Time Warp

I have a deadline looming; the Ayr Town Hall Craft Show is on 7th October, 1-4 pm and I have a table. All of a sudden it's next week! I don't know where this month has gone.

People say it's a side effect of ageing, this accelerated time passing, but I reckon it may be a craft thing. Something about working with your hands and making stuff is a huge time suck. You can lose yourself in the sheer colour and creativity of it all and suddenly its teatime, and the cat's battering the door trying to get in, and you were supposed to pick up the wee one from school (no, its ok, haven't done that. Yet)

Like anything to do with computers is a time suck, but at least you have something to show for it when you finish crafting. Words with Friends, Not so much...

Anyway. Aside from straightening the edges of the Arrows Quilt, I have been designing cushions and making decorations. Really good fun, and partly out of necessity. My tennis elbow is playing up, so no knitting for me just now, so have been crocheting and sewing, and draping ribbons artfully hither and thither, excellent stuff. All I have to do now is unpick side seams on cushions, sew the ribbons and brooches on, and sew the seams all up again. That won't take hours at all, will it? Eh?

Will have some photos tomorrow. Every one I do is my new favourite. Hope other folk like them too!

Finish it up Friday

Taking inspiration from Crazy Mom Quilts, to add an extra incentive to get back to the sewing. Not v easy when recovering from the cold, but a wee bit every day helps. Then I can get this Arrow out of the way and move onto the next thing!
Lucky I haven't amassed a huge backlog.

Yet.

Pointing the way

Yay! Work is going well on the Arrows quilt, after a zillion hours of sewing squares together (possible slight exaggeration) and half a gabillion hours at the ironing board (hyperbole merely for effect), I have an almost finished quilt top!

Arrows Quilt top

 I love that it looks like there are slight furrows in the bed, even though it is absolutely flat - that's the design kicking in. Cool!

Detail of patchwork

Detail of the patchwork -  the piecing is pretty accurate for me, which is essential on this project, as the HST have to align to get the effect. I haven't decided on quilting yet, but have picked out a scrappy binding, unless I see something amazing instead. It looks like it'll be a double bed size too, which is handy. I'll be adding a small border round the edges, which might include arrow points too depending on what I can manage.

I will work out a pattern for this if anyone is interested, and will be selling the completed item at one of the Craft Fairs this autumn, or in my Etsy shop. Keep an eye out!

Bluech.

Have a sore throat. And achy bones. Am still managing to get a bit of sewing done, though, have half the top of the arrows quilt done, and the rest all lined up ready to go. At least its a school holiday, and hubby has taken the day off, so no early morning to worry about, and he can entertain the Blighter for a while.
Bleuch, though,

It doesn't help my mood that I have hellish tennis elbow in my left arm, or that I walked into the metal frame of a chair the other day and have a possible broken toe. I don't think its entirely broken, because I have broken a toe walking into a bath before and that pain  made me almost vomit, and the toe has been hunchbacked ever since, whereas this one was just really feckin sore. At least the purple colour is fading and it looks ok really.

So not feeling 100% right now.

Ach it will pass. Will feel better soon. Just going to wallow in firelight and chocolate cake for a wee while first...

As time goes by...

Where has September gone? It's only been here for 5 minutes, and all of a sudden it's the middle of the month and I have hardly done any sewing! Ok, have been to a friend's wedding and got loads of housework done and had a social life, but come ON, how can a person get some quality quilty time in?

Ah, but have a friend coming round tomorrow morning, and am fully expecting that, as well as blethering, I can sew a few rows on my arrows quilt. It's looking v good with the first dozen rows done, the only problem is that since its on point, the rows get longer and longer as I near the centre of the quilt (and are more likely to need the seam ripper as I lose concentration, oops). Ach well, we're getting there, as the advert would have it.

Excitingly I have another commission to do, and this one is a beauty, Game of Thrones house emblem quilt for a friend - watch this space, the Quilter Is Coming!

(if you dont get G.O.T. you wont get this, sorry)

Will post some details as Iwork them out. Cheerie.

So far, so good

I have started laying out the fabric on my (design) floor, and it's going to have to be done in two halves, as I just don't have the room to do it in a oner. I started with one idea, and have decided on a slight tweak which makes it a bit more dynamic, I think, and my hubby does too bless.

