Last Minute Frenzied Sewing

When I say 'frenzied sewing', what I really mean is 'frenzied thinking about sewing', not actual sewing. I'm really having to force myself. This is the 4th attempt at making a quilt for my niece who is 6 yo going on 16. Yes she has very strong ideas about what she likes and what she doesn't like. The first 3 attempts were with totally different fabric, and this one is a full do-over. It's an easy Chinese Coin inspired by much gazing at the Flickr album of Chinese Coin Quilts.

They're all along the modern lines which is a look that I like, but don't use that often. I love these albums of quilts as they really help you figure out where you're going wrong if yours isn't turning out too well. I think the secret to getting the modern fresh look is white. White fabric and clear versions of colour - for some reason this has just occured to me as an idea even though I've done this before (see blog header). Oh and it has to be pink to pass muster.

This is a pretty average photo of the top with top and bottom borders to be added. It's the best of 4 quick shots. I've been thinking at great length about how to quilt it but really it's a bit too late, or as the family joke goes "a bit too close to Christmas" to be thinking about doing something new. I've been reading the blog about free motion quilting designs, and have bought the bobbin washers and the slippery sheet, so I'm ready to give it a go, but maybe it's best not to start with this quilt considering the time pressure.

I need to go upstairs now and consider the back. I'll do a pieced back but I'm not sure if I have enough fabric. I'm going near the shops later today so I can get some then if need be. I have bought the batting which is cotton and poly, and labelled High Loft, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. It isn't thick like the poly stuff used for craft etc, but thicker than traditional cotton batting.

On My Bed

As usual I'm a bit late with everything, but I thought I'd still show what is on my bed. I had to close the door to keep the beagle off the bed, but as for quilts I use my string quilt, then my first ever quilt (Irish Chain) as my back-up quilt.

Still not doing a lot of sewing, but at least I'm blog reading, which is a start. I've had a bit of a dental trauma this week and have been having headaches as a result. A tooth that I had filled last visit has been giving me trouble, which suddenly got worse this last week. The news is all bad, the bottom line being that it is inevitable that I lose the tooth eventually, and no matter which course of action I follow with it, I will be up for Big Bucks. Sadly I don't really have the money, so I am praying that it holds out a little longer. If it comes out eventually I will need to get an implant or something $$$$$$$$$. So I haven't felt too happy, nor have I felt 100%, as there is a little bit of infection there apparently. Sigh...

I really need to do some work in the yard today and mow the lawn, but I don't really feel like it. In fact I think I might go back to bed, as I was up at the crack of dawn to go for a walk. Chloe stayed home this morning as she wouldn't let me put her lead on her. She doesn't like the lead I'm using as it doesn't let her pull, so she has started this thing where she runs away from me when I try to put it on. So today she was left behind. I wonder how she will be tomorrow.

I cooked up the tomatoes after my last post, and yesterday I made some Tzatziki which was nice. The garlic should be really strong today, so I will enjoy finishing that off. I bought a piece of fresh salmon which will be my dinner tonight, so I'll have it with that and some bread and salad.

Heartstrings Blocks

It is pink month at Heartstrings, so today I made a couple of blocks to get me back into sewing. As the end of the month is rapidly approaching, it was a good motivator to get started. It's amazing how once you start something you soon feel like moving onto something else.

As I am cycling around between 3 projects at the moment, it isn't very thrilling to keep seeing more of the same everytime I make a few more blocks of something.

I really enjoy making the string blocks - the big String Quilt I made some time ago I did without a foundation, but this method isn't really that much extra work. It certainly makes the blocks stable, whereas the long panels of strings were a bit stretchy.

Nothing much else happening really, just the little trials of life. I went to the Mainland yesterday as I was feeling a bit stircrazy, plus I really needed some petrol for the Island car, and I wanted to register Chloe and to do this I had to go into the Council office. You only keep the minimum petrol in the Island car, as it isn't uncommon to have it siphoned if it is down at the jetty at night, and I tend to run with the fuel gauge on empty, just below empty, half below empty, getting pretty empty, and SH*T it could run out any minute. Well it was on the latter.

