Favourite Things Friday

I confessed to Mrs P that I probably wouldn't have time tonight to join the fun but as it pans out one of my jobs for tonight has been palmed off so I have time.

When I got home this afternoon there was a couple of parcels at the door and these are my favourite things because what was contained in the parcels were a big pile of fabric.

I know that it is very important to support your local quilt shop and I make sure that I share my fabric love with them as much as I can.  But with the possibility of a Market stall I wanted some bargain fabric to make some of the bigger items to help keep my overheads down so I did a bit of web shopping the other week and got these fabrics.  Another shop was offering Grab Bags in various colour and although I have been stung by Grab Bags before (finding that I hate every piece in them) seeing that this shop is full of funky fabric I thought that there was probably a good possibility that I would like most of it.  

Grab Bags are traditionally sold by weight and are usually remnants of fabric.  Some of the pieces are quite big and there was a great variety in the 3 that I got so I am happy and they are going to be great for making smaller bags for the stall.

So my Favourite Things Friday is FABRIC.

Want to see more FTF check out Mrs P.

Creative Space

I'm not playing this week, have done bits and pieces all of which I can't show you as most of it is for people who read my blog.

Last night went to drive in my driveway and I saw a frog jumping across my way it was too late to stop, so I expected a pancake frog when I got out of the car but it wasn't he must of jump out of the way just in the nick of time.  I have been hearing frogs on and off for a month or two and the rain must have bought him out.  It amazes me how they find our house because we are a good 3 blocks away from the local creek, but we have found them in our pool from time to time and last night this guy was jumping around in our garden, from the amount of slugs, snails and millepedes around not to mention the fly's at the moment there is probably plenty of food to eat.  We had a cool change yesterday and lots of rain so they must have bought him out from his hiding place.

Looked for him this morning but he wasn't anywhere to be found.
So if you want to find more creative places than mine check out kirsty My Creative Space

New Toy

Got up early this morning and as it was nice and warm it didn't take a 20 minute debate with myself to get out of bed and go for a walk.  My ear seems to have settled down a bit so it wasn't such a dangerous mission as it was last week when I found myself tripping up and having to really concentrate to keep walking in a straight line.  

On the weekend I swapped my phone for a new iphone which has taken a bit of getting use to, but gradually I am working things out.  Have downloaded an essential quilting application... just because I could and a couple of other things.  Have failed to send a picture to Leanne she keeps getting blank messages with just pxt in it.  If anyone knows what I have done wrong can you tell me.  I can receive pictures fine and email stuff with pictures in it.  I have worked out how to increase the volume on the phone now.  

This week I made a start on Market stuff and have finished 5 bags and worked on some jewellery last night.  So I am very happy with what I have achieved though I know if we get the stall I will have to ramp up production.  Next week I will be starting another set of things (which I can't show you because it is my project from Homespun which was on their stall at Australian Quilt Market ... very exciting) and working on Christmas pressies for girls just waiting on a delivery from the postie. 

Favourite Things Friday

I know it kinda looks a bit like Slack Tea Thursday, but this is actually breakfast and it is my FFF for this week.  

I usually have a poached egg on vegemite toast for breakfast.  For any northerners reading this Vegemite is a Yeast Extract that lots of aussies love (probably just as many don't).  As you can see by the lumpy bits I love Vegemite.    

And why is this FFF it is because that poached egg is perfect.  Many a morning has been spoiled because the egg is not perfect and it is a bit hit and miss.  At the moment I put the egg in the rapidly boiling water take the slotted spoon and make sure I losen it from the bottom of the saucepan then leave it to cook just enough, runny yoke is key.  This system seems to be working most of the time.  I hate it when the yoke breaks as I am trying to drain it and I have to east soggy toast and only white of the egg.

The eggs themselves are organic eggs from the Organic Market once a fortnight.  The yokes are BRIGHT YELLOW and they are the best eggs you are ever likely to taste.        

For more FFF head on over to Mrs P

Creative Space

This week's creative space sees me in a mess again lol.  What else is new? I hear you ask.  Well there has been a bit happening on the creative front.  I have delved into the stash and pulled out a few treasures to make some bags to go into the possible market stall stash.

