Ahem. I also found...

I feel like I am being such a good girl using up all the Christmas fabric I bought last week. I had enough batting for two table runners. Finished those. Now what to do? Bit of a rummage for some other sewing projects, and yippee! I found enough batting for two more! Hurrah! No need to try to get into town for batting during the crazy, busy week before Christmas.

 Two Birds table runner is finished

It is wonderful to see sew many variations when quilters make similar projects. I think that's why linking up is so much fun. It's inspiring and motivating. We get back on here and "report" (or write our blog), and it keeps us on track with our projects.

Berry Bird tablerunner is sewn, just needs binding

Dollan Design made a Christmassy table runner in a similar design and it looks so different. She has used scrappy fabrics for the centre squares. What a different effect is achieved!

I also love her Christmas tree placemats. Such lovely colours.

Ahem. Did I mention... during the rummaging...  I also found...that I have a stash here after all. I thought my stash was in storage. Nope. It seems once a quilter is a fabric hoarder, she is always a fabric hoarder. Here I am, thinking how good I have been using up all that fabric I just bought, and using up stashed backing and batting.. but there is SO MUCH FABRIC, mostly organised as projects, ready to be sewn under the bed.

When I wondered why I collected so much fabric here in under three years. I thought about it.  I had packed up my life into a caravan and wandered with no stash, only a few little projects to keep me sane. Eventually I settled 3000km away from my old home and started to collect fabric. But this time, I wasn't buying a fat quarter here or there, I was buying for a whole project. Um. This goes back to a few years ago when we had so much fabric, that Andrea and  I decided  we were only going to buy fabric if we knew what it was for. Sometimes I would stand in the shop and make up a new project. Hahahahhaha! And so, I became used to buying for an entire project. Or in my case 6 table runners!

It looks like I will finish four out of six QAYG Christmas tablerunners, then turn towards other projects for a while, until I buy more batting.... And I was trying so hard not to be distracted! It could be a disaster where two are left undone. Maybe I could work on one of the UFOs under the bed?

Finishing a Monster Quilt

Eight years ago when I first started this "Monsters" quilt (designed by Sue Garman), I couldn't have known that it would be perfect for my 6 year old son as a Christmas gift this year.

Every day I count my blessings for the three beautiful children in my life.

Oh yes, they certainly cut down on sewing time... Hahahhaha... but I adore my family life!

Mum has quilted every monster differently. Each monster block has a different background quilting pattern, and every monster has a different pattern in matching thread quilted  onto their body.

Mum had owner her Statler Gammill machine for only a year or so, and loved doing the machine quilting for me.

I am very lucky that Mum still enjoys professional machine quilting as a hobby and business. I love to machine quilt too, but I also love getting quilts back from  Mum with such a fast turnaround. I get to finish more projects!

Finally, the binding is on this quilt, and now it just needs a label. Then it will be wrapped under the tree ready to give in a few days time.

Just for a giggle, here is the back

I hope you are feeling ready for Christmas too.

Sewing in the kitchen

When one is sewing in the kitchen, it's not the same as having a permanently arranged studio. For one thing, I have to clear away all the dishes and wipe the island bench immediately after dinner - it's my cutting mat area. (Usually a quilter on a sewing spree would just leave the dishes undone.) The freezer has a towel and iron over it. There are leads extending across the room.

Oh no! I am sorry darling! Are you ok? Ouch. He tripped on a cord. Luckily he is ok. Iron hit the concrete floor. Well, let's see if it still works.

A bit later... What's that smell? I rub the iron over an old towel on top of the freezer. Eww. Lots of brown is now on the towel. I'll turn down the temperature.

A bit later... Pew! That smell! Oh My God! The thermostat must be broken! The iron is so hot it is melting itself. YES! The plastic half an inch away from the metal plate has melted on one side.

Ok. Unplug and it's time to throw it out. Hahahhahahhaha. Oh! The casualties of sewing in the kitchen!