When you bring petrol over on the WaterBus the deckie puts it on the front deck as it isn't allowed in the boat. The big risk then of course is forgetting to get it from them and off it goes to the next island. I often sit there saying the "don't forget the petrol" mantra, but yesterday I met Kirsten on the boat and as we were getting off we were talking and I was offering her a lift. We got in the car, got a bit up the road, and the car stutters and stops. It's dark, and my first thought is sh*t I've run out of petrol, closely followed by SH*T I've left the petrol on the boat! Aaargggh.

It could have been worse - I was quite close to the jetty and the car did actually start again so I was able to go back. Poor Kirsten had to walk, and I had to wait 40 mins for the boat to come around again to get my fuel. I must get sewing, but Kenny is on TV tonight which is a must watch Australian film, so you know what I'll be doing...

Getting Late

I should be in bed - it's getting late and I have a big day planned for tomorrow. A friend and I are hiring a ute and will be picking up furniture, birdbaths, terracotta pots, 25kg bags of dog food, gypsum, downpipes and so forth to bring over on the barge.

Then on Friday I'll be driving down to Newcastle which is a 9 hour drive so I will be leaving at the Crack of Dawn. It's a fair way - I plan to make it in a day, but if I get tired I'll stop for the night. I'm staying the weekend with some friends and catching up with some others who will be driving north to see me, then all going well I will be coming home with a new beagle who will live with us. She is a rescue dog and is 3 yo. Swampy the cattle dog is going to move back to live with the Ex (she is his dog), and then I will have 2 beagles.

All paws crossed here for a compatible relationship between Simon and his new sister, but having spoken to her foster mother this week about her behaviour, I am hopeful.

So lots of organising going on, and not a lot of sewing. I have been making a few more of the string blocks from the previous 2 posts - I have done 17 now, and I have been working on the Repro 4 patch. Here are a few blocks pinned up. I like the pink, and realised after I had quickly snapped the photo that the quilt will be on point, so please turn your heads 45 deg to one side. I can see you doing that!

Better go to bed; I will be away 4 or 5 days, so will catch up then with all the exciting dog news (we hope). She has to like me I'm told, so she may choose someone else. But I know The Secret Way of the Beagle, and plan to have tasty biscuits in my pocket at our first meeting...

PS it's raining and my tank is over half full. Knew that would make your day ha!

Where's This Going?

Please excuse my total lack of humility, but I'm really loving this string quilt. As you can see I've finished 12 blocks, and now I'm not sure where to go with it. The original project using this fabric was to be a wall hanging for above where I sit at the computer. My walls are cream with a pale green feature wall in front of me here, and I thought it would be good there.

I'm not really a wall hanging person you know. I have decided to hang the doll quilts in this room, but never before have I made a wall hanging. But as I am really liking this, of course I want to make it into a quilt.

Then comes the "how big do I make it?" dilemma, and of course my answer to that question is always "huge". There are only 2 beds in the house and both are queen size. What's the point of having a smaller quilt?

I can't see one. It's not like I don't have enough fabric, because surprise, surprise, I do...

The blocks are untrimmed in the photo, but they will be 9 inches finished. To keep the pattern going that means multiples of 4. The top of a queen size mattress is about 60 x 80. I don't think it needs a border, so to cover the top of the bed and keep the pattern that means 72 x 90 inches, which = 8 x 10 blocks, which = 80 blocks! 12 done. Oh why does it always get so out of control?

Here it is from a bit of a distance - even as a wallhanging the pattern will be incomplete, unless I added one more row to the bottom and made it square.

Or other options to the left for a quilt with an odd number of blocks. It doesn't do it for me I'm afraid. Any suggestions or experiences gratefully received.

Short Attention Span

What do you think about the bottom two string blocks? I made the centre strip as bright as I could and used the less bright pink/orange for the diamond. I think it might work OK if I do it that way. Thoughts?

I was asked about my house being up on stilts - it is a pole house, and it's so high to get the view and for coolness, also helpful for looking for termites. Plus one day someone will build right between me and the sea, so I wanted to be as high as I could for that eventuality. I'm currently planting tall shrubs and trees in front of that fenceline in preparation. Ages ago I did a post on some of the different houses around here - I'll put a link to it. Also here. All the houses are very different, as it has been the sort of a place to have your beach shack or weekender in the past, but now more people are living here permanently. The land has been very cheap and the place attracts people who tend not to want to live in a 4 bedroom brick house with a family room. Also due to the difficulties of getting stuff over here, my house is a kit house that came on the back of a truck ready to be put together, as it was impossible to get a builder at the time.

