Last night I didn't end up going to Gisborne Quilters. My left underarm is really sore. I have no idea why! The anaesthetist did mention something about arm block anaesthetics having temporary or permanent complications. Maybe it's to do with that but after 3 weeks? Anyway I'll give it a few days. It's just annoying more than anything.
Then this morning I got an email from Hawthorne Threads saying the fabric I thought I just managed to get enough of is VERY short. I had to change my order a little but no big deal. I got a few extra pieces just to be SURE I can get the fabrics to all play together nicely ;-P
I highly recommend Hawthorne Threads. Wonderful friendly service and great prices too compared to other online stores. I can't wait til my fabics arrive!!
I have also decided to participate in Bonnie Hunter's newest Mystery Quilt! Her mysteries lend themselves to stashbusting and scrappiness which I need if I'm going to avoid buying more fabric.
It needs 4 colours and a neutral/background. I've picked the background which is white with some basic daisy print in various colours. I'll pick the 4 colours from this print and use it to tie them all together. I'll work out to be semi-scrappy in that the background will be the same but the rest scrappy.
She will post fabric requirements and yardages on 1 November so my only concern is that I have enough of my background fabric. There is a good chance I wont and it will mean I have to change my fabric choices.
Meanwhile I really should start my DaChintzy Mystery. I haven't been peeking at the clues posted on About.com so I should get up-to-date in no time. I haven't been brave enough to try machine piecing with my plaster yet but tomorrow is FNSI and I plan to try then! :-O
Showing posts with label Gisborne Quilters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gisborne Quilters. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Retail Therapy
I was feeling all miserable and decided it was time to submit the order that's been in the shopping basket at:
I've been a little nervous about it since the range is an old one and has just come in from re-ordering.
I'm so relived I did because I could only get 1.25 yards of a particular fabric that I wanted 1.5 yards of. Thankfully I only needed 1.25 but it scared me anyway!
I'm ordering fabric from Patty Young's Mezzanine range to make up my Melly and Me Sleepover bag when I do the class early next year.
I'm feeling marginally better. It's been a sucky day. Just when I think I have a hold on all the stuff that's going on, something came up and set me off again. This must be why fertility clinics hire counsellors!
Anyway I'm going to Gisborne Quilters again tonight (for the second week in a row) and that will help take my mind off things. I've been working on Lizzy Mae and she is really coming along! Maybe I'll post a pic tomorrow depending on tonight's efforts!
I've been a little nervous about it since the range is an old one and has just come in from re-ordering.
I'm so relived I did because I could only get 1.25 yards of a particular fabric that I wanted 1.5 yards of. Thankfully I only needed 1.25 but it scared me anyway!
I'm ordering fabric from Patty Young's Mezzanine range to make up my Melly and Me Sleepover bag when I do the class early next year.
I'm feeling marginally better. It's been a sucky day. Just when I think I have a hold on all the stuff that's going on, something came up and set me off again. This must be why fertility clinics hire counsellors!
Anyway I'm going to Gisborne Quilters again tonight (for the second week in a row) and that will help take my mind off things. I've been working on Lizzy Mae and she is really coming along! Maybe I'll post a pic tomorrow depending on tonight's efforts!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
I'm determined...
to go to Gisborne Quilters tonight! I haven't been in weeks.
The weather outside is LOVELY and I'm actually wearing a t-shirt!!
Today I finished machine stitching on the binding to the table runner with the help of Shelley's binding joining tutorial. I always ALWAYS forget how to join the ends together!
Tonight I plan to hand stitch it in place and I'm FINISHED!!!
Of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't have a cloud for every silver lining and this time it's the Nemesis. I'm REALLY sore today. I simply don't understand why! Did I overdo things and it will settle down soon? Is the bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotics? Is there no infection after all but something else? Is there something else AND the infection??
What cheerful thoughts, eh?
Meanwhile I'm going to get dinner ready now so I can just dash out the door when DH gets home hehehehehe!
The weather outside is LOVELY and I'm actually wearing a t-shirt!!
Today I finished machine stitching on the binding to the table runner with the help of Shelley's binding joining tutorial. I always ALWAYS forget how to join the ends together!
Tonight I plan to hand stitch it in place and I'm FINISHED!!!
