Sewing Machine – 3and3quarters

My 2018 Sewing Goals

Did you know that 2018 marks my seventh year of blogging?! Seven years! Where has the time gone from when I was a shy 23 year old, tentatively entering the scary waters of online blogging? It seems like a life-time ago!

Anyhoo! A new year has started (even though we’re four months in already!! Eek!) and my precious little blog has been screaming out for some love and attention.

November… November was the last time I sat down, logged on and typed my little heart away catching you all up on my Sewing Room Adventures.

With lots of fun and laughs in between, April (!!) has now rolled around and it’s time to put my 2018 Sewing Goals out into the void, hoping that each one will get accomplished before 2019 creeps up on us!

MY 2018 SEWING GOALS:

+ Simple Cross Quilt (My first finish for 2018! Whoo!!) +

What started out as a basic WIP first started in 2016, I dug these blocks out, quickly whipped up another nine to make the quilt top a 5×5 block pattern and as though it was just like over night, the quilt is finished, including a label! (Go me!)

I love everything about this quilt! The colours, the prints, the texture from the quilting, the kitty-cat backing (!!!) and the fun gingham binding finishing it all off.

This had to be one of the easiest and quickest (minus the blocks sitting unfinished for two years!) quilts I’ve ever made and I just adore it!

Wanna make this block?? Click here for the tutorial! (You’re welcome! x)

+ Pixelated Rose Quilt +

This little beauty of quilt has been on the go since May of last year. Over the past 7-8 months, I’ve been chipping away at building each individual block together to make up the whole. And now that all of the blocks have been joined together, a mammoth quilt top that I wasn’t expecting has emerged and the procrastination brakes have been applied at full force!

About a month or so has passed since the top has been finished and low and behold it’s still hanging in the same place (on a side hutch in our kitchen as it’s the only place big enough to house the size of this baby!). Every day I look at it and think, I really need to give this quilt top some more love!

It’s not that I don’t want to finish it… It’s just applying the time to rearranging the whole house to accommodate the size of the quilt so that I can back and baste it and then have the available time and space in my sewing room to get it quilted. (Whew!) I have a lot things happening in my little sewing room, so allotting time/space for sewing, filming tutorials, quilting etc, is a tricky one at best!

BUT, enough with the excuses!! Simple fact of the matter, is that this quilt top needs to be quilted and deserves to be finished (cos it’s soooo pretty!), by me, by at least the end of the year! (That still gives me some wriggle room to procrastinate a little bit more, right?!)

Wanna make this quilt?? Click here for the free downloadable pattern from the Riley Blake website! (You’re welcome! x)

+ Swoon Quilt +

Now this. This is what I’m working on right now and am absolutely LOVING IT!!

For ages I’ve wanted to dive in and make a humongous Swoon Quilt! I’ve lusted and envied over so many beautiful versions of it in my Instagram and Pinterest feeds. This year, I thought, what the heck! Let’s add another make into the mix and see how far I get with it!

You see, one of the main goals I had this year was to simply make more quilts. To find the time to do some more ‘me’ sewing. Projects that I make only for myself without doing a tutorial or some sort step-by-step guide on how to do it. I just wanted a few quilts that I could make for me and my itchy-hands! And this Swoon Quilt represents just that!

So far, I’m 8 blocks in to a 9 block quilt top, using fabrics that just simply catch my eye while making the Swoon design pop from afar!

Wanna make a Swoon Quilt too?? Click here to find the pattern! (You’re welcome! x)

+ Rediscovering ‘Like Diamonds In The Sky’ Quilt Top (Quilt name will be changing!) +

Within the last week or so, I rediscovered an old favourite quilt top that I started sometime in 2014. It features a block that I made as a tutorial on my YouTube channel called the Friendship Star.

I had started quilting this one but ended up really hating the choice of quilting I chose to do. (Free Motion Quilting really isn’t my thing!) I think it’s taken me about three years, on and off, to unpick all of the stitches to free the quilt top from the batting and awful backing fabric I paired with it. (Lot’s of decisions were made with this quilt that were just wrong, wrong, wrong!) Now the time has come to re-write those wrongs and finish this quilt to a beautiful standard that I’m absolutely happy with!

