A quilting, knitting, baking & reading day :)

It's been a glorious day! We woke to rain pattering on the rooftop and a sleeping toddler :) After I finally got Miss K out of bed, she had breakfast while I got stuck into the 'must do everyday jobs' then the day was clear to do whatever we wanted (well I could well have continued the cleaning, but really who wants to clean when it was curling up with a book type weather?) I had had Miss K in the sewing room with me last night and she was an absolute angel playing with the excess pieces I had leftover from a new quilt top I was piecing, so I thought I'd take her in there again this morning. So I sewed and ironed, whilst she made a slide for her toys on the floor cushion & stacked up the fabric pieces - all in all a win-win situation!!!

While we stopped for morning tea, I managed to get another pattern knitted into my cable scarf & am nearly finished the 2nd ball of wool :)

Then we moved to the kitchen to bake ~ a chocolate slice, a loaf of bread (from scratch) and a zucchini slice all done before 4pm! I'd have kept going 'cept I ran out of SR flour - bugger... I'd been eyeing off a self saucing choc pudding in my cookbook too :(

I'm currently piecing yet another Butterfly Fling quilt, this one is for a girl at Mothers Group who had a little girl last week. I am really LOVING this one. I'm taking this one a lot slower - patience you know! Something I know I am lacking - so it's been good to really take my time, even down to the pressing of it. Best part is the top just needs some rows joined then it will be back to the shop to pick up some backing and batting :)

I had also been hoping to continue on with the stipling on my SIL's quilt... but that is a slow progress, maybe tomorrow?

As for the Reading 2009 challenge... I've sort of buried my head in the sand. I was plodding thru Eat, Pray, Love rather nicely ~ loved the Italy section, but as soon as I hit the India section I hit a roadblock, strange really as all things meditative, yoga, buddhist etc fascinate me, so not sure why I can't progress further with it. I've put it aside for the moment & have started "Cross-stitch" by Diana Gabaldon for the 500th time! So if you don't hear from me in a while - you will know it's because I am buried somewhere in the Scottish Highlands, circa 1700's :)

Stippling.... aaaaahhhh!!!

I finally sandwiched the Butterfly Fling Quilt today and got started on some stippling. I'm thinking it may have been a wee bit ambitious for a quilt this size (it's not a huge quilt, but it's bigger than I'm used to!) For some reasons, the stippling photos look weird and raised???)

When I step back and look at it - it's not too bad, close up it's a bit all over the shop until I get into a rhythm... but I guess we all need to start somewhere & practice makes perfect.

So what do you think?

 

WIP ~ Knitting

This is the progress so far for my scarf ~ the cable pattern is too easy (I've memorised it now) & knitting up on 12mm needles is super fast! I love the colour too :)

Done & Dusted

Trying to clear the decks and complete some of the (many) work in progress I have on the desk / floor / cupboard / ironing board... so I took the opportunity yesterday while Miss K napped & got stuck in

Three bibs ~ I love this pattern, so easy!!!

A Cloth pad for me ~ yes, I'm a hippy :)

A pencil roll for Miss K ~ I originally made a blunder, so I unpicked the thing and started from scratch!

More giveaways & some sewing

I have recently stumbled across this gorgeous blog & have a secret hankering to get me one of her gorgeous brooches (hint, hint... I do have a birthday approaching LOL) So check out this giveaway!  Of course - I simply had to enter!

Cross your fingers for me!

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I have had one of those clear the decks type days today. 3 bibs, 1 cloth pad, 1 row of knitting (sad achievement) a crayon roll and a bookmark later - I was feeling a sense of accomplishment with myself! Photos tomorrow (or the next day!)

Spotlight, Shopping & Wallhanging Sneak Peek

Deliberately did not go near Spotlight during the 20% off everything sale - such strength huh??? Then arrived in my mailbox the spend $100 get $40 off coupon... well how could I let that deal go by? I was so intent on going to the sale, that I was pawing thru the rubbish bags in the wheelie bin last night because I'd accidentally thrown the voucher away (how embarrassing!!! Lucky I pulled the wheelie bins back off the road first!)

