Visitors: welcome and otherwise

Today I had a lovely visit from Lynda whom I met on the BQL list. It's always great to meet up with a fellow quilter and we had a great chat. I dug out loads of UFO's and appreciated a different perspective. I decided that later I would go down to my sewing room again and take some photo's so I could feature some of them as "UFO's of the week". DS2 in bed, DS1 outside with DH, camera in hand I started taking some pics when I heard a sort of squeeking-squawking sound. Let me first explain that this week DH has found 3 baby shrews in the house (Shrews). I know we live in the country, but I've never been that keen that the country lives in the house with us so this has been a bit too much of an 'animal' week for my taste. I moved a briefcase out of the way to see some scuttling in the corner. Well obviously I had to shriek er... I mean call for my hero. DH and DS1 came running to rescue me. Here I can be seen hiding behind Jack while Hubby investigated...

He who is at one with nature here a.k.a. DH gently removed this little thrush and put him out the window. Image is bit blurry as it was taken as quick as humanely possible as the little bird was quite frightened (just a tad more than me LOL)

So it's a bit of a catch 22... I need to keep my sewing room aired, but then I risk having all sorts of things flying or crawling in to make their homes among my stash!


Lynda absolutely loved my blocks from the Scrapbuster swap that I did with Kate and others on the Delphi Forum (these were blocks made up of 16 x 2.5" squares). I also had some blocks made up of 64 x 2.5" squares from the BlockBuddySwaps Postage Stamp Round Robin (PSRR). I have been putting the scrapbuster blocks together in sets of four to be the same size as the PSRRs with the intention of putting them all together to make a picnic blanket (with a waterproof backing) for the family. A lot of the Delphi swappers have been doing quite different things with their blocks, but I just wanted them together as a manic scrappy quilt/blanket.


A few days ago when I was tidying my sewing room, I had a look at the backing fabric again and noticed that it is very narrow and I would either have to piece it together or alternatively make 2 smaller picnic blankets. After talking to Lynda, I think I will just make a big snuggle blanket for the sofa that the whole family can use and if it ends up outside well that's ok(ish) too. So (when I find the time) I will continue to put them all together with a narrow border in a dark, possibly navy, fabric and back it with a dark fabric.

The exciting art of pinning and de-threading

Not much sewing here I'm afraid, I forgot how long it takes to de-thread the back of a top to get it ready for basting. Besides getting covered in threads, I also pinned some scrapbuster blocks and will post a photo soon, but the day was more a kiddy one as I had to pay the doctor yet another visit. Toby has a 'non-specific viral rash' meaning he has a rash and they don't know what it is...but he also has the signs of his first tooth!!! So I guess that could explain it. The Doc also looked at my bruise again, she thinks I may have broken a vein as it's very lumpy (sorry-sounds yuk) which is why the bruise was so big. The pain should ease soon, but apparently the blood clot caused could take up to 6 months! Is this a sign I'm getting old? Blood clots? Broken veins...?
Back to sewing... I did manage to cut some fabric for an African block, can't post a picture as it's a suprise for Kate. It's also still in the design stages LOL. I'm 'free' designing this, but think I better start learning how to use my birthday present of QuiltPro... next birthday though I want pins (Boy, am I easy to please), I ran out after only a few scrapbuster blocks, I guess most of them are probably in other UFO's!!!!

Free sunglasses with every view

I should be offering the above because I'm posting a photo of a quilt I made for one of Jack's little friend's (Bright yellow and bright red - what was I thinking!!!). His mother told me, he won't go to bed without it which I thought was really sweet. The reason I'm posting it is because that's what I sort of worked on today, cutting and deciding on borders for 3 more of these little quilts, although they are not going to be quite so BRIGHT. Not sure what I'll do with them or who they are for, but thought I might try get them longarmed and then they're there if I need them... I also sewed together some pairs of my scrapbuster swap not many though because I got distracted and started thinking about an African block for Kate and my fabrics for Christina's New York beauties.. so I just faffed really, but then I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that I have this terrible addiction which makes me start projects (and not finish them), buy fabric (and never have enough)... the list goes on.

One of those days...

Yesterday was definitely one of 'those' days... it started at 4am when baby wouldn't go back to sleep. When I eventually got my tired frame out of bed after being allowed a 'micro' lie-in, I went to hang out the washing only to discover that my trusty machine that has been working like a dog lately had been a very bad washing machine and had 'eaten' the arm off one of Toby's babygrows!
The post cheered me up with some great books from Trudy, but silly old me, I already had one of them! The others are great though and I hope to make some time to read and use them.
On the sewing front, I managed to scrimp and scrape (and patch) enough fabric together for the border of Toby's quilt. With the day I'd been having, I held the rotary cutter at arm's length and was VERY careful! 2 sides are pinned and as soon as the kids are in bed tonight, I'll try and get those on, so that I can grow my pile to send for quilting. I've also been doing bits here and there on the spare kid's quilts front and hope to have 3 to quilt as soon as I've cut and attached borders for those (single borders though!)
And I've been sewing the scrapbuster blocks into pairs (okay well I've only done 3 pairs so far, haha) then I'll sew pairs together to make 4's which will match the blocks I have from another swap. Then I'll have to think what to do with them...