Chaos!

The country has gone mad!  What was traditionally the start of the holiday season shopping after Thanksgiving day in the US - Black Friday and Cyber Monday has arrived here in the UK only to cause all sorts of problems and issues over people trying to pick up a bargain.  I understand why human nature is such that reduced prices and sale items will always attract interest like bees to a honeypot, but why oh why does there need to be violence and angry scenes.  The roads were so busy on Friday and shopping centres and supermarkets filled to capacity.  My original plans for Friday, while waiting for Dad on his hospital visit, was to have a  pleasant wander around the shops - that all changed when I saw the local news and realised the centre I had proposed visiting had called in police to curb angry and exuberant crowds.  Plans changed.  Well I hope some folks out there got the bargains they were looking for without being hurt in the rush.

Sadly once again I cannot show you what I've been working on this week - all soon to be Christmas pressies!  I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Today I've had a lot on my to do list and I have managed to get through some of it also having time to sit and enjoy my coffee and my knitting.  I cannot believe how quickly this year has passed.  December tomorrow - I hope you have all got your Advent Calendar at the ready.  Techie will be looking for his but I have bad news - I forgot to pick one up for him!!

Have fun this week whatever you do.

 

Project Linus ......

.........Providing security and comfort to sick and traumatised children and young adults through quilts.

I am delighted to report that 11 little quilts were handed over to E,  the Regional Co-ordinator of Project Linus for Lanarkshire and Glasgow East, this week. As you will remember our Exploding Block tutorial produced quite a few blocks which we then pieced together and produced four quilts.  A few of our ladies made their own contributions too.  I was so pleased with the results and am sure these will provide a hug and some comfort to a few more children coming up to Christmas.   E gave a very interesting talk on her work with Project Linus and would be delighted to receive any donations if there are more quilters out there wanting to help this very worthwhile cause and can be contacted via the Project Linus website.  She even brought along some lovely pieces of fabrics and fleece - these were given out to some of our ladies who have kindly agreed to make them into quilts for PL.  There are so many youngsters out in the community needing a little extra comfort.  We often think of little quilts being needed for babies but in actual fact PL help all ages, tots to teens.  She demonstrated an easy and quick way of how her group make 'whole cloth' quilts using novelty fabrics and fleece from fat quarters, a quick and easy way to produce a warm and cosy neonatal blanket.  However, I am a quilter first and foremost and I just love cutting and piecing, so I won't be using her 'quick fix' method.   I will continue to cut and piece and layer and quilt as that's how I get my buzz and it will be a pleasure to hand them over to her to distribute.  I am also continuing to support Marie Curie and have a few more ready to deliver next month for their fundraising.  

This week there is a display of our quilting projects in the local library.  We have been asked again by the staff to set up a Christmas display.  Although a little early it was felt we all needed our projects returned by the beginning of December as some will be gifted and used to brighten up our own homes during the festive period.



Those Carol Singers are so Cute



Such a variety of techniques



Once again thank you to all our ladies who have contributed and help set up the display.

The sun is shining this morning and I seem to have lots to get done.  Housework seems to have been ignored this week, so I will try and rush through the chores so that I can get some sewing time later.  I have a number of little projects which need some finishing stitches - these are all destined for Christmas gifts and shouldn't take too long to complete.  I also need to get a baby quilt started, I've found a pattern and some fabric arrived in the post yesterday which I didn't expect to receive until next week.  Plush Addict is a good online site I use, they have always had a quick, efficient and well packaged system which works for me.

Have a good and productive week.

It's Getting Busy

A shopping trip was necessary yesterday to replenish Dad's freezer of ready meals.  It was not a very nice morning when I headed off to do the shopping.  Where did everyone come from?  I reckon everyone must have had the same thought as I did when I opened the curtains - miserable day I'll head to the shopping centre!  I guess we are now on the run up to the festive season and perhaps everyone is preparing early this year - or is it normally like this?  Oh well I got everything I needed and had a good wander round the shops spending a little here and there.  It was a typical November day wet windy and dark but although the Christmas lights are not yet switched on everyone seemed cheery and bright - no shopping frenzy yet for the masses, everyone seemed quite relaxed.

What have I managed this week - sadly not a lot really.  A lady from Project Linus is coming to visit our group this week and I have working on a few quilts to get them finished off so that she can distribute them to the children.  I think she will be pleasantly surprised by our little bundle of quilts. Here are just three of them. I will tell you next week how many we actually give her.

