Blimey O'Reilly

It's been almost a month since my last post and this one is going to be really short.  First things first.  If I follow you by email, which is my best way of following because I like it the best really, then I am not going to be following you by BlogLovin too.

Secondly I've been unwell, just for a bloody change and third thing my DD#2 has been in hospital a while so my time has been really limited to say the least.

The fourth thing is our eldest Grandson Sammy was Bar Mitzvah three weeks ago and he did really well reading both Maftir and Haftorah from the Torah.  Each portion is special for that particular Hebrew Date and some are so much longer than others but Sammy was A-MAZ-ING!!!

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH but British in every other way

P.S.  I have given you links for all the Bar Mitzvah stuff including what the Bar Mitzvah is all about if you want to read what it's all about.  If you don't no worries but the choice is yours.

Craftsy is having a SALE

Did you see that Craftsy is having a 60% off sale all weekend? 

In America this weekend is known as Memorial Day weekend whilst here in the UK it is just known as a Bank Holiday Weekend because it is a three day weekend.  

Memorial Day Weekend is exactly what it sounds like - tomorrow will be a day to honor all US war veterans so come and join Craftsy in honoring the brave men and women who have served in the US Armed Forces. My late father served in World War II so I will definitely be buying a class to honor him even though he passed away over 50 years ago.

For every class sold this weekend, Craftsy will donate a portion of the proceeds to benefit a veterans' organization. Select classes will be on sale up to 60% off! Not just sewing classes either. There are knitting, gardening and cooking classes too. There's even one on how to make croissants. YUM!

Sounds like a good time to go shopping to me! 

See you soon and in the meantime
Happy Stitching
Patti xxx
American by birthand MOUTH
but British in every other way

Welcome and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Welcome to all my new followers and I really hope you stay and like my blog as much as I really like writing it.  I hope I have emailed every single person that entered this giveaway - at least I think I have.  I mean it's only polite isn't it!!  And if I haven't well you can just call me dumb - I don't care because I think I really am lately.

DUMB DUMB DUMB!!  I knew that Google were doing away with some stuff besides their homepage but didn't realise that they were doing away with the GFC because, according to an email I got  that is what is happening because Google want us to use their Google+!

What a pain in the ass they are.  I don't want to be dictated to so I'm not going to be.  I'm big enough and ugly enough (I'm not really ugly just FAT) to make up my own mind and I have.  So if you want to keep following my blog, and I really hope you all will, please follow me here

Now on to the winner of my latest giveaway so drum roll please and will number

Carla and she said:

So will Carla please send me her snail mail name and address so I can pass this information on to the really lovely Julie of Intrepid Thread.

Well that's all from me for now except to say

See you soon & Happy Stitching
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

It's For The Birds and A Giveaway

I know for a fact that I really have good manners and always say please and thank you as I have been taught.  So, I'm going to start my blog hop post with HUGE 

to our hostess, Mary, and to Madame Samm, the overall chief cook and bottle washer for all of these hops.  Thank you so very much I really appreciate all your hard work.

So it's my turn today.  Bet you thought I was going to show you something with a bird on a quilt block or mini quilt.  Well you would be so wrong!  In fact I am terrified of

real live birds and always have been, even as a small child.  I wanted a Parakeet in the worst way and for my 11th birthday my parents bought me one and I was so terrified of it that they gave it away to the little girl of the lady that cleaned for my late mother because she loved it and I so didn't!!!

But I LOVE sewing them with a vengeance.  So now I am going to show you a few of the things I have stitched and made with birds as the main theme and do hope you like them because I love them all.  Some have been made as gifts and some I made for me, so here goes

This was made as what is known as a
Sweet Bag and was actually
12" x 9" and was such a joy to make
and I put the recipients initials on it

Now we go from BIG to really little and it
is a scissor fob

This was a birthday present for
a Friend and her birth year is in
the middle of the birds and it is a pin cushion

This is my most favorite thing of all and
it was designed by Blackbird Designs
and instead of stitching it over 2 threads
I stitched it with one thread of
floss over one thread of 32count linen
It comes out a quarter of the size it should be

Now for the giveaway which has graciously been provided by Julie of Intrepid Thread 

1.  Go to Julies store which you can find the link to her store here <---link> and tell me in a comment on this post what is your most favorite (or favourite) thing that Julie sells and;

2.  Like me on here with Google Friend Connect please because the more likes I get on GFC (that's Google Friend Connect) the more sponsors I get and the more sponsors I get the more giveaways you get so leave me another comment telling me that you follow me please.

This is what Julie is giving to ONE lucky winner.
It is the cool colorway of Bonjour by Amanda Murphy
in Fat Quarters YAY

This giveaway is ending on Saturday May 18, 2013 at NOON because to have it for one day really isn't good enough.

