that colour of blue...

merry christmas!!!

rachael x

{pattern by nanacompany}

nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky

ooh it's been very quiet here! it's been a busy couple of weeks and all i wanted to do was hide! and the busiest time is still to come, eekkk!! i've been sewing lots! and for down-time doing a little crochet and embroidery, it's sooo relaxing. the house is decorated for christmas and i have been swept up in the chrismas spirit, it really is the most wonderful time of year!

rachael x

sunday stash

hello and happy sunday to you all!!

this week i am hosting sunday stash, thank you finding fifth :) it's a good week for me to host it as there has been quite a bit of fabric coming through my door!

yes christmas fabric!! ( i love christmas!!) and 5 yards of yummy linen. all my sewing at the minute is christmas sewing, getting ready for the many craft fairs i've got lined up. i was browsing through pinterest as you do and spotted the dear mr. claus fabric by cosmo cricket and i fell in love with it, but of course it's an old collection, so it was quite hard to find, but i persevered and found it :) and the linen, cause you can never have too much linen!!

i always hear people talking about their local quilt shop and i'm always soo jealous cause there isn't a good one here all the fabric shops here seem to have old fuddy-duddy fabrics, buut i finally found a good one it's about a half hour drive and it has like modern, current fabric!! it has avalon!! so i had to come home with some because it's soo rare to see proper fabric here haha and of course some solids.

normally i don't like jelly rolls but i have a plan for this one and also i want  quilts made of  each one of bonnie and camilles collections and happy go lucky was getting hard to find, so i decided to snap it up before its gone!

now add your sunday stashes up so i can look at pretty fabric!!

rachael x

purple spotty elephant

so there was some interest in the low volume swap, so i thought i'd go ahead and run it!

OK details we need 27 people plus me to make 28 people from the UK and ireland (or if there is enough interest a bigger swap of 56) and then we all buy 1 yard of low volume fabric (or 2 yards if 56 people)

sign-ups will be open from 2 november - 6 november

once everybody has signed up you get to go and look at pretty fabric and buy 1 yard of low-volume-y goodness! we are looking for modern prints and no solids, with a good scale for cutting into charms. and all 100% high quality cotton fabric please :)

once you have chosen your fabric upload it to the flickr group, be sure to check there are no doubles of fabrics before you purchase yours!!

this swap will be 5 inch squares and from a yard of fabric you'll get 56 squares there is a great tutorial over at oh, fransson on how to cut them.

get your pretty little charm squares over to me for the 2nd december, include in your parcel a pre-addressed envelope, now that's important so make sure you include it!!
I will return your packages (assuming everyones arrive on time) on 9 december. for shipping i will send you all an email asking for the cost of shipping via paypal.

ok all sound good? great, just leave a comment that you want to join :) and lets get swapping!!

rachael x

p.s oh and spread the word, more people equals more fabric!!

p.p.s can you totally tell this is my first organized swap? haha

w.i.p wednesday

*can i just say THANK-YOU for all your lovely comments on my last post, seriously the quilting world has the nicest and sweetest people, so THANK-YOU :)*

it's a cold, grey, wet and windy day here the perfect excuse to stay inside in comfy clothes with my sewing machine and netflix!! do you remember this quilt from like ages ago, well it's been sitting basted for months, so i thought today was the perfect day to quilt it :)

ahh i love it and can't wait to finish it!!

question: would anybody be interested in a low volume charm swap??

rachael x

linking up with WIP  wednesday

a wall jumped out behind my car

yay! its monday and i have no college!! and it's (kinda) sunny! double yay!!

i may have got a bit carried away with the a beautiful mess app

you may have noticed at the top of my blog that a new little button has appeared, yes i have opened an etsy shop! see i would like 'the floral suitcase' to be my business, it's like soo scary putting that out there, but i'm slowly learning not to be scared anymore. i also have a facebook business page, i don't use normal facebook but it is soo fun for business purposes.