First layout was with the arrow ends squared:-

And then I wondered about making them pointed, like below:- 

(the gaps are because I hasn't made enough HST for the new layout, so am currently cutting some more. Thought I'd finished. Rats)

I prefer the second layout, much less static, so the extra work will be worth it in the end. Finished size, not sure yet, as this design is completely off the top of my head, but I reckon it looks like a large single/small double size to finish.

Off to rest before another cutting sesh tomorrow :)

Cutting a rug

or at least a ton of fabric. I'm working on my mystery quilt, and have cut :- *ahem* (clears throat)

13 each of big squares in purple, red, blue, yellow, green for 26 each HST (65 total so far)
30 same size squares white (95) with another 35 to go
60 each small squares purple, red, blue, yellow, green (395)
over 150 white pieces of various size,

which means I have cut over 550 pieces of fabric, for a quilt which so far only exists on paper. Crikey.

So far so good. Now all I have to do is finish the white, and do a mammoth amount of sewing, making sure that all the squares are sewn together in the right rows, that all the HST work out to the right size, and find a floor big enough to lay out all the rows in the right order (gulp) without the cat or the offspring climbing all over it.

No small task then :)

Here's some nice colours and a really cool idea!

Washing day blue-greens

This is what I have been doing the last few days - washing the fabric stash. I have been meaning to do this for MONTHS and the lack of washing has been an issue in a quilt or two, so it had to be done. Rookie mistake, I know, but have been far too enthusiastic to get started on things before now.
This is the second last load to go on :-

Now imagine this in yellow, red, pink and purple, blue and green. Lot of green. More than I would ever have imagined or guessed. I seem to like green. Who Knew?!

It has been fantastic to see the garden filled with gorgeous colours, especially as the flowers are fading and the leaves starting to crisp. The yellow wash was particularly cheery, cant think why I never took a photo.

In other news, work is continuing on the mystery quilt, with some red and green (ha!) squares being cut ready for use. Still the yellows, and purple to go, though may be revising the palette yet, not decided. May be feeling indecisive and wobbly due to folding over 200 pieces of fabric.....

Blue for you ... for you!

TADA! One blue and white squares quilt, ready for my latest craft show at Ayr Town Hall  on Sun 7th October 2012. Quilt measures about 3 ft x 4 ft, and is a variety of cotton fabric scraps and white sheeting with cotton wadding and thread. Machine washable, and diagonally straight line quilted, which is a change for me as I like to meander :)
I am very chuffed with it (and apologise for the overcast picture but it is Scotland in September). Have some more pics :-

Blue for you

It's late and I should be in bed, but am chuffed after finishing all the machine sewing on my latest quilt - blue squares on a white background. It has looked good over my rail the last few weeks, and I'm surprised and pleased that the basting spray has held it together that long. Pics to follow.

Cutting continues on the mystery quilt, with the blues (bit of a blue theme developing just now, am like Picasso but with more hair) almost done and have started on the reds.

Def needing my massage this weekend :)

PS have just bought a blade sharpener - Truecut Rotary Blade Sharpener. Anyone know if its any good?

Magical Mystery Tour...

... because I'm working on a pattern I have designed myself. Because I have no idea how this is going to turn out, other than some colours I have been messing around with on squared paper, this will be a bit of a challenge. Especially as I am assuming totally accurate quarter inch seams while sewing. Ha.

However, if it works, out, not only will I be chuffed as hell, I think the pattern will be really, really good.

So far, I have cut:

75 - 3.5" squares
36 - 3.5 x 6.5" rectangles
22 - 3.5 x 9.5" rectangles
21 - 3.5 x 12.5" rectangles in white for background.



Now I have to cut 275 coloured squares 3.5" square, and make up 130 HST at 3.5".


(picture from Sunflowers and Dragonflies)

That'll keep me busy for a day or two :)

Mind the Gap!

Spaces appearing in my quilts to sell collection - Yay! Have sold this cute wee one:

(About 4 feet sq, fabric is Freebird by Momo)

And now I need to get on with making some more. Ideas yes but not been able to concentrate long enough so far. Hopefully now the household is back ion a routine again, I will feel the muse inspiring me and the mojo working. 

I wonder who the muse for quilting and patchwork would be?
Hmmm...

Failure to Launch

Hmmmm. Hard to get started in this weather. Trying to get into stuff, but lots of everyday life getting in the way of serious crafting. Not bad everyday life, I mean friends coming to visit, little'un starting school, hubby not feeling well, going out for an evening or two, is pretty good really. But am not getting my head together for some concentrated making. Ach well.