I have also started on my 4 patch blocks. I'm a bit hopeless with my attention span - I need 3 projects to do at once or I get bored with it. So I make a string block, sew a few 4 patch blocks, cut a few Zig Zag strips and round I go. I look at a few blogs as well and play a couple of games of Freecell.

Today the sun is shining, so I'd better go and wash some clothes too. I hardly have anything left after the week of rain.

Tank Photo

I know you're all sick of hearing about my rainwater tank, but as the last word on the subject, here it is, the photo taken during a brief period of sunshine. I emptied the rain gauge too, and I have had 145mm (nearly 6 inches) of rain during this storm. The green tank is the new one - it is 4500 litres, and the cream one is the one from when the house was built, and it is 3000 litres I think. You can see the lovely mud. I am standing under the corner of the deck, and the rain drips down through the deck to make the mud. The actual house starts behind that metal post on the left. I might put a photo of the house so you can see what I mean. The cream tank is full, and the green tank is just over 1/3 full. This is a photo of the house still under construction, and the photo shows the back of the house. You can see the old tank under there if you look closely. The new one is to the right of it.

I was on the Mainland all day yesterday so nothing was done here. I had coffee with my friend Di - we were there 2 hours and only got half way through catching up really. I bought some more plumbing supplies and went to the RSPCA as I have in my mind that I might get another dog if Swampy is going to spend a bit more time at Shane's. Just looking - not rushing into anything. I was surprised that there weren't more dogs there for sale, but of course this is a good thing. Years ago I volunteered there, so I know there are lots more dogs behind the scenes. I didn't see anything suitable, but there was a lovely girl there called Rosie who was a cattle dog x kelpie type of dog, and she looked very sweet. But I wasn't tempted. There was also a rough coat Jack Russell who looked lovely, but I watched him springing up about 5 foot into the air with excitement, and I thought he would be a handful!

I did get started on the pink and green string blocks, and I'm pretty convinced I would have to cut down the 3 inch centre strips which would be waste of fabric. That would leave a heap of 1 inch strips, which is pretty skinny to do much with. Lily made a comment on my last post about the perils of using large scale patterns as strings, and I have taken this on board too. If I go ahead with it, perhaps I should make sure the strings are not too wide, and make sure I use the brightest colour fabrics for the centre strip and the paler ones for the diamond.

The other thing I thought I might do is cut some of the setting squares of my lovely new double pink for the 4 patch, and try and get a start on it by making it a leader ender project.

So as you can see there is lots of thinking and not a lot of sewing. What's new?

New Fabric

My new fabric has arrived today. This is the fabric bought with the proceeds of the ebay sell-off of boring stash. This is much nicer. The photo is taken under a slightly yellow light without the flash, so the pinks are a bit pinker than shown. All those lovely double pinks - and see the big piece of pink to the left at the front? This is to finish the 4 Patch UFO. They didn't have quite enough, so I will use the new Charleston IV pinks when the other runs out. How unlike me to actually have fabric in a quilt that has not been bought on sale? The Charleston is the first full price fabric I have bought in a long time, but it was so lovely I just 'had to have'. That's it at the front, except for the big piece, which was on sale.

What an exciting day I've had - water is going into the new rainwater tank, and I get fabric in the post! Obviously I have to get out more, and that isn't the first time I've written that on this blog.

Otherwise today it has been housework, then a quick batch of scones when a friend came over to marvel at the tank (we're weird, I know, but when you love your garden...), then fabric fondling, and a couple of string blocks.

While I've been making these string blocks, I've been looking up at the pink, orange, aqua and green 'thing' on the design wall, which has officially gone from UFO to abandoned project in the last UFO census. I was just going to put the bits of fabric back in the scrap box and forget about it. But then I thought maybe I could use it to make a string quilt? I could use the pink/orange pieces for the centre stripe, the greens and blues on either side, then maybe a pink/orange triangle at the end which would make a diamond when the squares were sewn together. I had a look at the pink strips, and they are all cut 3 inches, so I might make a test block with the 2 1/2 inch stripe in the centre and see if it looks too wide.

Now how many quilts does that make underway? Lets not go there, ok?