i regularly attend craft fairs to sell all my handmade items and i have to say i love doing craft fairs you meet soo many great people and they also get your 'business' out there. when most people see my stall they either think i didn't make all the items or i'm just doing this as a hobby, which makes me feel kind of stupid. by telling you all this i'm hoping it will give me the courage to tell people that no it is not just a hobby but that it is my business!

my most popular items are my animal cushions and these aren't even all of them, i have loved making each one and making them all a little bit unique. I have been running my business for a few months now and i love everyday of it, some days are harder than others but it's worth it to be working at something that i am passionate about and want to do, i'm still in the early, learning stages but each day i ;earn something new and have so many great people helping, and supporting me through it all :)

probably my most favourite cushion ever!!

rachael x

p.s this post took me 3 hours to write

and the winner is...

when you run a competition you have to pick a winner, ditzy me forgot this fact so I'm a couple days late announcing the winner but without further ado the winner is:

                                                                          Janice

Well done!! I'll get that pattern sent over to you right away :) and because a post without a picture would be boring, here is some watercolour trees.

rachael x

p.s can you totally tell I wrote this on my ipad??

ooh a new quilt-a-long!

megan from city stitches is hosting her very first quilt-along with her very first pattern!! i'll definetly be making this quilt because it's sooo a.m.a.z.i.n.g!! wanna see?

it's called hemispheres and you can get it here it's curves which i've never attempted but will definetly give this a go, its too cool not to!

here is the schedule:

Oct 21: Color and Fabric Choices/Cutting Tips

Oct 28: Piecing with Pins

Nov 4: Piecing with Glue

Nov 11: Piecing Freehand/Curve Master

Nov 25: Quilting

Dec 9: Link Up

Dec 10-12: Voting

Dec 13: Grand Prize Award

ooh and guess what there are prizes, yaayy!! tammy from marmalade fabrics is giving away the grand prize of a rainbow stack of 40 robert kaufman kona solids, good, huh?

GIVEAWAY

megan has given me the hemisphere PDF pattern to giveaway today to one of you lucky people, all you have to do is leave a comment and i'll pick a winner on friday.

join the flickr group  http://www.flickr.com/groups/2357757@N23/ and use #hemispheresqal on Instagram also check in with the other bloggers for more chances to win :)

Oct 8: Alyssa pileofabric.com
Oct 9: Lindsey lrstitched.com
Oct 10: Christina thesometimescrafter.com
Oct 11: Jennifer knottedthread.com
Oct 12: Sara sewsara.blogspot.com
Oct 13: Emily esposetta.blogspot.com
Oct 14: Angela cuttopieces.blogspot.com
Oct 15: Rachael thefloralsuitcase.com
Oct 16: Shannon littleluvins.com
Oct 17: Kelly craftytwinmommy.blogspot.com
Oct 18: Shannon masteringtheartofbeingme.blogspot.com
Oct 19: Diane fromblankpages.blogspot.com

check out megans blog for more details and to get a really cool button!!

rachael x

the sock theory

so have i ever told you the sock theory? i don't think i have. it's the theory that if you wear mis-matched socks, you'll have a really good day, and if you wear matching socks, you'll have a bad day. you should  try it, it's a totally full proof theory haha!

it's been very quiet here, i have started 'college' and i'm always soo tired, but i think i'm working out a routine. the reason it has been so quiet is this:

incase you can't tell it's homework coursework, now i haven't had to do homework for about 5 years so it's definetly a shock to the system. oh i'm doing graphic design, just incase i haven't told you all :)

i can show you my finished hat, it's been finished for like ages, commence posy picture taking...

i actually brushed my hair for this photo, and you totally can't tell haha. also you can't really see the hat but you get the idea, i've already started on my second one :) and can i just say this hat was a total lifesaver at cub camp, three days and no shower, it covered my icky hair perfectly!!

now for some pretty fabric...

