Jane and I organised a workshop to make this block from 'Slice 'Em amd Dice 'Em' Quilts. It's a very versatile block and looks great in these donated Linus fabrics.
I love Mile a Minute at the best of times, and these single colour blocks make a MAM rainbow quilt!
Bonnie Hunter designs some fabulous quilts, and this one (which she calls Kiss in the Corner) was a great opportunity to use up some of my favourite yellow fabrics. Since there were several mistakes in it, I called mine 'Nobody's Perfect'.
I taught a class on Log Cabin this year, and here is my scrappy one. The design is 'streak of lightning variation' and I love it! I hope Luc - the current owner - likes it as much!
And here is my gorgeous Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll, designed by Bonnie Hunter and given to my cousin's lovely grandaughter Stephanie. She was over the moon to own it, and couldn't wait for the envy it would provoke from her flatmates.
As to other achievements, I have fulfilled last year's resolution to spread the word about quilting. My beginners' quilting class has been very successful (and what a super bunch of ladies!) and I have also had workshops with the Lutterworth Knit and Stitch, Botcheston WI, Wingerworth TWG and Chesterfield TWG. I suppose that's the reason I haven't achieved as many finished quilts of my own as I would have liked - I've been busy planning, writing instructions, cutting fabric kits for Linus workshops, and then sewing blocks together, layering up, quilting and binding to finish! And with 245 Linus quilts donated in Leicestershire this year, I suppose it's a very good reason too!
Oh, blow! Blogger seems to be on strike, as far as moving photos around. Here is a lovely fabric which looks quite Oriental, or maybe from the Dutch East Indies! 
This one is almost reproduction, amd will be a great basic.
It's replacement isn't perfect (a patterned background fabric would have been even better) but this time it doesn't bother me and I'm hoping for a little time to layer it up. I've decided to complete it in 'quilt as you go', as I think the quilting will need to be precise, and it will be much more manageable before the borders are added. What do you think my chances are of getting it layered up before the Big Day?!
So when it came to this star, I chickened out and paper pieced it. Much easier! (In fact, I wish I'd done the block in darker colours, but too bad.)
The last block I did was this one, and I decided to give Y seams one more try. Practice makes perfect, and I was amazed that (with a little bit of attention with the iron!) this has turned out well. My method was to sew up to the V of the Y then take it off the machine. I pulled the next part of the seam together and manipulated it by hand to make all the fabric lie completely flat. Then back onto the machine and sew the other half of the V. It worked for me!
And here is a little warm-up to the holiday just around the corner. We had another Santa Fun Run here in Lutterworth, and this time, DH decided to take part. He's the one on the left, and good friend Ali is the one on the right. They decided to walk rather than run, but still completed the 5.5km course in about an hour. There were 980 people in the run this year, whcih will result in a huge financial boost for all sorts of local charities. Well done all who took part! 
I have been getting in the festive mood too, by making this table runner. I designed it as a make for ladies who come to our Knit and Stitch sessions, as a thank you for all the hard work they have done for charities this year. If you would like to make one, the central part was 18.5" x 6.5" and the letters were bonded on. The first border was 1.5" cut (1" finished) and the outer border 2.5" cut (2" finished). I machine quilted in the ditch round the borders, and hand quilted round the letters. Very simple, but very effective. Have fun!
Since I have done it all in blue (the colours of my Dear Jane), it won't fit in very well with all the other blocks which are in turquoise and purple! Never mind. I'm just the girl to use up an orphan block. Now to cut some more patches in purple and turquoise! 
We all pulled together and finished the quilting, then pulled the calico backing to the front to make the binding. We also organised a label, so all is good. We have been promised free cake for a future visit - a good return of skills! 
The first one was this monstrosity, which had been beautifully quilted by Linda on her Gammil. I had wanted to chop it up, as there seemed to be too much blue space in it, but I'm glad Linda persuaded me not to! I usually do a French fold binding sewn onto the front, then folded to the back and hand sewn. There wasn't going to be time for this, so I still put a French fold on, but on the back, folded it to the front, and zigzagged it in pink. Result! 
You can just see the edge at the top of the picture. Michaela was thrilled with the quilts - she couldn't get over how they were all different! - and I'm sure the young people will be too.
This was a joy to make, and I think it's turned out well. I just meander quilted it along the diagonal strips with appropriate colours (yellow on the yellow squares etc). That was easy and allowed me to use some of my gorgeous YLI variegated threads. I'm not sure I'll manage another finish this month (although I'll try) as I've also been busy with Linus quilts, putting them together, wadding or binding them. I've also been cutting up donated fabrics, as we have recently had two Linus sewing days at Linda's fabulous workshop near Melton Mowbray. She is such a lovely lady, and generously gave her space, (heated and fully equipped) plus refreshments and cake for free! 
Here are (l to r) Pat, Julie, Maria and Paula hard at work. 
Pauline worked so hard she actually finished two quilts in the day. Admitted this one was a printed panel, but it's still good going! 
This one was a soft book kit, but Pauline sashed the squares and put them together beautifully. It was bound by the end of the day!
On Linda's design wall are Julie's red and black blocks (the first time she's put anything together on point!) and Pat's Mile a Minute. Hers finish at 9" and she's keeping her fabric choices masculine. Great job! 
Maria (a very new quilter) ended up with a pile of my MAM blocks to sew together. She wasn't impressed with them - they're not everyone's cup of tea, I know. She complained (quite rightly) that they were bulky. "I don't like these, these, what are they called? Make Up Rubbish blocks!" What a great new name for the blocks! And not untrue either.
On Linda's chair was her Bonnie Hunter Scrappy Bargello. This is one quilt I'd love to make! 
Pat had donated a pile of spider's web blocks, and Paula added corners on them and was soon ready to join them up.
As for me, apart from being sergeant major and general gofor, I managed to get this top together from orphan blocks. Linda will long arm quilt it, and then I'll be able to bind it. What a great day we had - not only lots of quilts for Linus, but a good laugh too! Here's to the next session in the New Year!
It seems to have quite a bit of Debbie Mumm fabrics in it (whatever happened to Debbie?) and lovely blue and red sashing. I bound it with dark reds out of the scrap bin, and it has worked well. I was slightly dubious about the red stripey at the bottom, but it's played very nicely.
It's my Bonnie Hunter 'Kiss in the Corner' which I have renamed 'Nobody's Perfect' due to the number of Friendship Splats in the quilt, where there should be Friendship Stars! (I think there are three - can you find them?) Some people I know would have undone the mistakes and made the quilt perfect, but not me. I've got too many ideas in my head to worry about a few odd pieces which have jumped about while waiting to be sewn! Anyway, I think it just adds to the charm of the quilt. Love it!
Shottle Hall was a beautiful Regency stately home, which I can thoroughly recommend for a wedding venue. There were several rooms where people could get away from the disco and chat, and the food and service was first class. It had stopped raining by the time we got there, and people were able to stand outside for photos and a glass of bubbly. 
Here is my family looking smart (DS isn't really seven foot tall, he's standing on the lawn edging strip!) 
My Mum and Dad had a great time. Even though Mum had a complete new outfit, Dad thought a new tie was sufficient preparation for his grandaughter's wedding! Good choice, Dad!
Here is my glamorous sister-in-law, Rosemary looking fabulous!
My brother was busy trying to catch some good shots of the happy couple.
I don't imagine he managed to get any much better than this one!