To be honest with you, I actually really love this quilt top. And always have! The blocks are bright and vivid while the overall design is still quite dark and subtle because of the navy solid background. It’s such a perfect balance.

I’m thinking for quilting, just to keep it really simple. Straight-line grid criss-cross across the entire surface (hey, it’s what I do best!) and then do a contrasting binding to bring everything together. Super easy!

Wanna make a Friendship Star block too?? Click here for the tutorial! (You’re welcome! x)

Now, moving onto a few quilts/projects that aren’t in the current making but are the list to do this year…

+ Christmas Quilt +

I am so determined to make a Christmas Quilt this year! If I didn’t have about a gazillion other things on my plate right now, I would’ve started it an hour ago!

Whenever Christmas rolls around, I’m always so bummed that I don’t have a beautiful festive themed quilt to pull out and enjoy throughout the season. (Even though Christmas in Australia is during Summer and having the need for a snuggly heavy quilt anywhere near you is totally out of the question!)

The pattern that I’m itching to start is one by Thimble Blossoms (the same lady who designed the Swoon Block/Quilt) called, Winterville.

It’s such a super cute pattern and I’ve already been collecting little bits of fabric for the houses and little Ohio Star blocks. It’s gonna look great once it’s finished!

+ Christmas Tree Skirt +

Another Christmas project I’ve been wanting to make for years now… A Christmas Tree Skirt!

I came across the perfect pattern quite randomly when I was replenishing our paper patterns stock at work one day. It’s a McCalls’s pattern (M7704) and features the sweetest gingerbread people paired with Christmas Trees and Christmas candies. I just thought the designs together were really lovely and are totally the type of design I love around this time of year.

The pattern looks quite simple and straightforward, with the option to mix lots of designs together into one final skirt for the tree. Perfect!

+ Winter Jacket +

This one was a project I had wanted to make for winter last year (so we’re looking at around May 2017 sometime…) but is yet to leave the bag it came home in!

I think I’ve written about this one before… But anyhoo, I just really wanted to make myself a really nice jacket that I could wear to and from work or on nights out during the colder months. I have made a winter jacket before when I was briefly at uni one year in my mid twenties. But it’s quite amateurish and the fabric I chose is really quite awful. Perfect excuse to make another one, right? Right!

The pattern I hope to make/follow is by Simplicity (1254), is fully lined and has a weird collar/hood thingy that looks intimidating as heck to make!

I’m no dressmaker and possess very little patience for it, but with grit and determination, I’m gonna give it a go and see where I end up!

(Please send chocolate and lots of encouraging hugs! Thanks! x)

+ New Sewing Machine +

So I treated myself to a new sewing machine a few months ago… Yep. All for the sake of being able to quilt my massive Pixelated Rose Quilt that I haven’t started quilting yet.

In all honestly, I was ready for an upgrade. My previous machine (a Brother Innovis 200QE), as brilliant and perfect it is, was becoming a bit too small for the types of quilts I’m moving into making this year. (They’re all big ‘uns! God help me!) My new Brother (a PQ1500SL) is huge! It’s powerful, fast, roomy, does everything I ask of it and more and I just want to use it all day, everyday! (Hence all of these beautiful Swoon Blocks popping up in my Instagram feed!)

If you didn’t see it, I recently filmed a very honest review about this machine on my YouTube channel. (I also did an unboxing vlog too if you’re interested!) I went through the pros and cons I’ve found with the machine along with elements I’ll get used to as I sew with it more. From the comments left on the video, I think it’s been quite insightful for people to watch especially those who were/are planning on buying the same sewing machine.

+ YouTube Catch Up +

While on the subject of my YouTube channel, I’ve been uploading lots since I last wrote on here…

We’ve had Christmas where I did a thing called Vlogmas. Basically I vlogged everyday during December right up to Christmas Day (which I also filmed!). I really thought I would struggle do it but I actually really enjoyed it and fell in love with vlogging and creating that kind of content for my channel. Everyone who watched was so supportive and encouraging and I think we kinda bonded a bit more which I love!

In January I went to New Zealand and vlogged it too! I went with my parents and some family friends and had an absolute blast! I can’t wait for the day I get to go back and explore more!