Of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't have a cloud for every silver lining and this time it's the Nemesis. I'm REALLY sore today. I simply don't understand why! Did I overdo things and it will settle down soon? Is the bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotics? Is there no infection after all but something else? Is there something else AND the infection??
What cheerful thoughts, eh?
Meanwhile I'm going to get dinner ready now so I can just dash out the door when DH gets home hehehehehe!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Goodbye August, Hello September!
I'm farewelling August with a little sadness since I didn't achieve my 3 UFOs before 31 Aug Challenge on About.com.
It's not all bad, though. We've almost certainly figured out why the Nemesis is misbehaving, I've started my Lizzy Mae and done 2 block swaps.
September is going to be frightfully busy though! I didn't realise just how many quilty commitments I have coming up!
1 Sept - Table Runner Class
1 Sept - DaChintzy Code Clue 1
14 Sept - Lizzy Mae's Medallion Class 2
15 Sept - DaChintzy Code Clue 2
17 Sept - Friday Night Sew In
29 Sept - DaChintzy Code Clue 3
Plus I have TWO Block Swaps PLUS Gisborne Quilters every Wednesday! YIKES!!
At least for Lizzy Mae it isn't necessary to finish the applique before going onto the next step.
I've also decided to ditch the boy version of the DaChintzy Mystery. I really want to use more than just 3 other fabrics to bring out all the lovely colours of the guitars so that will free me up a little. I'm very happy clues are fortnightly!
I still need to wash and cut my DaChintzy fabrics and pre-cut my table runner fabrics. I now know what I'm doing for one block swap but not the second.
Meanwhile here is a pic of Lizzy - hasn't she grown?
It's not all bad, though. We've almost certainly figured out why the Nemesis is misbehaving, I've started my Lizzy Mae and done 2 block swaps.
September is going to be frightfully busy though! I didn't realise just how many quilty commitments I have coming up!
1 Sept - Table Runner Class
1 Sept - DaChintzy Code Clue 1
14 Sept - Lizzy Mae's Medallion Class 2
15 Sept - DaChintzy Code Clue 2
17 Sept - Friday Night Sew In
29 Sept - DaChintzy Code Clue 3
Plus I have TWO Block Swaps PLUS Gisborne Quilters every Wednesday! YIKES!!
At least for Lizzy Mae it isn't necessary to finish the applique before going onto the next step.
I've also decided to ditch the boy version of the DaChintzy Mystery. I really want to use more than just 3 other fabrics to bring out all the lovely colours of the guitars so that will free me up a little. I'm very happy clues are fortnightly!
I still need to wash and cut my DaChintzy fabrics and pre-cut my table runner fabrics. I now know what I'm doing for one block swap but not the second.
Meanwhile here is a pic of Lizzy - hasn't she grown?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Going Insane...
...and it has nothing to do with Salinda W Rupp or Jane A Stickle (unfortunately).
It's now FIVE days since I set foot outside the front door. I'm going a bit loopy!
DS has had conjunctivitis since last thursday afternoon although it's almost gone - just some mild cold symptoms left. I've had flu since friday and DH had a milder case of both.
On Monday I felt much better but felt worse again yesterday and now I also have goopy eyes!
No Gisborne Quilters for me tonight. The girls are working on convict bonnets for the second week in a row and I haven't done anything! We got the pattern in our newsletter so I suppose I could make one at home. Sewing curves by machine sends me into a blind panic though!
August is almost halfway gone, my UFOs are not getting smaller and I feel too sick and sore to even fondle fabric.
I'm desperate to get to the LQS to check out a particular fabric range for some future bag making projects. The car is in the driveway but I just don't have the energy.
Right. No more from me til I have something more cheerful to say!
It's now FIVE days since I set foot outside the front door. I'm going a bit loopy!
DS has had conjunctivitis since last thursday afternoon although it's almost gone - just some mild cold symptoms left. I've had flu since friday and DH had a milder case of both.
On Monday I felt much better but felt worse again yesterday and now I also have goopy eyes!
No Gisborne Quilters for me tonight. The girls are working on convict bonnets for the second week in a row and I haven't done anything! We got the pattern in our newsletter so I suppose I could make one at home. Sewing curves by machine sends me into a blind panic though!
August is almost halfway gone, my UFOs are not getting smaller and I feel too sick and sore to even fondle fabric.
I'm desperate to get to the LQS to check out a particular fabric range for some future bag making projects. The car is in the driveway but I just don't have the energy.