Do you see that fabric on top it is from a range called Florentine which was a Christmas range about 5 years ago (actually it is probably older than that).  Lots of sparkly gold bits through it and some of the prints had beautiful angels on them.  Haven't found those ones yet, but I think this little snip will be all that I can spare for the stall but I did cut another one out for myself.

And when you are making lots of stuff you need supplies so I also got some lovely soft wool felt pieces from Craftumi and a fantastic stash of zips.   It think the felt will be used for embellishing some of the bags.  

This week also sees me battling an inner ear infection, which if you have ever had one you will know makes life interesting to say the least.  The tablets that the Dr have given me seem to be working most of the time but yesterday I was so disorientated I had to come home early from work and get my hubby to drive me.  Dr has told me 1 - 6 weeks for it to get better I am hoping for the 1 but somehow I don't think that looks likely as when the tablets wear off in the words of Kylie "I'm Spinning Around".

Now back to marking my pattern pieces.

and I forgot again so for more check out kirsty My Creative Space

Possibilities

I made this on the weekend.  I was thinking of something that was easy and for a child that I thought might be good for a market stall.  So of course I did it in a size that would fit Squid just in case but I did it in a colour that she doesn't usually go for.  Of course she had to wear it and has claimed it for her own.   It needs one minor modification which I will do and it will be perfect this one is a 5-6, I will be doing a 3-4 and 7-8 so let me know what you think.  

Leanne and I headed to the Lollipop Market on Sunday.  It was pumping prams everywhere.  I guess as it was a child and baby market that was going to happen but it was really nuts.  Which is a good thing as I think Adelaide has a bit of a reputation for being a bit slack on the buying front when it comes to these things.  But the difference between this market and quilt show the other week is that it appeals to a younger demographic and it was FREE entry and FREE parking and the people came and they obviously spent up big.  So Hand Craft isn't dead after all which I am really excited about.  

Christmas Pageant

It's that time of year again.  The last few years have been megga hot, we didn't go last year as the forecast was for 40 degree and I didn't fancy walking through the city with two hot and bothered kids.   This year is was a cool 17 yesterday with chance of rain, so we packed our spray jackets and headed off to the train.  As our train is an offshoot of a bigger line we get the dregs so there was only a train every hour on our line and they only sent 2 carriages.   We got on at early at our stop and took the next stop to down to Grange which was a good thing as the train filled up completely at the Grange stop.  So with a gazzilion kids and prams, and scooters, and deck chairs all loaded we made our sardine packed way to the city.  As we got on early we were able to take the booth next to the drivers access which meant that we were very comfortable as 4 prams (not to mention the folded out deck chair that one parent let their kid sit on in the standing area as well as their folded out scooters.... some people are idiots) stopped anyone else coming up to join us.

Once we got to the city we headed with the thousands to my husbands work and again we had our vantage point to ourselves.  With the overcast conditions at least this time this time it was comfortable and we didn't have the sun in our eyes.

As you can see we have a pretty good view and if the kids want to see something up close we just go down the lifts and walk out onto the street.  

Here is either Nipper or Nimble can't remember which but every little girl in Adelaide, would love the chance to ride the pageant on either of these two horses.

A new cupcake float which was pretty cool.  

And of course this heralds the arrival of the big fella himself.  

And it is all over for another year.

The Train station on the way back was a bit of a nightmare with our lines being swapped at the last minute meaning we had to run from one side of the train station to the other to get the only train for an hour.  And as we got home the rain started down... fantastic timing.

Favourite Things Friday

First a finish, I decided to tackle this little number last night, it is a pattern by the wonderful Nicole Mallalieu.  I can't recommend her patterns enough they are a class in a pack.  All her instructions are very clear and easy to work out (maybe not at 11pm which is where I came unstuck last night) I stopped when I found I skipped a page but it only took about 10 minutes to finish this afternoon.  

And now for my favourite thing Friday.

5 years ago I inherited some money when my grandfather died and I decided to spend a little on this.  I traded in my 2000 special quilters edition bernina to buy it (a decision I have regretted because one day the squid could have used it and also it was lighter and easier to take to classes) oh well I won't be selling this one if I ever want to upgrade.

It gets a fair workout.  I bought it for the BSR which I no longer use as I found that it doesn't like the peddle to metal speed that I tend to keep it at when I quilt.  But it is a workhorse and when it does start to play up I take it to Otto's and he fixes her just like a new one, gotta love a reliable machine mechanic.