February and March have been a mix of a few more vlogs, some tutorials and stuff all about my new sewing machine!

Over the next few weeks, I’m hoping to launch a new Quilt Along series on my channel (and here on my blog too)! Inspired by a viewer, this time around we’re focusing on mini block designs, with all of the blocks we’ll be making measuring a sweet 5″ square! Each block pattern has been written up and (somewhat) finalised, I have just a few smaller details I need to sort out before realising the series out into the world, block by block as I’ve done in the past.

Stay tuned for that coming very soon!

+++

So that’s everything! It’s been a world-wind few months and so much stuff has been crammed in. (With more to come!)

I’m hoping I’ll also be able to dedicate some more time to writing here, on my blog. I’ve always enjoyed the process of blog writing and feel so relaxed and lighter once I hit that ‘publish’ button. I love sharing what I’m doing and hope to do in my sewing room with you and love hearing the awesome feedback you guys always give me!

Let’s make 2018 a productive one full of lots more quilts, crafty projects and good times with family and friends!

Happy Sewing, Friends!

Sewing Machines 101

Over the last little while, I’ve been asked some wonderfully awesome questions all about sewing machines. With questions ranging from…

What is the best sewing machine to use when I’m quilting?

How do I use a walking foot?

Can I make a large quilt using my small sewing machine?

What are the best types of threads to use for patchworking?

How much money should I spend on a good sewing machine?

And so many more!

So to answer these questions, I made a video where I sat down and went through all of the basics things there is to know about sewing machines!

Now you may be thinking, ‘how is it that she knows all this stuff!?’

Well, for about six years I worked in a very well know craft/fabric store here in Australia called Spotlight. There, I worked in the fabric and haberdashery department where we also sold sewing machines!

About twice a year, we would have intensive training days with sewing machine reps who taught us everything there is to know about sewing machines, inside and out. We learnt how to demonstrate and talk to customers about sewing machines, how to troubleshoot problems they were having as well as understanding what machine was best for a particular end use i.e. dressmaking, quilting, heavy duty sewing etc.

So because of this, I feel confident in myself and in the knowledge I’ve learnt over the years to answer these questions for you. I am aware that I do not know everything and nor am I ever likely too! I myself, am still learning about the endless possibilities and all of the little intricacies that my sewing machine has to offer and I really love that!

If you have any questions about anything I say in this video or are unsure of any features/functions on yours or are having any issues, please feel free to ask/comment below! I will try my very best to answer you as honestly and as simply as I can!
Also, if you have any tips or nuggets of knowledge that you would like to share with me and others, please comment as well!!

Happy Sewing Friends!!

PS. If you would like to see a few fun little moments where I stutter, mumble, make weird faces and struggle with my words, then you can catch the Bloopers video right here!

Enjoy! 😉

Mini Craft Haul!

I’ve been buying so many quilting gadgets and sewing accessories over the past month or so (who doesn’t, right?!), that I wanted to share a few of them with you in something that I call:

A Craft Haul!

Item #1

‘The Quilting Answer Book’ | Barbara Weiland Talbert

I discovered this little beauty of a book in one of my local bookshops and immediately knew it was coming home with me!

I had a good little flick through it to see what it was all about…

It begins with the basic questions and answers that all newbie quilters begin with regarding fabrics, batting, tools/accessories as well as cutting, piecing and pressing and how a quilt is assembled etc.

The book also delves into answering the deeper and more advanced techniques of quilting like applique, quilting techniques and skills, embellishments, calculating your own block designs and more!

The book has been set out into easy to find and read sections that have informative diagrams and images to follow along with.

[CLICK HERE] To see more information about this book!

Item #2

Fiskars Self-Healing Double-Sided Cutting Mat | 18x24inches

I had been saving like mad and keeping my patience hat on, waiting to get this.

My previous cutting mat was getting a bit ‘rough-around-the-edges’, both sides. Because I was really impressed by the quality and features of that Fiskars cutting mat, I was on the look out for a good sale price (these baby’s aren’t cheap!).

Eventually my patience was rewarded with a 40% off Fiskars Quilting Tools sale at Spotlight! Cha-Ching!

