Progress, parcels and pics

I thought you might like to see the progress on the train quilt. I had all kinds of trouble with the measurements I was given and finally managed to calculate them myself. So it's all cut and I'm sewing every spare minute I can because I can't wait to see it all together and get quilting.



And there's more to show you. Yesterday these gorgeous fabrics arrived. I am a bit suspicious though as there is meant to be two parcels and so far I only have one. I bought them on sale through here and their prices are fantastic. I am collecting lots of 1930's and flour sack fabrics to put aside for a single bed quilt for one of my girls. Something like this or this.



I also bought some to add to a blue and green stash I have for a quilt I plan on making for my bed.



And the rest is to use for a summer twirly skirt for Chloe and maybe a wrap skirt me.



Yesterday they emailed me with another 10% discount so I have bought even more - it's simply too hard to resist!!

The other day I received this book from Amazon.

Aside from the beautiful pictures and patterns it has some really clear instructions on all the basics of cutting, handsewing, machine piecing and applique. It has one particular quilt pattern perfect for the blue and green quilt that I want on my bed - another project, another day.

And today I received my new camera. Did I tell you my very sweet and lovely Lucinda was mucking around with my camera a few weeks ago and virtually threw it under the table she was sitting at. It was going to cost more than $250 to fix because the iris was broken so we bought a new model for $295 instead. And it's gorgeous!



Lucky for me my mother has one too and let me borrow it for a while. I couldn't imagine life without a camera!

And with that I leave you with a photo of my Lucinda ......



.... how could I stay angry with that beautiful face!

Back to business!

Due to a 'problem at the exchange' I had no internet access this week. It's really tough to look at your little laptop and not be able to see what you have all been up to. When it came back on I thought I'd have a quick look at how many visitors I'd had and got quite a shock to see that over 350 people had dropped by on Tuesday! So I checked where they had come from and found this. Wow!

I started the tutorial after Jen saw one of my children's aprons on Flickr and asked for some advice. I thought it would be easier to just show her how to make a whole one with photos. Jen wrote to me to thank me and said she would be passing it on to a craft site. Thanks so much Jen, I don't think I would have been brave enough to submit it myself!!

So, has anyone actually used the tutorial to make an apron yet?

And just to update you on the pillows/cushions, they went for the grand sum of $36!! They went to one of the fundraising committee girls who has the most gorgeous house and furniture - I kind of made them with her sofas in mind anyway so I know they have a really good home. The trivia night was loads of fun and raised about $8,000 for our kinder. Have you seen these for Tamara's kinder's trivia night - just amazing work and such a great keepsake for the lucky families that get them. I'm dying to find out how it all went.

I've had quite a nice weekend. Chloe and Lucinda went to the footy with their Dad and some friends yesterday, so I had an afternoon to myself.





I didn't do any sewing but I did do a lot of cooking. My poor brother has had a really bad week. His entire family including his mother-in-law went down with Type A flu. His 3yr old son was so ill with asthma he was hospitalised for the week. I know first hand how stressful that can be and apart from being sick they are all exhausted. So I made a yummy quiche, some pumpkin and sweet potato soup and a batch of anzac biscuits. I hope they are all back to a healthy normal soon.

Today I had a few hours with my gorgeous girlfriend Ros at Patchwork on Central Park. She has just started to learn to quilt and is making a beautiful quilt for her daughter - I love it so much I want it for one of my girls. She wanted to look at fabric for the quilt back and I was after lots of bits and pieces.

It was so nice to be able to shop without the little people. I got some great help on a quilt I am making for new baby Lochie. It is to be a vintagey, scrappy looking quilt based on the great Michael Miller train fabric 'I think I can".



I also bought a little extra piece for my autumn quilt which I am going to leave for a week while I get some other things done. I am still mulling over the idea for this quilt but the fabrics have finally sort of come together.



I also bought a little piece of fabric for a totebag I am making for this swap - but you're not seeing that yet!

So I'd better get sewing as I have a few deadlines looming and I am sure I am coming down with a cold. Better go to bed!

Pillow Talk

It has been a busy week and I am paying for it now - I have a terrible headache from lack of sleep and can't wait to get into bed. Especially considering the fact that I am going out on Saturday night!! Yes, a rarity for us these days and I need a few days sleep and preparation to look half decent!

I put my hand up this year to be on the fund raising committee at Lucinda's kindergarten. It's not heaps of work and the girls I am joined by are fantastic, but our biggest fundraising event is this Saturday night. We are having a trivia night which I believe are loads of fun - I have never had the pleasure. So there will be lots of silent auctions for donated goodies from local businesses and others and a lot of silly games other than the actual trivia comp.

