Finished for REAL!

I have two finishes to report...and I mean they're really finished - binding and all!

The first is the table mat/topper.

The class was on saturday at Quilter's Bazaar and Lorraine taught us how to make bias binding and how to use the Easy Scallop tool by Darlene Zimmerman.

I'm not thrilled with the colour of the binding but I didn't want to buy anything for this quilt.  I knew it was all to me made either with my arm in plaster or shortly after it came off (I got it off 2 days before the class) so I didn't want to waste good fabric by sewing plastered.

The other thing is the french braid table runner.  I finished hand sewing the binding last night.  Woohoo!

I have Lizzy Mae Class #3 tomorrow and #4 later in the month and 2 quilts which REALLY need to be finished before the weather gets too hot so I need to get cracking.

In other news...the lovely Mezzanines Fabric for my Sleepover bag arrived today!

Quilting and Other Bits and Pieces

Well after my success in finishing the chocolate and aqua quilt top on saturday I was on a roll!  Sunday afternoon I basted my table topper using spray baste and DH's help.

Spray baste is OK - I definitely wouldn't use it for anything larger.  It still migrates somewhat while quilting and as a consequence I have a few bulgy areas and I re-basted the borders once I had finished all the ditch stitching.

I love quilting - it's my favourite part of the whole process (well maybe a close second to fabric shopping!).  I think part of the reason is because I'm so close to having a finished quilt to enjoy but mainly it's because I love the feel of the 3 layers in my hands and I really love seeing the extra dimension quilting gives.  It's like icing on a cake I think.  I LOVE icing and a cake is never complete without it.

The ditch stitching (which only occasionally ends up in the ditch thanks to my big fat plaster) and straight line quilting came together quickly - to the point where on Monday I was able to start free-motion quilting the flowers in the wide border.

My ditch stitching looks fabulous in comparison :-/ but it's just a class sample and it's not a gift or anything so I'm not stressing about it and that in itself adds to my enjoyment of the process.  It's not too bad considering I'm in plaster so I am proud of it anyway.

By Tuesday morning my arms ached and I started to think of the lovely toned muscles I'd be getting (bye bye tuckshop arms!!) but poor DS came down with the flu so no quilting yesterday.

He's much better today but still home from school so I doubt I'll get to quilt today either.

My scallop class isn't until 6 Nov so I should get it finished in time.  I'm dreading all the bias binding I'll need to make and sew for this topper.  It's about 46" square which is a bit bigger than I intended.  I wont have enough red for the binding which is a shame but I'll have had a dig through my stash and find something big enough.   No buying for this topper!


Lorraine rang on Monday to postpone Lizzy Mae #3.  Just as well since DS was sick.  It'll be put off for 2 weeks so it'll be on 9 Nov.  What a busy month for quilt classes!

The best bit is my plaster comes off on 4th Nov so I'll be able to sew better.  The only down side to all this is that I haven't been into her shop since before my surgery and I have some shopping to do and gifts to buy which DH isn't able to do for me.  He has been doing a bit of shopping-by-proxy and performed quite well but there are some things I just have to do myself.

No sign of my fabric order from Hawthorne Threads so I'm starting to get a little concerned.  Hurry up already - I want to fondle my fabric!!!

October FNSI Results

I actually got something done!  It took way longer than I thought and the quality of my cutting and piecing it terrble but considering my plaster I'm happy enough with it.

Cutting:

Sewing:

 

The finished centre of the table mat 

I still have 2 borders to add and then it will be used for my scalloped edges class next month.  I need to sandwich it and quilt it before the class though!  Now that'll be scary!!

A Very Crafty Weekend

On Friday DS had a friend from school over to play.  They decorated my plaster and I made stove top pizzas and apple cakes for lunch.

On Saturday I baked one of DH's favourites - orange and poppyseed cake.

On Sunday I was finally brave enough to pick up a needle and thread!  Despite the plaster it was still fairly painful but necessary to get rid of the swelling in my fingers.

I worked on my Aster Manor Sampler.  I completed the almost finished Rolling Stone block and made the Bow Tie block (also called Old Maid's Puzzle) from start to finish.

I'm all out of template plastic so I can't do anymore pieced blocks.  I'll have to work on some of the applique blocks which already have all the shapes cut out.

I'm plastered!

No not in that sense!

 Just a boring white fibreglass plaster.  They don't have coloured ones anymore! :-(

DS will decorate it tomorrow I suspect!

The surgical wound looked great unlike last time and the edges came together beautifully.  All cultures came back negative but the main thing is the surgery uncovered and dealt with what appeared to be the 2 causes of all the trouble.  The only way to find out for sure is to wait and see.

I was hoping to sew tonight but I'm frantically getting ready for a playdate tomorrow with a school friend of DS's. Hope all goes well.  DH needs to help me do some baking tonight.  I'm starting to feel quite sore again. (I guess this morning's drugs well and truly wore off) which is disappointing but to be expected.

So I can stop the nasty antibiotics (altho I'll miss the weight loss!) and actually enjoy eating again for the first time in 6 weeks!  Yippee!