It's the final countdown

Two weeks from today, I have to submit my quilts in preparation for the Canberra Quilters' exhibition.

The big queen sized quilt went to the quilter yesterday and it should be ready in a week or so, giving me a few days to attach the binding, sleeve and label.

The wall hanging, however, is still a work in progress. When I returned from the quilter's yesterday morning, I intended to cut out the fabric and sew it into a top by that night, ready for making the quilt sandwich the next day. I was then going to spend the rest of the Tour de France hand quilting it. It's not a big quilt - about 130 cm square. And after a brief look at the instructions, the quilt looked to be a complete doddle.

Until I started cutting yesterday, that is. As if the little triangles weren't hard enough to cut, I then had to use a template to trim off the little corners. I had 240 little triangles to lop the corners off, using the template. At 12.30 am this morning I finally finished the lopping. By then I was on a roll. I decided to start sewing the little bastards together to make a rectangle.



Perhaps I should have gone to bed. Because I tried 8 times to get these things made into rectangles and they weren't cooperating.

Whose idea was it to make this quilt? Oh yeah. Mine. I was so cocky, thinking this quilt would be a breeze, that I'd have heaps of time to get it done. Instead, I'm working on this thing full time, when I'd much rather be making sunnyboy bags and needle books for the shop.

And on that note, I'd like to thank you all for your very kind words (and kinder purchases) from my shop over the last week. It has been such a thrill to see stuff that I have loved making leave my house for a new home, for someone else to love it as much as I have. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

PS. I'm hoping I can get this silly quilt top knocked over by tonight. Then I can take a break tomorrow and make stuff for the very bare shelves at Buttontree Lane, plus the custom orders I have promised. I'll keep you all posted.

Woot! 200th post!

And I'm pimping. What a waste!



I just wanted to let the night owls know that four more sunnyboy quilted pouches have gone up in the Etsy shop. I wanted to put them up earlier, but I had to take an emergency trip into town on a bus for zippers. And then Cold Case was on. And then a dog ate my homework. Well, not really, but Cold Case was really good.

You’ve done a hundred things before half past nine

Here at Quiltingmick HQ, a lot of cutting out is happening to the soundtrack of all 103 Waifs songs on my iPod. I've got a few custom sunnyboy quilted pouches to make today, but I'm hoping to also list a few more pouches this evening.

Last night someone asked me about the size of the felt needle books. They are only tiny (and cute) - 8 cm by 6 cm when closed. I've changed the description on the listings just in case you all thought they were ginormous.

This is ... what gives me goosebumps

This girl Vikki sure knows how to play the harp.



And when the band comes in? That makes me weep with joy.

This is ...

Sunnyboy bags are GO!

These bags are now available at Buttontree Lane.
EDIT: All sold! I'll make a few more in the next couple of days and restock the shop. I'm happy to do orders as well, so just convo me in Etsy.

I've been working to a daily and weekly schedule the past couple of weeks, and it's been a really productive thing to do. It is too tempting to do your laundry, watch countless episodes of Gilmore Girls and do your nails otherwise. This morning I should have paid closer attention to the schedule though.



Because I had four sunnyboy bags sewn and ready to photograph when I realised I'd sewn them the wrong way. I had to unpick them all, including the overlocked bits, and start again.

Tomorrow is Blythe sewing, and I have that down pat so I might not need to insert the brain before tomorrow's sewing session. Besides, it's not on the schedule.

Open for business!

But it's a work still in progress because tomorrow there will be sunnyboy bags as well!

But for now we have needle books (with wool needles included!)



Project bags (for socks and bigger things).



And crochet flower brooches. I've completely reworked the pattern for this, and the result is a compact, flat, smaller brooch.



You likey?

Leave me alone, get out of my face

Five weeks ago I blogged about not knowing what to do with myself now I wasn't working. The broad beans didn't have great conversation skills and there's only so much Gilmore Girls a girl could watch in her spare time. I'd aimed to have a routine going - one where I didn't sleep in, sewed for at least 4 hours in the morning, and then spent the afternoon listing stuff on Etsy and going for a long walk or bike ride. Unfortunately having neck pain for four weeks didn't help, but this week I've managed to get back on track. I have a schedule, I've been sewing and I've been selling. And the best part of all is that I've had some really good alone time to sit. And think. And ponder. And think some more.



It's been so valuable. I like being alone, and I love doing things alone. And there's a lot to be said for doing things alone. Krafty Kuka commented on my last post and hit the nail on the head (ouch!) with regards to my TdF CALWM, when she said "I find it very liberating to alone-along. It takes away that pressure of worrying about keeping up with anyone else, and it's not a competition after all. I think sometimes people get so wrapped up in the togetherness SnB brings that they forget the joy of being alone with some yarn and pointy instruments of choice." (Comments like this are why I love you so much, Kuka).

Just like I've enjoyed being alone in the last five weeks, I've also loved CALing alone and doing my own thing. No, I don't feel lonely doing my own CALWM. No, I don't feel the need for anyone to join me, nor do I want them to. Yes, I've enjoyed doing my own thing using the Tour as an excuse. Yes, I would be crocheting while watching the Tour anyway, just as I do every night.



