Things I've Learnt About Thangles (or Mistakes I've Made Again Today)

I have started the Civil War Diary Quilt today by making some of the blocks that can be rotary cut, while I wait for my CD to arrive from across the high seas. Most of these blocks have had Half Square Triangles (HSTs) in them, and my fave method to make them is by using triangle papers. I will use Triangles on a Roll if I want to make heaps of the same colour, but if I only want a few, I use Thangles.


Every time I use them after a certain period of time, I forget all the tricks, and make the same mistakes over and over. I often remember that there is a "trick to this" or "trick to that", but forget what that trick is. So, after today's little HST session, I have decided to record what I know to ensure instant success in the future. Most of you will be smarter than me and know what to do, but for those dummys like me, or for those that haven't used them - perhaps I can save you a little of the pain!

Step 1 is to get your fabric strips in the right order (see above). If you put the lightest strip up against the back of the paper, when you iron them all the seam allowances will be pointing to the dark side (see below). The 2 on the paper means that your HST will be 2 inches FINISHED, therefore you cut your fabric strips 2 1/2 inches wide, which is the width of the paper.

Step 2
Pin between each diagonal line, and sew up one dotted line, then skip across and sew down the other side. I have to take my 1/4 inch foot off as it has one of those irritating little guides on it that goes below the edge of the fabric. Use a fairly small stitch.


Step 3
Then cut them apart along the solid line. You don't have to be too accurate between the stitching lines as this is in the seam allowance, but it is good to cut the horizontal line with care. I sometimes use the rotary cutter or a pair of sharp scissors.

Step 4
Then to the ironing board. Put the little triangle paper-side down, then pick up the top piece of fabric, which will be the dark side, and flip it over and press. This is when the magic with the seam allowance happens.

Step 5
This part makes a big difference to the finished HST.

When you take the paper off it is very easy to start pulling the stitches out. I find that after the paper is off, the top stitches are slightly looser than the bobbin stitches, as there is a little gap where the paper was. If you start pulling the paper off willy-nilly, the seam often starts to come undone.



This is the best way I have found to do it. Don't pull from the pointy ends - the seam comes with it. Grab the paper at it's widest point and rip it gently to the seam, slightly towards you, then along the seam.

Then rip the remaining paper in the opposite direction, also along the seam.

Then get your fingernail under the paper in the seam allowance, and it should just pull out.

Cut off the little pointy bit sticking out, then you end up with your little HSTs all done with no tricky 7/8th measurements and no stretchy bias edges. Can you tell I just love 'em?

One last word of warning... sometimes it is easy to get distracted. I often find myself wondering which is the dark and which is the light side. Of course if you can't decide between the two, it doesn't really matter which one you put where. I do dwell on this, however, having had The Rules beaten into me.

(BTW, are you aware that there is an "Iron Your Seams Open" revolution building up momentum?)

Anyway, please notice the results below of not paying enough attention. I did notice while cutting them apart that the red was very vibrant, and had ironed two open before I realised my mistake.

Step 6 Right sides together.

ANZAC Day

It is ANZAC Day today, and I have the guilts as I couldn't drag my carcass out of bed for the Dawn Service. I try to go each year if I'm not at work. We have a little service here on the island - there are about 6 men that march. I can walk from here and one of the things I love is seeing people materialise out of the dark from all directions.

This photo was taken in 2005 (90 yr anniversary) at Caloundra which is on the coast north of here. The cenotaph is up on a cliff and what you can see below the horizon is the sea. There were huge numbers of people there, and it was very moving. Off the coast at this spot is what is believed to be the wartime shipwreck of the Centaur, a hospital ship, which made it all seem more real.

All the WW1 Diggers have died now I think, and the WW2 boys are thinning out as well, but it is good to see that a lot of children and young people are developing an interest in the ANZAC history and spirit, and I don't think that it will all be 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!

Doonas

I have been working working working, and not really had much time to sew. I have started the 2nd sock, done a few hexagons, but that's it. I have the day off today so hoepfully I might get something done.

I was pleased to finish that sock - I'm not sure that I'll be making many more... Thanks for all the encouraging comments and assistance.

I was asked what a doona is. I think in the US you would call it a duvet? It is a feather and down quilt that you sleep under. Autumn is sort of here, which is a great relief. It is cool at night, but still 29 - 30 deg C during the day, but the dreadful humidity has gone. It's lovely really. Winters are quite mild here really, certainly no snow. Not even frost where I live.

No photos to share so I won't write reams and reams. Just checking in really. I am very behind on my blog reading, so I think I will be half the day at the computer catching up.

1st Sock Finished

Here you see my finished 1st sock. It is too big really, and the heel drops down lower than I think it should. Maybe this is because I have made it too long, or the needles are too big. Whatever - I now know that I can do it, so hopefully the 2nd one will be a bit tighter too, as I have a better grasp on the pointy needles. It looks a bit funny at the toe in the photo on the left, but is ok when on. I had 8 stitches on each of 2 needles at the end, and I did the 3 needle cast off. The stripes are groovy, so I will wear them with my slippers or something.

The weather has finally turned a bit cool which is such a relief. It is about 17 deg C - 27 deg C, which is very pleasant. I slept under the doona last night for the first time, and today I have dug some holes for trees without expiring from the heat. I would be very happy if the weather was like this all the time. It is quite windy though, and all the people on boats on the Bay for Easter probably had a miserable time.


I have been working on my hexagons a bit, the 4 patches and bits and pieces. The 2nd sock is next.