The thing that I especially love about the Fiskars Mats is that they have the 1/8^th”measurement lines as well as a dotted lines in between the solids so that accurate measuring and cutting is a breeze!

Item #3

Sew Easy Patchwork Ruler | 14×4.5inches

While I was ‘treating’ myself to a new cutting mat, I also purchased another quilting ruler.

I was looking for another one of those ‘basic’ types of rulers that can be used when measuring and cutting anything.

This particular ruler is slightly longer than the previous one I was using (tick!) and features the all-important imperial measurements (tick!).

Item #4

Clover Tracing Wheel | With Serrated Edges

When I do paper-piecing, I like to perforate the lines that I’ll be sewing over by guiding the paper through an unthreaded sewing machine. This perforation helps when tearing the paper off in the later stages of the block construction.

To avoid this time consuming step, I bought a serrated edge tracing wheel that will, hopefully, do the same kind of job as the sewing machine.

I’m yet to trial this method out so I can’t really say whether this will work with much success! I’ll keep you posted!

Item #5

Pink Thread Snips | With anti-slip grip handle

I like using these types of thread cutters. I find that they’re quicker to pick up and use and the point at the end of blade cuts closer to the surface.

These particular thread snips are unbranded and were on the cheap side, so how well they’ll work and how long they’ll last is anyone’s guess!

Item #6

‘PaintBox’ Collection by Cynthia Rowley | ‘Prism’, 50x112cm

Gosh I love this fabric! I’m sucker for anything with crisp geometric forms and bold intense colours.

As you may know, I’m using this print as the feature in my Friendship Star Quilt. Initially I only got about half-a-metre (50cm) from the meterage and realised it wouldn’t quite be enough for what I was doing (don’t you hate it when that happens!?). So I bought another 50cm for when I need it – and I will!

This print was part of a super-swish collection from Cynthia Rowley that I purchased from Spotlight. The other designs in the range are all insanely beautiful and fun…I wish I was a millionaire so I could buy them all!

Item #7

Black Acrylic Chalk Board Paint | Typo, 250ml

I’d been searching around for chalkboard paint for ages until I very randomly came across this sweet little tin in one of my favourite stationary stores.

I was happy with the price ($9.95) and the size, so I got it!

I haven’t used this product yet, so again, I’m not sure of the quality that lies within… However, I’m always on Pinterest, so I’m sure I’ll come across a brilliant craft idea to try it out on! I’ll share that too when the time comes!

I also filmed a video of me chatting about all of these products on my YouTube Channel!

All of these products, except the book and chalkboard paint, I purchased at Spotlight – usually when there was a catalogue sale or storewide sale.

I haven’t been paid or asked to review/chat/share these items. Everything written is my own opinion, experience and thought.

Moving on, I have new quilt block tutorial coming out later this week!!

Here’s a little glimpse…

Ooo, what could it be!?!?

Stay tuned for more!

Happy Sewing Friends!

PS. You can also find more of me, my work and patchworky dreams here –

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Excuse Me, My Quilt Nerd Is Showing!

I tell ya, there’s nothing like receiving Quilt Show entry forms in the mail to get you back into the swing of quilting again!

After a lull of about three weeks or so of near to no sewing or quilting, it was a wonderful feeling to get back on the machine.

I admit that over the past weeks, I’ve been giving more of my time to my YouTube channel than to my sewing machine. This is due to –

a) a lack of enthusiasm

b) the horrid Australian humidity that’s been hanging around

But once that burning desire to get stuck into some quilting rose up in me early this morning, I was truly back in my ‘happy place’!

So over the course of the day I got lickety-split into finishing my Sydney Quilt Show entry.

Before basting the mini-quilt up, I instagrammed a photo of the heart-racing intricacies that are on the back of the quilt-top.

So divine! So intense! So lovely!

I absolutely love the way that the shapes fit and conform next to each other as well as the differing lines and textures the seams create! But at the same time you can differentiate the shapes that form the block… (Excuse me, my Quilt-Nerd is showing!) It’s these little things that capture my heart and passion for patchwork (and quilting!).

After today, I believe I can honestly say that I am hands-down, cross-my-heart in love with making mini-quilts! They’re easy, fast, non-fussy and oh-so cute!

