OPAM 2012

 

A Finish!! I quilted this before we went on holiday, bended it while we were on holiday and managed to finish the stitch in the ditch yesterday. I cannot remember on whose blog I saw this quilt about a year and a half ago, but I loved it so much I worked the pattern out and remade it. This is now MY quilt, where all the others the kids and my hubby uses in front of the TV, this one I will be using.... not that I spend a lot of time in front of the TV....

Over the weekend I stumbled upon a few blogs that I've never seen before and it was so nice to "meet" new folks. I commented on there blogs and they all replied! Such nice people!

Not a idle moment

Last week I had a customer who loved my previous Lipgloss Girls bag and wanted to buy it... well, here is my new one...which I love even more! I sewed the whole of Thursday and Friday (my mom did the embroidery of the lips and glasses). The lace I used is from the rummage sale my mom and I visited in March and the braid I bought in Holland in 2010 - I am so glad I had a opportunity to use it.  This is the end result of last weeks post on Mistakes we make... well, how does the saying go : all is well that ends well!

I also managed to finish this mini quilt - my plan was to hand quilt this little one, but the classes are on a Thursday afternoon and I can't make it! So I stitched in the ditch and cross hatched it finished the binding on Friday evening. I wanted it done for Saturday as it was our quarterly Quilters Guild meeting and since I want to present it as a workshop, my example had to be done. I LOVE these feedsack prints!

Well, my prize from OPAM 2012 arrived in the mail on Saturday - thanks Peg! I am in need of a bookmark, as my current one is the pamphlet of how to use Mandy wax strips! The bag has three beautiful stitcheries, another OPAM in the making???

Finally, I quilted this quilt yesterday. My mom and I made it in December for a friend of ours who is turning 60 soon. She bought a lot of fabric a few years ago but never got into quilting, so we decided to make her a quilt from all her own fabric. All that we bought was the outside border. Now my mom just needs to do the binding.   

What I didn't mention was: as I was finishing off this quilt this morning, I sewed RIGHT through my finger - broke the needle in 3 pieces... not once but TWICE! Is there any excuses for being blond????   

Mistakes we make

Today I was so eager to start a new applique project, that I did not notice my mistake... I traced all the patterns on the "applique paper", cut them out roughly, ironed them on to the wrong side of my chosen fabrics, neatly cut them on the line and then tried to iron them on my background fabric.... but they wouldn't stick: there was no glue... so I re-ironed them, peeled the paper off again, but still no glue.... Not knowing what the problem was, I got quite desperate... only to suddenly realise I was using FREEZER PAPER and NOT applique paper... So, I started again: this time tracing all the designs on the REAL applique paper, now cutting them precisely and sticking them on my all ready cut fabric pieces... a good waste of two hours....

Blissful holiday

What a beautiful country we have! We went to the Drakensberg Mountains near Underberg in Kwazulu Natal for a week. What a long drive, but SO worth it! We hiked in the mountains, went horseback riding, played tennis, putt-putt and even paintball. The kids even swam in the small heated pool, but I didn't have a bather there... This photo was the view from the patio of the resort. It was so incredibly beautiful! We had tea and scones there 3 mornings in a row, we had meals there and the farewell barbeque. It was the best holiday in a long time! We arrived home on Saturday night and oh the bliss of sleeping in your own bed again! The dogs and cats were so glad we were home: both cats slept right on top of me! The dogs spent the night at my bedside(if the St Bernard were any smaller...she might have been in my bed too!)Well, the small black one was in my bed, but that was a bit much with the 2 cats on top of me...

Yesterday I spent most of the day doing the laundry and even managed to catch up on the 2 blocks that I was behind in the Blogger Block of the Month! My husband had to go into the office and the kids were catching up on homework, so I had free time...which I so enjoyed! I also made some progress on a UFO while we were away: I sewed done the binding on a quilt, but it still needs some stitching in the ditch before it is done ... so no photo's yet!

OPAM 2012

This crazy patchwork handbag I started in 2005! Can you believe I finally finished it? And I had fun finishing it? My other daughter likes it so much her comment was: "thanks so much mom, you shouldn't have!"

Remember when I posted I think end February about the old age home rummage sale that we went to? I bought the 100% wool rugwool there and started crocheting a carpet? Well, I finished that too and my cats and doghs just love it!

Then I was spending a lot of time on the Internet blog surfing and came upon something I haven't seen before: in stead of finishing one project a month this lady suggest STARTING a new project every month - nevermind when you finish it... and I am always up for a new project, so I fired away: These pineapple blocks are 4.5 inches finished. The quilt top is now finished, but this one I would like to hand quilt, so I will be going for classes soon.

Lastly, while my hubby was away(that's why I got so much done in the evenings: I was so lonesome!) my small doggie and my one cat was my sleeping partners and are quite willing to lie so close together as long as they are allowed on the bed!

I won! Again!

I opened my e-mail this morning and saw a e-mail saying Peg Coen in the from column and subject saying winner....I was a bit sceptical since I receive so many junk e-mails stating I won some or other lottery and it could be a virus, but I checked anyway and it was Peg from www.happyinquilting.blogspot.com saying I won a draw and a little something is coming my way! yippee! Thanks Peg!!

On the sewing front I were quite busy over the weekend as my husband is away still. I managed to make this A4 size journal cover. I made 2 applique blocks from a Sun Bonnet Sue quilt donkeys years ago and lost enthusiasm. I cut it smaller and appliqued it on the pieced background. I had a journal cover I was gifted a year ago so I just copied how to make it from there. I need a journal to write down promises I make to customers and then I can't remember who I promised what!



This is a crazy patch handbag I started in 2005!! Now all I need to do is to blanket stitch around all the pinned edges and attach the handles. I have lovely bamboo handles I bought in China some years ago that I intend using. That I can list under my OPAM2012. I'm really enjoying getting small things done which seems like a huge accomplishment to me!

2 years.....

is what it took me to complete this nativity stitchery! Last night I picked it up and finished the last few stitches! Why didn't I do it sooner? I just don't know! And I thoroughly enjoyed doing the last few stitches and saying: "Voila!". It is part of a Christmas quilt I started at least 3 years ago; all different blocks that I have no idea how I am going to put it all together... but that is a concern for another day.



We bought a new microwave last week(the new stainless steel look) and immediately it looked dirty. So I just had to make a topper for it.Yesterday afternoon I scratched through my UFO and picture fabric basket and found this lovely cat. Just added a border to make up the right size, quickly quilted it, added the binding and project was done!

Why am I so industrious? My husband left on a business trip to China yesterday morning and I can't just mope around - have to keep busy! I miss him all ready!

I follow a blog named " Mi Sala de Costura" and for a few months she didn't blog. Suddenly she is back and she reported that she was ill. Strange how one can be concerned for a "cyber acquaintance"! But is fantastic that she is back!♥