Starstruck Again

Poor Camo was not very well over the weekend, and because I didn't get much sleep, I'm feeling a little flat today. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle any work which was physical, so instead I decided to tackle something that required brain-power instead.

I'm afraid I'm struggling a little in that department too, so I'm taking it slow and steady.

What I'm doing is finally writing up the pattern for 'Starstruck Again'. Well, to be more specific, calculating the fabric requirements and changes that need to be made from the original 'Starstruck in Paducah' to suit this new colourway which is more scrappy than the original.

Before I constructed the quilt, I should have figured on using five different colours/neutrals/blues - it would have made the maths much easier. But it is what it is, and I'll just scratch my head for a little while longer.

Ohh, and if you are interested in the pattern, just let me know - I will probably make it available on my website once I'm happy the content is all okay.

Starstruck Again Finished

Haven't I been a neglectful blogger? There just haven't been enough hours in a day to pay proper attention to my computer. I have been busy in the sewing room though - I have quilted four entire quilts this past week - and one of those quilts I bound and finished also.

And this is it - my Starstruck Again quilt. I folded the corner down so you can see the fun backing fabric. The one with the ducks that I mentioned last week. I had to add a little to it, and thought that the heritage green fabric went well with the colours in the back.

Over the weekend I hope to photograph the quilt nicely, and adapt the pattern to the new colours so I can have it available in the shop.

Hope you're all having a great week - I've been blog hopping when I can - just lurking I guess :-)

Taken 'aback'!

Tonight I pinned the 'Starstruck Again' quilt. On the back, just for fun, I'm using a fabric given to me by my wonderful friend Linda.

A quilt I slept under at her beach house had this fabric also as a back, and when I told her I thought it was cute, she declared that she didn't care for it much and promptly hid the remainder of it in our luggage. She was thrilled to evict it from her stash. So, it's kinda a jokey fabric for us both ...

Marty wandered in just as I was getting ready to layer the quilt, and being the 'shoot from the hip' kinda guy he is stated that he 'likes the back better than the front'.

How does that song go? Things that make you go hmmmmmm ...

Yes!

I am SO excited to finally have this top finished, and I just love how it looks.

Even though it's the same pattern as my original Starstruck quilt, it's amazing how different it looks with the blue triangles rather than the original red ones.

I'd love to get right into the quilting, but first I'm going to busy myself cleaning the sewing room - it really needs a good vacuum, and I should cut up some of the scraps that need to go into the boxes - they can build up so fast.

In other news - later in the year Marty and I and our friends Kath and Andrew are planning to travel to Hong Kong. Yesterday Kath and I found a great deal - tickets are reserved, and tomorrow money will change hands. So exciting - it's really happening! We can't wait :-)

Starstruck Again ... or not!

In my 'big scheme' of quilts, this one is taking FOREVER to put together. The middle has been assembled, but I had to put it aside for various reasons.

I've just taken it out to attach the pieced border, and discovered that I have neglected to make four of the quarter blocks that go in the corners. So, tonite I'll make up some more blocks, and if I'm really good, I'll be able to attach the border.

Or, you'll be reading about it again in a couple of weeks :-)

Today was the last day of the school term for the kids - and because I don't work in school holidays, the kids and I have two weeks off! I have great plans of getting things done, and my Mum is taking the kids for a mini-break to the beach too. I'm very excited to have lots of free days to spend with the tiny people.

Finally!

It has taken so much longer than I thought it would, but I have finally finished the blocks for my 'Starstruck Again' quilt.

If I'm a really good girl, I'll get some of the top assembled tonight, and then I can get busy thinking about how I'd like to quilt it.

There were a couple of the blue fabrics that I ran very short of, so I scrimped and saved and pieced some components just like quilters of yore. Don't you think little elements like that add to the interest of the quilt??

Still Stitching

I've been a bad blogger this past week - I'm still stitching away, but haven't had anything noteworthy (or much time) to share. Here is my progress on my Starstruck Again quilt, and I'm loving how it's coming together. I've made another four blocks (two full size, and two half size) but I haven't added the blue triangles yet. I wanted to have the top finished by now, and thankfully, I'm so close I can almost taste it :-)

Last week Marty brought a present home for us - we installed it yesterday and now we're having fun figuring out how to use it. Being me, I love the sounds it makes!