Plenty of time coming up for that. Have done a couple of wee things, coasters, hearts, some place mats. Pics? I think so.....

The Little'un wanted a gym bag with Hello Kitty so this is what I managed to rustle up with some IKEA fabric and ribbon. She liked it, and I think it turned out well. Not bad for some unpracticed sewing and bad interfacing hehe. You're not getting a close up thanks to the crap camera, but excellent from a distance :)

Festival of Quilts

Festival of Quilts, NEC Birmingham, this weekend, 16-19 August.

Wish I was going.

*Sigh*

Workshop space / craft partner wanted!

Anna Maria Horner's craft space - WANT!

















Just putting feelers out - anyone know of a crafty person wanting to share some workshop/craftroom space? I am looking for an out-of-house crafting space to share with a like-minded crafter because it is always more productive in similar company, I think.

Know anyone, or of a space going begging?

Anything would be helpful, ta X

Shades of Grey

NOT the populist soft porn tosh 50 Shades of Grey, but the brilliant, thought-provoking, first-in-a-trilogy novel from Jasper Fforde.

Its a story about a young man in a future world where people's lives are dictated by what range of colour they can see, the politics of that world, the Grey underclass who are no better than skivvies to the Reds, Blues, Greens, etc. Its the little things I love about this book, the small throwaway details about coping with life, how they supply colour via pipes to the gardens, how if you don't pay for yellow you get grey custard, the moving Perpetualite is a revelation! but is just one part of the backdrop to the story.

The man is a genius.

Please, please Mr Fforde, write the next one!

In other news, there is cutting and slicing occurring on the cutting mat but the housework is sadly taking up too much of my time right now, and it does need to be done as we are wading knee deep in yuck in the sitting room rug. Gah. Hate housework. If it wasn't for my MP3 I would never get any of it done. Yay for music and fab comedy as we work! on the boring hellish housework (boo hiss).

Small things

I think after the drama and sheer size of the big quilt and bedspread, it is time to shrink my horizons and focus on a few small projects for a while. I have looked out some of my blue scraps - picking blue because my blue scrap box is fit to burst - and some odd pieces of white, and ironed them to perfection. I am gong to do more tomorrow, because returning this afternoon from our week long holiday and going to a friend's bbq has left me a little tired. Especially as I drove all the way home, then there and back. In the meantime, have some pics of my quilting space :)

As you can see, the room is in the eaves of the house, so I have to be careful when I iron that I don't bang my head on the roof! The fabric collection has expanded slightly, and the shelves to the left (just seen) are now full of backing fabrics, sheeting and various bits and pieces. And over a dozen wee turquoise boxes of scrap fabrics. Lots of floor space for laying out the blocks too. Love the brightness of it, although want to paint the walls a slightly cheerier colour. Now if only I could get the aeriel on the radio to work properly I'd be made - depending on where I am in the room the signal crackles! Who said digital was supposed to be better??

ummmmmmmm......

I have finished the bedspread, which is as good as its going to get. I am annoyed that I made some rookie mistakes,

    (Image from sodahead.com)              











and that I had so much extra work to do on it, but it is finished, it looks pretty good overall, and hopefully its recipients will think its ok.

Now I am wondering what to do next.

(image from imageenvision.com)

I'm away from my fabric stash right now, on holiday, and have some knitting with me, which is great but sore on the elbows. Stupid, stupid tennis elbow. Knitter's elbow. And am I the only person to have sprained an index finger from too much knitting? I remember one Xmas my hubby was away and I knitted loads with all my spare time, and when I was at work I coudn't pick up things because my index finger was so tender. Hmmmm. Just me?

Anyway. While I wait for the last bit of wool for my throw to be delivered (lovely, lovely internet shopping!) I am pondering the next quilt. I have a blue and white square one to quilt, its been basted, but I need a start of something new.

Baby quilt?
Throw?
Double bed size?
Table mats?

Am going to be at the Stair Community Fete in August (date??) and will need some little things for that, so I may indulge my need for quick, easy projects and make some table mats and doll quilts. Yes, sounds good.

Now for some inspiration:

Check out Hillary Lang's wall on Flickr :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillarylang/531878280/

Lovely!

Carve this into my forehead, please...

Do. Not. Use. Red. Fabric. Without. WASHING. IT. FIRST.

This is important.
Sigh.