I tried to capture just how small this little mini is when I was quilting by comparing it with the size of my hand…

This quilt is itty-bitty and I love it!

I’ve decided that the quilt will be entered under the name Golden Trail – I think that works best.

It’s currently hanging up to my left ready for me to lovingly finish hand-stitching the binding and hanging sleeve!

Excitement is at its maximum tonight!!

Oh gosh.

I just love quilting!

Best hobby ever!

Oops! There’s my Quilt-Nerd showing again! 😀

Happy Sewing Friends! xx

Day 10 of 12 Days of Christmas Crafts

Day 10 is here!!

Holy-Moly, can you believe it’s only 3 more days until Christmas?! Oh my!

Surprising, I’m pretty much ready for the big day. I have a few cooking chores to do over the next few days but apart from that, I say ‘bring on the big day!’

If you’re still stuck on what to get that special someone aaannnddd you’ve got a knack for sewing up some quick seams, stay tuned for tomorrow’s Christmas Craft…it involves a bottle wine!

Happy Sewing Friends! xx

Day 3 of 12 Days of Christmas Crafts

And so, Day 3 is upon us!

Here is a super simple, super effective Christmas Card that can be easily made within 10 minutes!

Enjoy!!

Happy Festive Sewing/Making Friends!! xx

10 Things I Love About Quilting

As a follow-up from my 10 Things I Hate About Quilting post, it seems fit that I’d share with you the top 10 Things I Love About Quilting. Some are very simple pleasures while others are what keep me coming back!

In all honesty, it was hard to squash it all down into only 10 things, but I’ll try my very best to keep to it!

Love One: Seeing the development of an idea coming to life!

It’s sheer happiness watching a quilt coming together harmoniously – the fabrics contrast and match, all seams match up and the overall size is pleasing. It’s even better when you know the creation of the quilt came from inside your mind’s eye and that the finish product is now resting warmly in your lap…

Love Two: Binding a quilt.

I don’t know about you but I love it when it’s time to bind a quilt. I think it’s because I’m so close to finishing the job!

I think, ‘the hard part’s over (quilting!) and now it’s time to relax and loose myself in some therapeutic hand sewing!’ This usually involves a good movie or two!

As you do.

Love Three: Perfect seam joins!

Ohh, I swoon at perfect seam joins! My heart skips a beat and I feel all first-born-mother-proudish at producing something that is so clean, crisp and even.

Lame, I know.

But I can’t help it!

Please don’t judge me…

Love Four: Texture.

That simple moment of pleasure when I stop my sewing machine and simply run my hand over the tactile surface of the quilted lines I’ve just sewn.

Simple, simple happiness.

Love Five: Chain stitching

It just gets stuff done!

And fast!

Love Six: Preparing to sew

I love taking the time just getting my sewing machine prepared and ready to go. From re-winding the bobbin, to threading the machine, changing the feet from a quarter-incher to a walking foot and getting to the stage of whirring my machine into life.

Each step I take is with great care and attention to detail (that’s thanks to my OCD Monster) and with a sense of gratification that I’m so lucky to possess such a wonderful tool!

Love Seven: Sharing

I love sharing what I’ve made (duh, that’s obvious – ‘hello little blog!’) whether that is here, on Pinterest, Flickr, Twitter or Facebook. I think it’s all down to that surge of happiness and pride you feel in one’s self of achieving something quite lovely.

Sourced from: www.ebuzznet.com — Sourced from: http://www.ebuzznet.com

I also think it must be a Gen Y thing, where we all feel the urge to share and divulge our lives to everyone and anyone who will listen…no? Yes.

Love Eight: Basting

There was a time in this young quilter’s life where I hated basting! I would put off basting a quilting for ages as it meant that I had to roll around on the floor, ever so ungracefully, and stick pins throughout the whole of the quilt.

Argh, no thanks!

Then, along came the discovery of a product called Quilt Basting Spray and my life was changed forever!

At first I was skeptical – ‘as if a spray could hold together three layers of a heavy quilt without any pins!? Nuh, that’s just ridiculous!’

Safe to say I was proven wrong (happily!) and I haven’t looked backed since.

