A Lovely Christmas

I think this year was the most relaxed I've ever been at Christmas, my present shopping was completed before I headed to Melbourne and I did the food shopping on Sunday and there were just a couple of last minute things I picked up on Tuesday evening.  The tip is to go around 5.30 when people are still coming home from work and I'm convince there is a mental thing to head out after tea, it was still busy but there were plenty of parks.

The Melbourne trip was a bit different this year, I decided I wasn't going to rush around shopping the next day.  Our Head Office moved into the city this year and the boss picked me up from the hotel and we went into look at the new accommodation.  They have spectacular views of the city, the Yarra, Fed Square, Rod Laver Arena and if only they removed that big building in front of it the MCG.

I went to luccello on the way to the hotel on Friday and purchased a couple of Christmas Decorations and some Valdani thread.  The shop has changed over the years and I think there is less vintage and more fabric now which is a shame.

Saturday I headed to the Aquarium and spent a couple of hours looking at the fish and then walked to the DFO just for some window shopping and then off to the airport and home.

I worked from home Christmas Eve and I was able to do quite a bit of prep work and just really chilled out and got up early Christmas day to put the turkey in the oven.

DH got a Webber Q for Christmas, he had no clue.  We talked about it this morning and he couldn't figure out when I purchased it and when I told him November he couldn't believe that the kids had kept their mouth shut for so long and how it had managed to be kept under wraps at my MIL as he had been in and out of the hiding place a dozen times.   I'm just glad that we weren't relying on it for  cooking Christmas day as it took him most of the morning to put it together.

The Turkey was perfect again this year, thanks to the moister plus setting on my oven,  but I did manage to over cook the dinner rolls for the 2nd year in a row.

I got a new phone for Christmas which arrived Christmas Eve and a couple of T2 gifts, a small ice tea jug and a tea flask which is amazing (keeps tea piping hot for about 3 hours) and the kids got more than enough to keep them busy for the holidays and beyond.

I'm off from work until the 12th and I have 3 quilts to finish.  I plan to allocate a couple of hours each day to get those done.    But today I need to head out to the sewing room and see if I can find that sewing table because I dumbed a heap of stuff there to get it out of the way yesterday.  Catch you soon and have a lovely break for the holidays.

15 minute challenge - mid month review

The first half of the month has been very good for stitching.  There were a few hiccups in waiting for my favourite background fabric - Emma Louise but it arrived and I got to stitching the first of my quilts that needs to be finished by first week in January.

While I was waiting I also got started on putting together the chock sampler.  Though I have block placement decided and the sashing all cut putting it together stopped for the piecing of the skill builder sampler.  That quilt is all together and I just have to add top and bottom sashing. And one small border and it's ready for quilting.

I'm currently in Melbourne for yearly xmas party for work, got to say not feeling all that fabulous this morning it was a big one this year.  I left about 10pm and there was others still going (the festivities started at 12)  Plan to head out to the aquarium and watch some fish instead of hitting the shops and just have a chill day.

Sorry no pictures as I can't work it out on the iPad catch you soon

Chocolate Marshmallow Sampler Blocks 7 & 8

How are the blocks going?  I've been busy working on a new sampler to teach next year.  That quilt top is nearly finished and I'll post picture in a couple of days.

I hope to get back to putting Choccy Sampler together soon but you can't see that for a couple of months yet.  However, now you are a little bit closer because today I am unveiling blocks 7 and 8 so there are on four more to go after this.

We are doing some more connector corners this month and using that nifty method of creating pinwheel blocks again that I showed you in month 2.

Bit of a Mixed Bag

The day job is winding down for the year and for the first time in about 3 years I am nearly up to date and have started archiving files (which I haven't had enough time to finish for about 3 years).  I'm half way through 2 years worth and then will have to go back and do the files due to be archived this year.

Friday I am heading to Melbourne for the annual Xmas Party and shopping spree though I don't think there will be much shopping, my Xmas shopping is pretty much all done so I might not shop at all apart from a detour to L'uccello and maybe do a tourist thing on Saturday before flying home.

While the day job is winding down, Seabreeze Quilts is ramping up.  I've just finished first draft of this months Choccy blocks.... OMG how late is that will edit it tomorrow ready to go up on the week on Monday.  I have interrupted putting the quilt together to do another sampler quilt which I will be teaching at Patchwork by Sea next year .  These lessons will follow straight on from the beginners class and will give the them a chance to move straight onto another set of blocks and learn a few more techniques and hone the skills they have just learnt.

Classes will be on a Tuesday night in term 1, 2 and 3.  If you know anyone interested in learning Patchwork you know where to send them.  

There are 2 more blocks to go and then I can work on putting it together and quilted and hopefully get it to the shop in early January to help advertise the classes.  Loving the way just changing the way the units are put together changes the whole look of the block.  

 

15 Minute Challenge End of Month Report

The last 15 days have been more successful sewing wise for me and I have managed far more than my 15 minutes.

For the 3rd week of the month I hand quilted till my fingers bled (well not quite) while my sewing machine was getting a service.  It was good to just sit and sew every night watching the TV.

Week 4 saw me getting reacquainted with my sewing machine, can't get over how much quieter it is now its had a service.  All my sampler blocks are completed so now all I have to do is write up the patterns for the final 3 months.

Once that was done I picked up my Metro Twist Blocks which were cut ready to stitch and on the weekend pieced and squared up the individual pieces.  The quilt top is now finished but that is probably for the next report as I finished it on the 2nd.

If you want a specialty ruler you really need to try the Quick Curved Ruler, especially if you love curved quilt patterns.  Have to say they have been my weakness for years.  There are loads of patterns and you can purchase them for instant download which is great for Aussies and the blog is full of great variations and other peoples work to get inspiration.  There are about 3 more quilts that I want to try right now but I just don't have the time.  I know quite a few Aussie shops are stocking the ruler now and some of the patterns.

Teaching

I'll be teaching Beginners at Patchwork by Sea again next year,  and I will also be providing a follow on class which I will be working the project for during the holidays.  At the moment the title of the Class is Beginners Skill Builder Sampler and will run for 3 weeks straight after the beginners class finishes.

Ideally you would attend the beginners class first and then do the follow on class (unless you were in my beginners class this year then just wait for the skill builder or do the beginners class again which a few of them were keen to do :).  In the beginners class I teach how to get a basic quilt together from start to finish, the skill builder class concentrate on piecing more complicated blocks.

If you know someone who would love to learn the basics and/or a bit more have them contact the shop and put their name down.  Classes start the 2nd week of the school term (first week of February).