Now please go and visit the other blogs that are taking part in this and they are:

Tuesday, May 14

http://www.intheboondocks.blogspot.com

http://mychellem.blogspot.com

www.thimblemouseandspouse.blogspot.com

www.quiltingandsewingarts.com

http://Sewgratefulquilts.wordpress.com

www.aquiltingsheep.com

http://tricia-ramblingsofaquilter.blogspot.com

http://sewmanyyarns.blogspot.com

www.moosestashquilting.blogspot.com

http://bethstrand.wordpress.com

http://quiltoo.blogspot.com YOU ARE HERE

http://teatimecreations.blogspot.ca/

http://secretlystitching.blogspot.gr/

As Warner Bros would say

THAT'S ALL FOLKS 

but I do hope that you have enjoyed my turn on It's For The Birds and I did tell you I was really polite - just look at all the please's in this one little email!

I hope to see you soon 

Patti xxx 

American by birth and MOUTH 

but British in every other way

Oh Dear It's Been Over a Week

I know the hours turn into days and the days into weeks and then I realise it's been over a week since I last posted anything.  Sorry but haven't been doing much, if any, sewing.  Been on my big fat arse watching TV and moaning about my mouth.  DH moans about it all the time, my mouth that is, but I had a tooth taken out this past week and my mouth hurts as much as before I had it taken out.

I have been pinning a lot on Pinterest though.  I LOVE Pinterest a lot.  Most of my boards are about quilting, well what else would they be about?!?  I mean ---- just think what else besides quilting, my grandchildren and watching TV and sleeping would I be interested in.

I have quite a few boards but my favorite boards are the ones where I keep free Quilt Alongs from various quilting bloggers.  They are all so good and I will do them in the future but I needed a safe place for them and what could possibly be safer than Pinterest.  Nothing.  With all of these photos I have linked back to my Pinterest folders so you can easily find them in the appropriate Folder and all the current tutorials are there too

Here is the first one

This is the first one in the series
and can be fond at the start of my Pinterest
Folders and was designed and made by
Little Musroom

The second one is

A Virtual Quilting Bee
Yes I know it says that on the above photo
and is by Amy Smart who's blog is
Diary of a Quilter
and can be found here

Number 3 is

is by Alyssa Lichner who's blog is called
Pile of Fabric and you get 2 blocks a month
Tutorials on how to quilt them
and the Folder can be found here

No. 4 is

This is Bloom Bloom Pow
by Lee of Freshly Pieced
all of the different QAYGs can
be found here

No. 5 is here

Is one of my favorites and is called
Supernova and it was also a QAL by
Lee of Freshly Pieced and all of it
can be found here

No.6 and the final one is

is by Charise of Charise Creates
and is called
Vintage Block QAL and
can be found here

I have quite a few other folders on my Pinterest including a really good, well I think it's good, Tutorial Folder full of lots of different tutorials from all over the web from various blogs.

I don't think I will ever get over the generosity of Quilting Blogland.  It is just so completely different from the stitching world to which I used to belong.  You guys share so much for free instead of always charging for your patterns and these are not either small or mediocre patterns but really GREAT patterns that you guys could so easily sell and yet you give them for free.  Your generosity is beyond anything I have ever experienced before and I really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.  So from me to you selfless quilters a HUGE

See you soon 

Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

I am caught up

I am finally caught up with the Granny Block Bee <--LINK YAY!!!  Here are the Granny Blocks I have made that will be mailed on Tuesday - we have a Bank Holiday <--LINK here in England this weekend so the Post Office isn't open on Monday.

These are for Liz

and these are for Yvette

My DH even said he loved the black and white ones - they were just laying on the ironing board because I knew I couldn't mail them and they are way safer there.

Don't forget that if you want to get the Craftsy class that Camille Roskelley did which is just superb it will be offered on the side of my blog at half price forever.

Also don't forget about the Tote Swap that is also on the left hand side of my blog and it's coming up real soon so please sign up for it.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

It's My Birthday and there are NO HOOPS

Camille Roskelley

to jump through for this.  You don't have to follow me anywhere,  though if you are new it would be nice, or like me anywhere. So today is my Birtday as my DD#1 decrees as she made a mistake many years ago and forgot the h so Birtday it has become.

Now what happens on a person's birthday?  The person gets presents but not on this person's birthday!  This person loves to give presents and my present to you this year is a Craftsy Class at half price not just for today but forever.  That's right you can take this class at half price any time you want.

Now you know I am a HUGE (huge said just like Julia Roberts says it in An Officer and a Gentleman when she tells those stuck up women in the store what a HUGE mistake they made - I LOVE that bit) fan of Craftsy and have learnt how to quilt from beginning to end from their classes.  Without Craftsy I still would be a wanna-be and not a piecer and the next thing is I will be able to quilt too thanks to them.  There aren't that many classes around and I have MS which makes attending any classes quite impractical.  Thank you so much Craftsy.

