Happy Days

This past week I finally started work on a quilt project for Amy, she has wanted this one for quite a while, and I was hoping it'd be the project to get me interested again.

It's called 'Happy Days' by Mum's Moment. For some reason I can't find their website today, but I've included a different link so you can see the finished item. Lots of ladies I know have made this quilt, and I've quilted a few of them too :-)

Amy requested that it's only made in purple and green to suit her room, and I'm happy to accommodate her. I just hope I have enough purple fabric, as a great deal of it has been used up in the scrap project I'm currently working on. The applique work has come to a halt just for the moment though - I've run out of fusible web, and the last three days at work I forgot to purchase some. Hopefully I'll remember tomorrow!

And though I haven't been sewing much, it doesn't seem to have dampened my enthusiasm for fabric shopping. In the picture is a little something that arrived last week. I've admired the Short Line pattern since seeing it on Nicole's Sisters Choice blog, and finally decided to just go ahead and get it. I can see it will be a great use for a couple of my jelly rolls and for scraps too.

Well, that's it from me, thank you all for your comments and emails - I have been incredibly lazy lately and not spend much time replying, which is very naughty. I hope to get on that soon! xox

Auction excitement :-)

On Tuesday I went along with my friend Vicki to the auction at Small and Whitfield. I was actually really nervous, because I wanted to win the table I'd seen so badly that I could taste it. It was made in the late 1800's, blackwood with two extension leaves. And in the same auction, 10 chairs, one a carver. The chairs were a different lot, and look perfect with the table. Normally I'm not able to make it on a Tuesday, but I couldn't leave an absentee bid, as if I didn't win the table, I wouldn't like to win the chairs, I'm sure you understand. Anyway, I got both lots, and for an excellent price, and I'm more than thrilled.

This picture is of the table and chairs as they were dumped in the lounge by the delivery guys. I wanted to share this picture, as you can see the lovely carved legs. The extension leaves aren't in place yet.

After Marty got home and we could move the old suite out, we put the new one in place. I've put 8 of the chairs around the table, and two are at the other end of the dining room.

Apologies for the poor quality of the pictures, I've had to use my phone camera for these ones.

And in other other news, I had a call about my new curtains - they will be ready later this week. This is wonderful news, and it means that by next weekend my front rooms should be ALL finished!!

After I've done my chores today, I hope to spend some time in the sewing room, let's hope I have something fun to share with you in my next post :-)

Ohhh dear ...

Ohhh dear! It seems I've found myself in a serious sewing slump. I haven't had such a disinterest in spending time with my sewing machine since I was expecting Cameron. I'm sure that this will be over soon, and Bernie and I will be spending q-time together again soon. How do I know this? Well, my slump hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for fabric shopping ... as evidenced by the next picture:



Two metres each of three lovely fabrics from Hettie's Patch. Just had to grab the Rouenneries on the left there - that's hard to get now as I'm sure you all know :-) And the others are just random fabrics that grabbed my attention.

I've been catching up on my TV series quotient - over the past two weeks I've watched all three seasons of Mad Men, and I'm completely and utterly hooked. Though he's a cad, that Don Draper is just so handsome! Love the styling and interiors ... can't wait until I can get my hands on Season 4.

And tomorrow I'm off to an auction to bid on what I hope will be our new dining suite. Very excited about this one. Last time there was an okay suite, which I placed an absentee bid on, and just missed out, and I have to say I wasn't too disappointed. But this time ... I'm feeling it ... wish me luck.

Let's hope I find my quilting and piecing mojo soon, I've been neglecting both my blogs, and Bernie is looking lonely ... perhaps a new project will do the trick ...

Double Nine Patch

Just now I finished putting the rows together on my Double Nine Patch quilt top. My goodness, working with these leader and ender blocks has been a lot of fun!

This is probably as far as I'll get for a little while. I need to decide on the perfect inner border fabric for it, and then as you'll see in the next picture, I have a little work cut out for me for the next border.