this is lottie da by heather bailey, when i first saw this collection, i was just kinda 'meh' about it, but the suddenly i just had to have, i like really love these.

oh and i couldn't resist the birds from waterfront park!

also this totally awesome book arrived as well

now i'm not an improv-y person, but i completely love this book, it make me want to go all improv-y, i've already put it to good use

see there has been some sewing!! i just have to sew the binding on and then there will be a ta-dah! moment.

oh it's nice to be back, i have sooo much to tell you all :)

rachael x

it's friday the 13th!! and there's a fly in my bedroom

it's september which basically means it's autumn, so it's time for all the warm comfy clothes to come out, yay!! i always get the need to knit in autumn and the fact that i can't knit is completely irrelevant!! haha i decided on sunday night that i just had to knit me hat after seeing jeni's on instagram onto the computer i went, then spent ages dithering over what colour of wool to get, but finally it was ordered!! then i had to wait like an eternity (it was actually only 3 days) for the wool to arrive, i was watching the postbox with my binoculars haha. 

now i really can't knit and definitly not with circular needles!! but it only took me 3 tries to cast on and actually start my hat, eeekk it's exciting. i chose navy wool :) and i'm using the hannah pattern by luvinthemoomyhood it's actually not that hard, i think if you can quilt you can knit it's like magic.

well obviously i needed a pouch to hold my knitting, enter jeni's fab drawstring pouch pattern i made the 'project bag' size i love these pouches they are so quick and make such a cute bag.

i added a smile-y pink buuny cause i like pink and bunnies :) i also cut into the animal print from indian summer i love this fabric and soo wish i'd bought yards of it!

i also added some sketchy writing so i know that it is my knitting pouch. i'm about half way through knitting my hat (i've also ordered more wool to make more, yay!!) i'll be sure to show you a finished picture of me modelling it with my new haircut :)

rachael x

linking up with crazy mom quilts

i'm scared of night-time

coming soon: the tale of the tidy 'sewing room'!!

rachael x

*fist bump*

i have really got to stop being a sporadic blogger (isn't that a fun word, spo-rad-ic, oh i'll be saying that all day now)

mostly when i sit down to write a post i know exactly what i'm going to write, today i'm just gonna 'wing it' as the young people say and see how it goes...

i know you've already seen this quilt so you can skip this bit if you want. at the dalriada festival last month there were these lovely, old, vintage-y tractors and i just knew i wanted to do a photo-shoot with some of my quilts. i always think that my photos aren't good enough and like always fret over them to make them just 'perfect' and if i do say so myself i rather like these photos (above) do you worry/stress over the photos you're going to post on your blog/internet??

i'm still doing craft fairs, and i really love them, it really is true all crafters are just the nicest people. this is my stall at the fine and dandy market, it's a monthly market in the crescent arts centre, it's brilliant really ecletic and the atmosphere is just 'buzzing' (you can see me taking this picture in the picture haha)

i've been on a cushion making kick lately, there are just so many ideas and designs for cushions, i've really made loads and have hardly posted any here cause i think you'll get bored looking at photos and photos and photos of cushions.

this might be my favourite cushion mr. badger i just love his little fat tummy and the contrast with the tweed, oh yea that's another thing i have fallen in love with tweed fabric and i can't seem to find it anywhere it's as elusive as linen!

hmm i think my unplanned-ness sorta worked in a big jumble type of way. what does everybody else do, do you plan out what you're going to write? or do you just 'wing it'?

rachael x

i finally found my headphones.

it's seriously been like forever since i blogged, lets just say it was my mourning time for brian haha.

anyhoo lets see what i've been upto:

i became a student :) starting september i'll be going back to school and i can honestly say i am beyond excited!! oh and yes i'm not looking at the camera in my picture and it kinda makes me look crossed eyed haha.

there has just been a little bit of fabric shopping, i finally got some briar rose and linen, which i already have some plans for :) oh and i got katy's blogger bundle, i seriously love this bundle and have had dreams about it haha i cannot wait to cut it up.

