Post Christmas Bliss

Christmas is over but the mad shopping rush has only just started. We went shopping and bought a few things.

 Some Baci chocolates.

Single bed flat sheets from Big W at $7 each (on special) for quilt backing on some of the charity quilts I am making.

New school shoes for my Little Miss DD.


I also managed to get a few things done. I managed to cut out some 5" squares for some very simple charity quilts that I want to make.


Both my children were born very premature and they both spent a fair bit of time in both Westmead Public Hospital and Westmead Children's Hospital and I want to give something back to the hospital. I remember while my DD was in Westmead Children's Hospital she was given a quilt to take home and keep. I remember being brought to tears when the volunteers sort me out and asked me if I would like to have one for my DD - well of course I did. So I thought I should do something like that myself. After talking to the volunteer service at Westmead Children's I have started sorting myself out and getting some of these done. I am hoping that someone who has a child in hospital or even an older child with get some comfort out of one of my quilts just I like got out of the one given to my daughter.

They are going to be very simple to start off with, 5" squares in coordinating colours in different patterns and a border around each. I will make a mainly two different sizes - one for premmie babies and cot sized. I will then quilt them using both pantos and some freehand quilting and hopefully they will be good enough to donate!

A photo of my handmade RockyRoad in the gift baskets I made for my family, all sitting on top of the first Christmas Table runner I did for the year, along with some red tea light holders. We will continue to have our Christmas decorations up till the first of the New Year and then it will be time to take it all down and get into 2011.

Where on earth is the time going? My mother tells me that as you get older time seems to move faster - if it goes any faster when I blink I will miss it.


Here's to slowing down and enjoying the sights in 2011!

Practising Custom Work

Christmas is now over! Onto the New Year and with the New Year both of my children will be going to school. I am both sad and happy about this - sad as it means my little girl is growing up and is off to school with her brother and happy as it means I have several hours every day to practice, practice and practice my quilting so I can get myself up and running in the early part of New Year in my new business.


I spent some of my free time looking through MQResourse at all the Finished Projects and I was starting to feel very unaccomplished and decided to do some custom work practice and see how it went.


To start off with, I didn’t really have any suitable printed fabric for the back so I picked a solid colour (not a good choice) and then I didn’t have any matching thread for the back so I picked a cream to go on the orange. All in all, the backing and thread choice was not good for a 'beginner' doing custom work, but I went ahead anyway. These are the results.

 I have to admit that is was not a bad as I thought it would be. I definitely need to practice more and not be so hard on myself. I also increased the stitches per inch which made the machine move so much more smoothly, which really helped. I also noticed that as I went along I was already improving. I think the start is the hardest, as well as what to actually quilt.

 Most of it was freehand with some ruler work and the swirl border was a template that I followed.

That is a sneak peak at the front. I will bind and wash it as there is lots of chalk all over it and then post the photo.


What I learnt: printed fabric on the back is a  MUST; having a matching or darker thread than the back is also a MUST; I need to practice - LOTS to get as good as I want to be. I am not a quilting prodigy (which I was secretly hoping I would be) so I need to put in over 500 hours of practice for each different type of pattern and I have only done about 100 hours for lots and lots of different ones.


When both of my kids are at school in the New Year I will be able to devote the time to practice and move ahead in my custom work.


My panto work is going very well which is really making me happy and I have worked out most of the loading, aligning and getting things straight on the frame. I have also ordered Renae's Red Snappers to help me load up the quilts not only faster but to stop me from getting jabbed constantly by the pins - and I do get jabbed a lot and I am worried about bleeding all over the quilts. The zipper leaders and other loading systems did not tickle my fancy, but as soon as I saw the Red Snappers I knew they were for me. I can't wait to get them, install them and then use them and see if they are as good as I think they will be. I will keep you posted.

Table Runner Gifts

I have made about seven table runners this year and most of them where last minute. I really plan to me more organised next year and start on my handmade gifts very early and make sure I know how many I need to make. I am not sure what I will make for next year. I have a little time to work it out.


Here is what the 'Next Gen' Table Runners look like. I used the same fabrics as the traditional table runners I made, but used a more modern and simple design.

To finish of the Christmas gifts I presented them with some homemade Rocky Road on a lovely Christmas plate with some bonbons and chocolate fredos and flakes for the kiddies.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Here's to being more organised for next year.

Merry Christmas To One and All

May your Christmas day be blessed with an abundance of joy, peace and compassion.

With love from me and my family, to you and yours.

My Machine Binding Secret

I have been madly trying to make some last minute Christmas gifts - I decided to make some more table runners but in a more modern design to go along with the Rocky Road and Christmas Plate I will be giving to the Adult Family Members this year. Each year we say we will not get anything for the adults, but I just can't seem to do that. At the moment both mine and my DH's parents are still with us and we only have one sibling (and family) each, so  I feel like I want to give gifts - so each year I do. I always try to make it something I have made  - last year it was a scrapbook album (for the Grandparents) of the kids in a monthly view plus a plate of gingerbread men.