Siblings Together

Lily's Quilts is showing an example of some small thing that can change people's lives. I've never been in care, never been anywhere near The System, grew up on a small island with loving parents and a cheeky annoying fantastic younger brother. The idea that you can grow up without parental love, sibling affection, or even a home to call your own is mind blowing in its awfulness. Was I inconsiderate in that it never crossed my mind when I was young, that I took it entirely for granted that I was loved, cared for, had food, clothes, games, education, friends, stability and the feeling of being part of something bigger?

I dont suppose I ever needed to worry about that. I was, and still am, very very lucky. My daughter is growing up as part of a family who loves her,  watch over her and help keep her safe. She is also very very lucky. There are some children in our society who dont have the luxury of a community, family, parent, sibling; who grow up, or at least grow older, all by themselves. That is one of the saddest things I have ever heard.

So I would like to declare myself part of this initiative; to help a child by giving him or her something of their very own. To wrap them in comfort if not love, to help them cope with the hardships of their life. I dont want this to be patronising, although I know very little about the difficulties they face daily, but if I can give some crumb of comfort to another human being then thank you. Let that person thrive just a bit, knowing they have been brought a little bit closer to another living being.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.swimbikequilt.com/p/100-quilts-for-kids.html" title="Swim, Bike, Quilt"><img src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z420/swimbikequilt/100quiltsbutton2011.jpg" alt="Swim, Bike, Quilt" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Ta-Dah!

Finished! With washing and drying and everything!

Here's the whole quilt, in not brilliant detail, because the camera has decided it is not long for this world. Hmph.

Really chuffed with it though (the quilt, that is). Have taken the Irish Chain to the corners and placed the hearts in between, 7 blocks x 7 blocks, so 49 in all - 24 Heart and 25 Chain. Plus a 4 inch border and pieced striped binding, which I love.

 This one on the right shows the backing. I pieced a colourful strip down the centre of the quilt to make the back a bit more interesting. Duck egg sheeting. All over stipple quilted.

The whole thing shrank by about 3 inches after washing, which is ideal really - the quilt looks textured without being too crinkled. Finished size 89" square.

I dried it indoors - this is a Scottish summer after all - and it took a couple of days laid out on a sheet on the floor.
Even managed to keep the cat off it :)

Detail of the quilting, and a heart. I love the wee owl print here, though I can't remember where it came from.

Note the wee label sewn into the binding - Handmade by Fankle. That's me!












So...what do you think?

Light at the end of the tunnel

The heart chain quilt is lying in a crumpled heap at the end of the sofa. Looking for all the world like a neglected unloved pile of fabric. But this incarnation is a good thing, actually, because this means it is nearly at the end of the journey; the binding is about 1/3 sewn on with a little more being done each time I sit down to watch telly. Once I get the cat off it, and persuade my daughter she really doesnt want to use it as a tent.

The Union Jack bedpsread is languishing upstairs, however, although it will also be finished soon (honest, guvnor). Future plans involve making little things for a craft stall in Stair, Ayrshire in August and starting the Swoon quilt, which I am really excited about! Have also seen a gorgeous and ridiculously easy quilt in the latest issue of American Patchwork and Quilting

by Malka Dubrawsky of A Stitch In Dye, which I have fallen in love with, despite not usually liking the block. Who knew something could appeal so much with a simple change of scale?

Anyway. Going to wend my weary way to bed having not done any sewing, oops, but have got the shopping, put it away, and been totally engrossed by the last book in Celia Friedman Magister Trilogy. Good stuff.

99% success!

Only 99% because after I'd finished quilting the mammoth, I turned it over to discover a couple of wee puckers in the back. Rats. But they'll hopefully be all but unnoticed after it's been washed, so it will all work out ok. Apart from that, grrr, it looks really good. The binding has been machine stitched on too, so just the sewing in of the ends and stitching the back of the binding. Yeah, that's all (ha!)

This is my next project for us, using some darker colours I have been saving for my hubby. Cant recall where the photo came from, many apologies, but the Swoon block is from here.

Cool, eh? And only 2 years after everyone else :)



 

Have discovered a few things about me and my sewing:

1.  Use good quality thread for quilting. I used my piecing thread, in a fit of inattention, and it kept breaking. I hope there is enough goodwill in the quilt to counterbalance the loud swearing as it was being worked on.