The Exploding Block Again!

 

I have been hand stitching small things this week, I have finished my 2nd BOM. Here's part of it.

One Little Stocking

I am trying to empty some of my baskets and complete some WIPs.  I did manage a few more Farmer's Wifey Blocks this week. No more new starts this week until I get something finished.

Four More

 

I haven't made my list of things to do yet for next week so again I will fly by the seat of my pants and see how my progress goes.

Have fun and this week whatever you are doing. 

   

Activities This Week

I've had a good week this week, achieving most of my goals and a few more.  It's been bright most days, which helps get the chores done.  Tuesday was my day for the housework as I had to stay at home as some parcels were being delivered.  Fortunately they all arrived in good time and I could have headed out but I had got myself engrossed in sorting again - this time family photos.  Well I am happy to say that exercise for this week is done - lots more to do but I have run out of photo sleeves for the moment.  I guess that will be another delivery next week!  

Sorting Photos

 

I have also sorted all the embroidery threads, saving most other than a few which I had managed to get in a proper tangle.  I thought at one point I was going to have to buy another storage box but I managed to fit them all in. Strangely there doesn't seem to be two shades the same, how awesome it that?  I also told you I was doing some rearranging in my sewing area here is my new storage for my quilts.



Tidy for a wee while

 

I managed a bit more of my BOM.  I didn't however make any progress with the Farmers Wifey blocks. My Mini Mosaics book arrived with my fabrics so the half moon modern quilt which I am calling 'Charmed' is now finished. I like this one bright and cheery and the inky black gives definition and makes the charms pop.  I love the spotty binding.

Charmed

 

The huge knitting project is finished too and it's gorgeous, even although I say it myself.  I loved doing it although at times I didn't think I was ever going to get it finished.  At one stage there were over 700 stitches in the round, or did I miss count, I did say it was a large project - it just needs to be blocked now, I will show you it soon. 

Today is my day for technology - I have just updated my operating system on my iPad and now need to do the same for my phone.  Then I will reorganise some files on my PC. It is so easy to forget to back up your system.  I lost everything from my PC a number of years ago, photos, patterns,  documents - all gone.  I try now every couple of months to back up my computer to an external hard drive.  Doesn't cost a lot other than a few hours preparation, I would be very upset if I lost all my stuff again.  If you don't do it perhaps you should consider it.  Although with the 'cloud' some things are stored there anyway.

The sun is shining this morning and as I sit here drinking my cuppa I see that I should really clean my windows, perhaps I will get that done too.

I hope you have a busy and productive week.  

A Little Dissapointed

My Mini Mosaic book didn't arrive as expected this week with my little order of fabric.  There has been a bit of a mix up.  When I ordered my book I ordered some Dashwood Studio 'flurry' fabric for the binding of the little charm pack quilt but the order has been delayed.  However these things happen and I will just have to be patient.  

I have managed to complete most of the goals I set myself last week, apart from reading my lost book.  The charm pack half moon modern quilt has been sandwiched and quilted and is now just waiting for the fabric to arrive and I will get the binding done.  Yes I probably could use something else from my stash but I have my mind made up on this one so I'll wait.  

The third exploding quilt 'All Square' is complete.  A bit windy again this morning so you will have to make do with it draped over the acer, and its taken with my phone so not ideal.  You get the idea though don't you.



Exploding Block Quilt No 3 - All Squared

Exploding Block Quilt No 2 - Sweet Memories

Exploding Block No 1 - Autumn Rays

It is amazing how, when put into different settings and colour ways the exploding block can look completely different.  We are putting some of these little blocks together at class this week for Linus Quilts and that will be the last time I will be doing them for a while.  Time to move on. 
 

The large knitting project is coming along nicely and the second stocking on the second BOM is almost complete too.  I am pleased with what I have achieved.  I have decided that listing a small set of goals is a good idea so I will continue trying this out over the next few weeks.

My plans for this week?  A little reorganising of my Sewing Space, finish the large knitting project, add the binding to the half moon modern linus quilt. (If my fabric gets delivered). Stitch down the third stocking on the second BOM and make a few more blocks of the Farmers Wifey quilt which is an ongoing long term project.  I also bought a few more bobbins this week so I will continue to sort out Mum's embroidery threads. I could go on but I better not be too adventurous.