So, for this post I thought I would share how I do my binding completely on the machine. I use 2.5" binding strips, join, fold in half and iron. I then attach my binding strip to the front of the quilt sandwich and use a walking foot to sew it on. Once that is done, (this is then what really helps me get the binding fairly straight each time) I use a stitch-in-the-ditch foot!

I fold the binding over to the back of the quilt sandwich (I use no pins, or clips as I find I am constantly getting stabbed and I have given up on the Elmer's method on small projects) and I use the stitch-in-the-ditch foot to anchor the binding down at the start and then turn under the next 5" and keep the guide against the fold and sew. I stop every 5-6" and fold under the next bit and stitch some more. I do this the whole way round, and do the corners as per usual. After doing a few of these bindings I have managed to get really fast at doing the straight bits and consistently get the stitching in the ditch. The folding as I go enables me to play around with the binding width a bit to keep it as consistent as possible. On the back 

it doesn’t look to bad. I can get it straight in most places, every now and again there are a few bumps but with each binding that I do I seem to get better. I love adding my little o label on the back of my projects.


Another thing I found really, really useful is machine quilting gloves - but not the normal kind.

These were suggested at the 'Don't Look Now' Blog - so I raced off to my local supermarket (yes, the supermarket) and bought about four pairs. I thought once the secret of these amazing gloves is out the manufacturer will probably run out. They are the most amazing super grip gloves I have come across, they come in some cute colours and are cheap! In fact they are so grippy that at times I need to take them off to do certain adjustments, and I only usually wear the left glove as I find it is more than enough for doing binding work. The gloves are Ansell Hyflex gloves and can be found in the laundry section of your supermarket.

Look What I Found

I am finally starting to get that Christmas Vibe happening. It all started with these two mugs, and I simply just had to buy one for me and one for my DH!

How cool are these? I also used my Mug Rug from the Mug Rug Swap and some awesome (and incredibly addictive) donut biscuits. I am not sure how else to call them, but my FIL makes them and I have eaten about three each day. They are almost done so I will not have to suffer them for much longer.


My DS and his new favourite sign.

Trimming the Tree

Well, we finally did it, we trimmed the tree. I am starting to feel the Christmas Spirit but there is something missing...

We decided to use our 'small' tree this year as we are tight on space. Next year we hope to use our 'huge' tree, but for this year our littley will have to do.


I hope you are all having fun putting up your Christmas trees and wrapping presents too.

Great Giveaway At Retromummy

Howdy!


Just thought I would let you know that there is a great giveaway at Retromummy! I am hoping I win as they would be great fabrics for a little girls quilt - and I just happen to have one of those!


Good luck.

Attic Room

Yipee! Today my Clean Attic Room is complete!!


My DH and I have spent a few years trying to decided what to do with our 'little' house. We were yo-yoing between knocking down and rebuilding and do some renovations to 'fix' the house up a bit. To make a very long story short we FINALLY (well 'I' finally) made up our minds and the overall cost of it all settled it. We are renovating our house a little at a time to make it a little more comfortable.


My family keeps telling me my house is not that small and that I should be grateful to have what I have, and I agree - but there is nothing wrong with making it more suited to our family.


So, the first thing we sorted out was that my longarm machine can longer take up the (former) lounge and dining room and it needs to go out into the garage. Now, the problem with this is that our garage is too small to fit our cars (I know - how weird is that - actually the cars fit but you can't open the doors!) and it has been used as a storage dump ever since we bought the house. The idea was to make a 'Clean Attic Storage' room and place all the 'stuff' that is in the garage (that’s worth keeping) and place it into the attic, thus cleaning out the garage to have all my craft related machines etc placed in a newly renovated garage.


One step at a time and these are a few photos of our new 10m squared clean attic room.

 The drop down attic stairs.

The access door to the rest of the roof.

The opening skylight.

My new Clean Attic Room!


So now I have the daunting task of going through all of our hoarding over the last 12 years and decided on what we want to keep and what we can let go.


Then the next step is to turn the garage into my new studio.


One step at a time.

So Close To Christmas

Normally December for me is all about Christmas, decorations etc. This year I am just not feeling to much of the Christmas Spirit.


Going on holidays for the first week of December really put me off my normal Christmas routine - in fact I haven't done my December Daily and I don't think I am going to do it I simply have too much going on right now.


So basically we got home on Saturday, dumped the luggage and went grocery shopping so we could eat. Sunday we unpacked, washed and put things away.


