Happy Birthday, Mother’s Day etc etc

Living on the other side of the earth from your family means when you eventually see one another there’s A LOT of catching up to be done. I haven’t sent Mum’s quilt that I made for her birthday last year because I knew she was coming over and I wanted to be there when she unwrapped it. Same with her mothers’ day gift. And no, it’s not because I’m a cheap skate and don’t like paying postage. Well maybe I am a bit. 

     Mum and Dad arrive this week, the day before Mum’s birthday so as well as the quilt, the cushion and a few other bits and pieces I’ve made her a Birdie Sling.  

It’s the 22nd time I’ve made up this Amy Butler bag and I’d forgotten how many pieces and how much interfacing it involves. I have to say after the 22nd time it’s a bit of a tedious sew and I could probably do it with my eyes shut but it does make for a great bag. I know Mum will like it because a couple of those other 21 bags went to her. Best be off to make up the spare bed.

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Pillow Mania

I bought Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt a little while ago and while I’d love to make a quilt I know it would quite literally take me years and I can’t face it. So instead I’ve made up a few blocks and turned them into cushions. 

     The first one was the Mama Hen block for Chappy’s lovely teacher who is chicken obsessed and calls herself mother hen and her class her flock. It takes pride of place on her story chair in her very engaging classroom. 

    Not to play favourites I quickly made up an Apple Picking block for Missy’s equally lovely teacher. The pattern is actually a companion pattern and not in the book but available from Fat Quarter Shop. 

 The last one (also a companion pattern) I whizzed up was the bee block, this time for my mum who along with my dad is a bee keeper. Their bees seriously produce THE best honey. They also make a range of other honey/beeswax products including hand cream, lip balm, candles and furniture polish. Such busy bees.  
 It’s the first time I’ve made blocks that have so  many pieces and despite my best efforts some seams on the bee block don’t quite match up which sort of drives me crazy. But Mum won’t care, she’s one of those mothers who thinks her kids and grandkids are all incredibly amazing and perfect. And she’s coming to visit in less than a month. Yay!

Taking a Catnap

Toni at Make It Perfect has released a new pattern…yay! The Catnap Pyjamas are a super easy and satisfying sew. Short sleeves, long sleeves, pants or shorts the whole year is covered. Don’t be scared off by the collar, Toni’s instructions are very clear and soon she’s posting a step by step tute to make it even easier.

 At the time I made these it was warming up here and so I made Missy the short version. Hmmmm a couple of weeks later and I’m sitting writing this in a sweatshirt, track pants and a pair of Ugs.  I seriously don’t get the weather here. 

  She says they’re very comfy and I think she’d wear them to school if I let her she loves them that much.  I made them up in a quilting cotton but I’m planning a pair in double gauze when it actually starts to heat up and some flannel at Christmas. Right now head over to the Make it Perfect website to get 20% off the Catnap Pyjamas pattern. You’ll thank me for it. 

Colour Explosion

My mum loves colour. Loves it with a capital L.O.V and E.  Living with white walls or neutrals would be torturous for her. Her home is forever a changing rainbow. Currently the exterior is a purple colour which looks fabulous even to my white loving eye.  

 Last year Mum had a momentous birthday (that I wasn’t in the country for) and I really, really wanted to make her a quilt. It was obvious that Kaffe Fassett fabrics would be perfect for her. But which ones??? I waited until she came over to the US for a visit and together we chose them. Fabric sorted, next to choose a pattern. Given the colours and variety of prints I decided to go simple (something had to be simple) and cut 70 rectangles at 10.5 X 5.5 inches and stitched two together to make blocks.

 That was way back in September and I’ve been plodding along ever since. The top came together quickly. Then I quilted straight lines 1/2 an inch wide across each block’s width. About 3 seconds into the quilting part I realised that I seriously hate quilting and should have sent it out to be done on a long arm rather than bore myself to death. There were lots of long breaks from it, long as in a month long breaks. 

  Finally it’s done. And I may have done a happy dance when I’d finished that final stitch. Hopefully Mum will like it when she comes to visit again in July.  

    Seriously, how do people finish quilts so quickly??? I need my next project to be super fast.

Bye Friends

Today Missy and I said goodbye to our friends Oto and Hisano who are heading home to Japan. 

We know very well how long and boring plane trips are, there’s only so many movies you can watch and iPad games you can play before you lose your mind, so we decided to give a few little things to make the trip more interesting and remind them that we’re already missing them. 

O’s favourite colour is orange so Missy raided the stash and I ran up a drawstring bag from Little Things To Sew by Liesl Gibson and then we filled it with goodies. 

 Bye Oto and Hisano, we’ll miss you xx

Back?

Well hello there. Long time, no see. Moving to the other side of the world doesn’t do much for your sewing mojo I’ve discovered. We’re now all very settled in our new home, I won’t go in to it because if I start the story I may never stop. Suffice to say life is different but good, we’re all happy and settled.

And I made some stuff for the first time in an eternity. Voila. 

 Some City Gym Shorts, seriously a fab pattern and not just because it’s free.

And because I loved the pattern so much I whipped up another pair to go with an Oliver and S 2+2 blouse that I made in a fabric that I’ve had for a million and a half years.

  I’ve also been working on a quilt for my mum’s birthday. Not this year’s birthday, mind you but last year’s. I marvel at those people who seem to bang out a quilt in a matter of days. I’m like a snail. An elderly, arthritic snail with a walking frame walking up a hill. But it’s getting there and Mum isn’t coming to visit until the middle of July.

Little steps, but it’s nice to be sewing again.

Finishing up

This year has felt crazy although when I look back I can’t think why it has felt that way. But it has. Sewing wise it’s been a bit ordinary. I certainly didn’t churn out the quantity that I usually do. But hey it’s all about quality right? As always Oliver and S patterns have dominated my output.

But there’s been a few other designers as well.

 

Next year is shaping up to be totally crazy. We are moving and not down the road but across the seas to the USA. I am beyond thinking about it. I no longer have any control over my destiny and am just holding on for the ride. I’m incredibly excited and overwhelmed and terrified all at once. But the terror is much less than it was a couple of weeks ago and I’m taking little steps at a time. There is sooooo much to do.  Just have to get over Christmas first.

Merry Christmas all.