Tsunami Warning

We had a Tsunami Warning yesterday. Well I found out about it last night on the news, so luckily it came to nothing. A 10cm rise in sea levels apparently. I would have been washed away in my bed, fast asleep, with the beagle on the end! My land is 11 metres above sea level, but as I live in Moreton Bay, which is protected by islands, I'm sure I'm pretty safe.

Anyway, I've been awake since the Crack of Dawn - in fact before the COD - too much night duty. So I got up and sewed some 4 patches out of some of my new fabric, which I couldn't really afford. I have also reassessed my dodgy mathematics, and the size of the quilt, and have decided that I need 248 x 4 patch blocks. This may not be the case, but it is my latest estimate. I have them pinned in groups of 10, and find that I have 206. Pretty exciting stuff! I find it very hard to calculate how many blocks I need, as it is an on-point setting, but if I make 248, then I can always make some more later if I've stuffed it up. The blocks are very scrappy, so I wonder how it will turn out?

As for the other projects - the sock is up to the toe decreases, so I'll have to get onto it before I scare myself silly thinking about it. The current dilemma is when to start the decreases, but I sort of put it on the other day, and figure that my toes were sticking out about 2 inches, so I'll just have a go and hope it fits.

I have the knitting bug for sure - I made a cotton dishcloth yesterday. I have never used a cotton dishcloth, so I will test it out. I made it out of an abandoned crocheted UFO, so there is nothing to lose.

I tried to go all the way around the Q4P Ring this morning too, but after 2 1/2 hours I stopped before the end. I had a look at the list and there are over 70 members now, so sorry if I didn't get to you.

Otherwise all is quiet here. The weather is teasing us by 'marginally' cooling down, so hopefully it will not be long before you can do things without immediately breaking into a sweat. I have some trees to plant, but between the heat and the mossies, I have just been watering them every morning in their pots, and hoping they survive. Soon, soon...

Fabric Costs

It's interesting to hear that Australia isn't the only country that must have lots of taxes on fabric. I buy from a few online stores. I have bought from Fabric Shack many times, also Quilter's Quarter. Hancocks too, but sometimes things don't arrive, or you get 2 of something and not something else, and it seems to take a lot longer to arrive. There are others, and I certainly look at a lot of different sites, but I find that Fabric Shack and Quilter's Quarter are my favourites.

To get value for money with postage you need to order a few yards (terrible shame), so you need a store that has a wide range of the stuff you like. I love the Repros, and many of them go on sale in the US, which never happens here. There is 1 store in my city that stocks Repros, so sometimes I go there and look at the fabric, but usually I've already seen it online or in a magazine. Occasionally I will go and look at a particular fabric to see the colour, but generally I find I am pretty good at choosing what I like online now. The hard part is saving up and not buying little bits here and there, so that you can get a heap all at once (for the postage you understand LOL!). I also occasionally buy a magazine, as they can be up to A$20 here, when they are about A$8 on the cover.

I buy half yard pieces when I am stash building, which seems to work well for me. I will put a few of the new ones in the nearly completed hexagon quilt, then in the NOT nearly completed 4 patch, then dream about what to do next. I would like to start the Civil War Diary quilt too.

How to Save $383 in Just a Few Clicks

Yes it's true. If I had bought this fabric at my LQS it would have cost me an extra A$383. Isn't that a scandal?

Any Aussies out there - if you're not buying from the States you're missing out on a lot of fabric. I know this is a favourite rant of mine, but how come everything here is so expensive? I'm all for the concept of supporting your LQS, but how can you compare? A$157 (including postage) to my door in 5 DAYS, or A$540 from the LQS? What would you do?

They are all lovely 1800s reproductions from The Fabric Shack who I can highly recommend. 5 days to Australia?? I'm supposed to be tidying up and cooking dinner for guests tonight, but there will need to be a bit of fabric fondling first...

Sock Tantrum

Does this look right all of you sock gurus? I'm not 100% sure about it. I hope I've not stuffed it up, as I could very easily get discouraged right about now. I have finished (I think) decreasing for the instep, and now have to keep going til I think it will be long enough to do the toe part.

How far that will be I don't really know. How long is the toe part? I think I read somewhere about 2 inches?

It all looks fairly big - I really think I could have used 0.5mm smaller needles, but too late now. The other thing is that I have HUGE feet, so I probably need the room. I had a tantrum the other night after picking up the stitches for the - well I don't really know - how are you supposed to do all that with these fiddly little needles? Crochet hook for the next one I think. Anyway I had 9 stitches on needles 1 & 3, 32 on needle 2. I had to pick up 18 along each side adding them to the 9, which gave me 27 x2 and 32. I counted and counted and counted. I had it right I swear! Then around the whole lot with one row of knit to pull it all together - 1 stitch too many. I tell ya! I had Speed on the TV, things were getting pretty full-on on the bus, I had a bit of a headache that was rapidly increasing, I was hot and sweaty and hadn't had a proper night's sleep the night before. It was also the day of the lizard 'surprise' (see previous post), and frankly, it all got a bit much. I looked and looked to see where I had picked up this 'extra' stitch which I swear wasn't there before - no go. So, as I thought to myself "bad habits are starting early, aren't they my Girl?", I knit 2 together, finished the row, put it down and went to bed.

It was that or out the window to be ravaged by a cane toad in the night.

But on I went the next day, and here we are. I'm just going to keep going, and if it isn't right I will do a better job on the next one. One of the Doctors at work was talking about her knitting last night, so I showed her my sock and she was very impressed. So that made me feel better LOL. She has never done socks though, so anyone who has not wrestled the 4 satay sticks before is always impressed in my experience!