It's Been 9 Days

I can't believe I haven't posted for 9 days! Can it be true? Maybe - I haven't really been sewing much, instead I have been in the garden. What's different about today? It's RAINING. A miracle. We have had 2 inches and my rainwater tank is full and overflowing, so I have been outside this morning in the rain watering the garden. "What?" you say? Well if the tank is full, the extra water just goes down the overflow never to be seen again, and I can't handle that. So the idea is to water the garden from the tank while it is still filling up so that you get every last drop. The rain doesn't always penetrate the mulch, so it isn't as silly as it sounds. The thing I'm really peeved about is that I've bought another tank, but it hasn't arrived yet. If I'd had it in I could've half filled it overnight.

As you can see we are a bit obsessed about water here. The major dam is at 17% and the fish will die at 10%, so you can imagine water is a hot topic. If you want any sort of garden you must have tanks, and then pray that it will rain so that there is actually something in them.

So yesterday when the rain started I came upstairs and sat at the computer and the sewing machine for a while. I am way behind on my blogs - 1750+ to be read on my bloglines - and the sewing is going very slowly. I have been doing a few things though. I had to cut all the threads off the Over-Pink Flowery Number, which took quite a long time. Then I somehow got conned into darning a jumper (like I knew how to do that!). Anyway, a bit of google later, and what I don't know now about darning could go on the back of a postage stamp. I finished that yesterday, then made a couple of string blocks to send in the parcel to Heartstrings, as there is plenty of room in the PostPak.

The first one will probably not be sent as I stuffed up the trimming without thinking, and now the red stripe is not in the middle. I didn't even realise til I was trimming the 2nd one, but I'm onto it now. The dud can go in the Orphan Block container - I'm determined to have Orphan Quilts like some of you bloggers, one day.

I haven't done much more on the Zig Zag Quilt. I have finished all the strip sets and have started to cut them up, but there is a long way to go. Other than that, not much happening. The jumper finally was finished and Daniel was more excited to get a parcel in the post than he was to get the jumper I suspect, but he had it on when he rang up to say thankyou, so what more can you ask for? Apparently the sleeves are too long, but as winter is nearly over here, it will be good for next year I'm told, as boys grow taller and arms grow longer.

In beagle-related news, Simon has made a full recovery from his traumatic 2 weeks wearing the lampshade. I decided not to take him to the Vet for the suture removal, so my friend Jettie and I took them out on her back verandah. I tried to get a photo, but he sprung off the table so fast, that this is all I could get. This shows Jettie rewarding the patient with some liver treats.

Simon and I are having some quality time alone together this weekend, as Swampy has gone away to the beach. We've had a lovely time. Simon has been able to relax for a change, as he is constantly monitored by Swampy when she's here, and he can't do a thing on his own. We had a little play together last night, and he is now asleep on the spare bed while I sew and use the computer.

I might try and make a few more string blocks, then the day is nearly over.

5 Days in the Tub

You know what? I think I'm going to have to throw this fabric in the bin. It has been in the laundry tub for about 5 days now. It has been treated with salt and with vinegar a number of times, to no avail. You just couldn't trust it, so I think it will have to go.

I've never had such a problem. I bought it from the shop I usually buy my plain colours, so I'll tell the girls it is a dud next time I'm in there. I also bought some egg yolk yellow, and it ran a bit but quickly stopped.

I have not done any sewing since my last post. I have been nursing the invalid beagle (this really involves trying to keep him from springing on the beds and tearing up and down the stairs), and gardening. The winter days are really nice - in fact quite warm really. It was 26 deg C the other day, but down to 4 overnight. There is a place near here called Indigiscape, and once a month they open the nursery where they sell tubestock of plants native to the area. It is a native botanical garden, and usually if you go there you can see a koala way up a tree. I went on Saturday and got a heap of plants, so I have been putting them in. The soil here is fertile red soil, but it is clay and like a rock. A lot of time is spent digging a hole with the mattock, adding gypsum, organic matter, fertiliser, soil wetter etc before the tiny little plant even gets into the ground.

I have been nursing a little Lilly Pilly that came up from a seed, and the other day went to check on it and it was out of the ground roots and all. It is possible that a kookaburra pulled it up looking for a worm, but somehow I suspect Swampy who charges through the gardens to bark at all and sundry at the fence. So today I am calling the Steel Man, and I will be erecting a temporary fence around my new little plants.