Have a good weekend whatever you are doing - I can't believe it's November already!

Learning Another New Technique

I am always keen to learn.  This week it was another new technique, whew! Brain overload this month but it's all good.  At class on Tuesday M demonstrated Mini Mosaics by Paula Doyle.  There was an excited buzz around the room. Everyone eager to try something new.  A lot of preparation had been put into this evening by M.  Little envelopes were passed around giving each of us the basics for this little block.  Would we manage to get it finished within the allocated time? - well thanks to expert instructions and a look through the Mini Mosaic book, happy sewing machines and steaming irons I think most of us managed to complete our block.

Some of the instructions

 

I was so pleased with mine I think I will make it into a little coaster for my desk.  

What do you think?  Not perfect the purple block on the right is a bit off, not worth trying to fix this time but I know I was perhaps in too much of a hurry as usual.  I should have been more accurate in placing my squares on the grid and pressing them on to the fine adhesive interfacing backing, before sewing them in place - I will do better next time.  I have placed my order for the Mini Mosaic Quilts book and it should hopefully arrive early next week.  I am looking forward to reading it from cover to cover while I drink my morning coffee and trying out some of the other little designs.  I have also has a look at Paula's tutorials on YouTube which are fun to watch too.

The binding has not been sewn down yet on the third exploding block so I'll show you that next time.  I have however started on my second block of the Night Before Christmas quilt. The holly garland is done, and the first little stocking complete.  I did have a mad turn early this week and ran up a very quick and easy quilt top from a rather bright and cheery charm pack called Half Moon Modern by Moda.  It's been lying around for a while and it was calling me to do something with it.  I pieced it together using a wee piece of inky black mottled fabric which makes all the bright colours pop.  So......another Linus quilt in the making.  It is sandwiched together with a bright orange fleece and sitting ready to be quilted.

So this weeks list is: to continue with the rather large knitting project, sew down that binding, a little bit of quilting on the charm pack quilt and perhaps another stocking added to the garland, and of course coffee time reading of my new quilting book when it arrives - maybe a bit adventurous but I'll just see how it goes.

Donation to Charities

Tuesday at class was exciting - the reveal of our first block of the month for this session from Bunny Hill's Night Before Christmas sampler quilt.  This is what it is supposed to looks like in outline, and as usual mine is not exactly like this, in fact I don't think it's anything like this at all  to be totally honest - but I won't be revealing mine until December 2015 so you will just have to wait to see.  

Mine doesn't look exactly like this wee moosey!

Trials and tribulations, moans and groans, humphs and sighs, but I think we all did exceptionally well, especially as most of us have not attempted appliqué before especially with teeny tiny paws and ears!  We spent a lot of time discussing the different  techniques we had used - there are so many ways to appliqué thank goodness for Youtube and the internet blogs and tutorials.  We had come across a few pitfalls but I think we all enjoyed sharing tips and equipment ideas for the next block.  I am excited to continue with this project it will be a long road to travel and a long time in the making but I'm up for the challenge and it might just become an heirloom - or end up in a box unfinished!

On Thursday some of our members gave a demonstration and display at the local library.  I think it went down well and we had a good turn out of ladies keen to hear what we had to say about patchwork and quilting.  

Display of some of my quilts

I did sell a couple of my quilts the money being sent off to The Linus Project and Marie Curie Cancer Care.  I think our talk sparked some enthusiasm but regrettably our class is full and we cannot accommodate any more stitchers at the moment.

I am pleased to say I have another finish but it's just another exploding block this one is Sweet Memories - I'm getting bored with this now and need to move on.  It is however quick and easy to do and has been a good stash buster. It is fun to see how different layouts change the look of the quilt though.

Oh dear!  this one needs a good press - no outdoor photos today its too windy and rainy

Today I have spent my time sorting.  Sorting and scanning old photos to catalogue, sorting some quilting that wasn't quite right, sorting and updating my computer and backing up my files and sorting my blog.  I have updated My Gallery with the quilts I have finished so far this year. I have completed more than I thought. It's good to see them altogether in one place.

Next week I will be working on my final exploding block quilt (I won't do this block again for a while) together with my next appliqué block (which involves Christmas stockings), and a rather large knitting project I really must get on with.  

Enjoy your week folks.