I continue to chant my mantra of Progress not Perfection.

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.

Between Me and Insanity

lies the humble mosquito coil. I have never in my life seen so many mosquitoes. I took the dogs for a walk late this afternoon, covered in insect spray, and in the end I couldn't bear it - I had swarms of them buzzing around my head, and biting me all over. Despite having fly screens, the house seems full of them. They come in with you, and I'm sure a few sneak in through the dog flap. Then you get into bed, turn out the light.... and bbzzzzz. Bbbzzzzz. Bbbzzzz-zzzz-zzZZZ-zzzz. All around your head. Aarrgghhh, the agony! So the old Earth Tiger coil is going non stop. Do you like Ms Redhead in a snow globe with Australia-shaped hair?

Anyway, back to the socks! I got a bit of knitting done at work last night as I had to sit with one patient a lot of the night. I am up to the heel turning bit, so it's all happening. I just love the magic stripes in the sockyarn. My rib is not very good - a bit loose, but I was struggling with the live hedgehog that lives in the double point needles (see previous post). However I am confident that I am improving. Progress not perfection. Thanks for all your suggestions and help. The Come to Silver sock tutorial that Quilting Fitzy suggested was very helpful, and Anne and Diana thanks for the loop switching advice. My ladder is less noticeable now, and it is getting tighter. Tazzie has been very helpful too, and speaking of knitting have you read about Ruth's announcement yet?


All this talk of finished UFOs around the blogs has me feeling a little guilty about neglecting the hexagons. So I got them out tonight to reassure myself how close I am to finishing (this is what I tell myself). They look a bit crumpled as I have started folding the whole thing up in a tablecloth so that the parts stay fairly close to where they need to go. The dark border probably would have been finished by now, except that I have gone around and added another row of hexagons as I have decided to slice the tops off the outermost row and bind the quilt with a straight binding. So time consuming, and I am a bit sick of the dark colours.

So I haven't forgotten it, just having some time out. Also it has become too big and unwieldy (is that a word?) to take along as a mobile project, hence the knitting. They must call me the crazy crafty lady on the ferry. Or as someone said to me last night "That's interesting. Knittting with Satay Sticks now. What's next?" Hmmm.

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...

Double Points

I've just found this quote on Knitty while looking for a tutorial on how to use those infernal double pointed needles. I can really identify...

"Until you become accustomed to knitting with double points,
it may feel like you've got an unruly hedgehog in your
hands."

Touche!

Comments

Thanks heaps for all the helpful comments regarding my first applique attempt. I don't feel so bad about it now.

I always try something new (applique, setting up stuff on computer etc) with the thought "How hard can it be?", only to find that it is quite hard after all. I think I should be able to get it on the first go. Not so, obviously. I suppose I thought that I wouldn't need to do too much preparation, but now I see that I do. That's cool, as long as I know. When you see other people's work you don't often get to see what goes on behind the scenes. "The one I prepared earlier" gets whipped out, and it just seems so easy! Joke's on me I guess!

While thinking about the applique I thought I'd try the sock knitting. The real reason was that I was in the vicinity of the very nice wool and thread shop Threads and More last week, so I went in and asked for the basic sock pattern. The lady also sold me a set of double ended needles that were so small they looked like the skewers you thread meat on to make satay sticks (they were bamboo). Anyway, I got home and opened the pattern, expecting to see a couple of sizes, which I thought was indicated on the back of the packet. Wrong. Then I measured my (HUGE) foot, to find it is 2cm longer than the larger of 3 foot sizes for the One Size Fits All pattern.

At this point a bizarre and evil thought came over me.... "Perhaps I should knit the tension square?" Now I have to tell you that this concept goes totally against my philosophy in life ie. "Work smart, not hard". I mean to say - does anyone ever knit the tension square?? That's just extra work as far as I can see it, for not much pay off. But I did it. Well I started to. Just enough to establish that it wasn't going to be big enough. Blast. I found some old needles of my Nana's that were a 3.5 not 2.25, and started again. I did that bit you see in the photo, and think that they are probably the more appropriate size. So tomorrow I will be near the shop again, so I will buy some more pointy skewer sticks. Then I will start asking for help! I think I'll be able to get to the heel if I can get my 4 needles working. After that I will be needing help. Keeps me off the streets.

Adventures in Applique

This picture is as close as you're going to get to my first ever needle turn applique attempt. Talk about fingers and thumbs - I nearly 'sewed' my finger to my thumb. I did sew my finger to the back of the fabric 8 times though...

As you can see when I ran out of thread down the bottom I used this as the perfect excuse to stop. I had troubles with my bends. I got this great book out of the library which has really clear instructions for all types of applique, so first I tried the Freezer Paper on Top method. This was going well til I got to the right hand bend at the top of the heart. I had enough to contend with without an extra bit of paper on top. So I took that off and sketched the line on the red fabric. The pointy inside bit in the middle at the top I clipped, but the fabric went all frayed, so I gave up on that bit and kept going. I was doing ok with the stitching; it is the turning under part that was hard. I tried to pin it, but hmmmm... not so good.

I have looked back in the book - there is a Freezer Paper on the Bottom technique where you pre turn the seam allowance to the back and baste it, which looks easier, but then it would be a lot more work. There is another interesting one where they make a proper template out of Templar, put it on the wrong side of the fabric, then 'paint' the seam allowance with spray starch squirted into a little cup, using a cotton bud. The seam allowance is then ironed over the template. Again, more work. Perhaps I had better keep practising, but maybe using an easier shape. Any suggestions gratefully received.

