Some sewing . . . and a few personal tropical holidays

Really, sewing woolen squares together, and quilting warm blankets isn't the best thing for menopausal women to be doing during an Indian Summer, but there you go, these things happen!

At least I managed more sewing today that I did all weekend, so I shouldn't complain!!!

A few photos before I crawl off to bed

A better photo of the cream blocks (Debbie now has asked for a second one, but I used nearly all the cream fabric here, so I'll just have to go to the fabric shop again - sigh!)

This is one blue top from the sweetwater Pure fabrics

And this is the other

And finally, did I ever mention that mum was knitting squares in exchange for the Texture quilt?  Well I have a box of about 100 nine inch squares in assorted shades of grey, and half a dozen different knitting patterns.  I have started sewing them together tonight - initially just into groups of 4, then I'll get the girls to help me with the patchwork equivalent of speed dating, as we arrange the units to their best advantage and I try and remember what we decided on!

The plan is to get these done before the cold weather kicks in - didn't someone say snow in October???  As much as I'm loving the sunshine over the last few days, with my hot flushes personal tropical holidays, I'll be quite happy to have cooler weather for a bit!

at last, a basted quilt

Whilst I cant quite claim a finished quilt today, I have managed to baste and assemble (with some QAYG quilting) a quilt top for a customer.  Debbie asked for cream fabrics, but other than that she has left it all to me.

This top started as three nine patches, where each nine patch was made of pieced corners and either pieced or plain middles, and a plain centre.  I then cut the 9 patches into quarters, giving me 12 units, which I twisted and turned until I liked the arrangement.  So it is a Disappearing 9 Patch (D9P) but with pieced corners.  The photo isn't too good, but I am very happy with the assortment of blocks
 

It just needs a border and binding, and then I have earned some money!

In other news . . . 

I found some scrummy vintage sheets in Mother in Law's loft, and am looking forward to cutting into these

My youngest daughter has come out as a super hero (here she is at work as Bat Girl with Banana Man!!!)

And my washing machine tried to eat my bra, despite me having put in into a bra wash bag, grrrrrr

That's all for now, I think it's time for grub!

Lucky lucky me

I was so caught up in making things for my Goodie Swap partners, I'd sort of forgotten that I would also receive two packages.  Well one has arrived . . .

Beautifully wrapped (but not for long . . .

Just look at the yummy goodies my partner Caroline sent me: as well as the Mug Rug, she made a lovely little pin cushion (much needed) and the sweetest little pouch with . . .  a zip!!!  I am so in awe of anyone who can do zips!

Here is a close up of the Mug Rug - I love the rainbow circles, and the spotty binding, and the quilting is great

Thank you Caroline, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I love it all

I haven't been at the computer or the sewing machine much - I was offered permanent work at  the school I've been temping at, but it includes earlier mornings and learning a new computer system, so my brain has been reeling this week, and I've mostly just crashed in front of the TV of an evening.

 I have a growing pile of strips waiting to be basted, but I loved the brown flowers (to be called Flower to the Power of 9, or

             9

 Flower

(not easy to do on Blogger, but mathematical minds will understand the pun!) Thanks to Katy at the littlest thistle who came up with the name, so I started another version of it:

 

MORE piecing

I usually buy fabric with a vague idea as to how I'll use it, then change my mind several times, then change my mind again . . .you get the picture!

BUT . . . as soon as I saw these two fabrics I KNEW what I was going to make with them, and yesterday I got the urge!

The fabric got 

cut into 6 inch squares, 

stitched into Nine Patches,

cut into quarters,

stitched back together again

again

and again

and again, 

and just look at the scrummy yumminess that resulted!!!

I am so in love with this combination, but have no idea what to call it, or what to do with it.  Hopefully someone will have a baby girl soon!!! and hopefully a better name than "Brown & Flowers Disappearing 9 Patch" will occur to me!!!

Meanwhile - Jackie - I've run out of the fabric, if you are seeing AnneMarie before you come over can you get me a yard of the brown, and half a yard of the flowers for the borders and the binding, pretty please

Found time to post!

The beginning of the week is always difficult for me to blog, I get bogged down with work (apologies for the four letter word there) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then treat myself to some sewing on Thursdays, finally getting to blogging for a few days before we start with Monday all over again!

So, excuses over, and here I am

So an apology for being tardy - and here are the photos of the very high tech give-away random winner generator:

Basket of scraps of paper,

and the first two slips drawn from the basket. 

 

As you can see, neither Plum or Teje relieved me of decision making, but they did narrow it down!  I decided to go with two children's charities

So the vanishing nine patch will go to the Foster Network, organised by a friend of Plum's, and the fail fence zig zag will go to Great Ormand Street hospital in London

 This going-to-be-a-whirly gig top hasn't progressed. :-(  I couldn't find any suitable border fabric locally, so went on-line and found what looks like the perfect fabric, and ordered it.  It was only when I got the dispatch email that I realised I'd ordered it from Germany!!! so hopefully that will arrive next week

 I have however managed another texture block for Hilary's quilt.  She has no idea that this is happening, but i needed to know how best to do these braille dots.  I stitched the braille for 'texture' in a few different ways (satin stitch, running stitch outline, triple stitch outline etc) and got mum to take it and ask Hilary for her help on a project!!!

So with Hilary's help (she chose the satin stitch) I have created another surprise block for Hilary - isn't that great!

One last piece of news before I go and pack my stuff for a lesson at Chertsey Museum (we are going to tackle hexies (and pentagons) and make either a pin cushion or a child's ball), I finally have furniture again in my living room.

This arrived on Monday, and is so squishy and comfy, I love it, (even if it is a tad too big for the room LOL)

Why do I avoid what I SHOULD do???

I've not finished much sewing this week, but I have had two embroidery order deliveries in the last 24 hours - two PE kits to be named, and 16 T-shirts to be embroidered by Thursday ... so instead I choose today to decide to get on with finishing Debbie's cream 9 patch!!! (the photo doesn't show the cream fabrics too well, but the quilting on the border shows quite well, I was really please with that)





After that was finished, I dug Sally's Pink Brick Road out of a stack and added the border, and, as I had black thread in the machine, I got out the red and black jigsaw quilt (the one pieced by Rosemary) and added the border to that too!!!

As Louise has cancelled lunch tomorrow I shall be good and get on with the embroidery before I get back to any more UFOs or hand finishing the black borders!!!




Ooooh, and I sold another design on ETSY, so the seagull has been emailed to Megan in USA :-)