Tuesday 27 September 2011

Turning the Tables

Instead of life interfering with my sewing time today, I made sure that sewing took over my life. I thought about what to make for dinner, and decided that sausages, chips and beans would sort out that problem. No prep to do then. I looked at the hoover. I decided that it was happy being ignored in the corner. I haven't even done the breakfast dishes yet, but I don't care.

Because I got things done. In particular I got things done on my Across the Seas quilt. More than I expected. I am so pleased! First I pieced.

Hint - when there aren't any children to stand and hold a quilt top for you
the droopy badminton net is not a suitable alternative!
I then got down on my hands and knees and pinned for England.


Without even considering cleaning the bathrooms, I proceeded directly back to machine and got stippling.


I would like to say that it was just a simple matter for the quilting. But I can't. It was back to feeling like I was wrestling with a walrus, only this time the walrus was winning. That quilt got away from me a number of times. Do not look at the quilt too closely, or the battle scars will be obvious. The highlight was when the quilt really did get away from me and I got to witness what happened when the machine needle hit a basting pin. Dear me, it was not pretty!

I got there in the end. The quilt is stippled, in a bigger stipple than I normally do. I thought that this would be easier but the bigger movements were part of the problem with me controlling the quilt, and it also hard to break old habits of wanting to keep those little wandering paths of stitching closer together.


Finally, I trimmed the excess backing and wadding.


Now I am going on the school run covered in thread ends but inordinately pleased with myself. The girls won't be when they see the state of me though!


So, just the binding to do and then it is going to do a fabulous job of hiding my ugly sofa, as demonstrated above.

Finally, the postman has delivered more bee blocks to me. I am so thrilled with these because (a) they are stunning, and (b) Terri, who made them, has had a tough month so I was fully prepared to wait for them to be done when she was good and ready. So, a huge thank you, Terri, and so pleased that you are part of our bee and I have your blocks for my quilt.


And thanks for the chocolate. Devoured today when I had to step away from the stippling when I tried to sew the basting pin. Sometimes chocolate is the only thing that can fix things! for everyone else, who didn't get to enjoy the chocolate, here is the joke that came with it -

Two elephants walk off a cliff...



... Boom! Boom!

Susan

21 comments:

  1. Your quilt looks fabulous! I often do the school run covered in threads and I laughed out loud at the elephant joke :)

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  2. Sounds like you were going great guns today! The Across the Sea quilt looks fabulous! Everybody is mentioning how huge it is - guess that took you all a little by surprise.

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  3. It looks great, Susan! Well worth wrestling that walrus! I love the bright, happy, cheerful fabrics/prints you used. Are the girls well impressed? Or just hungry?

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  4. Your quilt looks fabulous. Having tried fmq for the first time on a cushion I am bowing down to you doing it on a whole big quilt.

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  5. Snap Susan, I did exactly the same today. Mammoth basting battle and then spent the afternoon feeling like I had a rolled carpet over my shoulder rather than a quilt while I did my straight line quilting. So glad I did the baby size!!! I did put in a heavy batting though so that probably caused most of the weight. Im hoping to finish of quilting one my little ones are in bed later. :)

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  6. lol, you could have described any normal day in my hosue! Congratulations and getting a great walrus tackled and done! Woohoo! A little bit of you time goes a long long way! Love terri's blocks :)

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  7. Wohoo look at you go!! Fab job hon it's looking great!! Like your stipple, I went bigger than usual too! Your Bee blocks are great too :-)

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  8. wow, great job susan! All that in one day is great going :-)

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  9. Oh my goodness!!! Your quilt looks a-mazing. I love stippling and yours looks fab. LOVE your quilt. Mine is looking sad. Unlike your bee blocks which are beautiful. Glad to hear there are still postmen in the world because they sure aren`t evident here. Grump.

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  10. wow, get you doing all that today!! I am in awe of your FMQ, especially doing such a big quilt: good for you. It looks amazing

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  11. LOL - love the joke! I needed that giggle.

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  12. Yay for Terri and the chocolate joke - good going on the AtS! Commentling quickly whilst Eastenders is on as - my Anniversary 'time-out'! x

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  13. I admire you girls so much, just jumping in and fmq-ing. I can do it, but am always scared to go for it on a big quilt........well done you.

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  14. Great wrestling - you must be shattered after all that work! Loved the elephant joke and the blocks look great...can't wait to see them in a group photo (hint, hint!!). Hope tomorrow is as productive, if you ignore the hoover and bathroom again you could get the binding on!

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  15. Way to go on that conquering the walrus. I think it looks smashing.(which coincidentally is what happened to those elephants!)

    I cant believe how much you did in one hit. Good job ignoring that Hoover. You would have just had to vacuum again after you finished anyway.Best to do it all in one hit when you're completely finished (that's what I tell myself anyway )

    PS. Dinner covered at least three of the 5 food groups-it's all good.

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  16. great joke need now to tell it ................i am going with friends to ikea tomorrow they might laugh.
    wow your quilt is looking fab susan,great days work well done !!

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  17. Looks wonderful Susan - I don't know how many times I have gone out covered in threads too:)

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  18. And I will have to rememeber that elephant joke:)

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  19. V.funny! Terri's blocks are gorgeous! And you ATS quilt is AMAZING! I love your quilting - well done on a productive day. Do you have bicceps like Popeye now? Jxo

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  20. chocolate solves so many things I agree! I lol'd when i read yesterday you ate those white mice before the kids even knew you had them. It made me glad I am not the only mum who does stuff like that!!!
    Fab quilt and colours too xx

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  21. Hee Hee, good joke, and good quilting..the thought of you actually wrestling a walrus gave me a giggle too x

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