So off I toddled this morning and I must say I was DISAPPOINTED! I ended up with a Get Creative magazine, a tabbed journal to scrapbook and 3 balls of wool, (Moda Vera Shiver ~ cement colour) to make the below cable scarf for me this winter. Hugely disappointing. I would have been better off going during the 20% off sale :(

I nearly picked up an Elm Tree Quilts book, but at $40... I think I will wait for my birthday and request it then (I have far too many projects on the go as it is!)

We then popped over to Big W where I found a "learn to crochet" book for $10 (bargain!) My MIL assures me I will be able to pick it up no problem, but TBH it is the one craft I've really struggled with - I just cannot seem to grasp the concept of crochet, so I'm hoping this book will be simple in it's instructions and it will somehow all start to sink in so I can start whipping up all sorts of stuff in no time! I have told my MIL that if I happen to turn up on her doorstep in tears, holding this book - she will know I've not managed to conquer the craft and will need further help! Wish me luck!

& a quick sneak peak of a wallhanging idea I'm thinking about for the EB Newbie Quilters Wallhanging Swap. I've got a vision in my noggin, but I'm just that little bit nervous in getting going. This particular piece is going to be my test run (I'm taking a leaf out of Helen's book & making an extra to iron out any mistakes BEFORE the real deal!)  Lucky I did as I've already made one major boo-boo... LOL

BTW this is NOT the fabric I will be using for the swap... shame cause I really do love the blue swirls & think it looks rather nifty together, except I only have a FQ of it... pity really.

Awarded to Carrose Creations for Excellence in blogging...

To be honest - the award is probably not for my excellence in blogging... but I can dream right???

Thanks to Skip who voted me in! 

"The Dardos Award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web."

“Premio Dardos” means “prize darts” in Italian. This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.

The Rules:
1. Accept the award, post it in your blog together with the name of person granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Past the award to 15 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement. Remember to contact them to let them know they have been chosen for this award'

 

I've no idea which of my favorite blogs to donate this award to - so how about I just leave it with you... if you think you are worthy - than by all means, accept it with my blessings :)

FMQ class

I booked myself in for a 3 hour FMQ class (free motion quilting) this morning, so after dropping Miss K at her Nanna's for a playdate, I took myself over to the LQS for the class.

Here's my work... a bit dodgy in places & I need TONNES of practice, but I like it! I'm considering unpicking the diamonds and starting again as it was the first square I did, but all in all - not bad for a beginner.

I have club tomorrow night where we are doing another stipling piece and then sadly my machine NEEDS to go back to the Dr's. It had a bad squeak before my service last March and it went back in May to be fixed, but still continued to squeak... today it got so bad during the stipling that the teacher suggested getting it looked at again. PITA as I really need the machine at the moment to finish bubby's quilt & get cracking on the next few tops. But better to be fixed than broken completely I guess.

Off to dust off the bernina - wonder how it would go with stipling???

A pair - done!

My loyal (long time) readers, will be aware that I had a small fixation on knitting sock during the middle of last winter. Note the use of the word SOCK... that's right no 's... as in ONE sock. Not two or a pair, just one - numero uno. My dear hubby thought the sock was pretty cool and promptly claimed it as his pair after the 2nd sock was forthcoming. Well the thing with knitting and me is - if the finished garment is not for me, I lose the drive to finish it (blush) that and once I conquer something, I quickly move on to the next on the list!

Anyhow - after pulling out the ONE sock the other night and finding the ball of wool for the 2nd sock, I decided to get cracking & get a least one pair finished for this coming winter! It helped that Big J gave me heck about which year he would actually receive his 2 socks - I think he thought 2010 (rolling eyes at him)

Not to be deterred, I got clacking and finished off the 2nd sock last night ~ here they are in all their glory. Modelled on my big hoofers, so they are sure to fit him!

More Toddler Craftin'

Cornflour & Water Paint ~ makes a masterpiece, don't you think??? This is all Miss K's work!

