Poor Swampy

Poor Swampy. I feel a bit bad about the photo from last post, as it did make her look a bit like a maniac. Here is another photo to show that she is indeed a nice looking dog. Her Mother is a shaggy black and white Border Collie X Australian Cattle Dog, so all I can say is that Dad (commonly known as The Surfer's Dog) must have been a Staffy X Ridgeback, or something similar. Her working dog instincts are alive and well though, as Simon can confirm. She rounds him up, and generally 'supervises' everything he does. Luckily he is a laid back character who knows his place in the pack - right at the bottom.



My swap partner was in my mailbox this morning, and luckily she likes Civil War fabrics, so the little quilt I had tentatively started is full steam ahead. The identity of your partner is to be kept a secret, but I'm not sure if the quilt is to be a secret. I've noticed that some bloggers are offering hints only, whereas others are posting full photos. I will show this little section only...


In other quilting news there will be an International Sigh of Relief I imagine when I report that the Girl Guide Quilt is finally finished. I'm not a good finisher, as you all know. Anyway it is done.

I have held off on starting the Zig Zag Quilt, so I might try and run with this finishing mood and knock over another UFO. I have been talking to Holly about her QAYG Log Cabin, which brought to mind my Denim Quilt which only needs 2 borders and binding. Maybe I might do it. Can't rush these things.

Japanese Book

I really wanted to show this book for Pam as she and I share a bit of a problem with Japanese fabric and quilts. I bought it on Friday, and am really impressed with it. It has all the blocks (125 of them) set out individually, sort of like Dear Jane or the Civil War Diary Quilt book that I'm working from at the moment. There are blocks in indigo and white, sashiko blocks, Japanese Crests, kimono blocks and all sorts of patchwork and applique blocks. The author also gives you ideas about mixing and matching blocks to make quilts. Lots to look at and plenty of ideas.

There is also the occasional reference to Japanese textile history and trends, which makes you start to think. I love the history of the fabrics and quilts in America, and why I never thought about Japanese textile history I'll never know. The history goes back to the 10th century and beyond, so there is a lot to learn there about different styles of kimono and fabrics.

I have in the back of my mind to make a pinetree quilt for my mother, but it is in the One Day basket. Mum also really loves all things Japanese and has brought me back some lovely fabric from Japan. Looking at this book has given me the idea that maybe I could make a quilt from Japanese fabric, with different pinetree blocks, and some other blocks from the book. I don't know if you can see, but in one of the photos there is a little quilt in blue and white which has a few Japanese house blocks, and there are a couple of blocks in the book of Mt Fuji. The house blocks are made to look like there is snow in the picture, and I could make pinetree blocks with snow too. I can see a sort of sampler depicting a scene with a few Japanese houses and pinetrees with snow, with Mt Fuji in the background. Also there are pinecone designs in sashiko which could be used as well....

Just thinking at this stage, but enough to give me an idea of what sort of fabric to look out for. I do have a 'considerable' Japanese fabric stash (not making eye contact here), but would need to look for more greens for trees, browns and creams for snow etc. It's always good to have a plan, isn't it (grin)?

Otherwise, I'm working on about 5 projects at once, which doesn't make me feel like I'm getting very far, but hopefully there will be a big flurry of finishes which will let me clear the decks mentally for some new projects. I get a vague feeling of guilt when I have too many things happening at once, as I don't feel like I'm making much progress on anything. I'm really keen to start the 30s Zig Zag quilt, but luckily the fabric hasn't arrived yet. I'm still handsewing the binding on the String quilt, I have the Girl Guide quilt half quilted, Daniel's quilt hasn't been quilted, the Airy Scarf for Mum's birthday (time is running out) is still ongoing, the Chevron Scarf is nearly finished, I'm nearly finished the back of a jumper for Daniel, and the hexagons haven't finished themselves either. Then there is the Civil War quilt that I'd like to get on with, and so it goes on. Never a dull moment is there?

