Fairground attraction and a giveaway.

Today I've got one of my favourite finishes to show you, and a giveaway from Annie at The Village Haberdashery to help me celebrate it.

Back in July I had a great time at the second Fat Quarterly Retreat. Due to circumstances, I was very late booking, but was lucky enough to still be able to sneak places on some fantastic classes, including Katy Jones' Triangle City EPP.

Now, after a cushion made in my teenage years, I've had a very strong aversion to EPP and hexagons, but I thought if anyone was the girl to get me over that, it was Katy. (Actually, I thought the HST class I went to in April was such a giggle, it would be worth suffering through EPP, 'cos Katy would be a blast!)

So I precut the fabric ready before the class - my policy of only using stash fabrics for the retreat lead me to choose Michael Miller's Mirror Ball Dots, and I was therefore determined to finish it after Retreat.

Initially I made some false starts and nearly gave up. Then it got christened Radioactive Porn Star for some fairly obvious reasons, so a rethink was in order, and I nearly gave up again. But I recut the triangles and in a rainbow state of mind off I set again.

And here is the finished EPP. It reminded me of the lights on fairground rides or roller coasters, hence it's new name of Fairground Attraction.

I decided it needed a plain rich coloured backing, and navy blue won over purple. I quilted it by stitching in the ditch with Aurifil 50wt in white, and then echo quilted it with some navy blue Gutermann thread I happened to have lying around.

To bind it, I used scraps of the Mirror Ball fabric in the same colours as I used in the Triangle City block.

And here's the giveaway part - Annie's has very generously offered a FQ bundle of Mirror Ball dots to one lucky winner! Now some might call this planning, but by coincidence Katy featured these fabrics on her blog today too.

You have three chances to win:
1) follow my blog and leave me a comment telling me you've done so.
2) sign up for Annie's newsletter on the shop website and then leave me a comment telling me you've done so. (Click here for an image of where to subscribe)
3) tweet, blog or Facebook a link to the giveaway and then leave me a comment telling me you've done so. (I'm @Pennie_J_H on twitter)
I'll leave the giveaway open for a week and draw the winner on Sunday 8th September. Good luck!

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Life is a roller coaster...

I'm sorry I was away for longer than expected, but the weekend in Wales didn't go entirely according to plan, thanks to a mystery virus that landed me in hospital at the start of the week with suspected meningitis.  I'm very happy to say, after many somewhat painful tests, including a lumbar puncture, that was ruled out, but I'm only really now back in full health.

After that less than auspicious start, I went back to work on Thursday to confirmation of a promotion I'd applied for.  As this will come with a permanent contract, and a rather juicy pay rise, you can imagine that was fantastic news after the last few months. 

Then, to round the rapidly improving week off, remember this? Well, guess where I spent yesterday? Yep, only in day one of Katy's fantabulous class.  And what a great time was had by all.  It was all a bit of a panic getting ready for the class as I wasn't sure I'd be well enough to go, and then I had a last minute visit from my lovely baby sis, so it was a bit of a case of grabbing a fat quarter bundle of pearl bracelets off the sewing table, whichever solid I had enough of to cut 48 x 5" squares, (which happened to be a white on white by Makower) and in a last minute flash of inspiration, the fat 8th bundle of the Michael Miller mirror dots. (OK, not inspiration at all, they just happened to be in the bag I wanted to use!)

So we learned all about half square triangles, Katy had us cutting the squares in half and sewing along the bias edges to get us used to bias sewing - useful for curves and all sorts of other stuff.  And we got them all chain pieced - this is something I haven't done often, but I can see the advantages - speed and thread-preservation mainly.

One of the most exciting bits for me was using the electronic Janome's Annie has for the classes - I've never used a computerised sewing machine before and got more than a little excited about the fact the needle would always stop in the up position!  And the speed control.... I'm thinking I can see what part of that new pay rise will be going towards.....

So here's a little mosaic of the day. We were sent home with loads of homework, because we all gossiped too much and didn't sew enough!  I have somehow managed to end up with 131 HSTs instead of the 96 planned, and having done my layout ready to sew up before next week's day two, I've still managed to end up with one missing, so I've got one more to rustle up this evening and then I can start sewing them together.  Hopefully, I'll have it finished by next week, 'cos I don't want to end up in detention.....

Covet of the week, day 3

Ok, Day 3 of the celebration of the dangerous new opening hours for the best fabric shop I know.....

I thought I'd have a bit of a diversion from fabric today - don't want to get boring after all - and have a bit of a covet of one of the fantastic new classes scheduled this month.

Who wouldn't want to go and learn at the knee of one of the quilting community's true characters, who has an enviable collection of tattoos, a 'husbeast', and call's herself a ginger monkey??  I mean, imagine what a person like that could teach you in two days!

I'm scared of HST's but I love some of the blocks they make, so I really want to go on this course with Katy Jones, and not only have a great time, but overcome my fear.

More details can be found on Katy's blog and also on the shop site, so  make sure you get your place booked quickly while there's still room....

photo courtesy of Katy Jones

FQ Retreat

..... and a GREAT time was had by all!

Firstly, before I say anything else, a huge thanks has to go to the Fat Quarterly team, for the fantastic job they did this weekend.  Not only was it superbly organised, the team were soooo friendly and approachable and it really felt like we'd known them for ever. 

I nearly hyperventilated on arrival, coming face to face with John Adams, or QuiltDad as he may be better known!  John is the reason I signed up for the retreat - one of my first 'modern' attempts at quilting was a wonky log cabin cushion cover from John's tutorial.  It was the first thing I ever posted on flickr, and I think John's was one of the first comments - my first feedback from a professional!  

John's welcoming speech

Lucie Summers, designer of the fantastic Summersville range, Katy 'I'magingermonkey' Jones and Tacha Breucher were also on the reception desk with Lynne of Lily's Quilts and Brioni Greenberg loitering nearby. There were also some truly stunning quilts which had been made by the team decorating the area, but I have to confess to being so overwhelmed I didn't actually notice them till later! Somewhere amongst the throng was Kerry who was also teaching a class, and Aneela joined us later for her embroidery lesson.  

(I think I've mentioned everyone, but if I missed anyone, I'm so sorry!  And thank you, too!)

Anyway, after a quick game of people bingo which got the ice well and truly broken - 100+ women & 2 guys wandering round staring at each other's boobs in an effort to match name tags to lists...! - John opened proceedings with his welcoming speech and away we went.

Now, at this point, my brain pretty much went into shock.  I completely forgot I had a camera except at one point in the afternoon when someone reminded me to take a picture of my embroidery efforts.  And so because there was so much going on.... and there's so much to tell you ..... and I can take retrospective photos at home this evening.... I'm going to blog about the classes, the goody bag, the ironman challenge, the real pleasure of meeting other bloggers etc etc etc..... later!

I'm sorry - I hate it when bloggers do that - they've been to a brilliant event and then come back and tell you NOTHING!  But honestly?  It was fantastic, it was stimulating, it was inspirational, and if you didn't go, book next year's as soon as it becomes available.... and it was exhausting!  There was just so much to take in, and process, and enjoy, and I will share it with you..... tomorrow.