In stitching matters of another religion, I'm going to be very busy in the coming weeks as I have two quilts to make for the exhibition. The one above needs borders and a trip to the machine quilter. The second one is still *ahem* unmade. It's only a small quilt so getting it to quilt top stage shouldn't take too much time, but then I'm *cough* hand quilting it.

I have until August 1, I think.

I hope.

Maybe I'd better check.

I am, and nothing's gonna colour me

I've completed the first project for my TdF CALWM (that's crochet-along-with-myself for the uninitiated). I love this scarf. Odd, as pale pink is so not me.

Pattern: Acacia Scarf by Megan Marshall
Yarn: Panda Carnival 100% Wool 8 ply in pale dusky pink. This pattern used a little over three balls.



Hook: 5 mm bamboo
Notes: Really, this was the perfect pattern to get me started. Minimal fuss, perfect for a darkened room watching the peloton at midnight, and not enough chance to get bored. This scarf is also really beautiful to wear. It got a run around Kingston today, where I swear it was almost snowing.

Now I just have to work out what my next TdF CALWM project will be ... perhaps a little something in Noro Kureyon Sock yarn?

A week or so ago, I alluded to Georgie and I doing a little Wollmeise shopping in between her teeny contractions. I was a complete novice when it came to Wollmeise. I'd heard it mentioned in passing, usually in hushed tones, and often with a "hallelujah" tacked to the end. So while bump-sitting Georgie, she got a phone call from Tinkingbell to tell her that Wollmeise was up on the website. George drove the computer and put things in our cart before other shoppers could steal them, while I sat on the floor, picked colours and made sure there was no undue excitement which might bring on another contraction.

So today the Blessed Wollmeise arrived. And it was stunning. Absolutely stunning. We had colours of orange, red, green and blue laid out on the table. Even a cute baby and the smell of the spicy noodles coming from the kitchen couldn't distract us. We had to decide who got which yarn. It took us a good 90 minutes to work it out, and in the end it was just a guess because honestly, we could have taken any one of them.

I now know why Wollmeise is spoken of in such hushed tones. Sure, the feel of the wool is wonderful, but those colours? They are magnificent. The blue has about 10 different shades of blue in it, and the orange is a shade that even an orange hater couldn't hate.

And it smells really, really nice. Not as nice-smelling as little G with a clean nappy, but nice-smelling just the same.

Sssshhhhhh!!!!

As the daughter of a library technician with 30 years' service, and as a temporary library worker during my uni years, I feel it's my duty to advise my fellow stitchy mates and librarian friends (because it seems I have a lot of librabrian friends) that Sublime Stitching has just delivered the Best. Patterns. Ever.



I already own two Sublime Stitching books and about 20 patterns ... but I think I have room for a few more. Babushkas! Hedgehogs! Emily Martin!

I was really tempted a couple of weeks ago to join the Tour De France KAL/CAL, but I phaffed around too long and before I knew it the entries were closed. So I decided to do my own little TDF CAL. Just little projects - a scarf here, a pair of mittens there. On Saturday night I started my version of the Acacia Scarf, using a gorgeous dusty pink yarn. I survived flicking in between TDF and Wimbledon until about midnight that night and all was well with the world.

Then last night I did it again - flicking between the two channels until 1.30 this morning. Roger was losing and I didn't see the point in seeing him lose in three sets. And hey, Scott was going back to work this morning and I knew I could have a sleep in.

Well, that was all well and good until the alarm came on at 6.15 am ... and Debbie Spillane announced the match was still going on. I yelped "What?!?!?", got up, watched the end of the match, went back to bed and since getting up again have been mostly comatose on the sofa, unable to do anything but watch Gilmore Girls and drink coffee. It was worse than a hangover.

Tonight? I'm going to bed at 10. Those TDF guys can cycle just fine without my pink scarf.

This is... my most treasured childhood possession

I had to really think about "this is..." this week. My favourite childhood possession? I really don't have much left from my childhood - my whole life and I travelled 3500 km with two suitcases, and most of that life included clothes, blankets and my still-to-be-completed statistics exam for my honours degree. The rest is probably still in mum and dad's spare room. Maybe I'm not much of a possessions person. Or maybe I am and I just don't know how to look after things.

Besides a 27 year old purse which holds our toll and parking money in the car, and my Sindy doll - now only a head due to her rotting torso (I'm not too sure the humidity was good for her) - this is probably the thing that I hold dearest to me from my childhood.



My memories of getting it are extremely fuzzy and mum or dad could tell the story better I'm sure. But what I recall is being really very sick in Caloundra on holidays. And there was a chemist we went to and mum or dad bought this brooch for me. I think I was three or four. Of course, this story could be completely false due to being a toddler and being sick and having an overly active imagination. It's now chipped and very battered. It probably will never be worn due to a very dodgy clip. But it's still mine and it's lovely.

Thank you so much Danielle and Angela.