Do you want to play along or check out a few other's FFF go to Mrs P's.

My Creative Space

As I write this I have just finished machine stitching the binding on Cherry Pops, hopefully the handstitching is done by now (I am posting this yesterday ready for this morning).  I am going to have to find a nice spot to take a photo for the pattern front, might do a Leanne and use the park across the road. This is it for me creatively this week, hopefully next week I will have more to show as I will have done heaps towards possible market stall.

For more creative spaces check out kootoyoo.

Deadlines

I was surfing on the net yesterday and went to the Madeit Blog site and there emblazoned with RED letters it says 6 Weeks till Christmas.   UGGGH.  So Cherry Pops is quilted and yesterday I tied off all the threads which had me wishing that I had done it while I was quilting it (which I did for Karen's don't look now quilt).  To tell the truth I am kind of feeling like I have lots of balls in the air and don't quite know where to start.

Yesterday Leanne and I put in an application to do a market stall.  We have been UMMMMing and RRRRing about pro's and con's and in the end decided that we might as well give it a go.  Who knows SA blog readers might come and buy some of our wares and with any luck we will cover our costs.   I was putting the application together and Leanne had all these wonderful pictures and I was thinking what have I put up 4 things, I had  better get my act into gear.   So last night I drafted a wrap skirt for my daughter, I put the pattern up to her just to make sure it would fit sitting it on her waist and she said no that isn't where it goes it goes here and she pulls it down on her hip.  Ok so tonight I will have to modify the pattern slightly.  Then I should be all set to sew up a storm.

My plan in between all the Christmas sewing is to make a start on possible Stall items so that I have an idea how long it is going to take to stock the stall.  We have a couple of weeks until we find out if we are in so hopefully I will have enough items in that time to have a good idea how we will go post Christmas rush.  And if we don't make it I have a good start on a Made It store which I signed up for last week.

The girls at sewing want to make some of my ornies so I have to prepare the pattern which is currently available as a download so that I can print it (lots of lovely photo's in the download though).  This has been thwarted by the fact that my new laser printer has run out of toner, so I will be heading to Office Works to print them off instead because the toner cartridge is nearly what I paid for the printer.  So I will just slot that in to the To Do list as well.

Cherry Pops

I think I might have to make a trip up to the quilt shop this morning to get backing fabric for this so I can quilt it this weekend and write up the pattern.  

Favourite Things Friday

Sorry you are only going to get an outside view of my room.  Inside it looks like the fabric monster threw up, I have too many projects on the go and there is stuff everywhere.  But this is my Favourite Thing for this week my sewing room or should I say Quilt Studio.  It is full to overflowing, but at least I can shut the door and not worry about the mess.  

When we bought the house my husband said this could be his shed, I said no way there is a carpet in there so it has to be my sewing room, I think he agreed because he thought that that would keep my "crap" as he likes to call it out of the house.  12+ years later he has given up on that hope.

My only wish is that it could be like the Tardis and be bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside but I suppose that isn't going to happen.  So I might have to have another clean out or maybe I just need to learn how to be less messy when I create or not start so many projects all at once.  Can't see that happening any time soon.

Check out Mrs P for more FTF.

My Creative Space

You may recognise the embroidery from previous Creative Spaces post.  I had pieced the top with a different focus fabric but then wasn't completely happy with the finish look and I was stumped with how to finish it off.  Sometimes you just have to admit defeat and start again.  So I unpicked and trimmed the original embroidered blocks down tried a new setting with different fabric.  I also wanted to make sure I would be able to sell the patterns locally so changing the fabric to something new in my LQS is hopefully a good move.  It will be a small wallhanging quilt but I am thinking of giving options to make the quilt bigger if they want to.  

I am hoping to be off to the Quilt Fair today, but as I write this (last night) I feel absolutely dreadful and might end up spending the day in bed instead with some bug that my daughter bought home from school.  Fingers crossed I am able to sleep without coughing all night and am able to have a bit of a day out at the show and maybe do a bit of shopping.  

Forgot again. Duh.. check out more creative spaces here 

Ta Da All Finished

Got home from work today and put the finishing touches on this quilt.  Tonight I will burry the few remaining threads and then Karen can have her quilt back.  It looks pretty stunning in the flesh.