B + W x 2...

One pile of selvedges.

One pile of stringy offcuts.
Fabric for 2 black and white quilts. Can you guess what sort?

You'll just have to wait till I get back!!

Now to get cracking on the packing!

Santa Claus is coming...

Not that I would wish the festive season upon us this early but for once I've done something that could be considered almost organised! Although it could have quite easily ended up in the unfinished project too-hard-basket if I hadn't needed a small project to take to my machine quilting session a few weeks back. I have finished my Christmas Tree Skirt. You'll find the tutorial over here at Crazy Mom's. I'm very pleased with it. The red gives it a very rich warm feeling and even though the greens I've used are a little unorthidox and not Christmas prints, it's still quite festive.

After our WEA machine quilting sessions I've learnt to stipple a little smaller/denser (perfect for smaller sized quilts and projects) and I've even ventured into the area of 'picture' quilting by including some little stars within the log cabins. It was recommended that this sort of quilting be tackled with a darning foot and I couldn't get my head around that, so opted for my walking foot. But having done it now, I know why. The walking foot is too restrictive and you have to turn your quilt with every angle. So next time, I'll use the darning foot.

On the general quilting front I've really been restraining myself on starting something new which is quite at odds with my personality. I openly flaunt that it's perfectly OK to have more than one thing on at a time but the pile of sandwiched quilts and flimsies is building a little higher than it should be (but then again what's the measure on that? No more pins?). I've been dreaming of a couple of black and white projects and it's amazing what a little self control can do. It's doing my head in to be perfectly honest. I've changed my mind about six times already but I think I've finally decided on two designs for the two quilts I'd like to make. So having got through this week with a big tick on one completed project and we're about to embark on a week away with the family (without the machine), AND uni starts again for me next week, I reckon I can set myself a "Spring to Finish" challenge on the other projects and maybe squeeze in a bit of cutting on the two new projects in between packing. Good plan? Say, yes!

Harry

24 December 2001 - 23 August 2009

Thank you for the happiness and unconditional love.

We'll miss you little friend.

Dedicated to the cause....

The gals did something amazing today....getting up at 5am, driving across town and arriving at 6am to the Patchwork By Sea fabric sale. 35% discount to be had between 6am and 7am along with a table of $5 per metre fabric. That is pure fabric dedication and knowing a fabric bargain when you see one! I picked up some blue Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy for only $5 - I bought what was left and split it with Clare. I've always lusted after this design and even though I'm not a blue person, it will be well loved. The other green FMF's weren't as cheap as the blue but a good buy when discounted by 35%. The little red one was also only $5, so nice to pop away in the stash cupboard. I could have (would have) done a lot more damage if I'd taken my purse! Can you believe that? The kids took my purse last night to buy a charity chocolate and didn't put it back in my bag! Thank you for the loan Clare! And thank you random morning walker for agreeing to take the photo of three mad fabric shoppers!

Finally.....

My one-a-day 9 patch quilt top is finished....finally. (Sorry about the skew-wiff photo but it was late at night and I couldn't hang it on the clothesline in the dark!) I know I was well in front of round 2's proposed schedule having completed my patches fairly quickly. And I know that Amanda Jean had instructed us to pin and pin and pin and pin some more which is a fair indication of the time it takes to attach the plethora of sashing but I reckon this blighter has taken me over a week (maybe even 2 weeks!) to put together. Of course that's in between work, family, machine quilting sessions, homework, appointments and stuff. Phew! I'm really pleased with how the top has come together. The pin and pin and pin some more instruction really does help with lining things up which is the real beauty of this quilt. You also need to do a bit of slight stretching and wriggling to match the seams as best you can. This quilt is definitely a test for 1/4" seam accuracy and not for the faint hearted! It's also lovely to see all the fabrics used and remember where you've used them before (if they're scraps) or where you bought them from (if they're stash).

My favourite is this one that features a Kaffe Fasset print. I don't remember the name....actually I'm not sure if I ever knew it! I bought it from Patchwork on Central Park back in March and I'd have to say that I was a bit reluctant because it had purple in it (I'm just not a purple person). But the girls won me over and it's now one of my all-time faves. I love it in both quilts I've used it in. So now that the top is done I need to think about the back. I have so many little 2 1/2" squares left there is a definite chance of incorporating a few strips into the back. So it's off to the cupboard for me to see what else is there!

Ooga booger...boo!

Check these funny little cupcakes out! L has a school fundraiser today so we made these scary faced cupcakes for the boys to buy. He goes to an all boys school so they should really appeal and judging from the oohhs and aarghs of his grade 2 classmates, he already has some committed buyers. The cakes include vampire teeth (but you could use the straightforward teeth), mini marshmallows with black writing icing in the tube dotted on for the eyes and Coles brand mushrooms cut in half for the ears. I use packet cake mix (vanilla) and this yields around 30 small cupcakes. Don't fill the patty pans too much (about 3/4's) - kids don't care about the cake (which is why I use packet mix), they just want the icing and the lollies on top!

Bookweek bonanza.....

Bookweek has come early to L's school to coincide with a visiting author and a bunch of other celebratory activities this week. Normally it would be in a few week's time. The Bookweek theme is Safari and L went as Indiana Jones. We had the costume left over from R's Bookweek last year but at the last minute she got sick and didn't end up wearing it. I think it might be worn out soon, he wore it all last night and I don't see it coming off in a hurry!