This is part of my contribution to the silent auction items - a pair of 'mosaic' cushions/pillows.



These have been made with a lot of scraps from my sister's bag and some other bits and pieces. The green I found at Spotlight for only $2mtr - perfect. I forgot to take a photo of the back of them but it is a natural coloured linen/cotton mix.



I will be making some more of these for my own sofa as I really like how they turned out. Don't you love it when an idea that's been floating around in your head for ages comes together and works - yay!

And, check this out... I have been very kindly nominated for this by one of my regular reads Thimbleanna



This is apparently an award for bloggers who are "just nice people , good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!"

Wow, I'm thrilled to say the least - thanks Anna, it makes me feel very happy if I am making other bloggers feel good and inspired. And, I have to nominate 7 others for the award so........

No 1. Ali who deserves this for so many reasons. Ali was the one who gave me the shove to get my blog going and gave lots of advice and encouragement. She is also very clever at lots of things including sewing lovely stuff and cooking yummy things - actually I think she is just VERY clever. But best of all she's hilariously funny and makes me laugh out loud often. That's gotta get an award!

No 2. Amy and I have so many parallels in our lives it's wierd and we have become great email/blogging pals. She has a gorgeous family and creates lots of beautiful things.

No 3. Cathy who was my first local blogging friend and is just so warm and lovely and makes lots of gorgeous stuff. We haven't met yet but will soon I hope.

No 4. Belinda who is just such an inspiration for anybody wanting to successfully create and sell their crafts. She is popping up all over the place with her lovely cushions including magazines and shops. She's super nice as well.

No 5. Pip who sounds like the nicest person in blogland. She is so encouraging and supportive to the local craft bloggers, organises a great stitching night and posts lovely images and words to brighten everyone's day.

No 6. Fiona is new to blogging and is an absolute inspiration. Five young children and she still manages to make all sorts of wonderful things. I have had the pleasure of meeting her and look forward to a great blogging relationship.

No 7. Lisa who is the very wonderful organiser of the Doll Quilt Swap. Lisa has done such a great job bringing together a fantastic community of crafters and also made my very special quilt after my partner had to pull out. Thanks again Lisa.

Wow that was hard - everyone is an inspiration and everyday I seem to make new friends in blogland. I could have added so many more.

Now I am off to do a little mindless knitting. I am helping out Abby - another new blog friend - who is knitting scarves for some aged care ladies. There you go Abby, you are number 8 for all the fantastic creative work you do while raising a little one and working as a nurse. Fantastic!!

Now, I'm off to bed!

One for me, one for you!!

Oh what an exciting week it has been so far. I had a special parcel from America in the mail yesterday and look what was inside...



My quilt from DQS2. I LOVE this quilt. It is so pretty and every time I look at it I find something else I love about it.



All those little bits of green and yellow and florals and it will go perfectly in my youngest daughter's bedroom. Thank you Lisa for being a fill in - you are so generous and it's greatly appreciated.



Then this morning I received an email from my swap partner Marisa to say that my quilt had arrived. I'm so happy that she loves it because I really enjoyed making it. From coming up with the idea to buying the fabrics, the handpiecing, quilting and embroidery - just loved it! It gives me so much pleasure making things for other people and I just love the fact that my work is now living at Marisa's house on the other side of the world!



After receiving Marisa's preferences I chose something that most suited my style, 1930's reproduction. Selfish hey, but I always believe you should put some of yourself into your creations! Marisa particularly wanted a little quilt for her kitchen wall and after reading her fantastic blog from start to finish I discovered a photo of the red and yellow fabric she had used on her kitchen seats. I then researched civil war quilts, amish and other traditional style quilts that Marisa really likes and when I discovered this I fell in love with the little squares. After a visit to the very gorgeous Patchwork on Central Park I found the perfect little roll of red and yellow 1930's repro fabrics that looked like they had been sitting there waiting for me and with a couple of extras I was on my way.

I had already started putting the squares together when I found this while looking through the list of DQS2 participants. I make lots of aprons and as this was for Marisa's kitchen I thought it would be a perfect addition to the centre of the quilt.





I'm really pleased with the finished quilt and I am so inspired by all the other gorgeous little creations appearing on the DQS2 blog. These little quilts allow you to be really creative. I can't wait for the next one.

Yesterday I also received an email regarding this. My first reaction was to say no because I have so much to do but my mind started thinking of all the fantastic small quilts you could do based on the seasons. The first one is for Autumn or Fall as some of you call it - I love that word it's so beautifully descriptive - and I have such a good idea I can't resist doing it! So it looks like another project to add to the list......