I'm a bit behind on my blog reading, and i have been having a bit of trouble with bloglines too, so that is my excuse, and I'm sticking to it. It is so easy to spend hours looking at blogs and not get anyhting done myself, but I do enjoy reading blogs as much as I enjoy making things, so what do you do?

It's Getting Scary

What's scary? The fact that I look to be actually finishing some stuff. I have started to hand sew down the binding on the String Quilt, and have sewn in most of the threads - I actually put it on the bed last night even though it isn't finished. How sad is that? It feels good though, so I'm going to try and roll with it. I really can't stand the machine quilting part, and I sit at the machine with my back screaming, thinking about the quilting frame I saw at the quilt show recently. I have pretty well decided that I'm not going to be quilting any more big quilts. Then I think about the cost (and inconvenience) of getting them done profesionally - well how many quilt tops would I get done for the cost of the frame? But then reality hits and I really don't have the funds to do it either way at the moment. Unless I stop buying fabric and magazines and yarn, and get the internet cut off, and we all know THAT wouldn't be any fun!

Then there is hand quilting you say? Hmmm I seriously doubt my level of commitment to be thinking about going there. But then I'm the person who said I wouldn't sew by hand who has nearly finished a hexagon quilt top. Who'd have thought? Never say never...

Here is the poor Girl Guide raffle quilt that has been hanging on the wall. Suddenly, 1 week away from the official start of winter some cold weather is predicted, which hopefully will get us out of shorts and tshirts, so I thought I'd better crack on with it so they can raffle the thing. The start of the cooler weather will be the best time. It is pinned and I have started to do some basic quilting. I will do Daniel's quilt also (same pattern), then that's it. Plus the Guide lady I promised it to has asked me to lunch on Wed, so that has given me the guilts. I found some old photos of me in my Girl Guide uniform, beret and all, and thought how it would be fun to put a photo on the label with the Care Instructions, but then I'd have to buy special sheets, I don't have a scanner, and my printer is laser, not ink jet. There, talked myself out of that one!

The postman has been today, and my fabric has not arrived from Hancocks yet. Hopefully it will not do a world tour like it did once before, as I'm keen to start the 30s zig Zag quilt.

It is overcast today, which is very rare these days, being in the middle of a drought. It is one of those days where you feel like making pumpkin soup, reading in bed with the light on, sewing or knitting, or sitting at the computer poking the Checkout Buttons of an online fabric store. I will try and resist the latter and get on with the blasted quilting. Til later...

It's Pink Alright

Finally the Girl Guide Flimsy is done. I found the dark pink inner border in the stash which was a bonus - it has pink bubbles on it. I went back to the shop to get more of the plain mauve that is in the quilt to make the outer border... well you can guess can't you? None left. So I bought the next darkest, which is a funny sort of purple colour, but no one will probably know but me. And you if anyone's reading. 'We' all know that this is the nature of quilts like this, but not all people do. There are a couple of Quilt Police types around, but they won't know I made it.

Now for my least favourite part. I really don't like the pinning and getting it all straight. I'll have to clear the kitchen table which is a constant FlyLady disaster area, find the pins (which are always in some other UFO, so I never have enough and I'm always robbing pins from said UFO, and then from the centre of this quilt to try and pin the border), try and iron the thing without getting it covered in dog hair, try not to scratch the table with the pins, and so it goes on. There is a little voice inside my head going "what about the basting spray? No one will ever know", then I think the timber floor will be covered in sticky stuff which will then attract the tumbleweeds of dog hair that are floating by, and I've got people coming for dinner on Wednesday night and the place is dirty enough without THAT. Oh and did I mention that I haven't finished the curtains? Yes they're still hanging there 'resting' with the hems not done. Plus I have to work Sun night which cancels out Monday? Oh God...

Well, I don't have a deadline for the quilt, but I really do need to get it done so that I can finish Daniel's. I keep looking at blogs all over the place and am fighting the urge to start new things all the time. If you go back up and read the byline for this blog, you would have to agree that never a truer word was spoken.

