My bad Carma continues

I won't fill you in on all the gory details, the short version is whilst taking my car to prepare for trade in, it broke, big time. So I've been carless for nearly three weeks now and it's really starting to bug me. To make things worse, the car I was about to buy turned out to be not a good deal so I'm back to square minus one. Lucky I have my sewing group to look forward to - borrowed the MOTH's car to get to our group on Saturday - it broke on the way home. Now some would call that an unfortunate coincidence - the MOTH wasn't one of them. Luckily he managed to read every Peugot manual in existence and by the end of the weekend it appears to be working. I'm staying far away.

Now on to the real reason I'm here, before getting ready for work. I often think of old style battles before I go to work at this time of the year. You know the kind - when the troops woke up, had a cup of tea, and then started charging at an appointed time. It's a bit like that at work - every morning I need to brace for the coming onslaught. But again I digress.

Had a fabulous day at sewing Saturday - very rowdy - funny - creative - absolutely enjoyable in every way. It really lifted my spirits (until the car thing) thanks girls - you are all angels.

Phebe is coming along, but the little bits don't appear as much progress


I really love this quilt with a passion. My stash is very old and the oldest pieces were bought at Di's shop so I'm sticking to her fabric choices when I can. I know that's copying, but hey - why tamper with perfection. Besides I'm all decisioned out by the end of the day and I don't want to stuff it up. Darling girl even gave me some of her favourite pink fabric for the main flowers. It's a really stunning colour. Thanks Di, I'm ready to chop into it. Also the beautiful red in the central flower. I'm leaving the urn out for now and I'm on the hunt for just the right piece. It doesn't impede progress since I can work around it completely.

My other progress was finishing my CC&C top

I really like it and I'm no longer looking for the mistakes or the mismatched corners. Thought about basting it for quilting and then realised I didn't have any backing - der - it can wait.

Why are both my pictures crooked? I really am losing it.

That's me done - better get ready to charge. I hope your week is peaceful, enjoyable and without vehicular mishap.

Breath deeply,

Deb

Only time for quick posts right now

since work is so busy. I come home at night too exhausted to think let alone sew.

But I did have a minute today to get most of my CC&C quilt together.


I cheated a bit.....the rows aren't sewn together yet but you get the overall picture. I'm such a dill - I can't even figure out if my colour placement is OK. Even though I was careful I still think I got it wrong...Lori HELP!!! Or any of you who have also made this - does it look right to you?

Either way - too late now and I do like it. I hope to get it put together and basted over the next couple of weeks. I've already ordered the red binding (he he).

That's it - minute's over. Hope you're all having a blast....I'll be joining you shortly........I have a couple of celebrations to catch up on and some R&R.

Take care,

Deb

So good to have a few minutes

to drop by and say hi. Busy time at work getting all our new students (and returning ones) into classes, sorting out staffing issues and so on. By the time I hit home at night and catch up with the family it's just about bedtime.

Still I have some small progress to show. Hope these projects are not getting too ho hum for you.

GTASB - still trying to catch up with last months blocks. The second igloo block is done

and I have three flower blocks to do.


But of course, this months installment is here and I want to jump in.



Phebe is coming along too


Over the last 12 months or so my main project was DNQTTT - which did not have many different fabrics in it, and all of them were batik. As a consequence, I didn't buy too much repro fabric and missed some really beautiful collections. Of course with Phebe - I need quite a bit of variety of the repro kind so I have been replenishing my stocks with glee! Now my cupboards are overflowing and I have lots of options for Phebe. I even managed to get a piece of the lovely dirty teal that Di used for the grassy mound. Still haven't picked an urn though. I'll have to do some farcheological excavation (that's digging through old buried fabric - real word - true) to see if I can find a suitable piece.

I've also been tinkering with Lori's cheddar cheese and crackers - it's fun and the only machining I'm doing atm.


Everyone agrees that this should have red binding it seems - great - one decision made.

Haven't had much time to work on my baskets - but a package arrived from a dear friend last week.

You may not be able to see how many squares there are here - but I tell you - it looks like there is enough for a whole quilt. It was extremely generous of her to send me these and I'm keen to get going.

So that's me done. Because I've been so busy I haven't had time to leave many comments on your blogs or answer emails- but believe me - I've been stalking you and am always amazed and inspired by how much beautiful work you do. And I'm also amazed at how cold it gets in some parts of the US - and the snow! Makes for stunning pictures even if your toes are freezing!

Ciao for now,

Deb

Back to work

already. How did that happen? Just feels like yesterday that I was trying to organise Christmas. Does it feel like that way to you too, or have I lost all perspective?

Just a few things to show you today, finished one GTASB block for the month and started to pin another. Not going to get the other three done by months end but that's OK.



I have been concentrating on Phebe. Here she is



more details over here at SSS if you're interested. Need to take a little rest from Phebe while I'm waiting for some fabrics. And besides, I feel the need to think about the next MM block.

The other project that has been keeping me busy is Lori's cheddar cheese and crackers.



