Nearly there......

Procrastinating right at the moment....I found a packet of machine needles at the supermarket this morning - and now the border, batting and backing are all on. I'm now top stitching around the shape of each chook. I promise - a photo really soon!!!!

Frustration! - Chookie Quilt style

Here I am, Easter Sunday afternoon and I've finally got up the gumption to cut into fabric and iron and pin and tack and get the top layer, the batting and the backing together......onto the sewing machine with the binding strip.......yes it is attached the right way.................tension is right....everything is going nicely, the seam in keeping relatively straight, I've done about 1/3 of the binding.....the machine is purring away: thwocka, thwocka, thwocka, thwocka, chunka, bink!

Oh no! I ran over a safety pin that I'd missed.....and the sewing machine needle broke!Never mind, I'll just reach into the case and grab a handy-dandy replacement needle....er... reach into the case.........
umm....where did I put the case?

I know I've seen it recently...the one that looks like all the other plastic cases, but importantly, this one has all my sewing machine accessories in it. Like, extra feet, bobbins and NEEDLES ! ! ! ! ! !

sigh....
I've now decided to put the quilt aside for the moment. I will spend this evenging organising all my sewing stuff into groups..aida/evenweave : chart to do next/later/pif : stitchery/quilting : floss dmc/anchor/varigated/hand dyed.
Perhaps if I concentrate on NOT looking for my handy-dandy little plastic case of sewing machine accessories, I will find it.If not, my stash should be somewhat organised and I can find a shop open early tuesday morning and finish the quilt then. I have until Wednesday to have it ready for the first show I've ever contemplated entering - no dramas!!!!!
(boy am I hanging out for SOMEBODY to move into this street that does some form of craft - I'd even tolerate a scrapbooker!!!!)

aaaaaaarrrrrrrrggghhhhhhh !!!!

there... I feel better now....
please feel free to resume your browsing....
:)

Murmurings of S.E.X. and S.A.B.L.E.

No photos right at the moment, 'cos I have limited internet while Martin figures out what is wrong with out network and why his computer no longer 'sees' my computer........sigh.
However, without the internet, I am getting a lot more stitching done....
I did pull out Papillion 2008 SAL out again this morning, only to discover that I've lost one of the skeins of colour - so I'll have to wait until tomorrow or monday or through the week to replace it. In the meantime I'm stitching on a couple of small aida projects.

I have been blessed with S.E.X recently and now I think I'm S.A.B.L.E. Firstly, one of my friends' mothers passed to me a box of aida and about 2doz charts and books, then 4 days later, my very good friend Karen decided to share with me, the results of her pruning her collection, of charts, floss and fabrics....
I did make a list of charts - about 85 of them and will most probably share them out and about through this blog, when I'm more internet stable. Karen also gave me a full set of DMC, several needle necessities, a big bag of Anchor, a quantity of hand-dyed varigated and lots and lots of hand-dyed aida in squares suitable for quilts and so much more.
Included in this bounty is the woolen batting for the chookie quilt, along with the backing fabric. If I'm quick and pull my finger out and get this finished before wednesday, I'll have a go and enter it into a local quilt show. Mind you, I've never got to this stage of a quilt before...it's quite daunting.
More pictures to follow as soon as I can.
Oh yes - I've found a new container for my orts for the totally useless SAL - certainly will try to get a picture of this in time for the new moon!

Chookie Quilt top - nearly finished

At least finished enough to show off. I still need to complete the sashing for the top and bottom - I ran out of strips - I ended up making a random length of each fabric used and am happy how they've turned out - and no duplication of pattern where they intersect. More luck than by design.

You can find the pattern here at http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/chickens.htm and lots more that I'd like to try to stitch. (repeat : I do not need another craft addiction, I do not need another craft addiction, I do NOT need another craft addiction......)

