Borders, Binding & the Hopes of Mindless Sewing

Last night we thought that baby Kalico was coming (again).

You'd think seeing as we've done this twice already that we'd know better by now LOL,

but we got it wrong and so we had a dreadful night and hardly slept a wink.

This morning when I finally surfaced, I asked my DH

if he minded if I carved myself a way into my sewing room

to just do a bit of mindless sewing.... for me...

He didn't mind, but I had nothing really ready to just sew,

so instead I had to do some cutting first and deciding and planning...

I wanted to do something with my Leader and Ender 9 patches:

So I cut some

 setting squares and triangles, but changed my mind and the quilt idea

(from Bonnie's books) twice at least!

So the 9 patches got abandoned.... for now.

In desperation to just sew. Something.

I put borders on these Corn & Beans blocks that Kate kindly gave me.

I LOVE the colours Kate used in these blocks!

 

(The runner looks a little yellow in the evening light...)

The runner and bedside table mat are ready to quilt now

and the binding is prepped too so hopefully I'll get another chance

to sew before baby Kalico arrives.

I also ironed the binding that I'd cut for baby Kalico's quilt,

which Kandy has very kindly offered to quilt for me.

Hopefully little Miss Kalico will not be early and I'll get both

Kate's Corn & Bean blocks quilted and Baby's quilt bound before D-Day :o)

Young Abby, approves of me being in the sewing room

and even tidying one or two things away

so that she has more surface area to spread out.

Miaow!

Not Ready to Tackle a Monster Yet!

First, I need to categorically state that this is:

my Mother's English Paper-pieced UFO from the 1980's.

The Autumnal colour scheme is definitely not one of my choosing at all,

and the design has just spiralled out of control! ;o)

I assumed it was a Lone Star, but actually it's not star shaped at all

apart from the centre 8 diamonds....

(With the miserable weather I have not been able to lay it out

in its entirity (all 8 sections) on the grass for a photo)

.

It should have been brought back in (in my opinion),

but it extends to infinity (do I sound overwhelmed here!? LOL)

A few years back Mom bought a whole lot of green fabrics

to tie the 'star' back to the centre

and for me to square it off, but I am not sure that that's going to be possible

with the sheer size of the project...

Unfortunately, most of the papers have been removed

to make it lighter for travel

so getting it star shaped again could be tricky.

Plus I'm also thinking 'Is it a waste to unpick all this work?'

and should I maybe just square it off with a rotary cutter (Heaven Forbid?!?)

In the meantime, my sewing room looks like a dump

and I am unable to get in to sew

- the big tidy up for Mother's visit saw all sewing related clobber,

from around the house, dumped in the sewing room, making access

and movement limited :o(

The cat still likes her spot though!!:

(More) Hospital Hexes

Well, if you wondered where I've been,

I have been doing a few nights trial run at

the maternity hopitals (!) nearby.

No sign of baby, but a kidney infection!

So I am now on a 2 week course of antibiotics

and hope to be fit and well when baby is due.

Sadly, my hospital stays coincided with my brother's visit from South Africa,

but we did get to have one lovely lunch together:

A food shot for those of you who like foodie pics ;o)

(Fig & Blackberry Tart with cinnamon ice-cream)

My hospital visits also disrupted several birthdays:

My youngest turned 5 and my husband turned...

well, never mind that LOL, but he was very understanding

that we had to postpone any celebrations

while I was getting hospital bed rest:

A nasty drip, but paid to any chance of hand sewing for a day or so...

But lovely visitors brightened up my stay!!!!

And progress as been made on my folded hexagons:

Now to just get better and ready for our little girl's arrival

in about 2 and a half weeks!

The Monster has arrived!

My Mother has arrived safely from Cape Town to stay with us

while we await baby and hopefully for a few weeks after baby's arrival.

With her came 'the Monster'!:

An English-Paper-Pieced Lone Star that she worked on years ago.

A few years back I made a start on trying to finish this quilt top for her, but also didn't get very far...

I suggested Mom bring it over this year and we make another attempt at getting it completed.

As the weather has turned and it's rainy outside (and I have been instructed to rest)

I decided to just take a quick sneak pic of it.

More to follow when I lay it out and get my head around working on it again....

**********

Yesterday, we celebrated the boy's birthdays at a Farm party.

It was great fun and the unseasonally 27 degree centigrade weather was not wasted

on all the families that attended.

What bliss being able to sit out in the sun!

On the way home we passed our kindly neighbour

who had rescued a poorly hedgehog.

He and his wife are great animal lovers and have a veritable animal rescue centre at their house

so here's to a speedy recovery little hedgehog!!!

Folded Hexagons

Of course, I should be finishing something else,

but having had a spurt of doctor's/midwives... appointments lately,

I thought I'd prepare some 'small' handwork for keeping in my bag...

But, ssshhh, it's a secret...

Borders On, Papers Out

All the cream borders have now been handsewn on to my rose hexagon quilt

so it's at top stage, awaiting a pieced backing and then quilting...

I have started taking the papers out, this is quite time-consuming,

but strangely fun. If I can get the back pieced soon,

I can get this quilt off to the Longarmers and hopefully on our bed

in the not too distant future.

I can't see my husband liking the rose quilt too much,

 but I can always just put it on my side of the bed ;o)

Now, it might be time to think about my Carolina Lily

that needs borders..........

