Pinterest Challenge: March

I’ve been pretty slack on the Pinterest challenge this month with all these new ideas popping into my head and not enough hours in the day to do them all, I’ve not really been lacking inspiration or felt the need to try something that I’ve pinned.

However, there are a few techniques that have come in handy this month that I have pinned, and here’s where I’m at with them!

This hand piecing tutorial does have a vital part missing (how to tack the corners down!) but I have been putting together lots of inch hexagons when I’ve wanted to slob out in the living room and even when I went on holiday for something to do and I plan to make them into a 12″ block. After that, who knows, maybe it will become the centre of a cushion cover? I’m being weird and stitching them in as I go (and removing the paper when they are “landlocked” because I can’t bear the idea of doing each step all in one go!)

Binding!  Proper binding, lord knows how many times I’ve got it wrong in the past and hand stitching it on is definitely a must for me now.

And lastly, that hedgehog block you’ve seen recently is from Artisania. The one I pinned is by Quirky Granola Girl using the same pattern. See my last post for a picture of my version.

So that’s the round up, it’s been a bit sewing orientated but I hope you don’t mind. If you are that way inclined, check out Lucy’s fabric swap linky party – I’ve done a trade with her so I hope she likes it! I’ve not got anything I really want to swap right now, but if you have pretty fabric that is just getting a bit boring to you now, go check it out- you might be able to swap for something lovely!

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A sneaky peek of my new room and a couple more for the Pinterest Challenge

I’ve decided that recipes I’d pinned on Pinterest count towards the challenge, but I felt that if I did two of them, that would make it count more! So yesterday I made cheese and spring onion beer bread- dead simple, no kneading, no rising, no fuss! Here’s the recipe.

I also made salted caramels, taking this recipe and sprinkling sea salt crystals lightly over the top I’m not sure how I feel about salt on them yet, but once dipped in chocolate I have a feeling they will work much better. I need to cut them up, but I couldn’t resist popping a circle out to taste. I’m in disbelief that they actually set! To make them exactly as I have, substitute the butter for sunflower spread and the cream for Weight Watchers extra thick double cream. It works! You will most definitely need a sugar thermometer though, there’s no way around that!

I’ve been moving into my new room in the garage. I still have a wall to paper, some skirting board to go down and some stuff to put on the wall so it feels a bit more homely but it’s getting there. Please excuse the clutter, some of it is crafty destash stuff I have listed here, other bits just need allocating a home. I love having a double school desk to use as an extension table for my quilting and the red cabinets with the textured white wall, I think it works really well! Who knew I had so much ribbon that I need two more hangers putting up though?! I can’t wait to get my fabric on the shelves and all visible for easy selection but I am waiting for boards to come in the post (I have been waiting over a fortnight so I am starting to get quite impatient).

I got a new clock yesterday too! I will give you a proper tour when I am completely moved in, I can’t guarantee at the decorating will be done by then though!

PS- that quilt on the desk that you’ve seen a million times before on here? I’m nearly halfway through quilting it, then I’m going to bind it by bringing the backing fabric forward and I will have my very own quilt just for me!

Last minute 2011 makes

I’ve just made my first item for the Crafteroo Pinterest challenge, a day early but this will be my January make.

What we have to do is make something from all of the tutorials we pin over on Pinterest, as usually what happens is they then get forgotten about…. This was made with a tutorial from 2006 from u-handbag, very useful but I am shocking at corners!

I can also now show you the cushions I made, one for each Secret Santa I did this year. I’m going to make other designs, and they take about 6 hours each to make as they are all quilted as well as appliqued twice. They’re my own designs as well, drawing new ones is my favourite part!