Hexagon Progress

My hexies have grown..... a month into my charm quilt and  I've stitched 679 hexies together.


I am still stitching them in strips of 9s and 10s then attaching them into sections of 30 hexies each.  These hexies are stitched together everywhere I go but home.  That's what I love about English Paper Piecing - its versatility and ease to make just about anywhere.  The only thing I've done at home with my hexies is piecing the sections to the large piece.



This is what I have done so far

I have tried to not let any of the same colors or collections touch and when it happened once or twice ( ok like a few times ) I did not pick out my stitches, left it as it is - just like what a random quilt would look like!

I do have about 290 hexies sitting in an empty biscuit tin waiting to become attached to its friends.

So how is your work in progress coming along?

The Liebster Blog Award - for me!

Have you come across the Liebster award?  Well I have, but I never thought I would win it - and today I did!  It's presented to me by the lovely Beth at Plum and June who has a fantastic blog with some stunning quilts and some lovely embroidery work.  We've 'discovered' each other's blog through Find A Friend Friday hosted by Karen from Sew Many Ways.  Thank you so much Beth, it's a great honour and I am very flattered that you chose my blog.

I have learned alot from tutorials on other people's blogs and been introduced to so many great ideas prior to blogging.  I've started blogging last month as a way of documenting my experiences in my quilting and sewing projects and with a hope to make new friends through blogland.  I was abit nervous at the beginning tho, not knowing whether anyone would be interested in reading my blog or that I would have nothing interesting to say. But when I received my first follower/comment, I was so thrilled and I've never looked back eversince! I still feel that same excitement for every new one I received and I guess, you can sense how happy I feel about being presented by this Award.


The Liebster award (German for favourite/dearest) is to showcase bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  Upon accepting the award the recipient must then pass it on to five more blogs of note. A way of introducing other bloggers to the blogs they enjoy.

The Liebster Conventions says that :
1. Thank your award presenter on your blog and link back to him/her
2. Copy and paste the award to your blog
3. Present the Liebster Award to 5 blogs that you think deserve to be recognized
4. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
5. Have faith that your follower will spread the love too!

It was so difficult to pick just 5, how I wish I could choose more! There are so many great blogs out there but here are a few of my favorite bloggers whom I think you should hop over when you have the time.

1. Nordzie at Patch and Quilt  - a Malaysian blogger and a very dear friend of mine, who has done alot of quilts by hand (no machine piecing!) in her earlier part of quilting years and loves hand quilting.

2. Tarnyia at tarnyiamarycatherine - found her at Find A Friend Friday linky party

[ Amendments - I've realised that Amy at [Amy's] Crafty Shenanigans has been awarded last month - I've nominated another recipient as I would love to give others the opportunity ]
3.  Seeing Stars - she does lovely machine quilting work!

4. Zara at A Fabric Case - another Malaysian blogger with lots of enjoyable post!

5. Roos at quiltwerkinuitvoering - one of my earlier followers, she translates to English which is helpful, she has done alot of handstitching work.

Before I signed off, I would like to say thanks again Beth! and YAY!!! for blog awards!

New Blog Linky Party

After reading Ginny of Fish Creek Studio's latest post today, ( thanks, Ginny! ), I hopped over to pay Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting Blog  a visit.  Marcia's a professional freestyle long arm quilter and she's hosting a linky party for new bloggers like me!

It is so thoughtful of her to come with such a great idea, giving new bloggers an opportunity to connect with other bloggers who share the same interests.   Do stop by her blog and if you are a new blogger with less than 50 followers link up and join in the fun!

Third Finish - Loulouthi Tile Quilt

This fabulous Loulouthi fabric line by Anna Maria Horner has been in my stash eversince it was released sometime last year.  It has been sitting  there for quite awhile until I came across Rachel of Stitched In Color's Loulouthi Tiles pattern recently.  I love her great tile layout as it is not only simple but it showcases the lovely large scale prints! I followed her medium sized pattern for this quilt. 




I paired the Loulouthi with Kona Cotton in Snow for the top.











I used Triflora in Lipstick, ( love the bright color! )  pieced with vertical scrap strips for the backing.  I've used Warm and Natural Cotton batting as I find it suitable with our warm weather.













I handquilted several rows of simple straight lines around each large picture tile block like what Rachel has done on her's and single lines on alternate blocks with Perle Cotton No. 8 using colors that matches the blocks.  I bound it with scraps from the front.

I really love how this one turned out.  It measures 61" x 73", a generous size throw, and finally something for ME!   ;)

Happy Quilting Everyone!

My First QAL

I was blog browsing and came across this quilt along and decided to join in.  It's called My Precious Quilt Along hosted by Kelly of KelbySews.  What got me interested is that it is a very relaxed QAL, something that I could handle since I still consider myself a novice quilter.  In this quilt along, Kelly has encouraged quilters to use their most precious fabric to make something, anything!  It could be from something small like a mug rug / pot holder to maybe making a tote bag or even a quilt for that matter, just as long as it is from their favourite fabric which they find hard to cut into.  Check out her blog and then join in the fun!  I really encourage anyone who has never done a quilt along, or those of you that have, to try this one out along with me.

I've decided for my first Precious selection to pull some prints from my stash that I've been telling myself I won't cut into unless I find the right project. Well, the time has come and I am now in two minds about which one to start off with.  Is it gonna be Lotta Jansdotter's Echo line making a simple patchwork quilt using 6" squares

or Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks collection using half square triangles for a lap quilt?

These two patterns have been on my to do list for quite awhile and what better way to start on them, right?

I am so excited to put these beautiful fabrics to good use and can't wait to get my rotary cutter out to start cutting into them.

Hope you have a productive week ahead!

Whirligig Quilt

The Whirligig ( Wonky Pinwheel - as I would call it ) block has been on my list of things to do for awhile now. I have always love a fun looking quilt and thought of giving this pattern a try.

I have used this tutorial for the blocks.  It was easy and fast putting them together!  This fabric line is Flora by Lauren & Jessie Jung.  I love this line ever since it came out and thought that the quilt will look sweet in those small to medium scale prints!  I have used Moda Bella Solids in Snow for the background and Lounge Stripe by Heather Bailey for the backing. 

The blocks measured 8 inches each and I've added a 4 inch border to achieve a certain size.  

I hand quilted using perle cotton no. 8 with outline stitches in the background.  I wanted the quilt to be soft thus the quilting was done at a minimal.

This quilt finished at about 54" x 70", a great throw size and it is my second finished quilt for 2012.

A quarter done

Now the fun begins!  Finally my charm quilt is starting to take shape!  I've pieced together 8 strips of 30 hexagons each.  I am trying to evenly distribute colours in the quilt.

 I love the mishmash of fabrics!

I have 90 hexagons that have been sewn into sections, ready and waiting to be added to the large piece.

This is what I have done so far and I am still piecing hexagons to make into strips of 9 and 10.