Stash In The Attic

My first completed quilt

I started out on this quilt a little while ago when Sally & Debbie came over for the weekend. I must admit to not being a natural sewer from the start. I had never sewn before (except on paper which I'm told doesn't count) so as you can imagine I had a LOT to learn. All the tools, the wadding, the sewing machine - everything was alien to me but I desperately wanted to make something great to snuggle under. Sally and Debbie were very patient, Sally guided me through the entire process from selecting my fabric right through to the basting. Debbie was so patient in letting the total novice use the iron first and have the majority of Sallys attention and time (I was a special case!!!) I have discovered myself (with advice and web videos) how to machine quilt in the ditch and how to bind the quilt. To say I'm pleased with the result is an understatement. Is is so not perfect in lots of ways but to me it is. It is my first ever quilt and every little mistake is evidence of my learning from it. I am about to wash it and then snuggle under it at every opportunity I get. And seeing as Autumn is closing in, it will be even more snuggly.

Busy cleaning

I have rediscovered the FLYLADY and have been reading her books, listening to her radio show and cleaning. It has been made a bit easier by the fact that Martin is still in Scotland and not here to make a mess. The house is in pretty good shape now, all I need to do is keep going. I totally had CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) in my life before. But now the house is ok. I have been working hard and am still working this weekend. I am in the process of going for a new job at work so am having to read and study most nights to prepare for my interview. I have also been painting. I have had canvases and paint for yonks but never had the guts to do anything in case it came out rubbish. Then I started looking around for some abstract canvases for around the house but when I looked at them and then at the price I thought 'I'm sure I can paint a few swirly lines on a canvas' esp as I already have all the stuff. So I gave it a go. This will go in the guest bedroom so not openly on display in the house. The only people going in that room are people staying so they're probably a good enough friend that they won't laugh at my effort. I am fairly pleased with it and it matches the colour scheme which is the main thing. People were charging £100's for a similar thing................and people were paying it!!!! I think I have a long way to go before I can call myself an artist but at least I've had a go an used up some stuff that was sitting in my craft room. I have started a minibook project on shimelles website but can't show any photos yet. I have just covered one side of each page with papers and need to get my photos printed. Thats about all for now.

My Parcel

Thanks so much to my swap partner Katiepops. I received loads of scrummy things in my parcel. A beautiful skein of Violet green 2 ply silk lace yarn. Its in the most goregous turquoise shade which reminds me of the sea on my honeymoon. To go with the yarn I got a pattern from Knitty.com - the Muir shawl. It will work perfectly with the yarn. I got a cute handbag shaped pin cushion and some pins. I got a lovely flower shaped candle, a Momiji mug which is so sweet. I will keep this as my mug for my tea when knitting. I got two bars of chocolate. One was half eaten before I took the photo. I also got some Queen & Co flowers for my scrapbooking and a beautiful handmade card. I totally love it all and now need to get knitting so I can finish up some stuff and start on the Muir shawl.

Here it is.

My shawl knit with the Blue faced leicester that Jon from Easyknits spun for me. I am loving knitting with it. The colours are great and look fab when knitted up. I have used a very simply lace pattern to try and make the wool go further. I know this skein was a one-off. All I have to figure out now is 1. how am I going to cast off - what edging should I put on it. and 2. How on earth am I going to block it. Oh well, I will have to deal with those things as I am desperate to finish it and wear it. So much has been going on lately. Last weekend was birthdat celebrations. Alexandra, my wonderful neice, had her 18th Birthday. A fab party at Colins club and then a relaxing family bbq at our house the following day. Unfortunately I had to leave to go to work - very miserable. Then after a week of work we went to see Harry Potter and the half blood prince on Friday. We took my nephew Michael with us. He is so funny. When I asked him if he planned on reading the next book he stated that he couldn't be arsed & would just wait for the next film because its easier. He has just turned 13 - ha ha what a typical teenage thing to say. We're off to Alton Towers and blackpool so will be back with lots of fun stuff to say. I also need to update you on my knitting swap parcel that I received. It was amazing - but I'll need a photo to go with my desription - so you'll need to wait for that one.

Quilting update!!

So it's taken me a while to get my photos taken of the fabric we bought for martins quilt. I have been practising on a honey bun quilt so I get better at the stitching before I tackle all the cutting on his. Heres the fabric martin picked out. So I think it will go really well in his room now he's got his sofa and all his bits in there. Hers is the quilt top for the Aviary honeybun quilt - pattern is from the moda bakeshop website. I haven't added the boarders yet but thought I'd share it as it is. I totally love it and although I've managed to slice through the fabric in some places whilst unpicking stitches, I don't think it's come out too bad. I have been working all week and weekend so I am looking forward to some peaceful weekends this week to get some crafting done. I have done some scrapping - don't faint. I will share soon as it's part of a team challenge on UKS. Also to come - what have I made with that easyknits yarn that Jon spun for me....................

