Disaster Strikes!

Last week I did as I said I would - some thinking and some stocktaking.  I found a lot of things I had forgotten I had, orphan blocks, little fishes, charm packs (I don't really like pre-cuts so not sure why I've got them) lots of fat quarters - again not usually my thing, and a few cheap and cheerful Connecting Kits.

So where to start?  Elizabeth Hartman has produced a few lovely patterns and I have used some of them in the past.  I particularly liked the Forest Friends and had used some of the characters in children's quilts.  The little fox, hedgehog and bunny being some of my favourites.  Awesome Ocean is another lovely pattern and I had downloaded it when it first appeared online and I made a few of the little fishes and the octopus with some of my scraps.  They were floundering in one of the baskets.  So without any further procrastinating I set to last weekend and pieced them altogether and here is the result.

So Cute!  Well it is now sandwiched together and the quilting is started, I had big plans for some exciting quilting on this quilt but in the end decided on the straightforward wavy line decorative stitch on my machine. 

Thats when Disaster struck!

I have a Janome Memory Craft 8900QCP sewing machine which I love.  I know of two other friends who have the same machine.  They have had trouble with their Acufeed System.  This system is  a fantastic walking foot system but it must have a design fault.  There is a small pin in the foot which works itself loose over time.  I was hoping it wouldn't happen to me but ...............

I have now ordered a new part and hopefully it will be with me very soon but in the meantime this little quilt will need to wait on the shelf again.

So whats next?  It's one of those Charm Packs, half square triangles again.  It seems to be the go to block for these little squares.  

The sun is shining this morning so I am hoping I might get to sit in the garden for a bit later, although I see one of the acers looks a bit sorry for itself this morning - have we had a bit of frost over night? Oh no, that would be another disaster,  the fresh new buds look to have all shrivelled so it will take time to recover.

I hope you all have time to stop and enjoy your garden as well as having some time to sew this week.