Pouches and Creatures

Today the weather has turned cold; we are having sleet and snow, and a biting wind. So having gone out to increase our supplies first (more snow is on the way), I have decided it is a great day for writing a little blog post. Then I am declaring the rest of the day only fit for sewing!

Recently, I have been trying hard to use up some of my fabrics (and other craft items) in an effort to reduce "my bits" that are spread all over the house these days. Then I received some fabric samples that the owner no longer knew what to do with. I simply cannot say NO to any fabric! The only way I could justify this was to start making with them as soon as possible.

Some of the pieces had been sewn into long strips, but I had a different idea, so I unpicked the seams. Don't you HATE using the seam ripper?! It was done very quickly though.

After separating them, I cut the pieces into equal squares, and then halved them again into brick shapes. Sorting them into sets of four, I sewed them into pouch panels, adding some black from one of my boxes:

With just black and white I found them a little uninspiring, so I decided to add something colourful. First of all I started some embroidery. Small buttons, a red perle and an evening in front of the fire later these flowers had been added:

It looks lovely, but not as colourful as I thought it would be. So out came pencil and paper, iron-on adhesive, and some cheerful batiks. A session on the sewing machine turned out this little creature and its brothers/sisters:

I just love the quirky effect of the colourful geckos on the stark black and white background. I'll be turning these in some practical pouches now.

Linking up with Archie the Wonder Dog at "Mini Archie's January Furtle Around The Blogosphere". If you want to know what that is all about, click on the link or on the button (image) below:

That is it for today, I have pouches to finish!

Sandra

My Q1 Finish-A-Long List

The Finish-A-Long is starting again, and I am joining in with my current list of unfinished projects. If you are looking for the link-up to add your own list, it can be found at the Q1 List Linkup post. And if you want to know more, check out my Finish-A-Long page.

Okay, now to my own list, which looks like this:

I used my FAL Planner to keep track during the quarter, hopefully a lot more squares will be coloured in three months time!
1. Feathered Star quilt
Needs layering, basting, quilting, binding.

2. Cubes quilt
Needs the last bit of quilting, and binding.

3. Log Cabin quilt
Needs basting (again, since I removed the wadding I had started quilting with, because I didn't like the effect), quilting, binding.

4. Black & White quilt
This needs everything doing, but at least I have decided what to do with the B&W fabrics and am waiting on a ruler I ordered.
Realistically, this will not be finished this quarter, but I would like to start it soon, so at least it means I will be working on something from the list!

5. Logo quilt (still to be named - what about "My World"? Mmmm...)
Needs layering, basting, quilting, binding.

I have kept it relatively short (for me) this quarter with five projects. I find I do not do half as much sewing as I think I will, and I am hoping this way I will be more focussed... Fingers crossed for some finishes soon!

Linking up to the 2019 FAL

Sandra

A new year for the Finish-A-Long - Q1 List Linkup

Happy New Year, everyone! It is time for a NEW round of the Finish-A-Long (FAL)!

As you can see, a new round of the Finish-A-Long is starting today. New logos (thank you so much, Marci), some new hosts (and some familiar ones), some new sponsors as well as some we have known for years now. Presumably we will have some new participants as well as many who have been taking part regularly for a long time...

So let's get to it!
You can now link up your list of projects that you want to finish in Quarter 1 of 2019. We are hoping that the FAL community will inspire you to work on your unfinished projects this quarter, and to get them finished!

Our 2019 Finish-A-Long Hosts

The 2019 FAL is hosted by a great community of bloggers. This year our hosts are:

• Sandra - Sew of Course - Ireland
• Marci - Marci Girl Designs - USA Louisiana
• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada
• Ella - Throw a Wench in the Works - USA Georgia
• Karen - Capitola Quilter - USA California
• Lynne - Tinking Along - USA Maryland
• Izzy - Dizzy Quilts - Canada
• Sarah G - Sarah Goer Quilts - USA California
• Sarah Z - Cedar Fork Stitches - USA Montana
• Julie - That’s Sew Julie - USA Iowa
• Sharla - Thistle Thicket Studio - USA Kansas
• Nicole - Handwrought Quilts - Canada

For those of you who are new to the FAL, here is an explanation: The Finish-A-Long is a community aiming to motivate and encourage each other to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging around, sometimes for far too long. At the start of the quarter you post and link up a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months. Then, at the end of the quarter, you link up each successful finish from your original list.

Each linked up finish is an entry into the draw for wonderful prizes from our sponsors. There is no penalty for not finishing a listed project, so feel free to make your list as long or as short as you wish. The 2019 Schedule and Rules for the FAL are on my permanent 2019 FAL page, let me know if you have any questions.

Our 2019 Finish-A-Long Sponsors

Here are the fantastic and generous sponsors for Q1 of the Finish-A-Long. you can see each of their prizes listed under their logo. Please think about visiting them and saying thank you for their their support of the FAL.

Winner's Choice of 1 Large 12 Spool Collection

$80 Gift Certificate

$50 Gift Certificate

$50 Gift Certificate

$25 Gift Certificate

3 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

1 Six Month Subscription

2 PDF Patterns

$30 Fabric Voucher

Make your Q1 List of Unfinished Projects

So now it is time to sort out the projects/UFOs/WIPs that you want to finish over the next three months. Take a photo of each one and make your list. If you like you can use our Finish-A-Long Planner to list your projects and keep track of progress. It also has all link-up dates for the year, and the hashtags that we would use. Or use any method that works for you. Please ensure that you have at least STARTED your projects - pulled fabric with a pattern is considered a project started - and remember it is only a FINISHED project that will get you an entry toward the above listed prizes. So while we love to see your bee blocks, the "finish" is when they are a completed, usable project.

