When the Cat is Away...

... Friends come to help to take you to the hospital

and in return you teach them how to baste a quilt,

the Sharon Schamber way

using one of Kate's gorgeous tops

for Project Linus.

A team effort and a quilt basted!!

And to Summarise...

It's time for an update!!

The last few posts have been somewhat cryptic...

My rose hexagon quilt has been quilted

and is now awaiting scalloped edges and binding.

I love the panto that Chris at Fathers-Heart suggested.

I think it's called Rosie (although I can't remember for sure.)

I am having second thoughts about scalloping the edges

as there is not much border to scallop,

but we'll see...

*****

The studio is great, but in dire need of storage

hence no shots of it in all it's glory.

It is an amazing space to be in with the sky lights

providing lots of natural light even on the darkest days.

DH has done a fantastic job on the studio -

I feel very lucky indeed -

and it does make me feel very creative.

I think the long term goal with the studio

will be to offer workshops for bag-making,

simple quilting, crafting etc etc... the workshops will

include home-made and delicious lunch,

tea, coffee and freshly baked cake

and a finished project to take home.

(Well that's the plan anyway!)

*****

The hand-crank Singer was a rescue job.

It was being sold for a few pounds and

was just so beautiful that I just had to have it

for the studio in case we have a power cut! :)

Unfortunately, I do already have a few sewing machines,

though only one (my treadle) is as beautiful as this one....

so that's why it had to be very hush hush LOL.

*****

A friend very kindly gave me a mountain of scraps.

Thank you C! I have been enjoying them very much.

Why do other people's scraps seem so much better than your own??

I'm not sure, but they do!!

I was so bored of my own scraps,

but now I am seriously scrap happy!!

*****

The family continue to delight me...

and the boys have been absolute stars

helping Mummy around the house

and looking after their little sister.

I am still on crutches which means that if I want to walk,

I have no use of my hands at the same time.

Really difficult for carrying things

(like babies!!) :(

 Little Miss-Kalico is now forwards crawling

so she's a lot more stable and together

we have conquered the stairs.

I was having to call the neighbours to ask them

to get us down the stairs, every time I was left alone in the house,

but now I can get down the stairs

on my behind while holding her on my lap

and letting my crutches slide down the stairs

in front of us. It's hard work,

but it's one more step towards independence

and I need that right now.

*****

I normally like to be a blogger of few words,

but obviously not this time :)

Wordless Wednesday - Hexagons Quilted!

Who's Been Sleeping On The Guestbed?

I was checking on the guest room for our visitors

when I spotted a 'lump' under the quilt...

Very comfy :)

Luckily our visitors like cats!!

Pssst... Can You Keep A Secret?

Not sure what we say in this country...,

but I reserve the right to remain silent

for fear of incriminating myself ;)

Who's Been Sleeping In My...

...Studio!

Happiness is...

Happiness is...

♥ Quilty mail from bloggy friends...

May Britt sent me a stitchy get well gift in the mail.
It really brightened up my day!!

She also kindly sent everything I need to do the stitchery

including needle and thread!

So generous and so thoughtful.

Plus, I am now the very proud owner

of one of May Britt's beautful crochet owls!

Thank you so much May Britt!

*****

Happiness is...

♥...Kitty Love!

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Sleeping on the window bench in mummy's room
(under her Double Delight!)

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Letting little Kalico's scribble on your cast

the day before it came off!

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Brotherly love!

*****

Happiness is....

♥ Acting like a child when you are only five years old ;)

*****

Happiness is...

♥ Being one step closer to walking again!

Wordless Wednesday - More Rose Stars

Second Finish for 2012

The last time I was in hospital with this pesky leg of mine

I appliqued these hearts onto the neutral squares...

Then I decided to 'square in a square' them

with contrasting rose fabrics

(I was still deep in my rose fabric stage here LOL)

and then I decided set them on point

with teal setting triangles.

2 years later it's finally finished!

This quilt is a gift for a special girl and won't be given

until it's her birthday, however, I doubt that she

reads my boring ol' quilt blog

so I think I'm ok posting photos.

Plus quilts ALWAYS look better in real life!

I tried to get the cows in the picture above,

but they were awfully far away...

The die-cut hearts used in the quilt

were a gift from Donna

who owns the thespiderswebfabricshop.com

I should have taken a close-up of the panto,

I think it's hearts and loops and was quilted

beautifully by Chris at Fathers-Heart.

I used a lot of leftover rose fabrics to piece the back

so that you sort of get 2 quilts for the price of one...

... and teenagers, being as they are, can have a choice.

I may go visit and find she prefers the back.

And that's ok with me :)

Red, White & Blue

I finished sewing down the binding on a quilt.

But the lovely sun we've been having

has been replaced by cooling rain

so I couldn't photograph said quilt.

Instead here are a few photos

of my flowers that have decided to flower

despite being neglected by me this year...

Fitting colours for the Queen's Jubilee ;)

I believe (could be wrong)
that this white flower is a type of perrenial Geranium...

I caught this bee, flitting among the wallflowers

like a whirling dervish :) ...

How do you Like Them Apples

I think this may be my favourite rose-star block so far...

Since having a little girl pink and red

is becoming a favourite colour combination...

Of course these blocks

do lend themselves

to trying other crazy combinations too :)

Here's another half star

in a wild assortment of scraps...

*****

Somebody in their little apple playsuit

is figuring out that their behind needs to go up to crawl...

With the boys I positively encouraged crawling,

but with Baby-Kalico I am leaving it up to her.

We can't have her crawling before I can walk!!

Just checking you're still there Mum...

Yes, I'm here.

Although my nose has lost some skin ;)

What Have I Done To Deserve This?

I am not sure what I've done,

but after many weeks of a distinct lack of interest in me,

'her lady-cat-ship' has deemed my bed

acceptable for napping again :)

She was even happy for me to photograph

my rose star hexagon progress laid next to her..

*****

This was the first photo, but the sun (!!!)

streaming through the window caught

all the dust particles in the light of the camera

(does that make sense? I mean, the circles are dust

that my camera has caught reflected...

or something like that... LOL)

*****

Yesterday's hospital visit saw me get my 4th Plaster cast,

this one now includes my ankle as the last few casts

kept slipping down like a pair of old tights

that had lost their elastic ;)

Luckily, it's only for another 2 weeks

and then I should be fitted with a brace

which will allow me to bend my knee - woo-hoo!

Boy did my favourite chocolates

from my friend J come at just the right time!

Sleepless nights, a phantom itch under plaster...

all gone with a nibble of marzipan :)

*****

This photo is specially for Granny-Kalico

it shows Baby-K at 7 months old!

Yupp!! 7 months already! Slow down!

Unfortunately, the very next day she was really poorly

and we've now had 3 sleepless nights

with her battling very high temperatures

and sickness. I'm pretty sure she's teething

as she's trying to chew everything!

Poor little poppet :(

So here she is on the mend (hopefully)

and feeling a little brighter,

but still not 100% her chirpy self...

The vest was a sweet gift from A.