It's back to the sewing room for me now, I set myself some lofty goals today and I'll be running to achieve them ... let's see how much I get done ...

Eleven Blocks

Just a quick update on my 'Starstruck Again' blocks. I've now made 11 blocks, and six half blocks. I've cut out another group of three blocks and two half blocks, so hopefully will get them stitched together tonight after I'm done with my chores.

I find it just amazing how different it looks to my original Starstruck quilt, which featured red setting triangles.

I've done a lot of quilting this week, and while I still have a few to do, I'll probably only do two before this time next week. So, I'll have more stitching time for me - hopefully this top will be finished before next weekend. That'll make me super happy!

Baby Steps

I've had precious little sewing time lately, so my progress on this quilt has been 'baby steps'. Here's where I'm up to. I still have many more blocks to make, most of the half blocks are yet to be made, and lots of blue triangles yet to be cut.

It's fun to be working on this project again in its new form. Is it starting to look familiar yet?

Starstruck Again

Don't you just love a fresh pile of fabric ready for the cutting? And a blurry picture, well that just adds to the intrigue!

I'm getting busy sewing the blocks together for a revamp of an older project. Are any of the pieces looking familiar so far?

Starstruck is quilted!

Woohoo, the Starstruck top is now quilted and bound. When the quilt comes back from the magazine, I want to do a lot more quilting, but for now I'm happy with where it's at. I bound the quilt using four of the different red fabrics, in keeping with the somewhat scrappy theme.

I love how the quilt looks and I'm just thrilled that I've got it done. The directions and the 'in progress' pieces are next on the agenda, but I've decided I'll start working on them tomorrow. I have worked on this project so solidly, I really do feel like a break.

What I could work on is the cream coloured scarf that I started recently, but I'm actually going to unravel the tiny bit that I knitted up. The reason is that I would like to do the sides differently. They have two stitches of stocking stitch on each side, but I think I'm going to chance it to four stitches each side of moss stitch. I think I'll be happier with it laying a little flatter, and for the scarf to be a touch wider.

Instead, what I'm going to work on is casting on for a new pair of stocks for myself. I love, love, love the pinky coloured ones I made up not so long ago, and wear them with boots at almost every opportunity. They are the most comfortable socks I've ever owned, so I'd really like to have another pair to put into rotation. Obviously I won't get a lot done tonight, but it'll be fun to have a different project in my hands.

Marty and the kids arrived back from their camping trip safely a couple of hours ago. I think they will all sleep very soundly, as will I. Being the nocturnal creature I am, I stayed up way too late each and every night they were away, but I did have a lot of fun, and while I was home, I got a lot done.

Now that life is to return to normal and my deadline is almost met, I will be able to catch up on the blogs I've been missing out on. I look forward to reading all about what you've been up to! See you soon! x o x

My nest

Hey everyone. My laptop is back on the air, so I can now resume normal internet browsing/posting/time wasting :-)

I thought you'd like to see where my backside has been parked in every spare moment for the past few weeks. If all goes to plan, I'll quilt into the wee small hours (again) and will have the quilting finished tomorrow!! Which will be wonderful, because then tomorrow during the day I'll be able to apply the binding and then work on the directions. I'm a little edgy right now, as this is the closest I've ever been to a deadline without actually having the project finished. I can't imagine that I'll never get myself into this situation again, rather, it will give me comfort, and in the future I'll get closer and closer safe in the knowledge that I always manage to get through - somehow or other *lol*


And here is a picture of what the big boys and the kids are up to right now. In case I haven't brought you up to speed, Marty, two of his mates and the kids are camping right now up at Yalpara Station. They're sure to be having a total blast. They left Wednesday morning at 9am and are expected home on Saturday afternoon/evening. Thanks to amazing technology and cell phones, Marty was able to email me 5 pictures via his laptop and cell phone. Amazing!

