BREAKING a few routines here......

Dont tell anyone but instead of rushing around doing my chores I am sitting here blogging and enjoying myself a great deal I may add.

I have just read Joys blog and was inspired by the hearts theme of Valentines day to blog today. Also because I have a bevy of images to show. I love hearts and they feature in a few items in my house.

This is for you Joy

But the piece I really want to share is my heart quilt.

What do you think.....too much? 
Nah too much is never enough with hearts in my book. I saw this pattern in American Jane's book "Quilts for all seasons...and some for no reason". I had picked this up on special at a quilt show and I cannot tell you how many quilts I want to make from this publication.

I had the perfect fabrics in my stash to start the quilt and was determined to use them. I pieced this fabric so I could use it and I am not disappointed, I mean I could have rushed out and bought some more but sometimes quilting is about making do so I did!

Had some of this floating around, again a bargain picked up at a quilt fair. Sometimes a bargain is too good to think about too much.

Some more detail

Now I dont know what happened here, I cannot get the image to rotate so if I could just ask you to tilt your head......Thanks

Ok have you has enough now?
You get the drift it is smothered with hearts, all hand appliqued onto background squares. 
I did have to go and purchase the red background fabric and the mostly red fabric because at the time I only had pastels and florals in my stash. Have more red now.

 Agonised over the backing fabric, I do I really do, sometimes more than I fuss over the quilt top. Somehow the backing fabric becomes the reason I dont finish a quilt. I think it has something to do with a wonderful quilt teacher who told me that backings were important because that is the sight you see when you pull it up over your body.

Anyway this was just the ticket for me.

Had some fun on picmonkey.

So I hope you embrace the fun meaning of Valentines day, my hubby and I dont go all out for it these days because our love is every day.

But I send you all some love and hope because that is what I receive from others in blog land and I would LOVE it if you found some here or even there. It dont matter where you find it really.

Love to you all and I may even link this with crazy mom quilts on Friday. But because todays Wednesday it wont happen yet.

A FINISH........TADAAAAAA

Another Yeee Harrrr!

I loved doing this bag, it is a gift for someone so that often spurs me on to a quick finish. But also being a somewhat smaller project than a large quilt it keeps my interest focused just that bit better.

 I used a charm pack and 2 inch hexagons, the pattern came from an American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine and was designed by Sherri McConnell.

It went together very easily, and I used a very stiff interfacing so the bag can stand and not loose its shape.

As I may have ( ahem) mentioned before this gift is going to Texas so the fabrics are full of meaning.
The charm pack is designed by American Jane, the lining is  called "Yee Har" and depicts Texas cowboys and the top and handles show a typical retro American type childrens illustration.

Very happy with the way it turned out, the proportions are quite good, and it used the whole charm pack.

Now I have another reveal.....( no! come back not my feet again I promise)

This little saga that has taken yeeeeeeaaaarrrrs of sporadic bursts of enthusiasm and concentration.

There are many stitcheries, which I enjoyed doing but the whole lot came together when my darling and wonderful husband built me a design wall.

It was easy then to start placing the little 3 inch squares of fabric into some design and sew it in stages.

 The centre block

Two sentiments I enjoy

Some of the little sticheries, they took some time to complete.
The artwork is lovely, I just followed the lines.
It was designed by Libby Richardson, and I started this in 2008 or so.
It is called Girls Day Out , and I would have to agree a day doing all the shops illustrated in the quilt would be divine.

I have yet to finish it completely as I have to sew on buttons to fill the lolly jars

And the teddies in the shop window.

All in all I am feeling quite upbeat about this, I sewed like a woman possessed just lately, but it feels good to finish a large project.

I machine quilted a cross in each fabric square and stitched in the ditch around each stitched panel. I also machined down any large obvious "bagging" in the stitched panels, mainly around the buildings.
I love applique because I can play with such little scraps of fabric to make a picture. Thus as my blog title would suggest I dont throw out too much.

I am still learning how to use my little camera to its full extent, you would not believe it but years ago I was quite au fait with cameras and had a film SLR outfit which was a dream to use.

Now I struggle with a little digital, but like anything practise will help me overcome. Thank you for hanging out with me so far, I love your comments and hope to speak again soon.