Sunday, October 9, 2016

Bits and Bobs #4 - School holidays and projects!

Fabric pull for a baby quilt

This week has been great - I took the week off of work and the girls and I have had a nice relaxing school break. We visited the museum, caught up with a family friend for lunch, went to the movies (to see The Secret Life of Pets), visited a play cafe with a school friend, had a successful (and cheaper than expected) dentist appointment for Zoe, a trip to the zoo and a library visit. Definitely fun times! Unfortunately, it is back to work for me tomorrow - so I won't get to spend the entire holidays with them - but I am very thankful for the week we just had.

We also looked at three houses this weekend with my best friend. She is looking to buy an investment property and she would be renting it out to me. Our deadline is mid-January when my lease is up, so we have until mid-December to find something. Exciting times!

Now onto my creative endeavours. Currently I have 4 quilts on the go in various stages. First of all there is the mega quilt (EPP hexagon quilt) - which I generally work on one night a week, and realistically I need to work it on more often if I ever want to get it finished. The second quilt is for my friend Janice - she is due in November with her first baby boy. It is a simple HST quilt using the fabrics in the above photo. I will finish piecing the top tomorrow night.

100 modern block layout finalised!

My third quilt on the go is my #100days100blocks quilt - I worked ahead and have now finished the 100 blocks, now I need to add the sashing and piece the top together. So this project is currently stalled because I need to purchase black fabric for the sashing before I can move on.

9 Patch - Basted and ready to quilt

And finally my fourth quilt on the go is my 9 patch quilt, which is all basted and ready for my sashiko thread and big stitch quilting. I am just waiting on some quilter's tape to ensure I get nice clean lines. I ordered some online - and may have accidentally ordered a few new pieces of fabric too.... whoops!

Sashiko thread for big stitch hand quilting

I have practiced my stitching on some scrap fabric and batting and I think I am ready to go. Then it will be binding and one finished quilt - hurray!

Hand quilting practice

ReadingAmy Butler's Style Stitches by Amy Butler (kinda crushing on Amy Butler's style at the moment)

Listening: Crowded House and Washington. 

Watching: Gilmore Girls - finished all 7 seasons!!!

Eating: Good old Sara Lee strawberry cheesecake.

Til next time!

Sunday, October 2, 2016

October Goals

9 Patch - Basted and ready to quilt


Well that was long lived wasn't it? Just when I was getting back into the blogging I go and take a two month break! Well, I am determined to have a proper go at it now, because I feel like if I don't then I am going to forget all the awesomeness that is going on in my life. I want to have a record of where I am going and where I have come from. So back to the blogging!

The reason I have been away is because of my obsession with quilting! I have been super busy every night piecing, piecing, piecing! The quilt above is the quilt that I have been making in my lessons with Lyn at Riverlea Quilts. The lessons have been fantastic - so much knowledge, so many tips, so many cups of tea and a lot of chitty chats. I love it! I feel like I have finally found my creative home in quilts and textiles and all things fabric - I absolutely love it and have a whole heap of projects in mind.

Anyway, anyway - I thought I would set up some monthly goals for myself so that I don't end up all over the place!

Family Goals
  1. Create a special day for Zoe's and Grace's birthday.
  2. Throw an awesome birthday party at the park for the little ladies.
Home Goals
  1. Sledgehammer the bird bath and start binning it!
  2. Garden weeded and tidied up.
  3. Gutters cleaned.
  4. Decluttering in my bedroom, the lounge room and the dining room.
Creative Goals
  1. 40 more hexies pieced for the mega quilt.
  2. Janice's baby quilt top completed.
  3. 9 patch quilt finished (not sure if this is realistic).

I will blog again this week - I am going to try to make the habit stick for my own good!