Basting is now one of my most favouritist steps to undertake – it’s fast, it’s quick and it doesn’t take your back out! Yay!

Love Nine: Books

Books are one of the best tools a quilter could ever use!

About 85% of my quilting knowledge has come from books with about 10% from videos (Craftsy & YouTube) and 5% from people I know.

So, if you want to learn how to sew, quilt, knit, crochet, whatever, go and buy, borrow, preferably not steal, ask or share some books!

You won’t regret it.

I promise.

Love Ten: Making a quilt for someone special

It’s all about simple pleasures when you’re a quilter and the best one of all is the pleasure of making a quilt for someone special. Be it a family member (or impending family member), a friend, a client or for a group of people.

It really is pure happiness to use your own talents to create something so one-of-a-kind for someone who holds a special place in your heart….

Oh no! I’ve gone all gooey!

*snap out of it Amanda!*

And that’s it!

All ten things I love most about quilting.

They all definitely outweigh the ten things I hate about quilting – but catch me in a bad mood and I may just change my mind!

Happy Sewing! xx

Evolution of a Quilter

During our big room swap a few weeks ago, I found my old sewing machine sitting all alone, unloved and unused, at the very back of my sewing desk.

Today I pulled it out, whipped off the plastic dust cover and exclaimed with delight at just at tiny it was!

(It’s hard to believe I made my very first quilt with this little thing!)

So with patience and level-headedness, I wiped away any remaining dust, changed the needle, re-threaded the bobbin as well as the top thread and read through the machines instruction booklet (just to get my bearings, you know) and proceeded to sew!

I was pleasantly surprised: it still works just as good as the day I received it for my 16^th birthday almost 10 years ago (holy-moley, has it really been that long!).

It’s funny to think of the evolution I’ve made as a quilter.

When I was first starting out I had a small, basic little sewing machine, very little knowledge on what I was actually doing and with no expectation that it would take me to where I am now!

Never would I have thought I’d have the confidence to enter quilt shows or display my work online in blog form; never would I have believed my work would be published in magazines (the count is going on four!) and never would I have believed that quilting would give my life so much satisfaction, joy, comfort, confidence and simple happiness!

To me, the simple change in size of my sewing machine reflects and symbolises the changes in me as a quilter and the solid commitment I’ve made to my art.

*And that is a pretty cool sentence to write and realise at the age of 25!

Happy Sewing! xx

Jacob’s Update…

So here’s an update on where I’m up to with my Jacob’s Ladder Quilt…

All hand-quilting stitches have gone bye-bye and the quilt (along with my sanity and comfort) said a delightful ‘Hello!’ to my sewing machine and walking foot!

I spent a good three to four days quilting – not surprising, as this quilt is a beast of a size! Here are some waves of quilty goodness!

And a snap shot of the finished quilting…

I’ve got to the stage where I just need to stitch the binding to the back of the quilt, label it and then, ta-dah!, it’ll be all finished! Yay!!

However, that glorious day won’t be in the near future as I’ve dived head first into getting all of my Christmas presents made etc. After the hectic-ness of Christmas is over, I’ll get right back into finishing my Jacob Quilt – It really has been the most patient quilt in the world and I love it more because of it!

Once finished, I’ll need to chuck it into the wash as it’s covered in dirty paw prints (thanks Lucy!) as well as sticky jam patches courtesy of little nephew fingers!

Mentioning Christmas: with only 27 days now until the big day, I’m on a slow roll to getting gifts prepared, made and finished.

Handmade Christmas cards are complete,

Mum & Dad’s present almost finished…

and only today I’ve begun work on some very special softies for my nephews! (Hopefully this shot doesn’t give too much away!!)

I can’t wait to share them with you – I’m planning a few blog posts for the beginning of next year documenting my process as well as the gifts I’ve made for everyone… So be on the look out for that in January 2013!

Last Friday I received the last of the prizes I won for first place in the How Does Your Garden Grow? Quilt Competition – a brand new sewing machine…

It’s somewhat the same model of machine as the one I already have – it’s just cosmetically a little different.

