Boy's screen coming along.... well it is all in pieces still..... but everything is working out just as I imagined it would.... yes... LOL... Im ready for the piece that just doesnt "fit"

A morning of sleet and rain... followed by sunshine / sleet / rain.... freezing cold!!

I got into the car to do some banking... Peter presented me with a serve of perfectly hot yummy soup... spoon too.... I got to eat and get warm on the way there.

He has booked me a space in a new shop here... called "Once Upon a Time".  No pressure but the things Ive been making better get themselves finished really really soon!!!

He is either insane, has a brain tumor or he has faith in me.  Perhaps a bit of all three.  It is a lot of pressure really... Im not sure I have that much faith in me.  I think Im just tired and very very cold.  My sewing room is on the back verandah which has been really wet, windy and cold today.  Perhaps I'll feel better here near the heater.

It is a perfect sunny warm spring day.

My dad gave me a native orchid... and Ive divided it up.  The main piece that I didnt really disturb has lots of little perfect orchid flowers!!!

I wasnt going to share.... but oh well perhaps its ok to show it.  The crazy man who has entangled his life with mine.... bought me this.  Yes this will do just fine as an engagement ring.  OMG I might even get married before Im 99 years old. No one has spent this amount of money on me before.  I pinch myself on a regular basis.  Im very lucky.

well I got ahead of  myself and all that list of things are NOT finished and my in tray on my desk is over flowing and I am just putting it all into a plastic tub to keep the fabrics nice!!!  Gosh I must have had a little too much wine that day thinking I could get everything made PLUS the screens.

The African animal screen in at the bazaar and looks amazing even if I do say so myself.  The pressure is on now to finish two children's screen ... one for a boy and one that any kid would love...

Im so excited it is easy to grab 4 or 5 hours sleep and then get going again.... Im so blessed to be able to make things that I like and not have to just sew people's alterations.... although Im grateful for that work.

It's end of term... gotta run and get my boy... early school out today!

Ive 12 days to make a heap of things to sell at our vintage market.  No pressure LOL.

So Ive decided to make one thing every day and post it here even if it isnt finished.  Im limiting myself to 6 hours sleep.  Im going to do the housework before I go to bed so once the boy is off to school I can sew sew sew.

Of course..... there are going to be hiccups.  Wednesday this week the teachers are out on strike.  Hiccup number 1.

Here is my challenge list for the next two weeks.

1. a tree quilt for a single bed
2. an adult's apron
3. a cushion cover
4. a doll's quilt
5. a needle book
6. shoe stuffers
7. Christmas angel
8. whale
9. big bad wolf
10. Christmas tree skirt
11. adult screen (room divider) cover
12. child screen (room divider) cover
13. covered and embroidered coat hangers
14. fabric puff coasters
15. appliqued european pillow cases

Im so glad I decided to listen to some quilting youtube while hand stitching this week.  I just have to share this link with you to Leah Day and her Free Motion Quilting designs.

I use my Brother walking foot all the time and now Ive bought one of these....

and a pair of quilting grippy gloves.  I cant wait to practice the designs that Leah Day has so generously talked about and demonstrated.  I think it will add a great dimension to my quilts.

Update on trampoline tshirt quilt.... well Im just hand sewing the final 3 sides of the final hem.  Ive decided to straight machine quilt along the binding.  This quilt is bigger than a queen size bed and I think that with the weight of it.... some added stability around the binding will be important.  Well it is for a customer and it will give me peace of mind that the quilt will last decades if I make sure all the sections are really well supported by quilting.  It wont add too much time to the finishing off.  My biggest enemy is the weather because I want to rinse out the quilt and need it dry of course to post.... fingers crossed.... Monday.

Im not Wonder Woman

Most of the time it is quite fun to juggle house, family and work.  I really enjoy taking a break from sewing and getting into the shed and helping make the frames for my dress screens.

But then days like today come.  When the house is a total mess.  Peter is sick.  Work is piling up and I sleep in really really late.  Every room of the house looks like the morning after a huge party.  Screens need sanding and varnishing.  Quilts need sewing.  And where is my fabric from USA?  OMG please let that at least show up today.  It is needed for a birthday party in 10 days.

Once upon a time a day like today would send me to tears but not anymore.  First of all I make a coffee and have a long hot shower.  My rule number one these days is look after me first.  Not to be selfish but once the ball starts rolling I may never see the inside of a shower!!!!  and the pressures are much easier to cope with and keep in perspective if your hair is clean and you smell nice.  The coffee part is selfish I guess.

And now Ive been taken care of I will just go through the list of jobs from top to bottom.  It really doesnt matter what gets done first.  I will stop to sew for 3 hours during the day.  This quilt just has to go off to its owner.  Apart from being pulled in too many directions, a common problem for all of us... Ive nothing to complain about.  It's gonna be a great day after all!!!!!

Ok so Peter did a fantastic job making the screen skeletons.

Now the challenge to dress them!!!

Commissioned tshirt quilt all but finished!!!!

Cant wait to post it away.

So what did I learn in making a tshirt quilt?  Well you CAN use tshirts really easily if you frame them with 100% cotton fabric.  Quilting them was made easier by having them joined in columns.  No quilting is required after the columns are joined... just as well... this quilt easily covers a queen size bed.  Sewing oversized frame borders and then bringing them through to the back when joining.... made it all so easy.  Hours heming the binding but that's ok.

I didnt make any money on this quilt but I have learned heaps and I really love the way the tshirt logos stand out.  I hope the customer loves it too. 

One leaf of an entire screen made, perfect, beautiful!!!!

Just located a wood mill that will sell me pine dowel at a great price.... thank goodness because the cost of timber was just too much

Received in the mail today a New York mail order pattern years and years old.... never used.... it is a beautiful ladies apron pattern that I hope I will enjoy making.  Just to think... the lady who ordered the pattern wouldnt have ever thought it would end up decades latter down here in Australia!

Still no heater.... gosh its cold.  All of us are sick with the flu.

Had the best day today!  I think we have finally settled on dowel as the top and bottom rail to go into the dress screen leaf.  They will make a nice rounded smooth finish for the quilted panels to go over.  I cant wait to get them together.... my wonderful P will make them tomorrow!

Drove through Baxter and some other peninsula countryside today and the sun was out and it was glorious.  I really have to take my camera... there are less and less beautiful sweeping shots... the rotten freeway cuts through paddocks and cuts the view in two... the old homes and sheds are just getting older and I do want to take lots of photos of how things used to be.  I dont find all that much to photograph in many of the newer buildings out there.

Watched a couple of videos trying to figure out how to adapt knitting with a circular needle instead of knitting pins which I love.  Anyhow Ive got it now.  Im making P a luxurious black pure wool double layered scarf and it is growing at a very fast rate now that Ive got the whole circular needle concept.  I will keep to 4 pins when knitting my socks.  Honestly there is always some value I think in the good old fashioned way of doing things.  Showing my age probably but Ive no problem and I love the ease of knitting with 4 pins.

Off to the sewing machine.  Quilts and screen panels are calling!