School Holidays

The day job has been a bit of a nightmare.  Our network was down for a whole week because our router failed and we weren't a high priority to get it fixed on the very week that is our busiest for the year.  I had to work from home which is normally ok but it has been school holidays and also with the rain our internet was a little bit patchy so it was all fun and games.  There was a point last Tuesday that I quietly (maybe not so quietly) had a bit of a meltdown from the stress of it all.  Luckily I was home and the kids went out for a few hours and let me just melt down without an audience.

I think I'm nearly caught up though I still have a monster pile of emails to file and paperwork to scan.

Liberty Love continues, I think I am probably half way through piecing the blocks, I'll do another pile on the weekend and I might be able to start working out how big the quilt will be.

Block 3 of the Celtic Tree of Life is finished, and I have drafted block 4 which is ready to stitch.    I will write the pattern over the next couple of days and have it up on the page to download on the weekend.

Maestro is having surgery on his elbow on Monday.  The prognosis isn't good, the Specialist thinks that there may be little they can do to fix the joint.  There is a slim change that there is debris in the joint that they can clean out and smooth the joint but he didn't sound too optimistic that there hasn't been permanent damage to the elbow and he will always have problems.  So our fingers and toes are crossed.

Liberty Love

I'm determined to make more quilts while designing and making the BOM.  This is the first one that I am tackling simultaneously.  I collected the fabrics last years using the Strawberry Thief's Liberty Club to collect fabrics as well as additional purchases of fabric that I really loved.  I haven't counted how many fabrics will be in the finished quilt but there are probably close to 50.

I have toyed with the idea of joining 4 of the 6" blocks together and putting those on point but I think just joining the blocks in single on point rows will be more effective and having small set in triangles of one of my favourite fabrics will do the trick.

The reason these blocks got put away a few months ago is that I was having trouble joining piecing the blocks my machine was eating the fabric.  The dove grey Frou Frou fabric is a similar weight to the Liberty Tana Lawn and is going mean a lovely soft quilt but piecing was proving to be problematic.

My friend Helen who is my machine guru suggested maybe change of needle or a single hole plate.  I purchased the single hole plate and it is amazing.  I think I will probably continue to use it for all chain piecing in future.

I always chain piece 9 patch blocks in vertical rows, keeping the threads attached and then stitching the horizontal rows.  This way you don't need pins to keep the blocks in place and it becomes incredibly quick to stitch a block.

I think I'll just continue to do a pile each day until all the blocks are done.  I have about 150 blocks trimmed ready to stitch.

I'm Late, I'm Late for a Very Important Date

Yesterday I had this little voice saying in my head I had forgotten something.  It wasn't until I hopped in the shower this morning that I worked out what that something was.  Sorry guys completely forgot to upload the latest pattern for Bee Inspired.

All fixed now, though.

Head on over to the Bee Inspired Page and its all there for you to download.

If you are from Australia you probably know that little old Adelaide and in fact the whole of the state has been hit by some wild weather this week.  Luckily we are far enough away from waterways so we were affected apart from the complete blackout of the state on Wednesday night.  I was driving my son to work when it hit, so I dropped him off and headed home not realising how much was affected.  Got almost home and had to turn back and pick him up.  In all I spent 1 ½ hours on the road in some pretty scary rain, and flooded out roads along the sea front.  Finally got home and just battened down as much as we could and had an early night.  

Today is a beautiful day but apparently there is more water heading our way in the coming week. 

Reading Binge

Been on a bit of a reading binge lately.

Things are a bit stressful on the home front, my MIL dementia has ramped up the last few weeks and my BIL who is her full time carer probably needs more help but will not ask/accept help unless it is forced on him and DH won't push the issue.  They are a very stubborn family.... Work is really busy at the moment as well.  Books have been my escape as well as stitching.     