2.  I can quilt better during the day, when I am less tired. Even though I am a night person.

3.  Quilting is more relaxing listening to Ken Bruce than to Jeremy Vine. (I wonder why?!)

4.  You use more thread than you think when stippling. I went through 15 bobbins on that baby, all 92" square, or thereabouts. Phew!

4 hours of quilting so far

That post title first came up as 'wilting', and after 4 hours I reckon I have had enough for just now. Going well so far, no puckers or folds (touch wood, cross fingers, chuck salt over shoulder, kiss the cat, etc) and the stipple effect is looking good.

I'm quite happy to stay stippling for now, although I do have an occasional foray into straight lines. I like the overall background effect of the stipple, how it looks like a scribble but doesn't detract from the main theme which, for me, is the colour. I LOVE the colours in quilting. The richness, depth, bouyancy and life of a mix of colours is what it's all about, I reckon.

And here's some shots to document the process:

Light slightly blue on this one, not sure why, but work going on. The machine was red hot by the time I'd finished today!











My sewing machine feet :)




I like to sew barefoot.
It seems I can work the pedal better.














More of the quilting. I use ordinary rubber gloves to move the quilt around, they have good grip and are inexpensive. Only trouble is, they give your hands a horrible rubbery smell. How we suffer for our art!

I've used 7 bobbins, with less than half of the quilting done. Stippling is heavy on the thread, but worth it in the end. I should have some more bobbins really, but find that by doing 3 at a time, I can have a good break when winding some more on.

I also sit on a gym ball when at the sewing machine, which really helps during a long session. When you start ot stiffen, just lean back and roll around for a bit, it really helps :)

More later then, peeps....

How do I grow my blog?

How do I grow my blog?

Just found this fantastic blogging entry on Lily's Quilts, an amazing and colourful blog I read. Ideal advice and relates to anything you blog about, not just quilting. 

For example: Do it because you love it, do it because you have something to share, and dont be afraid to tell people about it.

Sounds like common sense, but for those of us just starting to dip a toe in the water, invaluable.


Thanks Lily!

Really am still here...

Plugging away at loads of stuff - brother and family down for the Jubilee weekend, where we did absolutely nothing relating to the queen at all. We did go to Blair Drummond Safari Park on the Monday, and had a great day - maybe the lions would be considered Royal?
Spent the week before gutting, cleaning and sewing, spent this week cleaning and organising my month. Honestly, why do so many people have events in June? Plus making two cakes for the wee one's party tommorow, shopping for the load of people we have staying over, trying not to think about the wedding next month that the quilt HAS TO BE READY FOR...

But it is basted and just needs some quality quilty time, which is next week. Am looking forward to it actually.

Here's a wee something to keep you going till the finished pics:

Phase I finished. Prepare for Phase II...

Last block of the wedding commission finished tonight. Phew.

Now all I have to do is sew the top together, layer and pin baste, quilt and bind.

So not much left to do then :)

Groundhog Quilting...

You know that feeling you get when you make something from lots of little bits, and it feels like you've been doing it a while, and you look up, and the clock hasn't moved one single solitary second?

That's what these quilts feel like. Don't get me wrong, I love them, and the finished results are going to be so worth it, but I sew and cut, cut and sew, iron, cut, sew, iron, and I'M STILL NOT FINISHED!

But I suppose it's getting closer to being done with every stitch. I will just have to grit my teeth and get on with the last few blocks and not, repeat NOT, think about all the cool quilts out there, and all the tempting new fabrics I have ordered, and the colour combinations I want to try out; none of that. I will get my head down and get on with the job in hand.

It may kill me.

Here's some evidence I am doing something: (old photos doesnt mean I aint workng, you know)

Have since added blue and purple hearts, and some more green.

Fankle Quilting at the Perth Scottish Knitting Show

   No, not a mistake, I do have some knitting things left from my olde shoppe, oh! those were the days...But I will have a few quilting efforts there to show people what I  have done, and can do.
   I'm currently sitting listening to the printer laboriously chugging its way through some descriptions and pictures of my quilts to put in a folder. Not very technologically advanced, I'm sure some sort of virtual album could be whizzinbg around pon the table at the show, but we fear change - unless it suits our prupose. Like web shopping for sewing supplies WOOHOO!
   Anyway, for those who want to check it out, come to the Perth Racecourse on Saturday 12 May from 10 - 4, and you'll see loads of lovely wool, notions, accessories, handspun and dyed and machine knitting cones, plus a wee stall upstairs with cheap knitting needles, patterns, books, and the promise of some lovely quilts.
   Cheers!