Post Your Q1 List

Post your list either on your blog, on Instagram, or on Flickr if you prefer. If posting on social media (Flickr, Instagram), it will be very helpful if you tag your list with #2019FALQ1yourname (where yourname is unique to you). Using the same hashtag over the quarter when sharing project progress or finishes helps the host to make the connection to your original list quickly and easily.
IMPORTANT: Don't forget to link up your finishes at the end of the quarter! We will be posting a reminder on the blog and on Instagram, but do keep an eye out...

Link-up Your Q1 List

The 2019 Q1 link for your list of proposed finishes is now open below, on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs. You need only link your list once, on ONE host blog, and the link will show up on all the host blogs. If you are using Flickr or Instagram, post a mosaic of your projects and put your list in the description. Don't forget to include your unique hashtag.
If you need a little help, Katy of The Littlest Thistle has a great tutorial on how to link up if you need it, and Marci has a post on how to link up from Instagram.

Join the FAL Community

We also ask that you become part of the FAL community. Please check out the links of others - visit and comment on their lists. We all need encouragement to get those finishes done, so please share some of your own too.

If you want you can follow us on Facebook: Finish-A-Long and/or on Instagram: @finishalong, too. We'll post encouragement during the quarter and reminders when the finishes link up opens at the end of the quarter.

When creating your list there is one thing to remember - No deductions for not completing something so - Aim High! Nothing to lose!! Well now, get that list together and get linked up.

LET THE FUN BEGIN!

Feel free to use and share the FAL button at the top and the one below, too. If you rather use the HTML code for these buttons find them on my Finish-A-Long page.

Remember: you only need to link up at ONE hosting blog and it will automatically show up on all hosting blogs.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sandra

Finishalong Linkup Reminder

Just a quick post to remind you that the Quarter 4 Link Up for all your finishes closes on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 11 pm EST (which is 10 January 2019, at 4 AM Dublin/London time). So you still have a few more days to finish a project or two and link them up to be eligible for prizes. The link up can be found HERE or on the blog of any of our 2018 hosts.

A few reminders for linking up:

• Please only ONE finished project for each post that you link up, so that each finish can be an entry in the (random) prize draw. 
• Please include a link to your original list in each post of your finishes (on Instagram the link is the unique tag #2018FALQ4yourname to be used in the Q4 list post, and in any Q4 finish post).
• Please visit some of the other participants and leave a friendly comment, we all love to get those!

Finally, we hope you will be joining us for 2019 to do it all over again!! If you want to know more about the Finish-A-Long, have a look at my Finish-A-Long page (above).
So get your list ready, the link up for Q1 Lists will open on January 10, 2019. A handy Finish-A-Long Planner can also be downloaded from my blog.

Sandra

Finish-A-Long Q4 Finishes Linkup

Can you believe it, the year is over!  We have made it to the end of the fourth quarter of the 2018 Finish-A-Long and it's time to link up your Q4 finishes.  We hope you have used the past three months to complete a bunch of those UFOs on your lists!  If not, there is always next year...

The 2018 FAL has a community of bloggers across the world jointly hosting and this year's hosts are:

• Marci - Marci Girl Designs - USA

• Sandra (also Social Media Director) - Studio Sew of Course - Ireland

• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada

• Ella - Throw a Wench in the Works - USA

• Felicity - Felicity Quilts - Canada

• Karen - Capitola Quilter - USA

• Izzy - Dizzy Quilts - Canada

• Lynne - Tinking Along - USA

Before the link up, let's give a huge thank you to our fantastic sponsors:

$50 Gift Certificate

3 PDF Patterns

$25 Gift Certificate

2 PDF Patterns

$20 Gift Certificate

3 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

3 Six Month Subscr.

$25 Gift Certificate

$25 Gift Certificate

A Minikins Bundle

$50 Gift Certificate

2 PDF Patterns

$30 Gift Certificate

$40 Gift Certificate

The 2018 Quarter 4 link for your finishes is now open below on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs - you only need to link on one blog for your finish to appear on all host blogs.

Link-up "Rules":

Add one link for each finish.  If you want to link a round up post of all your finishes, use that link to enter one of your finishes and then link the rest of your finishes separately.  Please, only one link per finish, as your link is an entry into the randomly drawn prize draws. 
Please ensure that the photo (Instagram or Flickr) or blog post you link up contains a link or reference back to your original list so that we can verify your entry (make sure it is from the appropriate quarter, too). On Instagram, tag your photos with #2018FALQ4yourname (where yourname is unique to you), this makes it easier for us to match your finishes with your list, which also should have this tag.
Please become part of the FAL community.  Check out the links of others and leave a comment. We all need encouragement so let's applaud each other.  The 2018 FAL Facebook page is HERE and you can follow us on Instagram @finishalong.
Our hosts will also link up their finishes to share in the community but they are not eligible for any of the prizes.

The Q4 Finishes link will stay open from now thru 11 pm, EST, Wednesday, January 9, 2019 - as we are global, you might want to check your time zone to determine your last possible time to link (you can also see how much time is left below the linked up images on the right).  It is best to link up your finishes early and if you have a last minute one, add that one later so you don't miss out.  The prizes will be awarded as soon as we can verify all the entries and do the drawings.  We will post the winners on each host's blog.

Lastly, don't forget to start making your 2019 list as the Q1 list link opens on January 10, 2019. If you want to use a planner page to list your projects, download the Finish-A-Long Planner from my blog.

We hope to see you next year!

Sandra

This link-up stays open until the 9th of January, the exact closing time can be found at the bottom of the link-up.

2018 Q4 Finishes Link Up:

An InLinkz Link-up