Right. No more from me til I have something more cheerful to say!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Gisborne Quilters 28/7
Last night was my second meeting with the Gisborne Quilters.
Things started in the early afternoon while I was driving home from the hospital. DH asked me whether I was planning to go that night and while I was trying to recover from the shock that he remembered on his own I managed to spit out that I was hoping to go and waiting for all the usual objections. There were none so I was told to drive safely and he'd cook dinner for himself and the kidlet.
Now I was scared. Who are you and what have you done with my husband????
I assumed he was being nice to me because I was worried about Dad. Not so!
When he got home he said he was approached by Annette at work and she asked him whether I was his wife and a member of Gisborne Quilters!
Now I'd never met Annette but remembered her name off the list and it turned out that she and a number of other Gisborne Quilters are all teachers at work where Andrew also works in the IT department!
He seemed pretty traumatized by his meeting with Annette so naturally I couldn't wait to meet my saviour.
Upon arriving I discovered that FIVE of our members all work there plus Lorraine who used to work there before she opened Quilter's Bazaar.
I was thrilled and knew I'd never have a problem getting there again! With 7 people knowing who he is, he became (quite literally) the butt of all our jokes!
I did reattach the button on his pants (yes I know I said I'd do this many posts ago) as well as kidlet's school jumper but I thought I'd give him another reminder about quilters and mending.
This pic is off the Gisborne Quilters blog:
It was only lightly tacked on since they are his work pants!
All the work ladies promised to have him bending over all day at work! Muhahahahahahaha!
Things started in the early afternoon while I was driving home from the hospital. DH asked me whether I was planning to go that night and while I was trying to recover from the shock that he remembered on his own I managed to spit out that I was hoping to go and waiting for all the usual objections. There were none so I was told to drive safely and he'd cook dinner for himself and the kidlet.
Now I was scared. Who are you and what have you done with my husband????
I assumed he was being nice to me because I was worried about Dad. Not so!
When he got home he said he was approached by Annette at work and she asked him whether I was his wife and a member of Gisborne Quilters!
Now I'd never met Annette but remembered her name off the list and it turned out that she and a number of other Gisborne Quilters are all teachers at work where Andrew also works in the IT department!
He seemed pretty traumatized by his meeting with Annette so naturally I couldn't wait to meet my saviour.
Upon arriving I discovered that FIVE of our members all work there plus Lorraine who used to work there before she opened Quilter's Bazaar.
I was thrilled and knew I'd never have a problem getting there again! With 7 people knowing who he is, he became (quite literally) the butt of all our jokes!
I did reattach the button on his pants (yes I know I said I'd do this many posts ago) as well as kidlet's school jumper but I thought I'd give him another reminder about quilters and mending.
This pic is off the Gisborne Quilters blog:
It was only lightly tacked on since they are his work pants!
All the work ladies promised to have him bending over all day at work! Muhahahahahahaha!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Long time between blogs!
Well for me anyway!
The past few days have been utter madness. rather than quilting or blogging (or both!!) I've been:
I'm sure there's more but that's the start of things anyway!
Saw the surgeon this morning. He thought a late onset infection in the bone is a possibility but not all that likely given timing. I kind of agree but some of these infections take years to show up and the person has obviously been out of pain before the infection appeared...but anyway.
I had a lovely cortisone injection into the joint and am to come back in 3 weeks.
he didn't want to say it but given our plans to re-start IVF in Oct, I'm probably looking at another op.
Despite everything, I haven't been ENTIRELY neglectful of my sewing! I've pieced the remaining square-in-a-square blocks for the Chocolate Aqua quilt and completed 2 more sections which brings me to 9 out of 15! I'm more than halfway!
I also went along to Gisborne Quilters but that's another story in itself!!
The past few days have been utter madness. rather than quilting or blogging (or both!!) I've been:
- Nursing a somewhat sick kidlet
- Trying not to get sick myself
- Doing the school run for a now not-so-sick kidlet
- Going to visit Dad in hospital (usually with kidlet in tow)
- Battling the Nemesis
I'm sure there's more but that's the start of things anyway!
Saw the surgeon this morning. He thought a late onset infection in the bone is a possibility but not all that likely given timing. I kind of agree but some of these infections take years to show up and the person has obviously been out of pain before the infection appeared...but anyway.