So which class I hear you ask.  Well it's like this.  I really love Camille Roskelley and especially I love her Swoon quilt.  I mean who doesn't love that quilt because it is totally gorgeous malorgeous!!  I bought the chart (pattern) when it first came out but until now I haven't had the courage to do it.  But after taking this class I now am going to make it block by block.  The really GREAT things about Craftsy is that the classes belong to you forever and that means forever and ever and you can access it whenever you want.  Just click on this LINK <LINK TO 50% OFF CLASS> and you will be taken to the right place to get 50% off forever.  That is if you come today, tomorrow or in 5 years time it will always be 1/2 price and so I am going to put this link on the side of my blog for everyone FOREVER!!!

Now I have raved about Craftsy classes in the past but this one is honestly the best I have ever taken.  Camille takes you from how to cut fabric properly (and it REALLY works) to how to finish your quilt properly.  She is one amazing teacher that is for sure.  There are 8 Lessons in this Class and I watched every single one and now when I want to do any of the things trust me I shall have the class in front of me whilst I cut and sew.  She is one amazing teacher that teaches you right from the beginning to the very end.  I think I said this before but it is so true.  Just have a look at my screen captures to see a little tiny bit of this GREAT class and there is lots more than I've shown you.  I know I've said trust me before but this time REALLY TRUST ME this is by far the best class I've taken so far.  She has taught me so much it's untrue.

This is Class Number 3 which teaches
you how to make a lovely quilt out of a Layer Cake

Class 4 - Bordering The Piece of Cake Quilt
Not just the Piece of Cake Quilt
but ANY Quilt

Class 4 - The Hashtag Quilt
I love this quilt and it is made from a Jelly Roll

Class 5 - Here Camille teaches you how to
make half squares from Charm Packs and yardage

Class 6 - the Start of the Swoon Quilt

This must be Class 8

and it is a wicked class I promise you

Well as I said above here is my birthday to you guys for being such a GREAT bunch of people.

Now what did I get?  Well my son and darling daughter-in-law took us to that restaurant Saturday night and it was very expensive so that was my birthday present from them and I loved every mouthful I can assure you.  The food was incredibly yummy.

 I got my birthday present from my dh early - I mean really early like before last Christmas when the iPad mini came out he bought me that for my combined Chanukah and birthday present.  And I love it to pieces.

DD#1 gave me a lovely bunch of flowers which are just glorious and totally unexpected.  She also took us out for coffee this morning.  It was lovely.

DD#2 is still very unwell but I did get a lovely phonecall from her.  She reallly has it tough.

See you soon I hope

Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

P.S. Julia who's blog can be found here is organising a Secret Tote Bag Swap. May will be sign up phase, June will be creation and mailing phase and July will be link-up phase. So really a swap with no pressure.  There is also a link to this on the left hand side of this blog.  Please join up I have and it's going to be so much fun.

And another 4 Blocks are on their way

Well yesterday I just say on my fat you know what watching stuff I'd recorded on my Sky box.  Just one more program was my mantra until it got to be like 6pm and I hadn't had a shower yet and we were going out to celebrate my birthday with our son James and his lovely wife Danielle who are the parents of our two youngest grandchildren.  I had no idea where we were going and James being James it was a great surprise.  He took us to a restaurant called The Delaunay.  The atmosphere was amazing and Danielle and I both started out with Campagne Cocktails as she know that Champagne is my favorite alcoholic drink.  In fact at one time that was all I would drink so I hasten to tell you I didn't drink very often.  But now I'll drink white or rose wine as well, so I'm not that expensive now.  Anyway Graham Norton was there too with some friends but the restaurant (don't be fooled by it calling itself a Cafe - trust me it is the last thing that looks like a Cafe in the whole world).

Enough of that.  I cut and sewed 4 more blocks today for the Granny Bee that I joined late.

Well these are March's blocks done and dusted.  Now I just have to cut and sew April's 4 blocks and I will be so up-to-date it isn't true.  I love sewing these blocks they are just great.  Now I've just got to see if I have the fabric for April.

So I'm off now until Tuesday when it's my birthday so I will have a birthday present for you guys.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

Have I Learned My Lesson?

Probably not.  Look I don't read instructions and I don't read side effects of anything.  I mean if you read what side effects some medicines have I might decide I have them.  I won't but I MIGHT!  You just never know.  So that's why I don't read side effects.  Why don't I read instructions?  Because it might just be easier and I prefer to lose my temper whilst trying to figure everything out.  Not really.  I just love flying by the seat of pants on stuff.  Why change the habits of a lifetime I ask?  Well I'm not going to so there.

I've remade the blocks and I have to tell you I like them so much better.  In fact I like them so much that this is how I'm going to have mine done.  So ready or not here they are:

And whilst I'm showing these two I might as well show you the other two too.  How's that two too's.  LOVE IT!!

