Provence Market #5 & some patchworking

I had my lesson on Saturday on how to use the fabric cutter wheel. I've learned to press harder. I think I was afraid of 'hurting' the material which is crazy if you want to cut it! I am now slicing on my first attempt and it is working well. I also sewed up my pattern using scrap materials so I could get familiar with what I have to do. It was certainly worth it. 
Now I know to press my seams when I stitch them which helps find any issues early on, and neatens it all up; match up the seams properly or the result will show on the front; and to cut my plain fabric strips 2" instead on 1.5" to get the right size blocks. Even though this is just a practice piece, I'm super thrilled with the result and just can't wait for my plain fabrics to arrive so I can get started on the real thing. Hopefully they will arrive this week and I can get slicing and sewing next weekend. I even hemmed it up just because I wanted to keep sewing! (I love my new machine!)

The materials used are just random scrap pieces, but the pattern is just the effect I'm after. As I said, I just can't wait to get started on my real fabrics. A big THANK YOU to Judith for her assistance in showing me what to do, and for letting me borrow all her equipment - I couldn't do it without you!

Once I'd sewn all the fabric, I had nothing left to do but get on with my cross-stitch Provence Market. I've now filled in the flower block on the left and started on the underside of the umbrella.

Happy Stitching,
Kerrie