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.

Double Pink

When I think of a double pink I think of something like the fabric on the left in this photo. It is fairly bright, but still pink. I wouldn't even mind something like the fabric on the right for the setting squares of my 4 patch, but I can't seem to see anything I like that I can afford. I think the pinks must be very popular and rarely make it to the sales.

Is the one on the left what would be called a double pink? I suppose too that the old quilts we see in books (like the one that inspired me to start the 4 patch) are faded, and we get a feeling for the paler look, even though the quilt probably didn't start out that way.

Anyway, it isn't going anywhere - I'll just keep looking and one day I'll see something.

Pink Fabric

What about this one for the squares?

Addit: sorry that wasn't very clear. I am looking for a pink 1800s fabric for the setting squares of my Repro 4 patch.

I have been out to dinner tonight at the home of another nurse that I have met going to night duty on the boat. Another nurse who lives near me also went with her husband, the hostess' neighbour and SIL were also there. It was nice to get out (she lives on the next island), and nice to meet new people. It isn't too easy to meet people when you are a 42 yo single shiftworker, who really prefers to stay home with her dog and her computer!

It was very nice, but I tell you - when I get home I'm so glad to be home. I really am a solitary person, but I'm constantly forcing myself to connect with other 'real live' people (well ones that are actually in the same town) because I know it's good for me, but really I feel much more comfortable with people's dogs and cats. But I will soldier on and invite them here soon. I'd better start cleaning up the house and sewing room now. Well, in the morning maybe... off to bed.

Stash Enhancement

Well, didn't that last post bring the Brownies, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts out of the closet? I believe it was Lord Baden-Powell in England that started the Boy Scouts, and then Lady B- P started the Girl version, but correct me if I'm wrong...

I have had a heap of coins lying around the house for many months, that I always mean to take to the bank. Some of them made it into individual plastic bags, others were just lying around. Last week I finally got them all together and counted it up - $60! You beauty!

Today I took it to the bank, then promptly went and spent $60 on some stash, or as Karen would say "Collection" Enhancement. It felt so good, as I have been trying very hard not to spend any money lately (mainly cos I haven't had any to spare). I went to about the only shop around here that I buy from any more. They get in a limited assortment of fabrics that are often 2nds, at approx 1/3 the normal price here. Sometimes the white of the selvedge is a bit wider than it should be, or occasionally there is a repeated spot where the pattern is a bit lighter, but many of them have no visible fault.

I found some Michael Millers, some black and whites, a few odd ones, and this pink one (separate photo) which is a Judie Rothermel Art Deco range. I have been looking hard for a reasonably priced Repro pink or double pink for the big squares in my Repro 4 patch, but have had no luck. I was even thinking of just using shirtings, but then I saw this today. I suppose if it's called Art Deco it is 1920's, but then it looks like an 1800s design to me. Try and click on it and see if it will give you a closer look.

I only bought 0.5m so will try it out with some of the 4 patches and see if it looks any good. Thoughts please from the Repro fabric Fans. Off to fondle my fabric...

Finished Flimsy

I'm very happy as I have just finished the Flimsy of Daniel's Quilt. It is pinned up sideways in the photo - it is about 50" x 74". I'm very pleased as I haven't been able to get motivated to do any real sewing for ages - just the hexagons.

I'm planning to put the remainder of the lime green homespun on the back. I just hope he likes it, and doesn't think it is too young for him. He is 7. If he isn't too keen on it I have another plan for it, so we will see.

I was talking to one of the other nurses on the boat going to work the other night, who is also the Girl Guide Leader on Russell Island. Do you have Guides in the US? I think you have something similar but with a different name. Anyway we were talking about it as I was a Guide back in the Dark Ages. It seems they are always short of money and have to do fund-raising to keep afloat, so I thought I'd make a quilt they could raffle. If Daniel isn't too keen I'll give her this one, or else I was thinking of a String Quilt like the String-X on Quiltville, as I have a lot of pink fabric that I can't see me using in the near future. I don't think this Bricks and Stepping Stones would work, as they are mainly light toned fabrics, not mediums. I do have 2 x 1/2 yard pieces of cute pale pink fabric; one with bikinis, and the other with fashion-type motifs on it which I could use for the triangles. I'll think about it. Apparently the girls in the group are mainly 9 or 10 yo, so I suppose it would be better to do something a bit girly.

Otherwise not much happening. "Don't mention the cricket" is the motto around here. It is amazing how many South Africa fans have popped up this week - one that doesn't even live there, and one that is really an Aussie. Gail and Ruth you know who you are!

Australia : CLOSED

I'm sorry to report that all followers of the Cricket have declared Australia CLOSED to the Rest of the World for a suitable period of Grieving, and for some Squirming in Shame and Horror.

Australia will reopen eventually...

Scary Photo

I can't imagine that you are all too excited to see my right foot, but you may have noticed the lump on the ankle. Yes this is my foot pedal foot, and it is rather sore. I twisted it on a bit of uneven road this morning, and at the time it felt ok, but a few hours later it was very swollen and sore. So after elevation, ice and drugs it is feeling better, but I'm going to baby it as I am due back at work in under 48 hrs.

Now the good news is that this gives me a really great excuse to sit on the couch tomorrow with it up watching the cricket, doing more bloody hexagons. I know I don't sound too in love with the project at the moment - I even had an evil thought about starting some in 1930's colours tomorrow... But I think I want smaller ones for that.

The Aussies MUST WIN tomorrow, or we will have to close off Australia to the Rest of the World while we squirm in shame for being beaten by the Poms. So if you don't hear from me or Tracey for a while, you will know that the worst has happened...