Back to the Cheap Shop

So the only thing that got me through the last 11 days at work was the thought that TODAY I am going back to the cheap shop. Now I have been immersing myself in quilting books, podcasts, yummy fabrics etc I now have an idea of what I'm actually looking out for. I am hoping to pick up some fabric - of course - a smaller ruler and some bits and pieces. My hubby even wants me to make him a quilt so I will help him pick out some fabric for that. He has already picked a pattern which looks fairly easy to do. I have about 3 jelly roll quilts lined up first so by the time I get round to his I will hopefully be a bit more experienced. Of course we will also be going to the jam place for some lunch before coming back and playing with all my new stuff. Well I'd better go & get Martin up now as I think I'm about to burst. I promise to post some photos of all my goodies when I get home.

OOooh I'm addicted!

I am totally in LOVE with my new machine. It came with 50 massive spools of thread and a walking foot + a 1/4 inch foot AND an extension table. I have been playing with it, trying to work everything out - well, at least enough to straight stitch properly. I have practically done all of the ditches on my quilt now, so need a new project to start really. I have ordered some totally lush fabrics. Here is my Moda Patisserie Jelly roll I am hoping to make a larger quilt for our bedroom out of this one, I also had to order some Amy Butler Midwest Modern fabric. This is set 2 Candy. I just fell in love with the colours and patterns - they remind me of scrapbooking papers. I am working this weekend but hope that I get home at some point to just finish up on my machine quilting and then pick what to start next. I should really knit a few rounds on Martins sock and finish up my Easyknits shawl, but we'll see how we go. My secret swap pal (on the Ravelry UK swap) has been stalking my site - so hello if you're out there!!!!!!

Too much excitement.

Well I know i've been absent for some time - AGAIN - but hey ho. Life has kept me busy and blogging was way down the list in priorities. BUT after having the best weekend ever I had to share some stuff with you all. Back at Scrap Fever Sally agreed to teach me how to quilt. Bearing in mind I have never used a sewing machine except for paper and one fabric scrapbook page (where acuracy played no part) this was no small task. We'd arranged to meet up at my house this weekend. Debbie brought Sally over. We spent saturday morning at The Cheap Shop in Tiptree, picking our fabric, wadding & a few essential bits & bobs. Poor Martyn (debbies husband) got dragged there too. Then we went for the obligatory cream tea. We met Trudy and chatted about all sorts. Then back home to start work. Cutting the fabric was even tricky for me - being left handed and never having cut fabric with a rotary trimmer before. I got the hang of it eventually - Sally has the patience of a Saint. Then we had to start sewing. I have the worlds crappiest sewing machine (toyota Jeans) bought purely for sewing on paper. I find it very stiff and clunky to use. I tried out Sallys Bernina and it is like a dream to sew with. If I win the lottery I am going to run out and buy one for each room, until that point however I can't really afford even 1. Instead I have invested in the Janome Sewing Machine - MC4800QC It should be arriving tomorrow. I am so excited. Anyway, back to the quilt. I finally managed to sew the top all together, make the boarder and make the sandwich with the wadding before Sally & Debbie finally lost the will to live. They both helped me loads. Sally was a star - getting all my pieces lined up, teaching me how to pin stuff together. When I said I was a complete novice I wasn't kidding. Anyway I managed to produce this To say I am thrilled is a drastic understatement. I adore it - even with all the little mistakes I can see on it. I started quilting it on my toyota but have decided to hang on until my new Janome gets here before I do any more to it. I can't stop touching it and looking at it. I am very proud of myself, and extremely grateful to Sally for teaching me. Debbies quilt is a different pattern and material to mine but was looking stunning when she packed up on Sunday. She was very patient with me as poor Sally had to practically watch over my shoulder the whole time and me & Sally hogged the iron a bit, trying to get mine as complete as possible. I now know what to do until the binding so that will be my next lesson. Until then I may start another quilt. Sally gave me several pieces of fabric as a present including some Kaffe Fassett, who I recognise from knitting. I am very lucky to have such generous & lovely friends.

Finishing up

With the bank holidays I have managed to get some of my projects from scrap fever finished. The first one to be finished (but no photos in it yet) was Venessas class, My Thankful Heart. It was such a sweet minibook and used very little. It would be perfect to do as a gift album. I am planning on filling this book with photos of my scrapping friends. Next was 100 Eyelets or die trying, one of Donna's classes. In this class you used eyelets which I haven't used in YEARS!!!! I love this little book, and filled mine with wedding photos. That means I have 2 left to finish. I am hoping to get those done when I get up tomorrow. Maybe my big bite will have arrived by then,,,,,,I will have to put an eyelet in the middle of a page just for the hell of it to justify my purchase :) Till tomorrow....Bye!

Happy Easter!

I had such a wonderful surprise yesterday when I got a parcel in the post. I wasn't expecting anything as all my recent buys had already arrived. Of course Martin didn't believe me. I opened it up and it was a lovely pressie from Nat. Inside was a lovely easter card which you may have already seen on Nats blog - well I am now the proud owner. After she visited and saw I have a little display of all the cards she has sent me and some other hand made, special cards, she must have known it would be well-loved. Also I had a little best friends momiji doll. It was the cutest thing I had seen. I now have it up in my scraproom to cheer me up. Now I am looking forward to today so that I can watch Willy Wonka (the original of course) and eat my giant Easter Egg - a Cadbury crenme egg one. Is chocolate for breakfast a bad thing?????