4 a.m bobsleigh

i find the writing part soo hard, i should just post pretty pictures instead of even writing stuff, buuttt i'm a talker sooo i'll continue rambling on :)

after taking 2 of judiths classes i just had to sign up for a 3rd cause they are just so super duper fun and i really think that everybody everywhere should go to judiths classes!! this time it was for a quilt, oohhh!!! the ferry floor quilt, double oohhh!! it's a layer cake quilt, which was good cause i have loads of layer cakes and never seem to use them. so after umming and ahhing for ages i decided to use my long hoarded sunkissed layer cake with aqua for the sashing bits.

purdy, ain't it?? i'm really pleased with how it turned out, it's so summery and pink :) and people i have discovered hand stitched binding!! why did no one tell me how fun it is?? i'm completely hooked and will probably never machine stitch it again.

i quilted it in swirly blue loops (using aurifil of course!! is there anything else??) i think quilting is the most fun part along with stitching the binding on. i like that the swirly-nee soften the sharp lines

as soon as my mum saw this quilt she announced it was hers, so it now resides on her bed. i'm really happy with is quilt and it was such a great class!

right have to go and get packed for my craft fair tomorrow :)

rachael x

flopsy. mopsy. cottontail and peter

: :  my new quilt (big reveal on friday!)

: : doodles

: : house cushion top

: : circus cushion top

: : spending the day playing with buttons :)

rachael x

linking up with fabric tuesday

happy longest day!!

*this day two years ago i got my first knee operation*

it all started when i was eight, i was running around and playing outside and then *pop* my knee dislocated, it was mighty sore! no one knew what was wrong with my knee and just thought it was growing pains, so nothing was done. my knee kept 'popping' so we went and got x-rays and i was told that i had very pretty knees :) but still nothing was done. fast forward about to lower 6th when i was walking to my bus and my knee popped and i blacked out on the malone road for about 10 minutes and the worse thing was i missed my bus!! after that we met Mr. Chris Connolly if you ever need your knee fixed he's your man!!

look at how well he fixed my knee, yes those are 4 metal bolts and then i have a big bolt through the knee. i had been going to see him for about 4 years and he had never seen anybody with knees as bad as mine, i take this a s great compliment!!

aren't x-rays fun? after the operation i was in a full leg splint for 6 weeks and then had about 6 months of physio.

before the operation i asked how big the scars would be, so chris drew on my knee how big they'd be and it was tiny, so i didn't mind, i didn't get to see my scar for 10days after the op and i realised chris drew the line way smaller, but it's ok cause i actually love my scars. most people don't like scars but i really think they're like the coolest things ever.

sorry its a terrible picture, but it's surprisingly hard to take a photo of your knees. well these are my scars they're about 8 inches long. in the operation my knee nerves got cut (eewww) so i can't feel my knees so you could hit them as hard as you like i would never know haha it's actually become a game among the cubs.

i got my second one done in january 2012 again by the best surgeon ever!! he is truly amazing!!

i've prattled on long enough my knees, even though i could seriously talk for days about them. but now you know the story of my (bionic) knees :)

rachael x

500 days is more than a year

see the zip. be the zip. you are the zip.

after being scared of zips for way too long i decided to tackle them!! at the craft fair, nearly everybody asked if i had oilcloth pouches for make-up or wash bags. so i thought 'hmm that could be an idea' and after many, many failed attempts and patterns, i did it! i have successfully made 1 oilcloth pouch.

it looks absolutely massive here, it's not it's about 6 inches high (the sewing machine is just tiny) do ya want to know a secret?? zips actually aren't that hard at all once you understand that you're sewing a zip.

in fact zips are quite fun to sew, so if you've never tried, go and sew a zip its fun :) 

i had better get sewing i keep forgetting i have a craft fair next weekend. 

question: i have done oilcloth on the inside and outside, would it be better only on the inside? or should i do both on the inside and outside??

rachael x

linking up with fabric tuesday

1.make a fool of yourself

i haven't sewn in what seems like forever, cause it was sunny last week and after sitting sunbathing all day i was far too exhausted to sew haha.

out of all the quilts i've made i've never made one for me, i decided to fix that and started on my dream quilt, it's pink :)

it's called up in the clouds. i never really liked squares but lately i adore them and i want just simple patchwork on everything

i started out with a low volume bundle from westwood acres on etsy and added in a few of my favourite pink fabrics, including my hoarded heather ross ice cream truck fabric!!

this may be my most favourite-est quilt ever! and it's like super big, so perfect for snuggling under :) my backing fabric arrived today so i've got my weekend sorted, well once i get some waddling.

what's everybody else up to this weekend??

rachael x

linking up with crazy mom quilts

i have a hole in my sock

i was planning on 'blogging' on something else today and then the post came!! aahh the post came :)

i always forget that in a swap you get something, does that make sense? well anyway my pillow arrived from my PTS10 swap partner and aahhh!! i'm so lucky, wanna see??

it' soo pretty!! and soo me!! thank-you, thank-you thank-you to jessica from a little gray thank- yoouuuuu :) i really love it, it's so perfect!!

just look at the itty-bitty piecing and appliqued circles and the quilting!!

this is the back of the cushion, i said i loved pink and wow is this pink, it's totally amazing, i'm so in love with the whole cushion :) :)

along with my oh-so amazing cushion jessica also sent a few wee extras, a really cool circular pot holder, it's so cool, it's circular!! and some lovely fabric which is always a bonus.

again jessica thank-you, thank-you, thank-you i completely adore my cushion :)

rachael x

p.s i was hoping this one was mine :)

nothing's the same.

if one person sees a magpie it means sorrow but if two people see the one magpie it counts as two!

i never know how to start a post hence the magpie thing.
have you heard of the pillow talk swap over on flickr? i watched from the sidelines and looked on admiring all the wonderful creations, well not this year, i always thought it was a big persons swap, you know for like big proper bloggers, but this year i decided to 'do it' (starsky and hutch haha)

i got my partner and the 'stalking' commenced then came the ideas and the drawing and the hardest part - picking the fabric!

i went with anna maria horner voile and a linen-ey type background. i've never sewn with voile before but oh wow it is a.m.a.z.i.n.g!! and just so deliciously soft.

 i'd also never made flying geese before and its always fun to try something new. my partner said she (or might be a he) liked bright colours, i think this qualifies.

when it came to the quilting i was totally stumped!! but then one night in a dream it came to me - zigzags! i know i'm a genius. i quilted it with aurifil variegated thread, i seriously love that stuff.

swaps are so fun and they get you to try something new, that you might not have done before, i'l definetly be joining in more swaps.

so do you join swaps??

rachael x