Speaking of which, there is a message on Clare's blog saying that Jen (Hedgehog) is fine, just hibernating as apparently Hedgehogs do in the winter.

I've Turned a Corner

Too corny for words, I know, but...
I haven't been doing too much quilting so I'm excited when 'something' happens. I'm still plodding along with the hexagons, but I have to admit I'm not as keen as I was. But I can't stop, or start a new hand sewing project til I'm finished.

I've had a cold, so have been laying low, but I have been reading other people's blogs - there are so many to look at now that it is a real effort to keep up with them all. I know I keep saying it, but I think some small quilts are next on the agenda. I'm a bit fed up with myself starting all these great big ones, then struggling to finish.

I'm inspired by all the lovely quilts on Karen's blog Sewprimitive, and want to try something similar. I also love the customer's quilt Patti has on Quilting is My Passion. I'd like to try some applique too, but that is hand sewing which totally goes against my promise above . I also saw a little string quilt on someone's blog (can't remember who - Dawn's Quilts and Pieces), which would be a perfect way to use up the scraps from the hexagon quilt. So much to do, so little gets done...

But boring things beckon - I'm going to hang out the washing, iron my uniform for work, have some lunch, then go to bed in preparation for work tonight. What a drag, huh?

Adit: in response to questions - I have 'heaps' of projects on the go, but I'm afraid with the hand sewing project, because it is so time consuming, that if I stop I'll never start again. I'm trying to have some discipline (dirty word for me) and keep going with it til the bitter end. I have about 5 other quilts in various stages, not to mention the flimsies that need quilting!

Curtains

First, thanks to Tazzie for some help getting my Q4P link back - we had a talk on the phone and figured it out by nicking someone else's code and changing the number. First time I've talked to Tazzie; I have met Heavens to Bettsy.

It is hot as hell and humid here today. You must get sick of me going on about it, but it really is almost unbearable some days. I was woken at 3.30am by a storm, and now there is another one coming, so had better post and get off the computer.

I have been hiding in the aircon all day fiddling around, and finally starting the curtains this afternoon. I have lived here for 18 months with no curtains or blinds downstairs, but I've finally given in. I'm not too keen on curtains, but I had to do something. These 2 doors that you see are each 3m wide. The one on the left is my "front door", and the one on the right leads out onto the deck at the front of the house. As you can see I have grey glass, which is great for the glare. During the day no-one can see in, but at night 'everyone' can see in. All they see is me cooking or sitting in front of the TV, so I haven't worried too much about it.

However, the neighbours told me recently that the rather 'unsavoury' fellow that was renting across the road had been looking into everyone's houses at night with binoculars. That sealed it. I was looking at a great sliding panel system at Ikea, but because of the bulkhead above the front door which is covering a steel beam, it wouldn't work. So I have been to the dreaded Spotlight to buy curtain fabric - what a disappointment. In the end I bought 14m of dark blue cotton denim from the dress material section, and have started today.

They are nice and dark, and I think they will be fine. I just want something that will sit quietly in the corner during the day, but will block out the neighbours at night, and the morning sun that comes in. I have just made them up as I go along with some curtain ring tape along the top which I might gather just a little to stop the rings dipping down and showing. I will wash them tomorrow and hang them by the rings to dry so I don't get peg marks on them. Then I will hem them after a few days. They are going to run, so the excess dye will dye the white tape blue, which will be good.

Probably not the way the Curtain Police would do it, but too bad! I'll try and get the other two finished tomorrow, then back to Daniel's Quilt. The sewing machine needs a service badly - it is doing something tricky down in the bobbin housing which looks ominous...

Sunflowers

First thing - my Q4P link isn't working. My fault. Kim sent me the new code, I deleted the old code then realised that I didn't know my Ring number. Woops. I have emailed her but it is probably the middle of the night where she lives, or she is having a Sunday sleep-in.

Next, for those of you on the wrong side of the world who are not seeing much sunlight, here is a photo of some sunflowers I picked up at a farm stall yesterday. Aren't they beautiful?

Then a photo of a painting I bought today. It looks better in real life - the light is shining on it in the photo. There has been an art show here this weekend (Australia Day) and I bought it there. It was quite inexpensive, but I like it. Now I have to decide where to put it.

The cricket is on - I can just hear that someone got out.

Better get back to it. Australia is going pretty well against New Zealand (3nd favourite enemy after England and South Africa). The game is in Perth today and the temperature on the cricket ground is 41 deg C. Imagine that?

Daniel's Quilt

As you can see Daniel's Quilt is suddenly well under way. This afternoon I shut myself in the sewing/computer room, put on the aircon, and got into it. The 1st photo shows the top still in 3 parts. I just have to sew them together, put on a border and then put it together. All the fabric so far is from the stash.

I had a bit of stash anxiety this afternoon, as I suddenly realised that I didn't have anything for the border. I like the idea of a thin red inner border, then a wider outer border in the plain blue, which is a bit darker than how it has photographed with the flash. I was hoping to get it finished this week, so tomorrow when I am on the mainland I will try and get the fabric.

I'm going over with 2 of the other nurses that live over here to a big book sale that is held by the Salvos I think. Hoping for some sewing books, otherwise a few novels maybe. As I have 3/4 cleaned out my bookshelves downstairs lately, and culled a lot of books, this is probably pretty silly. I suppose I am mainly going for social reasons, as we will have lunch too. The only thing is I will be in someone else's car, so hopefully they will be OK with me stopping quickly at the fabric shop.

