A Day in The Life Of Shay

This is possibly the highest number of photos I've ever put into a single post along with the highest amount of waffle I've ever typed.  If you think of this post like it's an episode of "24" it might help.

I've read a lot about sharing process in recent months rather than just showing off completed projects so  I thought it might be fun to try that today as well as giving me a chance to hone my creative photography skills. 

I'm using Charm Packs of Aunt Grace Scrapbag from my stash as well as some 30's repro I had tucked away to make Dresden blocks.

I got one of those Dresden template thinga-me-jigs. I have to say they are simply fabulous. If you're careful you can cut multiple bits of fabric at once. Thanks to Mr. P for this pic since I don't have three hands. I started this bit at 9.30am.

And in about 30 seconds I had a stack of bits that looked like this. (Yes I know I desperately need a new cutting mat - I was hoping Father Christmas would bring me one but no such luck )

Then I  wandered over to my sewing machine. With right sides of the material together I sewed  across the widest part of the fabric.

Why did I ever think chain piecing was hard?

I got a nice surprise when I looked at the back of my sewing machine after about 2 minutes of sewing.

And an even bigger surprise after  45 minutes.

How cute do they look all strung out? Just like inside out bunting.

Then I came to have a look at what the Blog People are up to. I vowed  to only spend 5 minutes checking email.  I spin that out to 15 minutes. OK twenty, ALRIGHT ...30 minutes.

Then I spent an hour clipping the bits  apart, turning them right side out, and standing at the ironing board pressing them open which leaves me with a pile of this.

And all of these still to do! Clipping, Turning right side out and pressing is hard work.

So I rushed back here to see what you're all up to....because I deserve a break.

And I promised myself I'm only going to gawk at your stuff for 15 minutes but that turns into an hour. I realise I'm still in my pyjamas and it's lunchtime and I haven't eaten anything yet today. Which probably explains the headache I have. 

It takes me another 15 minutes to decide what I want to eat, and another 15 minutes to make something. Then 15 minutes to eat it.

I get back to sewing. I arrange my bits in a way that rocks my socks off. I ignore the pile of stuff I haven't pressed yet.

Tip: If you're going to leave your block on the ottoman make sure dogs with long swishy tails are not in the vicinity.

Re-do sock rocking block arrangement. Guard it from dogs with swishy tails, and a propensity to want to love you while you're sewing.

Get distracted by the idea of making a label for the back of the quilt that is nowhere near finished. Stuff it up. Have another crack. Stuff that up. Take pictures of your failure.  

Start sewing the fan points together. Get half way and get distracted by the "You have email " sound on the computer.

Go and read your emails. Realise it's 12.30 and you've achieved nothing for the day. Think about why you're so afraid of the dentist when you really need to go. Freak yourself out just typing the word dentist in this blog post. Realise you wont be able to proof this part of the post at editing time  because of the "D" word. Stare at the ceiling. Think about changing out of pyjamas. Decide that's too hard because it would mean a shower. Realise it's 12.40. Go to the bathroom.

Come back . Get determined. Finish getting those suckers into a circle by 1.00pm. Think about being thirsty.Wander off to make a cup of tea. Get distracted. Realise you still have that headache.

Press backing fabric made from old flour sacks. Cut backing fabric, press backing fabric again. Realise despite having been washed, when you press the backing fabric is still smells a little like flour. Convince yourself that when it's finished this whole quilt will smell like fresh baked bread.

Pin Dresden fan to backing fabric, only pricking yourself 12 times , which is not bad for 20 fans. Ruminate on your uncoordinated-ness, and vow to make your parents pay for not taking you to see an occupational therapist when you were an un-co kid. Consider writing a list to present to your parents of all the ways they neglected you growing up. Acknowledge it's going to be a very small list and give up the idea because you really should be sewing instead of skylarking. Notice that it is now 1.30pm and somehow you are surfing  blogs again. Nobody is posting which means it's night time on the other side of the world and everyone over there is asleep...

Get indignant with yourself when you realise you never did make that cup of tea. Make choking noises in husbands general direction to denote that it is cup of tea time. Who says men are not good at taking hints?  

Since I am the laziest person on the planet I decided to machine applique the Dresden  to the background fabric, it's fiddly but worth the 20 minutes it takes as opposed to hours  I save  hand appliqueing them on.  Pat myself on the back for finishing the block which took 4.5 hours.

Celebrate by checking email and reading people's old blog posts. Do some mental maths and realise this quilt will be finished in around 2013.

Back to work tomorrow.