Raindrops on roses...

Well, no rain here at all, actually, which makes a change, but my favourite thing at the minute is the basted and almost finished huuuuuuuuuuge Union Jack bedspread, languishing on the sewing room floor upstairs. So close, I can imagine it gracing the bed it's bound for, putting all other room decorations to shame.

I really should get off here and finish it! Have restarted the heart and Irish chain blocks, and they've picked up again nicely. Good to have stuff on the go. Off to do some sewing - the housework has just been pushed even lower on the priority list....

Final Stages....

Have sewn the backing together.

The finished top looks like this:

And the backing will be reddish, and also the binding. I think it looks really cool.

heehee!

Chuffed face :D

See? I am doing something!

Here's a wee peek of the work-in-progress bedspread - which is really real, not just a blether :)

Its coming on well, and should hopefully be done by end April; although now that I have seen the date on my laptop, it may be later....

But the top is in it's final stages, and as there's no wadding, the basting should be fairly easy. Will be quilting along the line just to define the pattern.

Details to follow when I finish, I've been noting the process and will hopefully have enough to make another one, should it work out that way. Always easier to follow instructions.

More soon!

Hannibal chews the end off his cigar and winds another bobbin....

Sewing is going on. Honest. Have made half of the top of the bedspread, laid it out with some raw fabric to check the design, and it looks. Really. Good. Have photos, but camera too far away to show - plus, lighting and cameraman not the best by any standards ie. me.

Still glad it looks good in reality, and that what I imagined is coming out true. It'll be big too, calculations very much guesstimates, but in a good way.

I Love it when a plan comes together.

Where does the time go?

Have been mostly working at my real job, boohiss, although it is a bookshop so it could be a lot worse (!) and visiting the family in the islands, so not much crafting going on other than travelling socks, but I am working between two projects. The wedding quilt has paused temporarily to make way for a denim Union Jack bedspread due at the end of April.

I am planning it along these lines:

(Pic from Amazon)
Except with denim jean patchwork for the blue bits, and have some red and cream upholstery for the rest. Has to be dogproof, hence the heavier fabrics. So far so ...slowly. But definitely getting there.

Working on the chain (piecing) gang #2

Hallo blog! Am sitting on my arse downstairs wasting time on the computer when I should be upstairs cutting and sewing, but just wanted to say have finished the first of the quilt top targets - the Irish chain patches are done, 24 complete blocks all ready to be used.
Now I have to carry on with the heart ones, which is more fiddly (although not much more) and I've been putting them off in my laziness.

But no more! off we go, up the wooden stairs to creativity :)

Have some inspiration -

This is what I can do when I try!

Holidays

Not usually something we do really, as in, take a few days out in the sun to do nothing, but the last year has been a really difficult one for us, so we have just done exactly that. 4 nights all inclusive in Spain, flying from the airport right beside our house (well, almost) and with actual yellow hot shiny sun when we got there. Aaaaaaaah.......

So relaxing. Little'un left with granny so I could get a proper break, and a good time had by all. Flippin marvellous. Will be doing that again.

Since we came back, have got 7 more squares done and another 6 half cut. Shame they all look like this:

(imagine the background is actually white and please excuse the rubbish night-time photography)

so I have nothing more exciting to show, but it is moving forward, albeit slowly. But moving is moving!

PS with extra GRRRRRRRR!

There is no such word as ADDICTING. It's just wrong and fills me with unmentionable horror and nausea. SO wrong. The word you are looking for is ADDICTIVE. You know, as in, so good you can't stop?

And while we're on the subject, hoi! Blogland! If you want to sneak a wee look at something you take a PEEK, not a PEAK. That's a mountain top.

Morons.

Still here

And much less snottery too. Yay! I can almost hear properly again. Now I have no way of tuning out the Blighter, though, but nothing in life is perfect. Had my best pal staying with us this weekend, and she finally understands what we've been saying for the last 3 years - that it is totally exhausting listening to our daughter's wittering all the time. She had it from about 6.45 am to mid morning, and now really feels our pain. Glad it's not just our imagination, I can tell you.

Sewing done in the last few days? HeeHaw. Nothing. Nada. Nil. Nowt. Flip all.

But I did rearrange my sewing room and it looks pretty good. Bought another table, moved the fabric, found shelves in other rooms that worked, basically made it ergonomic and more user friendly. Now I just have to be the friendly user!
Taking a few days off, and will be back in sewing mode next week. Have got a few blocks cut so lots to be getting on with.

