Windmill Quilting

The windmill quilt is quilted. I decided to machine quilt it. I was originally going to handquilt around the windmill with bright colours of embroidery floss but there are only so many hours in the day so I decided to machine quilt it. I think I was just getting the hang of it by the end. The stitch length is not very even and the quilting is not that smooth, but I did get the tension right so the back doesn't look too bad. I've chosen a fabric for the binding so I've just got to cut it out and sew it on.

Running and Patterns

The goal I made for the year in January was to be able to run 5km without stopping. Today I ran 3.5km without stopping so in my mind I'm over half way to my goal. The crazy thing is that I quite enjoyed it. I never thought I would say that about running.
I have been making some platypii this week, nice and bright. I love these colour combinations. I have also been working on rewriting the platypus pattern and also my elephant pattern so I can get some printed out to sell. Another very steep learning curve.

Meet Me At Mikes

I'm just a little bit excited today - more head exploding in a really good way. This fabulous book just arrived in the mail. Pip has done an amazing job and I am so excited to be a part of it. All sorts of wonderful crafty projects. I think it should be in bookshops now.
I think I have the borders to the windmill quilt sorted. I have sewn, ripped, recut and resewn and I think I am happy. Now to think about how to quilt it.

I think my head might explode

One of the things that sticks in my mind from growing up is Mum saying 'I think I'm going to explode'. She never did explode. We always used to watch and wonder what it would look like if she did. I am sure the three of us used to drive her crazy. And now I think she has payback.

I have had a week of 'Milly/Grace won't be my friend', 'She said I can't skip properly' and 'No'. No to everything I ask. This combined with Evie being at the whingy I can't walk yet stage and I am going to throw my food everywhere stage. The separation anxiety is back too. I was just at the stage of safely leaving her at the creche at the gym without worrying, but this morning they had to come and get me again. I think my head might explode. Thank goodness the girls are at kindergarten tomorrow and Evie should sleep. That small bit of peace and quiet is keeping me sane. Yes laugh Mum - I know you will be.

This is the other thing that is making my head explode. My parents are building a holiday house and I said I would make many quilts for it in exchange for holidays we are planning there. I have been planning quilts using this fantastic book and EQ6 that Chris gave me for Christmas and I think my head might explode with ideas.

I finished these little fish last night. Less than 3 weeks until the market - eeek!

Slowly

The windmills are slowly progressing. I have been stuck thinking about borders but I think I have a plan so back to sewing.

More Windmills

I've finished all the windmill blocks and they are ready to be sewn together. They are not hard to put together you just have to make sure you sew them the right way or your windmills will go backwards so there has been a bit or ripping.
This is what my desk has looked like while I have been doing it. I really prefer to sew quilts on my Pfaff but toys and bags on the Janome. I owned the Pfaff first but out in the desert once in the first week of term it had a breakdown and so I was stuck out there for 9 more weeks without a machine. The first thing I did when I got back to Perth was get it fixed and buy another one and it was Chris who suggested I have two. I don't think he wanted to live with me for another term if I didn't have a sewing machine.

Four

Today is the day - they could hardly believe it after weeks of waiting and asking "How many minutes until I am four?" They received exactly what they wanted a skipping rope each. Apparently this is the bestest present ever when you turn four and Milly is going to grow up to be the bestest skipper person ever and we will all have to watch her.
They headed off to Kindy (kindergarten for the person wondering the other day - we have one year of kindergarten and one year of pre-primary before you start year one at school) with their new fairy wands and they took a very bright green cupcake for everyone for afternoon tea. (Must remember not to mix icing colours and ice cupcakes after a few glasses of wine).

It is amazing to think that they were so small when they were born. This is one of the first photos I have of them together. I think they were about 4 weeks old.Happy Birthday Amelia and Grace and happy skipping!

Pink, Green and Orange

I love making piles of fabrics. I often spy a fabric on the shelf I hadn't thought too much about before and suddenly I need to find a more than will go with it.
Experimenting with circles and trying to find a way I like sewing them. These are two fabrics I picked up at Textile Traders this week thanks to Janelle who let me know there was some Amy Butler in.

I am doing my first market next month. Scary, scary. Made on the Left in Bunbury. Now I am off to turn some of the piles into toys and bags.

Tuesday

I love it when Evie decided to have a good sleep on kindy day. It is amazing how much you can get done and how refreshed you feel. First we went and did parent help this morning until Evie decided it was all too much. You forget how crazy teaching kindy is when you haven't done it for a few years, but the girls are in such a lovely class with lovely teachers and if you ever need cheering up a group of 3 and 4 year olds will definitely make you laugh.
While Evie slept I finished the cutting out for the windmill quilt.
A new bag using some scraps left from some of my favourite fabric and corduroy. I cut it out on the weekend when the weather was cool. It has decided it is summer again this week, but I am ready for autumn whenever it appears.
The inside is lined with some fabulous orange Heather Ross fabric.
ItIt was red day at kindy today so the girls wore red and it looks like Grace did a lot of red painting.

Ramdom things from the Weekend.

I finished reading Seeing Voices by Oliver Sachs. I started reading People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks.

I thought about going to the markets this morning, but we were all in our pyjamas until lunch.

I wish daylight saving would finish at the end of February.

I am making Chilli Prawn Spaghetti. I am going to be sad when the cherry tomatoes finish. We will be having zucchini slice tomorrow. Again.

I have Nic Cave 'Supernaturally" stuck in my head.

Sorting

My sewing room was out of control. Fabric, buttons, ribbon, books oozing out of shelves and there was no room to move. Slowly, slowly I have been working away in there. There are now some organized piles, I can see some of the floor and the buttons are sorted into a wonderful chest my sister gave me for Christmas.

There is even room on the sewing table to actually sew.

Shisha

I'm not too sure where this week has gone. It seems to have disappeared without much to show for it. I did start a sewing room clean up as things were getting lost and piles disappearing under piles.
I found some shisha mirrors that have been in my stash for years and had a quick go. I think this could be the first of many.

Evie and I headed to Bunbury yesterday to do birthday shopping while the girls were at kindy. I think we went to every shop to see if I could get their present with no luck. I found it on line last night when I retured. The day wasn't entirely wasted. I took a few wrong turns, got a bit lost and did a u-turn in front of a patchwork shop I had no idea was there.
I also found a copy of the January issue of Sew Hip in a newsagency. Nice to find one in Australia.