August Bag and more bashing...

Here's my BQL Bag Challenge for August. It's a sort of clutch bag that can either be used for an evening out or some have said it's a good size for a rotary cutter! (This would have to be a posh rotary cutter! LOL)



As I have not been sewing much lately due to general unignorable fatigue, I was quite pleased to get this done in time to see the September sneaky peek which looks great.

He's still bashing... And we have new (unwelcome by me) 'ventilation' in our kitchen...



But it will be good! (I keep saying!!)



In the meantime I have prepared some labels following Juliann's example and label challenge. I am a notoriously bad labeller and have given away loads of quilts (ALL unlabeled! I know I should be ashamed, but I am turning over a new leaf!) Thanks to Toni (The Quilting Pirate) for selling me some labels, I have started in earnest. 2 quilts have already been labeled and delivered to go in the GNQS and 2 more are awaiting labels. One being a present for friends which I can't show (just yet) and the other the quilt from Anne. I'm going to be putting a hanging sleeve on it shortly so thought I might as well label it at the same time...



I had to pick up my trophy this week so perhaps I'll show it and the painting in my next post... (or perhaps not! :-) LOL!)

Post to post and thank about...

I am finally aclimatising to this drastic change in temperature although I did make up some silly excuse as to why I didn't want to go to the park with the kids today. The park?!! I mean really, it's cold out! Luckily we have an activity centre in the garden and DH took the two rascals out to play while I made dinner.

Here are the 'roses' (quilty stuff) among the 'thorns' (bills!) that I came home to receive.

A fantastic selection of pre-cut fabrics from Kate.



Yum, yum! Thanks Kate! Most of these will go in a quilt for my Mom. She would like a small quilt to cover her knees and she liked a quilt that Kate had made previously with 4 patches and lots of white on white. Can't remember the name now... The fabrics are inspiring me to get going firstly because they are almost all the colours she would like and secondly they are pre-cut (no excuses then!) I might add here that I am seriously considering doing Bonnie's new mystery quilt. So seriously I have already cut and sewn a few strips for the first part. It's a mystery quilt in more ways than one: i.e. why have I started yet another project when I have so many on the go already? Because Bonnie does great quilts? Well she does, but no, it's because she's using Shwe-shwe fabrics I've just brought back from SA and it was almost like I couldn't not do it!

Also in the post/mail... some Quilt labels I bought from Toni's Home Shopping Network. I am a bad quilter and hardly ever label my quilts. Now I have no excuse!



Toni (a.k.a. The Quilting Pirate) also sent 2 Batik FQ's which are lovely. Thanks Toni!

And the jewel in the crown. My PIF from Kerry. WoW!
A stunning and very useful sewing mat.



Even the backing fabric is amazing.


Kerry also included one of her own patterns. I just love stars!
Thank you Kerry!


Here's what I managed to stuff into my suitcase (among other fabric-y things, but I can't show them otherwise I'll be in trouble with DH)



These included more Amafu fabrics from the Hilltop quiltshop.



There's a little something pink sneaking underneath. Just didn't want the recipient to see it... yet!

Here are some pics of the travellers on our way from Heathrow, via the tube and a train to Leeds and then a train to Skipton, and then a kind lift home. This journey included missing 2 trains...



We hauled kids and bags for hours and miles. This should explain why I had to travel 'light'. Fabric doesn't weigh that much though does it?

In case anyone wanted to see the new specs



(photographed on a sleeping 'new' puppy belonging to my DSIL). Although they are plastic tfhey still have those pesky nose grips, but I am enjoying them. Dexter, the puppy is just the cutest too!