It's all getting good.

PS. Check this out - how cool is this??

Fed. Up.

I am so fed up. Still havent shifted this cold, and its has left me deaf in one ear, and a sore throat has appeared this afternoon, with great pain swallowing and all the fun that goes with it. Am so fed up of being ill! The Hubby has been ill with post viral fatigue for over a year now, and I'm the one who has been carrying the family for that time, which has had a knock-on effect on my own health, me being diabetic and all. So my immune system in knackered (medical term) and I'm suffering for it now. Bloody Hmph. And cough.

But.

I know in the grand scheme of things we are very very lucky. We have health care and our own house, and we can still work (most of the time) and are educated with our healthy child having friends and family all around us.
And I managed a few more blocks for my friend's wedding present quilt.

So it could all be worse.

And here's something which always makes me smile (check for some language):

Thanks, Chive, for cheering us up every day :)
CHIVE ON!

A bit of inspiration

Love to read quilting blogs.The inspiration, creativity and talent of people out there is thrilling to see. Love the colours, styles, effects, and really love that people want to share it with others.
Am particularly in love with this block at the minute:-

This is from Red Pepper Quilts, and isnt it gorgeous? She made a fantastic quilt out of it too, called Labyrinth, and I am going to get cutting on this as soon as I can. Have still got a lot to do before then, and get so easily distracted :( so will have to knuckle down and STAY AWAY from Words with Friends, dammit!

Pictures!

Am feeling so much better today that the sewing machine was in action. Finally. Head has slowed down the production of snotter, and the whole family seems to be on the up again after the latest assault on our immune systems, so there was some spare energy for cutting today YAY.

Started a friend's quilt today, commission for a wedding, and we're going with hearts and Irish chain, simple but v effective. Simple once I figured out the heart piecing. Maybe brain still not functioning 100%...

Here's the evidence anyway:

The background of the chain IS the same as the heart, just bad lighting and night time photos dont help. Cool though, eh? And am v chuffed with the accuracy of the squares - seems practice does make perfect. And paying attention and taking it slowly does no harm at all. 

not given up

Have been madly busy. 2 p/t jobs and the house/child/husband to look after, and am just about to lose it. Luckily the 2 jobs become one from Saturday and we've just booked a few days away. Can not wait. Havent touched a thread of my 2 commissions, but am optimistic (well, why not?).
Its all good from February. Honest.

:D

Happy New (almost) Year

I know, premature, but am so busy doing two p/t jobs at the moment I may not have time to wish one at the appropriate moment, so Happy New Year!
No sign of sewing at Casa Crabbit just now, as no time! but have made another R2D2 hat for C, made a pair of welly socks for J, am knitting mittens for The Blighter, and started again a blanket, because I like to have a blanket on the go. And it's specially lovely to knit in cold weather, having a toasty bit of half-knitted blanket on your knee :)

Here's to more knitting, sewing, time to do everything, and a colourful 2012!

Bleurgh.

Am still alive, just fighting off a horrible cold that makes me cough up chunks of yuckiness and speak as if I am gargling with gravel. Not nice.
And it's sapping all my energy so all I can do is plonk myself in front of the fire, rather than be busy upstairs in my sewing room which is about 10 deg cooler.
Hmph.

This too will pass.

I hope.

Tidying up

Sorting out the sewing room finally, after months of ignoring the mess piling up in all the corners. Would love it to look like this -

Oooh! Colours!
Or I wouldnt say no to this either -

Gorgeous. (Apologies for not knowing the source of these photos.)

*sigh*

Maybe one day, when I get my act together...

Commisions

Have got commisions! One wedding quilt and one bedspread Union Jack design. Looking forward to them both. Denim, corduroy and twill for flag style, and heart design for the wedding one. Like this sort of thing:

Picture from grittypretty.blogspot.com. With self coloured but multi-fabric patchwork hearts on white background, may or may not do chain in between heart blocks.

And the Union Jack idea is along these lines (above), with denim patchwork from old jeans and cord for the colours - this one is going to be an occasional dog bed so has to withstand those claws :)
Who knew the UJ was so complicated? All the reds rotate round with different thicknesses of white; the angle; sizing. Prob not hard for those with bags of experience, but nicely challenging enough for me, and I get to use all those denim trouser legs I've been saving. Just in case.