There is very good news about Simon's lump. The Vet was very negative about it, suspecting a Mast Cell Tumour, which would involve toe amputation etc, but it turned out to be benign, so I am very relieved. You get so attached to them - especially we lonely single women who have noone else to come home to! We had to go back to the Vet yesterday to get the dressing taken off and the wound inspected, but the young lady Vet was so timid she gave me the scissors and I had to do it myself. Could have saved a trip over on the boat. Above is Si on the jetty looking into the boat - I couldn't get a very good photo as he wouldn't stand in the right place.

As this is supposed to be a quilting blog, I will put in the photo of the pink flowery number which is nearly finished. Just 2 borders to add. It has turned out better than expected, I think due to the borders. It is still a bit too pink for me though, so to Heartstrings it will go. I am a bit (very) behind on my blog reading, but hopefully I will catch up soon.

A Finish

First though - Lily I would email you but you don't have it enabled - the Japanese book is actually Australian so is easy to source and affordable. I bought it at Angus and Robertson and it was only $35. Definately worth the buy if you are interested in Japanese patchwork as there is plenty of inspiration in it, it isn't just one of those books that you look through and think "oh yeah, nothing new". For anyone else who is interested the author is Susan Briscoe and the ISBN 0 7318 1312 X.

I am excited about another finish - the long overdue String Quilt is finally on the bed (ie 'finished' and on the bed, as we all know that unfinished quilts have been known to make it to the bed here!) I really like the pieced back on the String Quilt, but learnt my lesson about it being perfectly flat. I did have a few small issues with it when I got to the edges, so next time I will take more care as I sew the back, as I am quite incapable of taking the time to fix it when I can smell a finish. But as it is for me to use, it is good enough - how's that for progress for a control freek? Normally everything has to be perfect, but I'm happy with it, and I think once it has a wash it will be great.

While I am on a roll I should pin poor Daniel's quilt and get into it as well - maybe he cold use it this winter LOL - and then the decks will be sort of clear. What a great feeling.The Girl Guide quilt has its quilting finished and binding sewn on, so all that is required now is the hand sewing.

I can feel the fabric from the US for my next quilt getting closer and closer, so hopefully some more stuff will be finished before it arrives.

All Over the Shop

Is that an International saying, or only an Australian one? It is a local way of saying that you are all over the place. This is true at the moment I'm afraid. After my last post Elaine very carefully said she thought I sounded "a little unfocused", and McIrish Annie also kindly complimented me on my "multi-tasking" abilities, and the rest of you obviously thought that this is something best left alone! See, blogger friends are real friends, not imaginary ones - tell your husband Bettsy. Hardly a word has been said, but 'I hear ya!'

Yes I do feel a bit off the rails (on the inside), but the good news is that I'm home on annual leave, and keeping it all to myself . Well, except for you my blogging friends. Never-the-less, I'm actually getting some stuff done, so that's a good thing. Just shows I needed a holiday.

The knitting thing has taken hold of me at the moment. See above my half finished Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, which is turning out to be the most expensive scarf in history, as I have taken delivery of 2 more balls of Noro Silk Garden today to finish it off. As it doesn't get too cold here, I am telling myself that it is the only scarf I will need, and the silk will make it 'not too hot', and that it has been fun learning something new. It is really a Feather and Fan pattern (I know what that is now) and I have become quite the master at knitting into the front and back of stitches, and even more importantly, have improved my skills at fixing up mistakes. Plus it is fairly mindless work, which is a good thing! The colours look a bit washed out in the photo - they are richer in real life.

It's interesting how the camera will not pick up a colour, isn't it? I took many photos of this ball of yarn to try and get the colour to show. It is a deeper grape than it looks, even in the first photo here.
It is 70% mohair and 30% silk, and I am going to make the Airy Scarf for my Mum for her birthday, which is only about 2 weeks away. The pattern is from the same book, and it looks fairly easy (hopefully it will not fall into the "How Hard Can it Be?" Files), and it will be my first attempt at lace knitting. I am inspired by all the lovely shawls and wraps I see people knitting, and my mind is sneaking off in that general direction.