Toddler Craft

Can be very messy... 

even for the floors...

but oh so cool pictures to be had...

Disclaimer: I am not posting this awesome artwork to show you what my child can do... cause I did this artwork I'm showing it off, because it's so cool what you can do with a cheap box of macaroni, some food colouring & a little time!!! LOL

Butterfly Fling

One Quilt top finished

The back is now finished too, so it's on to sandwiching!  

New look & overdue update (sans pics :( )

I've given my blog a long overdue new look! It's been one of those weeks. I'm totally behind on the housework (a week behind in washing... eeek!) as I've mainly been trying to get some of this quilt for my SIL's new bubby done. I'm pleased to say I've finished the top and the backing & it's looking good. Now I've just got to sandwich, baste & quilt it. I should have done it today, but I got sidetracked during K's naptime by changing all my blog(s) templates' around! Waddya think? 

I've also started cutting out another Butterfly Fling quilt top for a girl at mothers group who is due to give birth next week. I'm starting to think I've left it WAY too late to start now and the other issue is I'm not sure what she is having. I'm taking a punt on a girl, although she is convinced she's having a boy! If I can manage to get the top done, I will then hopefully start a boys quilt top too - I figure they will always come in handy as people around me have more babies!

I PROMISE to have photos tomorrow (or the next day, or the next!!!! Ok, ok, sometime in March then!)

I've also been knitting again! This time finishing up a WIP from 2008 ~ some socks for Big J's birthday next month. I'm just over half way thru the 2nd sock so I'm fairly sure these will be ready to gift with his other present! Once these are finished, I'm definately casting on a pair for ME!

We've done a tonne of toddler crafts this week, all of which I have pictures of - just not got them to the computer yet! We've had fun making Paint, magic mud & coloured pasta! Miss K helped me with all of these jobs in the kitchen and although EXTREMELY messy ~ muchly enjoyable!!!

On top of all this, I've cut back on my internet use inside the house. I was finding nothing was getting done if I turned the computer on to just check this or that, I'd get stuck for ages & waste valuable crafting time. So I've tried NOT turning the darned thing on until late in the day or not at all :o funny thing is I'm still not keeping up with the housework!!! I'm surprising myself at how much more craft stuff I can get done while not surfing the net and finding new and probably not so useful tutorials for more things to make :) so I do apologise for being MIA, not replying to emails (sorry Kirsty) and not doing comments on blogs ~ I'm still reading (especially the EB Newbie Quilters & EB Quilters blogs) but with over 300 entries still to 'catch up' this is actually more manageable than the 395 entries I logged on this morning to find *gasp*

As always I've a million ideas running thru my head of things to do & really don't know where to start, so I'm planning on utilising my limited time on the net to update my WIP lists on the sidebar & catch up on bloglines (or at least get it to under 100 entries!!!) I want to do it all!!! I just need some time!

Reading 2009 (again)

Wow - I'm up to 12 books already!!! I have a mountain of books sitting around the traps waiting for me to read them... but in the meantime ~ I'm currently reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, which I'm thinking will require a little more brain power than I've needed of late. And what better way to compliment the needed brain power with some light hearted reading?

A book on Quilting ~ an elm tree novel at that! Will be sure to let my crafty followers what it's like ;)

No time!!!

Eeek - I'm running out of hours! I've literally had NO TIME this week to update this blog, I've been busy working thru my book list (50 books is too easy a target me thinks ;) and with the very early arrival of a little baby girl (my SIL had her early Monday morning) I'm now weeks behind on the quilt I'd intended to gift her.

I've managed to get all the squares sewn together and now am in the process of joining squares to form rows. I'm not as happy as I could have been with it as a lot of my joints don't line up :( but at this late stage of the game, I really don't have time to be unpicking... I'm just hoping the quilt will be well received as a FLOOR quilt and used accordingly until I have time for a later birthday or something to make something more substantial and less mistake ridden!!!

Question for all the Quilters?

If you had the choice of EQ6 or the Dear Jane CD ~ which would you choose?