I have been a bit worried about the outcome of this quilt, as I thought the black and white 4 patches have got 'lost' a bit due to the bright colours. As Bonnie wrote on her website this quilt is all about contrast, and I think the bright colours are too bright. But then when I looked at the photo it seems a bit better.

Simon has been helping - well actually he has been snoring in the cool of the aircon, waking briefly to have his photo taken. Swampy is in the dog bed.

Short Post

It is so hot and humid here that I can hardly do anything! The temp was only 31 deg C today, but it is 21 overnight. It's the humidity that kills you. I woke up sweating this morning, and couldn't make a decision what to do. The dentist's receptionist made the decision for me by asking if I could fill a cancellation today instead of my appt on Wed.

I had a filling in a tooth that has been troubling me on and off for a while, and 7 hours later the Local is just about gone. I tried to have a drink of water about 2 hours ago and half of it ran off my chin! I have come in the house at 21.45, opened all the windows then brought the dogs and the laptop up to my room and turned the aircon on. What a relief - hang the expense.

Bought the batting for Daniel's quilt today, and I am going to Craft Group tomorrow, so must get on with the top.

Mum's visit wasn't too bad - small doses are more manageable. Someone asked if she does any craft. She does lots of different things, embroidery, garment sewing, crochet, goldwork, a few quilts and Ikebana.

No photos sorry. I'm enjoying all the snow and ice photos.

I just looked at the weather link and it is 80 deg F with 82% humidity and it is 10.30 pm

Flylady, Where are You?

My Mother is coming over tomorrow - oh why haven't I been a better FlyBaby? And what am I doing sitting on the computer reading blogs? Paper everywhere!!

The really bad news? Mum has had her cataract fixed...

Adit: all the better to see the dirt with

Can't Get Moving

I'm in some kind-of Post Christmas Slump, or something like that. I can't seem to get my act together. One minute I think I'm coming down with something, the next I think that I just need to get out more. Or work more. Or 'something'! Feeling unsettled and restless, can't sleep at night (only all day), and can't even seem to get any sewing done, except for (you guessed it) the blasted hexagons.

Here is a shot of the border I've decided to do - doesn't show up too well on the dark floor but I can't be bothered to redo it. Sorry. Now I need to decide about the outside edge. Do I do as someone suggested and applique it on to something, or put another row of hexagons around and slice off the edge to make it straight?

Going back to bed. Happy New Year!

Sewing Again

I've dusted off the sewing machine and started to sew. I had in mind I would make this for my nephew Daniel, but first I will see how it turns out, I think. If it isn't too girly I'll give it to him. I have a lot more blues and yellows and greens to go in it, so maybe it will be ok.

This is Bricks and Stones from the Quiltville site and as you can see I have only just started really. But I plan to not muck around with it and get it finished without delay. On that note though, I have 2 nights of work now, so next week I will finish it, I SWEAR.

Hope you all had a nice Christmas - I had a low key day which was very nice. Caught up with all the rellies over the break. Mum and Dad gave me a $50 voucher for my favourite quilt store, so that will be fun to spend.

Otherwise nothing to report - the weather has been quite pleasant, not too hot for a change. We have also had some rain, thrashed the Poms at cricket, and I am still plodding on with the hexagons...

Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas from Australia - here is a shot of the weather taken at o7.30 - it is going to be hot and fine with a storm this afternoon.

I am off to my Sister's place on the 08.30 Waterbus, so the fun hasn't started yet. I can hear some kids screeching with delight down the road - obviously getting some good stuff! It was very windy here last night, but Santa obviously didn't get blown off course.

Hope you all have a nice day, and just know we are dreaming of snow here!

Cane Toads

Well, somebody asked to see one... They are awful looking things, and so well camoflagued that you almost step on them before you see them. Shudder shudder.

I'll put the link only so you don't have to look if you don't want to. Cane toad.

Otherwise on I plug with my hexagons. I'm getting there. I have my 7 yo nephew staying the night tonight for the first time, so I have been busy keeping him busy. I have never had any kids so it is all a bit different for me. As for when I was a kid, all I remember is Mum getting on with whatever she had to do and we kids amusing ourselves. It isn't quite the same these days.

We have been for a quick dip in the sea - the tide was going out - had his alloted 1 hr on the computer, been for a walk with the dogs, eaten morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, had a bit of tv time, and then it was bed time at 7.30pm. I'm going to go to bed early too, as apparently it all starts again at the crack of dawn. Much smarter to have a nice beagle I think, but we are having a good time.

Sanity has prevailed re the birthday quilts - I'll do it in my own time, not for the Jan 8 deadline. And Daniel, bless his little heart, told me today that he really likes my hexagons, especially all the nice patterns on the fabric. He told me he thinks it is my best quilt yet! I might make his quilt first just for that comment, sweet child. I asked him what colour he would like, and he said he would have anything as long as it wasn't pink. So I asked him what his favourite colour is, and he said he likes lots of colours. Red, blue, yellow, green - primary colours. But did I know that green isn't a primary colour, as of course you use blue and yellow to make green? Yes he is 7.

Non Quilty Stuff

Today I plan to watch the cricket and do more hexagons - I'm on a roll. But before I sat on the couch and stayed there all day, I thought we would go outside, fiddle in the garden and go for a walk. I started planting this bit of front garden 12 months ago, and it is starting to get going now. The purple cordyline in the front of the photo has about tripled in size. That's a 5 foot fence.


