Life in our household has been rather hectic.
My 80 year old mum has just had a hip replacement. I quipped back in September that she was going bionic status after her second shoulder replacement....but maybe I shouldn't have said it out loud!
It's been tough. It's her third major operation in 13 months and it's taking a toll. I won't go into detail but needless to say we have been through hoops co-ordinating aged care respite following her stay in a rehabilitation hospital following the surgery. (My sister and I constantly sing, "
I don't want to go to rehab....no....no....no!") However, steep learning curve for anyone my age with parents. You feel a lot like
Alice in Wonderland, sent from pillar to post and learning a brand new language called 'aged care'! Mind you, after all the grief we've found a wonderful aged care home for 2 weeks of respite for mum which means that we, in the short term, know that she'll have 24 hour care, medication and equipment to help get through her day AND it's not that far away. At first, mum was frightened we were going to 'lock her up' but now she's made friends, found old ones and is going out. The hairdresser has visited and the physio came yesterday. I can't begin to tell how much of a blessing that is that we've eliminated two appointments that we would have had to have take her to during our working day. The downside is that she's forgetting to do her exercises because she's so busy! It's been a real turning point for us and maybe makes some future decision making a little easier.
But all that aside, it's been very time consuming. I've hardly blogged. I certainly haven't finished very much, much less taken photos of stuff and I'm really not that prepared for Christmas. However, life hasn't been completely devoid of creativity....here goes.....
I taught myself via YouTube how to make piping! Yes! Amazing a new skill. Who would have thought to have turned to YouTube a few years ago? But there it was, 'learn how to make piping' in all it's glory! Joe was less than impressed when I'd tune in each night on the iPad!
I had been working at mum's clearing out stuff and found some fabric that I had bought maybe 20 years ago. I almost chucked it but then realised it was a little bit 'Liberty-sh'. (And isn't it a sin to throw away any sort of fabric?) So piping was born....and pincushions for the girls followed. I've used my corners cut from binding joins and those donated from Kay to make mini maverick square pincushions measuring around 6" square finished. They're backed with an Ikea fabric from years ago.
We had our Sew & Sews annual Christmas get together earlier this week. This year at a local hotel and the gift giving was rigorous and 100% creative. (Please don't laugh at the little man symbol above our heads! His presence destroyed quite a few photos as the photographer burst into giggles!)
And this year the little girls joined us! Aren't they gorgeous!
And whilst I've been finishing up at work.....someone at home has been cooking up a storm AND doing a splendid job.
Ahhhh, yes...it is starting to feel a little like Christmas....let's hope there's more to follow!
It was "Amy Butler Bag Day" at Clare's today with M and Clare hitting Spotlight early for spectacular post Christmas fabric bargains for their beautiful bag creations. They were working with the Amy Butler Style Stitches bag book and I was working on a free Nigella Yoga Bag pattern which is down-loadable from the Amy Butler site. In keeping with the Amy theme, I used decorator weight Love fabric that I had in the stash. Actually, I've used this fabric three times already, once for teacher totes and then my iPad cover and the little cover for work's alternating back up drive. Funnily enough, I had originally purchased it for the teacher totes and realised I hadn't ordered enough....and then had to buy some more! Seriously, this is absolutely the last of it but I haven't wasted a scrap. I've used the last of the big bits of this colour way today....and even then I did some surreptitious joining! The fabric is the Heart range from Love, Trumpet Flowers in pink and Sunspots in grass and is perfect for the pink-sh yoga mat that will live in the bag. It's a birthday gift for my dear friend whom I do yoga with. I'll have to get one sorted for myself...won't we be the stylish two! It will certainly make up for our lack of technique as we hide down the back of the room....did I really say that!
I love this time of year and having some time off work in between Christmas and New Year and catching up on some long overdue sewing. I've had this gorgeous Ruby fabric cut out for a couple of months and have been waiting patiently, finishing off a few other projects before starting this Plus Quilt that has been running around in my head for an age. So not like me to not go diving straight in! But I was very good and even though the beautiful cut pile sat and sat it meant that the other morning I could get started with the layout and top assembly. It feels like the top has only taken two days to make because the cutting took place so long ago! The other reason I'm glad I waited is that this sewing time has given me a chance to really look at each of the prints and decide what to buy for the back. 
I have to say, it's a hard decision as they're all so gorgeous. I'm thrilled with the pattern which I followed from this easy tutorial. It's a great way to show off a range and the Plus construction is very forgiving. The pattern calls for 20 fat quarters and I've chosen the red, green, pink and grey colours from my fat quarter bundle. Here's a shot of the back on this wonderful warm summer evening! 
I have finally finished a little baby quilt I've been working on for some time. I actually took a moment to sit quietly and hand stitch the binding after the hurley burley known as Christmas. This quilt is inspired by this one...and is the third I've made in various sizes and colours. The bow-ties are the Denyse Schmidt 'DS Quilts Collection, Picnics and Fairgrounds' offcuts from my Swoon quilt set in an assortment of solids. Because of their size I made each of the squares in the blocks 3 1/2" which is slightly bigger than earlier 2 1/2" versions. So each of these blocks finish up at around 6" finished.
The binding is a newer edition of DS Quilts, Sugar Creek. Normally I wouldn't have chosen a busy patterned floral like this for a binding but I love how it features all the colours in the quilt and is a juxtaposition of solids featured in the blocks. This quilt is for my cousin's new baby daughter. I haven't seen him for years but thrilled he had a baby none the less! (Any opportunity to make a baby quilt!)
As Adelaide approaches its hottest Christmas since 1987, we spent the night baking reindeer cookies. Baking on a hot night is always tricky when you've got the oven blasting out heat and the air conditioner battling against it. Oh the joy of summer!
Tick off another Christmas ritual....the Santa visit.
We had our Sew & Sews annual Christmas get together earlier this week. This year at a local hotel and the gift giving was rigorous and 100% creative. (Please don't laugh at the little man symbol above our heads! His presence destroyed quite a few photos as the photographer burst into giggles!)
And this year the little girls joined us! Aren't they gorgeous!
And whilst I've been finishing up at work.....someone at home has been cooking up a storm AND doing a splendid job. 
Ahhhh, yes...it is starting to feel a little like Christmas....let's hope there's more to follow!