On a roll!

 Ok I am on a roll, feeling better, went to work yesterday at my second job, had a lovely night there. Extra pocket money for my October trip to Australian Machine Quilters Festival!

On a quilty note, have quilted and bound a quilt for a friend in need, have finished 2 cushions for a project and bound my small quilt for that project.. Also have done a mountain of unpicking and then requilted a Modern quilt, sewn the binding on, now just need to hand stitch it on.
Also making my Art quilt! at the last minute of course, the blocks are ones I started in a Gwen Marston class last year. Just playing with how to put them together.

Then in my energy filled state I went to the gym for the first time in a month, then came home and baked 2 slices- one for a work party tomorrow.- as my daughter said earlier this week- I am on fire!
Oh and Uni starts this week for one and next week for the other child, so life will change a lot, more study- I hope, and less lying around and watching TV or playing computer games - as they both juggle work and study.

block in progress

fabric choices- all solids

another block in progress, such fun and so liberating!

a block ready to be put together

A trial layout- hmmm

Why use cream thread?

When you can use pink! I did some unquilting as I was not happy, with plenty of time on my hands as I have been unwell, but lying in bed all day is no fun. So I unpicked then started pink thread! What fun!  So much better. 
A deadline has spurred me into action- again, I must learn to say no!

So much fun to stitch

my new phone, now to type in all the contact numbers as both my tech heads here can't work out how to do it!

Some drawing, well, scribbling that helps with machine quilting, its fun to draw a shape then fill it like the 2 small rectangles upper left.

some more doodling, I bought a zen doodle book while on holidays, a lot of fun, then of course had to buy new fine pens. Luckily I have a great little book with thick good quality pages as the build up of ink doesn't go through the pages.

Post holiday doldrums

After a lovely holiday I have landed with a thud! a parasite infection/infestation has left me pathetic and sick. Lots of antibiotics and rest, no alcohol- so how can I not lose any weight? and no appetite too.

I was pulled out of my sick bed by my friend Kate this week, actually it  was just what I needed. I am finishing quilting a quilt for her, that is right up my alley, anything else and I would still be languishing in my bed.

Kate's quilt, sleepless nights and an early morning has spurred me on to tidying up my sewing room a little, and also to finish my own projects, several which have deadlines coming up soon.

I did do a little holiday purchase of fabric- below - a large print was required, and this is a beauty, a few coordinating fabrics accidentally found their way into the bag , but maybe I didn't buy enough! the red is perfect, not sure of the pale teal - in fact it is so wrong! will keep looking.

 A gift certificate from number one son saw me getting a lovely parcel of fabric from Sew Modern, a little different, but I am looking forward to playing with these. I chose from a vast range this is only the tip of the iceberg where modern fabric is concerned. Such a change after buying quilting or even cotton fabric in the early 80's! and even the 90's! I chose fabric that I would not normally buy- right out of my comfort zone.

Last post saw my daughter starting knitting a scarf, it is coming along really well, she is keen to knit a jumper. However the discounted wool was $ 7 per ball! we need 9 or 10, may as well buy one already knitted. Will keep an eye out for wool that she likes that will not be a passing fancy.

knitting on holiday

Madly knitting, a good relaxing pastime for our holiday! A scarf for Isabel, she is going the easy bit, I am doing every 4 th row- with the pattern! Its great as she has never really wanted to knit before, urged on by the 11 year old here who is so keen to use her hands, actually who never sits still!.  And a beanie for the lovely young man who has lent us his bed to sleep in!

I do have hand sewing to do, but really enjoying the knitting!

 

Beanie in progress

Sewing at half speed and an excellent day out

I have been machine quilting a delicate piece of silk, and have had he machine at a very slow speed to enable me to stitch accurately. Now I am machine piecing another quilt, wondering why it is sewing slowly even though my little foot is planted to the floor! However it is somewhat satisfying piecing a little slower than very fast!
A sneak peek at the silk below.Still quite a bit more to go.

 My daughter- she said 'its cold', so she wrapped herself in her brothers quilt. Its actually stinking hot, and I had just turned the air con on so I could sew in comfort. She has started to read "The Book Thief", its on her knee, but temporarily superseded by her iphone! she was checking to see if he author was Australian- yes.
 An excellent read, do we go and see the movie? or will it ruin the book?
Went to see Rocky Horror Show this week with Craig McLachlan starring- excellent! could almost reach out and touch him! fantastic. Such a showman.

The excellent day out was yesterday, my small group met at one of our homes- air con required! we sat and sewed, some went to different areas and made ourselves comfortable. Some hand sewed, some cut and machine pieced (me) some machine quilted- new thread making all the difference!-, some hand stitched, or read a delicious array of books laid out for us to peruse. We shared a lovely delicious lunch, some stories, a picture of a new grandbaby, and several projects underway- or plans of projects to be underway soon.
 A great day that we all wish we could do every week. How lucky am I to have found these women- as  a friend said last year about an art quilt group - 'these are my people'.
Yes, these are my people.
 You know who you are.

So much to quilt- so little time

The New Year has started with a big bang- so much to quilt and so little time.
I have not have any holidays - yet so its full steam ahead working then coming home to rest or quilt, and loving the Bis Bash cricket on TV, havn't quite go t to a game due to my paid employment, but enjoying Ricky Ponting and his comments on TV so its a good way to entertain myself while quilting,
I have so many projects on the go at the moment, but not as many as some, I have discovered- that's lucky!

We had a lovely sewing day the week before christmas with some friends, lots done by some,I spent a lot of time searching for a piece of fabric required for a challenge- I did find it and it has continued to cause me some grief as I have stitched it- so much fraying.....  grrr

The current projects are for exhibition, some just because, its the age old problem of what to finish first! Oh and of course, we are having another day today, do I take my machine and do some serious piecing?, can't do quilting as my machine sits down in the table and to quilt out is a hardship- maybe i need on of those portable tables that your machine can sit down into!!

I subscribed to Superior Threads thread club this year, what a  treat!, I did get the mixed box of thread as I couldn't decide which particular style to choose, I get6 different reels each month, lovely yummy colours and a range of different weights. Oh and of course I added some extras along the way. Maybe more work and less time off to help pay the way!

Ready for a day out sewing...

The start of one of the latest pieces, its Cactus silk- frays like crazy, but is interestingly soft and fun to work with.

A new year, a new quilt!

Some quilts finished and some about to be started! this is how I plan to work through the year- finishing, oh and some starting.

The blue and white is finished.

The blue and gold is ready to quilt, I am just doing some ditching first before I tackle to hard stuff.

Might start a Dear Jane as I have run out of hand work and am having a holiday soon where I might need some hand work, and I have enough knitted garments and the climate here is not conducive to jumpers.

But what sort of fabric do I want for my Dear Jane? scrap sounds good at this stage, but it needs to be cohesive, hmmm, might have to think a bit harder about this one.

Have been spending some of the hot horrid weather inside perusing blogs, and am very inspired to get on and finish some of my quilt tops that have been lingering waiting for some diving inspiration. So many ideas so little time, especially if I am wasting it by reading blogs- but wait! that is not wasted time - it is research.

Xmas gift from lovely husband

OOh another xmas gift! lucky me!

About to be quilted, maybe some musical motifs?

Sneak peek! finished at last! the colour is not quite right, it is very blue!