On my list

Like all fabric addicts, I have a list. "The list" contains fabric I want to buy for me. Cost is not a high consideration but eye appeal is. Some times fabrics linger unpurchased for ages and other times they fleetingly appear just to be scratched off when they arrive at the door.

I am a more considered fabric buyer these days. The must have feeling is more controlled and I normally :) allow a cooling off period. Two fabrics that I am currently deliberating over are

Typewriters in gold - Ruby Star Shining fabric by Melody Miller for Kokka fabrics.

&

Cars in red - Japanese imported fabric designed by Etsuko Furuya for Kokka Fabrics

I like these twp for different reasons - the typewriters just appeal to my senses, I can see and feel the little clutch they would make and I can envisage the excersions it would take it on. The cars .... well I love cars but more than that I really like Etsuko Furuya's line and Kokka's product, for it something more practical - a zipper maybe but for what reason?????? I may just have to buy and let them arrive and inspire.

A mid year craft event

I don't usually do big events at this time of the year and lately with all my other commitments I am snowed under but I decided to apply and I have been accepted to exhibit at Focusfest. 

It is a two day event that is aimed solely at christen woman. They have a craft hall and that is were I will be for the duration of the event. It runs on the 8th &9th June 2012

I have included some info for anyone interested and a link to their website.

Focusfest woman's conference sees women from all over the globe coming together to worship, fellowship and be ministered to. A gathering of ordinary women on an extraordinary quest. Focusfest was founded in 1993 and has become Northern Ireland's event for women, drawing women from the age of 16 to 90 together.

Now all I need to do is find a few hours(?) to sew......

Ultimate Cuteness

This picture embodies cuteness. A dog breeder in Germany,is now the proud mama to 27 puppies. Her two dogs give birth within a week and produced a bumper crop.

I imagine feeding time will be a bit manic in the future, but for now it's all about the nap

Lovely little yums

There is nothing I love more than one of those emails that has delightful goodies enclosed. As a lover of all things animal who could resist these designed by Mary Kilvert and available from Hulu crafts.

Saw this and loved it

I saw this and loved it. It's called The Little Printer and it's from Berg Cloud. It's promoting the use of paper. No, I hear many cry, we are not going back to that old fashioned outdated media. I have to say I really love paper, I'm still a stalwart of the physical book, no kindles here.

The thought of being able to print my to-do lists, suddenly means my smartphone is more useful. Now I can I type things up on the go and then print them out and tick them off.

I can print out a daily puzzle and complete it at my own leisure,

I also like the styling, I'm tired of ultra thin, soulless gadgets, this product doesn't take itself too seriously.

Love it.

Read more about it here

One year ago

One year ago today my baby arrived. He was much wanted and searched for.

I want to say the last year has been a bed of roses but it hasn't been plain sailing. There have been many lows but also many amazing highs.

He is always there with his ears pricked and head hanging out. He greets me with a deep whinny every time he sees me. His big brown eyes are filled with love.

He would mug me for a carrot, loves to get out and roll and get as dirty as possible, he tries to use me as a scratching post on a daily basis and loves getting his white star rubbed.

For all the challenges he presents I adore him beyond belief. He's my best mate, listens to all my problems and so I'm glad I named "The Accountant" -Buddy, causes that's what he is.

Lap Quilt

Here is my first proper go at a quilt. It's was a lap quilt for my mother, who sits up late at night doing the crossword. It was part of her Christmas present and was finished just 2 days late for Christmas (which I was very impressed by). I took the easy option of "just" sewing together a charm pack.

I had been toying with the idea of making a quilt for a while and I thought this would be a perfect starting point. I will admit that last year when I was first thinking about it, I became quite very dishearten by some peoples attitudes to "just" sewing a charm pack together. I have never approached a project like this so by using a charm pack I knew that all the fabric is the same size and my dodgy cutting did not have an influence. There was also a negative vibe that it was cheating as there was no choosing fabric and putting themes together. I respect designers and I think they have a good eye with respect to what works.

I found it a huge learning curve, my sewing machine pulls dreadfully to one side, so my stitching in a ditch is squinty. I attached my binding very late at night and one of the joins is on the outside. When I pointed these imperfections out to my mother she said she didn't see them until I showed them to her. It was just for Christmas but I notice it hasn't been packed away, so I think she is very taken with it.

A few other things I learnt from this project

1.Moda plain Jelly rolls are fantastic. Yes they are a cheat, but gosh are they handy. I used one for the sashing and the binding.  

2. Pre cuts are not the most cost effective way of making a quilt (which is an understatement but there is virtually no waste) but they are great for easy of use and give a great variety of co-ordinating fabric in the finished piece. 

3. That it doesn't really matter whether you just sew a charm pack together or you log cabin or you paper piece, the person who gets it will love it just the same. So I would say to all who are toying with the idea of having a go, just do.