Contented

About a whole bunch of stuff

 

(Sorry for the incredibly unimaginitive title - it's the end of the week and my brain is too tired!)

Our new toy arrived today and I wasted no time in trying it out.  This was a joint Christmas present from my parents - it had been impossible to find one before now!  I think we're going to have a lot of fun with it and maybe, it just might help me to shape up and lose a little weight too!  Let's hope so anyway.  I have set myself a weight loss goal (but I'm not going to share it here as I have notoriously little willpower and am much too keen on the sweeties!!), but I might let you know if it goes well.

I have made a start on Joe's quilt.  I decided to ask Joe for some input in the design and he completely shot down my idea of stripes and, instead, was absolutely adamant that it should look like this:

 

So that is what I did:

 

It needs another border to make it the right size - I'm thinking pale blue (like the rockets) and then maybe some red (or stripes) for the binding.  I have enough of these three fabrics to include in the backing, so it will end up kind of reversible too.

My bloggy friend Moogsmum is going on a stash-buying diet during February.  Now, my stash isn't very big, but I'm going to attempt to join in, more for the money-saving aspect.   Whilst I am fairly careful with my spending, I am rather aware of the fact that I wait for the credit card statement date to come around and then think "oh great, I can buy something else now and it'll be on next months bill!"  I will allow myself one exception - the additional fabric needed to finish off the above quilt (I already have the batting), but that's it - no more fabric (or wool) during Feb.  Wish me luck!

And talking of February, after seeing similar ideas on other people's blogs in the past, I've decided to set myself the challenge of a post a day for 28 days.  Hopefully, it might help me to think of things other than "what I've made" or "what I've bought".  It may very well be that, on some days I shall only post a photo, but we'll just see where it takes me.  Anyone fancy joining me?

R x

The joy of sox

Finished:

 

The yarn is Opal Rendezvous shade 2066, bought from here.

Yesterday I also received this gorgeous bundle in the post.

 

Hand dyed 100% merino sock yarn purchased from this Folksy shop.  I can't wait to get started!

R x

Gobsmacked

Oh.  My.  Goodness. 

Once again, I have been completely blown away by the kindness and generosity of fellow bloggers.  This time, the blogger in question is Claire of Matching Pegs in Australia.  Some time ago I won a little giveaway on her blog - the prize was some cute mini pegs (natch!)  Shortly after that, Claire blogged about a quilt of hers that had been published in Australian Homespun magazine, and I very cheekily asked if she could send me a copy of the magazine, and I would send her a UK title in return - a mini swap.  Anyway, this morning a parcel landed on my doormat containing this little lot:

 

Not only did she send the magazine and the pegs (in the little fabric bag) but also:

- A note paper set (her giveaway question was "name your favourite stationery item - mine was pretty notepaper! How thoughtful is that?!)

- A felt flower brooch in purple and lavender - perfect colours for me

- A little tin containing the tiniest star shaped buttons you've ever seen!

 

- And finally, this beautiful stitchery design

 

Claire also wrote me the lovliest letter, including some instructions for the stitchery (which is good as I've not done much in the way of embroidery so I don't want to muck this up!)

 

Here's the page with Claire's quilt on - isn't it fab?!  Thank you so much Claire, what a wonderful bloggy friend!  There will be a parcel winging it's way to you very soon!

R x

Rescue mission

Last week my good friend Jenny asked for some advice about a quilt she had that was torn, so I offered to take a look at it and see if I could repair it for her.  She had bought it about 20 years ago from a London market and it had been sitting in a cupboard for the last 10 years, but now her daughter wanted to use it.  It's the most amazing, vintage looking thing although, actually, not a quilt at all as the layers are not sewn together, so more of a patchwork throw.

 

This is the front, and the back was made from a pretty blue patchwork printed fabric:

 

Here you can see the worst of the damage

 

You can see the rather odd fabric that was in the middle - I've no idea what it was, maybe an old curtain!  Together we picked out some fabric scraps that would blend in well.  As the layers weren't quilted together I had to handstitch replacement squares over the damaged ones, without going through all the layers, which was a little tricky but actually once I got going it came together quite well.

 

Here's the above square with it's replacement patch.  Jenny was thrilled to bits with it when she came to collect it and, perhaps more importantly, her daughter Ella was too.  I was just really glad to have been able to help. (Although, as a thank you, Jenny is taking me to Bluewater later this week!)

R x

Fabric show and tell

Goodness, two parcels of fabric in two days, how wonderful is that?!  It's certainly helping to get me out of my little rut, that's for sure!  First to arrive, yesterday, was this lot:

 

David Walker "Robots" (plus a yard of Kona cotton, that I was intending to put with my Georgina fabric, but it actually goes quite well with these two) - bought from here.  The robots and rockets are for a quilt for Joe, and I haven't decided on a pattern yet, although I seem to be veering towards the idea of wide, alternating stripes.  I think I saw in our local fabric shop some white fabric with red or blue stars, which might look quite good with this, so I shall go and check that out further before I make a final decision.

