New beginnings.

 As we all know, the beauty of a finish...

(See previous post)

Means a new start.

Well, I dithered and dallied and changed my mind several times.

 I looked through books and magazines, I went shopping and stash diving.

I trawled the internet and eventually, went looking in the UFO boxes!!

I found these white and off white charms all stitched to scrappy charms.

I wasn't happy with the results, so they sat in a box for who knows how long.

Last night I decided to start pulling them apart while I pondered my next move.

Then I sorted the charms into colour values and inspiration struck.

A dig through my scraps and fat quarter collection revealed a few more fabrics.

I don't think I need to go shopping, but if I see something that might fit, I won't stop myself! LOL

So I see plenty of pressing and cutting happening this morning.

I swapped shifts to help a colleague, so  start work at 1 O'clock, which gives me a couple of hours of play time.

Using what was already cut I came up with this charming little beauty.

 Before I plug the iron in and get busy....

I gifted the Kiwiana quilt to my colleague.

She cried the happiest of tears and was genuinely moved by my gift.

Then proceeded to show it off all morning.

Several of my colleagues oohed and aahed over that wee quilt. 

It made me feel quite self conscious.

*

About that shopping I mentioned earlier.

I've had these two charm packs for some time, but when I saw fat quarters in the same fabrics I had to grab some.

 A quick poke through the scrap bin revealed the red and blue knotty fabrics at the bottom of this picture, the shop owners daughter asked if I was 'into all that nautical stuff', then she went digging out at the back of the store and returned with the rest of the collection you see here.

Oh Joy! Even a panel!!

 I'm sure I'll come up with a plan for that little lot!!

And one or two other bits fell out of the scrap bin too.

As they do!

 And finally for today, cause all of this writing is taking up valuable quilty time!!

My Christmas cake which was smelling so divine the other day is all cooled and packed away safely, I'll let it rest for a week then start feeding it with brandy.

This will be one cake where eating and driving is NOT recommended.

*

I hear the iron calling.

I hope you're as excited about your latest project as I am about mine.

Self portrait and a finish!!

The house smells divine today!

I have Christmas cake in the oven. The old fashioned rich dark fruit cake kind.

If only this picture had smellovision...

Do you like my self portrait?

LOL Try as I might I couldn't get a photo without a myriad of reflections!!

I wasn't opening the oven.

Two more hours before I try that!

 *

So, cake mixed, dishes washed, what next?

I'm on a day off work, so I get to play.

I'm not sure what with though. I finished the kiwi quilt, it's all quilted and bound.

 This is only the second quilt I have done on my quilting frame, so again I stuck to a meander. That suits the charm square style of quilt anyway.

I learned an important lesson along the way while I was quilting this one.

It's true, that it is best to clean your machine between each quilt!

My poor Janome was making an awful noise and the thread was snap, snap, snapping!

I pulled it all apart, had a defluffing session!

And squirted a little oil about!

What a difference.

(Remember that one Loulou!)

So, here you have it....

Kiwi again!

I used a black on black fabric with a silver fern design for the binding and for the first time I closed the binding using my sewing machine, rather than do it by hand. 

Neat! I like that technique.

It will be gifted to a colleague who has very swiftly become a very dear friend.

*

So, what next?

I really don't know.

The Christmas Story quilt is here looking at me, it needs only two borders and a little hand sewing.

Maybe if I get some more done to that it will encourage Debbie to have another go at hers.

She did find time to do some last week, but is very, very busy with her girls at the moment.

Incidentally, Debbie and I will be off to Christchurch to attend the Craft and Quilt Fair at Wigram Air Force Museum. Very excited and looking forward to that!

Like most of you, I have a huge stash and lots of things I would like to do and at times feel quite overwhelmed by it all.

I think it is safe to say that, that is where I am at right now!

Maybe I should make a start on a couple of Christmas gifts.

They don't need to go onto the quilt frame though....

And I do need practice on that....

Decisions, decisions.

I'm off to sniff around the oven door and maybe stitch on sleepy for a bit, while I ponder my next quilty move.

This 'n' that!

That news I was waiting on? 

I had applied for a promotion at work. I wasn't sure if I really wanted it, but encouraged by comments from my colleagues I threw my hat in, to see what would happen.

I talked myself into and out of the position while I waited to see if I would be considered.

By the time of the interview I was in the 'out of' mode! LOL

But sat the interview anyway.

I didn't get the job and felt a huge load lifted off and a feeling of Phew!! when I found out.

So I'm ok with it and delighted that another colleague did get the position.

I'm sure she will be just fine in her new role.

*

Quilting on the latest Kiwiana quilt is progressing slowly.

I do a little here and there.

I was just finishing up for the day when Debbie arrived yesterday.

Less than an hour should see the quilting completed, then I just need to find something to bind it with.

Black I think, as there is black in the back and quite a bit in the front too!

*

I've also been busy with Sleepy again.

I had an ear infection last week and was struggling with noise.

So the sewing/quilting machines were a no go!

So it was nice to sit quietly with sleepy and make some progress with her.

This is where she was at when I picked her up, for the first time in over a month, possibly even two months!!

 And below you see where she is at now.

that blue area I have just started is supposed to have lots of beads in it, but as I opted to omit the beads, that has slowed me down a little as I have to decide which thread colour to substitute.

 It's a day off work today, so I plan to spend more time with her again this afternoon.

*

Yesterday was a really busy day.

The house was like a Chinese laundry! It is again today too!!

I also did some baking as well as playing with my quilt frame.

Then entertained Debbie and family with a huge roast of beef in the evening.

Debs made a lovely apple cake.

Sorry, no pics, we ate it all!

Waiting........

You know when you are waiting for something,

Time drags by so slowly,

You can't settle to anything much,

You prowl around the house looking for something to do, but nothing satisfies?

Well that's where I'm at just now...

Last Friday I was told, ..

"We should be in a position to get back to you with our decision by next Friday"

Seriously? A whole week?

Sigh.

It wasn't so bad when I had someone home to occupy me.

Or when I had to go to work, that kept me busy.

But a day off!

It's not even gardening weather.

I tried to sew, but can't settle to that.

In the end I found myself having a tidy up in my cross stitch charts.

Well I did have some new ones to put away.

Bad blogger, I forgot to photograph them! LOL

Anyhooo!

My chart and kit storage went from this blue box.

All shoved in higgledy- piggledy.

 To all of this!

The blue box still holds all of my kitted projects. (Except one)

The red expanding folder houses all of my Mirabilia, Lavender and lace, Butternut Road and Nora Corbett charts.

The mauve expanding folder holds all the odds and ends of charts.

The wee stacking box holds the next project in line.

That of course is subject to change at any time!!

Depending on my moods and the seasons and time passing and well, just because I'm a woman and we are expected to change our minds!

I think I'll go and put a movie on and cross stitch.

Who knows, if I manage to get settled, a mile away from the phone, it just might ring.

But it is only Monday.....

As promised!

Pictures of my cute wee car.

 It is a beautiful sunny day here in Timaru, perfect for taking a drive and getting some pictures of my wee car.

I headed into the scenic reserve that cuts through the center of town.

Everyone else is at work, so no pic of me in the driving seat just yet, but you get a look anyway.

 This big old tree certainly makes her live up to her name.

Wee car!

*

It's not all been driving around having fun in the sun.

On Monday I put all the kiwi charms together, after some trimming and substitutions!

 And today I made a start here.

No quilt batting, just another pretty fleecy backing and a meander to help me become accustomed to using the frame.