Favourite colours, at the mo

What's this? Ironing completed?! I wish that were true but sadly not (the ironing is taking over the sofa as I type). I've been forced to buy more clothes for my little Piglet as she insists on growing. Ah, I do love a pile a folded clothes, neat and satisfying, even if I didn't iron these particular ones.

I'm loving the colour in these new things. That rich purple and hot pink with a dash of orange. It makes me long for crisp walks through the woods, all crunchy leaves and slanting golden sunlight. Maybe even a sparkle of frost. Delicious. Except, that's not what the weather is doing, it's clearly not in the mood to behave and do what's expected of it. Not a hint of crispness out there. Well I'll be patient, for a while at least, then I would really like to wear my new coat (you listening, weather?)

Green! I love this coat. I makes me smile just to put it on.

S xxx

My albatross

I've been making this quilt, off and on (yes, mainly off) for about a year. I feel guilty just looking at it.

It was supposed to be a present, at the beginning of last December. A wedding present. For my sister (hides head in shame). It's not the first quilt I've made, not the biggest either. But the only one that has been late. At least she doesn't know about it, well I think she doesn't know.

You see, I have a bit of a thing for repeating patterns. I love to find them in fabric, wallpaper, tiles, anywhere. So patchwork? Love it! Putting different blocks together to reveal secondary patterns? Ooo yeah! Actually completing and quilting the thing? mmm....not so much. But I dearly love to draw them out. And colour them in. And again on the computer. And change the colours. Like I said, a bit of a thing.

So what's the problem? you say. How long can it take to make a quilt? And here we get to one of the reasons I made it so hard. I cannot make a small quilt. If your going to have a quilt, I think it should be generously sized. I'm talking lots of over-hang on a king-size bed here. And the other problem; I get a neater finish if I make up the blocks by hand. So now you see; making a 49 block quilt (210 cm x 210 cm) takes time and more importantly stamina.

But I have managed it before, I made 2 wedding quilts last year. Finished and delivered on time. I'd like to think that was the problem, I just ran out of steam. I'm not convinced though. When (if?) I finally finish I'm sure I'll hand it over only to be met with a "meh, thanks". So I decided I wouldn't make my sister a quilt and even told her as much. Then changed my mind. In October. Leaving myself about 8 weeks to get it done, ignoring the fact that my soon to be first born was stealing all my energy. No surprise the wedding rolled around and it wasn't finished.

All is not lost though, I'm so nearly there. A minimal amount of quilting and a label are all that stand between me and freedom! I can get on with all the projects I've been planning and maybe even complete some others. But for now it's just me and my albatross. Maybe it will be done for my sister's anniversary. Her first one!

S xxx

Preamble

So this is it, I've finally taken the plunge and got a blog of my very own! Exciting! You see I've been "getting round to it" for a while now, just a couple of years. I've been reading blogs on the sly, lurking in the shadows. Not commenting or subscribing, but dropping in regularly to check up on the progress of quilts, what was for dinner last night and the latest vintage find. Is that stalking? Yes, probably. So anyway, I'm going public. Since I can see yours, I'll show you mine, so to speak!

I'm also hoping that I'll be spurred on to get back into sewing, my diversion of choice. I've been very unproductive in that respect lately. I blame my daughter, Piglet, little time stealer that she is! She's 6 months old now so there really is no excuse.

Right then, this is the beginning of hopefully lots of colour, quilts, cakes and things ticked off the ever present to-do list. I'm off now to take Piglet for a walk, and the sky has just turned grey and dull, typical!

S xxx