It's a little quilt - I have never made one before and I'm enjoying this one. I'm on to stage three now, so it won't take too long to finish the top. It's screaming "RED BINDING" to me. What do you think?

Now, summer movies and books. The Lovely Bones (movie) - hated everything about it -gruesome and sent all the wrong messages in mho. Sherlock Holmes - a ripping yarn, loved it. And besides, you could do a lot worse than eyeballing Robert Downie Jnr for 2 hours. My kids saw Fantastic Mr Fox and really liked it.

Reading the Millenium Trilogy (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc.) First one OK - second one terrific, just bought number 3.

Magazines: Quiltmania - love, love, love it.

Take care,

Deb

Milestones are achieved by inches

or in this case - fractions of inches! Remember way back in November I showed you this picture? Well I finally finished it and now it looks like this.

I'm really happy with the outcome - but boy was I slow. Sometimes I don't mind that - it's the process that I like. But other times (like now when I'm in a "finish me" state of mind) I like fast results. Hope the next one doesn't take so long.

Mind you - if I ever worked on one thing (or at most five things) at a time I'm sure I would make more progress (I think there's another maths equation in there somewhere).

My main preoccupation the last few days has been starting Phebe. Here she is so far.

It's so much fun picking fabrics for this - I'm rediscovering fabrics I'd forgotten I had - but because the pieces are little - I'm not even making a dint in the stash. I'll write some more about Phebe over at the SSS soonish.

I've also been neglecting the GTASB BOM, so I thought I'd better get going for the month.

I have to admit, my mojo has been a bit distant over these couple of holiday weeks - everyone here is a bit lethargic due to the weather and the Christmas anticlimax. So I have been enjoying passively clicking around your blogs looking at all the wonderful work you are all doing and wishing I was snowed in too! I hope you all are getting some sewing in - especially you girls in the north trying to stay warm!

Finally - some family shots if you're interested. NOS turned 18 earlier this week. It was 43.7 that day so we decided to head to a restaurant near water. His party is yet to come (I can hardly wait). Here's birthday boy
and with his gorgeous sister
Isn't it amazing how quickly they grow up?

Deb

The girls are here

and the group blog is up and off with a bang! The Secret Sewing Sisterhood is the group's name. Eleven of us in total so hopefully there will always be something interesting there to see. Merri and Meghan already have their first posts up. I'm sure I've said many times how lucky I am to have this group - well when you see what they're up to I'm sure you will agree.

Most of the things I've been up to are not postable - preparing a quilt to send to the quilters, setting up the blog, thinking.........nothing that you can photo. But I have finished my next MM block.

I like this one quite a bit. Also starting to prepare the background for Phebe. Here is my choice

It's from the Valley Forge line.

I've also been trying to create a mosaic. Here's my first attempt. Not perfect - but OK.

Thanks so much to Andi for the info about how to do it. Check out her photos. They're much more pro than mine.

Oh and if you are in the market for a Doll's quilt Lori has a great one that she is posting the pattern for.

Not sure yet how I'm going to split my posts between here and the SSS blog.........I'll have to sew twice as fast!

Stay cool,

Deb

Happy 2010

to all. I hope it's going to be a wonderful year for you. I'm looking forward to a year that's a little less stressful than 2009, a little less work and a lot more pleasure. We'll see if it happens. First thing I need to do is practice saying the word NO at work. Wish me luck!

I haven't got any grand plans for 2010 - I'm happy to continue with my current projects until the mood strikes me take on something new. Well actually, I am going to start Phebe but I'm counting this as a 2009 plan rather than 2010.

I managed to get my GTASB block finished last night.


Next months pack arrived during the week - it looks delish.


Have no more new work to show you - it's been too hot to sew much. But I will show you this quilt because 2010 is the year it gets on the wall. And it fits in with the posts Cathy and Joan have submitted recently. Hope you gals like my blue and white china collection.


I love it more than any I have made but it's been sitting in a cupboard waiting to be quilted for years! So I need to do it don't you agree? Here's a detail.


It started out as a BOM - but I ditched most of the fabrics they sent with it. Mainly kept the backgrounds and substituted the applique fabrics as I found them. It was fun to choose just the right pieces for each pot. Took a couple of years but I was in no hurry. Here's another bit.


And of course the new banner is another detail.

I'm sure I had more things to tell you - but my head is surprisingly empty. Must be all the R & R I'm getting over the Christmas - NY down period.

Looking forward to seeing all your wonderful 2010 projects,

Deb

I've been thinking

quite a bit about what my NY's resolutions should be. Two words sprang to mind - FOCUSSED and EFFICIENT. I tend to spend too much time faffing around and not getting anything done. And I don't have time to waste. So the F word and the E word are going to be my 2010 words.

Before I tell you more let me show you the dessert I was cooking on Christmas Eve.


Rosewater meringue - good to eat, hard to cut. We had a very pleasant Christmas Day. How about you? I hope yours was wonderful too.