This trip away means uninterrupted quilting time for me, and play-dates with my girlfriends. Tonight Petrina is coming over for a movie-fest and take out Indian food. I can quilt away while we chatter and catch up with Mr Darcy :-) Tomorrow I'm going to Karen's house in the evening for much the same, and on Saturday morning Natalie and I are catching a movie at the Plaza and we'll have lunch somewhere nice.

It's a rough life, but someone has to live it!! :-)

Still Quilting

First up ... Hi Sharon & Jon, thank you for drinkies last nite, it was fun! (Our distant family members & good friends who I only last night discovered have been following my blog!) The kids and I went to their daughter's birthday after school yesterday, and it turned into drinks and husbands joining in after work, and a fun night!

Anyways ... here is my Starstruck top, I thought I'd share, I just moved the hoop again. I'm definitely two thirds done with the quilting. I haven't done much in the last couple of days, and I hope to get some done tonight. We have a BBQ with friends tomorrow which I have to prepare for, so I'll do some chores as well *sigh*. The BBQ is the fun part ... but the preparation is less fun.

When I took the picture I turned the backing fabric forward so you can see the fabrics I've used. I used four different pieces, all Judie Rothermel fabrics that I purchased while in Paducah last year. I sure did buy a lot of fabric, it really will take me a while to get through it all.

I'd ideally like to get the quilting finished on or before Wednesday, that way I can be sewing the binding down at quilt group on Thursday. That may be ambitious, but a girl can only try. Sleep is highly overrated and a waste of good time right ... :-)

Sewin' like mad!

Monday was the Queen's Birthday public holiday here (I understand it actually bears no resemblance to her actual birthday, but we celebrate it anyway) and I was able to get a lot of sewing done!

First up, I quilted up the log cabin blocks I made the other day and bound them. I've put them in my shop, as I had a request for some more. There are two sets of four, the same as in the picture. We'll see how they go. I'm enjoying having some little projects, they use up the scraps of fabric I keep accumulating and also the scraps of batt I just can't bear to throw out.

Next up I added the half and quarter blocks to the Starstruck quilt top to complete the border. I love how this quilt has come along. Today if I get the chance I'm going to find a backing fabric and get ready for quilting. I plan to hand quilt this one, and with a black perle cotton. It will be fun to do something with the quilting. I haven't hand quilted a project in a little while, so I'm looking forward to getting to that part of it.

And here is a close up of one of the half blocks that has the different background fabric. It's not very different at all, and from a distance you can't really see it at all. Not that Maverick, but I'm growing from the person who would have rushed out and spent ages looking for the same exact fabric. I decided I would rather have a little something different in my quilt and extra quilting time.

And last up for today, this morning my friend Wendy came over for a little stitching time. Since she is piecing her Dear Jane, I thought I'd piece a couple of blocks along with her. I haven't picked up my DJ in months and months, so it was fun to revisit it. On the left is J11 - Twin Sister, and on the right is M13 - Lynette's Diamond. They are both applique blocks, and I still had the templates from last time I made the quilt, so it was easy to get organised to put them together.

Tomorrow is a day at the quilt store, I'm looking forward to seeing what all the girls have been working on.

I tried so hard ...

... to get this top finished today. I came close - I only have the half and quarter blocks to put around the edge now, but it's getting late, and I've had a couple of glasses of red. I think I'll have to leave the rest until tomorrow.

We had an unexpected dinner party tonight which was really fun. The friends that came over have kids around the same age as ours, so it means our kids can have fun together too. Marty only organised it at 4.30pm, so I had to quickly get the house 'company ready' and then think about what we were going to eat. Lucky I had purchased a little extra when I shopped last, just in case of this kind of emergency!

If I have to give up any sewing time, this is the kind of thing I'm happy to give it up for :-) How is your weekend going? x o x

Still Starstruck

Here is where I'm at with my star blocks. I know it doesn't look all that different to last time - sorry about that. There just doesn't seem to be so much stitching time here right now. I know it's not forever, so I can enjoy some seriously quilty days in the not too distant future.

