Contemplation

I had to take a reality check this week and pony up to the fact that my fussy cutting skills kind of suck. I started my Lucy Boston block prep in July and as I've started to put them together I've realised I'm not as thrilled with mine as I am with all the other ones I've seen around the Internet. The only thing I can put it down to is that I'm not "fussy" enough with my cutting. I'm also finding it really difficult to choose complementary fabrics for my block choices despite having two bins full of the stuff picked out. And I'm having a really hard time visualising what this might look like finished. (never a good sign!) My overriding inclination is to stuff Lucy in a plastic box, hope she doesn't suffocate and do something else as a sewing hand project until I unsuck at fussy cutting or change my mind about fabric choices. 

The Irish Chain Quilt is all quilted up and I'm on the last side of the binding, which as you can see is a vibrant green, which frames the pops of colour in the quilt beautifully. Not quite so sure it goes well with the apricot chenille I used to back the quilt with, but that's for snuggling under not showing off, so I'm not too broken hearted about it. I sense a finish on this quilt by the end of the week, which is just as well since it's officially Spring and if I don't get this to the recipient tout suite it may start to get too warm to use it. It's be nice if she could curl under it for a week or so before she has to pack it away until next autumn. Aussie Summers aren't conducive to snuggling under quilts by a long shot. 

And deja vu- I had a few 9 patches left over from the Big Irish Chain so I'm making a smaller version as a donation quilt for the Mary Potter Foundation.  It didn't take long to whip up a few more blocks and its coming along fairly quickly. 

It also gave me a chance to go through one of my scrap bins and cut everything into 2.5 inch strips which I'm planning to use to make another postage stamp quilt and the leftovers got chucked into the string bag so I can work on another string quilt later in the year ( although since it's September there isn't much "later" left really of 2014 is there?) I'm feeling pretty darn organised at the moment. 

Fabrics picked for a baby quilt that needs to be made. Simple whole cloth design that the mum to be can use as a reversible quilt depending on her mood or whether or not there's baby chuck on one side.  

In the "organised"  vein I finally got around to cleaning up my sewing room over the weekend. It was so much worse than these pictures show. I'd taken to jumping over  a mountain of stuff to get to the sewing machine which was the only semi clear part of the room. 

And I cleaned out my sewing machine and found enough fluff to pretty much stuff a pillow. I hesitate to show this picture because it probably constitutes sewing machine abuse. 

And from the weird but true files , I noticed what looked like stuffing on my loungeroom carpet last week and assumed one of the dogs had ripped open one of their stuffed toys but on closer inspection discovered that their dog blanket was shedding its guts. There were no popped seams and the whole quilt looked like this. This has never happened to me before and I'm at a loss to explain it ( although I'm betting a couple of possibilities ) 1....Bad batting 2) Mr. P washed it by banging it on rocks and then boiled it in the washing machine for good measure? Your thoughts, suggestions and ideas please?? It's as if the quilt wants to commit slow hari kari by internally shedding it's insides. 

Another planned project in the works is a sampler quilt. I've wanted to one for a long time and the Farmer's Wife Quilt I started ended up as two potholders. Amanda over at Seabreeze Quilts is offering a free monthly quiltalong sampler project that she has named the Chocolate Marshmallow Sampler and it's going to run over 6 months. Free instructions for the two blocks of the month will be on her blog from the 15th of each month starting this month. Pop on over a have a look at her post if you want to play along.

Happy...

After what seemed like an interminable week at work last week, where I hurtled along at about 200 kilometres per hour, I was determined on the weekend to do only things that fit one of three criteria. Everything I did had to be either fun, exciting or it had to make me happy.

I started my weekend by leaving work 15 minutes early so I could get to the post office to get a parcel that was waiting. 

You can call it ridiculous that a woman of my age gets excited about Hershey's syrup. I don't care. It's the simple things that make life worth living and Hershey's is one of them. That and the sweet and sour mix that also came in the same box so I can make cocktails...

This is a Fruity Toad and while it may look like watered down wee it was actually really good...I think Sweet and Sour mix has magical properties.... 

I made some red velvet cupcakes 

I pottered around doing some sewing when I felt like it. These two blocks are destined to head off to Little Island Quilting  to be made into quilts for Mexican street kids. It doesn't take long to whack a couple of blocks together. Check out the post here if you want to know more or you want to help out. 

I dreamed of new projects and as soon as I finish the Seville Quilt I've decided I'm starting this one. I even raced out to buy the paper templates so I cant chicken out. 

This beautiful quilt was made by Hilda at Every Stitch. I was so inspired! 

We moved forward on the guest room re-do. I have officially vowed never to paint the walls dark colours ever again. It took 4 coats of white to cover up the previous colour. But it's done and while I'm freaking right out about having such pale walls I think it'll all come together and look fabulous in the end...

Before and After...

New (to me ) furniture has arrived, and re-painting and re-purposing has begun. 

Vile stool before (this was seriously one of the worst upholstering jobs I've ever seen ) 

After shot of the same stool once I'd had my way with it. 

And the piece de resistance - an antique dressing table which Mr. P has the pleasure of re-painting (in pretty much the same colour it is now- but it'll look fabulous with a new coat or two of paint) 

I pottered about in the kitchen...or sent Mr. P out to forage for food, and dint fuss about calories. 

And all in all I just did what made me happy. It was the perfect way to spend a long weekend. I think this is how weekends are meant to be.