They look way better in the sunlight and sunlight is what we have YAY!! I bet this week has been our summer.  Who wants to bet me?  And don't forget I live in England where until this week - in fact yesterday, we have had winter.  No spring but the flowers are coming up and the trees are starting to bloom and the Magnolia trees have buds on them.  I LOVE Magnolia trees.  I so should have bought one when we moved in here.  I still can I guess but I'd much rather spend the money on fabric let's be honest.

Right I'm off to the Post Office now to mail these both out.  Can't think what I'm doing tomorrow but hopefully nothing much so I can cut and stitch another four blocks.  These are really fun to make.

TTFN (that's Ta Ta For Now - BRITISH or WHAT???) hehe

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

I should learn how to read

Pictures are good but I really should learn how to read.  Heck it's not that big a deal - reading I mean.  We all learned how way back when and now I just don't seem to be doing it that well.

I mean I joined another Bee on Flickr.  I love Bees and there was one place left on this one so asked.  I joined over a month late and my body has just not been very co-operative so I hadn't sewed anything and you know me .. well I hope you do.  Because my mantra is that unless I do what I'm supposed to be doing I will not allow myself to do anything else.  

Easy it was because it was the Granny Block Bee.  I went and looked at what each Queen wanted, and there are two Queens each month so that was 4 blocks.  So what did dummy here do?  Instead of looking at the photos AND reading what the Queens wanted I just looked at the pictures.  One of the Queens wanted Autumn (Fall) looking blocks and I made these after looking at the pictures (please excuse awful picture taking - I'm REALLY bad at that too):

So these were right.  I was off to a good start.  Then I made the other two without reading instructions because it would have been so much easier on me if I had.  And I made these:

I so should have looked at what the lovely Kelli actually wanted.  I was almost right but not right so I have to re-do them.  So off upstairs to my sewing room now to re-do them and then I'll be a happy bunny.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

I have completed not one but ...

two, yes you heard me right, TWO whole quilt tops and they are right here.  I don't mean to brag but I am very proud of these:

These are DH's feet because
he is holding this up for me.

His feet and COAT this time.
This is a present for our youngest Granddaughter
Chloe and it's only around 17months late but ..

you know what they say 'better late than never'.  Now all I have to do is make 3 more quilts for the other grandchildren.  But that won't be hard - I just have to find the right fabric for them and voila I will be done.

On that not I am leaving you with this picture of our two youngest Grandchildren Oliver and Chloe who went on holiday (vacation) last week to Centre Parks (the Brits spell centre the wrong way I KNOW this but they do) and our son James and DDIL Danielle overheard the undermentioned conversation between them:

Oliver (age 4 in August): It's been a long hard day Chloe,
maybe we ought to get some sleep?
Chloe (17 months): Hiyaaaaaaa!

Oh yeah and there is one place left on my Japanese X and + Bee.  So last one in please turn off the light!

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

If you look on the side of my blog you will see this icon.  I am running a new bee making these blocks

You can use whatever fabrics you want to
but the X has to be in the same fabric and
the little triangles have to be in the same
fabric and the Ends of the + have to the same 

and I have 4 more spaces to fill if anybody wants to join in the fun.  It is an international Bee and here are the details:

1. It is a 12 month Bee that officially starts on May 1, 2013
2. You will be making 4 blocks a month.
3. The 4 blocks are divided into 2 block each for 2 Queens each month.
4. Each block is 8" square and when joined to another block ends up 7 1/2" square.
5. I have provided a tutorial for these blocks that is really easy to follow
6. The Blocks will be made from your stash so if you have a rogue Charm Pack that you bought but have never used now's the time to use it up.
7. When you are Queen for that month you will receive 22 blocks - or 24 if you make two for yourself as well as the Queen you are sharing your month with.
8. If you want to join then please just go here and ask to join. When we have reached 24 anybody else that wants to join will be placed on the reserve list and I will email and tell you that.

Now I'm not the fastest person in the world that is for sure.  Heck I used to call myself the Arab wife because I was always at least 10 feet behind my DH whenever we walked anywhere.  Now he has a job keeping up with me YAYYY!!!  But I have completed two blocks in just over an hour.  It is a really easy block that even I couldn't muck up.  They are always  made from 5" squares and are so much easier than they look.

This Quilt Top was made by Wanda S. Handson
and you can find her blog here

If you want to see my post about the April Blog Hop it is in the post below this one.  Hope you all have a nice weekend.

Well I'm going to go and make latkes now - two different kinds.  One kind is a Weight Watcher kind for me (recipe way down the page) and the others are traditional ones for a starters for this evening's dinner party and then I'm going upstairs to clear up my sewing room so I can sew tomorrow in a neat and tidy space.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way