Windmills

I hope you all realised that sarcasm was oozing out of my last post. There is no one on earth who would describe my house as clean (well maybe the girls when I say we can't do something until the house is clean) and my house is full of projects that need my attention. They are wearing clean clothes and were fed last night before anyone gets worried.
This however will be finished. I have been admiring whirlygig quilts recently but have been put off by the thought of using templates. So I am doing a non template version - all rotary cut strips. I'm calling them windmills, but they probably have another name. Eight blocks were done in no time yesterday and I'm thinking I'll need 64. I'm not putting a time line on when I want it finished but I think I want this one for myself for winter.

Aqua, Red and Green

Because I obviously don't have anything better to do with my time. My house looks amazing, nothing out of place. Washing clean and folded. Dinner organised for the whole weekend. Wholesale orders completed. Dished done. Children calmly playing together. Not stressed about upcoming events and small details that need my attention now. Not one small piece of fabric out of place in the sewing room. No big unfinished projects.**
So I thought I'd start something new. I was playing around with some paint sample cards I had and for something completely different I chose red and aqua and then added a little green.
Hopefully this will turn into something soon. Or it could become another unfinished pile.

**One of these things is actually true. I did do the dishes at lunch time. So technically the kitchen is clean.

Progress

It is amazing how much progress you make with five minutes here and there of spinning. Much more than with five minutes of knitting. This is superwash roving from Sakina Needles in Bioluminescence. It is spinning like a dream.
My favourite part of making toys is choosing fabrics. I spent a lot of Saturday doing this until my room was full of piles. There always seems to be piles of aqua and red and pink and orange. I even managed a little cutting and sewing on Sunday.

Woodland Bloom Quilt

The Woodland Bloom quilt is finished! A bit about it in point form

• Made from quarter log cabin blocks.
• I decided it needed some sashing between the blocks and cream/white just seemed to work.
• I used a jelly roll of Woodland Bloom from Moda for the top and the binding.
• There is still a few bits and pieces left.
• I really like working with jelly rolls - it is amazing what you can do with 2.5" strips.
• I think it is about 150cm square.
• I quilted it in a random grid - didn't measure how far apart the lines were. One way has them a lot closer together and a lot more lines than the other way.
• It is not perfect, but I love it.

Mossy Jacket

I finished another order and mailed it off to My Poppet. I had made a mental note to photograph it, but somehow I only remembered this on the way back from the post office.
I cast on a Mossy Jacket for Eva using Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran. Love this yarn - so rustic. I think I am definitely a convert to the top down jumper/cardigan.
Some spinning that I finished ages ago and just had not got around to photographing. No idea what I am going to do with it. I had planned to knit some socks, but it is not as fine as I'd hoped so it will probably become a winter hat.

The Sewing Book

I recently recieved a copy of The Sewing Book from Penguin Australia in the mail. It is an amazing how to of nearly everything you need to know to sew. From tools to how to use patterns, projects and how to do every technique you can think of. Everytime I have opened it up I have learnt something new. It is out in Australia next month. have a sneak peak inside here.

This week

A summary of the last week

• the girls had their first full day of Kindy today and managed quite well


• I had a hair cut and only had to take one child with me and she had a nap while my hair was washed and massaged


• my hairdresser doesn't know I don't use shampoo and conditioner


• I don't mind that she washes it because the massage is so good


• Eva has two teeth


• Eva still thinks she is hungry every three hours at night
• Mum, Chris and I gardened on Sunday and Chris took 3 trailer loads to the tip. If you didn't see it before hand you wouldn't think we did much.
  
• I have finished the quilting on this quilt and it just needs the binding
  

• I finshed an order for Ollie and Ooshi in Leichhardt in Sydney and have another order I need to finish

• I went to a real party, a 40th, on the weekend and didn't go home until nearly 1
• I gave my friend this fantastic necklace for a present - I almost kept it for myself
  
  
  

Green Quilt

I finished this little quilt last night. It is probably a good size for a cot or a pram. It will be sent off soon and will make its way to a survivor of the bushfires. If you are looking fot ways to help there are fantastic ideas at Handmade Help. I love the idea of making a cook book out of everyones family recipes. Copies will be distributed to people who lost everything in the fires and everyone else can buy a copy with proceeds going to the Red Cross. So if you have any old family recipes go here to find out where to send them.

Valentines Day

The girls made chocolate heart shaped cakes for Chris, except he is not allowed to eat them yet. The girls said he might be allowed to share with them. Maybe. Lucky I made a back up cake as well.

More ways to help

There are some amazing people in blog world doing what they can to help out the people of Victoria.

If you are a knitter Serendipity has organised a lot of yarn donations you could win if you donate to the Red Cross. I've donated some yarn and a sock bag and I just saw that there is Sundara and Wollmeise.

Also have a look at Hand Made Help with great info and links to Ebay auctions and Etsy listings where the profit will go to helping out those that need it.

I started a quilt that hopefully will make its way to someone who might need it this winter.

Fires

Like most people in Australia today I can't stop thinking about the fires in Victoria over the weekend.
If you are looking for ways to help donating to the Red Cross seems the most effective (and easy)way to help at the moment.
I am also going to do some sewing. Rach has volunteered to collect clothes and The Toy Society is collecting handmade toys.

Mmmm

This is what happens when you make the second sock months after the first one and you make major pattern adjustments that you don't write down.
Lucky I still need to make 2 more socks so hopefully I will end up with matching pairs.

Kindergarten

The girls survived their first day of kindergarten and had a great time. There was painting and stories and games. Eva and I had a great time too, going out for coffee, a walk and a little peace and quiet.

Quilt Blocks

I have 9 big blocks completed using the quarter log cabin blocks. I was just going to put them together and quilt and bind, but I think they needed to be broken up a bit with a lighter colour. So I will add some sashing and a border and see if that helps.