And then this morning, this lot arrived on my doormat:- 

Another two yards of Georgina, plus a greeny Two Young Street print and an (un-named) pink print that was in the sale here.  Thanks for all the suggestions re Georgina, by the way.  I think I must have a real problem with cutting patterned fabrics into small pieces though, because I really want to keep this one as a whole piece and so I liked Lesley's idea of having a panel of Georgina as the centre of the quilt.  Now I just have to decide what to put around it!  Watch this space...

R x

Happy!

I am a very happy bunny today. (I think I was having a bit of a "moment" in that last post, to be honest, sorry about that!)  Firstly, on Thursday I received some new sock yarn in the post, which has been cast on immediately and given me something to keep me occupied.

 

Secondly, I succumbed to temptation and ordered another 2 yards of that lovely Tina Givens fabric, and have also identified a number of Kona cotton solids that I think will coordinate very nicely with it, what do you think?

 

I've saved the best till last - this morning I received a package from the amazing Katy.  She wanted some handknitted socks so I suggested that perhaps we could do a  mini swap, in return for the socks she would send me a little something - I was thinking maybe a cushion cover or a couple of bits of fabric.  I never imagined this:

 

It's a quilt, and absolutely beautiful.  She blogged about it yesterday and mentioned that it was for someone with two sons - well, when I saw that I almost began hyperventilating at the thought that she might actually mean me!  But she did!!!

 

It's actually intended for Joe, and he immediately asked if it was for him, so I rather begrudgingly had to admit that it was.  I did manage to get a couple of pics though, before he spirited it off up to his room.

   

 

 

I think it will be finding it's way back downstairs when Joe is at school, so that I can sit under while knitting my new socks.

Thank you again so much Katy, it's absolutely awesome!  Anytime you want more socks, just let me know!!

R x

Stuck

Since I finished my quilt, I seem to have hit a bit of a wall, craft-wise.  It's not that I don't want to make anything, I really do, but I just can't decide what to start on next.  I think the problem may be, dare I say it, that my stash just ISN'T BIG ENOUGH!  I'm trying to be good, you see, what with the credit crunch and everything, and not buy fabric or whatever willy-nilly, just for the sake of it, but that now means that for all of the projects that I might think about starting, I actually don't have enough supplies to complete!  I have a couple of small orders waiting to arrive - one of some more sock yarn which I will at least be able to start straight away! - and another of some fabric intended for a quilt for Joe, but which will, again, require more fabric to be bought before I can really get going on it.  Oh what's a girl to do?  

The other things I'd quite like to make but can't yet are:

A new swing bag for spring - need to get some denim or home decor weight fabric

Some more felty brooches - need Wunder Under

Another quilt - I have 1 yard of this gorgeous lavender and turquoise fabric which would go perfectly in our room (which is painted lavender) but I don't know whether to a) order more of this fabric, b) cut it up into stripes or squares to be used with other fabrics or c) keep the piece as a whole and build up borders around it - which would again require the purchase of (quite a lot) more fabric!

 

(Georgina by Tina Givens for Freespirit - I can't tell you how much I love these colours!)

And there are probably more things that I can't remember right now.  Aaargh!  I probably need to take a deep breath and just try to be patient - but I'm actually quite an impatient person.  Oh dear.  I suspect there will have to be a shopping trip next week instead.  What a shame!

R x

Are they meant to look like this?

 

I suspect not.  These are supposed to be Strike Me Pink Raspberry Jam cakes, from Cherry Cake & Ginger Beer.  One of the things I wanted to do this year was try more new recipes - you know how it is, you spot a recipe in a cookery book, or magazine, think "that sounds yum, I'll make that one day", and then never do.  Well, that's how it often is with me anyway!  I do quite a lot of baking, but it's always the same few tried and trusted recipes again and again.  So today I made these.  I expected them to come out looking more scone-like but they just spread out on the tray instead.  Hmm, maybe I added a bit too much milk, the dough was rather on the sticky side!  But, still, they tasted delicious!

 

R x

Thank you so much...

...for all the quilt love!  Seriously, I am just so chuffed that you all like her as much as I do.  I have been grinning like a loon every time another comment popped into my inbox!  You will no doubt be pleased to hear that Ava Rose is still gracing the back of our sofa, and making me smile every time I glance over at her.  Peter hasn't commented on it at all, although this is not unusual for him, but if he hears me referring to a quilt as her/she he may well have a few words to say ("send for the men in white coats", probably!)

Also completed this weekend, and making one little boy very happy, another pair of wristwarmers.

 

R x

Ava Rose

This morning, after returning from the school run, I spent an hour or so stitching the last bit of binding, and then probably another half hour trying to get some decent shots.  But now, at last, I can reveal her to you!

 

Made using Ava Rose fabrics by Tanya Whelan, and Kona cottons for the borders and backing.  Pieced by machine, quilted by hand.

 

Remember, this is only my second ever quilt, so I have kept it pretty simple, but I am unbelievably pleased with it!

 

 

She is currently draped over the back of the sofa, but whether Peter will let me keep her there, I don't know - she is, after all, incredibly girly!!  But that's what I love about her!

Next project: a quilt for Joe.

R x