Now yesterday when I was thinking - staring at my Frida Kahlo calendar - my NOS sauntered in and reminded me that it was actually from 2008 not 2009 - quite right - I didn't get around to buying a new one so I reused it. Well the paintings are beautiful so why not? But I was thinking that I couldn't use it again for 2010 could I? So today the doorbell rang - guess who - yes the postie with a package (Merri stop laughing)......and it was truly unexpected. My friend Kathie sent me a wonderful calendar with a picture of her quilt on the front! Look - isn't it fabulous!

Thank you so much Kathie, you made my day - I'll be making a version of this for sure.

Now behind the calendar you can see a cabinet - this is part of the F and E mantra - I bought it from IKEA my sometimes favourite store. It now houses my on the go projects as well as my favourite books and magazines of the moment. These things usually live on the floor which means things get messy and out of control. Not very F or E.

A couple of GTASB blocks to show you today. First one from last month set into a background square (mainly for Kim since she loves these fabrics)


I think this one is called Daylily, and the first one from this month


called Baby carriage. Still one to go. And I've lost track of which month I'm up to.

Looking forward to hearing your new year's resolutions too,

Happiness to all,

Deb

Merry Christmas

Dessert cooking in the oven for tomorrow, presents starting to be wrapped, checking the list twice to make sure all is done in my little corner of Christmas Eve. Looking forward to tomorrow and seeing some of my family. And to having some time off over summer.


Thank you all for leaving so many wonderful comments and for extending your friendship to me through blogland. It has been great fun and so inspiring to peek into your worlds too.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with lots of laughter surrounded by your loved ones.

I have a couple of new quilt books that have been waiting for me to read them so I plan to do that over the next couple of weeks. I'll try and do a review at some point.

Merry Christmas to all,

Deb xoxo

It's beinning to look a lot like Christmas

well on your blogs anyway........put the tree up yesterday but that's it. Went shopping on Sunday and bought almost all the required presents, just a few more to go. What a relief - I work right up until Christmas eve so not much time for organising/shopping or having pre-Christmas fun - but never fear - I'll be making up for it post Christmas. Are you having some fun? I hope so.

Just a few things to show you today. Number one: Mary Mannakee. Can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this. But I have a question. On this block I decided to sew a big stitch to quarter the block and mark the diagonals, since I wanted to get the placement right. After removing the machine basting - I have rather noticeable needle holes - any advice as to how to remove said holes? Won't be doing that again! Here is my finished block.


Number two: GTASB. This is the final block from last month - thought I'd finished it, but when I photoed it and went to put it away I realised that it needed to be set into a background square - der - what a thicko! So I'm still to do that, probably not worth another photo unless I'm running short of photos to show you. So just imagine this is set into a background square please.



Number three: Antique Wedding Sampler. I haven't finished the previous block but it's coming along. Just thought I'd give you a sneak peek at what's coming.


Number four: My backyard. Remember some time ago I showed you this photo


well now it looks like this


not bad huh? Not quite finished either. Scary part is the MOTH said the P word - yes - painting - OMG NOT THE P WORD! It quite possibly will not be finished in my lifetime - but I don't care - I can still sit on it right? Don't you love it - I do. And so do the kids and their friends who gave it a road test on the weekend.

Finally, on my shopping trip I sneaked in to Zetta Florence and got my stationary fix


These can make me enjoy filing bills - actually that's not quite true - but you get the idea.

I have not had much of a chance to read your posts the last couple of weeks, but I take a quick look at the photos which always make me happy. Hope to catch up shortly.

Until then dear friends,

buy yourself something that makes you happy,

Deb

The secret's finally out

Well hello everyone. Managing to negotiate the Christmas rush without flipping a fuse? Well done! Last week I felt like I could spontaneously combust at any time - but things are a little less catastrophic this week. No progress photos to show you today although I do have some coming.

Over the past six months 10 women have been keeping a big secret! Hard to believe I know - but it's true the cat did not even make a meow let alone get out of the bag. On Saturday we had the Christmas party for our quilt group and let the secret out. Here's a photo



Di with the quilt that we have been making for her. She was overwhelmed and we were so pleased to have made it for her. Here's us with it


From the left: Chris, Meghan, Kerry, Ann, Barb, Sue, Merri, me, Julie.

Unfortunately Clare could not be there due to family committments which was a shame for us since she had put in so much work.

The quilt is a reproduction of one in Annette Gero's book. I think it's called Frederika Josephson - sorry I don't have it here so I can't check. It is all hand pieced. We used fabrics from our stashes mainly - picking ones that we had bought over the years from Di's shop, so that will bring back fabulous memories for her. It was beautifully quilted by Helen who is a long time friend of Di's and does such a wonderful job.

So glad to have it safely delivered. It's hard work trying to remember whether one of our conversations was with our normal group or at a secret meeting.

This week sewing priority is dancing costumes. How many sequins do you need honestly!......and feathers................

Back soon,

Cheers

Deb