I couldn't resist...

Any longer - I have joined the Swoon-along. I have a big stack of Amy Butler "Love" fat quarters that I don't know what to do with, and that actually I am not really "loving" anymore. I'm hoping that this couldbe the quilt for them - the patterns are quite bold and are wasted on small piecing and the Swoon blocks I have seen using larger scale prints are looking fabulous.

So after a purchase of several metres of plain white fabric I have all of the background fabric (except for the sashing strips) cut out. Have cut up three of the FQ's and have completed all the HST and flying geese for one block. I've now laid it out  to see if it "works"

and while I actually really like it, I am surprised that the contrast is so subtle - think I may have to rethink quite a few of my other pairings - maybe I need them to clash.......

Oh yes, and I also need to catch up with the Curiouser and Curiouser quilt along blocks too. Think I might be quite busy for a while....

I won!

Sadly not the lottery (and it might help if I bought a ticket with that one) but a giveaway!
I entered the giveaway from My Fabric House on The Sewing Directory recently and thought no more about it until a small package dropped through the letterbox. I did have a moment of worry thinking I had ordered some fabric and completely forgotten about it  - but there was a nice little note inside telling me I had won one of of the mystery fabric bundles.

It doesn't match anything else in my stash - but I think that it is good, and I just need to think up a nice project to use them in . I'm thinking perhaps a zippered pouch, with some natural linen for the main fabric. What a good excuse to visit pinterest!

Today.

Very necessary footwear for today

Notes to Self...

Christmas and another birthday safely out of the way (and the birthday party -seven 11 and 12 year old boys taken swimming). And a New Year. Happy New Year!

So here are the notes to myself for next year:

1) Start Christmas sewing in January (once I've finished the stuff from 2011). You will still have not enough time, but at least it may stop the months of dithering about what to make exactly....

2) When cooking the giblets for stock for the gravy, do NOT use half a red onion. It may be good use of the one remaining from making coleslaw, but anyone seeing the stock before it becomes gravy may well refuse to eat it (Gravy Browning, I love you)

 (Believe me this picture does not do it justice - it was a very weird greeny purple, and would not have looked out of place in the Harry Potter prop department)

3)Make sure Boxing Day is commitment free - because there is no way that you will get anything done for Child 1's birthday on the 27th before then. Midnight *wrapping of presents is bad enough on Christmas eve, let alone boxing day too.

4)Embrace Fly lady NOW - that way there may be Christmas lights up outside before Christmas, and the tree may actually be up more than a week......just saying.

5) Chocolate Orange does NOT count as one of your 5 a day (the figure on the bathroom scales this morning just confirms it)

And as a final note - am I the last person to discover the "Queen" on Twitter ?


* In fairness I should point out that this year, I gave a big pile to DH as well, and headed off to bed around midnight when I had finished my pile.

A Finish!

Sadly not my tree skirt - that is at the point of being half quilted (It is my first attempt at free motion quilting, and I am still terrified of it!) It might make it under the tree by New Year.

I have managed though to complete two crayon folders as part of the Christmas presents for some dear friends' 2 little ones.

I fussy cut a picture from some of the fabric used inside and raw edge appliqued it to the front - this way they can always tells whose is whose! That and the different coloured elastics that keep them closed. I considered putting their initials on the front, but I am struggling to find a font that I like that increases to the size I want with the proportions I'd like!

They nearly didn't get posted though - I discovered that my box of brand new crayons mysteriously didn't contain enough to fill them both, so there was a mad dash to buy some more on the way to the post office (I am currently very thankful for Gift bags) where we just got to in time, by the skin of our teeth

(By the way, they are much better than the first one I made - I used a linen fabric for the outer this time and paired it with a lightweight fusible fleece - I also used a lightweight interfacing on the inner fabric and the whole thing works so much better)

Funny Old day

Feeling a little odd today - kind of bereft. Our office is closing at the end of the week, and I have cleared out and packed the contents of my desk and filing cabinet. Most of us are relocating to other offices within the organisation, with only a very few becoming redundant.

It just felt strange to walk out and say goodbye and know that I will hardly ever see many of my colleagues again, yet it is all happening so quietly and calmly.

Birthday Season has begun!

I am tired - the two week countdown felt very long...... and I was up very late last night making this:

 

Looks quite innocent doesn't it - with a tasteful decoration of mini smarties? Tea ended up being quite late, and once it was cut:

there was no way the children were having any so close to bed time! They all want a slice in their packed lunches though (As does my husband despite the fact that he is not taking a packed lunch tomorrow as it is his office christmas do!)

I first saw it on Sue at The Quince tree's blog, and then forgot all about it until I stumbled across it on the Whisk kid's blog a week or two ago - perfect timing!

Birthday cake season has begun!