Today I went to Neilsen's Native Nursery with my friend from the other end of the island, to buy some plants. I embarrassed myself by screeching loudly when a 40cm lizard sprung out of the plant I was looking at, and dropped to the ground touching me as it went (shudder shudder). I don't mind the dry native looking lizard when I see it at a distance and have tabs on it, but the surprise attack is not welcome.

It is still very hot here, but our first cool change for autumn is forecast for tomorrow afternoon. With it are Strong Wind Warnings for the Bay, so the trip to work on the ferry tomorrow night will be another fine example of getting back to nature. But I don't mind it - in fact I love the ferry trip, especially coming home in the morning when you can sit out the back (if you're not knitting) in what is affectionately called The Beer Garden, and get a bit of wind in your hair. It will be especially nice when it starts to cool down, and you sometimes see some dolphins or a turtle.

I'm really just stalling now. I might go downstairs and have a look at the table, and think it over.

Progress

I know this is supposed to be a quilting blog (being in the Q4P ring), but I hope you will allow me this little knitting interlude. I think I've figured out the needles now - see my little tube there on the left. I'm still getting the 'needle change ladder' effect, but only in the ribbing, not in the stocking stitch. Don't know why.

I've decided to start a sample piece as per the sock pattern to try to master the techniques, but not putting the length required for a normal sock into it. Make sense? I have just looked at the heel instructions, and it makes no sense at all, so I will look at some tutorials before going on.

Doubt there will be much quilting done today, as there is plenty to be done in the yard and the house. Maybe tomorrow I'll get onto that Girl Guide quilt. I have to put the borders on and quilt it. I hope the Irish among you didn't overdo it yesterday, and are suffering now...

The Sniff of Approval

Man, I'm on Fire! Well not literally. That's a football saying we have here - I wonder if it is everywhere? What I mean to say is that I've achieved a lot (for me) over the last 2 days. Not only have I changed my cutter blade (grin), but I have finished the Flimsy of the Girl Guide quilt, minus borders.

And it has received the official Sniff of Approval from Simon. He is probably really just freezing, as I have the temperature set so cold in the sewing room that it is almost Antarctic.

As for the borders I will have to buy more fabric tomorrow. I thought the solid mauve for the outer border, and ? for the inner. Depends on what they've got I suppose. I used all sorts of fabric, and am pleased that I am getting a bit more adventurous with my choices. I tend to 'hang on too tight', but this quilt has a Japanese fabric, 2 different stripes, 2 solid colours, a spot, a squiggle, cat paws, retro floral and more. Oh and I put the pink with bikinis in too.

Plus I didn't obsess about what goes next to what. I just made an effort to put the 2 darkest fabrics next to a light and went for it. Very liberating, and it turned out fine (IMHO).

As for credits, this is Bonnie's Bricks and Stepping Stones from Quiltville, which as many of you know I also made recently in brights for my nephew.

How Quickly We Forget..

..the simple pleasure of a new rotary cutting blade. I finally changed it today, and wonder why it didn't occur to me to do it before now? See the old blade? That brown ring is RUST. I do live by the sea where everything rusts, but I think I let this go a bit far.

In retrospect I could've done a better job on the fabric with a steak knife!

I have been sewing all afternoon in the airconditioned comfort of the sewing room. I set the temp to 22 deg C, the dogs got on the spare bed, and I have shocked myself by finishing 99% of the blocks for the Girl Guide raffle quilt. I ended up doing the Bricks and Stepping Stones as per Daniel's quilt, as I really just wanted something easy that I could do pretty quickly. Having just finished the last one I knew exactly how many blocks I needed to make it the size I wanted etc, so I just went for it.

I have used a bit of the lime green, but the rest are pink and purple with a touch of lime and aqua. I even cut into one of my Amy Butler fabrics (not my favourite ones, mind). I will try and finish it tomorrow when I will post a photo of the progress. Then I will have to quilt both of them... It's the pinning and carrying on that I don't like.