Link Love: It’s a Mad House (and I Love It!)

Things are really starting to get crazy around here. I’ve got 2 months to go before I head off to Houston for Quilt Market. I’ve got less then a week before the eBook version of my book is available for purchase (click here to pre-order) and then then a month to go until hard copies start turning up on book shelves. We’re heading to Torquay this week for a long weekend so I can go to Amitie Textiles and see Denyse Schmidt teach. The Sue Daley Round We Go Sew-along kicks off on Friday and on top of all of that I have book promotion, sew-alongs and family life. Yay! I’m not going to lie, I love it when it’s busy like this. I find it so much easier to be productive when things are hitting the fan busy.

I must confess I’ve been a bit slack in the last week. I took time off the schedule to spend just mucking around and doing things that amused me. Last year before heading to Market I purchased the Cashmerette Upton Dress pattern with the intention of making dresses to wear to Market. I’d never sewn a garment before but figured it couldn’t be that hard. Well I got the pattern read it, freaked out and then didn’t touch it again until last week.  I’ve spent the last two days cutting and sewing and I have one dress made (just needs a zipper and a hem) and two more cut and ready to go. I’m not gonna lie, it wasn’t a pretty experience. My back is killing me from being bent over the dining table cutting fabric, I’ve pricked myself with pins more times in the last two days then I have in the past 5 years of sewing and I’ve mangled so much fabric it’s not funny. BUT! The dress is done and I’m quietly pleased with myself.

Going back to being a complete novice was a great experience (not so much at times) because it highlighted to me how far I’ve come when it comes to my sewing. It’s so easy at times to look ahead at all the things we’re yet to do and miss all the things we’ve learned to do. I knew on some level that I’m not the same sewer I was when I first started this journey, but I hadn’t really grasped just how much my confidence has grown since I began and how much knowledge I do have when it comes to patchwork. My dressmaking skills still need a lot of improvement, but I’m confident that my dress shouldn’t bust any seams while I’m at market.

This week I’m focusing on working out what fabrics to take with me to Amitie (and how to make room for them all in the car!). I’ve got some log cabins to make for my Tula Pink Butterfly Quilt.  I’ve got some finishing touches to do for some book promotion (can you say “win free books and fabric”) and I’m finalising the next big sew-along (I’ll give you a hint – “animals” and this). So, I guess I’d better get cracking! Wishing you the most amazing week filled with love, laughter and fabric fondling!

Last week I made the Modern Spools from Peta’s (She Quilts A Lot) book “A Piece of Cake”. Click here to read more.

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I’m loving this free tutorial for how to make a windmill quilt from Missouri Star Quilt Company. Click here to read more.

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We’re road tripping this week and I’m looking for a snack to pack. Thinking about making these salted caramels from Inspired Taste, what do you think? Click here to read more.

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Need a fast project for the social media addict in your life? Check out this Jumbo Hashtag Quilt (free tutorial) from Sew Can She. Click here to read more.

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Heidi at Fabric Mutt has a great tutorial on how to sew Diamonds (without any y-seams) – perfect for showing off your favourite prints. Click here to read more.

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I love to share the cool things that I find during my week of surfing the internet window-shopping and splurging. Here’s my top 4 from this week: 

Have you got an event, a charity drive, a pattern release, a class schedule or something else that you think my community would be interested in hearing about? Why not drop me a line and let me know – I’d love to share it with my readers. Click here to email me.

• Andrea and Elise are hosting the “Tilda’s Seasonal Ideas Collection Sew-along”. It kicks off on 1 September and you can use whatever fabrics you’d like to participate. You can read more by clicking here.
• Monica at Knit’s All Folks has a great tutorial on learning loom knitting as an alternative if you’re scared of knitting via knitting needles. You can read more by clicking here.
• If you’re looking for another sew-along (and you can never have to many!) check out @StaceyinStitches on Instagram’s Sugar Skull event. It’s using the Sugar Skull pattern from Quilt with Tula and Angela (click here to buy). It kicks off on Tuesday (American time) and I’m thinking I might have to make one or two skulls. Click here to read more.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase those items through my links I will earn a very small commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link, in fact in some cases I can offer you a better price via an affiliate link. I will not recommend something that I do not use myself. These commissions help me keep being able to provide you with great content for free. Thank you, in advance for your support!