I'm thinking that this quilt will have 'Starstruck' somewhere in it's name, so I've been calling them my Starstruck blocks. I still have five more red reproduction fabrics to introduce to the mix, and at least one more 'star' fabric. It's looking very vintage, and I'm really happy that it looks like I'll have enough of the background fabric to finish it. I was sort of worried that I wouldn't quite have enough. However I shouldn't get too confident, just in case I run out with a tiny bit to go.

And here we have Holly helping out in the garden. Marty did a whole lot of gardening on Sunday, and Holly was completely into everything he was working on. She's growing up so fast, and we're slowly letting her have a little more outside time, but not too much. She's really an indoor girl, we've noticed she kind of tiptoes on grass, like she doesn't like the sensation underfoot. Too funny!

I had taken Cam to a birthday party on Sunday morning, and on Sunday afternoon I had a bit of a Nanna Nap. My bestie's 40th birthday party was on Saturday night, and we had a huge time, so I was feeling a little low the next day. We've had a big run of parties lately, and there are still a number to go. It's such fun being social butterflies :-)

I have to confess that I'm really behind with my blog reading right now. I promise I'll catch up with what you're all up to, and please forgive me if I comment more sparsely than usual - just know that I've stopped by and enjoyed visiting with you! x o x

Wide brown land & Starstruck blocks

On Wednesday, Marty decided to take Cam for a mini-break to Yalpara Station. It's in the mid-north of our state, I guess around a three to four hour drive from our home. Here's Cam collecting rocks, in the subsequent pictures he was throwing the rocks down the hill. There is a darker stripe in the picture just before the hills in the distance. That is where the homestead is. It's a huge property, quite historic, and owned by family members.

Marty has to go back to work on Monday after having five weeks of his long service leave, so this was some time out for him before it's back to the grind.

And here is what I've been working on. I have made only eight of the blocks I need, and only four of the half blocks. I still have seventeen full blocks, more half blocks and some quarter blocks to make. You're only seeing two of the colour combinations here, but there will be a lot more red prints and star prints. I'm looking forward to seeing how it comes along.

Linda may find this quilt familiar ... and Donna and Karen too! :-)

I haven't actually had much quilting time in the last few days, in fact not much free time at all, hence the couple of days between posts. Cam and Amy have been super busy and I've been doing the Mum's Taxi routine. Cam has two birthday parties this weekend, we have a 40th tonight, as well as Auskick, and two netball games, my time is not my own!

I better get back to doing some chores, there is laundry screaming for attention ... have a great weekend everyone!

Lemon meringue pie :-)

Just a quick post today - I only have 15 mins before I need to go and get the kids.

First up, here is the first item in the 'lemon use' program. Lemon meringue pie. Yum! This is the first time I've ever made one of these pies, and I love it! It didn't even last 24 hours. Just delicious. The next item I'm going to tackle is lemon bars. They sound delicious too!

And here is the progress on the new project. There are four star blocks with the red tri's attached, and three blocks without red tri's. And there are four half size blocks.

You can just see at the side there the picture I drew up on the computer. It would have been so much easier for you to understand had the printer not run out of red ink in the middle, but it'll make sense as I make more blocks.

I had a couple of people ask for the pattern for the watermelon hat - I haven't forgotten you. It's at the Yarn Harlot's site - I'll have a looky for it later on and post the link for you tomorrow. I promise! Have a great day everyone!

New Project

Last night I really should have been working on the directions for the scrap quilt, but being me, I didn't. Are you surprised? I'm certainly not :-)

I was drawn into the sewing room by some kind of magnetic pull ... completely helpless - I had to go with it :-)

And here is what I started working on. Well, you can't really see from the picture, but I have a cute selection of reproductions there - pretty much all civil war prints, and I'm putting together a quilt I drew up recently.

Instead of this project, I could have kept going with some of the other scrap projects I have on the go, but no ... I needed to play with some 'fresh' blocks. I'll put some more together if I have the chance today, and then I really must get to working on the directions. It seems I always create artificial deadline pressure by leaving things to the last minute. Am I the only one who does this??