i've also done a bit of sewing, my new machine was meant to arrive ages ago, but it didn't (it came yesterday *yay*) so the shop very kindly let me borrow theres until mine arrived.

i made a set of placemats for a commission. i love that they're soo bright! the fabric is terrain by kate spain, i had a fat quarter bundle of it from ages ago and finally used it!

now you all know i love cows, right? you don't? well i LOVE cows i think they are just like the cutest animal, so of course i had to put one on a cushion. now i have to say i think she looks more like a duck, but i still like her :)

and finally

picture from google images

i discovered garth brooks music! ahh you can't beat a little bit of country music haha

rachael x

brian.

brian the sewing machine 2007-2013

well my sewing machine arrived back from london and i am afraid to say that he did not make it intact and he is no longer with us. what should have been a very happy day, very quickly turned sad, when brian of only 6 years was taken from this earth far too early. all i can say is brian you were a brilliant machine and shall be very dearly missed. 

now imagine 'i will remember you' playing quietly in the background and a montage of photos of me and my sewing machine laughing and smiling, haha.

rachael x

c the goose

well this past weekend i was at the fat quarterly retreat *insert excited squeals here* and i didn't take any pictures, not even one! bad rachael!!

it was amazing! meeting so many great bloggers and the best part all the accents, it was brilliant. actually every bit of the weekend was the best part. you know how at like a dinner party you're asked what 3 famous people you would want to meet? well i got to meet 1 of mine, the very talented katy,which i have to say was scary, she's like a proper celebrity, ahhh!! it was also great meeting all the other *celebrity* bloggers :)

i took part in the sample swap, and got like super lucky with the group i got

aren't they just lovely?! from left to right: pincushion from mary. fabric basket from sue. pezzy pouch from metro quilter and liberty pincushion from hadley!!!

i was soo excited to be in hadleys group, cause it means i got a liberty pincushion. aahhh! it's so, wow! that was another great part of the weekend, meeting hadley :)

now onto the classes 

stamp carving with tacha, which is actually harder than it looks. as you can see i made a smiley cloud, cause everyone needs a smiley cloud stamp haha

portholes with lu summers, oh she is such a hoot, i absolutely loved this class and will definetly be making lots of portholes cause really they're like almost magic, really they are! and because i have to be different i decided to make a cloud (yes i like clouds)

but it sorta turned out like a deformed flower / amoeba thingy, but i'm hoping to turn it into a raindrop and cloud quilt.

and because i just couldn't stay away from lu, i also took her hand-quilting class, cause i love all her hand-quilted quilts, they're a.m.a.z.i.n.g. my stitches are a tad wonky but that just adds to the handmade look and i'm hooked i think i'll be hand-quilting everything now :)

i also did the jammie bottoms class, but they're not finished, as soon as they are you'll be the first to know!

this is only part 1 of 2, so yaayy!! there's another post coming, but right now i'm declaring war on a moth in my bedroom...

rachael x

take your teeth out, tell me what's wrong.

it's too warm to sleep! so i'll tell you a story about my curtains :)

for ages i had pink checked curtains cause i love pink and i have a pink bedroom but they let the light and like even when it was pitch black outside, my room was never dark. i finally decided to get new curtains, black-out ones (ooohhhh) so off i went, searching and found baby blue polka dot curtains, perfect!! and they totally go with my room (which is now red, purple, white, black, pink and now blue as well) only problem is i sleep with the light on, cause yanno i'm scared of the boogey monster, you know the one that comes out and dances around your room? yea him. well anyway so i'm totally confused about my curtains, cause if i wake up in the middle of the night i just assume its daytime (because the curtains are daylight coloured) and then i'm utterly confused because i think it's daytime when in reality it's 3am and then i can't get back to sleep!

and there you have it the story of the confusing curtains :)

rachael x

linking up with random thursday