Sweet Stash

"stash - verb (used with object)
1. to put by or away as for safekeeping or future use, usually in a secret place (usually followed by away ): The squirrel stashes away nuts for winter. "
or
The wife stashes the secret Marzipan and Mozart Kugeln away from the rest of her family!

My dear friend J travels to Germany on business and very kindly sent me my absolute favourite chocolates: Mozart Kugeln, which are simply too good to be shared with those who are not discerning  in their chocolate taste ;o)

Thanks J. I shall savour them slowly and scroogily!

Mere Quilters (in Every Nook & Cranny)

I was very fortunate to be invited along by my dear friend Vicky C.

to the Mere Quilters Quilt Exhibition in Windemere today.

Set in a beautiful home overlooking glorious Lake Windemere

and bursting with charm and character and....

QUILTS!!!

I overheard a lady coming down the stairs saying:

'There are quilts in every nook and cranny!'

And there were! Quilts in the bedrooms,

the hallway, the shower room, the workroom...!

What an amazingly prolific group of quilters.

An absolute feast for the eyes and so many beautiful quilts to see and enjoy.

I certainly didn't manage to take everything in!

But I did spot a Lone Star which was lovely

 and reminded me of my Mother's long-term Lone Star

that we are hoping to finish together one day!!

Lots of Christmassy quilts

(less than a 100 days to go now I believe!!)

Quilts on beds...

And quilts needing close-ups like this hexagon quilt...

So many beautiful quilts...

and fun wallhangings...

And this one with sheep! Love it!

With all the beds and chairs etc. adorned with quilts

there was nowhere to sit and admire them, 

however, the dining room offered some excellent home-made refreshments!

I was delighted to have met a lovely lady called Janet

who made this super hexagon bag! (among many other wonderful things!)

And I also met a lady called Susan who made this Log Cabin

(also among many many other wonderful things!)

What a great day out, thank you Mere Quilters!

Lucky, Lucky!!!

Firstly, I am lucky to have been able to go off on a 'jolly'

as my husband calls it, to go and stay with great friends

and meet wonderful quilters/bloggers in London at the V&A,

(and to sit in the open air quaffing coffee and chatting about blogs and quilt stuff
- as well as posing in front of beautiful bottoms!!)

Now, however, I am firmly back in Yorkshire and reality

and have the furniture polish and rain to prove it!

Secondly, I am very lucky to have been given some wonderful gifts

from those bloggy/quilty friends...

(not to mention all the 'Mummy' treats found on the guest bed 

from my wonderful hosts! Thanks E & P!)

**********

Kate, very kindly made 'baby-kalico' a little quilt.

I love it! The colours are not baby like at all,

and it's just such a fun quilt. The design, border fabric,

backing fabric etc are just super-cool.

 (Look at those fingers ;oD )

 (And the evil eyes LOL)

(DH loves sushi so the backing fabric is an excellent choice!)

Thanks Kate!

Vicki, also very kindly brought me some of her gorgeous handmade soaps (Ok, I asked directly for those!, but how could I not, they are wonderful!) and some of her amazing dyed fabrics.

 Vicki has an Etsy shop with many more delectables for sale.

But these ones are MINE!! Thanks Vicki!
Hope to see you girls again soon!!!

This is me...

I found this poem... I wrote it almost 2 years ago now... November 2009!

But I thought I'd crazily share it anyway...

According to T, I am 'Mr Mummy', but actually...

I am the one that wipes food off tables and floors

And handprints of the walls and doors,

I am me

I am the wife,

that makes cups of tea,

shouts for dinner and screams 'nobody listens to me'

I'm that sister that misses your teasing and funny ways

The daughter that calls, but forgets what she says

I am me

I am whatever you need me to be:

potty cleaner

bed maker and short order cook,

I am the one who reads your bedtime book

I am me

I listen to the moans and the stamping foot on the floor

Then I get up every morning and listen to some more...

I am me

I am the one who checks you're asleep and tucked up tight

I am the one who wants to get this mummy thing just right...

I am me

I am the woman who sneaks off for a quick sew

But I'm there if you need, you know?

I am me

I am a stitcher, a fabric hoarder this is true,

But I am the one who wants you to be you....

I am me

Many names for a mother a friend and wife

Many people I've met in this life

Many blessings, sadness too

All part of me being part of you

It's my birthday I heard them say

I weigh a lot more than I did that first day!

In fact, I'm so big, I'm a great big lump

I feel like I've been blown up with a bicycle pump!

What happened to the 'little girl' that started this life

She ate all the pies and became Spratt's wife!

Never mind, when I pass from this earth

At least all will know, I got my fill's worth!

Borders on Hexagons....

...are easier to pin and stitch on

if you don't have 'certain distractions'

who are seeking warmth on a chilly night...

... 'certain distractions' also seem to like chasing the needle

going in and out! So sitching is almost impossible!

And to think a few days ago I was muttering that,

besides the odd animal sacrifice (or gift as she probably calls it!),

she's not very friendly to me,

the sucker who feeds her, changes her water etc etc...!!

Perhaps as the seasons change and she wants to be indoors

more often she'll get into this pachwork hobby of mine

and just accept that the needle and thread moves up and down

without need of 'assistance'! ;o)