Today we have the Attic Group at our place putting in a clean storage attic room. I am so looking forward to having the extra space and easy access to it, but I am so over the noise and the dust and this is only day one - only 3 more to go before it is finished.

This is part of my front hallway and this is where the attic stairs are being put. 

 This is what the roof looks like at the moment.

I am looking forward to the white walled finish with a skylight window. 


Once this attic room is done, we will be able to put all the stuff we have in storage (that is worth keeping) into this room and empty out the garage. Then fingers crossed, we can move my longarm quilting machine into the garage and I can do all my sewing and quilting in the newly setup/renovated garage and have it separate from the house and family.


That is still a few months away but at least we are starting to get it done.

New Camera Bag

Before we went on holidays I bought myself a new camera bag from Jo Totes. I already have one bag from them and I loved it so much I thought I would get another one. Luckily they are very reasonably prices and the shipping is not bad either.


My first one was a lime green one and it was great - I don't believe that this one is available anymore. My only gripe with my green tote is that it has no front pockets and I love pockets on the front of my bags (it’s a great place for keys), and when I saw this new bag from Jo Totes I just had to get it as an early Christmas present.

It is a wonderful bag - I love the front pockets! But my only gripe with this bag is that I wish the handles were about 10cm longer. Other than that, it is a great bag. I took it with me on holidays to Daydream Island and it carried my Canon 450D with no problems as well as all my other stuff.


The bag was a little to big to take out and about for walks and down to the pool so I also bought along another bag with I can't seem to live without. I have had this  bag for about 3 years now and it is still in good condition (which is very rare for me with how much I use it).


My Hedgren Urban Cross Body Bag.

I love the fact it is a shiny black fabric with the silver and beige embroidery on the front (I believe that this one is no longer available either) as it makes it a little fancy and I can wear it out at night if I like. It is surprisingly, able to carry a lot of stuff considering its small size. It is machine washable and can literally fit into any small space. These two bags are a must on holidays.


Now, I need to buy a new everyday bag (no more camera bags) with front pockets and it must have compartments on the inside, a pocket for my iPhone and iPod, my Daytimer Pocket Diary and all my other day to day stuff in it. I don't know about you, but I am always on the look out for the perfect handbag. I have several that I use for a while, but they just aren't right. For me the handles always go first - they crack and split and look very 'used'. I normally only get one to two seasons out of each of my bags - they really need to be work horses. If you have any suggestions, brands etc on a really good workhorse bag with the above attributes - please let me know.

It's Good To Be Back At Home

I feel like it has been weeks instead of just one! Today my family and I have returned from a one week holiday in the Whitsunday's. 


My wonderful parents decided to treat my family (hubby, me and the kids) and my brother and his girlfriend (now fiance!) to a family holiday to celebrate my Mum's 60th birthday!


Who could say no to that! 


We spent the whole time on Daydream Island.


Here are just a few teaser photos!

It was a great holiday, but I must say after one week of swimming, walking and eating lots and lots - it is great to get home. I really missed home cooked meals (even though I do the cooking) and my own bed and the kids having there own rooms and fruit! I also really missed my computer! I didn’t think I could survive a whole week without it, but I did (had no choice). Every meal had to be eaten at one of the four restaurants and after a while that just becomes too much.


I had a lovely Daydream Spa treatment and it was worth every penny.


That is it for now. I feel happy to have internet again.

That Girl...That Quilt Along - Almost Finished

I have finally managed to piece together my quilt, load it onto my frame, quilt it and finally trim it down. The only think left is to put the binding on.

I used an all over panto called Butterfly 1. The close up photos look a little grey but they are much bluer in person. The blocks are only slightly wonky. I really like the wonky look but I have to say when it came to quilting it I was freaked out as it looked like the quilt was wasn’t loaded straight. I had to keep looking at the seam lines on each block to make sure it was straight. This is the first time I have used this panto and it was a lot of fun. I will look at finding a stripey fabric for the binding - I am so in love with stripes and dots for binding.

I Love Getting Parcels

Yep, once again my Parcel Man has dropped off a lovely parcel for me... and the goodies are:

Two patterns purchased from Fabric Patch and they included two fabric swatches too. They are both patterns from Atkinson Designs. One is a zippy carry bag/cosmetic bag and the other is a money purse. I thought they would make great gifts and they seem really easy to do AND you can use up your scraps. I have to say I love using up scraps, and this seems like a very practical way to do it. I think I will start by making my DD a little coin purse and see how I go. I don't know how much I like working with zippers - it has been a long time. 


I actually bought these patterns after reading this zipper tutorial. They make it seem so easy that I thought I would give it a go. I need to go and buy some 14" zippers now so I can actually make a few of these before Christmas. I am not sure I will be able to do it. I still have three quilts to bind and one quilt needs to be quilted and I am going on holidays for a week - that doesn’t leave much time. Then again who needs sleep!