Not to seem ungrateful for winning such an awesome prize, but I’m in two minds whether I like it or not. You see, I’ve grown such a huge attachment and sentimental feeling towards my old sewing machine that I found it quite hard to make myself pack it away and then unbox this sweet little beauty in it’s place. I’ve made some really beautiful quilts on my old sewing machine – Jacob’s Ladder being it’s last (!!) and taught myself new and exciting techniques (as well as failing miserably in a few others). I would sit down in front of it with greedy pursuits and selfless projects and it would always be wonderfully loyal and trustworthy to get everything finished to my picky satisfaction!

And yet, I must admit, this new sewing machine does purr quite sweetly when it’s sewing along compared to my old machine, which would admit a loud chugga-chugga as I sewed along… It’s the same pretty pink and I’m sure will handle my quilting adventures with the same strength and gutsiness as my old one…

Oh well…I suppose I should just get over myself and be humbly thankful for receiving a NEW high-tech sewing machine for FREE!!

Happy Sewing! xx

A Perfectly Honest Blog….

Okay, I need to be perfectly honest. I haven’t done any real sewing (that by which I mean on my sewing machine) in almost – get ready for it – 3 weeks! *I feel a fainting spell coming on* As I sit and type, I can’t quite believe it’s been that long since I’ve sat down in front of my machine, heard it’s sweet beeps as I switch it on and watch as it chugs along harmoniously while stitching…

Aww…poor thing. I must take time and sew this weekend. I promise on all that is good and fabrickey in this world that I will! And I must because I have so many projects that need to be finished and started! Arggh!

So, what have I been doing if I haven’t been quilting, just like this blog says I do?

Well, I’ve just completed my 3^rd week of my new job, my first full-time position (and no, I don’t work for Moda Fabrics – I wish!)

and am quickly realising that it doesn’t give me very much time to get all my projects done and sorted. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not doing any sewing at all…

I’m patiently, very very patiently, appliquéing the Butterfly Baby Quilt,

while finishing my Hexie rows ready for appliqué

and I’ve started a new embroidery which I devote my hour-long lunch break to. I find that I must do something (even though very small) to occupy my hands and soothe my daily crafty needs…

So not much, I know. I admit I do feel a little lost and sad that I haven’t been cutting fabric, piecing, pressing and quilting very much lately. It’s as though an invisible wall has been put up between me and my sewing desk and I can’t access it due to lack of time, lack of energy as well as a lack of inspiration – which is funny to admit to actually as I always have new ideas exploding at the back of my head. I research quilt and textile artists all day long at work and have loads of inspiration pumped into me daily. I itch so badly for home so I can get stuck into planning, cutting, sewing, pressing and that wave of instant satisfaction!! And yet, when I do get home, all thoughts and feelings leave my head; I’m distracted by dinner (yum!), the television, people and sleep. What about the weekends? So far they’ve been jammed pack full of events now that I have them work-free. Bad excuse? Yes. And also no. But I have come to the conclusion that this Saturday (after a much needed workout at the gym!!) is my Sewing Saturday, my Craftinoon, my one-day quilting retreat! Yeah!

Talking about inspiration still, I’ve been pinning a whole heap of stuff on my Pinterest boards this week – I swear I’m living vicariously through this website! – I can not express just how addictive it is to scroll through other people boards or simple word searches and discover little jems of inspiration! I’ve started two new boards Art Quilts (obviously devoted to the brilliance of Art Quilts) and Keep Calm – a board dedicated to…

As well as to some splendid parody’s…

I bid my final farewells to my Spotlight friends last Friday and received one of the most loveliest and personal presents I think I will ever receive in my life. My beautiful department manager Kerri, made me the most wonderful memory card/book that was impressively scrapbooked with photos, hand written messages from team mates, arty stickers, British bunting and accessories, buttons, ribbons and other sewing relating items.

It’s very easy to say that I love it and am truly honoured to receive something so lovingly made!! Thankyou Kerri!! I was also spoiled with a very generous gift card to one of my favourite ever department stores along with the sweetest High Tea party kit (Very convenient as I’m organising a High Tea party for my 25^th birthday! Yay!) Thankyou to everyone at Spotlight Mt Druitt!!

Lastly I would like to finish up with this awesome stitchery from Radical Cross Stitch which sums up life I think…

Happy Sewing!! xx

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