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