I bought my yarn from YarnsOnline, and found Meaghan to be most helpful. She phoned me yesterday when the Visa wouldn't work, and held on while I looked up my balance on the computer - enough said about what the problem was. She got it into a smaller envelope than originally quoted, dropping the postage cost, and it arrived today. Highly recommended. Speaking of Australian yarn stores - for the Aussie girls - have a look at The Wool Shack in the Sale items for some greatly reduced sock yarn.


I have also been quilting very unexciting straight lines on my string quilt. I just want it finished, and haven't the patience to be fiddling around with it. It isn't too bad though, as the lines echo the straight lines down the sides of the long panels, while accentuating the crooked horizontal lines.

I can't find any more purple for the binding, so I will do a scrappy one of what ever i can find in bright colours, then straight on the bed.

Off to the postbox to send something to Ireland - my first ever swap. Very exciting.

The Bits I Like the Least

I had the urge to start something new this afternoon, again. How many projects can I have on the go at once? Why doesn't starting something new ever satisfy the urge for any great period of time? I had a bit of a think about it while waiting for The Sound of the Environment Being Destroyed (think chainsaw happy local in combination with a beautiful old gum tree) to stop this afternoon. I can't concentrate when the chainsaw is going.

I came to the conclusion that what I really want is a new quilt on my bed, or to lie under while watching TV with a handsome beagle by my side ie. something finished.

So I did a quick inventory of possible UFOs, thinking that the string quilt would be the best to tackle. The back was already pieced, I had the batting which I think is a wool one, plus it is a scrap quilt that would allow a basic quilt job done by me, the inexperienced and reluctant machine quilter. I really don't like the finishing off part. Until it's actually finished of course!

Everyone has their problems - borders for Nancy (I would just make quilts without borders LOL), other people who will remain nameless who have a couple of hundred Flimsys in the corner (ducking), and I know there are people who aren't too keen on cutting. Actually that was me until recently. I shocked myself by cutting a fair percentage of the pieces for the 30s Zig Zag quilt that I like in the latest Fons and Porter magazine, without looking up.

Now that I think about it, even the sewing is a bit of a drag sometimes... what does that leave? The best part (my favourite) - looking in magazines and books, looking at online fabric stores with my credit card between my teeth, opening the parcel when the postman arrives, and last but not least, lovingly finding a space for it in the stash. There I've said it - that's what I love most about patchwork and quilting. Oh and reading blogs of course.

Anyway, so I cleared the kitchen table ( a job in itself), started to defrost the fridge while I was at it, put some washing on, made some pumpkin soup in the hope that 'if I cook it, winter will come', cut half of Simon's toenails - enough's enough says poor Simon - then actually got the quilt on the table. I have to keep talking to myself, making bargains all the time.

Bad Side of BRAIN: I think I'll just pin the centre bit. It's going to take me ages to get to the outside bits anyway - I can pin them another time.

Other Side of Brain: don't be so stupid. Just get it over with. It will sit in the corner for another 2 years otherwise.

Bad Side: Yes but the gardening show is on soon and I don't have time to finish it.

Other Side: It isn't on for another 2 hours - just get on with it.

and on it goes... I pinned it and have spent 30 mins deciding what colour thread to use. First I wound 2 bobbins of this avocado green thinking how good it would look. It looked like shit. Then I started to wind a bobbin of purple, then thought why am I wasting the purple on the back? So then I got out the variagated green I bought once that I don't like, and wound that for the back, and put the purple on the front.
I have started to do the quilting, one row, and then had to go and attack the ice in the fridge, have dinner, watch Crocodile Dundee and part of Men In Black, do some knitting...

But I have started, which is progress, so hopefully I can finish it. As I typed that a thought flashed through my brain - I can just do the basic quilting, bind it, then finish it off some other day! There is no hope.

PS the computer still won't start, so today I thought I'll resort to putting the Windows disc in even though I'll probably lose the lot, and guess what? The CD drive drawer is broken! How could I have forgotten?

Plans for May

It isn't long now til my month off work - I'm trying not to count down too much in case I go nuts, but quietly, I only have 4 shifts to work.

Now that I think about it, a lot of my projects are at Flimsy stage, except for the hexagon quilt (which isn't far off now), and the 4 patch, of which all the 4 patches are done - I just don't have the fabric for the alternate squares yet.