I'm just learning how to use EQ7. I have never used any of the EQ programs before, so I'm on a little bit of a steep learning curve. Despite that, I was able to draw this project up, and I've elected to do a pieced border.

Having said all that, it's my Mum's birthday really soon, so I may decide to put a more simple border on, quilt it and give it to her as a gift. I have a week to decide - and a girl just can't rush these decisions right? :-)

Ordered!

There has been precious little sewing in this house in the past week. Apart from being busy (something that doesn't usually stop me from a little time in the sewing room) I don't have any good answers for my inactivity. Let's hope the situation improves in the coming week!

There is some exciting news though, I made a final decision on the fabric for my curtains - the fabric you see in the picture. I have also placed the order, the company I have ultimately chosen quoted a full three thousand dollars less than the last estimate I received. And I have it on good authority that they do great work, so it's a win win for me. Four to six weeks time and I'll be able to show off my newest purchases.

Next on the agenda is to scour auctions and estate sales for an eight person dining suite for the main dining room (I'm looking for something vintage). The hope is to have it all taken care of before Christmas. Part of the fun is the thrill of the chase :-)

And in other news, how sad that Bloglines is going to be shutting down. It was my RSS reader of choice. I've now moved onto Google Reader and I'm really happy with it so far. If you use Bloglines, be sure to export your subscriptions while you have the chance! Chatter soon :-)

Green Nine Patches

A while back I was working on these nine patches as leaders and enders, and because I simply couldn't decide what to do with them, I put them away for a little while.

On Saturday I got busy playing with EQ7 (because I really need to learn how to use it), and came up with an idea for setting them together. I've put three rows together so far, and have two more to add. That will probably be the limit for the time being, as I have devised a simple (but heavily pieced) final border. I'll need to really scour my stash for 2" green strips, as this project really whittled them out of my 2" scrap box.

Love this scrappy piecing. Once I've finished this top to the final border stage, I'll get busy again on my pink and purple bow ties. They're super fun too!

Winners!

We have winners! I have drawn three names via a random number generator, and here are the names:

First place: Comment 6 by Martina

Second place: Comment 20 by LC

Third place: Comment 2 by Cheri

I will be forwarding your name and email addresses to Barbara Cline, and she'll be in touch with the details of your prizes. Thank you so much to everyone for participating in the blog tour.

Star Struck Quilts Blog Tour

I'm the last stop on the Blog Tour for Barbara Cline's new book Star Struck Quilts. Leave a comment on this post, and you will be in the running to win the following prizes: 1st prize is a copy of Barbara's fabulous book, 2nd prize is a gift set, including pen-style Chaco-Liner, Flower Head Pins and Mary Ellen's Best Press spray. In addition, one winner will be drawn for fabric from RJR and a $25.00 gift certificate to Patchwork Plus.

Barbara has been kind enough to write a guest post for me, so here she is:

Hello quilting buddies,
I am Barbara Cline from the great Shenandoah Valley of Virgina. If you have been following the blog tour you can tell I enjoy designing, piecing, quilting, teaching, family, friends and fellowship. I will try to include pictures which will help you get to know me better.

First I am a wife and mother of 5 children. They are very close in age. The youngest is 19 and the oldest is 23. O no, now they are leaving home so fast.


Yes, I really enjoy my quilt life but there is still work to be done around the house like canning, cleaning, washing and fixing meals.


Here are a few pictures of some of the patterns I have designed and you may order on my website Delightful Piecing http://www.delightfulpiecing.com/




A highlight of the year is when my sisters and I have a sewing retreat. This includes our Mother and nieces. We sew, laugh, cry and just have a wonderful time together.


I do have a blog site. Stop by and let me hear from you.http://quiltingal.xanga.com/

Tazzie here again :-) Be sure to leave your comment, and I'll draw the winners on Saturday evening. Good luck everyone!