Oh yes...during a 2hour drive to see rellies today, the roadworks and delays made it a 3hour drive - and I nearly finished this sitting in the car! It took just another 20 minutes of stitching at the SIL's home to finish this trifle from My Aunt's Attic and put my initials to it. The mother of one of my friends, liked the banner I made for her son's birthday recently and decided that she'll never use her floss, fabric and books - and gifted them to me. Of course I had to do something to check how the fabric stitched. It's a lovely soft green aida that I think is 11 or 14 count. I will make this into something for the lady as a thank you. I used DMC 550, the skein itself a recent gift from a floss fairy.

Here it is, the first day of school holidays, and I have a finish!

I like to stitch on aida at night, generally sitting at my computer, under the downlight so I can sew and watch tv at the same time. Anyway, mostly these night time stitchings are small and freebies - as is this finish.

This is the January Pinkeep found on Maryse's blog - http://grillesdemaryse.canalblog.com/ - see down to the right hand side there...... and was a relatively quick stitch over a couple of nights. I use up scaps of Aida that I've obtained from who knows where. I'm not certain that this will end up as a pinkeep - more likely to be the cover of a needlebook - that's yet to be decided.

Today I hope to get a serious start on the sashing for the chookie quilt - after all I really need it finished before next friday if I'm to display it for easter!

A very quick stitch! I started this one at 9pm in a panic to try to meet a deadline, and including a minor nanna-nap, put the last stitch in at midnight... I am missing the snowflake buttons, but can always add them when I find them.

The design is "Let it Snow" by Casey Buonaugurio Cross Stitch Designs and found in the 2008 JCS Ornament issue and I'm involved in a couple of monthly challenges on two separate communities this year. This is the first ornament I've stitched this year. I've seen a few snowmen on other blogs and am wondering if I might dedicate 2010 to stitching snowmen. There are worse themes out there...

As for the hasty finish - I was looking for any snowflake buttons and found the bright red plasticy ornament ring - just the right size.

TOTALLY USELESS SAL - March

Here is my contribution to the totally useless SAL - as on http://dragonmyneedle.blogspot.com/

I don't have any clear glass containers that are sexy enough - so for the moment my orts are sitting pretty in a little glass container made by Crown Crystal in Australia about the late 40's. This little dish was popular in coffee shops of the time, along with a matching little jug. Sometimes you can find the little glass tray that the two would sit upon. I'm still looking in op-shops for a better container to last the year out....

As I only joined a couple of weeks ago - these threads are from my Mermaid, the bushfire quilt square and Papillion's 2008 SAL that I've been happily stitching. I think my carpet will thank me for collecting the orts in the bowl rather than loosing them on the floor and to the vacuum!

Bits with beads!!!

Now with improved added beads!!!!!!

Before moving on with stitching part 9,10,11 & 12 - I added some dark amethyst glass beads from Eureka Beads here in Pakenham to my Papillion Sampler....It's getting closer to finish....and Papillion bring out the 2009 SAL....and it's another georgeous one.... dilemma - what Sampler to stitch after the 2008 one is finished? A Victoria's Sampler that has been nodding to me, or a Just Nan, or the 2009 SAL??? I can't stitch all three at once - can I?????

Speedy stitching on Sunday morning.....

It didn't take long to do the stitching for part 8. Here's a closeup. I'm having fun with this pattern, but before going onto part 9, I'm going to attach the beads and catch up..I'm in a beading mood.. I'm using the new DMC series of variations and although I think perhaps the red is a darker tone than the rest of the colours chosen, am happy with the overall effect of them on this hand-dyed fabric.

Sunday Musings.....

It seems awhile since I posted. A whole fortnight in fact.

Although I've not been stitching so much, John's music is growing. Last Sunday he was an invited guest at a regular gig of a guitarist, playing in a function room. Today he's been invited to sit in at a Jam session at another local blues function, which is populated by many esteemed blues musicians. It seems he has a good start to his career.

On the stitching side of things I've been steadily working on Papillons 2008 mystery sampler - I've now done up to part 7 and am working on Part 8. I do have to put some work into an Aussie/NZ exchange that is due by ANZAC day.

I might start putting the beads on this sampler, instead of leaving it until the last minute...see how it goes today.