So I plan to start on the Civil War Diary Quilt. I have the book, and have just ordered the CD from the author, which goes into EQ5 and enables you to print out the blocks. I think I will try to do them by the freezer paper template method that Tazzie is using for her Dear Jane (see Dec 2 & 3). I suppose I could put the freezer paper through the printer somehow? Ironed onto a sheet of A4 perhaps? In the meantime there are a few blocks that are easy to do with rotary cutting, so I can get started.

Of course the thought of starting this quilt has made me think about fabric choice. I thought I could use Civil War Era fabrics, and some from the years before, but now that I go through my stash of Reproduction fabric, it is harder than I thought to decide which to use. I have done some internet research on time periods for various ranges of fabric - some of the information is contradictory, and some of the ranges are hard to put into time periods. I have looked in my Barbara Brackman books which has been a little bit of a help, but I am a bit unsure what to do. I wonder if I should approach it from a different perspective and try and rule out anything post 1860s, and before say the 1840s.

OTOH, maybe I shouldn't be so picky, and just try to avoid the really obvious early prints like chintz, and the really late ones. But then I read that some prints like the rainbow prints make a comeback in the late 1800s. Any thoughts anyone?

I am also cursing myself because around the time I was making my last fabric purchase I saw the Civil War Anthem range at a very discounted price "somewhere", and do you think I can find it now? The perils of having about 60 online fabric stores in my Favourites! I need more fabric like a hole in the head, but I do love those purples and creams and blues with the red accent...

The socks continue - I have turned the heel on sock 2, and am just at the stage of picking up the stitches. I keep making mistakes with this sock, whereas the first one was perfect! But I sort of figure that it will be a much different sock to my first one, as I am doing a much tighter and more even job on this one. I will no doubt be wearing them around the house, so I am not worrying about pulling any of the knitting out. I am just fixing up the mistakes as best I can and keep on knitting. I'm not sure that I will be making too many more socks - I am pleased to know that I can do it, and have mastered the double point needles, but I think I would like to try something different for my next knitting project.

I thought I would put up a photo of my poor String quilt Flimsy that I made a few years ago (yikes!) considering the interest in string quilts lately. I made it after I bought Gwen Marstons Liberated String Quilts book. It is pieced from stash and 2 rolls of long plain offcuts that I bought el cheapo. They were the sides cut off the plain backings by a longarm quilter. I pieced the back last year, and really need to get it quilted. This photo was taken at my old house, and I have nearly lived here for 2 years!

Setting September Goals

I have been inspired by all those setting September Goals to set some myself. I have decided not to go out too fast in case I run out of energy before the finish line, so I have set 2 simple goals.

The first is to finish sorting out the stash. I am making good progress, and am currently working on the big plastic container under the spare bed. I have some extra small plastic containers, and I bought a drill this morning on the way home from work so that I can put up the shelves I need to arrange all the containers.

The second is to complete and send off the Japanese quilt and this string quilt to the Machine Quilter. I made this about 2 years ago I suppose, and got as far as pinning it, then thought "what the hell am I doing? It's too big and I don't want to quilt it", so nothing has ever happened. I did get as far as phoning a quilter, then didn't get it done because I have to fiddle with the pieced back to make it flat first. Probably 20 mins work if that!

This is a true scrap quilt. It was inspired by this quilt from Liberated String Quilts by Gwen Marston. I bought 2 rolls of long plain coloured homespun strips at a craft show, which were the bits cut off quilt backs after quilting. Then I got out a few fat quarters and added them in. The purple was bought 'el cheapo' at a sale and then I had to get the green and red, but they were fairly inexpensive too, from memory. I just put together what came out of the pile, unless it was a repeat - I mainly pieced it by putting the strips together that would fit each other.

I quite like it, even though I don't really like the print fabrics that I put in (what was I thinking?). But it goes to show I suppose that a quilt is more than the parts put together. I didn't have enough purple for the back, so I used the leftover green and a leftover strip. I still haven't fixed it up. It isn't crooked in real life, just draped crooked on the couch.

One thing I would like to know is - what are the things I should do to the quilts to make them ready for the quilter? I understand that the quilt should be as flat as possible. Should I square up the backing? Any tips would be great so that I can be a good customer.

I just read Evelyn's post on the Fons and Porter article (I subscribe), which I thought was a bit weird when I read it. So it would be good to get it right first time.