Lots on....not much happening....

I'm frantically cramming for an exam in 10 days time and I'll be VERY relieved when it's over. I haven't really enjoyed this subject and have used every excuse under the sun to quilt instead of study....so I'm not very confident. As part of my exam preparation I've had to instigate a self imposed ban on all things quilting. I'm beside myself! I've even had to stop looking at my favourite blogs in case they spark enthusiasm in the wrong direction and quilt book bedside reading has been replaced with reviewing management text books (blahhhhh!). But because of my typically easily side tracked nature, I've left a plethora of half finished projects in my wake.....and I'm still tossing and turning thinking about the next round of quilts I'd love to make. But I just have to focus till this exam is out of the way. Roll on Tuesday the 8th and then it will be back to this....

Baby H's quilt that uses the orange and green jelly roll strips from my very favourite Sweet by Urban Chiks.....and my stashbuster quilt that's only slightly more progressed than this lovely cut pile.

So back to the books and watching L dance in the rain!

School camp....

L went on his very first school camp. He's in grade 3. It's the first time he's been completely away from us.

We didn't want to make a big deal....I think that provokes anxiety. Afterall, he was cool about the whole thing, he'd seen R come and go on school and girl guide camps tonnes of times and he was excited about going.

To be honest, I don't think he completely got it. L lives in the moment and his language disorder prevents him from seeing the big picture and understanding that there is an end and eventually you come home (it was only 2 nights).

I kept my mobile close....call it intuition. Tuesday afternoon an unknown number came up on my phone. It was Mr C, L's teacher. Instantly I asked if something was wrong. He was relaxed, "no nothing's wrong....but L misses you and just wants to talk to you. He knows there's one more sleep and he's OK with that, he just wants to say hello."

So L and I chatted. I couldn't really understand him....but didn't want to pressure him into explaining himself. We said goodbye, see you tomorrow, daddy will pick you up. All good.

Joe picked L up the next afternoon and was met by our beautiful smiling boy but berated with a "where have you been?".

When we opened the suitcase....so concerned about everything returning home (I spent hours stitching in labels!), I noticed that the socks were still zipped away in the bag.

"L, did you change your socks?"

"....umm.....I can't remember...."

I don't care!

Something special....

I've been working on something special. Can't say much more than that....till later!

Amy Butler Lotus fabrics using Amy's Lotus Brick Path Quilt Pattern that you can find on her website.

What I didn't realise.....

Twelve months and 118 posts ago was ....
...that I would consider every birthday, baby arrival and celebration as an opportunity to make a quilt
...that I would constantly convert metric to imperial
...that I would be interested in the daily value of the US dollar
...that safety pins were so valuable and that I would 'get over' not closing them before putting them away
...that my quilting year was so much more rewarding than my academic year....and that I wished that there was a diploma for fabric worship....
...that I would look for quilt inspiration everywhere
(new canopy Adelaide Entertainment Centre)

...that I would know how to pull my sewing machine apart, clean, oil it...and put it back together

...that I would own two sewing machines.....and covet another
...that you could have soooo many conversations about fabric and that I have such great friends to have those convesations with
...that I would have made as many quilts as I have
...and that so many of my friends are interested in what I write....and tell me so!
A little over a year ago when I started this blog I had no idea how I would feel about these things and would never have guessed that they would be very much a part of me. But because I have a blog....I can look back and see it all. To all who read.....thank you.

Quilters Big Day Out...

It was an early start yesterday as Clare, Kay and I headed out on the first flight to Melbourne for the Australasian Quilt Convention at the Royal Exhibition Hall.

What an adventure as we seemlessly got from the terminal, onto the awaiting Skybus to Southern Cross Station and then onto the #96 tram to Carlton. Whilst on the tram we noticed that it was full of women. We deduced quite rightly that they were heading for the very same destination.

It was minutes after the doors opened and we were inside the beautiful hall joining the throng of eager quilters who like us had their wish lists drawn and their sights set on a bargain....any bargain!

The teeming crowd was a spectacle in itself and I found that once I'd made it to a counter, I had to back out carefully so as not to take out the person behind me with my backpack.

Whilst we made plans at the beginning to meet back at the entrance an hour later if we got separated, we found that it was just as easy to stay together, moving with the crowd and peeking at every stall. Squeels of delight were released as we found fabric we'd been searching for for ages, or witnessing colours and prints in real life rather than on a screen, and discounted fabric was a pleasant surprise. Good buying all round. Not to mention the free talks that were 20 mintue commercials for products to simplify the quilting experience if you were that way inclined. If nothing else we had a chance to sit and rest our weary legs.

Of course there was also the exhibition quilts, the very clever 12 x 12 project, the war quilts collection, show quilts and the quilts from the covers of the Australian Quilters Companion magazine and the Indian textiles display. Some of the quilts were not necessarily my cup of tea but worth a look none the less.

We found that we didn't stop from the moment we walked in the door and couldn't believe the announcement at 4.30pm that the hall was closing. A few mad dashes to the last remaining stalls....we were almost dragged from the building by security!

With a couple of hours to kill before we were due back to the airport and we headed out to Lygon and Faraday Sts for a well earned glass of bubbles and dinner....the long way via the wrong tram and poor interpretation of Metlink instructions. But we were back on track after some helpful locals sorted us out. Oh well.....we made it back to the airport with a full tummy, a backback full of bootie and very tired bodies.

Will we do it again next year? You bet ya!