One's Loss is Another's Gain

As is the way of life and all its unpredictabilities, no sooner did school start than poor Helen needed to stay home. This was not a ploy on her part to avoid returning to school because she loves it there, and would much prefer to be there than home alone with me. Since she is home alone with me, she wants me there by her side. Not elsewhere being busy. Her loss of freedom is Emily's gain in this case.

Because I am keeping Helen company I have opted to do the hand quilted sewing during the daytime. This allows me to still sit and chat with her, watch a film, be there for a cuddle. At the same time as allowing me to accomplish something so that we are both happy. Because I think I would go doolally just sitting there all day doing nothing.

So all you concerned individuals (you know who you are) who wanted to make sure that I got on with Emily's quilt, I am - much more quickly than I thought I would be. Stitch by stitch I am making slow but steady progress. This might be the first finish of 2012, not the Terrain quilt, if the current situation continues.

All five of the applique hearts are now stitched.

I am working on the bit that is a partial Irish chain.

And the border has stitching on both sides now.

Emily is home from school now, so I have been allowed the freedom to come to the computer. I am far behind in my blog reading. For those who have noticed a lack of comments from me - I am not ignoring you, just having to prioritise here. Normalcy will resume as soon as possible.

Thankfully the unpredictability of life does not preclude good post from arriving. I have received the first of my orders to upgrade my Heather Ross collection in aid of the future quilt.

I now have some bicycles.
And a couple of wee scrap extras that the vendor put in which I do appreciate.

Signs indicate that I will most likely be hand quilting tomorrow as well. All in all, if that is the worst thing that befalls me then life is pretty good. I just wish that this wasn't happening due to poor Helen's unfortunate encounter with germs.

Susan

Finish-a-Long

Well, having thought (much like Sarah) that I didn't have anything to finish so therefore linking up to Rhonda's Finish-a-Long linky party would be an exercise in futility - I had a second look and, surprise, surprise, I have things that need finishing. I am very adept at ignoring things I wish to avoid. But that doesn't mean they aren't there. Helen's quilt is an example of that. Just finished after over four years in the making. So, without further ado, I am jumping into Rhonda's party, linking up and making myself pull my head out my ar the sand and get on with things.

First up, the obvious one. If I finished Helen's quilt then poor Emily still doesn't have hers. Despite me giving it to her for Christmas there is the little matter of basting pins all through it and a great deal of hand quilting to be done. It is a priority and if it hasn't been completed in this quarter I give everyone permission to take me out and have me whipped, or take away my chocolate, or some such cruelty!

I have often bragged about being a member of Brit Bee, the most amazing group of women I have ever had the privilege to be a part of. I was Miss September in this bee. The other eleven made me glorious blocks with the Drunkard's Path block. There are 24 of them sat there now, waiting to be joined up, basted and quilted. It would be an incredible waste of such goodness to not get on with it and make the quilt!

I dug a little deeper into my box of goodies and stumbled upon 21 6.5" blocks. I love these little blocks (except one; one I hate) and really need to make some more until I have enough to make something, anything, with them. They are my Farmer's Wife Quilt-A-Long blocks. If you are a betting person then I would put your money on this being the item on my Finish-A-Long list that I make little to no headway on!

As I have started my Terrain charm square quilt I guess it now qualifies for finishing. This one will definitely get done because I am loving it so much, it isn't too big and it was my easy start up project for the new year to get me back into the swing of things. And may I thank everyone for the terrific feedback they gave me about the layout! You boosted my confidence in my slightly shaky decision making abilities.

I am pondering whether I should be adding in anything about my Favourite Fabrics Quilt, and the offspring of that idea which are the For the Birds Quilt and the Heather Ross Fan Club Quilt. At least one of these will get started shortly, and with luck finished within the three month time frame as well. Progress so far involves fabric fondling and little else.

That should be just about enough to keep me well and truly busy over the next three months, but you can add in a swap (that is being organised and shall be announced in the not too distant future), the For the Love of Solids Swap - Round Two that I have put my name down for, and a tutorial that I have promised to do for someone else. Well, quite honestly the small bit of sanity I cling to now will be well and truly gone.

Stick around over the next months. It should be amusing to watch me lose the plot!

Susan

More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys

I've had an unintentionally busy day today. Not busy in an exhausting way but in a way that kept me away from my sewing. But I did get my HSTs trimmed yesterday and played with layouts last night. I had to use the flash to take photos so the colours are not very true but you will get an idea of the fun I have when left alone with HSTs. The combinations are endless and I do get carried away.

This was my original intention for the HST layout.

But I got to moving those HSTs about.

It got a little weird.

Then a whole lot bizarre.
(I was getting tired after all.)

But this was my eventual conclusion.
And I love it.

If you think that my final decision is completely wrong for this please speak up now before I proceed to the piecing stage tomorrow. Total lack of sewing time today means that there is still time to stop me!

Susan

48 or 49 Weeks a Year We Live Like This

So why does the house feel so empty when you take down all the Christmas decorations? And why does everyone want to help put them up but no one wants to help take them down again?

I don't usually take down the decorations until after the new year has begun. But this year I may have left it a little late. Here's a clue to why I think that.

The tree may have been losing needles faster than the speed of light, but pulling off the ornaments left it near about naked! No matter how diligently I hoover you just know we are going to be treading on those dried out little mini spikes for ages to come. The downside of having a real tree!

So all I have to do is clear the table of a mass of ornaments and then I can get back to the sewing. The girls have to help me with this task because they know which ornaments are theirs and I don't have a clue!

This is the hardest day of the holidays for me. The ending. I think I am going to get those ornaments sorted so I can have a little sewing therapy to cheer me up. Maybe with a box of chocolates by my side.

Susan

Start the Year as You Mean to Continue

I got up this morning before everyone else. Not for any particular reason but just because I woke up. So I decided to make the most of my quiet time. And I ordered another teeny bit of fabric. Start as you mean to continue, say I! (Well, one can stay reasonably optimistic and hope for the best!)

Then, after catching up on blog reading and email replying, I decided to bring my sewing machine back out of hibernation. I haven't got all my toys out and will be able to easily clear the table for dinner tonight, but it was time to hear that happy hum again.

Needless to say, as I pulled all those fabrics out yesterday, I did something completely different. A few months ago I won a charm pack of Terrain from Sarah at Fairy Face for participating in her Summer Sewing list. Today the charm pack got broken into and well and truly used.

I had a ponder about how to make these jewel tones go further and opted for the old favourite - HSTs. A quick look at what was in my stash to use with them and I was set.

When I couldn't find my trusty old pencil that I usually use when marking HSTs I came across my Chako Ace Pen that had been part of a gift for me. Perfect, thought I. Yeah, and after I had marked forty squares and then pinned them to the solid the lines on some of the charms had dissolved to almost invisible. I must remember this for future reference. Mark, then sew - quickly!

Some chain piecing.

And some cutting.

I now have 80 HSTs to play with.

Well, actually I don't have eighty HSTs to play with because I have only trimmed three so far. Only seventy-seven more to go. I decided I would rather come and chat with you instead. I have to admit that I do like the way the colours in the Terrain really seem to glow up against the navy blue solid.

I started my new year shopping and sewing. Perfect! What about you?

Susan

PS: And a Very Happy New Year to you. May your 2012 be filled with happiness and lots & lots of fabric!