I had a lovely cortisone injection into the joint and am to come back in 3 weeks.
he didn't want to say it but given our plans to re-start IVF in Oct, I'm probably looking at another op. Despite everything, I haven't been ENTIRELY neglectful of my sewing! I've pieced the remaining square-in-a-square blocks for the Chocolate Aqua quilt and completed 2 more sections which brings me to 9 out of 15! I'm more than halfway!
I also went along to Gisborne Quilters but that's another story in itself!!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Finished!!
Well only the backing for the dino quilt but still I feel like shouting it from the rooftops! 
Another positive is I can now take proper pictures again! You know how it is - the IT consultant's wife is always the last to get technical support!
I'm slowly getting ready for Friday Night Sew In. I've decided I'm going to piece the chocolate and aqua quilt top. Once DS goes to bed, I should be able to get it done in one evening - provided I've cut enough fabric!!
That'll be another UFO that can be moved to the UQO section!! It will also be one of my 3 UFOs before 31 August goals completed!
My table runner class is 2 weeks away and I have decided not to go with a Bali Pop. I have 4/10 (maybe 5) of the fabrics I need to I'll just cut swatches and buy the rest to match.
Spotlight is having a big sale so DH promised to take me this weekend!
I still have no idea what I'll do for matching place mats.
The downside is that I never got to Gisborne Quilters last night. DH came home late and DS was coming down with something. I'm glad I stayed - he had a rough night the poor little mite.
Another positive is I can now take proper pictures again! You know how it is - the IT consultant's wife is always the last to get technical support!
I'm slowly getting ready for Friday Night Sew In. I've decided I'm going to piece the chocolate and aqua quilt top. Once DS goes to bed, I should be able to get it done in one evening - provided I've cut enough fabric!!
That'll be another UFO that can be moved to the UQO section!! It will also be one of my 3 UFOs before 31 August goals completed!
My table runner class is 2 weeks away and I have decided not to go with a Bali Pop. I have 4/10 (maybe 5) of the fabrics I need to I'll just cut swatches and buy the rest to match.
Spotlight is having a big sale so DH promised to take me this weekend!
I still have no idea what I'll do for matching place mats.
Pieced Backing:
Front (without borders):
Front (without borders):
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Bleurgghh
...pretty much summarizes the last couple of days. 
The rainy weather means it's party time for The Nemesis. Add a stubborn headache and general pukiness and I'm left feeling very sorry for myself.
This of course means no Wednesday night sewing with the Gisborne Quilters or even home sewing of any kind.
Except of course buttons. DH's pants still need one and DS has popped 2 off his school rugby shirt so I guess it means loading up on painkillers and hoping for the best. They really need to be done despite The Nemesis.
I see my surgeon tomorrow to see what the next step is. Splinting for 4 weeks did nothing and it doesn't feel any better.
On a happier note I did finish sewing the dino blocks around the panel but no borders.
Will try to add a pic tomorrow!
The rainy weather means it's party time for The Nemesis. Add a stubborn headache and general pukiness and I'm left feeling very sorry for myself.
This of course means no Wednesday night sewing with the Gisborne Quilters or even home sewing of any kind.
Except of course buttons. DH's pants still need one and DS has popped 2 off his school rugby shirt so I guess it means loading up on painkillers and hoping for the best. They really need to be done despite The Nemesis.
I see my surgeon tomorrow to see what the next step is. Splinting for 4 weeks did nothing and it doesn't feel any better.
On a happier note I did finish sewing the dino blocks around the panel but no borders.
Will try to add a pic tomorrow!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Gisborne Quilters Meeting
Last night I went along to my first (hopefully of many!!) evenings with the Gisborne Quilters.
After the obligatory bargaining with DH he agreed to letting me go. He is concerned (understandably) about me taking the car out alone especially at night in the cold and wet when my wrist is still definitely worse for wear.
His other concern was his pants!
The button fell off (again!!) and since I'm a quilter I apparently do repairs!
I came up with what I felt was a very generous compromise - I offered to take his pants and sew on the button as my first order of business.
He had 2 objections - the first was that he didn't trust me (totally understandable given what happened last time I mended his pants!
)
I was so furious at having been asked to do mending that I appliqued little dogs all over his pants including a very strategically placed fire hydrant
His other concern was that bringing mending would not be a good first impression (bless his heart!) I couldn't care less and promised him faithfully I wouldn't desecrate his pants but off I went leaving his pants at home! woohoo!