We had storms and lots of rain yesterday and overnight, so there will be more new growth in a week or so. I have just put my little pond in, so I will get some little White Cloud fish to eat the mosquito larvae. The first day I filled it up I came home to find a cane toad relaxing in there, unable to get out, so now that I have put some plants in there, I will plant tall grassy plants around it too, to try and keep them out. Horrible things.




See the Crow's Nest going yellow in the centre of the leaves - it really needs more shade. Hopefully next summer the surrounding plants will have grown up enough to shade it. Last summer when it went in it had a chair over it draped with shade cloth.



Then we went for our walk... This is Swampy who jumped in the mud today. The mud around here is very black and sticky, and does not come off. As children when we spent a lot of time in the Bay on a boat, our Mother spent half her life (or so it seemed) saying "don't get your clothes covered in Moreton Bay Mud, as it won't come out". It doesn't. We would head off with Dad to the nearest mud bank to pump yabbies, stand in the wrong spot and next minute would have our t-shirts covered in black mud. Oh and it smells too.



Swampy has had a wash under the hose but it has only half come off. She is currently outside with her bone and bowl of water. And there she will stay. I'll have to try and find some dog shampoo somewhere, or she will be an outside dog til it all falls off.


Yes, she looks very proud of herself. She must have been in full flight with her tail in the air when she went in, as her tail is clean.

Anxieties

Check this block out. Don't you like the name? As good as Death Penalty from my last post. Anxieties are what I'll be having working this one out. Those stripes are very thin. It's a 6 inch block.

As for Blogger, I tried a number of times to do the word verification thing and it still wouldn't come up. I don't know if you've noticed, but Quilt Junkie has gone over to Typepad under a new name Thee Handworks, so I'll be watching with interest. I also notice that some of the really nice blogs I look at are Typepad blogs, like Soulemama and Posy Gets Cosy, and you never see them complaining about blog problems. I had a look and it's US$50 per year...

Otherwise, off to bed for me. The aircon man came and fixed the machine. At 4 pm I went to turn it on and grab a few hours sleep before work, and guess what? The power went out! Aah you gotta laugh!

Blogger on Blink

I have just been trying to visit some blogs, but on many of them Blogger won't show me the letters to type for the verification! Hopeless - I give up. We might go for a walk if I can wake the dogs up.

Gift from the States

My friend Di has just been to the USA on a short holiday (with her husband on a business trip). She knows of my fabric obsession and asked if she could bring me something home. What do you say to that? Di is not a quilter, but one of the friends she stays with in Oregan is a quilter. Where to begin? So I asked her if she would get me this book which I haven't found here, and it would be much better value for money if she bought it, then there would be no postage to pay.


I am very lucky to have such a nice friend. Here it is. I have been looking at it, and realise that some of the blocks look quite complicated (to me), and it looks like I will have to have a go at foundation piecing eeeek! Look at this block which is 6 inches finished. What you see here is the sum total of the instructions
I have discovered a Yahoo group run by the author, who each week gives advice on the order of sewing a block using the foundation method. There is also a CD which will run on EQ5 which I suppose would allow me to print out a foundation sheet? Of course it is US$10 for the CD and US$9 for the postage! I know it isn't that much money, but it really irks me to pay that much for postage. Then there is the exchange rate..


In fact it is quite an expensive business living on an island - postage from the only place that has any exciting quilting stuff (US) to this island (Australia), and the $220 I will be paying the aircon man tomorrow for coming to 'this' island to fix my broken aircon which is UNDER WARRANTY! Oh yes, I have to pay for the barge, then compensate him for the time he has to spend while sitting in the fresh air on the barge reading the paper. The I have to pay for the time he spends driving from the factory to the barge and home again. And all of this is contingent on whether or not his girlfriend has a baby today!

Sorry to whinge, but to me the bottom line is that if their inferior product didn't break down less than 12 months after being installed, there would be no need to come out at all.

Back to the quilting... Any advice on foundation piecing? I was interested to read about Tazzie's post about freezer paper templates. The link she gave was good too. Maybe this would work. All experiences gratefully received. I imagine the Dear Jane-ers would know too?

Hexagon Photos

Here are the photos I tried to post yesterday that blogger wouldn't allow. I think there is a bit of a hexagon trend rippling around the world. The latest Patchwork Tsushin magazine that I have features hexagons, so the Japanese are into it too. These photos are from that magazine. Isn't the bag nice with the hexagon quilting and then what looks like the hexagons sewn on with raw edges? The quilt is pretty amazing too - I like how the centre section is a big hexagon.

I buy my hexagon papers too as I would rather spend the time sewing. They are quite cheap really, so I'm quite happy with that. I do recycle them sometimes too.

I have been out nearly all day today "doing lunch with the girls". I have one friend on the island here who I see a few times a week - we walk the dogs together and talk about gardens and work and stuff (she is also a nurse). I went to her place today and she invited 2 other women who I don't really know. One lady I had never even seen, and the other I say hello to when I see her, but haven't been introduced to. We had a lovely afternoon sitting on the deck eating beautiful Lebanese food and talking about all and sundry. I was there for over 5 hours! The dogs came too and cruised around with Neddy and Lucy.


We all have an interest in trees and plants and not cutting down every tree on the island, and the lady I've never met before was an art teacher and has a lot of arty crafty interests. She told me today she is interested in antique/vintage fabrics which was cool. So we talked about fabric for a while and both agreed that the internet was going to be our downfall! She is a bit scared to start looking on ebay for more fabrics as she is worried she won't stop. She doesn't really sew, but just likes to have them - I can relate to that. I feel the same way about buying antique quilt tops - I'd love to own some, but fear that once I started I wouldn't stop.