Because I had been sew conscientious yesterday, I had all my pieces cut, pieced and pressed. I was able to start the second tablerunner.

Meanwhile, adjustments are being made while trying to work out the optimum times to sew in the "Darwin kitchen". (This is Australian jargon for a covered roof with 'walls' enclosed only by shadecloth, with electric lights and fans on the ceiling. Cooking inside the house heats it up too much). It was lovely out there at 5am this morning and too hot by 7:30am. Slowly fitting into a schedule that allows family time, and sewing in the cool of the day (ha! Whatever that is!)...

Winter birds tablerunner is finished.

The binding should be finished on the Monsters quilt today.

Sewing Adventures

It's been a wonderful week of sewing adventures. I've finished a quilt, and started new projects. Feeling inspired and happy!

Now I have to slow down on the machine sewing and cutting mat part, and lean towards more handwork during the day.

It's too hot here to be outside, even under fans, and I've had heat stroke symptoms three times in the last five days.

Before it happened today, I was able to start the binding on the QAYG Christmas bird table runner.

...And a whole lot of cutting out - I cut the rest of the fabric, and found I had enough for another 5 table runners - that's 6 in total with the same fabrics. Yippee! Lots of presents on their way.

While I pieced pictures from the panel to make the 8 inch square centres, I also stitched the red squares that form the centre line of the runner, using them as leaders and enders. (There are so many projects going around at the moment with four patches, I am tempted to make one, just while I am doing other things. Hmmm. Maybe I could use this bag of fabric scraps I put aside for a wedding quilt for my sister, and actually make her something.)

Pieced centres

Scrap bags - looks like I started a double wedding ring by hand. Groan. Next!!

Daytime sewing of binding on the monsters quilt, and stitchery is going to follow. Perhaps I can make the next table runner tomorrow night in the cool.

Started one of the pear tree stitchery projects

The Horsey Quilt is finished!

Last night my baby boy was asleep at 6:35pm! I started sewing at 6:37pm, and had a dream couple of hours at the already-set-up sewing machine! Woohoo!

First I started this QAYG table runner. As it was the first one, it took a bit of time to set up. I have the measurements now, and will be able to make more much faster. (More? You say. Of course! I have enough fabric for another three.)

Really, I think I need to take a leaf of out my friend Jo's book. She has been making Christmas gifts all year. I need to do the same. Maybe I can say one per month. Surely I don't need to give a hand made gift to more than 12 people?? Even for me, who loves to give hand made. Twelve should be more than enough.

Then I moved onto the couch for some hand sewing, and finished sewing the binding onto the Horsey quilt. Hooray!

I am really excited to finish it in time for Christmas.

It's reversible, so you get to see both sides, and the dog.

And here is a gorgeous pic of the 40th birthday doiley in its new home.What a lovely place for it! On a lamp! And now, who minds it if sits flat or not?

I hope you are having a simply wonderful day!

A Sewing Holiday At Home

Today, for the first time in a long time, I realised that I had my quilter's head back. I'm not sure you could say it's my "normal brain", but it's a "normal quilter's brain".

What I mean is, I am actively enjoying the projects I am working on, and I have the next three projects planned, because I know I will be onto them soon.

What do I mean?

I went to Sunlit Blooms local quilt shop for the first time today. I had barely been there 5 minutes when I had been greeted and welcomed by 3 different staff, and asked if there was anything in particular I was looking for. It was such a contrast from the other LQS I had been frequenting -
 where they don't seem to take any interest in what I'm making or ask me if I need anything (although I do like their fabrics). I enjoyed myself immensely, and found out that SB have two sit and sew mornings each week! Although they are about to finish up for Christmas until February.

Next thing you know, I am fondly caressing the Christmas fabrics, and there was nobody there to stop me from buying things for the next project! Well I did go into the shop holding this pattern I'd had for a few years.

