Lovely things from lovely people

I do love an Emmaline retreat bag! This is the small version and it’s just prefect to fit in all my supplies for EPP. Since getting my bionic eyes I have been able to do lots more hand sewing and really got back into EPP.

The bag and all the things in it make me smile and make me happy, that’s important more so mow than ever.

I love this bag because it reminds me of a great FOQ visit and I think lovely Ruth bought some of this fabric too, the emmaline pattern is perfect for it.

These two cute little boxes nestle in the bottom, I got them from Jen Walshaw many years ago, she got two sets of kids lunchtime box sets so gave me one (it had a panda water bottle in it as well!) these wee boxes are perfect to keep the papers and basted hexies in.

The pin cushion which I keep in the bag was a present from Love Natalie, it just arrived out of the blue one day just when I needed some cheer, the needle case I made myself at another fab FOQ visit, Sheena made one and I loved it so had a go myself the next year.

 

I am so Monica …

 My chums (very affectionately) call me Monica, you know from Friends? Because I organise things, I just cant help it, been like this since I was a bairn. I like it and when I am stressed getting things in order helps calm and soothe.

So yes things at work (same old same old!) are really stressful. So I organise 😊 at the start of each month I order DMC threads to top up my stash, I have been getting more and more into cross stitch and embroidery this past year so I want to build up a good supply again.

I have been looking through stitch palettes and picking out colours I like from there, but it always annoyed me that I then had to go to my box and check what I did and didn’t have.

No more! 😂😂😂 I was going to put together a spreadsheet of all the colours and mark off what I have, then I found some genius had already done it and made It freely available! Thank you Mr Genius!

So a happy soothing hour was spent marking off what I do and don’t have and then ordering this months stock.

Seeing the wood from the trees

I am a university librarian, the past few weeks have been spent mostly helping my final year students with the literature searching for their dissertations. Bless them, all wee stressed out souls! More than one of them has said that they needed help seeing the wood from the trees, I hope I played my part in that.
It got me thinking, this is exactly what I need in the patchwork room, I need to see the fabric from the scraps. Does that make sense?
I know to some this may not look a lot but to me these boxes of jumbled up overflowing scraps are a constant source of stress.

They were nominally sorted by colour but some cross pollination had occurred ...

I decided enough was enough and last week embarked on a major clear out ....

I took out each box, there out those itty bitty bits (you know what I mean, we all have them :-) ironed bigger bits and decided only to keep stuff I could realistically use. Anything big enough that wasn't going to be kept was cut up into strips to make into a jelly roll quilt pattern I found, others were cut up into hexies (thank you big shot!)

And I was left with - THIS!!!!!

There were times during this mammoth cutting session that I questioned my sanity, I now have a numb right arm from all the cutting and my tendons may never forgive me.

Bbt I now may just be able to see the fabric from the scraps, which can't be a bad thing can it!

I also have the makings of a scrap quilt which will be a great memorial to the huge scrap pile that was

Groundhog Day

Since my disaster with the fruit tea and the scrappy trip blocks several things have happened.
I set up a rudimentary cutting table:

It does the job and keeps quilt blocks off the floor :-)

I have had to redo all five scrappy quilt blocks, bit of a scunner since there were one or two of the fabrics I didn't have anymore. Still I think they turned out ok. I did seem to have lost my nerve a bit with the exceptionally scant 1/4 inch seam so there are maybe or two odd blocks added to the orphan block pile.

So now these are all done and ready to post, I can get my festival of quilts groove on. As per usual I have the burning desire to finish off absolutely EVERYTHING in my to do pile in order to make room for the pile of stuff I will bring home.

My space

I often think about my space, my sewing space. I always give thanks that I am lucky enough to have a whole room I can dedicate to sewing. Also give thanks for a wonderful husband who doesn't mind :-). Here I can keep my machine up, make as much mess as I want to and can just close the door and not worry too much about tidying up. I know how lucky I am.
A friend is having problems just now and it made me think about how much of a sanctuary my sewing room has become, unconsciously I seem to have surrounded myself with comforting things.
My patchwork and quilting books, c'mon I'm a librarian! There must be books. In author and height order in case you wonder. All catalogued on good books.

Fat quarters, in colour order, all to hand ready for a quick fabric pick if necessary.

Boxes, I love boxes, the box with hearts contained a wedding present from best friend, the shoe box contained my wedding shoes, a present from my wonderful sister. All now contain fabric, or projects. I make a beeline for biscuit boxes from M&S brilliant size for patchwork block, the jubilee was a great year for boxes.

The bed (well it is technically a spare bedroom ...) very handy for laying out quilts in various stages of development, cross stitch cushions, probably about 20 years old. The black object in the red bed, is a knitted dog, a lovely lady made him for me when my beloved dog Bud died, mini Bud is so much comfort. He even has his own mini quilt :-)

Things, just things, Jo Malone bag holds pens and pencils, came with a present from my sister, I love my sister. Small jar holding clover wonder clips and boy are they ever wonderful. 3D kangaroo, present from friend (the one who is having difficulty just now) she gave it to me when I had cancer, she told me that I was the baby joey and I had to hop into the pouch of my family and friends, she was right, I hope now to try and be her pouch.

Fabulous card from fabulous friend, the writing says it all. The red cupcake box at the back is an empty hand cream jar from another good chum. Chums are the best, don't know where I would be without mine.

My sewing machine, a rather rash purchase last year when I finished chemotherapy. Do I regret it? Do I heck as like :-) love it to bits.

finally view from my sewing machine, I made these during chemotherapy, they make me smile and remind me of what is really important.

So that's it, my sanctuary. For this and so much more I give thanks.

Moving with a purpose

Right, we are getting organised in the patchwork room, farmers wife templates looked out for next three blocks. I was horrified to see that I have only done twenty six blocks instead of the thirty or so I thought I and done ... Not good!
I also want to participate in the It's a mini quilt sew along from Moose on the porch. I was so lucky to win this book in the Hello Sun BOM by April Mae designs.
I have more charm packs than you can shake a stick at so I really want to use up some of the ones which have been languishing at the bottom of my charm pack box.
There is one which I got from the 2010 Birmingham quilt festival, I attended the Fat Quarterly design challenge (at which I was dreadful, can't design at all) anyway I got this charm pack, it is so not my colours, they are dark and very muddy. So this poor charm pack has been feeling very unloved. BUT inspiration hit when I paired it up with this perfect fat quarter, I have decided this will be the first mini I do from the book for the sew along, don't you love it when a plan comes together!
Here is the (now loved) charm pack and it's very own fat quarter.

well that picture was lost, thanks blogsy!


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