The other lady lives a simple life with no electricity and is a vegetarian. How could you manage? No internet or sewing machine? I think she plays the guitar and listens to the radio a fair bit. She also has a kayak. So, it is taking a while, but I am meeting some interesting women here, which is nice. But I would still like to meet some quilters.

Anyway enough rambling. I did some hexagons while I was there, so some sewing was done these days off!

More Hexagons

Sadly blogger isn't playing tonight, as I was going to put up some hexagon photos I took from the latest Patchwork Tsushin Magazine. I'll try again tomorrow.

As for the hexagons, they are quite large ones - I thought I would get too discouraged if I started with tiny ones. They are 1 1/2 inches along each straight side. I have a template that is just a bit bigger so as to add seam allowance. It can be used with the rotary cutter, but I find I just trace around the template with a pen onto the wrong side of the fabric, cut it out and then tack it to the paper. I have tried to tack it so that the needle and thread don't go through the paper, but I can't seem to get it straight.

I don't have a method as such, it depends on where I am. I will often cut out fabric and baste while watching TV at night as this requires less precision. Sometimes I will cut out and baste, then sew the hexagons one by one. I usually only cut a couple of each colour as I go. This is a slow way for sure, but I think the whole method is slow, so what the hell? Anyway, this is the first time I have done them, so as usual I am just making it up as I go along.

I am quite surprised that so many people said 'no border'. You know - I have never made a quilt without a border! What a thought. I take the point about not having too stark a border against the mellow repro colours. I was thinking of a dull purple, but maybe a 'natural' looking border by just gradually sewing random colours getting darker as they go out? Or I could break with tradition and have no border. The problem with this house is that it is very 'casual', and if I draped the quilt over the couch the dog would sit on it, so we can't have that. It is pretty silly really making these lovely things that either won't get used, or will get abused. I've been thinking of getting a glass front cabinet to store quilts in.

As for Alex's quilt, I bought 6m of lime green plain for the sashing today - just because I bought it doesn't mean I have to make it asap. This is what I tell myself. I could have it done in a flash if only I applied myself to it...

Ruth - have you tried to email from the profile page?

Hexagons

I haven't posted much lately - been a bit slack. But I 'have' been sewing hexagons. I have been glued to the TV the last few days watching Australia THRASH the Poms in the 2nd match of the Ashes Series (that's the cricket for those who don't know). So I have managed a few hexagons while on the couch. I have about 6 or 7 big groups sewn together, but they are all uneven around the edges, so I have been trying to square them up for joining together. Probably next time I will make more of an effort to keep them organised as I go. Anyway, this is a photo I just took (had to use the flash) of the groups layed out on the table. The table is 35 inches wide, and the hexagons stretch 60 inches up the table.

I started sewing the hexagons with no real plan, or even confidence that I would get the bug, so now I have to decide where to go from here. Maybe make a square quilt that would just sit on top of a queen sized bed. Or maybe just make a quilt with no intention to use it for anything in particular?

The other thing is borders - originally I thought about a plain straight border, but now I am thinking a dark one colour hexagon border with a single different colour hexagon evenly placed (separated by a hexagon of the dark colour) in the centre of the border. Does that make sense? It would look like a coloured spot border all the way around in the centre of the dark border. But then how long would this take? Long long time. Hmmm. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I feel like I have to stop trying to make huge quilts all the time (or aiming to make huge quilts). This is why I don't get much finished, then feel like I am not accomplishing anything much.

I might go back downstairs and rearrange them to make something more square, then rethink the idea. I would have to buy more fabric from the States to have enough of one colour for the border, as all the fabrics are 1800s repros, and I wouldn't be able to afford the fabric if I bought it here. It would probably take a long time to arrive at this time of the year. Or I could make a border of random fabrics, but making them all dark fabrics...

As for everything else, I am a bit stalled. I have been toying with the idea of making a quilt for each of my 4 nieces and nephew for their birthdays in 2007. The only problem is that Alex will be 14 in the first week in January. I know what I would make for her if I decide to go for it, but this is probably a silly thing to start now. I could probably make the top pretty quickly, but then I would have to quilt it, which would be the problem. The thing is I have to decide pretty quickly as I would need to buy the sashing fabric tomorrow. Decisions decisions!

More Things Japanese

My Mum recently went to Japan for a holiday - she is into Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arranging), but can be relied upon to look out for interesting fabric. These are some of the pieces she brought home. There were a few others, but I seem to have left them at her place.

Mum went to a Shibori factory, where the 4 blue and white pieces and the red and white piece came from. The solid red piece seems to be quite large - I just love the way the Japanese package things, so I haven't undone the thread to see how big it is.


The metallic pieces are scraps from Obi, I think. So beautiful, but what to do with them all?

I think I will just own them for a while, and see what comes to mind. I love the pack of small striped fabrics in the top photo too. I folded the top ones under so all the colours are visible. The texture is like that of a fine seersucker.

Feeling a bit more with it now. I will work a short shift tonight which is a pretty easy one, then I have about 5 days off, so hopefully I will get some sewing done. As my airconditioner in my bedroom has broken down again and won't be looked at for another 2 weeks, I have moved into the spare room. I have my old bed in here, plus the sewing machine and computer, so I lie in bed right beside the design wall. I have been looking up at the Aqua and Lime wallhanging, and have been thinking about it again. I will tackle that this week I hope.

I have also been having network problems with my laptop, but I think I've sorted that out today by disconnecting everything, turning everything off, and starting again from the router up. It seems to be ok now, so fingers crossed.

I miss blogging, so have to get going again.