Right now I have finished the quilt top for the wedding - it was quite windy today, this is the best photo so far. I am hand stitching the binding on the Horsey quilt.  The binding is machined onto Monsters. Soon I will have the bindings on, and I will be looking for some handwork.

This will be the border fabric for one pear tree 12 Days of Christmas.

This will be the border fabric for another pear tree 12 Days of Christmas.

Now I can choose the colours for the stitcheries, ready to work on in the evenings. I've had this pattern for absolutely years, and hadn't made it. The pattern says to use cereal boxes to keep the pears stable. Erm. No. That's not my style. I did have this cheap stiff "felt" from Kmart, and it looks like it will go with the border fabric. Terriffic.

Now I need to wait a couple of days before measuring myself to make the Christmas skirt. And yet, there is more time available to use the sewing machine before it is put away for a while. The next project in mind is a Quilt As You Go tablerunner in Christmas fabrics.

This means I have six projects in my head: Time For Love wedding quilt, Horseys quilt, Monsters Quilt, Christmas skirt, QAYG tablerunner and the 12 Days Of Christmas wallhanging I've been meaning to finish since 2010 - that's six years ago.

Does this ever happen to you? Hahaha. I made sure the bobbin was full so I wouldn't run out just before I finished machine stitching the binding onto the Monsters quilt, and instead I ran out of binding. Dang it! Had to cut another strip. Thank goodness I have a whole bolt of black Emma Louise muslin.

Totally exhausted and it's not even 7pm. I think it's time to hang up my brain for a while.

No wonder I'm tired - look at this. I've used a whole reel of thread this month.

I usually use the large cones of Signature cotton thread in grey or ivory, but I had a few reels in this colour and was able to use some up in the projects I've been working on.

Thank you for joining me. Rest assured, there will be more to see in the next few days.

My head is swimming

All I can offer is a sneak peak of the finished quilt top (interestingly enough, which some people have nicknamed a "flimsy"). Today we enjoyed some light showers, which were welcomed with open arms, but it made outdoor photography unlikely to succeed

The top was finished today, on such a high! The intense energy of the wedding even from across the seas has been with me for days. And it's a full moon!

The couple partook in traditional Indian celebrations over a few days,  but the official wedding was 9th December.

I am sharing some eye candy of the beautiful wedding clothes, and such a stunning couple.

Surely you can now see why I had to make something new for them, and not give something I made quite a while ago.

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When I saw these photos, I knew at once I had chosen the right fabrics to make their quilt.

My colour preferences have changed drastically since I moved 3,000 km north to Far North Queensland 3 1/2 years ago. I used to love warm fabrics - rich colours like a Turkish carpet, and reproduction fabrics exuding warmth.

It's far too hot here for such things. We will only use a quilt with cotton batting in the Winter. Cool colours are definitely the favourite for me, here near the beach - teals, blues, turquoises....

I am in the mood to make table runners and French Braid, so I was looking for pre cut fabric strips, as I only have a small stash here. Oh! What a time to be looking at fabric! So close to Christmas, the big websites in the U.S. - Hancocks and Fat Quarter Shop are having flash sales every day for the 12 days of Christmas. It's a great time for me to buy. Instead of A$70 for a pack, I've paid U.S.$20. Even with postage I have saved an absolute bucket load. The price works out the same as buying a few packets wholesale here in Australia, without having to buy a whole box of packs in the same range.

Thinking I had used up all my scraps of batting I was very pleased to trim the Horsey quilt and machine the binding on, because I had enough leftover batting to make two table runners! Yay!

I am half way stitching around the binding. Looking forward to finishing it, and another binding before starting my Christmas skirt!

My head is swimming with ideas and projects. Also this morning I was thinking that my sister turns 40 in six months. I just want to make her a wallhanging for her music room, something with Jazz. I wonder what I could find?

Later today I looked in a box of fabric I have and found this!

There are six squares. Enough for a wallhanging and some cushions. What a find! Needless to say, I was pretty excited! I wonder what I have that will go with it.