Upon arriving and being welcomed by fellow patchworker Sue we waited for Tania to open the room and Donna arrived shortly after. We were quickly overcome by gas fumes from the faulty heater so Donna very kindly offered to host the evening at her house.
We bumped into Lorraine and Rosie who followed us while poor Tania went home as she wasn't well but she did present us with a fantastic newsletter first. Thank you, Tania!
At Donna's house we got comfy and Donna kindly make us all hot cups of tea and we got down to business. I pulled out some of the applique blocks from my Aster Manor Sampler to see how I'd go. I hadn't touched hand-piecing or applique since I was in plaster and really hadn't sewn at all since my altercation with the soap dispenser
. It took me a while to get into the rhythm and remember how it all went but things progressed quickly. I was shocked to discover my stitches were a lot better than before - pretty much invisible and a perfect straight line on the back! 
I can confidently say that a plaster cast up to the armpit is NOT conducive to hand piecing and being without it was almost certainly the key to my new found success! 
At around 9:30pm we headed home. Usually on the homefront we're lucky to have our Energiser Bunny alseep by then (and true to form he was still awake when I returned!) so any evening sewing I do at home usually doesn't even start before 9:30
it does mean I can come to the meetings and be home at a reasonable time so the 6am starts on school mornings can still happen.
Once I got home I finished off the evening with a few hours of unpicking the Handbag quilt. It was pieced and quilted while in plaster (LAST year!). It seems like I've been in plaster for almost 6 months together between April 2009 and May 2010.
Anyways my progress is definitely not worth photographing (yet!) and my successful stitching was balanced with dodgy placement so some of the tulips will be lop-sided but my excuse is the stems were stitched in place while I was still in plaster (yes that old excuse again!
Hopefully I'll come along again next week!
After the obligatory bargaining with DH he agreed to letting me go. He is concerned (understandably) about me taking the car out alone especially at night in the cold and wet when my wrist is still definitely worse for wear.
His other concern was his pants!
The button fell off (again!!) and since I'm a quilter I apparently do repairs! I came up with what I felt was a very generous compromise - I offered to take his pants and sew on the button as my first order of business.
He had 2 objections - the first was that he didn't trust me (totally understandable given what happened last time I mended his pants!
)I was so furious at having been asked to do mending that I appliqued little dogs all over his pants including a very strategically placed fire hydrant
His other concern was that bringing mending would not be a good first impression (bless his heart!) I couldn't care less and promised him faithfully I wouldn't desecrate his pants but off I went leaving his pants at home! woohoo!
Upon arriving and being welcomed by fellow patchworker Sue we waited for Tania to open the room and Donna arrived shortly after. We were quickly overcome by gas fumes from the faulty heater so Donna very kindly offered to host the evening at her house.
We bumped into Lorraine and Rosie who followed us while poor Tania went home as she wasn't well but she did present us with a fantastic newsletter first. Thank you, Tania!
At Donna's house we got comfy and Donna kindly make us all hot cups of tea and we got down to business. I pulled out some of the applique blocks from my Aster Manor Sampler to see how I'd go. I hadn't touched hand-piecing or applique since I was in plaster and really hadn't sewn at all since my altercation with the soap dispenser
. It took me a while to get into the rhythm and remember how it all went but things progressed quickly. I was shocked to discover my stitches were a lot better than before - pretty much invisible and a perfect straight line on the back! I can confidently say that a plaster cast up to the armpit is NOT conducive to hand piecing and being without it was almost certainly the key to my new found success! At around 9:30pm we headed home. Usually on the homefront we're lucky to have our Energiser Bunny alseep by then (and true to form he was still awake when I returned!) so any evening sewing I do at home usually doesn't even start before 9:30
it does mean I can come to the meetings and be home at a reasonable time so the 6am starts on school mornings can still happen.Once I got home I finished off the evening with a few hours of unpicking the Handbag quilt. It was pieced and quilted while in plaster (LAST year!). It seems like I've been in plaster for almost 6 months together between April 2009 and May 2010.
Anyways my progress is definitely not worth photographing (yet!) and my successful stitching was balanced with dodgy placement so some of the tulips will be lop-sided but my excuse is the stems were stitched in place while I was still in plaster (yes that old excuse again!
Hopefully I'll come along again next week!
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