Let's Get Acquainted ...

Hello everyone, my name is Nat, and welcome to my blog. It is the final week at Plum and June's "Let's Get Acquainted" blog hop.  And it is my turn to tell you a bit more about me and Made in Home, the place where I share all my Made in Home projects, quilted, knitted, crocheted, cross-stitched, upcycled, baked... 

Me wearing the Contemporary Beanie Hat 

So I am French, and have been living mostly in Britain since 1998. I was only supposed to spend 2 months here, improve my English, and then go back to my undergraduate studies in France. I came for two months, decided I loved it so much that I could not go back to France - gave up my French undergrad studies and became an au pair for a year. I did go back to studying though - and managed to get a lot of acronyms after my name in the meantime (I have a BSc, MSc and PhD). So much for my parents worrying I would never go back to studying. 

I met my husband nearly 8 years ago (our anniversary is some time this month, we are a bit fuzzy on the actual date), we got married two years and half ago and we are now expecting our first child (very beginning of December) - and the little one will be 3/4 French and 1/4 British. I do/did have a full-time job in finance, and I am now on maternity leave, as Baby MiH could come at any time apparently - although it would be really handy if he could wait until his due date... 

I am slightly bigger now... 

So I mentioned that this blog is not just about quilting, although it is more and more present in my life at the moment. But I am first a knitter - as this is the craft my Grandma taught me when I was little, I learnt how to sew in classes my Mum sent me to as a teenager, crochet came much later (3 years ago), baking sort of come with being French and my sweet tooth. Then I learnt most of the other crafts on internet, thanks to blogs or youtube videos - and the learning is never ending. 

The 'petites souris' cushion for Baby MiH cushion cover

Let me share a bit more...

       - My quilting tips - 

Spend time preparing your fabric and cutting accurately. I think I realised this way too late, but the final result is SO much better. It is therefore key to change your blades - do it now, it is quite expensive, but so much better!

Also I only use some of my scissors for fabric cutting and sewing related activities, and do not use them for paper, in the kitchen etc - so they last longer. 

       - Favourite fabric -   

 If you have been on my blog before, you will already know that I am a big fan of Lotta Jansdotter, Rashida Coleman-Hale and most recently Leah Duncan. 

       - Favorite book - 

I love all the Harry Potter, and more recently the Hunger Games triology. Otherwise crime novels (Agatha Christie is one of my favourite authors). 

       - Favorite quilting tool - 

My rotary cutter - with brand new blades!

       - Blogging tip - 

Good Pictures - it is harder and harder to get some good natural light at the moment (short days and autumn) but it is worth spending the time getting nice pictures - makes it nicer for you and other to read. I think.. 

Thanks to Beth at Plum and June for organizing this amazing blog hop - It is totally what blogging is all about for me, finding a community of like-minded people with whom I can share tips, my projects and will get support from. And it was in fact great to meet some fellow bloggers over the summer!

There are loads of blogs for you to check out this final week... I am off to go and say hi!

         Michelle from The Quilted Tortoise

         Kim from Quilty Doodads

         Stephanie from Smalltown Dreamz

         Cynthia from Quilt Doodle Doodles

         Diane from From Blank Pages

         Laura from Waffle Kisses

         Mary Ann from Rocknquilts

         Angela from Angela B

         Jaime from Stitches to Sprinkles

         Allegory from {sew} Allegorical

         Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts

         Karen from Sew Well Maide

         Christa from Christa Quilts

         Lynne from Bouts Choisis

         Francine from Mocha Wild Child

         Lyanna from Purple Panda Quilts

Charm Pack {Giveaway}

Here we are, I am officially on maternity leave and I am THE snoozing machine (dixit Mr MiH). I have not been a lot over the weekend except sleeping - and again today. Is that what maternity leave is like? 

However I did manage to get together a very special charm pack - the one made of Baby MiH's room fabrics (some that I have used, will use, or was going to use but decided not to but still love). Some of my favourite designers are there: Lotta Jansdotter (of course), Rashida Coleman-Hale, Leah Duncan.. 

The charm pack is made up of 20 different fabrics, two charms of each fabric so a 40-piece pack. I put some solids that go with the overall theme. 

So here is how the giveaway works. You can enter the giveaway up to 3 times:

1. You need to be a follower - leave me a comment and let me know how you follow my blog - if you are a non-reply blogger, please leave your email address
2. Tweet about the giveaway and let me know when you have done so (or tweet me @NoasLibellule)
3. Like my facebook page, and come back and let me know

The giveaway is open until Friday 9 November until 7pm GMT. Good luck everyone!

Is it really october?

