when you don't stick to one project!

Hope you all have a great week! 

Lucy

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Thank you, Lucy!