Flu, flu, my world is …………….blue

Finally recovering from the flu, and I had enough energy to put together some quilted / embroidered squares, that I had been working on over Christmas , into my first piece for the BQL challenge 2011.  There is a bit of a trapunto effect in this after machine quilting, as the middle panel has two layers of wadding.  This is 18 x 12 inches and will go into a swap where participants can review the photos and state which are their favourite 5 to swap with.

 

 As there are currently 100 participants, I think I will be able to avoid any trauma of being the only one not picked for a swap( unlike being picked last for all teams at school PE lessons, but that’s a psychological scar to be explored on a different occasion……..)

As the swap doesn’t take place until the end of Feb, this will brighten my walls for 2 months.

Happy, Healthy New Year

Why is it, when you have lost your voice, everyone else either starts whispering back to you or shouts very loudly as if there is something wrong with your hearing as well?  No energy for sewing, so I suppose this must be the flu.

On another health note, it is no wonder that the Scots have one of the world’s highest incidence of cardiovascular disease, when one of the favourite meats is Lorne sausage, which to be tasty, “ must have at least 20% fat”.  As one of the Scottish diaspora, thank goodness, this isn’t on sale in our local butcher……………because it is very tasty.

   

Grilling, not frying in at least an attempt to remove some of the 20% fat.

In the pan, and not in the arteries.

Happy New Year.

Secret Santa and fabulous frost

Beautiful A4 folio cover arrived from my BQL Secret Santa.

Followed by a walk in wonderful frosty park, both adding to a lovely Christmas Day.

And may all your Christmases be gingerbread coloured……

Felt, white thread, too much snow, lots of film watching, leads to…

Happy Christmas to all our readers.

Mini projects and mackerel skies

Still cold, and too much on to tackle big projects.  So, some experiments with stitches and eyelets: elongated blanket stitches on vintage linen

 

Then, bullion, raised chain band and more elongated blanket around eyelets on vintage linen

I had pondered backing these with a bright colour or filling the eyelets with a stuffed piece of something bright, but perhaps simple is best.

Fast sewing of hand / shoe/ pocket warmers: 6 x3 inches of fabric, sewn to a pyramid, stuffed with 100g of long grain rice, in the microwave for 40 secs – instant bliss.

Just dashed out to get photos of a stunning mackerel sky.

Dashing through the snow…….

4cm of snow and elder son’s school is closed. 

Pond looks lovely though

At least it is an excuse to get out the Christmas cushions and start loud renditions of the song title thereon, much to children’s embarrassment.

Advent adventures

I enjoy Christmas, mostly for the family traditions and habits that it involves.  Ours started yesterday with putting up the stitched advent calendar, packing off the presents to Australia and spending more time that would seem possible finding the Christmas quilt.  The excuse was that it hadn’t been out for two years as were in Australia for Christmas last year.

  

The wonderful Gina Ferrari is attempting an advent blog, with a post every day through to Christmas – she is really superwoman.

PS if you know anyone who is a beginner quilter, I can recommend “Ultimate Quilting Bible” edited by Marie Clayton – and not only because my Christmas quilt is in it.