Not so long ago I was wondering where had August gone. Well, September has come and gone even faster. Work has just been taking so much of my time (ie all of my evenings) that I had to leave the blog alone for a week and just get things done!

Source

Still I cannot totally ignore the blogosphere for too long, even though I may not comment, I am still around. Here are some of my favourite projects! 

Anna Maria Homer is counting the days to the publication of her new book on Needlework and so am I!! You can see some pictures from her book on her blog - it is full of colours and beautiful patterns. Everything that you could expect from AMH but dedicated to needlework projects this time! You can pre-order here. 

Because everyone needs at least one more QAL, you should join the Pervalong QAL organised by Charlotte at Displacement Activity - it is modern, it is fresh and the quilt will make a great statement piece in anyone's hallway. I will be doing it, however I am not sure whether I will get a chance to make it at everyone else's pace. I am starting a maternity leave to do list, so this will probably be high on it!

I had to mention Rashida Coleman-Hale again. No, I am not obsessed, she just happens to make the most amazing projects ever. Look at that clutch she made using her Clouds fabric! Aren't you jealous?? I am - the fact that I am not going out at all at the moment (and probably for the next year) is irrelevant. I want a super fashionable clutch as well!

A bit out there on the colours, but I could see myself making this PomPom collar in white or black or navy blue. I am thinking I need a new style for my life 'after work' and pompoms should definitely feature in it!

Finally there is this cute free embroidery pattern from the Sometimes Crafter that would make me smile every  time I would look at it. Possibly another project for when I am on maternity leave (still waiting for the baby to come!). 

Finally my new favourite group is Theordore, Gabriel and Paul - a French group singing in English. Check out Silent Night. 

So what were your September highlights? What are you working on (come on I know most of you have got some Halloween project going on - let's hear them!). Blog is resuming tomorrow as normal and I have a bit of progress to show you... 

I am linking up to Lynne's Small Blog Meet today! 

post Holiday Blues {sewing - or lack of}

Can we make today Friday? Coming back to work has been quite a shock to the system. In front of my computer all day long (no beach hopping anymore!!) - and the workload that no one has touched for a whole week. My maternity cover has also started this week, and well, I am not very good at delegating - so that is going to be an interesting two month period. So not a lot has been done on the sewing front since I left - but a lot of falling asleep on the sofa. 

The beach bag will become a project bag (as it was not done in time for my holiday), everything is ready I just need to find the energy to sew it together now. 

I did go for the piping option in the end. And, after some tricky moments with my sewing machine, I think it will look quite nice. So hopefully you can expect a review of the pattern I used next week. 

Other than that I had many parcels welcoming me back home - it was Christmas before Christmas. Mr MiH is always amazed at how much I buy on line - at the same in terms of weight he wins hands down (he is expecting deliveries in tons - cement mix is one of his top buys at the moment). So received was the fabric for the Low Volume Swap organised by Rebecca Lynne. Needs to be cut and send, and then the wait of receiving my charms!! I am still undecided on what I will make, but I am hoping to be struck by the creativity genie when I receive my parcel.

And yes I had to send some Rashida Coleman-Hale design. The choice for the second fabric was between the Little Red in Icing featured or some Lotta Jansdotter - but I thought you might be bored of me sticking to the same fabric. I need to widen my horizons.  

Of the manly kind {sewing}

The passport wallet is done. That took nearly the whole of the closing Olympic ceremony to finish it off (you know the one that was never ending). And I love it!

The different fabrics I used are as follows: the 'newspaper' fabric is from the Etsy shop of Stefaniexu, the blue one is Lotta Jansdotter's Ruta in navy (I love her range) and the third one is from the Washi range designed by Rashida Coleman-Hale (Star flower in charcoal). So basically some of my favourite designers in a wallet!

I loved making the wallet. Firstly the pattern from One Shabby Chick is brilliantly written with loads of pictures - just in case you are a bit confused with just seeing written out (or not reading the instructions). Then I learnt a lot from it. I have not that much top stitching before - and it was  a great exercise. I loved how the binding of the wallet was done, I found it so clever. I did change the closing with a big press stud - because that is all I had handy at 11pm. 

The only thing I would do differently is that at some point I had to stitch through many layers of fabrics (I think 6). After talking to Kelly, it seems that I should have changed the size of the needle (it may have written in the instructions to be fair,but see point on reading instructions). Anyway I would not have the energy to do it. If you have the energy, do it - change the needle when it comes to top-stitching the whole thing, it will look better.

All in all a very interesting project, that happens to bring something useful to the house - we actually know where our passports are now (except that I have not found the British one still) - very useful! So you remember that I had Mr MiH in mind in making this, and that it needed to be manly. I am not sure Mr MiH agrees it is manly, but is happy to carry it. Result!