This is Not a Kitchen Post

Wow I've missed you guys. I'm studiously avoiding a kitchen renovation post. I'm bored with it , so I imagine you are too. For those of you that are hanging out wondering if I've totally lost my marbles there will be a post sometime this week because tomorrow is D-Day. If anyone is taking bets on whether I'm going to completely drop my bundle before this is done let me know. I'll take that bet.

There hasn't been a lot of sewing going on round here lately because I haven't been able to move in my sewing room  the last two weeks. It's hard to feel creatively inspired when your space is filled with kitchen boxes and crap on every available surface. However, all work and no sewing makes Mrs. P a cranky pants, so this weekend I was determined to sew something, even if I did have to fit myself into a tiny space to do it-I think the yoga class I went to once in 1989 really helped me to contort myself into the 18 x 18 square inches of  available space in my sewing room.

As much as I wanted to start something new, I have WIP's coming out my  wazoo  so it was time to get cracking on existing projects that are sitting here mocking me. It really upsets my Virgo  to have multiple unfinished things laying round.  At last count I had 8 quilting WIP's on the go, including the HST quilt I started in January !  I appear to have a bad case of start-itis.

I did some more snowball blocks for my quiltalong. I'm hoping to get all those blocks finished  off this week (12 blocks  to go...whooooooooo hoooooo)  I worked out I've cut 672 of those little 2 inch blocks and that this quilt has something like 840 individual pieces. I've enjoyed the process...so much so that I'm contemplating doing  a Christmas quilt in snowball blocks once I've cleared some of the other UFO's  hanging round. 

I basted and quilted my Spread the Cheer Quilt. I discovered the new tile floors rock for basting. Then I made binding and stitched that on. I know I mention this every single time I finish a quilt - but I really hate binding. One quilting WIP done- 7 to go.

I did some string blocks for a quilt I'm making for Indy and Lola.  10 blocks down, 62 to go. I really like projects that you can do a little bit at a time like this one when you have 30 minutes to spare, and these go together relatively quickly and use scraps.

And I auditioned sashing choices for my Christmas coin quilt. One of these or something in red?

I have this week off from work, and I'm going to be stuck at home with contractors, installers and delivery people so I have a plan to make this week Quilt-fest 2010! Stay tuned. Maybe I'll even get a couple more WIP's knocked off.

P.S. I found my camera in my undie drawer. Nothing is where it should be at the moment. And I found a knife and some cake on my computer desk this morning. Yay! I got to have cake for breakfast. I think that's what the cake fairies had in mind.

Fabric Love and Quilty Things

Anyone who is obsessed with fabric understands that as soon as fabric arrives you're planning to cut it for the next quilt-even if you have five  quilts on the go already. New fabric  arrived this week in my PO box and I'm itching to start something new,  but I think I'd better finish one of my WIP's first. ( I give that resolution about a week because I already have several quilty visions running through my head )

 

More Christmas Fabric  to go with the layer cake that arrived last month. This is Robert Kaufman -Sparkly Christmas. It's just so funky and happy. Not sure how to do the layer cake and fat quarter pack justice in a Christmas quilt but I have an idea of what to do with those jelly roll bits.

I love fat quarter packs they always look so pretty  all stacked up.

I went mad on Hallmark Evergreen Ornaments fat quarter bundles. I bought two. At this point I am seriously questioning whether I have a Christmas obsession. You should see my stack of Christmas fabric (it's hidden in the sewing studio away from Mr. P. I love calling my sewing studio a studio rather than a room. It just sounds so much more crafty and like I actually know what I'm doing in there)  

And I bought matching stuff to do a backing and I even bought contrasting fabric  for the binding . Wow! I was on fire the day I ordered this ..usually I worry about the backing later and then curse the fact I can't find anything that works. I'm looking for some Hushabye at the moment due to this disorganised approach to quilting and fabric purchasing.

And oh my goodness....

I'm completely kicking my own arse that I didn't buy three of these Rumba fat Quarter packs  instead of one. I LOVE this fabric. I'm imagining this as simple squares with chocolate sashing. I really wish I knew how much I would love it when I saw it in person.  How freaking cute are these birds?

I'm biting the bullet and joining in the Friday Night Sew In hosted by Handmade by Heidi next Friday night, July 23rd.  Click on the picture in my sidebar if you want to play too. I've never done a sew in before. Should be fun!

 

And here is s snippet of what I've been up to in the sewing studio the  last couple of weeks...yes that's a crafty  mess.  All will be revealed in a forthcoming post! 

 

I am seriously glad it's Friday.

200th Post and Spread the Cheer Project.

Yay! I made it to 200 posts, proving that in the blog world as  in real life, I "talk" A LOT! I'm having so much  fun with this blogging lark. I've got to know some fabulous people and made some really great friends. Let the    Love-fest continue.  Thank you all of you who make repeat visits, comment, lurk and tell me what you think about this blog of mine and the inane, sometimes really random stuff that appears here.

Lane over at That Man Quilts? did an interesting post this week about his frustration with some of the less desirable things that occur on our planet.  The comment I left suggested that we should be  the change we want to see in the world. I've been thinking about it ever since. And I've decided that instead of complaining about how awful some things are  (or worse still doing nothing)  I'm going to actually do something. I'm adopting the "Go Big or Go Home" motto Elizabeth often refers to on her blog. And I'm going BIG baby.

Last week  I read about a project called Spread the Cheer , being organised  by Shruti at  13 Woodhouse Road. Shruti 's goal is to be able to give 40 quilts  to an orphanage in Sangli, India by November 2010. Shruti has blogged about how Elizabeth at Oh Fransson  and Valentina of Valentina's Corner are on board and will be donating a quilt each to the cause.

Remember this pile of lusciousness that I showed you last weekend?  This is the girly portion of the Deb Strain Love U Layer cake I bought recently. Don't you think this would be perfect for a baby girl's cot quilt?

And since I don't know any baby girls it seems like providence to me that Shruti's cause needs quilts and I have this fabric laying round and no planned purpose for it. Plus  I think this cause  would make a great home for the vintage sheet quilt I did earlier in the year so I've committed to donating two quilts. 5 quilts down for project Share the Cheer  - 35 quilts to go.

If you're sitting thinking "That sounds like a great idea but I can't commit to a whole quilt" you can help in other ways by donating  fabric (Scraps are welcome) batting (Scraps are welcome) UFO's , blocks,  or binding strips and she will make them into quilts for Spread the Cheer. So if you would like to help head on over to 13 Woodhouse Road and make contact.   I really want to get the word out there about this  because at the moment, all Shruti's really hearing is crickets.

Wow I went link mad today ..I hope you clicked each and every one because there might be a pop quiz in a future post and you'll want to be prepared.