I have been enjoying Audio books as well and I usually am listening to a different book to the one I am reading at the moment.  I find great to listen to in the car on the way to work and I also listen to them at work when I need to tune out and just do lots of mindless tasks.  I prefer to only get books that I have read and enjoyed and I find take in more of a given book if I listen to it as well.  A lot of books I have on my kindle a reread over and over again they are kinda like old friends that I am happy to stay with for a while.  Yes I am becoming a book nerd or rediscovering my book nerdishness before kids I always had a book in hand.    Probably need to download some classics as well.

One of my favourite authors Penny Reid is releasing a new book in October, to mark the occasion she has one of her PA's making Beard Science (new book) inspired Avatars.   Of course I had to have one... I've changed my Facebook picture for a while.  Penny's books a fun and quirky and the lead main Character in Beard Science is much anticipated by Penny's fans.

Penny's PA is also hosting a read along on Facebook for the 2nd book in her Knitting in the City series "Friends without Benefits".   I joined in their first read along for Neanderthal Seeks Human back in August and it was great fun so I've signed up for the 2nd one.   Its a great excuse to read the book again.

LH Cosway also has a new release coming soon and one of her early books Six of Hearts is available for free on Amazon at the moment.

I couple of months ago a joined a group on Facebook for male romance writers where they interact with their readers.  Men write romance a bit differently to women, and I have been working my way through the authors reading some of their books and discovering who I like and adding to my favourite author list.  A few of the authors are Veterans and their books give insight into the issues these guys face coming back to civilian life.  I prefer my novels to have a decent plot, sometimes humour and hopefully a happy ending but that isn't always necessary.

Celtic Tree of Life Block 2 Celtic Knot

I'm amazed at the number of people who have looked at the Celtic Tree of Life pattern page.  Thank you and I hope you stick round to see the quilt unfold and join in making it of course.

Block 2 is up on the page so head here and download your copy.

I've been working on Block 3 here's a sneak peak which I have been sharing on my instagram and Facebook page  so if you want to keep up to date on the goings on join me there as it gets updated more often than the blog.

Don't be scared by the scrolls they are easier than they look and I love the way a solid piece of fabric turns into an intricate design when its all cut away and stitched.

Feeling Inspired but don't have the time

I've hit the busiest time of year at the day job.  The last 2 weeks have been UGGH, I'll be doing some work from home today if my internet behaves.  Most of our work is very time specific with deadlines coming up almost everyday and I had to cover for someone who is on leave interstate doing checking off spread sheets and of course the boss had his own deadlines that I had to stop for.  We decided that at least if I stuffed it up completely I won't be asked to do it again.... fingers crossed.

I really want to get out into my sewing room  .... maybe i'll get a chance on the weekend.  Last year I concentrated on Flowers for Alison and really didn't work seriously on any other quilts but I think I might need to branch out this year and work on other designs.  Block 2 of Celtic Tree of Life is finished and I will start on block 3 shortly.  The new pattern will go up on the 15th.

We headed to the Royal Adelaide Show this weekend firstly to check out my quilt and the competition.  We spent far to long in sideshow alley ... I may have had a tantrum  when we were just wandering around aimlessly not making a decision about what rides they were going on.  I really hate the noise and the crowds of people.  As soon as I could escape I went back to the Craft and Handicraft display and looked at the other Exhibits.

I have just picked up my new saddle chair which was purchased at the AMQF and I'm testing it out at the computer desk which is a bit low for it, but that won't be an issue at my sewing table which is higher. Its pretty comfortable to sitting and I can feel that my posture is correct naturally on it fingers crossed it will enable me to work longer at the machine.  

I have been dabbling with Sue Cody's new BOM Gelato Rose which came last week from Material Obsession.  To be honest I sometimes struggle with other peoples instructions sometimes, so I am just going to do it my way.... I can hear my friends say what else is new.  It is supposed to be quilt as you go but I don't think I can be bothered with that after quilting Flowers for Alison I'm up for anything quilting wise on the machine.   Now I'll have 3 other hand sewing projects to do in front of the box at night with Jen Kingwell's Butterfly quilt and this one as well as Celtic Tree of Life.

Bee Inspired Block 4 is up ready to download

Tulip Vine block no 4 of Bee Inspired is ready to download from the Bee Inspired Page.  Enjoy.